46. Surah Al-Ahqaf, English Translation

The revelation of this Book is from Allah—the Almighty, All-Wise.

We only created the heavens and the earth and everything in between for a purpose and an appointed term. Yet the disbelievers are turning away from what they have been warned about.

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Have you considered whatever ˹idols˺ you invoke besides Allah? Show me what they have created on earth! Or do they have a share in ˹the creation of˺ the heavens? Bring me a scripture ˹revealed˺ before this ˹Quran˺ or a shred of knowledge, if what you say is true.”

And who could be more astray than those who call upon others besides Allah—˹others˺ that cannot respond to them until the Day of Judgment, and are ˹even˺ unaware of their calls?

And when ˹such˺ people will be gathered together, those ˹gods˺ will be their enemies and will disown their worship.

Whenever Our clear revelations are recited to them, the disbelievers say of the truth when it has come to them, “This is pure magic.”

Or do they say, “He¹ has fabricated this ˹Quran˺!”? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If I have done so, then there is nothing whatsoever you can do to save me from Allah. He knows best what ˹slurs˺ you indulge about it. Sufficient is He as a Witness between you and me. And He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Say, “I am not the first messenger ever sent, nor do I know what will happen to me or you. I only follow what is revealed to me. And I am only sent with a clear warning.”

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Consider if this ˹Quran˺ is ˹truly˺ from Allah and you deny it, and a witness from the Children of Israel attests to it and then believes,¹ whereas you act arrogantly. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.”

The disbelievers say of the believers, “Had it been ˹something˺ good, they¹ would not have beaten us to it.” Now since they reject its guidance, they will say, “˹This is˺ an ancient fabrication!”

And before this ˹Quran˺ the Book of Moses was ˹revealed as˺ a guide and mercy. And this Book is a confirmation, in the Arabic tongue, to warn those who do wrong, and as good news to those who do good.

Surely those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” and then remain steadfast—there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.

It is they who will be the residents of Paradise, staying there forever, as a reward for what they used to do.

We have commanded people to honour their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their ˹period of˺ bearing and weaning is thirty months. In time, when the child reaches their prime at the age of forty, they pray, “My Lord! Inspire me to ˹always˺ be thankful for Your favours which You blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please You. And instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit ˹to Your Will˺.”

It is from these ˹people˺ that We will accept the good they did, and overlook their misdeeds—along with the residents of Paradise, ˹in fulfilment of˺ the true promise they have been given.

But some scold their parents, “Enough with you! Are you warning me that I will be brought forth ˹from the grave˺, while many generations had already perished before me ˹for good˺?” The parents cry to Allah for help, ˹and warn their child,˺ “Pity you. Have faith! Surely Allah’s promise is true.” But the deniers insist, “This is nothing but ancient fables.”

These are the ones against whom the fate of earlier communities of jinn and humans has been justified, ˹for˺ they were truly losers.

Each ˹of the two groups˺ will be ranked according to what they have done so He may fully reward all. And none will be wronged.

˹Watch for˺ the Day ˹when˺ the disbelievers will be exposed to the Fire. ˹They will be told,˺ “You ˹already˺ exhausted your ˹share of˺ pleasures during your worldly life, and ˹fully˺ enjoyed them. So Today you will be rewarded with the torment of disgrace for your arrogance throughout the land with no right, and for your rebelliousness.”

And remember the brother of ’Ȃd, when he warned his people, who inhabited the sand-hills¹—there were certainly warners before and after him—˹saying,˺ “Worship none but Allah. I truly fear for you the torment of a tremendous day.”

They argued, “Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring us then whatever you threaten us with, if what you say is true.”

He responded, “The knowledge ˹of its time˺ is only with Allah. I only convey to you what I have been sent with. But I can see that you are a people acting ignorantly.”

Then when they saw the torment as a ˹dense˺ cloud approaching their valleys, they said ˹happily˺, “This is a cloud bringing us rain.” ˹But Hûd replied,˺ “No, it is what you sought to hasten: a ˹fierce˺ wind carrying a painful punishment!”

It destroyed everything by the command of its Lord, leaving nothing visible except their ruins. This is how We reward the wicked people.

Indeed, We had established them¹ in a way We have not established you ˹Meccans˺. And We gave them hearing, sight, and intellect. But neither their hearing, sight, nor intellect were of any benefit to them whatsoever, since they persisted in denying Allah’s signs. And ˹so˺ they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.

We certainly destroyed the societies around you after having varied the signs so perhaps they would return ˹to the Right Path˺.

Why then were they not helped by those ˹idols˺ they took as gods besides Allah, hoping to get closer ˹to Him˺? Instead, they failed them. That is ˹the result of˺ their lies and their fabrications.

˹Remember, O  Prophet,˺ when We sent a group of jinn your way to listen to the Quran. Then, upon hearing it, they said ˹to one another˺, “Listen quietly!” Then when it was over, they returned to their fellow jinn as warners.

They declared, “O our fellow jinn! We have truly heard a scripture revealed after Moses, confirming what came before it. It guides to the truth and the Straight Way.

O  our fellow jinn! Respond to the caller of Allah and believe in him, He will forgive your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.

And whoever does not respond to the caller of Allah will have no escape on earth, nor will they have any protectors against Him. It is they who are clearly astray.”

Do they not realize that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and did not tire in creating them,¹ is able to give life to the dead? Yes ˹indeed˺! He is certainly Most Capable of everything.

And on the Day the disbelievers will be exposed to the Fire, ˹they will be asked,˺ “Is this ˹Hereafter˺ not the truth?” They will cry, “Absolutely, by our Lord!” It will be said, “Then taste the punishment for your disbelief.”

So endure patiently, as did the Messengers of Firm Resolve.¹ And do not ˹seek to˺ hasten ˹the torment˺ for the deniers. On the Day they see what they have been threatened with, it will be as if they had only stayed ˹in this world˺ for an hour of a day.² ˹This is˺ a ˹sufficient˺ warning! Then, will anyone be destroyed except the rebellious people?