21. Surah Al-Anbiya, English Translation

Whatever new reminder comes to them from their Lord, they only listen to it jokingly,

with their hearts ˹totally˺ distracted. The evildoers would converse secretly, ˹saying,˺ “Is this ˹one˺ not human like yourselves? Would you fall for ˹this˺ witchcraft, even though you can ˹clearly˺ see?”

The Prophet responded, “My Lord ˹fully˺ knows every word spoken in the heavens and the earth. For He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

Yet they say, “This ˹Quran˺ is a set of confused dreams! No, he has fabricated it! No, he must be a poet! So let him bring us a ˹tangible˺ sign like those ˹prophets˺ sent before.”

Not a ˹single˺ society We destroyed before them ever believed ˹after receiving the signs˺. Will these ˹pagans˺ then believe?

We did not send ˹messengers˺ before you ˹O Prophet˺ except mere men inspired by Us. If you ˹polytheists˺ do not know ˹this already˺, then ask those who have knowledge ˹of the Scriptures˺.

We did not give those messengers ˹supernatural˺ bodies that did not need food, nor were they immortal.

Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, saving them along with whoever We willed and destroying the transgressors.

We have surely revealed to you a Book, in which there is glory for you. Will you not then understand?

˹Imagine˺ how many societies of wrongdoers We have destroyed, raising up other people after them!

When the wrongdoers sensed ˹the arrival of˺ Our torment, they started to run away from their cities.

˹They were told,˺ “Do not run away! Return to your luxuries and your homes, so you may be questioned ˹about your fate˺.”

They cried, “Woe to us! We have surely been wrongdoers.”

They kept repeating their cry until We mowed them down, ˹leaving them˺ lifeless.¹ 

We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything in between for sport.

Had We intended to take ˹some˺ amusement, We could have found it in Our presence, if that had been Our Will.

In fact, We hurl the truth against falsehood, leaving it crushed, and it quickly vanishes. And woe be to you for what you claim!¹

To Him belong all those in the heavens and the earth. And those nearest to Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they tire.

They glorify ˹Him˺ day and night, never wavering.

Or have they taken gods from the earth, who can raise the dead?

Had there been other gods besides Allah in the heavens or the earth, both ˹realms˺ would have surely been corrupted. So Glorified is Allah, Lord of the Throne, far above what they claim.

He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will ˹all˺ be questioned.

Or have they taken other gods besides Him? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Show ˹me˺ your proof. Here is ˹the Quran,˺ the Reminder for those with me; along with ˹earlier Scriptures,˺ the Reminder for those before me.”¹ But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away.

We never sent a messenger before you ˹O Prophet˺ without revealing to him: “There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Me, so worship Me ˹alone˺.”

And they say, “The Most Compassionate has offspring!”¹ Glory be to Him! In fact, those ˹angels˺ are only ˹His˺ honoured servants,

who do not speak until He has spoken, ˹only˺ acting at His command.

He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them. They do not intercede except for whom He approves, and they tremble in awe of Him.

Whoever of them were to say, “I am a god besides Him,” they would be rewarded with Hell by Us. This is how We reward the wrongdoers.

Do the disbelievers not realize that the heavens and earth were ˹once˺ one mass then We split them apart? And We created from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?

And We have placed firm mountains upon the earth so it does not shake with them, and made in it broad pathways so they may find their way.

And We have made the sky a well-protected canopy, still they turn away from its signs.¹

And He is the One Who created the day and the night, the sun and the moon—each travelling in an orbit.

We have not granted immortality to any human before you ˹O Prophet˺: so if you die, will they live forever?

Every soul will taste death. And We test you ˹O humanity˺ with good and evil as a trial, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned.

When the disbelievers see you ˹O Prophet˺, they only make fun of you, ˹saying,˺ “Is this the one who speaks ˹ill˺ of your gods?” while they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Compassionate.

Humankind is made of haste. I will soon show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten them.

They ask ˹the believers˺, “When will this threat come to pass if what you say is true?”

If only the disbelievers knew that a time will come when they will not be able to keep the Fire off their faces or backs, nor will they be helped.

In fact, the Hour will take them by surprise, leaving them stunned. So they will not be able to avert it, nor will it be delayed from them.

˹Other˺ messengers had already been ridiculed before you ˹O Prophet˺, but those who mocked them were overtaken by what they used to ridicule.

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet,˺ “Who can defend you by day or by night against the Most Compassionate?” Still they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord.

Or do they have gods—other than Us—that can protect them? They cannot ˹even˺ protect themselves, nor will they be aided against Us.

In fact, We have allowed enjoyment for these ˹Meccans˺ and their forefathers for such a long time ˹that they took it for granted˺. Do they not see that We gradually reduce ˹their˺ land from its borders? Is it they who will then prevail?