41. Surah Fussilat, English Translation

˹This is˺ a revelation from the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

˹It is˺ a Book whose verses are perfectly explained—a Quran in Arabic for people who know,

delivering good news and warning. Yet most of them turn away, so they do not hear.

They say, “Our hearts are veiled against what you are calling us to, there is deafness in our ears, and there is a barrier between us and you. So do ˹whatever you want˺ and so shall we!”

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I am only a man like you, ˹but˺ it has been revealed to me that your God is only One God. So take the Straight Way towards Him, and seek His forgiveness. And woe to the polytheists—

those who do not pay alms-tax and are in denial of the Hereafter.

˹But˺ those who believe and do good will certainly have a never-ending reward.

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “How can you disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two Days? And how can you set up equals with Him? That is the Lord of all worlds.

He placed on the earth firm mountains, standing high, showered His blessings upon it, and ordained ˹all˺ its means of sustenance—totaling four Days exactly¹—for all who ask.

Then He turned towards the heaven when it was ˹still like˺ smoke, saying to it and to the earth, ‘Submit, willingly or unwillingly.’ They both responded, ‘We submit willingly.’

So He formed the heaven into seven heavens in two Days, assigning to each its mandate. And We adorned the lowest heaven with ˹stars like˺ lamps ˹for beauty˺ and for protection. That is the design of the Almighty, All-Knowing.”¹ 

If they turn away, then say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I warn you of a ˹mighty˺ blast, like the one that befell ’Ȃd and Thamûd.”

The messengers had come to them from all angles, ˹proclaiming,˺ “Worship none but Allah.” They responded, “Had our Lord willed, He could have easily sent down angels ˹instead˺. So we totally reject what you have been sent with.”

As for ’Ȃd, they acted arrogantly throughout the land with no right, boasting, “Who is superior to us in might?” Did they not see that Allah ˹Himself˺, Who created them, was far superior to them in might? Still they persisted in denying Our signs.

So We sent against them a furious wind,¹ for ˹several˺ miserable days, to make them taste a humiliating punishment in this worldly life. But far more humiliating will be the punishment of the Hereafter. And they will not be helped.

As for Thamûd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. So the blast of a disgracing punishment overtook them for what they used to commit.

And We delivered those who were faithful and were mindful ˹of Allah˺.

˹Consider˺ the Day ˹when˺ the enemies of Allah will be gathered for the Fire, all driven in ranks.

When they reach it, their ears, eyes, and skin will testify against what they used to do.¹

They will ask their skin ˹furiously˺, “Why have you testified against us?” It will say, “We have been made to speak by Allah, Who causes all things to speak. He ˹is the One Who˺ created you the first time, and to Him you were bound to return.

You did not ˹bother to˺ hide yourselves from your ears, eyes, and skin to prevent them from testifying against you. Rather, you assumed that Allah did not know much of what you used to do.

It was that ˹false˺ assumption you entertained about your Lord that has brought about your doom, so you have become losers.”

Even if they endure patiently, the Fire will ˹always˺ be their home. And if they ˹beg to˺ appease ˹their Lord˺, they will never be allowed to.

We placed at their disposal ˹evil˺ associates who made their past and future ˹misdeeds˺ appealing to them.¹ ˹So˺ the fate of earlier communities of jinn and humans has been justified against them ˹as well˺, ˹for˺ they were truly losers.

The disbelievers advised ˹one another˺, “Do not listen to this Quran but drown it out so that you may prevail.”

So We will certainly make the disbelievers taste a severe punishment, and We will surely repay them according to the worst of their deeds.

That is the reward of Allah’s enemies: the Fire, which will be their eternal home—a ˹fitting˺ reward for their denial of Our revelations.

The disbelievers will ˹then˺ cry, “Our Lord! Show us those jinn and humans who led us astray: we will put them under our feet so that they will be among the lowest ˹in Hell˺.”

Surely those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them,¹ ˹saying,˺ “Do not fear, nor grieve. Rather, rejoice in the good news of Paradise, which you have been promised.

We are your supporters in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire, and there you will have whatever you ask for:

an accommodation from the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful ˹Lord˺.”

And whose words are better than someone who calls ˹others˺ to Allah, does good, and says, “I am truly one of those who submit.”?¹

Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond ˹to evil˺ with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend.

But this cannot be attained except by those who are patient and who are truly fortunate.

And if you are tempted by Satan, then seek refuge with Allah. Indeed, He ˹alone˺ is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Among His signs are the day and the night, the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them ˹all˺, if you ˹truly˺ worship Him ˹alone˺.

But if the pagans are too proud, then ˹let them know that˺ those ˹angels˺ nearest to your Lord glorify Him day and night, and never grow weary.

And among His signs is that you see the earth devoid of life, but as soon as We send down rain upon it, it begins to stir ˹to life˺ and swell. Indeed, the One Who revives it can easily revive the dead. He is certainly Most Capable of everything.

Indeed, those who abuse Our revelations¹ are not hidden from Us. Who is better: the one who will be cast into the Fire or the one who will be secure on Judgment Day? Do whatever you want. He is certainly All-Seeing of what you do.

Indeed, those who deny the Reminder¹ after it has come to them ˹are doomed˺, for it is truly a mighty Book.