14. Surah Ibrahim, English Translation

Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And woe to the disbelievers because of a severe torment!

˹They are˺ the ones who favour the life of this world over the Hereafter and hinder ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah, striving to make it ˹appear˺ crooked. It is they who have gone far astray.

We have not sent a messenger except in the language of his people to clarify ˹the message˺ for them. Then Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.

Indeed, We sent Moses with Our signs, ˹ordering him,˺ “Lead your people out of darkness and into light, and remind them of Allah’s days ˹of favour˺.” Surely in this are signs for whoever is steadfast, grateful.

˹Consider˺ when Moses said to his people, “Remember Allah’s favour upon you when He rescued you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with dreadful torment—slaughtering your sons and keeping your women. That was a severe test from your Lord.

And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’”

Moses added, “If you along with everyone on earth were to be ungrateful, then ˹know that˺ Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.”

Have you not ˹already˺ received the stories of those who were before you: the people of Noah, ’Âd, Thamûd, and those after them? Only Allah knows how many they were. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they put their hands over their mouths¹ and said, “We totally reject what you have been sent with, and we are certainly in alarming doubt about what you are inviting us to.”

Their messengers asked ˹them˺, “Is there any doubt about Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? He is inviting you in order to forgive your sins, and delay your end until your appointed term.”¹ They argued, “You are no more than humans like us! You ˹only˺ wish to turn us away from what our forefathers worshipped. So bring us some compelling proof.”

Their messengers said to them, “We are ˹indeed˺ only humans like you, but Allah favours whoever He chooses of His servants. It is not for us to bring you any proof without Allah’s permission. And in Allah let the believers put their trust.

Why should we not put our trust in Allah, when He has truly guided us to ˹the very best of˺ ways? Indeed, we will patiently endure whatever harm you may cause us. And in Allah let the faithful put their trust.”

The disbelievers then threatened their messengers, “We will certainly expel you from our land, unless you return to our faith.” So their Lord revealed to them, “We will surely destroy the wrongdoers,

and make you reside in the land after them. This is for whoever is in awe of standing before Me and fears My warning.”

And both sides called for judgment, so every stubborn tyrant was doomed.

Awaiting them is Hell, and they will be left to drink oozing pus,

which they will sip with difficulty, and can hardly swallow. Death will overwhelm them from every side, yet they will not ˹be able to˺ die. Awaiting them still is harsher torment.

The parable of the deeds of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that of ashes fiercely blown away by wind on a stormy day. They will gain nothing from what they have earned. That is ˹truly˺ the farthest one can stray.

Have you not seen that Allah created the heavens and the earth for a reason? If He wills, He can eliminate you and produce a new creation.

And that is not difficult for Allah ˹at all˺.

They will all appear before Allah, and the lowly ˹followers˺ will appeal to the arrogant ˹leaders˺, “We were your ˹dedicated˺ followers, so will you ˹then˺ protect us from Allah’s torment in any way?” They will reply, “Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. ˹Now˺ it is all the same for us whether we suffer patiently or impatiently, there is no escape for us.”

And Satan will say ˹to his followers˺ after the judgment has been passed, “Indeed, Allah has made you a true promise. I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I did not have any authority over you. I only called you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; blame yourselves. I cannot save you, nor can you save me. Indeed, I denounce your previous association of me with Allah ˹in loyalty˺. Surely the wrongdoers will suffer a painful punishment.”

Those who believe and do good will be admitted into Gardens, under which rivers flow—to stay there forever by the Will of their Lord—where they will be greeted with “Peace!”

Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky,

˹always˺ yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord. This is how Allah sets forth parables for the people, so perhaps they will be mindful.

And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability.

Allah makes the believers steadfast with the firm Word ˹of faith˺¹ in this worldly life and the Hereafter. And Allah leaves the wrongdoers to stray. For Allah does what He wills.

Have you not seen those ˹disbelievers˺ who meet Allah’s favours with ingratitude and lead their own people to their doom?

In Hell they will burn. What an evil place for settlement.

They set up equals to Allah to mislead ˹others˺ from His Way. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Enjoy yourselves! Surely your destination is the Fire.”

Tell My believing servants to establish prayer and donate from what We have provided for them—openly and secretly—before the arrival of a Day in which there will be no ransom or friendly connections.

It is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth and sends down rain from the sky, causing fruits to grow as a provision for you. He has subjected the ships for your service, sailing through the sea by His command, and has subjected the rivers for you.

He has ˹also˺ subjected for you the sun and the moon, both constantly orbiting, and has subjected the day and night for you.

And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, ˹totally˺ ungrateful.¹ 

˹Remember˺ when Abraham prayed, “My Lord! Make this city ˹of Mecca˺ secure, and keep me and my children away from the worship of idols.

My Lord! They have caused many people to go astray. So whoever follows me is with me, and whoever disobeys me—then surely You are ˹still˺ All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley, near Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may establish prayer. So make the hearts of ˹believing˺ people incline towards them and provide them with fruits, so perhaps they will be thankful.