المص ١

Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.)

كِتَابٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِي صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٢

(O Esteemed Beloved!) This is the Book (that) has been revealed to you. So, let there be no feeling of constriction in your (illumined) breast (on thinking of the disbelievers’ belying and denying the promulgation of its message. This has been revealed with the sole purpose) that by means of it you may warn (the ones who deny), and it (provides) direction and guidance to the believers.

اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ٣

(O people!) Follow this (Qur’an) which has been sent down to you from your Lord, and do not follow (any heretic rulers and) friends other than Him. You take advice but little!

وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَائِلُونَ ٤

And how many a town (is such as) We destroyed! Our torment came upon them at night or (whilst) they were asleep at noon.

فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ٥

And when Our torment came upon them, their cry was nothing (else) but they began to say: ‘No doubt we were the wrongdoers.’

فَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْأَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ٦

Then We shall certainly interrogate those to whom We sent Messengers, and We shall assuredly ask the Messengers as well (with regard to the response to their call for truth and their teaching and preaching).

فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ ۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَائِبِينَ ٧

We shall then relate to them from (Our) knowledge (all their) affairs, and We were not absent (from anywhere, unable to monitor them).

وَالْوَزْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ ۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ٨

And on that Day, the weighing (of deeds) is a truth. So those whose scales (of righteous deeds) are heavy will be successful,

وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يَظْلِمُونَ ٩

But those whose scales (of righteous deeds) are light, it is they who have harmed their souls because they had been unjust to Our Revelations.

وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَايِشَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ ١٠

And surely, We established you firmly on earth with control and authority and created therein means of sustenance for you. Yet you thank but little.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ ١١

And certainly, We did create you (i.e., your real being), then gave you shape (i.e., accomplished the phases of chemical and biological genesis and evolution of life till the completion of the physical existence of Adam). Then We commanded the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ They all prostrated themselves except Iblis; he was not of those who prostrate themselves.

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ ١٢

(Allah) said: ‘(O Iblis!) What inhibited you that you did not prostrate yourself when I commanded you?’ He said: ‘I am better than he. You have created me from fire and You have made him from clay.’

قَالَ فَاهْبِطْ مِنْهَا فَمَا يَكُونُ لَكَ أَن تَتَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا فَاخْرُجْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ ١٣

(Allah) said: ‘So, get you down from here. You have no right to show arrogance here. Away with you (from My presence)! You are certainly of the disgraced and the humiliated lot.’

قَالَ أَنظِرْنِي إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ١٤

He (Iblis) said: ‘Grant me respite (to live) till the Day when people will be raised up (from the graves).’

قَالَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنظَرِينَ ١٥

(Allah) said: ‘Indeed, you are of those granted respite.’

قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ١٦

He (Iblis) said: ‘Since You have led me astray, (I swear that) I will (also) sit on Your straight path (to waylay the children of Adam till I cause them to deviate from the path of truth).

ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ ١٧

I will assuredly approach them from their front, from their rear, from their right and from their left, and (consequently) You will not find most of them grateful.’

قَالَ اخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ١٨

Allah commanded: ‘(O Iblis!) Be gone from here, humiliated and cursed. Whoever of them will follow you, I will certainly fill Hell with all of you.

وَيَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ١٩

And, O Adam, reside (both) you and your wife in Paradise and eat from wherever you wish. And (beware!) Do not go near this tree lest you become of those who transgress.’

فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْآتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ ٢٠

But Satan created doubt in the hearts of both (Adam and Hawwa [Eve]) in order to make manifest to them their private parts which were hidden (from their eyes). He said: ‘(O Adam and Hawwa [Eve],) your Lord has not forbidden you (eating fruit of) this tree, but (because, eating it,) you both will transform into angels (free from human characteristics), or both of you become (its) permanent residents (i.e., never will you be deprived of this station of proximity).’