ص ۚ وَالْقُرْآنِ ذِي الذِّكْرِ ١

Sad. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.) By the Holy Qur’an, full of direction and guidance.

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي عِزَّةٍ وَشِقَاقٍ ٢

But the disbelievers are in (the trouble of undue and unjust) conceit and arrogance, (suffering from) opposition and enmity (against Our Esteemed Prophet).

كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ فَنَادَوا وَّلَاتَ حِينَ مَنَاصٍ ٣

How many a community We have destroyed before them! And they started crying (on seeing the torment) when there was no time left for deliverance (and release).

وَعَجِبُوا أَن جَاءَهُم مُّنذِرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَٰذَا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ ٤

And they wondered that a Warner had come to them from amongst themselves and the disbelievers said: ‘He is a magician, a great liar.

أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ ٥

Has he turned all the gods into one God? That is indeed a very strange thing!’

وَانطَلَقَ الْمَلَأُ مِنْهُمْ أَنِ امْشُوا وَاصْبِرُوا عَلَىٰ آلِهَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ يُرَادُ ٦

And their chiefs (stood up terminating their meeting with the Holy Prophet [blessings and peace be upon him] at Abu Talib’s house) and walked out saying (to the rest of the people): ‘You also walk out, and be firm-footed in (worshipping) your gods. There is for sure some motive (and purpose) behind it.

مَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي الْمِلَّةِ الْآخِرَةِ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا اخْتِلَاقٌ ٧

We have not heard of this (belief in the Oneness of God) even amongst the last community (of Christianity or the religion of the Quraysh). This is but a fabricated lie.

أَأُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِن بَيْنِنَا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِّن ذِكْرِي ۖ بَل لَّمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ ٨

Has this admonition (the Qur’an) been sent down to him alone out of all of us?’ To be more precise, they are (caught) in doubt about My admonition. But in truth they have not yet tasted My torment.

أَمْ عِندَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ الْعَزِيزِ الْوَهَّابِ ٩

Do they have the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, Who is the Almighty, the Most Benevolent?

أَمْ لَهُم مُّلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَلْيَرْتَقُوا فِي الْأَسْبَابِ ١٠

Or do they possess the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them? (If so,) then they should tie up ropes and climb up (to heaven).

جُندٌ مَّا هُنَالِكَ مَهْزُومٌ مِّنَ الْأَحْزَابِ ١١

They are just a worthless army of the armies (of the disbelievers) that is about to be badly defeated at this very place.

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَعَادٌ وَفِرْعَوْنُ ذُو الْأَوْتَادِ ١٢

Before them the people of Nuh (Noah) and ‘Ad and (also) Pharaoh, the powerful king (who tortured with stakes), belied and disbelieved;

وَثَمُودُ وَقَوْمُ لُوطٍ وَأَصْحَابُ الْأَيْكَةِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الْأَحْزَابُ ١٣

And Thamud and the people of Lut (Lot) and the dwellers of (the Wood) al-Ayka (i.e., the people of Shu‘ayb) too (denied). These were the large armies.

إِن كُلٌّ إِلَّا كَذَّبَ الرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ عِقَابِ ١٤

Each (one of these) people rejected the Messengers and My torment became inevitable (for them).

وَمَا يَنظُرُ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً مَّا لَهَا مِن فَوَاقٍ ١٥

And all of them are waiting for a single mighty blast (shout) in which there will be no deferment.

وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ ١٦

And they say: ‘O our Lord, hasten to us our share even before the Day of Reckoning.’

اصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُودَ ذَا الْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ١٧

(O My Esteemed Beloved!) Continue observing patience with what they say and remember Our servant Dawud (David), who had great power. Certainly, he was ever-turning (to Us in repentance).

إِنَّا سَخَّرْنَا الْجِبَالَ مَعَهُ يُسَبِّحْنَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِشْرَاقِ ١٨

Indeed, We put mountains under his command which (joining him) used to glorify Me evening and morning,

وَالطَّيْرَ مَحْشُورَةً ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ١٩

And the birds as well that used to flock (in his presence); each would turn towards him (seeking to obey his commands).

وَشَدَدْنَا مُلْكَهُ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ ٢٠

And We strengthened and stabilized his state and rule, and blessed him with wisdom, insight and a decisive (and distinctive) oratory.