The Prostration

الٓمٓ ١

A. L. M.

تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ مِن رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ ٢

The book is, without a doubt, a revelation from the Lord of the Universe.

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَٮٰهُ‌ۚ بَلۡ هُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوۡمً۬ا مَّآ أَتَٮٰهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٍ۬ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَہۡتَدُونَ ٣

They said, "He fabricated it." Indeed, this is the truth from your Lord, to warn people who never received a warner before you, that they may be guided.

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ۬ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ‌ۖ مَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّ۬ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ‌ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٤

ALLAH is the One who created the Heavens and the Earth, and everything between them in six days, then assumed all authority over the Throne. You have none beside Him as Lord and Master, nor do you have an intercessor. Would you not take heed?

يُدَبِّرُ ٱلۡأَمۡرَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ثُمَّ يَعۡرُجُ إِلَيۡهِ فِى يَوۡمٍ۬ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُ ۥۤ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٍ۬ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ ٥

All matters are controlled by Him from the Heaven to the Earth. They return to Him in a day which is equivalent to one thousand of your years.

ذَٲلِكَ عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٦

Knower of all secrets and declarations; the Almighty, Most Merciful.

ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحۡسَنَ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقَهُ ۥ‌ۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلۡقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِينٍ۬ ٧

He is the One who perfected everything He created, and started the creation of the human from clay.

ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسۡلَهُ ۥ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ۬ مِّن مَّآءٍ۬ مَّهِينٍ۬ ٨

Then He continued his reproduction through a certain lowly liquid.

ثُمَّ سَوَّٮٰهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِۦ‌ۖ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرَ وَٱلۡأَفۡـِٔدَةَ‌ۚ قَلِيلاً۬ مَّا تَشۡڪُرُونَ ٩

He shaped him and blew into him from His spirit. And He gave you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brains; rarely are you thankful.

وَقَالُوٓاْ أَءِذَا ضَلَلۡنَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَءِنَّا لَفِى خَلۡقٍ۬ جَدِيدِۭ‌ۚ بَلۡ هُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّہِمۡ كَـٰفِرُونَ ١٠

They wonder, "After we vanish into the Earth, do we get created anew?" Thus, as regards to meeting their Lord, they are disbelievers.

قُلۡ يَتَوَفَّٮٰكُم مَّلَكُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ ٱلَّذِى وُكِّلَ بِكُمۡ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ تُرۡجَعُونَ ١١

Say, "You will be put to death by the angel assigned for your death, then to your Lord you will be returned."

وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِہِمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ رَبَّنَآ أَبۡصَرۡنَا وَسَمِعۡنَا فَٱرۡجِعۡنَا نَعۡمَلۡ صَـٰلِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ ١٢

If only you could see the guilty when they bow down their heads before their Lord: "Our Lord, now we have seen and we have heard. Send us back and we will be righteous. Now we have attained certainty."

وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَأَتَيۡنَا كُلَّ نَفۡسٍ هُدَٮٰهَا وَلَـٰكِنۡ حَقَّ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ مِنِّى لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجۡمَعِينَ ١٣

Had we willed, we could have given every soul its guidance, but it is already predetermined that I will fill Hell with jinns and humans, all together.

فَذُوقُواْ بِمَا نَسِيتُمۡ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِكُمۡ هَـٰذَآ إِنَّا نَسِينَـٰڪُمۡ‌ۖ وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ١٤

Taste the consequences of your forgetting the meeting of this day; now we forget you. You have incurred eternal retribution in return for your own works.

إِنَّمَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُڪِّرُواْ بِہَا خَرُّواْ سُجَّدً۬ا وَسَبَّحُواْ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَهُمۡ لَا يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ ١٥

The only people who truly believe in our revelations are those who fall prostrate upon hearing them. They glorify and praise their Lord, without any arrogance.

تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَضَاجِعِ يَدۡعُونَ رَبَّہُمۡ خَوۡفً۬ا وَطَمَعً۬ا وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ١٦

Their sides readily forsake their beds, in order to worship their Lord, out of reverence and hope, and from our provisions to them, they give.

فَلَا تَعۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ۬ مَّآ أُخۡفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٧

You have no idea how much joy and happiness are waiting for you as a reward for your (righteous) works.

أَفَمَن كَانَ مُؤۡمِنً۬ا كَمَن كَانَ فَاسِقً۬ا‌ۚ لَّا يَسۡتَوُ ۥنَ ١٨

Is one who is a believer the same as one who is wicked? They are not equal.

أَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتُ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰ نُزُلاَۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٩

As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, they have deserved the eternal Paradise. Such is their abode, in return for their works.

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُواْ فَمَأۡوَٮٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ‌ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَرَادُوٓاْ أَن يَخۡرُجُواْ مِنۡہَآ أُعِيدُواْ فِيہَا وَقِيلَ لَهُمۡ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٱلَّذِى كُنتُم بِهِۦ تُكَذِّبُونَ ٢٠

As for the wicked, their destiny is Hell. Every time they try to leave it, they will be forced back. They will be told, "Taste the agony of Hell which you used to disbelieve in."

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٢١

We let them taste the smaller retribution (of this world), before they incur the greater retribution (of the Hereafter), that they may (take a hint and) reform.

وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِ ثُمَّ أَعۡرَضَ عَنۡهَآ‌ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ ٢٢

Who is more evil than one who is reminded of these revelations of his Lord, then insists upon disregarding them? We will certainly punish the guilty.

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبَ فَلَا تَكُن فِى مِرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن لِّقَآٮِٕهِۦ‌ۖ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهُ هُدً۬ى لِّبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٢٣

We have given Moses the scripture – do not harbor any doubt about meeting Him – and we made it a guide for the Children of Israel.

وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ ٢٤

We appointed from among them imams who guided in accordance with our commandments, because they steadfastly persevered and attained certainty about our revelations.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفۡصِلُ بَيۡنَهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا ڪَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ ٢٥

Your Lord is the One who will judge them on the Day of Resurrection, regarding everything they disputed.

أَوَلَمۡ يَهۡدِ لَهُمۡ كَمۡ أَهۡلَڪۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ يَمۡشُونَ فِى مَسَـٰكِنِهِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ‌ۖ أَفَلَا يَسۡمَعُونَ ٢٦

Does it ever occur to them how many generations we have annihilated before them? They now live and walk in their (ancestors’) homes. This should provide sufficient proofs. Do they not hear?

أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا نَسُوقُ ٱلۡمَآءَ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ٱلۡجُرُزِ فَنُخۡرِجُ بِهِۦ زَرۡعً۬ا تَأۡڪُلُ مِنۡهُ أَنۡعَـٰمُهُمۡ وَأَنفُسُہُمۡ‌ۖ أَفَلَا يُبۡصِرُونَ ٢٧

Do they not realize that we drive the water to barren lands, and produce with it crops to feed their livestock, as well as themselves? Do they not see?

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡفَتۡحُ إِن ڪُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ ٢٨

They challenge: "Where is that victory, if you are truthful?"

قُلۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفَتۡحِ لَا يَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِيمَـٰنُهُمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنظَرُونَ ٢٩

Say, "The day such a victory comes, believing will not benefit those who did not believe before that, nor will they be given another chance."

فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ وَٱنتَظِرۡ إِنَّهُم مُّنتَظِرُونَ ٣٠

Therefore, disregard them and wait, they too are waiting.