34. Sūrat Sabaʾ (1/2)

٣٤۔ سُورَةُ سَبَأ ص ١

Sheba (Meccan)

quran:34:1In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

˹All˺ praise is ˹due˺ to Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and to Him belongs ˹all˺ praise in the Hereafter. And He is the Wise, the Acquainted.  

Praise be to God — God, exalted be He, praises Himself with these ˹words˺; the import constitutes the eulogy that ‘praise’ is ever-established ˹for God˺ and it entails the attribution to Him of all that is beautiful, exalted be He — to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, as possessions and creation. And to Him belongs ˹all˺ praise in the Hereafter, as in this world, for His friends praise Him as they enter Paradise. And He is the Wise, in what He does, the Aware, of His creatures.
القرآن:٣٤:١بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ  

{الحمد لله} حمد تعالى نفسه بذلك، والمراد به الثناء بمضمونه من ثبوت الحمد وهو الوصف بالجميل لله تعالى {الذي له ما في السماوات وما في الأرض} ملكا وخلقا {وله الحمد في الآخرة} كالدنيا يحمده أولياؤه إذا دخلوا الجنة {وهو الحكيم} في فعله {الخبير} في خلقه.
quran:34:2

He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein. And He is the Merciful, the Forgiving.  

He knows what penetrates the earth, of water and so forth, and what issues out of it, of vegetation and so on, and what comes down from the heaven, of provision and so on, and what ascends into it, of deeds and so on, and He is the Merciful, to His friends, the Forgiving, to them.
القرآن:٣٤:٢

يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۚ وَهُوَ الرَّحِيمُ الْغَفُورُ  

{يعلم ما يلج} يدخل {في الأرض} كماء وغيره {وما يخرج منها} كنبات وغيره {وما ينزل من السماء} من رزق وغيره {وما يعرج} يصعد {فيها} من عمل وغيره {وهو الرحيم} بأوليائه {الغفور} لهم.
quran:34:3

But those who disbelieve say, "The Hour will not come to us." Say, "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. ˹Allah is˺ the Knower of the unseen." Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or ˹what is˺ smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register -  

And those who disbelieve say, ‘The Hour, the Resurrection, will never come to us’. Say, to them: ‘Yes indeed, by my Lord, it shall come to you — ˹by˺ the Knower of the Unseen (read ‘ālimi’l-ghaybi as an adjectival qualification ˹of wa-rabbī, ‘by my Lord’˺, or read ‘ālimu’l-ghaybi, as the predicate of a ˹missing˺ subject ˹such as huwa, ‘He is’˺; or read ‘allāmi’l-ghaybi). Not ˹even˺ the weight of an atom escapes, is hidden ˹from˺, Him in the heavens or in the earth, nor ˹is there˺ anything smaller than that or greater, but it is in a Manifest Book, namely, the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh al-mahfūz),
القرآن:٣٤:٣

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ  

{وقال الذين كفروا لا تأتينا الساعة} القيامة {قل} لهم {بلى وربي لتأتينكم عالم الغيب} بالجر صفة والرفع خبر مبتدأ وعلام بالجر {لا يعزب} يغيب {عنه مثقال} وزن {ذرة} أصغر نملة {في السماوات ولا في الأرض ولا أصغر من ذلك ولا أكبر إلا في كتاب مبين} بيَّن وهو اللوح المحفوظ.
quran:34:4

That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision.  

that He may requite, thereat, those who believe and perform righteous deeds — for such there will be forgiveness and a fair provision, in Paradise.
القرآن:٣٤:٤

لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ  

{ليجزي} فيها {الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات أولئك لهم مغفرة ورزق كريم} حسن في الجنة.
quran:34:5

But those who strive against Our verses ˹seeking˺ to cause failure - for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature.  

And those who strive against, ˹who strive˺ to invalidate, Our signs, namely, the Qur’ān, deeming Us inomnipotent (mu‘ajjizīna, a variant reading ˹of this˺ here and later on ˹in verse 38, below˺ is mu‘ājizīna: ˹so that respectively these mean˺ ‘deeming that We are incapable’ ˹mu‘ajjizīna˺, or ˹if read mu‘ājizīna˺ ‘vying with Us, in order to elude Us’) for they suppose that there is no ˹such thing as˺ resurrection or punishment — for such there will be a chastisement of an awful punishment’ (read either alīmin or alīmun ˹respectively˺ as an adjectival qualification of rijzin, ‘punishment’ or ‘adhābun, ‘chastisement’).
القرآن:٣٤:٥

وَالَّذِينَ سَعَوْا فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِنْ رِجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ  

{والذين سعوا في} إبطال {آياتنا} القرآن {معجزين} وفي قراءة هنا وفيما يأتي معاجزين، أي مقدرين عجزنا أو مسابقين لنا فيفوتونا لظنهم أن لا بعث ولا عقاب {أولئك لهم عذاب من رجز} سيء العذاب {أليم} مؤلم بالجر والرفع صفة لرجز أو عذاب.
quran:34:6

And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and it guides to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.  

And those who have been given knowledge — the believers from among the People of the Scripture, such as ‘Abd Allāh b. Salām and his companions — see, they know, that what has been revealed to you from your Lord, that is, the Qur’ān, is the, decisive, truth, and ˹that˺ it guides to the path, the way, of the Mighty, the Praised, in other words, of God, the Lord of Might Who is ever-praised.
القرآن:٣٤:٦

وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ هُوَ الْحَقَّ وَيَهْدِي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ  

{ويرى} يعلم {الذين أوتوا العلم} مؤمنوا أهل الكتاب كعبد الله بن سلام وأصحابه {الذي أنزل إليك من ربك} أي القرآن {هو} فصل {الحق ويهدي إلى صراط} طريق {العزيز الحميد} أي الله ذي العزة المحمود.
quran:34:7

But those who disbelieve say, "Shall we direct you to a man who will inform you ˹that˺ when you have disintegrated in complete disintegration, you will ˹then˺ be ˹recreated˺ in a new creation?  

And those who disbelieve say, that is, some of them say to others in order to provoke disbelief ˹in them˺: ‘Shall we show you a man — namely, Muhammad (s) — who will inform you that when you have been utterly torn to pieces you shall indeed be created anew?’
القرآن:٣٤:٧

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ  

{وقال الذين كفروا} أي قال بعضهم على جهة التعجب لبعض {هل ندلكم على رجل} هو محمد {ينبئكم} يخبركم أنكم {إذا مزقتم} قطعتم {كل ممزق} بمعنى تمزيق {إنكم لفي خلق جديد}.
quran:34:8

Has he invented about Allah a lie or is there in him madness?" Rather, they who do not believe in the Hereafter will be in the punishment and ˹are in˺ extreme error.  

Has he invented (read a’ftarā; the hamza, read with a fatha vowelling, is for the interrogative and suffices in place of the conjunctive hamza) a lie against God, in this ˹respect˺, or is there a madness in him, ˹does he suffer˺ a dementia on account of which he has imagined that? God, exalted be He, says: Nay, but those who do not believe in the Hereafter, that comprises resurrection and chastisement, will be in the chastisement, thereat, and in error that is far, from the truth, in this world.
القرآن:٣٤:٨

أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَمْ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۗ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ  

{أفترى} بفتح الهمزة للاستفهام واستغني بها عن همزة الوصل {على الله كذبا} في ذلك {أم به جنة} جنون تخيل به ذلك قال تعالى: {بل الذين لا يؤمنون بالآخرة} المشتملة على البعث والعذاب {في العذاب} فيها {والضلال البعيد} عن الحق في الدنيا.
quran:34:9

Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or ˹could˺ let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back ˹to Allah˺.  

Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them, in other words, what is above them and what is beneath them, of heaven and earth? If We will ˹it˺, We can make the earth swallow them or let fall on them fragments (read kisfan or kisafan: ‘large pieces’) from the heaven (a variant reading has the third person singular for all three verbs ˹sc. yashā’, ‘He will’, yakhsif, ‘He makes to swallow’, yusqit, ‘He lets fall’˺). Surely in that, which is observed, there is a sign for every penitent servant, turning back to his Lord, ˹signs˺ indicating God’s power to resurrect and to do what He will.
القرآن:٣٤:٩

أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنْ نَشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيبٍ  

{أفلم يروا} ينظروا {إلى ما بين أيديهم وما خلفهم} ما فوقهم وما تحتهم {من السماء والأرض إن نشأ نخسف بهم الأرض أو نسقط عليهم كسْفا} بسكون السين وفتحها قِطَعَا {من السماء} وفي قراءة في الأفعال الثلاثة بالياء {إن في ذلك} المرئي {لآيه لكل عبد منيب} راجع إلى ربه تدل على قدرة الله على البعث وما يشاء.
quran:34:10

And We certainly gave David from Us bounty. ˹We said˺, "O mountains, repeat ˹Our˺ praises with him, and the birds ˹as well˺." And We made pliable for him iron,  

And verily We bestowed on David a ˹great˺ favour from Us — prophethood and scripture — and We said: ‘O mountains, repeat with him ˹in praise˺, by making glorifications, and the birds ˹too˺!’ (read wa’l-tayra in the accusative as a supplement to the ˹syntactical˺ locus of jibāl, ‘mountains’, in other words, and We also called on them to glorify ˹God˺ with him). And We made iron malleable for him, so that it was as dough in his hands.
القرآن:٣٤:١٠

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ مِنَّا فَضْلًا ۖ يَا جِبَالُ أَوِّبِي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيْرَ ۖ وَأَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ  

{ولقد آتينا داود منا فضلا} نبوة وكتابا وقلنا {يا جبال أوّبي} رجعي {معه} بالتسبيح {والطير} بالنصب عطفا على محل الجبال، أي ودعوناها تسبح معه {وألنا له الحديد} فكان في يده كالعجين.
quran:34:11

˹Commanding him˺, "Make full coats of mail and calculate ˹precisely˺ the links, and work ˹all of you˺ righteousness. Indeed I, of what you do, am Seeing."  

And We said: ‘Fashion, from it, long coats of mail — complete suits of armour which the person wearing it drags behind him along the ground — and measure ˹well˺ the links’, that is, in the weaving of the coats (the maker of these is called sarrād). In other words, make them so that the rings thereof are arranged properly. And act, O family of David, together with him, righteously. Indeed I am Seer of what you do, and will requite you for it accordingly.
القرآن:٣٤:١١

أَنِ اعْمَلْ سَابِغَاتٍ وَقَدِّرْ فِي السَّرْدِ ۖ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا ۖ إِنِّي بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ  

وقلنا {أن اعمل} منه {سابغات} دروعا كوامل يجرها لابسها على الأرض {وقدر في السرد} أي نسج الدروع قيل لصانعها سراد، أي اجعله بحيث تتناسب حلقه {واعملوا} أي آل داود معه {صالحا إني بما تعملون بصير} فأجازيكم به.
quran:34:12

And to Solomon ˹We subjected˺ the wind - its morning ˹journey was that of˺ a month - and its afternoon ˹journey was that of˺ a month, and We made flow for him a spring of ˹liquid˺ copper. And among the jinn were those who worked for him by the permission of his Lord. And whoever deviated among them from Our command - We will make him taste of the punishment of the Blaze.  

And, We disposed, for Solomon the wind (the nominative reading of al-rīhu would be based on an implicit ˹missing verb˺ sakhkharnā, ‘We disposed’) its morning course, meaning its journey from the morning to the noon, was a month’s journey and its evening course, that is, its journey from the noon to sunset, was a month’s journey. And We caused a fount of ˹molten˺ copper to flow for him, in other words, We caused the copper to melt for him, and so the fount flowed for three days and nights like water, and to this day people have been using of that ˹copper˺ which was given to Solomon ˹at that time˺. And of the jinn ˹there˺ were those who worked before him by the leave, by the command, of his Lord. And such of them as deviated from Our command, to him to obey him ˹Solomon˺, We would make them taste the chastisement of the Blaze, the Fire in the Hereafter — but it is also said, ˹that their chastisement was˺ in this world, in which case an angel would smite one of them with a lash thereof that would scorch him.
القرآن:٣٤:١٢

وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ ۖ وَأَسَلْنَا لَهُ عَيْنَ الْقِطْرِ ۖ وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ  

{و} سخرنا {لسليمان الريح} وقراءة الرفع بتقدير تسخير {غدوها} مسيرها من الغدوة بمعنى الصباح إلى الزوال {شهر ورواحها} سيرها من الزوال إلى الغروب {شهر} أي مسيرته {وأسلنا} أذبنا {له عين القطر} أي النحاس فأجريت ثلاثة أيام بلياليهن كجري الماء وعمل الناس إلى اليوم مما أعطي سليمان {ومن الجن من يعمل بين يديه بإذن} بأمر {ربه ومن يزغ} يعدل {منهم عن أمرنا} له بطاعته {نذقه من عذاب السعير} النار في الآخرة، وقيل في الدنيا بأن يضربه ملك بسوط منها ضربة تحرقه.
quran:34:13

They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. ˹We said˺, "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.  

They fashioned for him whatever he wished: lofty shrines (mahārīb are high edifices which are ascended by stairs) and statues (tamāthīl is the plural of timthāl, which is any thing which you fashion as a likeness ˹of another˺), in other words, brass, crystal or marble figures — the use of figures was not prohibited according to his Law; and basins (jifān is the plural of jafna) like cisterns (jawābin is the plural of jābiya, which is a large basin) — around each ‘basin’ a thousand men would gather to eat — and cauldrons built into the ground, fixed with foundations, and cannot be moved from their places: these were made from the ˹rocks of the˺ mountains of Yemen, and to which one ascended by climbing up a ladder. And We said: ‘Work, O, House of David, in obedience to God, in thankfulness, to Him for what He has given you. And few indeed of My servants are thankful’, labouring in obedience to Me in thanks for My favours.
القرآن:٣٤:١٣

يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِنْ مَحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَاسِيَاتٍ ۚ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ  

{يعملون له ما يشاء من محاريب} أبنية مرتفعة يصعد اليها بدرج {وتماثيل} جمع تمثال وهو كل شيء مثلته بشيء، أي صور من نحاس وزجاج ورخام، ولم يكن اتخاذ الصور حراما في شريعته {وجفان} جمع جفنه {كالجوابـ} ـي جمع جابية وهو حوض كبير، يجتمع على الجفنة ألف رجل يأكلون منها {وقدور راسيات} ثابتات لها قوائم لا تتحرك عن أماكنها تتخذ من الجبال باليمن يصعد إليها بالسلالم وقلنا {اعملوا} يا {آل داود} بطاعة الله {شكرا} له على ما أتاكم {وقليل من عبادي الشكور} العامل بطاعتي شكرا لنعمتي.
quran:34:14

And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.  

And when We decreed for him, for Solomon, death, in other words, ˹when˺ he died — he remained supported against his staff an entire year, while the jinn continued to toil in hard labour as was customary, unaware of his death, until ˹finally˺ when a termite ate through his staff, he fell to the ground ˹and was seen to be˺ dead — nothing indicated to them that he had died except a termite (al-ard is the verbal noun from uridat al-khashaba, passive verbal form, in other words, ‘it ˹the piece of wood˺ was eaten away by a termite ˹al-arada˺’) that gnawed away at his staff (read minsa’atahu or minsātahu, replacing the hamza with an alif, meaning a ‘staff’, so called because ˹when describing it one would say˺ yunsa’u bihā, to mean it is used to repel or drive away ˹creatures˺’). And when he fell down, dead, the jinn realised, it became apparent to them, that (an, is softened, in other words, annahum) had they known the Unseen — comprising what was hidden from them in the way of Solomon being dead — they would not have continued in the humiliating chastisement, ˹in˺ that hard labour of theirs, ˹in which they continued˺ as they supposed him to be alive, which is in contrast to what they would have supposed had they known the Unseen and the fact that he had been there an entire year, judging by how much of the staff the termite had eaten through after his death; in other words, ˹they would not have continued in the humiliating chastisement˺ for a single day or even a single night ˹longer˺.
القرآن:٣٤:١٤

فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ  

{فلما قضينا عليه} على سليمان {الموت} أي مات ومكث قائما على عصاه حولا ميتا والجن تعمل تلك الأعمال الشاقة على عادتها لا تشعر بموته حتى أكلت الأرضة عصاه فخرّ ميتا {ما دلهم على موته إلا دابة الأرض} مصدر أرضت الخشبة بالبناء للمفعول أكلتها الأرضه {تأكل منسأته} بالهمز وتركه بألف عصاه لأنها ينسأ يطرد ويزجر بها {فلما خرَّ} ميتا {تبينت الجن} انكشف لهم {أن} مخففة أي أنهم {لو كانوا يعلمون الغيب} ومنه ما غاب عنهم من موت سليمان {ما لبثوا في العذاب المهين} العمل الشاق لهم لظنهم حياته خلاف ظنهم علم الغيب وعلم كونه سنة بحساب ما أكلته الأرضة من العصا بعد موته يوما وليلة مثلا.
quran:34:15

There was for ˹the tribe of˺ Saba' in their dwelling place a sign: two ˹fields of˺ gardens on the right and on the left. ˹They were told˺, "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land ˹have you˺, and a forgiving Lord."  

Verily there was for Sheba (Saba’, declined ˹as li-Saba’in˺ or left as indeclinable ˹li-Saba’a˺, is ˹the name of˺ a tribe that took its name from one of their Arab ancestors) in their dwelling-place, in Yemen, a sign: indicating God’s power, exalted be He, two gardens (jannatān, a substitution ˹for āyatun, ‘a sign’˺) to the right and to the left, in other words, on the right side of their valley and on its left side. And it was said to them: ‘Eat of your Lord’s provision and give thanks to Him, for the graces He has bestowed on you in the land of Sheba. A good land — in which there was no dung, gnats, flies, fleas, scorpions, or snakes, and in which when a stranger passed through with his clothes lice-infected, these ˹lice˺ would be killed off because of the purity of its air — and, God is, a forgiving Lord.’
القرآن:٣٤:١٥

لَقَدْ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ فِي مَسْكَنِهِمْ آيَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَنْ يَمِينٍ وَشِمَالٍ ۖ كُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ ۚ بَلْدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ  

{لقد كان لسبأ} بالصرف وعدمه قبيلة سميت باسم جد لهم من العرب {في مسكنهم} باليمن {آية} دالة على قدرة الله تعالى {جنتان} بدل {عن يمين وشمال} من يمين واديهم وشماله وقيل لهم: {كلوا من رزق ربكم واشكروا له} على ما رزقكم من النعمة في أرض سبأ {بلدة طيبة} ليس فيها سباخ ولا بعوضة ولا ذبابة ولا برغوث ولا عقرب ولا حية ويمر الغريب فيها وفي ثيابه قمل فيموت لطيب هوائها {و} الله {رب غفور}.
quran:34:16

But they turned away ˹refusing˺, so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two ˹fields of˺ gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees.  

But they were disregardful, of giving thanks to Him and became disbelievers, so We unleashed upon them the flood of the Dam (al-‘arim is the plural of ‘arima, which is a structure or something similar that holds water back ˹to be stored˺ for when it is needed), in other words, ˹We unleashed upon them˺ the floodwaters of their valley which had been held back by the mentioned ˹structure˺ so that they engulfed their two gardens together with all their property. And We gave them in place of their two gardens two gardens bearing (dhawātay, a dual form of ˹feminine plural˺ dhawāt; usually ˹the form dhātay from˺ the singular ˹would have been used˺) bitter fruit, bitter and vile (ukul may be read as a genitive annexation ˹ukulin khamtin˺ in the sense of ‘that which is eaten ˹thereof being bitter˺; or it may be read without ˹as ukuli khamtin˺; and this ˹phrase˺ is supplemented ˹by the following, wa-athlin wa-shay’in min sidrin qalīl) and tamarisk and sparse lote trees.
القرآن:٣٤:١٦

فَأَعْرَضُوا فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلَ الْعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلْنَاهُمْ بِجَنَّتَيْهِمْ جَنَّتَيْنِ ذَوَاتَيْ أُكُلٍ خَمْطٍ وَأَثْلٍ وَشَيْءٍ مِنْ سِدْرٍ قَلِيلٍ  

{فأعرضوا} عن شكره وكفروا {فأرسلنا عليهم سيل العرم} جمع عرمة وهو ما يمسك الماء من بناء وغيره إلى وقت حاجته، أي سيل واديهم الممسوك بما ذكر فأغرق جنتيهم وأموالهم {وبدلناهم بجنتيهم جنتين ذواتي} تثنية ذوات مفرد على الأصل {أُكُلٍ خَمْطِ} مرِّ بشع بإضافة أكل بمعنى مأكول وتركها ويعطف عليه {وأثل وشيء من سدر قليل}.
quran:34:17

˹By˺ that We repaid them because they disbelieved. And do We ˹thus˺ repay except the ungrateful?  

That, replacement ˹of what they had˺, is what We requited them with for their ingratitude: and is anyone but the ingrate ever ˹so˺ requited? (read hal yujāzā illā’l-kafūru; or read as hal nujāzī illā’l-kafūra, ‘Would We requite anyone but the ingrate?’), in other words, it is only the like of such who is called to account.
القرآن:٣٤:١٧

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَاهُمْ بِمَا كَفَرُوا ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَازِي إِلَّا الْكَفُورَ  

{ذلك} التبديل {جزيناهم بما كفرواْ} بكفرهم {وهل يجازِى إلا الكفور} بالياء والنون مع كسر الزاي ونصب الكفور، أي ما يناقش إلا هو.
quran:34:18

And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed ˹many˺ visible cities. And We determined between them the ˹distances of˺ journey, ˹saying˺, "Travel between them by night or day in safety."  

And We set between them, between Sheba, who were in Yemen, and the towns which We had blessed, with ˹abundance of˺ water and trees — these being the towns of Syria, to which they used to travel for commerce — prominent towns, continuous ˹along the route˺ from Yemen to Syria, and We facilitated ˹for travellers˺ the journeying through them, such that they would rest for the afternoon in one and spend the night in the next, ˹and so on˺ until the end of their travel, having no need of any supplies or water along the way; and We said, ‘Travel through them night and day safely’, having no fear by night or by day.
القرآن:٣٤:١٨

وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا السَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا فِيهَا لَيَالِيَ وَأَيَّامًا آمِنِينَ  

{وجعلنا بينهم} بين سبأ، وهم باليمن {وبين القرى التي باركنا فيها} بالماء والشجر وهي قرى الشام التي يسيرون إليها للتجارة {قرى ظاهرة} متواصلة من اليمن إلى الشام {وقدرنا فيها السير} بحيث يقيلون في واحدة ويبيتون في أخرى إلى انتهاء سفرهم ولا يحتاجون فيه إلى حمل زاد وماء أي وقلنا {سيروا فيها ليالي وأياما آمنين} لا تخافون في ليل ولا في نهار.
quran:34:19

But ˹insolently˺ they said, "Our Lord, lengthen the distance between our journeys," and wronged themselves, so We made them narrations and dispersed them in total dispersion. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.  

But they said, ‘Our Lord, make far apart (ba‘‘id: a variant reading has bā‘id) the stages of our travel’, to Syria: make these ˹stages through˺ deserts, so that they could glory before the poor in riding their camels and bearing their supplies and water, and so they behaved wantonly with the graces ˹bestowed on them by God˺, and they wronged their souls, through disbelief, and so We made them bywords, ˹of wrongdoing˺ in this respect, for those who came after them, and We caused them to disintegrate totally, We scattered them all over the lands. Surely in that, which is mentioned, there are signs, lessons, for every ˹servant who is˺ steadfast, ˹in refraining˺ from acts of disobedience, grateful, for ˹God’s˺ graces.
القرآن:٣٤:١٩

فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا بَاعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَاهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ  

{فقالوا ربنا بَعِّدْ} وفي قراءة باعد {بين أسفارنا} إلى الشام اجعلها مفاوز ليتطاولوا على الفقراء بركوب الرواحل وحمل الزاد والماء فبطروا النعمة {وظلموا أنفسهم} بالكفر {فجعلناهم أحاديث} لمن بعدهم في ذلك {ومزقناهم كل ممزق} فرقناهم في البلاد كل التفريق {إن في ذلك} المذكور {لآيات} عبر {لكل صبَّار} عن المعاصي {شكور} على النعم.
quran:34:20

And Iblees had already confirmed through them his assumption, so they followed him, except for a party of believers.  

And verily Iblīs proved true (read sadaqa or saddaqa) his opinion of them, that is, of the disbelievers among them — ˹the folk of˺ Sheba — which was that by his tempting them to go astray, they would follow him. So they followed him (˹if the verb above is read˺ sadaqa, this would mean that ‘he was right in his opinion’, and ˹if read˺ saddaqa, it would mean that ‘he found this ˹opinion of his˺ to be true’) — ˹all˺ except a group of the believers (mina’l-mu’minīna, ˹the min, ‘of’˺ is explicative ˹not partitive˺, in other words, ˹all except that group˺ who were the believers: they did not follow him).
القرآن:٣٤:٢٠

وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  

{ولقد صدق} بالتخفيف والتشديد {عليهم} أي الكفار منهم سبأ {إبليس ظنه} أنهم بإغوائه يتبعونه {فاتبعوه} فصدق بالتخفيف في ظنه أو صدق بالشديد ظنه أي وجده صادقا {إلا} بمعنى لكن {فريقا من المؤمنين} لبيان أي هم المؤمنون لم يتبعوه.
quran:34:21

And he had over them no authority except ˹it was decreed˺ that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian.  

And he did not have any warrant over them, any power to sway ˹them˺, from Us, but that We might know, by ˹this˺ knowledge being made manifest, him who believed in the Hereafter from him who was in doubt thereof, and so requite each of the two accordingly. And your Lord is Preserver, Watcher, of all things.
القرآن:٣٤:٢١

وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِالْآخِرَةِ مِمَّنْ هُوَ مِنْهَا فِي شَكٍّ ۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَفِيظٌ  

{وما كان له عليهم من سلطان} تسليط {إلا لنعلم} علم ظهور {من يؤمن بالآخرة ممن هو منها في شك} فنجازي كلا منهما {وربك على شيء حفيظ} رقيب.
quran:34:22

Say, ˹O Muhammad˺, "Invoke those you claim ˹as deities˺ besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight ˹of ability˺ in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership ˹with Him˺, nor is there for Him from among them any assistant.  

Say, O Muhammad (s), to the disbelievers of Mecca: ‘Call on those whom you have asserted, those whom you have asserted to be gods, besides God, in other words, other than Him, so that they might benefit you, as you are wont to assert. God, exalted be He, says of them: They do not possess ˹even˺ so much as the weight of an atom, of good or evil, in the heavens or in the earth, and they do not have any share in either of them, nor has He, exalted be He, among them, the gods, any auxiliary’, ˹anyone required as His˺ helper.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٢

قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ظَهِيرٍ  

{قل} يا محمد لكفار مكة {ادعوا الذين زعمتم} أي زعمتموهم آلهة {من دون الله} أي غيره لينفعوكم بزعمكم قال تعالى فيهم: {لا يملكون مثقال} وزن {ذرة} من خير أو شر {في السماوات ولا في الأرض وما لهم فيهما من شرك} شركة {وما له} تعالى {منهم} من الآلهة {من ظهير} معين.
quran:34:23

And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. ˹And those wait˺ until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say ˹to one another˺, "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.  

And intercession will not avail with Him, exalted be He — this was in response to their saying that their gods would intercede ˹for them˺ with Him — except for him to whom leave is given, in this respect (read adhina, ‘˹to whom˺ He gives leave’; or udhina, ‘˹to whom˺ leave is given’). Yet, when fear is banished from their hearts (read active fazza‘a, or passive fuzzi‘a), ˹when fear˺ is removed from them, upon leave being given for this ˹intercession˺, they will say — some will say to others in anticipation of a favourable outcome — ‘What has your Lord said?’, concerning this. They will say: ˹He has said˺ the saying that is, ‘The truth’, in other words, leave has been given for it. And He is the Exalted, above His creation, by ˹His˺ subjugation ˹of them˺, the Great, the Tremendous.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٣

وَلَا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْكَبِيرُ  

{ولا تنفع الشفاعة عنده} تعالى ردا لقولهم إن آلهتهم تشفع عنده {إلا لمن أذن} بفتح الهمزة وضمها {له} فيها {حتى إذا فَزَّع} بالبناء والمفعول {عن قلوبهم} كشف عنها الفزع بالإذن فيها {قالوا} قال بعضهم لبعض استبشارا {ماذا قال ربكم} فيها {قالوا} القول {الحق} أي قد أذن فيها {وهو العليّ} فوق خلقه بالقهر {الكبير} العظيم.
quran:34:24

Say, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "Allah. And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error."  

Say: ‘Who provides for you from the heavens, rain, and ˹from˺ the earth?’, vegetation. Say: ‘God!’ — ˹even˺ if they do not say it, there is no other ˹valid˺ answer. And indeed either we or you are — in other words ˹either˺ one of the two parties ˹is˺ — rightly guided or in manifest error. The ambiguity here ˹concerning which of the two is rightly guided˺ is intended as a gentle invitation for them to ˹embrace˺ faith if their way to it is facilitated ˹by God˺.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٤

قُلْ مَنْ يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ وَإِنَّا أَوْ إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوْ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ  

{قل من يرزقكم من السماوات} المطر {والأرض} النبات {قل الله} إن لم يقولوه، لا جواب غيره {وإنا أو إياكم} أي أحد الفريقين {لعلى هدى أو في ضلال مبين} بين، في الإبهام إذا وفقوا له.
quran:34:25

Say, "You will not be asked about what we committed, and we will not be asked about what you do."  

Say: ‘You will not be questioned about the sins we committed, nor shall we be questioned about what you do’, for we are quit of you.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٥

قُلْ لَا تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا أَجْرَمْنَا وَلَا نُسْأَلُ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ  

{قل لا تسألون عما أجرمنا} أذنبنا {ولا نسأل عما تعملون} لأنا بريئون منكم.
quran:34:26

Say, "Our Lord will bring us together; then He will judge between us in truth. And He is the Knowing Judge."  

Say: ‘Our Lord will bring us together, on the Day of Resurrection, then He will judge between us with truth, and He will admit the truthful into Paradise and the liars into the Fire. And He is the Judge, the Knowing’, in what He judges.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٦

قُلْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِيمُ  

{قل يجمع بينا ربنا} يوم القيامة {ثم يفتح} يحكم {بيننا بالحق} فيدخل المحقين الجنة والمبطلين النار {وهو الفتاح} الحاكم {العليم} بما يحكم به.
quran:34:27

Say, "Show me those whom you have attached to Him as partners. No! Rather, He ˹alone˺ is Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise."  

Say: ‘Show me, apprise me of, those whom you have joined to Him as associates, in worship. No indeed! — ˹this is˺ meant to deter them from ˹even˺ supposing that He has an associate. Rather He is God, the Mighty, Whose way will prevail, the Wise’, in the way in which He manages ˹the affairs of˺ His creation and so He could not have any associate in His kingdom.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٧

قُلْ أَرُونِيَ الَّذِينَ أَلْحَقْتُمْ بِهِ شُرَكَاءَ ۖ كَلَّا ۚ بَلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ  

{قل أروني} أعلموني {الذين ألحقتم به شركاء} في العبادة {كلا} ردع لهم عن اعتقاد شريك له {بل هو الله العزيز} الغالب على أمره {الحكيم} في تدبيره لخلقه فلا يكون له شريك في ملكه.
quran:34:28

And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. But most of the people do not know.  

And We did not send you except to all (kāffatan is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-nās, ‘mankind’, and is made to precede ˹li’l-nās˺ because of the importance attached to it) of mankind ˹both˺ as a bearer of good tidings, to believers, of Paradise, and a warner, to the disbelievers, of chastisement, but most people, such as the disbelievers of Mecca, do not know, this.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٨

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ  

{وما أرسلناك إلا كافة} حال من الناس قدم للاهتمام {للناس بشيرا} مبشرا للمؤمنين بالجنة {ونذيرا} منذرا للكافرين بالعذاب {ولكن أكثر الناس} أي كفار مكة {لا يعلمون} ذلك.
quran:34:29

And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"  

And they say, ‘When shall this promise, of chastisement, be ˹fulfilled˺, if you are being truthful?’, concerning it.
القرآن:٣٤:٢٩

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا الْوَعْدُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ  

{ويقولون متى هذا الوعد} بالعذاب {إن كنتم صادقين} فيه.
quran:34:30

Say, "For you is the appointment of a Day ˹when˺ you will not remain thereafter an hour, nor will you precede ˹it˺."  

Say: ‘Yours is the tryst of a Day which you can neither defer nor advance by a single hour’, and this is the Day of Resurrection.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٠

قُلْ لَكُمْ مِيعَادُ يَوْمٍ لَا تَسْتَأْخِرُونَ عَنْهُ سَاعَةً وَلَا تَسْتَقْدِمُونَ  

{قل لكم ميعاد يوم لا تستأخرون عنه ساعة ولا تستقدمون} عليه وهو يوم القيامة.
quran:34:31

And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur'an nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each other's words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers."  

And those who disbelieve, from among the people of Mecca, say, ‘We will not believe in this Qur’ān, nor in that which was ˹revealed˺ before it’ — in other words, what preceded it, such as the Torah and the Gospel, both of which contain proofs of the Resurrection — because they reject the truth of this ˹last˺. God, exalted be He, says of them: But if you were to see, O Muhammad (s), when the evildoers, the disbelievers, are brought to stand before their Lord, bandying arguments against one another. Those who were oppressed — the followers — will say to those who were arrogant — the leaders: ‘Had it not been for you, barring us from faith, we would have been believers’, in the Prophet.
القرآن:٣٤:٣١

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلَا أَنْتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ  

{وقال الذين كفروا} من أهل مكة {لن نؤمن بهذا القرآن ولا بالذي بين يديه} أي تقدمه كالتوراة والإنجيل الدالين على البعث لإنكارهم له قال تعالى فيهم {ولو ترى} يا محمد {إذ الظالمون} الكافرون {موقوفون عند ربهم يرجع بعضهم إلى بعض القول يقول الذين استضعفوا} الأتباع {للذين استكبروا} الرؤساء {لولا أنتم} صددتمونا عن الإيمان {لكنا مؤمنين} بالنبي.
quran:34:32

Those who were arrogant will say to those who were oppressed, "Did we avert you from guidance after it had come to you? Rather, you were criminals."  

Those who were arrogant will say to those who were oppressed, ‘Was it us who barred you from guidance after it had come to you?, Nay! Rather you were guilty’, of your own accord.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٢

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَاكُمْ عَنِ الْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَكُمْ ۖ بَلْ كُنْتُمْ مُجْرِمِينَ  

{قال الذين استكبروا للذين استضعفوا أنحن صددناكم عن الهدى بعد إذ جاءكم} لا {بل كنتم مجرمين} في أنفسكم.
quran:34:33

Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "Rather, ˹it was your˺ conspiracy of night and day when you were ordering us to disbelieve in Allah and attribute to Him equals." But they will ˹all˺ confide regret when they see the punishment; and We will put shackles on the necks of those who disbelieved. Will they be recompensed except for what they used to do?  

And those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, ‘Nay, but ˹it was your˺ scheming night and day, in other words, ˹such were˺ your schemes against us during both ˹of these times˺, when you used to command us to disbelieve in God and set up partners with Him’. And they, that is, the two parties, will conceal their remorse, for not having believed in Him, when they see the chastisement, in other words, each person will hide it ˹his remorse˺ from the next for fear of being reviled; and We will place fetters around the necks of the disbelievers, ˹while they are˺ in the Fire. Shall they be requited except, the requital, for what they used to do?, in the world.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٣

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا بَلْ مَكْرُ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذْ تَأْمُرُونَنَا أَنْ نَكْفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجْعَلَ لَهُ أَنْدَادًا ۚ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا الْأَغْلَالَ فِي أَعْنَاقِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ  

{وقال الذين استضعفوا للذين استكبروا بل مكر الليل والنهار} أي مكر فيهما منكم بنا {إذ تأمروننا أن نكفر بالله ونجعل له أندادا} شركاء {وأسرُّوا} أي الفريقين {الندامة} على ترك الإيمان به {لما رأوا العذاب} أي أخفاها كل عن رفيقه مخافة التعيير {وجعلنا الأغلال في أعناق الذين كفروا} في النار {هل} ما {يجزون إلا} جزاء {ما كانوا يعملون} في الدنيا.
quran:34:34

And We did not send into a city any warner except that its affluent said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."  

And We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones, its leaders, those enjoying ˹life’s˺ comforts, saying, ‘Indeed we disbelieve in that ˹Message˺ with which you have been sent’.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٤

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ  

{وما أرسلنا في قرية من نذير إلا قال مترفوها} رؤساؤها المتنعمون {إنا بما أرسلتم به كافرون}.
quran:34:35

And they said, "We are more ˹than the believers˺ in wealth and children, and we are not to be punished."  

And they say, ‘We possess more wealth and children, than those who are believers, and we shall not be chastised’.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٥

وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالًا وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ  

{وقالوا نحن أكثر أموالا وأولادا} ممن آمن {وما نحن بمعذبين}.
quran:34:36

Say, "Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts ˹it˺, but most of the people do not know."  

Say: ‘Truly my Lord extends provision, He makes it abundant, for whomever He will, as a test, and restricts ˹it˺, for whomever He will, to try ˹them˺, but most people, such as the disbelievers of Mecca, do not know’, this ˹truth˺.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٦

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ  

{قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق} يوسعه {لمن يشاء} امتحانا {ويقدر} يضيقه لمن يشاء ابتلاءً {ولكن أكثر الناس} أي كفار مكة {لا يعلمون} ذلك.
quran:34:37

And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is ˹by being˺ one who has believed and done righteousness. For them there will be the double reward for what they did, and they will be in the upper chambers ˹of Paradise˺, safe ˹and secure˺.  

Nor is it your wealth or your children that will bring you near to Us in closeness, except for, but ˹it is˺, those who believe and act righteously: those, they shall have a twofold reward for what they did, in other words, ˹they shall have it˺ as the reward of their action — as a good deed, for example, is rewarded tenfold or more — and they shall be in the lofty abodes, of Paradise, secure, from death and otherwise (a variant reading ˹for al-ghurufāt˺ is al-ghurfa ˹the generic noun˺ implying a plural).
القرآن:٣٤:٣٧

وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِنْدَنَا زُلْفَىٰ إِلَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاءُ الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ آمِنُونَ  

{وما أموالكم ولا أولادكم بالتي تقربكم عندنا زلفى} قربى، أي تقريبا {إلا} لكن {من آمن وعمل صالحا فأولئك لهم جزاءُ الضعف بما عملوا} أي جزاء العمل: الحسنة مثلا بعشر فأكثر {وهم في الغرفات} من الجنة {آمنون} من الموت وغيره، وفي قراءة الغرفة بمعنى الجمع.
quran:34:38

And the ones who strive against Our verses to cause ˹them˺ failure - those will be brought into the punishment ˹to remain˺.  

And those who strive against Our signs, namely, the Qur’ān, ˹seeking˺ to invalidate it, supposing ˹Us˺ to be inomnipotent — or ˹supposing˺ that they can elude Us — those, they will be arraigned into the chastisement.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٨

وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ  

{والذين يسعوْن في آياتنا} القرآن بالإبطال {معجِّزين} لنا مقدّرين عجزنا وأنهم يفوتوننا {أولئك في العذاب محضرون}.
quran:34:39

Say, "Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts ˹it˺ for him. But whatever thing you spend ˹in His cause˺ - He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers."  

Say: ‘My Lord extends provision, He makes it abundant, for whomever He will of His servants, as a test, and restricts ˹it˺ for him, after having extended it — or ˹He restricts it˺ for him whom He will to try, and whatever thing you may expend, for ˹the cause of˺ good, He will replace it. And He is the best of providers’. It is said that every man ‘provides for’ his dependants (yarzuqu ‘ā’ilatahu), meaning that ˹he does so˺ from the provision given ˹to him˺ by God.
القرآن:٣٤:٣٩

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ ۚ وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ  

{قل إن ربي يبسط الرزق} يوسعه {لمن يشاء من عباده} امتحانا {ويقدر} يضيقه {له} بعد البسط أو لمن يشاء ابتلاءً {وما أنفقتم من شيء} في الخير {فهو يخلفه وهو خير الرازقين} يقال: كل إنسان يرزق عائلته، أي من رزق الله.
quran:34:40

And ˹mention˺ the Day when He will gather them all and then say to the angels, "Did these ˹people˺ used to worship you?"  

And, mention, on the Day when He will gather them all together, namely, ˹all˺ the idolaters, He will say to the angels, ‘Was it these who used to worship you?’ (read a-hā’ūlā’i iyyākum, pronouncing both hamzas, or by replacing the first with a yā’ or dropping it altogether).
القرآن:٣٤:٤٠

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ أَهَٰؤُلَاءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ  

{و} اذكر {يوم نحشرهم جميعا} أي المشركين {ثم نقول للملائكة أهؤلاء إياكم} بتحقيق الهمزتين وإبدال الأولى ياء وإسقاطها {كانوا يعبدون}.
quran:34:41

They will say, "Exalted are You! You, ˹O Allah˺, are our benefactor not them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them were believers in them."  

They will say, ‘Glory be to You, exalted above that You should have an associate! You are our Supporter, not they, in other words, as far as we are concerned there are no bonds of association between us and them. Nay, (bal, is to indicate transition) rather, they used to worship the jinn, the devils, in other words, ˹they used to˺ obey them and ˹agree to˺ worship us; most of them were believers in them’, accepting as truth what these ˹jinn˺ used to say to them.
القرآن:٣٤:٤١

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِنْ دُونِهِمْ ۖ بَلْ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ ۖ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِهِمْ مُؤْمِنُونَ  

{قالوا سبحانك} تنزيها لك عن الشريك {أنت ولينا من دونهم} أي لا موالاة بيننا وبينهم من جهتنا {بل} للانتقال {كانوا يعبدون الجن} الشياطين، أي يطيعونهم في عبادتهم إيانا {أكثرهم بهم مؤمنون} مصدقون فيما يقولون لهم.
quran:34:42

But today you do not hold for one another ˹the power of˺ benefit or harm, and We will say to those who wronged, "Taste the punishment of the Fire, which you used to deny."  

God, exalted be He, says: ‘So today none among you has any power over another, in other words, none of those worshipped ˹have any power˺ over any of those who worshipped, either to benefit, ˹through˺ intercession, or to hurt’, ˹through˺ chastisement. And We shall say to those who did wrong, who disbelieved: ‘Taste the chastisement of the Fire which you used to deny!’
القرآن:٣٤:٤٢

فَالْيَوْمَ لَا يَمْلِكُ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا وَنَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ النَّارِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ  

قال تعالى: {فاليوم لا يملك بعضكم لبعض} أي بعض المعبودين لبعض العابدين {نفعا} شفاعة {ولاضرا} تعذيبا {ونقول للذين ظلموا} كفروا {ذوقوا عذاب النار التي كنتم بها تكذبون}.
quran:34:43

And when our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic."  

And when Our signs, ˹from˺ the Qur’ān, are recited to them, ˹being˺ clear signs, evident ˹ones˺, by the tongue of our Prophet Muhammad (s), they say, ‘This is just a man who desires to bar you from ˹worshipping˺ what your fathers used to worship’, of idols. And they say, ‘This, Qur’ān, is nothing but a calumny, a lie, that has been invented, against God. And those who disbelieve say to the truth, the Qur’ān, when it comes to them, ‘This is nothing but plain sorcery’. God, exalted be He, says:
القرآن:٣٤:٤٣

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا إِفْكٌ مُفْتَرًى ۚ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ  

{وإذا تتلى عليهم آياتنا} القرآن {بيّنات} واضحات بلسان نبينا محمد ﷺ {قالوا ما هذا إلا رجل يريد أن يصدكم عما كان يعبد آباؤكم} من الأصنام {وقالوا ما هذا} القرآن {إلا إفك} كذب {مفترى} على الله {وقال الذين كفروا للحق} القرآن {لما جاءهم إن} ما {هذا إلا سحرٌ مبين} بيّن.
quran:34:44

And We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, ˹O Muhammad˺, any warner.  

And We did not give them any scriptures for them to study, nor did We send them any warner before you, so on what grounds do they deny you?
القرآن:٣٤:٤٤

وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا ۖ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِنْ نَذِيرٍ  

قال تعالى: {وما آتيناهم من كتب يدرسونها وما أرسلنا إليهم قبلك من نذير} فمن أين كذبوك.
quran:34:45

And those before them denied, and the people of Makkah have not attained a tenth of what We had given them. But the former peoples denied My messengers, so how ˹terrible˺ was My reproach.  

And those who were before them ˹also˺ denied, and they, these ones ˹the Meccans˺, have not received ˹even˺ a tenth of what We gave those ˹others˺, in the way of might, long life and abundance of wealth. Yet they denied My messengers, ˹who were sent˺ to them, so how was My abhorrence! ˹so how was˺ My rebuttal against them through punishment and destruction, in other words, it was appropriate.
القرآن:٣٤:٤٥

وَكَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَمَا بَلَغُوا مِعْشَارَ مَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوا رُسُلِي ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ  

{وكذب الذين من قبلهم وما بلغوا} أي هؤلاء {معشار ما آتيناهم} من القوة وطول العمر وكثرة المال {فكذبوا رسلي} إليهم {فكيف كان نكير} إنكاري عليهم العقوبة والإهلاك، أي هو واقع موقعه.

Council to contemplate individually and avoiding groupthink

quran:34:46

Say, "I only advise you of one ˹thing˺ - that you stand for Allah, ˹seeking truth˺ in pairs and individually, and then give thought." There is not in your companion any madness. He is only a warner to you before a severe punishment.  

Say: ‘I will give you just one ˹piece of˺ admonition: namely, that you rise up for God, in other words, for His sake, in twos and individually, and then reflect: and realise ˹that˺, there is no madness in your companion, Muhammad (s). He is just a warner to you before ˹the befalling of˺ a severe chastisement’, in the Hereafter, if you disobey him.
القرآن:٣٤:٤٦

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُمْ بِوَاحِدَةٍ ۖ أَنْ تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَىٰ وَفُرَادَىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ مِنْ جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَكُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ  

{قل إنما أعظكم بواحدة} هي {أن تقوموا لله} أي لأجله {مثنى} أي اثنين اثنين {وفرادى} واحدا واحدا {ثم تتفكروا} فتعلموا {ما بصاحبكم} محمد {من جنة} جنون {إن} ما {هو إلا نذير لكم بين يدي} أي قبل {عذاب شديد} في الآخرة إن عصيتموه.
quran:34:47

Say, "Whatever payment I might have asked of you - it is yours. My payment is only from Allah, and He is, over all things, Witness."  

Say, to them: ‘I have not asked you, in return for ˹my˺ warning and delivering the Message ˹to you˺, any reward, since it is for ˹the benefit of˺ you, in other words, I do not ask you for any reward in return for this. Indeed my reward lies only with God, and He is Witness over all things’, observing ˹them all˺, knowing my truthfulness.
القرآن:٣٤:٤٧

قُلْ مَا سَأَلْتُكُمْ مِنْ أَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ  

{قل} لهم {ما سألتكم} على الإنذار والتبليغ {من أجر فهو لكم} أي لا أسألكم عليه أجرا {إن أجري} ما ثوابي {إلا على الله وهو على كل شيء شهيد} مطلع يعلم صدقي.
quran:34:48

Say, "Indeed, my Lord projects the truth. Knower of the unseen."  

Say: ‘Indeed my Lord hurls the truth, He casts it onto His prophets — ˹He is˺ the Knower of the Unseen’, ˹of˺ all that is hidden from His creatures throughout the heavens and the earth.
القرآن:٣٤:٤٨

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ  

{قل إن ربي يقذف بالحق} يلقيه إلى أنبيائه {علاًم الغيوب} ما غاب عن خلقه في السماوات والأرض.
quran:34:49

Say, "The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin ˹anything˺ nor repeat ˹it˺."  

Say: ‘The truth, Islam, has come. And falsehood, disbelief, neither originates nor restores ˹anything˺’, in other words, it leaves no trace ˹of itself˺ behind.
القرآن:٣٤:٤٩

قُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَمَا يُبْدِئُ الْبَاطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ  

{قل جاء الحق} الإسلام {وما يبدئ الباطل} الكفر {وما يعيد} أي لم يبق له أثر.
quran:34:50

Say, "If I should err, I would only err against myself. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. Indeed, He is Hearing and near."  

Say: ‘If I go astray, from the truth, I will be going astray only to my own loss, that is to say, the sin of my going astray shall be held against me; and if I am rightly guided, it will have been by what my Lord reveals to me, of the Qur’ān and wisdom. Truly He is Hearer, of supplications, Nigh’.
القرآن:٣٤:٥٠

قُلْ إِنْ ضَلَلْتُ فَإِنَّمَا أَضِلُّ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي ۖ وَإِنِ اهْتَدَيْتُ فَبِمَا يُوحِي إِلَيَّ رَبِّي ۚ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ  

{قل إن ضللت} عن الحق {فإنما أضل على نفسي} أي إثم ضلالي عليها {وإن اهتديت فيما يوحي إليَّ ربي} من القرآن والحكمة {إنه سميع} للدعاء {قريب}.