14IbrāhīmAbrahamسُورَةُ ابراهيم

Alif-Lām-Ra’ [A-L-R]. [These, among other characters, are the simple alphabetical letters of this state-of-the-art] divine Writ [which constitute this revelation] that We have bestowed upon you from on high in order that you might bring forth all mankind, by their Sustainer’s permission, out of the depths of [their personal and public] darkness into the light: onto the way that leads to the Magnificent, the One to whom all praise is due —

Allah, to whom all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth belong. But doomed are those who deny the truth [pertaining to Allah’s power prevalence and overriding authority]: as theirs is severe suffering.

They are the ones who prefer worldly life to the final life and they deter from Allah’s path with zigzagging intentions — it is they who are in far-off waywardness.

And never have We sent forth any apostle otherwise than [with a message] in his own people’s language, so that he might make [the truth] clear to them; but Allah lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides him that wills [to be guided] — for He alone is the Magnificent, the Truly Wise.

And [thus], indeed, have We sent forth Mūsā with Our demonstrations [of power and authority, and this, Our command], “Lead your people out of the depths of darkness [their subordination to a worldly Pharaoh] into the light [of Allah’s superior authority], and remind them of the days of Allah [before they become society’s bane]!” Verily, in this [reminder] there are [divine power] demonstrations indeed for all who are wholly patient in adversity and deeply grateful [to Allah].

And, bear in mind Mūsā speaking thus to his people, “Remember the blessings that Allah bestowed upon you when He saved you from Pharaoh’s people who afflicted you with cruel suffering, and slaughtered your sons, and spared [only] your women — which was an awesome trial from your Sustainer.

“And [remember the time] when your Sustainer made [this promise] known, ‘If you are grateful [to Me], I shall most certainly give you more and more; but if you are ungrateful, verily, My reprimand will be severe indeed!’”

And Mūsā added, “If you should [ever] deny the truth [pertaining to Allah’s redemptive power and emancipating authority] — you and whoever else lives on earth, all of you — [know that], verily, Allah is indeed self-sufficient, ever to be praised!”

Have the stories of those [deniers of Allah’s power and authority] who lived before you never yet come within your knowledge — [the stories of] the people of Nūḥ, and of [the societies of] ‘Ād and Thamūd, and of those who came after them? None knows about them [now] except Allah. There came to them their apostles with all evidence of the truth, but they covered their mouths with their hands and answered, “In fact, we refuse to regard as true the message with which you [claim to] have been entrusted; and, behold, we are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about [the meaning of] your call to us!”

The apostles sent to them said, “Can there be any doubt about [the existence and oneness of] Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? It is He who calls upon you, so that He may forgive you [whatever is past] of your sins and grant you respite until a term [set by Him is fulfilled].” [But] they [the deniers of Allah’s authority on earth] replied, “You are nothing but mortal beings — like ourselves! You want to turn us away from what our forefathers were accustomed to revere: well, then, bring us a clear proof [of your being Allah’s message-bearers]!”

Their apostles answered them, “True, we are nothing but mortal beings like yourselves — but Allah bestows His favor upon whomever He wills of His subjects. Withal, it is not within our power to bring you a proof [of our mission], unless it be by Allah’s permission — and [so] it is in Allah that all those of divine commitment must place their trust.

And how could we not place our trust in Allah, seeing that it is He who has shown us the path that we are to follow? “Hence, we shall certainly bear with patience whatever hurt you may do us: for, all who have trust [in His existence and relevance] must place their trust in Allah [alone]!”

But they [who rejected Allah’s authority and] who denied the [revealed] truth spoke [thus] to their apostles, “We shall most certainly expel you from our land, unless you return forthwith to our ways! Whereupon their Sustainer revealed this to His apostles, “Most certainly shall We destroy the practitioners of injustice,

“And most certainly shall We cause you to dwell on earth [long] after they have passed away: this is [My promise] to all who stand in awe of My status, and stand in awe of My warning!”

And they prayed for a breakthrough. And [thus it is]: every stubborn hegemon standing against [Allah’s power and authority] shall be undone,

With Hell awaiting him; and he shall be made to drink the water of most bitter revulsion,

Gulping it [unceasingly], little by little, and yet hardly able to swallow it. And death will beset him from every quarter — but he shall not die: for [yet more] severe suffering lies ahead of him.

[This, then, is] the parable of those who are bent on denying their Sustainer [His supremacy and sovereignty]: all their works are as ashes that the wind blows about on a stormy day, [in the life to come, if not in this world], they cannot achieve any benefit whatsoever from all [the apparent good] that they may have wrought — for this [denial of Allah’s power and authority] is indeed the farthest one can go astray.

Are you not aware that Allah created the heavens and the earth in accordance with truth and justice [congruent to His power and authority]? He can, if He so wills, do away with you and bring forth a new [intelligent] creation [in your stead]:

Nor is this [sensitively] difficult for Allah.

And they all will have appeared before Allah [on the Day of Judgement]; and then the weak [who were powerless in life past] will say to those who had gloried in their arrogance [of worldly power and authority], “Behold, we were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of something of Allah’s chastisement?” [And the others who held sway in world affairs] will answer, “If Allah would but show us the way [to salvation], we would indeed guide you [toward it]. It is [now] all the same for us, as far as we are concerned, whether we grieve impatiently or endure [our lot] with patience: there is no escape for us!”

And when everything will have been decided, Satan will say, “Behold, Allah promised you something that was bound to come true! I, too, held out [all manner of] promises to you — but I deceived you. Yet I had no power at all over you: I but called you [to a falsified deity and disorderly authority] — and you responded to me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves. It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor for you to respond to mine: for, behold, I have [always] refused to admit that there was any truth in your erstwhile belief that I had a share in Allah’s divine authority.” Verily, for all who do injustice there is grievous suffering in store.

But those who shall have honored their commitment [to Allah’s earthly power and authority] and done righteous deeds will be brought into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide by their Sustainer’s permission, and will be welcomed with the greeting, “Peace!”

Are you not aware how Allah sets forth the parable of a good word? [It is] like a good tree, firmly rooted, [reaching out] with its branches toward the sky,

Yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer’s consent. And [thus it is that] Allah propounds parables to people, so that they might bethink themselves [of the truth of Allah’s power and authority].

And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up [from its roots] onto the face of the earth, wholly unable to endure.

[Thus], Allah grants firmness to those who have committed themselves [to Allah] through the word that is unshakably true in the life of this world as well as in the life to come; but [as for] the injustice-doers He lets [them] go astray: for Allah does whatever He wills.

Are you not aware of those who have preferred the denial of Allah [His power and authority] over [the thanks for] Allah’s blessings and [thereby] invited their people to alight in that abode of utter desolation —

Hell — which they [themselves] will have to endure? And how vile a state to settle in!

For, they claimed that there are [considerations for] competitive powers that could rival Allah; and so they strayed from His path. Say, “Enjoy yourselves [in this world], but, verily, the Fire will be your journey’s end!”

[And] tell [those of] My subjects who have committed themselves to Me that they should [socially] enact their ṣalāh and spend [in Our way], secretly and openly, out of what We provide for them as sustenance, before there comes a Day when there will be no bargaining, and no mutual befriending.

[And remember that] it is Allah who has created the heavens and the earth, and who sends down water from the sky and thereby brings forth [all manner] of yields for your sustenance; and who has made ships functional to you, so that they may sail through the sea at His behest; and has made the rivers functional [as per His laws, so that they be of use] to you;

And has made the Sun and the Moon, both of them constant in their [celestial] orbits, compliant [to His physical laws, so that they be of use] to you; and has made the night and the day subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you.

And [always] does He give you something out of what you may be asking of Him; and should you try to count Allah’s blessings, you could never compute them. [And yet], behold, social beings are indeed most persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ingrate!

And [think of the time] when Ibrāhīm spoke [as follows], “O my Sustainer! Make this land secure, and preserve me and my children from ever complying with [human-like, deified] icons —

“For, verily, O my Sustainer, these [false objects of compliance] have led many people in the wrong direction! Hence, [only] he who follows me [in this, my faith orientation] is truly of me; and as for he who disobeys me — You are, no doubt, much-forgiving, very merciful!

“O our Sustainer! Behold, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley in which there is no arable land, close to Your sanctified abode, so that, O our Sustainer, they might effectuate their ṣalāh: therefore [O Allah], have people’s hearts incline toward them, and grant them flourishing sustenance, so that they might have cause to be grateful.

“O our Sustainer! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open: for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah.

“All praise is due to Allah, who has bestowed upon me, in my old age, Ismā‘īl and Isḥāq! Behold, my Sustainer hears indeed all invocation:

“[Hence], O my Sustainer, cause me and [some] of my offspring to remain in fulfillment of our ṣalāh [and its palpable good effects]! And, O our Sustainer, accept this, my plea.

“Grant You forgiveness to me and my parents and all those who are committed [to You] on the Day in which the [last] reckoning [of earthly deeds] materializes!”

And do not think that Allah is unaware of what the evildoers are doing: He but grants them respite until the Day when their eyes will stare in horror,

During which they will be running confusedly to and fro, with their heads upraised [in supplication], unable to look away [as if they were hypnotized] from what they shall see, and their hearts an abysmal void.

Hence, warn people of the Day when this suffering may befall them, and when those who did wrong [in their lifetime] will exclaim, “O our Sustainer! Grant us respite for a short while, so that we might respond to Your call and follow the apostles [you sent us while we were in the world]!” [But Allah will answer], “Why — were you not aforetime inclined to swear that no kind of resurrection and retribution awaited you?

“And yet, you dwelt in the dwelling places of those who had sinned against their own selves and societies [before your time], and it was made obvious to you how We had dealt with them: for We have set forth to you many a parable [of the consequences of sin, eventual resurrection, and divine retribution].”

And [this retribution will befall all evildoers because] they devise that conspiratorial imagery of theirs — and all their false imagery is within Allah’s knowledge. [And never can the blasphemers prevail against the truth — not] even if their false imagery were so [well devised and so powerful] that mountains could be moved as a consequence.

Hence, do not think that Allah will fail to fulfill the promise He gave to His apostles: verily, Allah is almighty, an avenger of evil!

[His promise will be fulfilled] on the Day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens, and when [everyone] shall appear before Allah, the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists.

For on that Day you will see all who were lost in sin and crimes linked together in fetters,

Clothed in garments of black pitch, with fire shrouding their faces.

[And all shall be judged on that Day], so that Allah may give back every human being for all that he has earned [in life]: verily, Allah is swift in reckoning!

This is a message to all humanity. Hence, let them be warned thereby, and let them know that He is the One and Only God; and let those who are endowed with insight take this to heart!1