57al-ḤadīdCutting-Edge Weaponryسُورَةُ الحديد

Acclaiming Allah are all in the heavens and on earth: for He [alone] is the Grand, the Justly Wise!

Belonging to Him is the realm of the heavens and the earth; He brings [people] to life and He takes [people] to death; and He is able to do anything.

He is the First and the Last, the Obvious and the Obscure; and He has knowledge of everything.

He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six eons and then He took to the throne [of His]. He knows all that enters the earth and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends into them. And He is with you wherever you are; and Allah is attentive to all that you do.

To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah all things revert.

He suffuses the night into the day and He suffuses the day into the night; and He knows very well what is [concealed] in the hearts.

Commit yourselves to Allah and His Messenger and spend out of those [worldly goods] He has entrusted you with: for, those who commit themselves [to Allah and His Messenger] from among you and then spend [of what they temporarily have] are the ones who will gain a tremendous reward.

And why would you not commit yourselves to Allah even as the Apostle [Muhammad] is calling on you to commit yourselves to your Sustainer and has urged you to undertake a pledge? — [this is the way things are done] if you are to be truly committed [to Allah].

It is He who imparts to His subject [Muhammad] clear demonstrations [of His power and authority] so that He may take you from [the depths of many] darknesses into the light: for, surely, Allah is most compassionate and very merciful toward you.

And why would you not spend [of what you nonpermanently have] on a God-defined course of action while [knowing that] to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equivalent are those who spent [of what they had fleetingly] before the [grand military] breakthrough [and liberation of Makkah] and did their combat-duty [and those who did not do so]: they [the former] are of a higher rank than those who would spend and fight [only] after it [the grand military breakthrough and liberation of Makkah] — although Allah has promised each the best of rewards. And Allah is well versed on what you do.

Who is it that will offer Allah a splendid [selfless] loan, which He will plentifully repay? For he [who does so] will have an honorable reward

On a Day when you will see committed muslim men and women with their light surging before them and on their right, [and you will hear them being greeted], “Cheers to you today: gardens under which there are running rivers, therein to dwell forever! That is [what you would call] a supreme success.”

On that Day, the political hypocrites, male and female, will say to the committed muslims, “Look at us! Wait for us! So that we may have a [ray of] light from your light!” [But] they will be countered [with], “Turn rearward [to the world you left behind], and seek out a light!” And at that point, a barrier will be erected between them [and the committed muslims], with a gate in it — its interior bearing grace and mercy and its exterior exhibiting an air of torment.

They [the political hypocrites who are outside the door] will call out to those [committed to Allah who are on the inside], “Were we not [sharing] with you [the world we lived in]?” — [to which the latter] will answer, “Yes! But you disoriented yourselves, and you were in positions to ensnare [the committed muslims], and you were dubious [about your divine commitment], and your wishful thinking beguiled you until Allah’s command turned up: for, it was your vanity about Allah that deluded you!

“And so, today, no ransom will be accepted from you, nor from the God-deniers. Your place to stay [now] is the Fire; it is your primary [and only] asylum — and how pathetic a destination!”

Is it not about time for the committed muslims to [come of age with] hearts of fervor for Allah and for whatever truth and justice that has been imparted from on high, lest they become like those who were vouchsafed scripture in times past, and whose hearts have hardened by the passing of time so that many of them turned out to be depraved?

Be informed that Allah brings the earth to life after it has been lifeless! We have made clear for you Our illustrations of power and authority, so that you may use your reason.

Verily, as for men and women who give as a result of their [fervent] true-heartedness and [thus] offer unto Allah a splendid [selfless] loan, they will be copiously repaid, and for them shall be a meritorious reward.

For, those who commit themselves to Allah and His apostles — it is they, they who are honestly truthful, and the martyrs [standing as witnesses over humanity] in the presence of their Sustainer: [and so] they shall have their reward and their light! Whereas those who were in denial and in contravention of Our illustrations [of power and authority] shall be the folks of the inferno!

Understand [O people] that the immediate life [of this world] is nothing but amusement and distraction, and cosmetics, and showing off among yourselves, and a competition as to who has more money and regenerative power. Its metaphor is that of [rejuvenating] rain: the produce it causes to grow excites the agronomists; but then it [the produce] dries up, and you can see it turn yellow; and in the end it degenerates and decomposes. So in the final life [approaching people, the truth about the nature of their existence will become apparent: either] there will be serious and severe torment [for those who preferred worldly life over the promise of everlasting life] or there will be forgiveness from Allah and loving approval [for those who deserve it] — for the life of this immediate world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion [for whoever prefers it to everlasting post-worldly life].

[Hence], vie with one another in the pursuit of your Sustainer’s forgiveness, and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been primed for those who have committed themselves to Allah and His messengers: such is the privilege from Allah that He grants to whomever He wills — for Allah has additional benefits galore.

No mishap can take place on earth or to yourselves, unless it be [well-ordered] in Our decree before We make it happen: verily, all that is simple for Allah [to do].

[Be aware of this], so that you may not despair over whatever [advantages] have escaped you, nor exult [disproportionately] over whatever [advantages] have come to you: for, Allah does not love anyone who is boastful and condescending —

Those who are ungenerous [with what Allah has given them] and coax others to be ungenerous! And whoever forsakes [this truth of the matter should know that], indeed, Allah is self-sufficient, the One to whom all appreciativeness is due.

No doubt, We have sent [to world populations throughout history] Our apostles with clear evidences [of truth and justice], and We have bestowed upon them scripture and [endowed them with] a criterion [for discerning between the ma‘rūf and the munkar] so that people carry on with social justice; and We bestowed from on high [upon you the knowledge capacity to develop and use] cutting-edge technology, in which there is combat utility as well as beneficial and valuable utility for people: and [all this was given to you] so that Allah may depute those who stand up for Him and His apostles through a non-materialistic medium. Surely, Allah is almighty, illustrious.

And, indeed, [on this mission of social justice], We sent Nūḥ and Ibrāhīm [as prophets to their people], and We assigned prophet- hood to their progeny as [We assigned] scripture. Among them were those who were guided, but many of them were flawed.

Then We trailed their precedence with [others of] Our apostles: [and, in that regard] We had ‘Īsā, the son of Maryam, pursue [that historical prophetic effort], and We imparted to him the Injīl [Gospel], and We engendered in the hearts of those who followed him leniency and mercy and a monastic asceticism, [the excesses of] which they contrived [for themselves]. We did not require it of them; rather [We only wanted them] to seek Allah’s affectionate approval, but they did not [always] observe it as it ought to have been observed: and so We granted those of them who [properly] committed themselves to Us their rewards, whereas many of them became flawed.

O you who are divinely committed [to Allah’s power and prestige]! Be on guard when it comes to Allah [His “power for justice”] and redouble your commitment to His Apostle: [should you do this] He will give you twice as much of His grace and will equip you with a light so that you can move onward [to see your way clearly] and will forgive you — for Allah is ever forgiving, very merciful.

[All this information comes to you] so that the folks of scripture [Christians, Jews, and others] would know that they have no control over Allah’s additional benefits and perquisites, and that all benefits and privileges are in Allah’s hand [alone]: He grants it to whomever He wills — for Allah is limitless in His tremendous perquisites.1