Surah An-Naml (The Ant) in English

1. ولقد أرسلنا إلى ثمود أخاهم صالحا أن اعبدوا الله فإذا هم فريقان يختصمون

   45

   Certainly We sent to Thamud Salih, their brother, [with the summons:] ‘Worship Allah!’ But thereat they became two groups contending with each other.

   wa-la-qad ʾarsalnā ʾilā thamūda ʾakhāhum ṣāliḥan ʾani ʿbudū llāha fa-ʾidhā hum farīqāni yakhtaṣimūna

2. قال يا قوم لم تستعجلون بالسيئة قبل الحسنة لولا تستغفرون الله لعلكم ترحمون

   46

   He said, ‘O My people! Why do you press for evil sooner than for good? Why do you not plead to Allah for forgiveness so that you may receive His mercy?’

   qāla yā-qawmi li-ma tastaʿjilūna bi-s-sayyiʾati qabla l-ḥasanati law-lā tastaghfirūna llāha laʿallakum turḥamūna

3. قالوا اطيرنا بك وبمن معك قال طائركم عند الله بل أنتم قوم تفتنون

   47

   They said, ‘We take you and those who are with you for a bad omen.’ He said, ‘Your bad omens are from Allah. Indeed, you are a people being tested.’

   qālū ṭṭayyarnā bika wa-bi-man maʿaka qāla ṭāʾirukum ʿinda llāhi bal ʾantum qawmun tuftanūna

4. وكان في المدينة تسعة رهط يفسدون في الأرض ولا يصلحون

   48

   There were nine persons in the city who caused corruption in the land and did not set things right.

   wa-kāna fī l-madīnati tisʿatu rahṭin yufsidūna fī l-ʾarḍi wa-lā yuṣliḥūna

5. قالوا تقاسموا بالله لنبيتنه وأهله ثم لنقولن لوليه ما شهدنا مهلك أهله وإنا لصادقون

   49

   They said, ‘Swear by Allah that we will attack him and his family by night. Then we will tell his heir that we were not present at the murder of his family and that we speak the truth.’

   qālū taqāsamū bi-llāhi la-nubayyitannahū wa-ʾahlahū thumma la-naqūlanna li-waliyyihī mā shahidnā mahlika ʾahlihī wa-ʾinnā la-ṣādiqūna

6. ومكروا مكرا ومكرنا مكرا وهم لا يشعرون

   50

   They devised a plot, and We [too] devised a plan, but they were not aware.

   wa-makarū makran wa-makarnā makran wa-hum lā yashʿurūna

7. فانظر كيف كان عاقبة مكرهم أنا دمرناهم وقومهم أجمعين

   51

   So observe how was the outcome of their plotting, as We destroyed them and all their people.

   fa-nẓur kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu makrihim ʾannā dammarnāhum wa-qawmahum ʾajmaʿīna

8. فتلك بيوتهم خاوية بما ظلموا إن في ذلك لآية لقوم يعلمون

   52

   So there lay their houses, fallen in ruin because of their wrongdoing. There is indeed a sign in that for a people who have knowledge.

   fa-tilka buyūtuhum khāwiyatan bi-mā ẓalamū ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan li-qawmin yaʿlamūna

9. وأنجينا الذين آمنوا وكانوا يتقون

   53

   And We delivered those who had faith and were Godwary.

   wa-ʾanjaynā lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-kānū yattaqūna

10. ولوطا إذ قال لقومه أتأتون الفاحشة وأنتم تبصرون

    54

    [We also sent] Lot, when he said to his people, ‘What! Do you commit this indecency while you look on?

    wa-lūṭan ʾidh qāla li-qawmihī ʾa-taʾtūna l-fāḥishata wa-ʾantum tubṣirūna

11. أئنكم لتأتون الرجال شهوة من دون النساء بل أنتم قوم تجهلون

    55

    Do you approach men with [sexual] desire instead of women?! Indeed, you are a senseless lot!’

    ʾa-ʾinnakum la-taʾtūna r-rijāla shahwatan min dūni n-nisāʾi bal ʾantum qawmun tajhalūna