Surah Aş-Şāffāt (Those who set the Ranks) in English

1. ما لكم لا تناصرون

   25

   ‘Why is it that you do not support one another [today]?’

   mā lakum lā tanāṣarūna

2. بل هم اليوم مستسلمون

   26

   ‘Indeed, they are [meek and] submissive today!’

   bal humu l-yawma mustaslimūna

3. وأقبل بعضهم على بعض يتساءلون

   27

   Some of them will turn to others, questioning each other.

   wa-ʾaqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatasāʾalūna

4. قالوا إنكم كنتم تأتوننا عن اليمين

   28

   They will say, ‘Indeed you used to accost us peremptorily.’

   qālū ʾinnakum kuntum taʾtūnanā ʿani l-yamīni

5. قالوا بل لم تكونوا مؤمنين

   29

   They will answer, ‘No, you [yourselves] had no faith.

   qālū bal lam takūnū muʾminīna

6. وما كان لنا عليكم من سلطان بل كنتم قوما طاغين

   30

   We had no authority over you. No, you [yourselves] were a rebellious lot.

   wa-mā kāna lanā ʿalaykum min sulṭānin bal kuntum qawman ṭāghīna

7. فحق علينا قول ربنا إنا لذائقون

   31

   So our Lord’s word became due against us that we shall indeed taste [the punishment].

   fa-ḥaqqa ʿalaynā qawlu rabbinā ʾinnā la-dhāʾiqūna

8. فأغويناكم إنا كنا غاوين

   32

   So we perverted you, for we were perverse [ourselves].’

   fa-ʾaghwaynākum ʾinnā kunnā ghāwīna

9. فإنهم يومئذ في العذاب مشتركون

   33

   So, that day they will share the punishment.

   fa-ʾinnahum yawmaʾidhin fī l-ʿadhābi mushtarikūna

10. إنا كذلك نفعل بالمجرمين

    34

    Indeed, that is how We deal with the guilty.

    ʾinnā ka-dhālika nafʿalu bi-l-mujrimīna

11. إنهم كانوا إذا قيل لهم لا إله إلا الله يستكبرون

    35

    Indeed, it was they who, when they were told, ‘There is no god except Allah,’ used to be disdainful,

    ʾinnahum kānū ʾidhā qīla lahum lā ʾilāha ʾillā llāhu yastakbirūna

12. ويقولون أئنا لتاركو آلهتنا لشاعر مجنون

    36

    and [they would] say, ‘Shall we abandon our gods for a crazy poet?’

    wa-yaqūlūna ʾa-ʾinnā la-tārikū ʾālihatinā li-shāʿirin majnūnin

13. بل جاء بالحق وصدق المرسلين

    37

    Indeed, he has brought [them] the truth, and confirmed the [earlier] apostles.

    bal jāʾa bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-ṣaddaqa l-mursalīna

14. إنكم لذائقو العذاب الأليم

    38

    Indeed you will taste the painful punishment,

    ʾinnakum la-dhāʾiqū l-ʿadhābi l-ʾalīmi

15. وما تجزون إلا ما كنتم تعملون

    39

    and you will be requited only for what you used to do

    wa-mā tujzawna ʾillā mā kuntum taʿmalūna

16. إلا عباد الله المخلصين

    40

    —[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants.

    ʾillā ʿibāda llāhi l-mukhlaṣīna

17. أولئك لهم رزق معلوم

    41

    For such there is a known provision

    ʾulāʾika lahum rizqun maʿlūmun

18. فواكه وهم مكرمون

    42

    —fruits—and they will be held in honour,

    fawākihu wa-hum mukramūna

19. في جنات النعيم

    43

    in the gardens of bliss,

    fī jannāti n-naʿīmi

20. على سرر متقابلين

    44

    [reclining] on couches, facing one another,

    ʿalā sururin mutaqābilīna

21. يطاف عليهم بكأس من معين

    45

    served around with a cup, from a clear fountain,

    yuṭāfu ʿalayhim bi-kaʾsin min maʿīnin

22. بيضاء لذة للشاربين

    46

    snow-white, delicious to the drinkers,

    bayḍāʾa ladhdhatin li-sh-shāribīna

23. لا فيها غول ولا هم عنها ينزفون

    47

    wherein there will be neither headache nor will it cause them stupefaction,

    lā fīhā ghawlun wa-lā hum ʿanhā yunzafūna

24. وعندهم قاصرات الطرف عين

    48

    and with them will be maidens, of restrained glances with big [beautiful] eyes,

    wa-ʿindahum qāṣirātu ṭ-ṭarfi ʿīnun

25. كأنهن بيض مكنون

    49

    as if they were hidden ostrich eggs.

    ka-ʾannahunna bayḍun maknūnun

26. فأقبل بعضهم على بعض يتساءلون

    50

    Some of them will turn to others, questioning each other.

    fa-ʾaqbala baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin yatasāʾalūna

27. قال قائل منهم إني كان لي قرين

    51

    One of them will say, ‘Indeed I had a companion

    qāla qāʾilun minhum ʾinnī kāna lī qarīnun