Surah Şād (The Letter "Saad") in English

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. ص والقرآن ذي الذكر

   1

   Suad. By the Quran bearing the Reminder,

   ṣ (ṣād) wa-l-qurʾāni dhī dh-dhikri

2. بل الذين كفروا في عزة وشقاق

   2

   the faithless indeed dwell in conceit and defiance.

   bali lladhīna kafarū fī ʿizzatin wa-shiqāqin

3. كم أهلكنا من قبلهم من قرن فنادوا ولات حين مناص

   3

   How many a generation We have destroyed before them! They cried out [for help], but gone was the time for escape.

   kam ʾahlaknā min qablihim min qarnin fa-nādaw wa-lāta ḥīna manāṣin

4. وعجبوا أن جاءهم منذر منهم وقال الكافرون هذا ساحر كذاب

   4

   They consider it odd that there should come to them a warner from among themselves, and the faithless say, ‘This is a magician, a mendacious liar.’

   wa-ʿajibū ʾan jāʾahum mundhirun minhum wa-qāla l-kāfirūna hādhā sāḥirun kadhdhābun

5. أجعل الآلهة إلها واحدا إن هذا لشيء عجاب

   5

   ‘Has he reduced the gods to one god? This is indeed an odd thing!’

   ʾa-jaʿala l-ʾālihata ʾilāhan wāḥidan ʾinna hādhā la-shayʾun ʿujābun

6. وانطلق الملأ منهم أن امشوا واصبروا على آلهتكم إن هذا لشيء يراد

   6

   Their elite go about [urging others]: ‘Go and stand by your gods! This is indeed the desirable thing [to do].

   wa-nṭalaqa l-malaʾu minhum ʾani mshū wa-ṣbirū ʿalā ʾālihatikum ʾinna hādhā la-shayʾun yurādu

7. ما سمعنا بهذا في الملة الآخرة إن هذا إلا اختلاق

   7

   We did not hear of this in the latter-day creed. This is nothing but a fabrication.

   mā samiʿnā bi-hādhā fī l-millati l-ʾākhirati ʾin hādhā ʾillā khtilāqun

8. أأنزل عليه الذكر من بيننا بل هم في شك من ذكري بل لما يذوقوا عذاب

   8

   Has the Reminder been sent down to him out of [all of] us?’ Indeed, they are in doubt concerning My Reminder. Indeed, they have not yet tasted My punishment.

   ʾa-ʾunzila ʿalayhi dh-dhikru min bayninā bal hum fī shakkin min dhikrī bal lammā yadhūqū ʿadhābi

9. أم عندهم خزائن رحمة ربك العزيز الوهاب

   9

   Do they possess the treasuries of the mercy of your Lord, the All-mighty, the All-munificent?

   ʾam ʿindahum khazāʾinu raḥmati rabbika l-ʿazīzi l-wahhābi

10. أم لهم ملك السماوات والأرض وما بينهما فليرتقوا في الأسباب

    10

    Do they own the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them? [If so,] let them ascend [to the higher spheres] by the means [of ascension].

    ʾam lahum mulku s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-mā baynahumā fa-l-yartaqū fī l-ʾasbābi

11. جند ما هنالك مهزوم من الأحزاب

    11

    [They are but] a host routed out there of the factions.

    jundun mā hunālika mahzūmun mina l-ʾaḥzābi

12. كذبت قبلهم قوم نوح وعاد وفرعون ذو الأوتاد

    12

    Before them Noah’s people impugned [their apostle] and [so did the people of] ‘Ad, and Pharaoh, the Impaler [of his victims],

    kadhdhabat qablahum qawmu nūḥin wa-ʿādun wa-firʿawnu dhū l-ʾawtādi

13. وثمود وقوم لوط وأصحاب الأيكة أولئك الأحزاب

    13

    and Thamud, and the people of Lot, and the inhabitants of Aykah: those were the factions.

    wa-thamūdu wa-qawmu lūṭin wa-ʾaṣḥābu l-ʾaykati ʾulāʾika l-ʾaḥzābu

14. إن كل إلا كذب الرسل فحق عقاب

    14

    There was not any one but such as impugned the apostles; so My retribution became due [against them].

    ʾin kullun ʾillā kadhdhaba r-rusula fa-ḥaqqa ʿiqābi

15. وما ينظر هؤلاء إلا صيحة واحدة ما لها من فواق

    15

    These [too] do not await but a single Cry, which will not grant [them] any respite.

    wa-mā yanẓuru hāʾulāʾi ʾillā ṣayḥatan wāḥidatan mā lahā min fawāqin

16. وقالوا ربنا عجل لنا قطنا قبل يوم الحساب

    16

    They say, ‘Our Lord! Hasten on for us our share before the Day of Reckoning.’

    wa-qālū rabbanā ʿajjil lanā qiṭṭanā qabla yawmi l-ḥisābi