Surah Şād (The Letter "Saad") in English

1. وما خلقنا السماء والأرض وما بينهما باطلا ذلك ظن الذين كفروا فويل للذين كفروا من النار

   27

   We did not create the sky and the earth and whatever is between them in vain. That is a conjecture of the faithless. So woe to the faithless for the Fire!

   wa-mā khalaqnā s-samāʾa wa-l-ʾarḍa wa-mā baynahumā bāṭilan dhālika ẓannu lladhīna kafarū fa-waylun li-lladhīna kafarū mina n-nāri

2. أم نجعل الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات كالمفسدين في الأرض أم نجعل المتقين كالفجار

   28

   Shall We treat those who have faith and do righteous deeds like those who cause corruption on the earth? Shall We treat the Godwary like the vicious?

   ʾam najʿalu lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti ka-l-mufsidīna fī l-ʾarḍi ʾam najʿalu l-muttaqīna ka-l-fujjāri

3. كتاب أنزلناه إليك مبارك ليدبروا آياته وليتذكر أولو الألباب

   29

   [This is] a blessed Book that We have sent down to you, so that they may contemplate its signs, and that those who possess intellect may take admonition.

   kitābun ʾanzalnāhu ʾilayka mubārakun li-yaddabbarū ʾāyātihī wa-li-yatadhakkara ʾulū l-ʾalbābi

4. ووهبنا لداوود سليمان نعم العبد إنه أواب

   30

   And to David We gave Solomon—what an excellent servant he was! Indeed, he was a penitent [soul].

   wa-wahabnā li-dāwūda sulaymāna niʿma l-ʿabdu ʾinnahū ʾawwābun

5. إذ عرض عليه بالعشي الصافنات الجياد

   31

   One evening when there were displayed before him prancing steeds,

   ʾidh ʿuriḍa ʿalayhi bi-l-ʿashiyyi ṣ-ṣāfinātu l-jiyādu

6. فقال إني أحببت حب الخير عن ذكر ربي حتى توارت بالحجاب

   32

   he said, ‘Indeed I have preferred the love of [worldly] niceties to the remembrance of my Lord until [the sun] disappeared behind the [night’s] veil.’

   fa-qāla ʾinnī ʾaḥbabtu ḥubba l-khayri ʿan dhikri rabbī ḥattā tawārat bi-l-ḥijābi

7. ردوها علي فطفق مسحا بالسوق والأعناق

   33

   ‘Bring it back for me!’ Then he [and others] began to wipe [their] legs and necks.

   ruddūhā ʿalayya fa-ṭafiqa masḥan bi-s-sūqi wa-l-ʾaʿnāqi

8. ولقد فتنا سليمان وألقينا على كرسيه جسدا ثم أناب

   34

   Certainly We tried Solomon, and cast a [lifeless] body on his throne. Thereupon he was penitent.

   wa-la-qad fatannā sulaymāna wa-ʾalqaynā ʿalā kursiyyihī jasadan thumma ʾanāba

9. قال رب اغفر لي وهب لي ملكا لا ينبغي لأحد من بعدي إنك أنت الوهاب

   35

   He said, ‘My Lord! Forgive me, and grant me a kingdom that will not befit anyone except me. Indeed You are the All-munificent.’

   qāla rabbi ghfir lī wa-hab lī mulkan lā yanbaghī li-ʾaḥadin min baʿdī ʾinnaka ʾanta l-wahhābu

10. فسخرنا له الريح تجري بأمره رخاء حيث أصاب

    36

    So We disposed the wind for him, blowing softly wherever he intended by his command,

    fa-sakhkharnā lahu r-rīḥa tajrī bi-ʾamrihī rukhāʾan ḥaythu ʾaṣāba

11. والشياطين كل بناء وغواص

    37

    and every builder and diver from the demons,

    wa-sh-shayāṭīna kulla bannāʾin wa-ghawwāṣin

12. وآخرين مقرنين في الأصفاد

    38

    and others [too] bound together in chains.

    wa-ʾākharīna muqarranīna fī l-ʾaṣfādi

13. هذا عطاؤنا فامنن أو أمسك بغير حساب

    39

    ‘This is Our bounty: so withhold or bestow without any reckoning.’

    hādhā ʿaṭāʾunā fa-mnun ʾaw ʾamsik bi-ghayri ḥisābin

14. وإن له عندنا لزلفى وحسن مآب

    40

    Indeed he has [a station of] nearness with Us and a good destination.

    wa-ʾinna lahū ʿindanā la-zulfā wa-ḥusna maʾābin

15. واذكر عبدنا أيوب إذ نادى ربه أني مسني الشيطان بنصب وعذاب

    41

    And remember Our servant Job [in the Quran]. When he called out to his Lord, ‘The devil has visited on me hardship and torment,’

    wa-dhkur ʿabdanā ʾayyūba ʾidh nādā rabbahū ʾannī massaniya sh-shayṭānu bi-nuṣbin wa-ʿadhābin-i

16. اركض برجلك هذا مغتسل بارد وشراب

    42

    [We told him:] ‘Stamp your foot on the ground; this [ensuing spring] will be a cooling bath and drink.’

    urkuḍ bi-rijlika hādhā mughtasalun bāridun wa-sharābun