حم
Hā. Mīm. (1)
تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ
THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise. (2)
مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنْذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ
We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them otherwise than in accordance with [an inner] truth, and for a term set [by Us]: and yet, they who are bent on denying the truth turn aside from the warning which has been conveyed unto them. (3)
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُوا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ ائْتُونِي بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ هَٰذَا أَوْ أَثَارَةٍ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
Say: "Have you [really] given thought to what it is that you invoke instead of God? Show me what these [beings or forces] have created anywhere on earth! Or had they, perchance, a share in [creating] the heavens? [If so,] bring me any divine writ preceding this one, or any [other] vestige of knowledge – if what you claim is true!" (4)
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ
And who could be more astray than one who invokes, instead of God, such as will not respond to him either now or on the Day of Resurrection, and are not even conscious of being invoked? (5)
وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ
such as, when all mankind is gathered [for judgment], will be enemies unto those [who worshipped them], and will utterly reject their worship? (6)
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ
But whenever Our messages are conveyed to them in all their clarity, they who are bent on denying the truth speak thus of the truth as soon as it is brought to them: "This is clearly nothing but spellbinding eloquence!" (7)
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلَا تَمْلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَىٰ بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Or do they say, "He has invented all this"? Say [O Muhammad]: "Had I invented it, you would not be of the least help to me against God. He is fully aware of that [slander] into which you so recklessly plunge: enough is He as a witness between me and you! And [withal,] He alone is truly-forgiving, a true dispenser of grace." (8)
قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمْ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ
Say: "I am not the first of [God's] apostles; and [like all of them,] I do not know what will be done with me or with you; I only follow what is revealed to me: for I am nothing but a plain warner." (9)
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَكَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَىٰ مِثْلِهِ فَآمَنَ وَاسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Say: "Have you given thought [to how you will fare] if this be truly [a revelation] from God and yet you deny its truth? – even though a witness from among the children of Israel has already borne witness to [the advent of] one like himself, and has believed [in him], the while you glory in your arrogance [and reject his message]? Verily, God does not grace [such] evildoing folk with His guidance!" (10)
- And who could be more astray than one who invokes, instead of God, such as will not respond to him either now or on the Day of Resurrection,5 and are not even conscious of being invoked?
- 5 Lit., "will not respond to him till the Day of Resurrection", i.e., never.
- And who is more astray4779 than one who invokes besides Allah, such as will not answer him to the Day of Judgment, and who (in fact) are unconscious of their call (to them)?
- 4779 As there is no argument at all in favour of your sham worship, what sense is there in it? Either your false gods are senseless stocks and stones which will never answer you to the end of Time, being themselves devoid of understanding, or they are real objects which will disown you at the last (Cf. 25:17-18). If you worshipped Self, your own misused faculties will witness against you at the last (41:20-23). If you worshipped good men or prophets, like Jesus, they will disown you (5:119). Similarly, if you worshipped angels, they will disown you (34:40-41).
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And who is more astray than one who invokes besides Allah, such as will not answer him to the Day of Judgment, and who (in fact) are unconscious of their call (to them)?
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
And who is further astray than those who, instead of Allah, pray unto such as hear not their prayer until the Day of Resurrection, and are unconscious of their prayer,
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
And who is in greater error than he who calls besides Allah upon those that will not answer him till the day of resurrection and they are heedless of their call?
— M. Habib Shakir -
And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
And who is more astray than he who calleth beside Allah, Unto such as will answer it not till the Day of Resurrection and who are of their call unaware.
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
Who is further astray than he who calls upon, other than Allah, those who will never answer him till the Day of Resurrection, who are indeed, heedless of their supplication?
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
And who is further astray than he who calls, apart from God, upon him who shall not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and they are unaware of their calling.
— Ayub Khan -
And who is in greater error than those who, instead of God, pray unto such as will not answer them till the Day of Resurrection, and they are not even aware of their prayer?
— Sher Ali -
And who could be more astray than one who invokes, instead of God, such as will not respond to him either now or on the Day of Resurrection, and are not even conscious of being invoked?
— Muhammad Asad -
And who is further astray than he who calls, apart from God, upon such a one as shall not answer him till the Day of Resurrection? Such as are heedless of their calling,
— Arthur Arberry -
Who is farther strayed from the Right Path than he who calls upon others than Allah that cannot answer his call till the Day of Resurrection,{{5}} the while they are not even conscious that callers are calling upon them?{{6}}
— Abu'l Ala Maududi