سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى
EXTOL the limitless glory of thy Sustainer's name: [the glory of] the All-Highest, (1)
الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ
who creates [every thing], and thereupon forms it in accordance with what it is meant to be, (2)
وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ
and who determines the nature [of all that exists], and thereupon guides it [towards its fulfilment], (3)
وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ
and who brings forth herbage, (4)
فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ
and thereupon causes it to decay into rust-brown stubble! (5)
سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَىٰ
WE SHALL teach thee, and thou wilt not forget [aught of what thou art taught], (6)
إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ
save what God may will [thee to forget] – for, verily, He [alone] knows all that is open to [man's] perception as well as all that is hidden [from it]: (7)
وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
and [thus] shall We make easy for thee the path towards [ultimate] ease. (8)
فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ
REMIND, THEN, [others of the truth, regardless of] whether this reminding [would seem to] be of use [or not]: (9)
سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَنْ يَخْشَىٰ
in mind will keep it he who stands in awe [of God], (10)
وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الْأَشْقَى
but aloof from it will remain that most hapless wretch – (11)
الَّذِي يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَىٰ
he who [in the life to come] shall have to endure the great fire (12)
ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ
wherein he will neither die nor remain alive. (13)
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ
To happiness [in the life to come] will indeed attain he who attains to purity [in this world], (14)
وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ
and remembers his Sustainer's name, and prays [unto Him]. (15)
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
But nay, [O men,] you prefer the life of this world, (16)
وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ
although the life to come is better and more enduring (17)
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ
Verily, [all] this has indeed been [said] in the earlier revelations – (18)
صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ
the revelations of Abraham and Moses. (19)
- and who determines the nature [of all that exists],2 and thereupon guides it [towards its fulfilment],
- 2 Cf. the last sentence of 25:2 and the corresponding note 3; also 20:50 and note 31.
- Who hath ordained laws.6082 And granted guidance;
- 6082 Thirdly, He has ordained laws and decrees, by which we can develop ourselves and fit ourselves into His whole scheme of evolution for all His Creation. He has measured exactly the needs of all, and given us instincts and physical and psychic predispositions which fit into His decrees. Fourthly, He gives us guidance, so that we are not the sport of mechanical laws. Our reason and our will are exercised, that we may reach the higher destiny of man.
-
Who hath ordained laws. And granted guidance;
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
Who measureth, then guideth;
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
And Who makes (things) according to a measure, then guides (them to their goal),
— M. Habib Shakir -
And Who has measured (preordainments for each and everything even to be blessed or wretched); then guided (i.e. showed mankind the right as well as wrong paths, and guided the animals to pasture);
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
And Who hath disposed and then guided,
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
who has ordained and guided,
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
who determined, then guided,
— Ayub Khan -
And Who determines his capacities and furnishes him with appropriate guidance.
— Sher Ali -
and who determines the nature [of all that exists], and thereupon guides it [towards its fulfilment],
— Muhammad Asad -
who determined and guided,
— Arthur Arberry -
Who determined{{3}} and guided them,{{4}}
— Abu'l Ala Maududi