Hud 11:68–123

(As though they had not dwelt there) it was as if they never lived on this earth. (Lo! Thamud) the people of Salih (disbelieved in their Lord. A far removal for Thamud!) the people of Salih are far removed from Allah's mercy.

(And Our messengers) Gabriel and twelve angels (came unto Abraham with good news) that he will have a son. (They said: Peace!) they greeted Abraham when they entered in on him. (He answered: Peace!) He greeted them back (and delayed not) after a short while he went (to bring a roasted calf) a fat roasted calf which he placed in front of them.

(And when he saw their hands reached not to it) to his food, because they had no need for it, (he mistrusted them and conceived a fear of them) thinking they were thieves, since they did not touch his food. When the angels knew of his fear. (They said: Fear not!) O Abraham. (Lo! we are sent unto the folk of Lot) to destroy them.

(And his wife) Sarah, (standing by) to serve them, (laughed) in astonishment that Abraham was afraid (when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and, after Isaac, of Jacob) a grandchild.

(She said: Oh, woe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman) a 98 year old woman, how can this be? (and this my husband) Abraham (is an old man) 99 years of age? (Lo! This is a strange thing!) this is astonishing!

(They said) to her: (Wonderest thou at the commandment of Allah) are you amazed with the power of Allah? (The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house) the people of the house of Abraham! (Lo! He is Owner of Praise) for your works, (Owner of Glory!) He is Generous and will favour you with a righteous son.

(And when the awe) fear (departed from Abraham, and the glad news) that he will have a son (reached him, he pleaded with Us) he argued with Us (on behalf of the folk of Lot) about the destruction of the people of Lot.

(Lo! Abraham was mild) in the face of ignorance, (imploring) compassionate, (penitent) devoted to Allah.

((It was said) O Abraham! Forsake this!) leave your argumentation. (Lo! your Lord's commandment hath gone forth) your Lord's chastisement of the people of Lot has come, (and lo! there cometh unto them a doom which cannot be repelled) it cannot be averted.

(And when Our messengers) Gabriel and the angels with him (came unto Lot, he was distressed) he did not like their coming (and knew not how to protect them) from his people. (He said) within himself: (This is a distressful day) for me.

(And his people) the people of Lot (came unto him, running towards him) towards his house (and before then) before the coming of Gabriel (they used to commit abominations) their evil practice [sodomy]. (He said) Lot said to them: (O my people! Here are my daughters!) it is also said that this means: here are the girls of my people! (They are purer for you) I will arrange your marriage. (Beware of Allah) fear Allah regarding the unlawful, (and degrade me not in (the person of) my guests) do not humiliate me in front of my guests. (Is there not among you any upright man) to guide you to what is right, enjoin good and forbid evil?

(They said: Well thou knowest) O Lot (that we have no right to your daughters) that we have no need for your daughters, (and well thou knowest what we want) they mean their evil practice.

(He said) Lot said within himself: (Would that I had strength) physical strength and sons to help me (to resist you or had some strong support (among you)!) or that I could rely on a strong clan such that I defend myself from you.

When Gabriel and the angels knew the fear of Lot from the threat of his people, ((The messengers) said: O Lot! Lo! we are messengers of thy Lord; they shall not reach thee) to destroy you but rather we will destroy them. (So travel with thy people) go with your family (in a part of the night) at dawn, in the last part of the night, (and let not one of you turn round) let none of you stay behind ((all) save thy wife) Wa'ilah, the hypocrite. (Lo! that which smites them) of chastisement (will smiteth her (also). Lo! their tryst) to be destroyed (is (for) the morning) Lot said: �make that happen now,� and Gabriel said: �O Lot!� (Is not the morning nigh?) because he already saw it while Lot did not.

(So when Our commandment) when Our chastisement (came to pass) to destroy them (We overthrew (that township)) We turned it upside down (and rained upon it) upon its sodomites and those who travelled there (stones of clay) mixed with manure and mud, like bricks; it is also said that this means: from the first heaven, (one after another) in succession, one after another,

(Marked with fire) lined with black, red and white; it is also said that they had inscribed on them the names of persons they were destined to kill (in the providence of your Lord) those stones of clay were from your Lord, O Muhammad. (And they) i.e. the stones (are never far from the wrong-doers) they did not miss them but rather hit them; it is also said that this means: these stones are never far from the wrong-doers, who emulate their practice, from among your nation.

(And unto Midian) and We sent to Midian (their brother Shu'ayb) their Prophet Jethro. (He said: O my people! Serve Allah) declare Allah's divine Oneness. (Ye have no other God save Him!) you have no other god except the One I command you to believe in (And give not short measure and short weight) do not take people's right in measure and weight. (Lo! I see you well to do) I see that you are at ease, possess wealth and the prices are quite low, (and lo! I fear for you) if you do not believe in Him and do not give the right measure and weight (the doom of a besetting Day) a doom that will encompass all of you such that none will escape from drought, lack of foodstuffs and other bad things.

(O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people about their goods. And do not evil in the earth, causing corruption) do not spread corruption in the earth nor worship idols nor invite people to it; and give people their due of right measure and weight.

(That which Allah leaveth with you) Allah's reward for being honest in measure and weight (is better for you) it is said that this means: that which Allah leaves for you of the lawful is better than that which you steal by cheating in measure and weight (if ye are believers) if you believe in what I tell you; (and I am not a keeper over you) to protect, for Jethro was not commanded to fight them.

(They said: O Shu'ayb! Doth thy way of prayer) do your abundant prayers (command thee that we should forsake that which our fathers (used to) worship) of idols, (or that we (should leave off) doing what we will with our own property) such as cheating in measure and weighing. (Lo! thou art the mild, the guide to right behaviour) they said this in derision, meaning to say: it is you who is the impudent and misguided.

(He said: O my people! Bethink you: if I am) He says: I am ((acting) on a clear proof from my Lord) on a clear exposition that has come down to me from my Lord (and He sustaineth me with fair sustenance from Him) and He has favoured me with prophethood and Islam and further gave me a lawful property ((how can I concede aught to you)? I desire not to do behind your backs that which I ask you not to do) he says: I do not want to engage in that which I am warning you against: cheating in measure and weighing. (I desire naught save) I only desire (reform) justice in measure and weighing (so far as I am able. My welfare) in upholding right measurement and weighing (is only in Allah) is only from Allah. (In Him I trust) I entrust my matter to Him (and unto Him I turn) in complete devotion.

(And, O my people! Let not the schism with me cause you to sin) let not your hatred and enmity of me cause you not to believe or do justice in measure and weighing (so that there befall you that which befell the folk of Noah) i.e. the chastisement of the people of Noah: drowning and the flood (and the folk of Hud) their destruction by the wind, (and the folk of Salih) their destruction by the Cry; (and the folk of Lot) the news of the folk of Lot (are not far off from you) you heard what happened to them.

(Ask pardon of your Lord) declare your Lord's divine Oneness (and then turn unto Him (repellent)) turn to Him repentant and with sincerity. (Lo! my Lord is, Merciful) towards His believing servants, (Loving) He forgives and rewards them; it is also said that this means: He loves them and makes His obedience beloved to them.

(They said: O Shu'ayb! We understand not much of that thou tellest) of that you command us, (and lo! we do behold you weak) blind (among us. But for your family) your clan, (we should have stoned thee) killed you, (for thou art not strong against us) for you are not favoured at all among us.

(He said: O my people! Is my family) my clan (more to be honoured by you than Allah) than Allah's Book and religion; it is also said that this means: is the punishment of my clan more severe to you than Allah's chastisement? (And ye put Him) you placed Him (behind you, neglected) behind your back, i.e. you put that which I brought of the Book behind your backs. (Lo! my Lord surroundeth) knows (what ye do) the punishment you deserve for what you do.

(And, O my people! Act according to your power) act in your dwellings according to your religion to destroy me, (lo, I (too) am acting) to destroy you. (You will soon know on whom there cometh a doom that will abase him) and destroy, (and who it is that lieth) about Allah. (And watch!) wait for my destruction! (Lo! I am watcher with you) I am also waiting for your destruction.

(And when Our commandment) Our chastisement (came to pass we saved Shu'ayb and those who believed with Him by a mercy from Us) by a grace from Us; (and the (Awful) Cry) announcing chastisement (seized those who did injustice) the idolaters, i.e. the people of Shu'ayb, (and morning found them prostrate) dead, turned into dust (in their dwellings) in their houses.

(As though they had not dwelt there) it was as if they never lived on this earth. (A far removal for Midian) the people of Shu'ayb from the mercy of Allah, (even as Thamud) the people of Salih (had been removed afar) from the mercy of Allah! The people of Salih and the people of Shu'ayb were punished by the same chastisement. They were seized by the Cry that announced their chastisement, followed by extreme heat. This heat came to the people of Salih from beneath their feet while it came to the people of Shu'ayb from above their heads.

(And verily We sent Moses with Our revelations) with nine signs (and a clear warrant) and a clear proof, the signs being themselves clear proof.

(Unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they did follow the command of Pharaoh) and shunned the words of Moses, (and the command of Pharaoh) the word of Pharaoh (was no right guide) was not right.

(He will go before his people) he will lead his people (on the Day of Resurrection and will lead them to the Fire for watering-place. Ah, hapless is the watering-place (whither they are) led) evil is the leader and evil are those that were led; it is also said that this means: evil are those entering, Pharaoh and his people, and evil is that where they will enter: the Fire.

(A curse is made to follow them in the world) they were destroyed in the life of this world through drowning (and on the Day of Resurrection) they will receive another curse, i.e. the Fire. (Hapless is the gift (that will be) given (them)) evil is the punishment through drowning and evil is the punishment of hell; it is also said that this means: evil is the helper and evil is the helped.

(That) which I have mentioned (is (something) of the tidings of the townships) of the news of past nations in this world. (We relate it unto thee (Muhammad)) We send Gabriel down to you with their news. (Some of them are standing) and can be seen while their people have vanished (and some (already) reaped) and some of them have turned into ruin, the people and the townships.

(We wronged them not) when We destroyed them, (but they did wrong themselves) by engaging in disbelief, idolatry and idol worship; (and their gods on whom they call) they worship (beside Allah) when Allah's chastisement seized them (availed them naught then came your Lords command) your Lord's punishment; (they added to them) the worship of idols (naught save ruin) loss.

(Even thus is the grasp of your Lord) the chastisement of your Lord (when He graspeth the townships) when He chastises the people of these townships (while they are doing wrong) when they are disbelievers and idolaters. (Lo! His grasp) His chastisement (is painful, very strong).

(Lo! Herein) in that which We mentioned to you (verily there is a portent) a lesson (for those who fear the doom of the Hereafter) such that they do not follow in their footsteps. (That is a day) the Day of Resurrection (unto which mankind will be gathered) the first and last among mankind will be gathered, (and that is a day that will be witnessed) it will be witnessed by the dwellers of heaven and earth.

(And We defer it) i.e. that day (only as a term already reckoned) only to an appointed time.

(On the day when it cometh no soul will speak) no righteous soul will intercede in favour of anyone (except by His permission) except by His command; (some among them) some of the people on that day (will be wretched) it was decreed that they will be damned, ((others) glad) it was decreed that they will be felicitous.

(As for those who will be wretched (on that day) they will be in the Fire; sighing) like the sighing heard from a donkey when about to bray (and wailing) like the exhaling of a donkey when he stops braying (will be their portion therein).

(Abiding there) they will stay in the Fire forever (so long as the heavens and the earth endure) for as long as the heavens and the earth remain, from the moment they were created until the moment they lapse (save for that which thy Lord willeth) and your Lord has willed that they will abide in the Fire forever; it is also said: those who are damned will abide therein forever for as long as the heavens, the earth and the children of Adam subsist, except those whom Allah wills to change from damnation to felicity by His saying: (Allah effaceth what He will, and establishes [13:39]); it is also said that this means: they will abide in the Fire for as long as the heavens and the earth subsist: the heaven of the Fire and the earth of the Fire unless Allah wills to get the people who believed in Allah's divine Oneness out of it, those whose wretchedness was caused by a sin less than disbelief. Allah will enter these into Paradise because of their pure faith. (Lo! thy Lord is Doer of what He will) as He will.

(And as for those who will be glad) those who were decreed to be felicitous ((that day) they will be in the Garden, abiding there) in Paradise (so long as the heavens and the earth endure save for that which thy Lord willeth) when He wills to turn them from felicity to damnation due to His saying (Allah effaceth what He will, and establishes [13:39]); it is also said: they will abide in Paradise for as long as the heavens and the earth subsist: the heaven of Paradise and the earth of Paradise unless Allah wills to torment some people before making them enter Paradise, such that He puts them first in hell and then gets them out of it and puts them in Paradise, to abide therein forever: (a gift) a reward for them (unfailing) undiminished and uninterrupted.

(So be not thou in doubt concerning that which these (folk)) the people of Mecca (worship. They worship only as their fathers worshipped aforetime) before them and they were destroyed because of it. (Lo! We shall pay them their whole due) their chastisement (unabated) it is said that the last part of this verse was revealed about the Qadariyyah.

(And We verily gave unto Moses the Scripture) i.e. the Torah, (and there was strife thereupon) about the Scripture of Moses: some believed in it while others did not; (and had it not been for a Word that had already gone forth) enjoined (from thy Lord) to delay His chastisement from your nation, (the case would have been judged between them) their destruction would have already happened and chastisement would have seized them, (and Lo! they are in grave doubt) manifest doubt (concerning it).

(And lo! unto each) each two parties (thy Lord will verily repay his works in full) the reward of his works in full: good with good and evil with evil. (Lo! He is Informed of what they do) of good and evil, reward and punishment.

(So tread thou the straight path) in obedience of Allah (as thou art commanded) in the Qur'an, (and those who turn (unto Allah) with thee) from disbelief into faith, let them also follow the straight path, (and transgress not) do not disbelieve and do not transgress over that which is in the Qur'an, i.e. from the lawful to the unlawful. (Lo! He is Seer of what ye do) of good and of evil.

(And incline not towards those who do wrong) themselves by means of disbelief, idolatry and transgression (lest the Fire touch you) as it has touched them, (and ye have no protecting friends) no relatives to help you (against Allah) against Allah's chastisement, (and afterward ye would not be helped) you will not be prevented from what is wanted with you.

(Establish worship) fulfil the prayer (at the two ends of the day) the morning prayer and the Zuhr; it is also said that the reference here is to the morning prayer and the prayers of Zuhr and 'Asr (and in some watches of the night) at the advent of the night, i.e. the prayers of Maghrib and 'Isha'. (Lo! good deeds) the five daily prayers (annul ill deeds) sins other than the enormities; it is also said that the good deeds refer to the formulas: �Glory be to Allah�, �Praise be to Allah�, �there is no god save Allah� and �Allah is the greatest�. (This is a reminder for the mindful) this is an act of repentance for those who repent; it is also said that this means: these expiate the sins of the repentant. This verse was revealed about a man called Abu'l-Yusr Ibn 'Umar.

(And have patience), O Muhammad, regarding that with which you have been commanded and also in the face of their harm (for lo! Allah loseth not) thwarts not (the wages of the good) the reward of the believers who do good in their works and speech.

(If only there had been among the generations before you) He says: there were not among the nations before you believing (men possessing a remnant (of good sense) to warn (their people) from corruption in the earth) warning them against disbelief, idolatry, idol worship and all kinds of transgressions, (as did a few of those whom We saved from them) from among the believers! (The wrong-doers followed) the idolaters engaged in (that by which they were made sapless) the comfort and wealth which they were given in this world, (and were guilty) idolaters.

(In truth thy Lord destroyed not) the people of (the townships tyrannously) because of the tyranny they committed (while their folk were doing right) while there were among them those who enjoined good and forbade evil; it is also said that this means: your Lord would not have destroyed the people of the townships through an injustice from Him while their people were doing right, i.e. engaged in acts of obedience and holding firm to them.

(And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation) He would have gathered them to follow one religion: the religion of Islam, (yet they cease not) but they will always be (differing) concerning religion and falsehood,

(Save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy) except whom your Lord has saved from falsehood and other religions, and these are the believers; (and for that He did create them) He created the people of mercy for mercy, and created the people of difference for differing. (And the Word of thy Lord hath been fulfilled) the Word of your Lord has been decreed: (Verily I shall fill hell with the jinn and mankind together) with the disbelievers among the jinn and humans.

(And all that We relate unto thee) as We have explained to you (of the story of the messengers) of the events of the messengers (is in order that thereby We may make firm your heart) in order to gladden your heart, that what was done to you was also done to other prophets. (And herein hath come unto thee) in this surah (the Truth) the news of the Truth (and an exhortation) to avoid transgression (and a reminder) an admonition (for believers).

(And say unto those who believe not) in Allah and the Last Day nor in the revealed Scriptures and prophets: (Act according to your power) in your dwellings act according to your religion so as to destroy me. (Lo! we (too) are acting) to destroy you.

(And wait) for my destruction! (Lo! we (too) are waiting) for your destruction.

(And Allah's is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth) that which is hidden from the servants, (and unto Him the whole matter will be returned) the matter of the servants will be returned to Him. (So worship Him) so obey Him (and put thy trust in Him) rely on Him. (Lo! thy Lord is not unaware of what ye (mortals) do) of transgressions; it is also said that this means: Allah will not fail to punish you for what you do nor is He oblivious to it'.