Surah Al Ahqaf (1-35)

Read Surah Al Ahqaf with English translation

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

حٰمٓ(1) تَنْزِیْلُ الْكِتٰبِ مِنَ اللّٰهِ الْعَزِیْزِ الْحَكِیْمِ(2) مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ وَ مَا بَیْنَهُمَاۤ اِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَ اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّىؕ-وَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَمَّاۤ اُنْذِرُوْا مُعْرِضُوْنَ(3) قُلْ اَرَءَیْتُمْ مَّا تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ اَرُوْنِیْ مَا ذَا خَلَقُوْا مِنَ الْاَرْضِ اَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِؕ-اِیْتُوْنِیْ بِكِتٰبٍ مِّنْ قَبْلِ هٰذَاۤ اَوْ اَثٰرَةٍ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِیْنَ(4) وَ مَنْ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ یَّدْعُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مَنْ لَّا یَسْتَجِیْبُ لَهٗۤ اِلٰى یَوْمِ الْقِیٰمَةِ وَ هُمْ عَنْ دُعَآىٕهِمْ غٰفِلُوْنَ(5) وَ اِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوْا لَهُمْ اَعْدَآءً وَّ كَانُوْا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كٰفِرِیْنَ(6) وَ اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَیْهِمْ اٰیٰتُنَا بَیِّنٰتٍ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْۙ-هٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِیْنٌ(7) اَمْ یَقُوْلُوْنَ افْتَرٰىهُؕ-قُلْ اِنِ افْتَرَیْتُهٗ فَلَا تَمْلِكُوْنَ لِیْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَیْــٴًـاؕ-هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِیْضُوْنَ فِیْهِؕ-كَفٰى بِهٖ شَهِیْدًۢا بَیْنِیْ وَ بَیْنَكُمْؕ-وَ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِیْمُ(8) قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ وَ مَاۤ اَدْرِیْ مَا یُفْعَلُ بِیْ وَ لَا بِكُمْؕ-اِنْ اَتَّبِـعُ اِلَّا مَا یُوْحٰۤى اِلَیَّ وَ مَاۤ اَنَا اِلَّا نَذِیْرٌ مُّبِیْنٌ(9) قُلْ اَرَءَیْتُمْ اِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ وَ كَفَرْتُمْ بِهٖ وَ شَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْۢ بَنِیْۤ اِسْرَآءِیْلَ عَلٰى مِثْلِهٖ فَاٰمَنَ وَ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْؕ-اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا یَهْدِی الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ(10) وَ قَالَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا لِلَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَوْ كَانَ خَیْرًا مَّا سَبَقُوْنَاۤ اِلَیْهِؕ-وَ اِذْ لَمْ یَهْتَدُوْا بِهٖ فَسَیَقُوْلُوْنَ هٰذَاۤ اِفْكٌ قَدِیْمٌ(11) وَ مِنْ قَبْلِهٖ كِتٰبُ مُوْسٰۤى اِمَامًا وَّ رَحْمَةًؕ-وَ هٰذَا كِتٰبٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّسَانًا عَرَبِیًّا لِّیُنْذِرَ الَّذِیْنَ ظَلَمُوْا وَ بُشْرٰى لِلْمُحْسِنِیْنَ(12) اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ قَالُوْا رَبُّنَا اللّٰهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوْا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لَا هُمْ یَحْزَنُوْنَ(13) اُولٰٓىٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ الْجَنَّةِ خٰلِدِیْنَ فِیْهَاۚ-جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوْا یَعْمَلُوْنَ(14) وَ وَصَّیْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَیْهِ اِحْسٰنًاؕ-حَمَلَتْهُ اُمُّهٗ كُرْهًا وَّ وَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًاؕ-وَ حَمْلُهٗ وَ فِصٰلُهٗ ثَلٰثُوْنَ شَهْرًاؕ-حَتّٰۤى اِذَا بَلَغَ اَشُدَّهٗ وَ بَلَغَ اَرْبَعِیْنَ سَنَةًۙ-قَالَ رَبِّ اَوْزِعْنِیْۤ اَنْ اَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِیْۤ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیَّ وَ عَلٰى وَالِدَیَّ وَ اَنْ اَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضٰىهُ وَ اَصْلِحْ لِیْ فِیْ ذُرِّیَّتِیْ اِنِّیْ تُبْتُ اِلَیْكَ وَ اِنِّیْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ(15) اُولٰٓىٕكَ الَّذِیْنَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنْهُمْ اَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوْا وَ نَتَجَاوَزُ عَنْ سَیِّاٰتِهِمْ فِیْۤ اَصْحٰبِ الْجَنَّةِؕ-وَعْدَ الصِّدْقِ الَّذِیْ كَانُوْا یُوْعَدُوْنَ(16) وَ الَّذِیْ قَالَ لِوَالِدَیْهِ اُفٍّ لَّكُمَاۤ اَتَعِدٰنِنِیْۤ اَنْ اُخْرَ جَ وَ قَدْ خَلَتِ الْقُرُوْنُ مِنْ قَبْلِیْۚ-وَ هُمَا یَسْتَغِیْثٰنِ اللّٰهَ وَیْلَكَ اٰمِنْ اِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ ۚۖ-فَیَقُوْلُ مَا هٰذَاۤ اِلَّاۤ اَسَاطِیْرُ الْاَوَّلِیْنَ(17) اُولٰٓىٕكَ الَّذِیْنَ حَقَّ عَلَیْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ فِیْۤ اُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْاِنْسِؕ-اِنَّهُمْ كَانُوْا خٰسِرِیْنَ(18) وَ لِكُلٍّ دَرَجٰتٌ مِّمَّا عَمِلُوْاۚ-وَ لِیُوَفِّیَهُمْ اَعْمَالَهُمْ وَ هُمْ لَا یُظْلَمُوْنَ(19) وَ یَوْمَ یُعْرَضُ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَلَى النَّارِؕ-اَذْهَبْتُمْ طَیِّبٰتِكُمْ فِیْ حَیَاتِكُمُ الدُّنْیَا وَ اسْتَمْتَعْتُمْ بِهَاۚ-فَالْیَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُوْنِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ فِی الْاَرْضِ بِغَیْرِ الْحَقِّ وَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَفْسُقُوْنَ(20)وَ اذْكُرْ اَخَا عَادٍؕ-اِذْ اَنْذَرَ قَوْمَهٗ بِالْاَحْقَافِ وَ قَدْ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِنْۢ بَیْنِ یَدَیْهِ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهٖۤ اَلَّا تَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلَّا اللّٰهَؕ-اِنِّیْۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیْكُمْ عَذَابَ یَوْمٍ عَظِیْمٍ(21) قَالُوْۤا اَجِئْتَنَا لِتَاْفِكَنَا عَنْ اٰلِهَتِنَاۚ-فَاْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَاۤ اِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَ(22) قَالَ اِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ ﳲ وَ اُبَلِّغُكُمْ مَّاۤ اُرْسِلْتُ بِهٖ وَ لٰكِنِّیْۤ اَرٰىكُمْ قَوْمًا تَجْهَلُوْنَ(23) فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ اَوْدِیَتِهِمْۙ-قَالُوْا هٰذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَاؕ-بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُمْ بِهٖؕ-رِیْحٌ فِیْهَا عَذَابٌ اَلِیْمٌ(24) تُدَمِّرُ كُلَّ شَیْءٍۭ بِاَمْرِ رَبِّهَا فَاَصْبَحُوْا لَا یُرٰۤى اِلَّا مَسٰكِنُهُمْؕ-كَذٰلِكَ نَجْزِی الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِیْنَ(25) وَ لَقَدْ مَكَّنّٰهُمْ فِیْمَاۤ اِنْ مَّكَّنّٰكُمْ فِیْهِ وَ جَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَّ اَبْصَارًا وَّ اَفْـٕدَةً ﳲ فَمَاۤ اَغْنٰى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَ لَاۤ اَبْصَارُهُمْ وَ لَاۤ اَفْـٕدَتُهُمْ مِّنْ شَیْءٍ اِذْ كَانُوْا یَجْحَدُوْنَۙ-بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰهِ وَ حَاقَ بِهِمْ مَّا كَانُوْا بِهٖ یَسْتَهْزِءُوْنَ(26) وَ لَقَدْ اَهْلَكْنَا مَا حَوْلَكُمْ مِّنَ الْقُرٰى وَ صَرَّفْنَا الْاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَرْجِعُوْنَ(27) فَلَوْ لَا نَصَرَهُمُ الَّذِیْنَ اتَّخَذُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ قُرْبَانًا اٰلِهَةًؕ-بَلْ ضَلُّوْا عَنْهُمْۚ-وَ ذٰلِكَ اِفْكُهُمْ وَ مَا كَانُوْا یَفْتَرُوْنَ(28) وَ اِذْ صَرَفْنَاۤ اِلَیْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ یَسْتَمِعُوْنَ الْقُرْاٰنَۚ-فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوْهُ قَالُوْۤا اَنْصِتُوْاۚ-فَلَمَّا قُضِیَ وَ لَّوْا اِلٰى قَوْمِهِمْ مُّنْذِرِیْنَ(29) قَالُوْا یٰقَوْمَنَاۤ اِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتٰبًا اُنْزِلَ مِنْۢ بَعْدِ مُوْسٰى مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ یَهْدِیْۤ اِلَى الْحَقِّ وَ اِلٰى طَرِیْقٍ مُّسْتَقِیْمٍ(30) یٰقَوْمَنَاۤ اَجِیْبُوْا دَاعِیَ اللّٰهِ وَ اٰمِنُوْا بِهٖ یَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ مِّنْ ذُنُوْبِكُمْ وَ یُجِرْكُمْ مِّنْ عَذَابٍ اَلِیْمٍ(31) وَ مَنْ لَّا یُجِبْ دَاعِیَ اللّٰهِ فَلَیْسَ بِمُعْجِزٍ فِی الْاَرْضِ وَ لَیْسَ لَهٗ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اَوْلِیَآءُؕ-اُولٰٓىٕكَ فِیْ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِیْنٍ(32) اَوَ لَمْ یَرَوْا اَنَّ اللّٰهَ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ وَ لَمْ یَعْیَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقٰدِرٍ عَلٰۤى اَنْ یُّحْیَِۧ الْمَوْتٰىؕ-بَلٰۤى اِنَّهٗ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ(33) وَ یَوْمَ یُعْرَضُ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا عَلَى النَّارِؕ-اَلَیْسَ هٰذَا بِالْحَقِّؕ-قَالُوْا بَلٰى وَ رَبِّنَاؕ-قَالَ فَذُوْقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُوْنَ(34) فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ اُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَ لَا تَسْتَعْجِلْ لَّهُمْؕ-كَاَنَّهُمْ یَوْمَ یَرَوْنَ مَا یُوْعَدُوْنَۙ-لَمْ یَلْبَثُوْۤا اِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّنْ نَّهَارٍؕ-بَلٰغٌۚ-فَهَلْ یُهْلَكُ اِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ(35)

Surah Al Ahqaf English Translation

Ha-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) (1) The sending down of this Book is from Allah the Most Honourable, the Wise. (2) We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them except with the truth, and for a fixed term; and the disbelievers have turned away from what they are warned! (3) Proclaim, (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “What is your opinion – regarding those whom you worship other than Allah – show me which part of the earth they have created, or do they own any portion of the heavens? Bring to me a Book preceding this (Qur’an), or some remnants of knowledge, if you are truthful.” (4) And who is more astray than one who worships those, instead of Allah, who cannot listen to their prayer until* the Day of Resurrection, and who do not even know of their worship! (Will never listen.) (5)

And on the day when people are gathered, they will become their enemies, and will reject their worshippers. (The idols will give testimony against the polytheists.) (6) And when Our clear verses are recited to them, the disbelievers say regarding the Truth that has come to them, “This is an obvious magic!” (7) What! They dare say, “He has fabricated it”? Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “If I have fabricated it, then (I know that) you have no power to support me against Allah; He well knows the matters you are involved in; He is Sufficient as a Witness between me and you; and He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (8) Say, “I am not something new* among the Noble Messengers, nor do I know (on my own) what will happen to me** or with you; I only follow that which is divinely revealed to me, and I am purely a Herald of clear warning. (* I am like the earlier ones. ** My knowledge comes due to divine revelations.) (9) Say, “What is your opinion – if the Qur’an is from Allah and you have rejected faith in it, and a witness among the Descendants of Israel has already testified upon this and accepted faith, while you became arrogant? Indeed Allah does not guide the unjust.” (10)

And the disbelievers said regarding the Muslims, “If there were any good in it, the Muslims would not have surpassed us in achieving it!”; and since they did not receive guidance with it, they will now say, “This is an old slander.” (11) And whereas before this exists the Book of Moosa, a guide and a mercy; and this is a Book giving testimony, in the Arabic language, to warn the unjust; and to give glad tidings to the virtuous. (12) Indeed those who said, “Allah is our Lord”, and then remained steadfast – upon them is neither any fear nor shall they grieve. (13) They are the People of Paradise, abiding in it forever; the reward of their deeds. (14) And We have commanded man to be good towards parents; his mother bore him with hardship, and delivered him with hardship; and carrying him and weaning him is for thirty months; until when he* reached maturity and became forty years of age, he said, “My Lord! Inspire me to be thankful for the favours you bestowed upon me and my parents, and that I may perform the deeds pleasing to You, and keep merit among my offspring; I have inclined towards you and I am a Muslim.” (* This verse was revealed concerning S. Abu Bakr – the first caliph, R. A. A) (15)

These are the ones whose good deeds We will accept, and overlook their shortfalls – among the People of Paradise; a true promise which is being given to them. (16) And the one who said to his parents, “Uff – I am fed up with both of you! What! You promise me that I will be raised again whereas generations have passed away before me?” And they both seek Allah’s help and say to him, “May you be ruined, accept faith! Indeed Allah’s promise is true”; he therefore answers, “This is nothing except stories of former people.” (17) It is these upon whom the Word has proved true, among the nations that passed away before them, of jinns and men; indeed they were losers. (18) And for all persons are ranks according to their deeds; and so that He may repay them in full for their deeds, and they will not be wronged. (19) And on the day when the disbelievers will be presented upon the fire; it will be said to them, “You have wasted your portion of the good things in the life of this world and enjoyed them; so this day you will be repaid with the disgraceful punishment, the recompense of your wrongfully priding yourself in the land, and because you used to disobey.” (20)

And remember the fellowman of the tribe of A’ad; when he warned his nation in the Ahqaf* – and indeed Heralds of warning passed away before and after him – that, “Do not worship anyone except Allah; indeed I fear the punishment of a Great Day upon you. (* A country among sand dunes.) (21) They said, “Have you come to us in order to turn us away from our Gods? Therefore bring upon us what you promise us, if you are truthful.” (22) He said, “Its knowledge is only with Allah; and I convey to you the messages of my Lord, but I perceive that you are an ignorant nation.” (23) So when they saw the punishment coming towards their valleys, spread like a cloud on the horizon, they said, “That is a cloud which will shower rain upon us”; said Hud “In fact this is what you were being impatient for; a windstorm carrying a painful punishment.” (24) “That destroys all things by the command of its Lord” – so at morning none could be seen except their empty houses; this is the sort of punishment We mete out to the guilty. (25)

And We had indeed given them the means which We have not given you, and made ears and eyes and hearts for them; so their ears and eyes and hearts did not benefit them at all because they used to deny the signs of Allah, and the punishment they used to mock at encompassed them. (26) And We indeed destroyed townships surrounding you, and brought several signs so that they may desist. (27) So why did they – the ones whom they had chosen as Gods as a means of attaining Allah’s proximity – not help them? In fact the disbelievers lost them; and this is just their slander and fabrication. (28) And when We sent a number of jinns towards you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), listening attentively to the Qur’an; so when they presented themselves there, they said to each other, “Listen quietly!”; and when the recitation finished, they turned back to their people, giving them warning. (29) They said, “O our people! We have indeed heard a Book, sent down after Moosa, which confirms the Books preceding it, and guides towards the Truth and the Straight Path.” (30)

“O our people! Listen to Allah’s caller and accept faith in Him, so that He may forgive you some of your sins and save you from the painful punishment.” (31) “And whoever does not listen to Allah’s caller cannot escape in the earth, and he has no supporters against Allah; they are in open error.” (32) Have they not realised that Allah, Who did not tire in creating the heavens and the earth and in creating them, is Able to revive the dead? Surely yes, why not? Indeed He is Able to do all things. (33) And on the day when the disbelievers are presented upon the fire; it will be said, “Is this not a reality?” They will answer, “By oath of our Lord, surely yes, why not?”; it will be said, “Therefore taste the punishment, the recompense of your disbelief.” (34) Therefore patiently endure (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) like the courageous Noble Messengers had endured, and do not be impatient for them; on the day when they see what they are promised, it will be as if they had not stayed on earth except part of a day; this is to be conveyed; will anyone be destroyed, except the disobedient? (35)