087 - Sūrat al-A’lā

In the name of Allah (who is) Rahmān (and) Rahīm.

[For explanation, see Sūrat al-Fātiha: 1]

1

Glorify the Name of your Rabb, that is, exalt your Rabb above what does not befit Him (ism [in isma rabbika, 'the Name of your Rabb'] is extra), the Most High (an adjective qualifying rabbika, 'your Rabb'),

2

Who created and proportioned, His creature, making it of well-proportioned parts, without irregularities,

3

And Who determined, what He wants, and guided, to what He had determined of good or evil,

4

And Who brought forth the pasture, [Who] caused herbage to grow,

5

Then made it, after verdancy, a blackened stubble, desiccated broken chaff.

6

We will have you recite, the Qur'ān, so that you will not forget, what you recite,

7

Except what Allahu ta’ālā may will, that you forget, by abrogating its recitation and its ruling - the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" used to recite aloud while Gabriel recited, fearing to forget, and so it is as though it was said to him, 'Do not hasten in it; you will not forget and so do not weary yourself by reciting it aloud'; assuredly He, exalted be He, knows what is overt, of words and deeds, and what is hidden, of both of these.

8

And We will ease your way to the easy way, the uncomplicated Law, namely, Islam.

9

So remind, admonish by the Qur'ān, in case the reminder should be of benefit, to the one whom you might remind, the one mentioned in [the following verse] 'he [who fears] will be reminded', in other words, even if it might not be of benefit, for it is of benefit to some but of no benefit to others.

10

He who fears, Allahu ta’ālā, exalted be He, will be reminded, by it, as in the verse: So admonish by the Qur'ān him who fears My threat [Q. 50:45];

11

But the wretched one (al-ashqā means al-shaqī), that is to say, the disbeliever, will shun it, that is, the reminder, in other words, he will leave it aside, not looking at it,

12

He who will be roasted in the greater Fire, the Fire of the Hereafter, the lesser fire being that of this world;

13

Then he will neither die therein, and find rest, nor live, a enjoyable life.

14

Successful, winner, indeed is he who purifies himself, [who] cleanses himself by means of [his adherence to] faith,

15

And mentions the Name of his Rabb, saying Allāhu akbar, 'Allahu ta’ālā is Great', and prays, the five prayers - and such are the concerns of [one working towards] the Hereafter, [concerns] which the Meccan disbelievers shun.

16

Nay, but you prefer (or read yu'thirūna, 'they prefer') the life of this world, to the Hereafter,

17

Whereas the Hereafter, and the Paradise it entails, is better and more lasting.

18

Truly this, the success of those who purify themselves, and the Hereafter being better, is in the former scrolls, the ones revealed before the Qur'ān,

19

the scrolls of Abraham and Moses, the ten scrolls of Abraham and the Torah of Moses.