Al-Hadid
سُورَةُ الحَدِيدِ
The Iron • 29 verses • Medinan
ALL THAT IS in the heavens and on earth extols God’s limitless glory: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!
His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; He grants life and deals death; and He has the power to will anything.
He is the First and the Last, and the Outward as well as the Inward: and He has full knowledge of everything.
He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. And He is with you wherever you may be; and God sees all that you do.
His is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; and all things go back unto God [as their source].
He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
BELIEVE in God and His Apostle, and spend on others out of that of which He has made you trustees: for, those of you who have attained to faith and who spend freely [in God’s cause] shall have a great reward.
And why should you not believe in God, seeing that the Apostle calls you to believe in [Him who is] your Sustainer, and [seeing that] He has taken a pledge from you? [Why should you not believe in Him] if you are able to believe [in anything]?
It is He who bestows from on high clear messages unto [this] His servant, to lead you out of the deep darkness into the light: for, behold, God is most compassionate towards you, a dispenser of grace.
And why should you not spend freely in the cause of God, seeing that God’s [alone] is the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal are those of you who spent and fought [in God’s cause] before the Victory [and those who did not do so]: they are of a higher rank than those who would spend and fight [only] after it - although God has promised the ultimate good to all [who strive in His cause]. and god is aware of that you do.
WHO IS IT that will offer up unto God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay For, such [as do so] shall have a noble reward
on the Day when thou shalt see all believing men and believing women, with their light spreading rapidly before them and on their right, [and with this welcome awaiting them:] “A glad tiding for you today: gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide! This, this is the triumph supreme!”
On that Day shall the hypocrites, both men and women, speak [thus] unto those who have attained to faith: “Wait for us! Let us have a [ray of] light from your light!” [But] they will be told: “Turn back, and seek a light [of your own]!” And thereupon a wall will be raised between them [and the believers], with a gate in it: within it will be grace and mercy, and against the outside thereof, suffering.
They [who will remain without] will call out to those [within], “Were we not with you?” - [to which] the others will answer: “So it was! But you allowed yourselves to succumb to temptation, and you were hesitant [in your faith], and you were doubtful [of resurrection]; and your wishful thinking beguiled you until God’s command came to pass: for, [indeed, your own] deceptive thoughts about God deluded you
“And so, no ransom shall be accepted today from you, and neither from those who were [openly] bent on denying the truth. Your goal is the fire: it is your [only] refuge - and how evil a journey’s end!”