Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

whereas the blazing fire witl be laid open before those who had been lost in grievous error;

  - Mohammad Asad

while hell shall be spread open to the straying

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the Hellfire will be displayed to the deviant.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And hell will appear plainly to the erring.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And to those straying in Evil the Fire will be placed in full view;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and they will be asked: "Where now is all that you were wont to worship

  - Mohammad Asad

and they will be asked: "Now, where are those whom you worshipped

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And it will be said to them, 'Where are those you used to worship

  - Mustafa Khattab

And it will be said unto them: Where is (all) that ye used to worship

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And it shall be said to them: `Where are the (gods) ye worshipped

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

instead of God?⁴² Can these [things and beings] be of any help to you or to themselves?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "beside God". Whenever the relative pronoun ma ("that which" or "all that which") is used in the Qur'an with reference to false objects of worship, it indicates not merely inanimate things (like idols, fetishes, supposedly "holy" relics, etc.) or falsely deified saints, dead or alive, but also forces of nature, real or imaginary, as well as man's "worship" of wealth, power, social position, etc. (See also {10:28-29} and the corresponding notes.)

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Instead of Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `Besides Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?'

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thereupon they will be hurled into hell⁴³ - they, as well as all [others] who had been lost in grievous error,

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "into it".

Then they will be toppled into it, both they and those who misled them,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then the idols will be hurled headlong into Hell, along with the deviant

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then they will be hurled therein, they and the seducers

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Then they will be thrown headlong into the (Fire) they and those straying in Evil ³¹⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The false gods, being devils or personified false fancies, will be all involved in the punishment of Hell, together with their worshippers, and the ultimate sources of evil, the hosts of Iblis or Satan.

and the hosts of Iblis - all together.⁴⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {2: 24}- "the fire whose fuel is human beings and stones" - and the corresponding note [16]. The "hosts of Iblis" are the forces of evil ("satan ") frequently mentioned in the Qur'an in connection with man's sinning (see note [10] on 2:14 , the first half of note [16] on {15: 17}, as well as note [52] on 19:68 ; also cf. 19:83 and the corresponding note [72]).

together with all the armies of Iblees.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and the soldiers of Iblîs,¹ all together.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Iblîs was the name of Satan before his fall from grace. See footnote for 2:34.

And the hosts of Iblis, together.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And the whole hosts of Iblis together.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And there and then, blaming one another,⁴⁵ they [who had grievously sinned in life] will exclaim:

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "while they quarrel with one another".

Wherein they will argue with one another

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There the deviant will cry while disputing with their idols,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they will say, when they are quarrelling therein:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"They will say there in their mutual bickerings:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"By God, we were most obviously astray

  - Mohammad Asad

saying: " By Allah, we were indeed in manifest error,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'By Allah! We were clearly mistaken,

  - Mustafa Khattab

By Allah, of a truth we were in error manifest

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `By Allah we were truly in an error manifest ³¹⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Error-manifest.- 'our error is now plainly manifest, but it should have been manifest to us before it was too late, because the Signs of Allah were always around us'. This will be said by the ungodly, whose eyes will then be fully opened.

when we deemed you [false deities] equal to the Sustainer of all the worlds-

  - Mohammad Asad

when we made you equals with the Rabb of the Worlds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

when we made you equal to the Lord of all worlds.

  - Mustafa Khattab

When we made you equal with the Lord of the Worlds.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `When we held you as equals with the Lord of the Worlds;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

yet they who have seduced us [into believing in you] are the truly guilty ones!⁴⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "yet none but those guilty ones (al-mujrimun) have led us astray": cf. 7:38 , {33:67-68}, {38:60-61} and the corresponding notes.

It was the criminals who led us astray.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And none led us astray other than the wicked.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It was but the guilty who misled us.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `And our seducers were only those who were steeped in guilt. ³¹⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They now see that the people who seduced them were themselves evil and subject to the penalities of evil, and their seductions were frauds. They feel that they ought to have seen it before. For who would deliberately follow the paths of those condemned to misery and punishment? How simple they were not to see the true character of their seducers, though they had been warned again and again against them! It was their own folly that made them accept such obviously false guidance!

And now we have none to intercede for us,

  - Mohammad Asad

Now we have no intercessors,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Now we have none to intercede for us,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Now we have no intercessors

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `Now then we have none to intercede (for us)

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

nor any loving friend.

  - Mohammad Asad

and no loving friends.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

nor a close friend.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nor any loving friend.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `Nor a single friend to feel (for us).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Would that we had a second chance [in life],⁴⁷ so that we could be among the believers!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "would that there were a return for us". See also {6:27-28} and the corresponding note.

If we could but once return to our worldly life, we would be of the true believers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If only we could have a second chance, then we would be believers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Oh, that we had another turn (on earth), that we might be of the believers!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

" `Now if we only had a chance of return we shall truly be of those who believe!' " ³¹⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This apparent longing for a chance of return is dishonest. If they were sent back, they would certainly retum to their evil ways: vi. 27-28. Besides, they have had numerous chances already in this life, and they have used them for mischief or evil.

In all this, behold, there is a message [unto men], even though most of them will not believe [in it].

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely in this narration there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily in this is a Sign but most of them do not believe.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But, verily, thy Sustainer - He alone - is almiahtv, a dispenser of grace!⁴⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and He may grant forgiveness to whomever He wills".

The fact is that your Rabb is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo, thy Lord! He is Indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And verily the Lord is He the Exalted in Might Most Merciful.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

THE PEOPLE of Noah [too] gave the lie to [one of God's] message-bearers

  - Mohammad Asad

The people of Nuh, also, rejected the Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The people of Noah rejected the messengers¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., messengers, because denying Noah (ﷺ) was equal to denying all of Allah’s messengers.

Noah's folk denied the messengers (of Allah),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The people of Noah rejected the apostles.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

when their brother Noah said unto them: "Will you not be conscious of God?

  - Mohammad Asad

Remember when their brother Nuh asked them: "Have you no fear of Allah?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

when their brother Noah said to them, 'Will you not fear 'Allah'?

  - Mustafa Khattab

When their brother Noah said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold their brother Noah said to them: "Will ye not fear (Allah)? ³¹⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Noah's generation had lost all faith and abandoned themselves to evil. They had rejected the Message of messengers previously sent to the world. Noah was sent to them as one of themselves ("their brother"). His life was open before them: he had proved himself pure in heart and conduct (like the holy Prophet of Islam long after him), and worthy of every trust. Would they fear Allah and follow his advice? They could see that he had no ends of his own to serve. Would they not listen to him?

Behold, I am an apostle [sent by Him] to you, [and therefore] worthy of your trust:

  - Mohammad Asad

Rest assured that I am a trustworthy Rasool of Allah towards you,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"I am to you an apostle worthy of all trust: ³¹⁸⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Amin=one to whom a trust has been given, with several shades of meaning implied: e.g., (1) worthy of trust, (2) bound to deliver his trust, as a prophet is bound to deliver his Message, (3) bound to act entirely as directed by the trust, as a prophet is bound to give only the Message of Allah, and not add anything of his own, and (4) not seeking any interest of his own.

be, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me!

  - Mohammad Asad

so fear Allah and obey me.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So fear Allah, and obey me.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"So fear Allah and obey me.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"And no reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward rests with none but the Sustainer of all the worlds.

  - Mohammad Asad

I do not ask you any reward for my services, for my reward will be given by the Rabb of the Worlds,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I do not ask you for any reward for this 'message'. My reward is only from the Lord of all worlds.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"No reward do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of the Worlds:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Hence, remain conscious of God. and pay heed unto me!"

  - Mohammad Asad

so fear Allah and obey me."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So fear Allah, and obey me.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"So fear Allah and obey me." ³¹⁸⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note how the repetition rounds off the argument. See n. 3186 above.