Surah 37. As-Saffat

Nay, but on that Day they would willingly surrender [to God];

  - Mohammad Asad

Nay! On that Day they shall all be submissive.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In fact, on that Day they will be 'fully' submissive.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nay, but this day they make full submission.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay but that day they shall submit (to Judgment); ⁴⁰⁵¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All the previous arrogance of this life will be gone, but they will face each other, and those who were given a false lead, as in the story of Pharaoh (Cf xx. 79), will question their misleaders as in the following verses.

but [since it will be too late,] they will turn upon one another, demanding of each other [to relieve them of the burden of their past sins].¹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the contrasting - though verbally identical - passage in verses {50} ff. of the present surah. Whereas in the latter instance the verb yatasa'alun has its primary connotation of "asking one another [about something]", it signifies here "demanding [something] of one another" - as the sequence shows, to assume responsibility for their erstwhile denial of the truth.

Some of them will step forward to question one another.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will turn on each other, throwing blame.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And some of them draw near unto others, mutually questioning.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they will turn to one another and question one another.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Some [of them] will say: "Behold; you were wont to approach us [deceptively] from the right!"¹²

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "claiming that what you were asking us to do was right and good". The idiomatic phrase "approaching one from the right" is more or less synonymous with "pretending to give a morally good advice", as well as "approaching another person from a position of power and influence" (Zamakhshari).

The followers will say to their leaders: "It was you who used to come at us from the right hand (right hand is a symbol of authority) and forced us towards the wrong way."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The misled will say, 'It was you who deluded us away from what is right.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other possible translations: 1. “It was you who used to pressure us.” 2. “It was you who tricked us in the name of the truth.” 3. “It was you who dissuaded us from doing good.” 4. “It was you who deceived us with false oaths.”

They say: Lo! ye used to come unto us, imposing, (swearing that ye spoke the truth).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will say: "It was ye who used to come to us from the right hand (of power and authority)!" ⁴⁰⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is the mutual recrimination of the sinners-those who sinned, against those whose instigation or evil example led them into sin. The misleaders in the life here below often used their power and influence to spread evil. The "right hand" is the hand of power and authority. Instead of using it for righteous purposes, they used it for evil-selfishly for their own advantage, and mischievously for the degradation of others.

[To which] the others will reply: "Nay, you yourselves were bereft of all faith!

  - Mohammad Asad

They will reply: "Nay! But it was you who had no faith.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The misleaders will reply, 'No! You disbelieved on your own.

  - Mustafa Khattab

They answer: Nay, but ye (yourselves) were not believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They will reply: "Nay ye yourselves had no faith! ⁴⁰⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But the fact that others mislead, or that their evil example is before us, does not justify us in falling from right conduct. Faith should save us from the fall. But if we have ourselves no Faith-in righteousness, or a future life, or the reality of Allah's Law, how can we blame others? The misleaders can well say, "You will be judged according to your misdeeds!" The responsibility is personal, and cannot be shifted on to others. The others may get a double punishment,-for their own evil, and for misleading their weaker brethren. But the weaker brethren cannot go free from responsibility for their own deeds; for evil means a personal rebellion against Allah, if we believe in a personal God. Evil has no authority over us, except in so far as we deliberately choose it.

Moreover, we had no power at all over you: nay, you were people filled with overweening arrogance!

  - Mohammad Asad

we had no power over you, the fact is that you were an inordinate people;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We had no authority over you. In fact, you yourselves were a transgressing people.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We had no power over you, but ye were wayward folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Nor had we any authority over you. Nay it was ye who were a people in obstinate rebellion!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But now our Sustainer's word has come true against us [as well]: verily, we are bound to taste [the fruit of our sins].

  - Mohammad Asad

true is the verdict which Our Rabb has passed upon us, we shall indeed taste the punishment of our sins:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The decree of our Lord has come to pass against us 'all': we will certainly taste 'the punishment'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Now the Word of our Lord hath been fulfilled concerning us. Lo! we are about to taste (the doom).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"So now has been proved true against us the Word of our Lord that we shall indeed (have to) taste (the punishment of our sins): ⁴⁰⁵⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah's decree of justice requires that every soul should taste the consequences of its own sins, and that decree must be fulfilled. No excuses can serve. It is only Allah's mercy that can save.

So then, [if it be true that] we have caused you to err grievously - behold, we ourselves had been lost in grievous error!"¹³

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation see {28:62-64} and the corresponding notes.

We misled you, for we ourselves were astray."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We caused you to deviate, for we ourselves were deviant.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thus we misled you. Lo! we were (ourselves) astray.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"We led you astray: for truly we were ourselves astray." ⁴⁰⁵⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Further, the misleaders can well urge against those who reproach them for misleading them: "How could you expect anything better from us? You were already warned by Allah's Message that we were astray."

And, verily, on that Day they all will share in their common suffering.

  - Mohammad Asad

So on that Day they shall all be partners in the punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Surely on that Day they will 'all' share in the punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then lo! this day they (both) are sharers in the doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Truly that day they will (all) share in the Penalty.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Verily, thus shall We deal with all who were lost in sin:

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus, shall We deal with the criminals;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That is certainly how We deal with the wicked.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! thus deal We with the guilty.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily that is how We shall deal with Sinners.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for, behold, whenever they were told, "There is no deity save God," they would glory in their arrogance

  - Mohammad Asad

for when they were told: "There is no god except Allah," they used to puff themselves up with pride

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

For whenever it was said to them 'in the world', 'There is no god 'worthy of worship' except Allah,' they acted arrogantly

  - Mustafa Khattab

For when it was said unto them, There is no god save Allah, they were scornful

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For they when they were told that there is no god except Allah would puff themselves up with Pride. ⁴⁰⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Selfish arrogance was the seed of sin and rebellion: ii. 34 (of Satan): xxviii. 39 (of Pharaoh); etc. It is that kind of arrogance which prevents man from mending his life and conduct. When he speaks of ancestral ways, or public opinion, or national honour, he is usually thinking of himself or of a small clique which thrives on injustice. The recognition of Allah, the one true God, as the only standard of life and conduct, the Eternal Reality, cuts out Self, and is therefore disagreeable to Sin. If false gods are imagined, who themselves would have weaknesses that fit in with sin, they give countenance to evils, and it becomes difficult to give them up, unless Allah's grace comes to our assistance.

and would say, "Shall we, then, give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet?"¹⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "for [or "for the sake of"] a mad poet" - thus alluding to the allegation that the Qur'an is a product of Muhammad's mind (see note [38] on 36:69 ). The reference to "deities" comprises, in this context, everything that man may "worship" in both the literal and the metaphorical senses of this word.

and say: "What! Should we give up our gods for the sake of a mad poet?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and argued, 'Should we really abandon our gods for a mad poet?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And said: Shall we forsake our gods for a mad poet?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And say: "What! shall we give up our gods for the sake of a Poet possessed?" ⁴⁰⁵⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Possessed of an evil spirit, or mad. Such was the charge which the Unbelievers sometimes levelled at the holy Prophet in the early stages of his preaching.

Nay, but he [whom you call a mad poet] has brought the truth; and he confirms the truth of [what the earlier of God's] message-bearers [have taught.¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {2}, note [5]. It is to be borne in mind that this refers to the fundamental teachings, which have always been the same in every true religion, and not to the many time-bound laws evident in the earlier religious codes.

Whereas he had come with the truth and had confirmed the message of prior Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In fact, he came with the truth, confirming 'earlier' messengers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nay, but he brought the Truth, and he confirmed those sent (before him).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay! He has come with the (very) Truth and he confirms (the Message of) the apostles (before Him). ⁴⁰⁵⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The message of Islam, so far from being "mad" or in any way peculiar, is eminently conformable to reason and the true facts of nature as created by Allah. It is the Truth in the purest sense of the term, and confirms the Message of all true Messengers that ever lived.

Behold, you will indeed taste grievous suffering [in the life to come],

  - Mohammad Asad

Then it will be said: "You are surely going to taste the painful punishment:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You will certainly taste the painful torment,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! (now) verily ye taste the painful doom--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Ye shall indeed taste of the Grievous Penalty

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

although you shall not be requited for aught but what you were wont to do.

  - Mohammad Asad

and this reward is nothing except what you had done.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and will only be rewarded for what you used to do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Ye are requited naught save what ye did--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But it will be no more than the retribution of (the Evil) that ye have wrought ⁴⁰⁵⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Justice demands that those who sow evil should reap the fruit, but the punishment is due to their own conduct and not to anything external to themselves.

Not so, however, God's true servants:¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

But the sincere devotees of Allah

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But not the chosen servants of Allah.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Save single-minded slaves of Allah;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But the sincere (and devoted) servants of Allah

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali