Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

They answered: "Shall we place our faith in thee, even though [only] the most abject [of people] follow thee?"⁴⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [47] on 11:27 .

They replied: "Should we believe in you, whereas your followers are but the lowest of the low?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They argued, 'How can we believe in you, when you are followed 'only' by the lowest of the low?'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The pagans were accusing the impoverished believers of following Noah (ﷺ) only for personal gain, not out of sincere faith.

They said: Shall we put faith in thee, when the lowest (of the people) follow thee?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They said: "Shall we believe in thee when it is the meanest that follow thee?" ³¹⁸⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The leaders of the people are speaking, as the Quraish leaders spoke in the time of the holy Prophet. "We know that thou hast been trustworthy in thy life. But look at the 'tag rag and bob tail' that follow thee! Dost thou expect us to be like them or to be classed with them?" His answer was: "I know nothing against them; if they have done any wrong, or are only hypocrites, they are answerable to Allah; how can I drive them away from me, seeing that I am expressly sent to admonish all people?"

Said he: "And what knowledge could I have as to what they were doing [before they came to me]?

  - Mohammad Asad

He said: "I have no knowledge as to what they have been doing;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He responded, 'And what knowledge do I have of what they do?

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: And what knowledge have I of what they may have been doing (in the past)?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He said: "And what do I know as to what they do?

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their reckoning rests with none but my Sus-tainer: if you could but understand [this]!⁵⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

This is obviously a retort to the unbelievers' suggestion (elliptically implied here) that those "abject" followers of Noah had declared their faith in him, not out of conviction, but only in order to gain some material advantages. Noah's answer embodies a cardinal principle of Qur'anic ethics and, hence, of Islamic Law: No human being has the right to sit in judgment on another person's faith or hidden motives; whereas God knows what is in the hearts of men, society may judge only by external evidence (az-zahir), which comprises a person's words as well as deeds. Thus, if anyone says, "I am a believer", and does not act or speak in a manner contradicting his professed faith, the community must consider him a believer.

their account is the concern of my Rabb, if you could use your common sense!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Their judgment is with my Lord, if you had any sense!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! their reckoning is my Lord's concern, if ye but knew;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Their account is only with my Lord if ye could (but) understand.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Hence, I shall not drive away [any of] those [who profess to be] believers;

  - Mohammad Asad

I am not going to drive away any believer .

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I am not going to expel the believers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And I am not (here) to repulse believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"I am not one to drive away those who believe. ³¹⁹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. xi. 29. All people who have faith have the right to come and listen to Allah's Word and receive Allah's Mercy, whether they are publicans and sinners, "Harijans" and low-caste men, men of "superior" or "inferior" races. The Prophet of Allah welcomes them all, as His Message has to shine before the whole world.

I am nothing but a plain warner."

  - Mohammad Asad

I am nothing but a plain Warner."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I am only sent with a clear warning.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

I am only a plain warner.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"I am sent only to warn plainly in public."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Said they: "Indeed, if thou desist not, O Noah, thou wilt surely be stoned to death!"⁵¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "thou wilt surely be among those who are stoned [to death]".

They said: "O Nuh! If you do not stop, you shall be stoned to death."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They threatened, 'If you do not desist, O Noah, you will surely be stoned 'to death'.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: If thou cease not, O Noah, thou wilt surely be among those stoned (to death).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They said: "If thou desist not O Noah! thou shalt be stoned (to death)." ³¹⁹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Two other cases occur to me where prophets of Allah were threatened with death by stoning: one was Abraham (xix. 46), and the other was Shu'aib (xi. 91). In neither case did the threats deter them from carrying out their mission. On the contrary the threats recoiled on those who threatened. So also did it happen in the case of Noah and the holy Prophet.

[Whereupon] he prayed: "O my Sustainer! Behold, my people have given me the lie:

  - Mohammad Asad

Nuh prayed: "O Rabb! My people have disobeyed me.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Noah prayed, 'My Lord! My people have truly rejected me.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: My Lord! Lo! my own folk deny me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He said: "O my Lord! truly my people have rejected me.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

hence, lay Thou wide open the truth between me and them,⁵² and save me and those of the believers who are with me!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "decide Thou with a [clear] decision between me and them". My choice of the primary significance of iftah ("lay open", i.e., the truth) has been explained in note [72] on the last sentence of 7:89

Decide the case between me and them openly. Deliver me and the believers who are with me."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So judge between me and them decisively, and save me and the believers with me.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Therefor judge Thou between us, a (conclusive) judgment, and save me and those believers who are with me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Judge thou then between me and them openly and deliver me and those of the Believers who are with me."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And so We saved him and those [who were] with him in the fully-laden ark,

  - Mohammad Asad

So We granted his prayer, delivered him and those with him in the laden ark,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So We saved him and those with him in the fully loaded Ark.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We saved him and those with him in the laden ship.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So we delivered him and those with him in the Ark filled (with all creatures). ³¹⁹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Noah's Flood is told in xi. 36-48. Here the point emphasised is Noah's patience and constancy against threats, and the triumph and preservation of Allah's Truth even though the world was raging against it.

and then We caused those who stayed behind to drown.⁵³

  - Mohammad Asad

The story of Noah and his people, as well as of the Deluge, is given in greater detail in {11:25-48}.

and drowned the rest in the flood.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then afterwards We drowned the rest.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then afterward We drowned the others.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thereafter We drowned those who remained behind.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In this [story], behold, there is a message [unto men],⁵⁴ even though most of them will not believe [in it].

  - Mohammad Asad

For the message specifically alluded to here, see verses {111-115}, as well as note [50] above.

Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson and 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. ³¹⁹³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ibis and the following verse run like a refrain throughout this Sura, and give the key-note to the subject-matter: how the Message of Allah is preached, how it is rejected in all ages, and how it triumphs at last, through the Mercy of Allah. See xxvi. 8-9, 68-69, 103-104, here (121-122), 139-140, 158-159, 174-175, and 190-191.

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

  - Mohammad Asad

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 thy Lord is He the Exalted in Might Most Merciful.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[AND the tribe of] Ad gave the lie to [one of God's] message-bearers

  - Mohammad Asad

The people of 'Ad, too, disbelieved their Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The people of 'Âd rejected the messengers

  - Mustafa Khattab

(The tribe of) Aad denied the messengers (of Allah),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The `Ad (people) rejected the apostles. ³¹⁹⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 1040 to vii. 65 for the 'Ad people and their location. Here the emphasis is on the fact that they were materialists believing in brute force, and felt secure in their fortresses and resources, but were found quite helpless when Allah's Message came and they rejected it.

when their brother Hud⁵⁵ said unto them: "Will you not be conscious of God?

  - Mohammad Asad

See 7:65 and the corresponding note [48].

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

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

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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. ³¹⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 3187 to xxvi. 107 above.