Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

"Do you think that you will be left secure [forever] in the midst of what you have here and now?⁶³ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "of what is here", i.e., on earth. In the original, this question has a direct form, thus: "Will you be left secure...?", etc. (See also note [69] below.)

Will you be left in peace to enjoy all that you have here forever?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Will ye be left secure in that which is here before us,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

amidst [these] gardens and springs

  - Mohammad Asad

Gardens and fountains,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

In gardens and watersprings

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and fields, and [these] palm-trees with slender spathes?-

  - Mohammad Asad

cornfields and palm-trees laden with juicy fruit,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And tilled fields and heavy sheathed palm trees,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and that you will [always be able to] hew dwellings out of the mountains with [the same] great skill?⁶⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [59] on 7:74 .

carving your dwellings in the mountains and leading a happy life?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Though ye hew out dwellings in the mountain, being skilful?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Be, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me,

  - Mohammad Asad

Have fear of Allah and obey me.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Therefor keep your duty to Allah and obey me,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and pay no heed to the counsel of those who are given to excesses-

  - Mohammad Asad

Do not follow the bidding of extravagant,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And obey not the command of the prodigal,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

those who spread corruption on earth instead of setting things to rights!"

  - Mohammad Asad

who create corruption in the land and reform nothing."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Who spread corruption in the earth, and reform not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said they: "Thou art but one of the bewitched!

  - Mohammad Asad

They replied: "You are but one of the bewitched!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They said: Thou art but one of the bewitched;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thou art nothing but a mortal like ourselves! Come, then, forward with a token [of thy mission]⁶⁵ if thou art a man of truth!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Tabari: "...that is to say, 'with an indication (dalalah) and a proof that thou art to be trusted as regards thy claim that thou hast been sent to us by God'."

You are no more than a human being like us. Bring forth a sign if you are one of the truthful."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Thou art but a mortal like us. So bring some token if thou art of the truthful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Replied he: "This she-camel⁶⁶ shall have a share of water, and you shall have a share of water, on the days appointed [therefor];⁶⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the second paragraph of 7:73 - "This she-camel belonging to God shall be a token for you" - and the corresponding note [57], which explains that the "token" spoken of by Salih was to consist in the manner in which the tribe would treat the animal.

Lit., "on a day appointed", which may mean either "each on a day appointed" (i.e., by turns), or, more probably - because more in consonance with the tribal customs of ancient Arabia - "on the days appointed for the watering of camels": implying that on those days the ownerless she-camel should receive a full share of water side by side with the herds and flocks belonging to the tribe.

Saleh said: "Well, here is the she-camel (the sign that you asked for). She shall have her share of water as you all have yours, each drinking on an alternate appointed day.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: (Behold) this she-camel. She hath the right to drink (at the well), and ye have the right to drink, (each) on an appointed day.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and do her no harm, lest suffering befall you on an awesome day!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Do not touch her with evil, lest the punishment of a dreadful Day may overtake you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And touch her not with ill lest there come on you the retribution of an awful day.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But they cruelly slaughtered her - and then they had cause to regret it:⁶⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "they became regretful". For my rendering of 'aqaruha as "they cruelly slaughtered her", see note [61] on 7:77 .

Yet they hamstrung her, then became full of regrets;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But they hamstrung her, and then were penitent.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for the suffering [predicted by Salih] befell them [then and there]. In this [story], behold, there is a message [unto men], even though most of them will not believe [in it].⁶⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

In my opinion, the specific message alluded to here relates, in the first instance, to the individual person's emotional reluctance to visualize the limited, transitory character of his own life on earth (hinted at in verses {146-149} above) and, hence, the judgment that awaits everyone in the life to come; and, secondly, to the element of compassion for all other living beings as a basis of true morality.

so the punishment overtook them. 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

So the retribution came on them. Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

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 lo! thy Lord! He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[AND] the people of Lot⁷⁰ gave the lie to [one of God's] message-bearers

  - Mohammad Asad

The story of Lot and the sinful people among whom he lived is narrated in greater detail in {11:69-83}.

The people of Lut (Lot), also, disbelieved their Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The folk of Lot denied the messengers (of Allah),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall