Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

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

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

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

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold their brother Lut 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.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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

"Must you, of all people, [lustfully] approach men,

  - Mohammad Asad

Will you fornicate with males from among the creatures of the worlds

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Why do you 'men' lust after fellow men,¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., men of the world.

What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Of all the creatures in the world will ye approach males.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

keeping yourselves aloof from all the [lawful] spouses whom your Sustainer has created for you? Nay, but you are people who transgress all bounds of what is right!"

  - Mohammad Asad

and leave those whom your Rabb has created for you to be your mates? Nay! You are a people who have transgressed all limits."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

leaving the wives that your Lord has created for you? In fact, you are a transgressing people.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are froward folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Said they: "Indeed, if thou desist not, O Lot, thou wilt most certainly be expelled [from this township]!"

  - Mohammad Asad

They replied: "If you do not stop, O Lut, you shall become one of the expelled."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They threatened, 'If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be expelled.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said: If thou cease not, O Lot, thou wilt soon be of the outcast.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They said: "If thou desist not O Lut! thou wilt assuredly be cast out!" ³²¹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their threat to cast him out has a grim significance in what actually happened. They were destroyed where they were, and he was glad to escape the dreadful Punishment according to the warning he had received.

[Lot] exclaimed: "Behold, I am one of those who utterly abhor your doings!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lut said: "I am certainly one of those who abhor your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lot responded, 'I am truly one of those who despise your 'shameful' practice.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: I am in truth of those who hate your conduct.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He said: "I do detest your doings." ³²¹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He was only among them from a stem sense of duty. The whole atmosphere there was detestable to him, and he was glad to escape when duty no longer demanded his presence there. He prayed for deliverance from such surroundings.

[And then he prayed:] "O my Sustainer! Save me and my household from all that they are doing!"

  - Mohammad Asad

O Rabb! Deliver me and my family from their wicked deeds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

My Lord! Save me and my family from 'the consequences of' what they do.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

My Lord! Save me and my household from what they do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"O my Lord! deliver me and my family from such things as they do!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thereupon We saved him and all his household -

  - Mohammad Asad

So We delivered him and all his family

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So We saved him and all of his family,

  - Mustafa Khattab

So We saved him and his household, every one,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So We delivered him and his family all

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

all but an old woman, who was among those that stayed behind;⁷¹

  - Mohammad Asad

As is evident from 7:83 , 11:81 , 27:57 and {29:32-33}, the old woman was Lots' wife - a native of Sodom - who chose to remain with her own people instead of accompanying her husband, whom she thus betrayed (cf. also 66:10 ).

except an old woman who was left among those who remained behind.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

except an old woman,¹ who was one of the doomed.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Lot’s wife, who betrayed her husband.

Save an old woman among those who stayed behind.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Except an old woman who lingered behind. ³²¹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This was Lut's wife, who lingered behind and was among those who perished, See n. 1051 to vii. 83.

and then We utterly destroyed the others,

  - Mohammad Asad

Then We utterly destroyed the rest.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then We utterly destroyed the rest,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then afterward We destroyed the others.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But the rest We destroyed utterly.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and rained down upon them a rain [of destruction]:⁷² and dire is such rain upon all who let themselves be warned [to no avail]!⁷³

  - Mohammad Asad

See 11:82 and the corresponding note [114].

Or, in the past tense: "dire was the rain upon those who had been warned" - in which case this sentence would refer specifically to the sinful people of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, it is much more probable that its purport is general (see note [115] on the last sentence of 11:83 ). Zamakhshari's interpretation of the above sentence is analogous to mine.

We rained down on them the rain of brimstones: and evil was the rain which fell on those who were forewarned.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

pouring upon them a rain 'of brimstone'. How evil was the rain of those who had been warned!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We rained on them a rain. And dreadful is the rain of those who have been warned.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)! ³²¹³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 1052 to vii. 84.

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

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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