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Surah 55. Ar-Rahman

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55:26
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ Kullu man AAalayh a f a n in
All that lives on earth or in the heavens10 is bound to pass away:
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Everyone who is upon it", i.e., on earth and/or, according to Ibn Kathir, in the heavens - since the pronoun in 'alayha apparently relates to the whole universe.

All that exists on the earth will perish,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Every being on earth is bound to perish.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Everyone that is thereon will pass away;
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
All that is on earth will perish;
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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55:27
وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ Wayabq a wajhu rabbika th oo aljal a li wa a likr a m i
but forever will abide thy Sustainer's Self,11 full of majesty and glory.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "face", or "countenance", a term used metonymically in classical Arabic to denote the "self" or "whole being" of a person - in this case, the essential Being, or Reality, of God. Cf. also 28:88 , "Everything is bound to perish, save His [eternal] Self".

but the Face of your Rabb will remain full of Majesty and Glory.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Only your Lord Himself,1 full of Majesty and Honour, will remain 'forever'.2
  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., your Lord’s Face.

 Death is listed as one of Allah’s favours since it puts an end to tyrants, ends the suffering of the oppressed, makes all people equal, ushers in judgment and the enforcement of justice, and leads the believers to eternal joy and peace in Paradise.

There remaineth but the countenance of thy Lord of Might and Glory.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But will abide (forever) the Face of thy Lord full of Majesty Bounty and Honor. 5189 5190
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The most magnificent works of man-such as they are-are but fleeting. Ships, Empires, the Wonders of Science and Art, the splendours of human glory or intellect, will all pass away. The most magnificent objects in outer Nature-the mountains and valleys, the sun and moon, the Constellation Orion and the star Sirius-will also pass away in their appointed time. But the only One that will endure for ever is the "Face" of Allah.

Ikram; two ideas are prominent in the word, (1) the idea of generosity, as proceeding from the person whose attribute it is, and (2) the idea of honour, as given by others to the person whose attribute it is. Both these ideas are summed up in "nobility". To make the meaning quite clear, I have employed in the translation the two words "Bounty and Honour" for the single word Ikram. The same attributes recur in the last verse of this Sura. In the Fact of Allah's Eternity is the Hope of our Future.

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55:28
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s glories will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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55:29
يَسْـَٔلُهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍ Yasaluhu man fee a l ssam a w a ti wa a lar d i kulla yawmin huwa fee shan in
On Him depend all creatures12 in the heavensn and on earth; [and] every day He manifests Himself in yet another [wondrous] way.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Him does ask [or "of Him does beg"] whoever is...", etc.: i.e., all depend on Him for their safety and sustenance.

All who dwell in the heavens and the earth, implore Him for their needs, every moment He is busy in some mighty task.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
All those in the heavens and the earth are dependent on Him. Day in and day out He has something to bring about.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Giving life and causing death, making some rich and others poor, elevating some and debasing others, etc.

All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him. Every day He exerciseth (universal) power.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Of Him seeks (its needs) every creature in the heavens and on earth: every day in (new) Splendor doth He (shine)! 5191 5192
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Every single creature depends on Allah for its needs: of all of them the Cherisher and Sustainer is Allah. Seek (its needs): does not necessarily mean 'seek them in words': what is meant is the dependence: the allusion is to the Source of supply.

Shan: state, splendour; aim, work, business, momentous affair. Allah's is still the directing hand in all affairs. He does not sit apart, careless of mankind or of any of His creatures. But His working shows new Splendour every day, every hour, every moment.

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55:30
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s honors will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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55:31
سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ أَيُّهَ ٱلثَّقَلَانِ Sanafrughu lakum ayyuh a a l ththaqal a n i
[ONE DAY] We shall take you to task,13 O you sin-laden two!14
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We shall apply Ourselves to you".

I.e., "you sin-laden men and women" (see note [4] above). According to an interpretation quoted by Razi the designation thaqalan (the dual form of thaqal, "a thing of weight") signifies that both these categories of human beings are liable to, and therefore burdened with, sinning.

O you, the two burdens (jinns and mankind)! Soon We shall find the time to call you to account.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
We will soon attend to you 'for judgment', O two multitudes 'of jinn and humans'!
  - Mustafa Khattab
We shall dispose of you, O ye two dependents (man and jinn).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Soon shall We settle your affairs O both ye worlds! 5193
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Thaqal: weight, something weighty, something weighed with something else. The two thaqals are Jinns and men who are burdened with responsibility or, as some commentators hold, with sin. They are both before Allah, and the affairs of both are conducted under His Command. If there are inequalities or apparent disturbances of balance, that is only for a season. Allah gives to both good and evil men a chance in this period of probation; but this period will soon be over, and Judgment will be established. To give you this chance, this probation, this warning, is itself a favour, by which you should profit, and for which you should be grateful.

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55:32
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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55:33
يَـٰمَعْشَرَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ إِنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا۟ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنفُذُوا۟ ۚ لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ Y a maAAshara aljinni wa a linsi ini ista t aAAtum an tanfu th oo min aq ta ri a l ssam a w a ti wa a lar d i fa o nfu th oo l a tanfu th oona ill a bisul ta n in
O you who live in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and humans!15 If you [think that you] can pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth,16 pass beyond them! [But] you cannot pass beyond them, save by a sanction [from God]!17
  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of this rendering of ma'shar al-jinn wa-'l-ins, see note [112] on the first paragraph of 6:128 .

I.e., in order to escape God's judgment and chastisement.

I.e., "unless He wills to reprieve you": cf. the last paragraph of 6:128 and the corresponding note [114].

O you, the assembly of jinns and men! If you have the power to get away from the boundaries of the heavens and the earth (to escape from His punishment), then get away! You cannot get away except with Our Own authority.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O assembly of jinn and humans! If you can penetrate beyond the realms of the heavens and the earth, then do so. 'But' you cannot do that without 'Our' authority.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O company of jinn and men, if ye have power to penetrate (all) regions of the heavens and the earth; then penetrate (them)! Ye will never penetrate them save with (Our) sanction.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! if it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass! 5194
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. vi. 130, where the Jinns and men are addressed collectively. That whole passage, vi. 130-134, should be read as a commentary on this verse. 'If you think that because you do things in secret, or because some of your sins do not seem to meet their inevitable punishment or some of your good deeds seem to go unnoticed, do not be deceived. Judgment will soon come. You cannot possibly escape out of the zones in which your lives have been cast, without authority from Allah. Be grateful to Allah for the chances He has given you'. "All that hath been promised unto you will come to pass: nor can ye frustrate it in the least bit" (vi. 134).

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55:34
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s authorities will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? 5195
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note how gradually we have been led up in the Argument. 'The Signs of Allah are all about you, in revelation, in your intelligence, and in nature around you. Your creation; the light and heat typified by the sun in all directions; the cycle of waters in the physical earth and of Knowledge in the world of Intelligence; the help and cherishing care of Allah Himself;-all these things should teach you the Truth and warn you about the Future, which is more particularly referred to in the remainder of the Sura.

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55:35
يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِّن نَّارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنتَصِرَانِ Yursalu AAalaykum a shuw a th un min n a rin wanu ha sun fal a tanta s ir a n i
A flash of fire will be let loose upon you, and smoke, and you will be left without succour!
  - Mohammad Asad
The flames of fire and molten brass will be unleashed on you both, jinn and men, and you will not be able to defend yourselves.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Flames of fire and 'molten' copper will be sent against you, and you will not be able to defend one another.
  - Mustafa Khattab
There will be sent, against you both, heat of fire and flash of brass, and ye will not escape.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
On you will be sent (O ye evil ones twain!) a flame of fire (to burn) and a smoke (to choke): No defence will ye have: 5196 5197
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Dual is with reference to the two worlds explained above in n. 5193.

We now come to the terrors of the Judgment on the evil ones.

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55:36
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? 5198
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Here and in some of the verses that follow, (verses 40, 42, and 45 below), the refrain applies with an ironical meaning. It is as if it was said: 'You used to laugh at Revelation, and at the warnings which were given for your own benefit in order to draw you to repentance and Allah's Mercy; what do you find now? Is not all that was said to you true?' To reject Allah's Law is in itself to deny Allah's Mercies.

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55:37
فَإِذَا ٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةً كَٱلدِّهَانِ Fai tha inshaqqati a l ssam a o fak a nat wardatan ka al ddih a n i
And when the sky is rent asunder and becomes red like [burning] oil18 -
  - Mohammad Asad

This is one of several legitimate interpretations of the term dihan (see Tabari); another is "freshly tanned [or "red"] leather" synonymous with adim (Zamakhshari); and yet another, "dregs of olive-oil" (Raghib). All these interpretations have one idea in common - namely, the sudden and surprising change (or changes) of colour to which the sky will be subject at the Last Hour.

When the heaven will burst and will become red like red hide.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'How horrible will it be' when the heavens will split apart, becoming rose-red like 'burnt' oil!
  - Mustafa Khattab
And when the heaven splitteth asunder and becometh rosy like red hide
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When the sky is rent asunder and it becomes red like ointment: 5199
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Melting away like grease or ointment. The red colour will be due to the flames and the heat. The whole of the world as we know it now will dissolve.

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55:38
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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55:39
فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَّا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذَنۢبِهِۦٓ إِنسٌ وَلَا جَآنٌّ Fayawmai th in l a yusalu AAan th anbihi insun wal a j a n nun
For on that Day neither man nor invisible being will be asked about his sins.19
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the sinners "will find all that they ever wrought [now] facing them" ( 18:49 ), and "their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them by [recalling] all that they did" ( 24:24 ).

On that Day neither man nor jinn will need be asked about his sins.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
On that Day there will be no need for any human or jinn to be asked about their sins.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Since their sins are already known to Allah and written in perfect records, they will only be interrogated as a form of punishment.

On that day neither man nor jinn will be questioned of his sin.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
On that day no question will be asked of man or Jinn as to his sin. 5200
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This does not of course mean that they will not be called to account for their sin. They will certainly be called to account for all their deeds: xv. 92. The meaning of this whole passage is that their personal responsibility will be enforced. But their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them as to their actions: xxiv. 24. Every man will bear marks on his person, showing his classification in the Final Account: vii 48. After these Marks are affixed, everyone's position and status in the Final Account will be known to everyone. As to the Judge on the Throne of Judgment, He will of course know all before Judgment is set up. But to give every chance to the accused, his record will be produced and shown to him (lxix. 19, 25, xviii. 49), and he will be given a chance to plead (vii. 53), but if a sinner, he will be in confusion (xxviii. 66).

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55:40
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ Fabiayyi a l a i rabbikum a tuka thth ib a n i
Which, then, of your Sustainer's powers can you disavow?
  - Mohammad Asad
Then, O jinn and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then which of your Lord's favours will you both deny?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

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