As-Saffat 37
Those Ranged in RanksHow to read the Hangul
الرَّحْمَٰنِ르r라흐마니 بِسْمِ비스밀
- Bold = the stressed syllable of the word; a little stronger.
- Overline = long vowel (madd): hold it about two beats. Length matters most in recitation.
- Tiny = no vowel in the Arabic here — just the consonant, short.
- Small Latin letter = a sound Korean lacks, on the next syllable: f upper teeth on lower lip · θ/ð tongue tip between the teeth · r rolled tongue tip (a bare ㄹ is l).
How to read the Hangul
beginning the Christ salvation
- Bold, larger (ˈ) = say it strong and a little longer — the stressed syllable.
- Faint = weak and short (a reduced vowel). Don't give every syllable equal weight.
- Tiny 으 · 트 · 스 = barely voiced. English has no vowel there — stop on the consonant.
- Whole word faint (the, of, and, to…) = light and quick in a sentence; stress the content words.
- Small f v θ ð r = sounds Korean doesn't have — f: upper teeth on the lower lip; v: the same, voiced; θ/ð: tongue tip between the teeth; r: tongue curled back, touching nothing.
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Surah
About this surah
The surah opens with an oath by those ranged in ranks and declares that God is One, describing the nearest heaven adorned with stars as a guard against eavesdropping devils. It pictures those who mocked resurrection blaming one another on the Day of Judgement, and contrasts the bliss of the Garden with the tree of Zaqqum growing from the root of Hellfire. A series of prophets follows: Noah; Abraham, who broke the idols and was saved from the fire; Abraham's dream of sacrificing his son, the son's willing reply, and the son being ransomed with a great sacrifice; and the good news of Isaac. Then come Moses and Aaron, Elijah who rebuked the worship of Baal, Lot, and Jonah, swallowed by the great fish and later sent to a hundred thousand people. Several of these accounts end with the same refrain of peace upon the prophet. The surah refutes the claim that God has daughters and closes with glorification and peace upon the messengers.
- The oneness of God
- Abraham's test
- Peace upon the prophets
- Jonah and the fish
- Claims about the angels
The name It is named after the oath in verse 1 by “those ranged in ranks,” a phrase the angels use of themselves in verse 165.
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By those ranged in ranks,
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and those who drive [the clouds] firmly,
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and those who recite the Reminder:
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your God is surely One —
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The Lord of the heavens, the earth, and whatever lies between them, and the Lord of the places where [the sun] rises.
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We have adorned the nearest heaven with the adornment of the stars,
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and [made them] a protection against every rebellious devil.
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They cannot listen in on the exalted assembly, and they are pelted from every side,
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driven away; and for them is an unceasing punishment —
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except one who snatches a fragment [of news], and he is pursued by a piercing flame.
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So ask them: are they harder to create, or those [others] We have created? We created them from sticky clay.
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No, you marvel, while they mock.
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When they are reminded, they do not take heed.
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When they see a sign, they ridicule it,
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and they say, “This is nothing but clear sorcery.
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When we have died and become dust and bones, will we really be raised up?
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And our forefathers too?”
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Say, “Yes, and you will be humbled.”
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It will be only a single cry, and at once they will be looking on.
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They will say, “Woe to us! This is the Day of Judgement.”
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[It will be said,] “This is the Day of Decision which you used to deny.”
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“Gather those who did wrong, along with their kind and what they used to worship
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besides God, and lead them to the path of Hellfire.
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And stop them, for they are to be questioned:
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‘Why is it that you do not come to one another’s aid?’”
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No, today they are in full surrender.
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They will turn to one another, questioning each other.
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They will say, “It was you who used to come at us from the right [with force].”
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They will reply, “No, you yourselves were not believers.
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We had no authority over you. No, you were a people who transgressed all bounds.
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So the word of our Lord has come true against us; we will surely taste [the punishment].
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We led you astray, for we ourselves were astray.”
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So on that day they will share in the punishment.
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That is how We deal with the guilty.
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When they were told, “There is no god but God,” they were arrogant,
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and they said, “Are we to abandon our gods for a mad poet?”
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Rather, he came with the truth, attesting to the messengers.
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You will surely taste the painful punishment,
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and you will be repaid only for what you used to do —
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except God’s chosen servants.
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For them is a known provision —
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fruits — and they will be honored
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in Gardens of bliss,
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on couches, facing one another.
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A cup from a flowing spring will be passed around among them,
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white, delicious to those who drink,
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with no harm in it, nor will they be intoxicated by it.
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With them will be [companions] of modest gaze, with beautiful eyes,
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as if they were sheltered eggs.
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They will turn to one another, questioning each other.
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One of them will say, “I had a companion
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who used to say, ‘Are you really one of those who believe [it]?
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When we have died and become dust and bones, will we really be brought to judgement?’”
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He will say, “Would you like to look?”
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Then he will look and see him in the midst of Hellfire.
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He will say, “By God, you almost ruined me!
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Had it not been for the grace of my Lord, I would have been among those brought [to punishment].
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Is it [true] that we will not die,
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except for our first death, and that we will not be punished?
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This is truly the great triumph.”
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For the like of this let all who work, work.
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Is that better as a welcome, or the tree of Zaqqum?
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We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers.
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Truly, it is a tree that springs forth from the root of Hellfire.
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Its fruit is like the heads of devils.
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From it they will eat, filling their stomachs with it.
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Then on top of it they will have a mixture of scalding water.
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Then their return will surely be to Hellfire.
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They found their fathers astray,
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and they hastened in their footsteps.
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Most of the former peoples went astray before them,
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though We had sent warners among them.
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So see what the end of those who had been warned was —
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except God’s chosen servants.
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Noah called out to Us, and how excellent are We as the One who answers!
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We delivered him and his household from the immense affliction,
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and made his descendants the ones who remained.
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And We left for him [a good name] among later generations:
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“Peace be upon Noah among all the worlds.”
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That is how We reward those who do good.
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He was truly one of Our believing servants.
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Then We drowned the others.
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And among his followers was Abraham,
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when he came to his Lord with a sound heart,
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when he asked his father and his people, “What are you worshipping?
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Is it a falsehood — gods besides God — that you desire?
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What then do you think of the Lord of all the worlds?”
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Then he cast a glance at the stars
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and said, “I am unwell.”
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So they turned away from him and left.
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Then he went quietly to their gods and said, “Will you not eat?
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What is the matter with you that you do not speak?”
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Then he turned upon them, striking with his right hand.
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Then [the people] came hurrying toward him.
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He said, “Do you worship what you yourselves carve,
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while God created you and what you make?”
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They said, “Build a structure for him and throw him into the blazing fire.”
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They intended a plot against him, but We made them the lowest.
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He said, “I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.
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My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.”
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So We gave him good news of a forbearing boy.
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When [the boy] reached the age of working with him, he said, “My dear son, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. So consider what you think.” He said, “Father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if God wills, one of the steadfast.”
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When they had both submitted and he had laid him down on his forehead,
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We called out to him, “Abraham,
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you have fulfilled the vision.” That is how We reward those who do good.
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This was truly the clear test.
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And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice,
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And We left for him [a good name] among later generations:
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“Peace be upon Abraham.”
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That is how We reward those who do good.
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He was truly one of Our believing servants.
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We also gave him the glad tidings of Isaac — a prophet, one of the righteous.
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We bestowed blessings on him and on Isaac. Of the offspring of both, some do good, while others are openly unjust to themselves.
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We certainly bestowed favor upon Moses and Aaron,
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and We delivered the two of them, along with their people, from the immense affliction,
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and We helped them, so they were the victors.
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We gave them the clarifying Book,
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and guided them to the straight path,
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and We left for them [a good name] among later generations:
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“Peace be upon Moses and Aaron.”
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That is how We reward those who do good.
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They were truly two of Our believing servants.
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And Elijah was truly one of the messengers,
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when he asked his people, “Have you no mindfulness of God?
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Will you pray to Baal and forsake the best of all creators —
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God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?”
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Yet they called him a liar, and so they will certainly be summoned [for punishment] —
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except God’s chosen servants.
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And We left for him [a good name] among later generations:
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“Peace be upon Ilyasin [Elijah].”
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That is how We reward those who do good.
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He was truly one of Our believing servants.
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And Lot was truly one of the messengers,
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when We saved him and his family, all of them,
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save for an old woman, who was among those left behind.
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Then We destroyed the others.
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And you pass by their [ruins] in the morning
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and at night. Will you not then use your reason?
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And Jonah was truly one of the messengers,
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when he fled to the laden ship.
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Then he drew lots and was among the losers.
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Then the great fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy.
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Had he not been one of those who glorify [God],
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he would certainly have stayed inside its belly till the day they are resurrected.
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But We cast him onto the bare shore while he was ill,
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and We caused a gourd plant to grow over him.
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We sent him to a hundred thousand or more,
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and they believed, so We let them enjoy [life] for a while.
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So ask them: does your Lord have daughters while they have sons?
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Or did We create the angels female while they were witnesses?
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Indeed, it is out of their falsehood that they say,
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“God has begotten.” They are surely liars.
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Has He chosen daughters over sons?
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What is the matter with you? How do you judge?
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Will you not then take heed?
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Or do you have clear authority?
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Then bring your Book, if you are truthful.
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They have set up a kinship between Him and the jinn, but the jinn know well that they [themselves] will be brought [to judgement].
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Glory be to God, far above what they describe —
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except God’s chosen servants.
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For you and what you worship
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cannot lure anyone away from Him
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except one who is destined to burn in Hellfire.
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[The angels say,] “There is none of us but has a known position.
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We are those who stand in ranks,
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and we are those who glorify [God].”
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And they used to say,
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“If only we had a reminder from the former peoples,
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we would have been God’s chosen servants.”
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Yet they disbelieved in it. They will soon know.
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Our word has already gone forth to Our servants, the messengers,
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that they would surely be the ones helped,
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and that Our host would surely be the victors.
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So turn away from them for a while,
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and watch them, for they too will soon see.
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Do they seek to hasten Our punishment?
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When it descends into their courtyard, evil will be the morning of those who were warned.
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So turn away from them for a while,
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and watch, for they too will soon see.
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Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of might, far above what they describe.
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And peace be upon the messengers.
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And praise be to God, Lord of all the worlds.