The Inevitability of Divine Justice and the Consequences of Disobedience

Al-Kahf — Verses 47–59 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا ٤٧

And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you will see the earth as a levelled plain, and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind.

وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ
And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away
وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةً
and you will see the earth as a levelled plain
وَحَشَرْنَاهُمْ
and we shall gather them all together
فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا
so as to leave not one of them behind

وَعُرِضُوا عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ٤٨

And they will be set before your Lord in (lines as) rows, (and Allah will say): "Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time. Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with Us)."

وَعُرِضُوا عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا
And they will be set before your Lord in (lines as) rows,
لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ
Now indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time.
بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا
Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with Us).

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ٤٩

And the Book (one's Record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer in the Oneness of Allah, and in the left hand for a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah), and you will see the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: "Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!" And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and your Lord treats no one with injustice.

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ
And the Book (one's Record) will be placed
فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ
and you will see the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein.
وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ
They will say: 'Woe to us!'
هَٰذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا
What sort of Book is this
يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا
that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing
أَحْصَاهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا
but has recorded it with numbers!
مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا
And they will find all that they did, placed before them,
يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا
and your Lord treats no one with injustice.

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا ٥٠

And (remember) when We said to the angels; "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinns; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc).

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ
And (remember) when We said to the angels;
اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ
"Prostrate to Adam."
فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ
So they prostrated except Iblis (Satan).
كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ
He was one of the jinns;
فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ ۗ
he disobeyed the Command of his Lord.
أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي
Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me
وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ ۚ
while they are enemies to you?
بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا
What an evil is the exchange for the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc).

۞ مَّا أَشْهَدتُّهُمْ خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا ٥١

I (Allah) made them (Iblis and his offspring) not to witness (nor took their help in) the creation of the heavens and the earth and not (even) their own creation, nor was I (Allah) to take the misleaders as helpers.

۞ مَّا أَشْهَدتُّهُمْ
I (Allah) made them not to witness
خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
(nor took their help in) the creation of the heavens and the earth
وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنفُسِهِمْ
and not (even) their own creation
وَمَا كُنتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا
nor was I (Allah) to take the misleaders as helpers

وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ نَادُوا شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّوْبِقًا ٥٢

And (remember) the Day He will say:"Call those (so-called) partners of Mine whom you pretended." Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them, and We shall put Maubiqa (a barrier, or enmity, or destruction, or a valley in Hell) between them.

وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ
And (remember) the Day He will say:
نَادُوا شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ
"Call those (so-called) partners of Mine whom you pretended."
فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَهُمْ
Then they will cry unto them, but they will not answer them,
وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّوْبِقًا
and We shall put Maubiqa (a barrier, or enmity, or destruction, or a valley in Hell) between them.

وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَصْرِفًا ٥٣

And the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from there.

وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ
And the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire
فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا
and apprehend that they have to fall therein.
وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَصْرِفًا
And they will find no way of escape from there.

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا ٥٤

And indeed We have put forth every kind of example in this Quran, for mankind. But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ
And indeed We have put forth
لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ
every kind of example in this Quran, for mankind.
وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا
But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا ٥٥

And nothing prevents men from believing, now when the guidance (the Quran) has come to them, and from asking Forgiveness of their Lord, except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them (i.e. their destruction decreed by Allah), or the torment be brought to them face to face?

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ
And nothing prevents men
أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ
from believing, now when the guidance (the Quran) has come to them
وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ
and from asking Forgiveness of their Lord
إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them
أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا
or the torment be brought to them face to face

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ۚ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ ۖ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنذِرُوا هُزُوًا ٥٦

And We send not the Messengers except as giver of glad tidings and warners. But those who disbelieve, dispute with false argument, in order to refute the truth thereby. And they treat My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and that with which they are warned, as jest and mockery!

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
And We send not the Messengers
إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ۚ
except as giver of glad tidings and warners.
وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ
But those who disbelieve, dispute with false argument,
لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ ۖ
in order to refute the truth thereby.
وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنذِرُوا هُزُوًا
And they treat My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and that with which they are warned, as jest and mockery!

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا ٥٧

And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, but turns away from them forgetting what (deeds) his hands have sent forth. Truly, We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this (the Quran), and in their ears, deafness. And if you (O Muhammad SAW) call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ
And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord,
فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا
but turns away from them
وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ
forgetting what (deeds) his hands have sent forth.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً
Truly, We have set veils over their hearts
أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ
lest they should understand this (the Quran),
وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ
and in their ears, deafness.
وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ
And if you (O Muhammad SAW) call them to guidance,
فَلَن يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا
even then they will never be guided.

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا مِن دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا ٥٨

And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ ۖ
And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of Mercy.
لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا
Were He to call them to account for what they have earned,
لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ ۚ
then surely, He would have hastened their punishment.
بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا مِن دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا
But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.

وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا ٥٩

And these towns (population, 'Ad, Thamud, etc.) We destroyed when they did wrong. And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.

وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ
And these towns (population, 'Ad, Thamud, etc.)
أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ
We destroyed them
لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا
when they did wrong.
وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا
And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.