Accountability

ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱمْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَٱمْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ ۖ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَـٰلِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا وَقِيلَ ٱدْخُلَا ٱلنَّارَ مَعَ ٱلدَّٰخِلِينَ

Allāh presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so they [i.e., those prophets] did not avail them from Allāh at all, and it was said, "Enter the Fire with those who enter."

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -

وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

And for those who disbelieved in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and wretched is the destination.

تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ

It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown into it, its keepers ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?"

قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَآءَنَا نَذِيرٌ فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ كَبِيرٍ

They will say, "Yes, a warner had come to us, but we denied and said, 'Allāh has not sent down anything. You are not but in great error.'"

وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze."

فَٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

And they will admit their sin, so [it is] alienation for the companions of the Blaze.

وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ

And conceal your speech or publicize it; indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ

Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Aware?

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ

It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection.

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَـٰذَا ٱلْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ

And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَن مَّعِىَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

Say, [O Muḥammad], "Have you considered: whether Allāh should cause my death and those with me or have mercy upon us, who can protect the disbelievers from a painful punishment?"

سَنَسِمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْخُرْطُومِ

We will brand him upon the snout.

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

Without making exception.

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَـٰدِرِينَ

And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ

They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَـٰوَمُونَ

Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

أَفَنَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ كَٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ

Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَـٰنٌ عَلَيْنَا بَـٰلِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ

Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى ٱلسُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَـٰلِمُونَ

Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

وَأُمْلِى لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِى مَتِينٌ

And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

ٱلْحَآقَّةُ

The Inevitable Reality -

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ وَعَادٌۢ بِٱلْقَارِعَةِ

Thamūd and ʿAad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e., the Resurrection].

وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَٱلْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَٰحِدَةً

And the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow [i.e., stroke] -

يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لَا تَخْفَىٰ مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ

That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgement]; not hidden among you is anything concealed.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ هَآؤُمُ ٱقْرَءُوا۟ كِتَـٰبِيَهْ

So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, "Here, read my record!

إِنِّى ظَنَنتُ أَنِّى مُلَـٰقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ

Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account."

فِى جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ

In an elevated garden,

وَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِشِمَالِهِۦ فَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى لَمْ أُوتَ كِتَـٰبِيَهْ

But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, "Oh, I wish I had not been given my record

وَلَمْ أَدْرِ مَا حِسَابِيَهْ

And had not known what is my account.

يَـٰلَيْتَهَا كَانَتِ ٱلْقَاضِيَةَ

I wish it [i.e., my death] had been the decisive one.

مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنِّى مَالِيَهْ ۜ

My wealth has not availed me.

هَلَكَ عَنِّى سُلْطَـٰنِيَهْ

Gone from me is my authority."

إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

Indeed, he did not used to believe in Allāh, the Most Great,

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ

Nor did he encourage the feeding of the poor.

فَلَيْسَ لَهُ ٱلْيَوْمَ هَـٰهُنَا حَمِيمٌ

So there is not for him here this Day any devoted friend

وَلَا طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنْ غِسْلِينٍ

Nor any food except from the discharge of wounds;

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِمَا تُبْصِرُونَ

So I swear by what you see

وَمَا لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

And what you do not see

فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَـٰجِزِينَ

And there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.

وَإِنَّا لَنَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مِنكُم مُّكَذِّبِينَ

And indeed, We know that among you are deniers.

تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِيبًا

But We see it [as] near.

وَلَا يَسْـَٔلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا

And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend,

يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ ۚ يَوَدُّ ٱلْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِى مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍۭ بِبَنِيهِ

They will be shown each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children.

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِيهِ

And his wife and his brother

وَفَصِيلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِى تُـْٔوِيهِ

And his nearest kindred who shelter him.

وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنجِيهِ

And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him.