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الروم

Ar-Rum

Makkah · 60 verses

About this surah

Name

The Surah takes its name Ar-Rum from the second verse in which the words ghulibat-ir-Rum have occurred.

Period of Revelation

The period of the revelation of this Surah is determined by the historical event that has been mentioned at the outset. It says: "The Romans have been vanquished in the neighboring land."In those days the Byzantine occupied territories adjacent to Arabia were Jordan, Syria and Palestine, and in these territories the Romans were completely overpowered by the Iranians in 615 A.D. Therefore, it can be said with absolute certainty that this Surah was sent down in the same year, and this was the year in which the migration to Habash took place.

Historical Background

The prediction made in the initial verses of this Surah is one of the most outstanding evidences of the Quran's being the Word of Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad being a true Messenger of Allah. Let us have a look at the historical background relevant to the verses.

Eight years before the advent of the Holy Prophet, the Byzantine Emperor Maurice was overthrown by Phocus, who captured the throne and became king. Phocus executed the five sons of Maurice in front of him, and then had the Emperor killed and hung their heads on a thoroughfare in Constantinople. A few days later he had the empress and her three daughters also put to death. This event provided Khusrau Parvez, the Sassanid King of Iran with a good excuse to attack Byzantium. Emperor Maurice had been his benefactor; with who's help he had got the throne of Iran. Khusrau therefore declared that he would avenge his godfather's murder and that of his children. He started the war against Byzantium in 603 A.D. and within a few years, putting the Phocus armies to rout in succession, he reached Edessa (modern, Urfa) in Asia Minor, on the one hand, and Aleppo and Antioch in Syria, on the other. When the Byzantine ministers saw that Phocus could not save the country, they sought the African governor's help, who sent his son, Heraclius, to Constantinople with a strong fleet. Phocus was immediately deposed and Heraclius made emperor. He treated Phocus as he had treated Maurice. This happened in 610 A. D., the year the Holy Prophet was appointed to Prophethood.

The moral excuse for which Khusrau Parvez had started the war was no more valid after the deposition and death of Phocus. Had the object of his war really been to avenge the murder of his ally on Phocus for his cruelty, he would have come to terms with the new Emperor after the death of Phocus. But he continued the war, and gave it the color of a crusade between Zoroastrianism and Christianity. The sympathies of the Christian sects (i. e. Nestorians and Jacobians, etc.) which had been excommunicated by the Roman ecclesiastical authority and tyrannized for years also went with the Magian (Zoroastrian) invaders, and the Jews also joined hands with them; so much so that the number of the Jews who enlisted in Khusrau's army rose up to 26,000.

Heraclius could not stop this storm. The very first news that he received from the East after ascending the throne was that of the Iranian occupation of Antioch. After this Damascus fell in 613 A. D. Then in 614 A.D. the Iranians occupying Jerusalem played havoc with the Christian world. Ninety thousand Christians were massacred and the Holy Sepulcher was desecrated. The Original Cross on which, according to the Christian belief, Jesus had died was seized and carried to Mada'in. The chief priest Zacharia was taken prisoner and all the important churches of the city were destroyed. How puffed up was Khusrau Parvez at this victory can be judged from the letter that he wrote to Heraclius from Jerusalem. He wrote: "From Khusrau, the greatest of all gods, the master of the whole world: To Heraclius, his most wretched and most stupid servant: You say that you have trust in your Lord. why didn't then your Lord save Jerusalem from me?"

Within a year after this victory the Iranian armies over-ran Jordan, Palestine and the whole of the Sinai Peninsula, and reached the frontiers of Egypt. In those very days another conflict of a far greater historical consequence was going on in Makkah. The believers in One God, under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace be upon him), were fighting for their existence against the followers of shirk under the command of the chiefs of the Quraish, and the conflict had reached such a stage that in 615 A. D., a substantial number of the Muslims had to leave their homes and take refuge with the Christian kingdom of Habash, which was an ally of the Byzantine Empire. In those days the Sassanid victories against Byzantium were the talk of the town, and the pagans of Makkah were delighted and were taunting the Muslims to the effect: "Look the fire worshipers of Iran are winning victories and the Christian believers in Revelation and Prophethood are being routed everywhere. Likewise, we, the idol worshipers of Arabia, will exterminate you and your religion."

These were the conditions when this Surah of the Quran was sent down, and in it a prediction was made, saying:"The Romans have been vanquished in the neighboring land and within a few years after their defeat, they shall be victorious. And it will be the day when the believers will rejoice in the victory granted by Allah." It contained not one but two predictions: First, the Romans shall be victorious; and second, the Muslims also shall win a victory at the same time. Apparently, there was not a remote chance of the fulfillment of the either prediction in the next few years. On the one hand, there were a handful of the Muslims, who were being beaten and tortured in Makkah, and even till eight years after this prediction there appeared no chance of their victory and domination. On the other, the Romans were losing more and more ground every next day. By 619 A. D. the whole of Egypt had passed into Sassanid hands and the Magian armies had reached as far as Tripoli. In Asia Minor they beat and pushed back the Romans to Bosporus, and in 617 A. D. they captured Chalcedon (modern, Kadikoy) just opposite Constantinople. The Emperor sent an envoy to Khusrau, praying that he was ready to have peace on any terms, but he replied, "I shall not give protection to the emperor until he is brought in chains before me and gives up obedience to his crucified god and adopts submission to the fire god." At last, the Emperor became so depressed by defeat that he decided to leave Constantinople and shift to Carthage (modern, Tunis). In short, as the British historian Gibbon says, even seven to eight years after this prediction of the Quran, the conditions were such that no one could even imagine that the Byzantine Empire would ever gain an upper hand over Iran. Not to speak of gaining domination, no one could hope that the Empire, under the circumstances, would even survive.

bid\`i sinin, and the word bid\` in Arabic applies to a number upto ten. Therefore, make the bet for ten years and increase the number of camels to a hundred." So, Hadrat Abu Bakr spoke to Ubayy again and bet a hundred camels for ten years.

In 622 A. D. as the Holy Prophet migrated to Madinah, the Emperor Heraclius set off quietly for Trabzon from Constantinople via the Black Sea and started preparations to attack Iran from rear. For this he asked the Church for money, and Pope Sergius lent him the Church collections on interest, in a bid to save Christianity from Zoroastrianism. Heraclius started his counter attack in 623 A. D. from Armenia. Next year, in 624 A. D., he entered Azerbaijan and destroyed Clorumia, the birthplace of Zoroaster, and ravaged the principal fire temple of Iran. Great are the powers of Allah, this was the very year when the Muslims achieved a decisive victory at Badr for the first time against the mushriks. Thus both the predictions made in Surah Rum were fulfilled simultaneously within the stipulated period of ten years.

The Byzantine forces continued to press the Iranians hard and in the decisive battle at Nineveh (627 A.D.) they dealt them the hardest blow. They captured the royal residence of Dastagerd, and then pressing forward reached right opposite to Ctesiphon, capital of Iran in those days. In 628 A. D. in an internal revolt, Khusrau Parvez was imprisoned and 18 of his sons were executed in front of him and a few days later he himself died in the prison. This was the year when the peace treaty of Hudaibiya was concluded, which the Quran has termed as "the supreme victory", and in this very year Khusrau's son, Qubad II, gave up all the occupied Roman territories, restored the True Cross and made peace with Byzantium. In 628 A. D., the Emperor himself went to Jerusalem to install the "Holy Cross" in its place, and in the same year the Holy Prophet entered Makkah for the first time after the Hijrah to perform the \`Umra-tul-Qada'.

After this no one could have any doubt about the truth of the prophecy of the Quran, with the result that most of the Arab polytheists accepted Islam. The heirs of Ubayy bin Khalaf lost their bet and had to give a hundred camels to Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiq. He took them before the Holy Prophet, who ordered that they be given away in charity, because the bet had been made at a time when gambling had not yet been forbidden by the Shari\`ah ; now it was forbidden. Therefore, the bet was allowed to be accepted from the belligerent disbelievers, but instruction given that it should be given away in charity and should not be brought in personal use.

Theme and Subject matter

The discourse begins with the theme that the Romans have been overcome and the people the world over think that the empire is about to collapse, but the fact is that within a few years the tables will be turned and the vanquished will again become victorious.

This introductory theme contains the great truth that man is accustomed to seeing only what is apparent and superficial. That which is behind the apparent and superficial he does not know. When in the petty matters of life, this habit to see only the apparent and superficial can lead man to misunderstandings and miscalculations, and when he is liable to make wrong estimates only due to lack of knowledge about "what will happen tomorrow", how stupendous will be his error if he risks his whole life-activity by placing reliance only upon what is visible and apparent with respect to his worldly life as a whole.

In this connection, the Signs of the universe which have been presented as evidence to prove the doctrine of the Hereafter arc precisely the same which support the doctrine of Tauhid. Therefore from verse 28 onward, the discourse turns to the affirmation of Tauhid and the refutation of shirk, and it is stressed that the natural way of life for man is none else but to serve One God exclusively. Shirk is opposed to the nature of the universe as to the nature of man. Therefore, whenever man has adopted this deviation, chaos has resulted. Again here, an allusion has been made to the great chaos that had gripped the world on account of the war between the two major powers of the time, and it has been indicated that this chaos too, is the result of shirk, and all the nations who were ever involved in mischief and chaos in the history of mankind were also mushriks.

In conclusion, a parable has been presented to make the people understand that just as dead earth comes to life, all of a sudden, by a shower of rain sent by God and swells with vegetation and plant life, so is the case with the dead humanity. When God sends a shower of His mercy in the form of Revelation and Prophethood, it also gives a new life to mankind and causes it to grow and develop and flourish. Therefore: "If you take full advantage of this opportunity, the barren land of Arabia will bloom by Allah's mercy and the whole advantage will be your. But if you do not take advantage of it, you will harm only your selves. Then no regret will avail and no opportunity will be provided to make amends."

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

  1. 30:1الٓمٓAlif, Lam, Meem.Alif Lam Mim. Pause before a bold promise.Letters whose meaning Allah knows, opening a prophecyRead more
  2. 30:2غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُThe Byzantines have been defeatedThe Romans have been beaten. Makkah was gloating.The headline everyone was talking aboutRead more
  3. 30:3فِيٓ أَدۡنَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ غَلَبِهِمۡ سَيَغۡلِبُونَIn the nearest land. But they, after their defeat, will overcome.Beaten nearby, but they will win after defeat.A prediction that seemed impossibleRead more
  4. 30:4فِي بِضۡعِ سِنِينَۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدُۚ وَيَوۡمَئِذٖ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَWithin three to nine years. To Allah belongs the command before and after. And that day the believers will rejoiceWithin a few years. The command is Allah's.Abu Bakr trusted the timelineRead more
  5. 30:5بِنَصۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُIn the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.That day the believers rejoiced in Allah's help.Two victories on one dayRead more
  6. 30:6وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِۖ لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ[It is] the promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in His promise, but most of the people do not know.Allah does not break His promise.But most people do not know itRead more
  7. 30:7يَعۡلَمُونَ ظَٰهِرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ غَٰفِلُونَThey know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware.Expert at the surface of life, blind to the Hereafter.Knowing the outside of things onlyRead more
  8. 30:8أَوَلَمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُواْ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۗ مَّا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِلِقَآيِٕ رَبِّهِمۡ لَكَٰفِرُونَDo they not contemplate within themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people, in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers.Look inside yourself. Nothing was made for nothing.Creation has a purpose and a deadlineRead more
  9. 30:9أَوَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُوٓاْ أَشَدَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةٗ وَأَثَارُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَعَمَرُوهَآ أَكۡثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِۖ فَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظۡلِمَهُمۡ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَHave they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in power, and they plowed the earth and built it up more than they have built it up, and their messengers came to them with clear evidences. And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.Stronger nations came before. Their power did not save them.Travel and look at the ruinsRead more
  10. 30:10ثُمَّ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔواْ ٱلسُّوٓأَىٰٓ أَن كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُواْ بِهَا يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَThen the end of those who did evil was the worst [consequence] because they denied the signs of Allah and used to ridicule them.Mocking the signs led to the worst end.How small evils grow into denialRead more
  11. 30:11ٱللَّهُ يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَAllah begins creation; then He will repeat it; then to Him you will be returned.He began it, He will repeat it, you will return.The first creation is proof of the secondRead more
  12. 30:12وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يُبۡلِسُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَAnd the Day the Hour appears the criminals will be in despair.When the Hour comes, the guilty fall silent in despair.Despair when there is no time leftRead more
  13. 30:13وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُم مِّن شُرَكَآئِهِمۡ شُفَعَـٰٓؤُاْ وَكَانُواْ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمۡ كَٰفِرِينَAnd there will not be for them among their [alleged] partners any intercessors, and they will [then] be disbelievers in their partners.The partners they relied on will not speak for them.What you trusted instead of Allah walks awayRead more
  14. 30:14وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَتَفَرَّقُونَAnd the Day the Hour appears - that Day they will become separated.On that Day, people are separated for good.The parting with no reunionRead more
  15. 30:15فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ فَهُمۡ فِي رَوۡضَةٖ يُحۡبَرُونَAnd as for those who had believed and done righteous deeds, they will be in a garden [of Paradise], delighted.Those who believed and did good will be delighted in a garden.The joy on the other side of the partingRead more
  16. 30:16وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَلِقَآيِٕ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ مُحۡضَرُونَBut as for those who disbelieved and denied Our verses and the meeting of the Hereafter, those will be brought into the punishment [to remain].Denying the meeting leads to the punishment.The other side of the separationRead more
  17. 30:17فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِينَ تُمۡسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصۡبِحُونَSo exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.Glorify Allah as evening falls and morning breaks.The day's turning points as times of praiseRead more
  18. 30:18وَلَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَعَشِيّٗا وَحِينَ تُظۡهِرُونَAnd to Him is [due all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And [exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.All praise is His, from the darkest night to noon.Praise across heavens, earth, and every hourRead more
  19. 30:19يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَيَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَيُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَيِّ وَيُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ تُخۡرَجُونَHe brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. And thus will you be brought out.Life from death, death from life. So will you rise.Opposites that show His powerRead more
  20. 30:20وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَنتُم بَشَرٞ تَنتَشِرُونَAnd of His signs is that He created you from dust; then, suddenly you were human beings dispersing [throughout the earth].From dust, and now you spread across the earth.The sign that is your own existenceRead more
  21. 30:21وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةٗ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَAnd of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.He made spouses from yourselves, with love and mercy.Marriage as a sign of AllahRead more
  22. 30:22وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَٰفُ أَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ وَأَلۡوَٰنِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّلۡعَٰلِمِينَAnd of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.Every language and every face is His sign.Human variety as proof of the CreatorRead more
  23. 30:23وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ مَنَامُكُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱبۡتِغَآؤُكُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَسۡمَعُونَAnd of His signs is your sleep by night and day and your seeking of His bounty. Indeed in that are signs for a people who listen.Your sleep and your work are both His signs.Rest and earning as giftsRead more
  24. 30:24وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلۡبَرۡقَ خَوۡفٗا وَطَمَعٗا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَيُحۡيِۦ بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَAnd of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightning [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason.Lightning brings fear and hope at once.One flash, two feelings, and rain that revivesRead more
  25. 30:25وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن تَقُومَ ٱلسَّمَآءُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦۚ ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ دَعۡوَةٗ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِذَآ أَنتُمۡ تَخۡرُجُونَAnd of His signs is that the heaven and earth remain by His command. Then when He calls you with a [single] call from the earth, immediately you will come forth.Sky and earth stand by His command, until He calls.One call, and everyone comes outRead more
  26. 30:26وَلَهُۥ مَن فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ كُلّٞ لَّهُۥ قَٰنِتُونَAnd to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth. All are to Him devoutly obedient.Everyone in the heavens and earth belongs to Him.All submit, willingly or unwillinglyRead more
  27. 30:27وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ وَهُوَ أَهۡوَنُ عَلَيۡهِۚ وَلَهُ ٱلۡمَثَلُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُAnd it is He who begins creation; then He repeats it, and that is [even] easier for Him. To Him belongs the highest attribute in the heavens and earth. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.Bringing you back is even easier for Him.The highest description belongs to AllahRead more
  28. 30:28ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلٗا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُم مِّن شُرَكَآءَ فِي مَا رَزَقۡنَٰكُمۡ فَأَنتُمۡ فِيهِ سَوَآءٞ تَخَافُونَهُمۡ كَخِيفَتِكُمۡ أَنفُسَكُمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَHe presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.Would you make your servant an equal partner?A parable from your own lifeRead more
  29. 30:29بَلِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَهُم بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖۖ فَمَن يَهۡدِي مَنۡ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَBut those who wrong follow their [own] desires without knowledge. Then who can guide one whom Allah has sent astray? And for them there are no helpers.They follow their desires without knowledge.When wants replace evidenceRead more
  30. 30:30فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفٗاۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِي فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡهَاۚ لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَSo direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.Turn your face to the faith you were made for.The fitrah every person is born withRead more
  31. 30:31۞مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَلَا تَكُونُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ[Adhere to it], turning in repentance to Him, and fear Him and establish prayer and do not be of those who associate others with AllahKeep turning back to Him, and keep praying.How to hold on to the fitrahRead more
  32. 30:32مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ فَرَّقُواْ دِينَهُمۡ وَكَانُواْ شِيَعٗاۖ كُلُّ حِزۡبِۭ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ فَرِحُونَ[Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.They split their religion, each group pleased with itself.The trap of smug factionsRead more
  33. 30:33وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلنَّاسَ ضُرّٞ دَعَوۡاْ رَبَّهُم مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَذَاقَهُم مِّنۡهُ رَحۡمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٞ مِّنۡهُم بِرَبِّهِمۡ يُشۡرِكُونَAnd when adversity touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him. Then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord,In trouble they call Him alone. In ease, they forget.The swing between need and neglectRead more
  34. 30:34لِيَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡۚ فَتَمَتَّعُواْ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَSo that they will deny what We have granted them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.Enjoy for now. You will come to know.A warning from the One who says BeRead more
  35. 30:35أَمۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٗا فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يُشۡرِكُونَOr have We sent down to them an authority, and it speaks of what they were associating with Him?Where is your proof? Did We send it down?Worship without evidenceRead more
  36. 30:36وَإِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةٗ فَرِحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ يَقۡنَطُونَAnd when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.Joy turns to pride, hardship turns to despair.The believer's middle pathRead more
  37. 30:37أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَDo they not see that Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed, in that are signs for a people who believe.He widens provision for some and narrows it for others.A reason not to swing between pride and despairRead more
  38. 30:38فَـَٔاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَSo give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who desire the countenance of Allah, and it is they who will be the successful.Give your relatives, the poor, and the traveler their due.Giving as a right, not a favorRead more
  39. 30:39وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن رِّبٗا لِّيَرۡبُوَاْ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرۡبُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةٖ تُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَAnd whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah. But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah - those are the multipliers.Giving to get more back does not grow with Allah.What multiplies and what does notRead more
  40. 30:40ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ رَزَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡۖ هَلۡ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَفۡعَلُ مِن ذَٰلِكُم مِّن شَيۡءٖۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَAllah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life. Are there any of your "partners" who does anything of that? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.He created, provides, ends your life, and revives you.Four acts no partner can doRead more
  41. 30:41ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَCorruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].Corruption spreads by people's hands, so they might return.When sin shows up in the world around usRead more
  42. 30:42قُلۡ سِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلُۚ كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّشۡرِكِينَSay, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how was the end of those before. Most of them were associators [of others with Allah].Travel and see how those before ended up.History as a mirrorRead more
  43. 30:43فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ ٱلۡقَيِّمِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَ يَوۡمٞ لَّا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَصَّدَّعُونَSo direct your face toward the correct religion before a Day comes from Allah of which there is no repelling. That Day, they will be divided.Set your face to the right way before that Day comes.Hurry to good, while there is timeRead more
  44. 30:44مَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيۡهِ كُفۡرُهُۥۖ وَمَنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا فَلِأَنفُسِهِمۡ يَمۡهَدُونَWhoever disbelieves - upon him is [the consequence of] his disbelief. And whoever does righteousness - they are for themselves preparing,Doing good is preparing a bed for yourself.Every deed lands back on its doerRead more
  45. 30:45لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَThat He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds out of His bounty. Indeed, He does not like the disbelievers.The reward comes from His bounty, not our math.One good deed, ten to seven hundred times overRead more
  46. 30:46وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَن يُرۡسِلَ ٱلرِّيَاحَ مُبَشِّرَٰتٖ وَلِيُذِيقَكُم مِّن رَّحۡمَتِهِۦ وَلِتَجۡرِيَ ٱلۡفُلۡكُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَAnd of His signs is that He sends the winds as bringers of good tidings and to let you taste His mercy and so the ships may sail at His command and so you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful.The wind arrives with good news.Winds that carry rain, ships, and livelihoodsRead more
  47. 30:47وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِمۡ فَجَآءُوهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجۡرَمُواْۖ وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيۡنَا نَصۡرُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَAnd We have already sent messengers before you to their peoples, and they came to them with clear evidences; then We took retribution from those who committed crimes, and incumbent upon Us was support of the believers.Helping the believers is a duty Allah took on Himself.Consolation for a rejected MessengerRead more
  48. 30:48ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابٗا فَيَبۡسُطُهُۥ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ وَيَجۡعَلُهُۥ كِسَفٗا فَتَرَى ٱلۡوَدۡقَ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡ خِلَٰلِهِۦۖ فَإِذَآ أَصَابَ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَIt is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoiceClouds spread, break apart, and rain falls through.How joy arrives for the one who waitedRead more
  49. 30:49وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمُبۡلِسِينَAlthough they were, before it was sent down upon them - before that, in despair.Just before it came, they had given up.Mercy often arrives at the edge of despairRead more
  50. 30:50فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِ رَحۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ كَيۡفَ يُحۡيِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحۡيِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞSo observe the effects of the mercy of Allah - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed, that [same one] will give life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.Look at the marks of His mercy on the earth.Spring as proof of resurrectionRead more
  51. 30:51وَلَئِنۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رِيحٗا فَرَأَوۡهُ مُصۡفَرّٗا لَّظَلُّواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ يَكۡفُرُونَBut if We should send a [bad] wind and they saw [their crops] turned yellow, they would remain thereafter disbelievers.One bad wind and they forget all the rain.How a single loss erases years of thanksRead more
  52. 30:52فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ وَلَا تُسۡمِعُ ٱلصُّمَّ ٱلدُّعَآءَ إِذَا وَلَّوۡاْ مُدۡبِرِينَSo indeed, you will not make the dead hear, nor will you make the deaf hear the call when they turn their backs, retreating.You cannot make the dead hear, or the deaf who turn away.When your words do not reach someoneRead more
  53. 30:53وَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَٰدِ ٱلۡعُمۡيِ عَن ضَلَٰلَتِهِمۡۖ إِن تُسۡمِعُ إِلَّا مَن يُؤۡمِنُ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا فَهُم مُّسۡلِمُونَAnd you cannot guide the blind away from their error. You will only make hear those who believe in Our verses so they are Muslims [in submission to Allah].Only those who believe and submit truly hear.The listening heartRead more
  54. 30:54۞ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعۡفٖ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَعۡفٖ قُوَّةٗ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ قُوَّةٖ ضَعۡفٗا وَشَيۡبَةٗۚ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡقَدِيرُAllah is the one who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the Knowing, the Competent.Weak, then strong, then weak and grey again.The arc of a human lifeRead more
  55. 30:55وَيَوۡمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يُقۡسِمُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ مَا لَبِثُواْ غَيۡرَ سَاعَةٖۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَانُواْ يُؤۡفَكُونَAnd the Day the Hour appears the criminals will swear they had remained but an hour. Thus they were deluded.They will swear their whole life lasted an hour.How short life will look from the endRead more
  56. 30:56وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ وَٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ لَقَدۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ فِي كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡبَعۡثِۖ فَهَٰذَا يَوۡمُ ٱلۡبَعۡثِ وَلَٰكِنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَBut those who were given knowledge and faith will say, "You remained the extent of Allah 's decree until the Day of Resurrection, and this is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not used to know."Those with knowledge and faith will answer: you stayed long enough.The record of your timeRead more
  57. 30:57فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ لَّا يَنفَعُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يُسۡتَعۡتَبُونَSo that Day, their excuse will not benefit those who wronged, nor will they be asked to appease [Allah].On that Day excuses help no one.No going back to make amendsRead more
  58. 30:58وَلَقَدۡ ضَرَبۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٖۚ وَلَئِن جِئۡتَهُم بِـَٔايَةٖ لَّيَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا مُبۡطِلُونَAnd We have certainly presented to the people in this Qur'an from every [kind of] example. But, [O Muhammad], if you should bring them a sign, the disbelievers will surely say, "You [believers] are but falsifiers."Every kind of example, and still they called it falsehood.When no proof is ever enoughRead more
  59. 30:59كَذَٰلِكَ يَطۡبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَThus does Allah seal the hearts of those who do not know.This is how hearts that refuse to know get sealed.Rejection repeated becomes a sealRead more
  60. 30:60فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞۖ وَلَا يَسۡتَخِفَّنَّكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَSo be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And let them not disquiet you who are not certain [in faith].Be patient. Allah's promise is true.Do not let the doubters shake youRead more