Surah “The Sovereignty, Control, The Kingdom”

as rendered by Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar — 30 verses

Blessed be He in whose hands is the dominion and He is Powerful over everything!
He Who created death and this life that He try you as to which of you is fairer in action. And He is The Almighty, The Forgiving,
Who created the seven heavens one on another? Thou hast not seen any imperfection in the creation of The Merciful. Then, return thy sight! Hast thou seen any flaw?
Again, return thy sight twice again and thy sight will turn about to thee, one that is dazzled while it is weary.
And, certainly, We made to appear pleasing the lower heaven with lamps and We assigned them things to stone satans. We made ready for them the punishment of the blaze.
And for those who were ungrateful to their Lord is the punishment of hell. Miserable will be the Homecoming!
When they were cast down into it, they would hear it sighing while it is boiling
and about to burst with rage. As often as a unit of them were cast down into it, the ones who are keepers there asked them: Approaches not a warner to you?
They will say: Yea! A warner drew near us, but we denied him. And we said: God sent not down anything. You are not but in a great going astray.
And they would say: If we had been hearing or are reasonable, we would not have been Companions of the Blaze.
And they would acknowledge their impiety. Then, hell for the Companions of the Blaze!
Truly, those who dread their Lord in the unseen, for them is forgiveness and a great compensation.
Keep your saying secret or publish it, truly, He is Knowing of what is in your breasts.
Would He who created not know? And He is The Subtle, The Aware.
It is He who made the earth submissive to you, so walk in its tracts and eat of His provision. To Him is the rising.
Were you safe from He Who is in the heaven that He will not cause the earth to swallow you up when it spins?
Were you safe from He Who is in the heavens that He will not send against you a sand storm? You will know how My warner has been right!
And, certainly, those who were before them denied. Then, how horrible had been My reproach!
Consider they not the birds above them ones standing in ranks and closing their wings? Nothing holds them back but The Merciful. Truly, He is Seeing of everything.
Who is this who would be an army for you to help you other than The Merciful? Truly, ones who are ungrateful are not but in delusion.
Or who is this who will provide for you if He held back His provision? Nay! They were resolute, turning in disdain and aversion.
Then is whoever walks as one who is prone on his face better guided, or he who walks without fault on a straight path?
Say: It is He who caused you to grow and assigned you the ability to hear, sight, and minds. But you give little thanks!
Say: It is He who made you numerous on the earth and to Him you will be assembled.
And they say: When is this promise if you had been ones who are sincere?
Say: The knowledge of this is only with God and I am only a clear warner.
But when they saw the punishment nigh, the faces were troubled of those who were ungrateful. And it will be said to them: This is what you had been calling for.
Say: Considered you if God would cause me to perish and whoever is with me or had mercy on us, who will grant protection to the ones who are ungrateful from a painful punishment?
Say: He is The Merciful. We believed in Him and in Him we put our trust. Then, you will know who he is, one who is clearly gone astray.
Say: Considered you? If it came to be in the morning that your water be sinking into the ground, who approaches you with assistance from water springs ?