43. Zuhruf · verses 20–32

وَقَالُواْ لَوۡ شَآءَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ مَا عَبَدۡنَٰهُمۗ مَّا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِنۡ هُمۡ إِلَّا يَخۡرُصُونَ

Waqaloo law shaa alrrahmanu ma AAabadnahum ma lahum bithalika min AAilmin in hum illa yakhrusoona

("Ah!") they say, "If it had been the will of (Allah) Most Gracious, we should not have worshipped such (deities)!" Of that they have no knowledge! they do nothing but lie!

أَمۡ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ كِتَٰبٗا مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦ فَهُم بِهِۦ مُسۡتَمۡسِكُونَ

Am ataynahum kitaban min qablihi fahum bihi mustamsikoona

What! have We given them a Book before this, to which they are holding fast?

بَلۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم مُّهۡتَدُونَ

Bal qaloo inna wajadna abaana AAala ommatin wainna AAala atharihim muhtadoona

Nay! they say: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we do guide ourselves by their footsteps."

وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ فِي قَرۡيَةٖ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتۡرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم مُّقۡتَدُونَ

Wakathalika ma arsalna min qablika fee qaryatin min natheerin illa qala mutrafooha inna wajadna abaana AAala ommatin wainna AAala atharihim muqtadoona

Just in the same way, whenever We sent a Warner before thee to any people, the wealthy ones among them said: "We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we will certainly follow in their footsteps."

۞ قَٰلَ أَوَلَوۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِأَهۡدَىٰ مِمَّا وَجَدتُّمۡ عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَكُمۡۖ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرۡسِلۡتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ

Qala awalaw jitukum biahda mimma wajadtum AAalayhi abaakum qaloo inna bima orsiltum bihi kafiroona

He said: "What! Even if I brought you better guidance than that which ye found your fathers following?" They said: "For us, we deny that ye (prophets) are sent (on a mission at all)."

فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡۖ فَٱنظُرۡ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ

Faintaqamna minhum faonthur kayfa kana AAaqibatu almukaththibeena

So We exacted retribution from them: now see what was the end of those who rejected (Truth)!

وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوۡمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِي بَرَآءٞ مِّمَّا تَعۡبُدُونَ

Waith qala ibraheemu liabeehi waqawmihi innanee baraon mimma taAAbudoona

Behold! Abraham said to his father and his people: "I do indeed clear myself of what ye worship:

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِي فَطَرَنِي فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهۡدِينِ

Illa allathee fataranee fainnahu sayahdeeni

"(I worship) only Him Who made me, and He will certainly guide me."

وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةَۢ بَاقِيَةٗ فِي عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ

WajaAAalaha kalimatan baqiyatan fee AAaqibihi laAAallahum yarjiAAoona

And he left it as a Word to endure among those who came after him, that they may turn back (to Allah).

بَلۡ مَتَّعۡتُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَرَسُولٞ مُّبِينٞ

Bal mattaAAtu haolai waabaahum hatta jaahumu alhaqqu warasoolun mubeenun

Yea, I have given the good things of this life to these (men) and their fathers, until the Truth has come to them, and a messenger making things clear.

وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ قَالُواْ هَٰذَا سِحۡرٞ وَإِنَّا بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ

Walamma jaahumu alhaqqu qaloo hatha sihrun wainna bihi kafiroona

But when the Truth came to them, they said: "This is sorcery, and we do reject it."

وَقَالُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡقَرۡيَتَيۡنِ عَظِيمٍ

Waqaloo lawla nuzzila hatha alquranu AAala rajulin mina alqaryatayni AAatheemun

Also, they say: "Why is not this Qur´an sent down to some leading man in either of the two (chief) cities?"

أَهُمۡ يَقۡسِمُونَ رَحۡمَتَ رَبِّكَۚ نَحۡنُ قَسَمۡنَا بَيۡنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَرَفَعۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٖ دَرَجَٰتٖ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعۡضُهُم بَعۡضٗا سُخۡرِيّٗاۗ وَرَحۡمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّا يَجۡمَعُونَ

Ahum yaqsimoona rahmata rabbika nahnu qasamna baynahum maAAeeshatahum fee alhayati alddunya warafaAAna baAAdahum fawqa baAAdin darajatin liyattakhitha baAAduhum baAAdan sukhriyyan warahmatu rabbika khayrun mimma yajmaAAoona

Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world: and We raise some of them above others in ranks, so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of thy Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass.