Surah 26 - Al Shu'ara' THE POETS -026.051-026.100

[Anne Terri]

Surah 26 - Al Shu'ara' THE POETS -026.051-026.100

026.051 They said: "No matter! for us, we shall but return to our Lord!

026.052 "Only, our desire is that our Lord will forgive us our faults, that we may become foremost among the believers!"

026.053 By inspiration we told Moses: "Travel by night with my servants; for surely ye shall be pursued."

026.054 Then Pharaoh sent heralds to (all) the Cities,

026.055 (Saying): "These (Israelites) are but a small band,

026.056 "And they are raging furiously against us;

026.057 "But we are a multitude amply fore-warned."

026.058 So We expelled them from gardens, springs,

026.059 Treasures, and every kind of honourable position;

026.060 Thus it was, but We made the Children of Israel inheritors of such things.

026.061 So they pursued them at sunrise.

026.062 And when the two bodies saw each other, the people of Moses said: "We are sure to be overtaken."

026.063 (Moses) said: "By no means! My Lord is with me! Soon will He guide me!"

026.064 Then We told Moses by inspiration: "Strike the sea with thy rod." So it divided, and each separate part became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain.

026.065 And We made the other party approach thither.

026.066 We delivered Moses and all who were with him;

026.067 But We drowned the others.

026.068 Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them do not believe.

026.069 And verily thy Lord is He, the Exalted in Might, Most Merciful.

026.070 And rehearse to them (something of) Abraham's story.

026.071 Behold, he said to his father and his people: "What worship ye?"

026.072 They said: "We worship idols, and we remain constantly in attendance on them."

026.073 He said: "Do they listen to you when ye call (on them), or do you good or harm?"

026.074 They said: "Nay, but we found our fathers doing thus (what we do)."

026.075 He said: "Do ye then see whom ye have been worshipping,-

026.076 "Ye and your fathers before you?-

026.077 "For they are enemies to me; not so the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds;

026.078 "Who created me, and it is He Who guides me;

026.079 "Who gives me food and drink,

026.080 "And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me;

026.081 "Who will cause me to die, and then to life (again);

026.082 "And who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Judgment...

026.083 "O my Lord! Bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous;

026.084 "Grant me honourable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations);

026.085 "Make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss;

026.086 "Forgive my father, for that he is among those astray;

026.087 "And let me not be in disgrace on the Day when (men) will be raised up;-

026.088 "The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail,

026.089 "But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart;

026.090 "To the righteous, the Garden will be brought near,

026.091 "And to those straying in Evil, the Fire will be placed in full view;

026.092 "And it shall be said to them: 'Where are the (gods) ye worshipped-

026.093 "'Besides Allah? Can they help you or help themselves?'

026.094 "Then they will be thrown headlong into the (Fire),- they and those straying in Evil,

026.095 "And the whole hosts of Iblis together.

026.096 "They will say there in their mutual bickerings:

026.097 "'By Allah, we were truly in an error manifest,

026.098 "'When we held you as equals with the Lord of the Worlds;

026.099 "'And our seducers were only those who were steeped in guilt.

026.100 "'Now, then, we have none to intercede (for us),