Mafatih al-Jinan: A Treasury of Islamic Piety, Supplications and Periodic Observances

Mafatih al-Jinan

A Treasury of Islamic Piety

(Translation with the Arabic Texts)

Volume One

Supplications and Periodic Observances

Shaykh Abbas Qummi

Translated & Annotated by

Ali Quli Qarai

First Edition 2019

Copyright © Ali Quli Qarai, 2021

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced

in any form, or by any means,

without written permission of the copyright owner.

A quick-access list

Surat Ya Sin

Surat al-Rahman

Surat al-Waqi‘ah

Surat al-Mulk

~

Daily Common Taqibat

Fajr Taqibat

Morning Ziyarah of the Imam of the Era

Zuhr Taqibat

Asr Taqibat

Afternoon Dua for the Era of Ghaybah

Maghrib Taqibat

Isha Taqibat

~

Dua Ya Daim al-Fadli ‘alal bariyyah

Dua for the Imam of the Age

Dua ‘Azumal Bala’

Dua Kumayl

Dua al-Tawassul

Surat al-Simat

Dua al-Jawshan al-Kabir

~

The Prayer of Ja‘far al-Tayyar

‘Id al-Fitr and ‘Id al-Adha Prayers

Hadith al-Kisa

Table of Contents

A quick-access list

Surahs From the Qur’an

Surat Ya Sin

The Virtues of Surat Ya Sin

Surat al-Rahman

The Virtues of Surat al-Rahman

Surat al-Waqi‘ah

The Virtues of Surat al-Waqiah

Surat al-Jumuah

The Virtues of Surat al-Jumuah

Surat al-Mulk

The Virtues of Surat al-Mulk

Surat al-Naba’

The Virtues of Surat al-Naba’

Surat al-Ala

The Virtues of Surat al-Ala

Surat al-Shams

The Virtues of Surat al-Shams

Surat al-Qadr

The Virtues of Surat al-Qadr

Surat al-Zalzalah

The Virtues of Surat al-Zalzalah

Surat al-Adiyat

The Virtues of Surat al-Adiyat

Surat al-Kafirun

The Virtues of Surat al-Kafirun

Surat al-Nasr

The Virtues of Surat al-Nasr

Surat al-Ikhlas

The Virtues of Surat al-Tawhid

Surat al-Falaq

Surat al-Nas

The Virtues of Surahs al-Falaq and al-Nas

Surat al-Ankabut

The Virtues of Surat al-‘Ankabut

Surat al-Rum

Surat al-Dukhan

Book 1 Daily and Weekly Observances & Supplications

Part One: Daily and Weekly Observances

Preface

Ch 1 The Daily Common Ta‘qibat

Ch 2 The Daily Particular Ta‘qibat

The Zuhr Ta‘qib

The Asr Ta‘qib

The Maghrib Ta‘qib

The Maghrib Nafilah Prayer

The Ghufaylah Prayer

The ‘Isha Ta‘qib

The Fajr Ta‘qib

The Morning Ziyarah of the Imam of the Era (‘aj)

Supplications for Sunrise and Sunset

Ch 3 Supplications for the Days of the Week

A Sunday Supplication

A Monday Supplication

A Tuesday Supplication

A Wednesday Supplication

A Thursday Suplication

A Friday Supplication

A Saturday Supplication

Ch 4 Friday Observances

Friday Eve Observances

The Virtues of Some Qur’anic Surahs

Supererogatory Prayers for Friday Eve

Friday Eve Supplications

Friday Dawn Observances

Friday Daytime Observances

Friday Nafilah Prayers

The Apostle of Allah’s Prayer (s)

The Prayer of the Commander of the Faithful (‘a)

Hadrat Fatimah’s Prayer

Another Prayer of Hadrat Fatimah (‘a)

Imam al-Hasan’s Prayer

Imam al-Husayn’s Prayer

Supplication of Imam al-Husayn’s Prayer

Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin’s Prayer

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir’s Prayer

Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq’s Prayer

Imam Musa al-Kazim’s Prayer

Imam ‘Ali al-Rida’s Prayer

Imam Muhammad al-Jawad’s Prayer

Imam ‘Ali al-Hadi’s Prayer

Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari’s Prayer

The Imam of the Era’s Prayer

Prayer of Ja‘far al-Tayyar (‘a)

An Observance for the Fulfilment of Need

Supplication of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (‘a)

Supplication for the Period of Occultation

The Salawat of Abu al-Hasan al-Darrab

Ch 5 Ziyarahs of the Prophet and the Imams for the Days of the Week

Saturday Ziyarah of The Prophet (ṣ)

Sunday Ziyarah of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a)

Sunday Ziyarah of Fatimah Zahra’ (‘a)

Another Ziyarah of Fatimah Zahra’ (‘a)

Monday Ziyarah of Imam al-Hasan (‘a)

Monday Ziyarah of Imam al-Husayn (‘a)

Tuesday Ziyarah of the Imams of al-Baqi‘

Wednesday Ziyarah of the Four Imams,

Thursday Ziyarah of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (‘a)

Friday Ziyarah of the Imam of the Era (‘aj)

Part Two: Supplications

Ch 6 Some Well-known Supplications

1. Dua al-Sabah

2. Dua Kumayl

3. Dua al-‘Asharat

4. Dua al-Simat

5. Dua al-Mashlul

6. Dua Yastashir

7. Dua al-Mujir

8. Dua al-Adilah

The Text of Dua al-‘Adilah

9. Dua al-Jawshan al-Kabir

The Text of Dua al-Jawshan al-Kabir

10. Dua al-Jawshan al-Saghir

11. Dua Sayfi al-Saghir

12. Dua Makarim al-Akhlaq

Ch 7 Some Shorter Supplications & Qur’anic Verses

The Greatest Divine Name in Qur’anic Verses

1. Dua al-Tawassul

2. Another Dua al-Tawassul

3. Du’a al-Faraj

4. Dua for Release from Prison and Captivity

5. Du’a al-Nur

6. The Hirz of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a)

7. Muqatil’s Dua from Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a)

8. Dua Jibra’il

9. Dua Sari‘ al-Ijabah

10. A Dua of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a)

11. Dua ‘Azumal Bala’

12. A Dua of the Imam of the Era (‘a)

13. Another Dua of the Imam of the Era (‘a)

14. Istighathah

15. Writing a Petition to Allah Almighty

Ch 8 The Fifteen Munajat of Our Master ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (‘a)

1. Munajat al-Ta’ibin

2. Munajat al-Shakkin

3. Munajat al-Kha’ifin

4. Munajat al-Rajin

5. Munajat al-Raghibin

6. Munajat al-Shakirin

7. Munajat al-Muti‘in

8. Munajat al-Muridin

9. Munajat al-Muhibbin

10. Munajat al-Mutawassilin

11. Munajat al-Muftaqirin

12. Munajat al-‘Arifin

13. Munajat al-Dhakirin

14. Munajat al-Mutasimin

15. Munajat al-Zahidin

A Munajat of Amir al-Muminin ‘AlI ibn Abi Talib (‘a)

Three Sentences of Mawla ‘Ali (‘a)

Book 2 The Monthly Observances

Ch 1 Rajab: Observances & Virtues

Rajab: The Common Devotions

Daily Supplications for the Month of Rajab

An Observance for the Laylat al-Raghaib

Observances for Particular Nights and Days of Rajab

The First Night of Rajab’s Observances

The First Day of Rajab’s Observances

The 13th Night of Rajab’s Observances

The 13th Day of Rajab’s Observances

The 15th Night of Rajab’s Observances

The 15th Day of Rajab’s Observances

The Observance of Umm Dawud

Dua of Umm Dawud

The 25th Day of Rajab

The 27th Night of Rajab’s Observancesb

The 27th Day of Rajab’s Observances

The Last Day of Rajab’s Observances

Ch 2 Shaban: Observances & Virtues

The Common Devotions of Shaban

Observances for Particular Days and Nights of Shaban

The First Night of Shaban

The First Day of Shaban

A Report from the Apostle of Allah (ṣ)

The Third Day of Shaban

The 13th Night of Shaban

The 15th Night of Shaban’s Observances

The 15th Day of Shaban

Devotions for the Rest of Shaban

Ch 3 Month of Ramadan: Observances & Virtues

1. The Common Devotions of Ramaḍan

1.1. Day & Night Observances

1.2. Night-time Observances of Ramadan

Dua al-Iftitah

1.3. Sahartime Observances

Dua al-Sahar

Dua of Abu Hamzah al-Thumali

Another Dua al-Sahar

1.4. Daytime Observances of Ramadan

2. Observances for Particular Nights and Days

The First Night of Ramadan

The First Day of Ramadan

The 6th Day of Ramadan

The 13th Night of Ramadan

The 14th Night of Ramadan

The 15th Night of Ramadan

The 15th Day of Ramadan

The 17th Night of Ramadan

Nights of Qadr Observances

1. The Common Observances of the Nights of Qadr

2. The Observances of Particular Nights of Qadr

The 19th Night of Ramadan

The 21st Night of Ramadan

The 23rd Night of Ramadan

The 27th Night of Ramadan

The Last Night of the Month of Ramadan

The 30th Day of Ramadan

Supplications for the Last Ten Nights of Ramadan

The 21st Night’s Supplication

The 22nd Night’s Supplication

The 23rd Night’s Supplications

The 24th Night’s Supplication

The 25th Night’s Supplication

The 26th Night’s Supplication

The 27th Night’s Supplication

The 28th Night’s Supplication

The 29th Night’s Supplication

The 30th Night’s Supplication

Conclusion

Prayers for Each Night of Ramadan

Supplications for Each Day of Ramadan

The First Day’s Supplication

The Second Day’s Supplication

The Third Day’s Supplication

The Fourth Day’s Supplication

The Fifth Day’s Supplication

The Sixth Day’s Supplication

The Seventh Day’s Supplication

The Eighth Day’s Supplication

The Ninth Day’s Supplication

The Tenth Day’s Supplication

The 11th Day’s Supplication

The 12th Day’s Supplication

The 13th Day’s Supplication

The 14th Day’s Supplication

The 15th Day’s Supplication

The 16th Day’s Supplication

The 17th Day’s Supplication

The 18th Day’s Supplication

The 19th Day’s Supplication

The 20th Day’s Supplication

The 21st Day’s Supplication

The 22nd Day’s Supplication

The 23rd Day’s Supplication

The 24th Day’s Supplication

The 25th Day’s Supplication

The 26th Day’s Supplication

The 27th Day’s Supplication

The 28th Day’s Supplication

The 29th Day’s Supplication

The 3th Day’s Supplication

The Farewell Supplication of Ramadan

‘Id al-Fitr Sermons

First Sermon

Second Sermon

Ch 4 Shawwal Observances

The First Night of Shawwal

‘Īd al-Fitr: The First Day of Shawwal

The 25th Day of Shawwal

Ch 5 Dhul Qadah Observances

The 11th Day of Dhul Qadah

The 15th Night of Dhul Qadah

The 23rd Day of Dhul Qadah

The 25th Night of Dhul Qadah

The 25th Day of Dhul Qadah

The Last Day of Dhul Qadah

Ch 6 Dhul Hijjah Observances

The First Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 7th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 8th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 9th Night of Dhul Hijjah

The Day of ‘Arafah: The 9th of Dhul Hijjah

Supplications for the Day of ‘Arafah

Dua of Imam Husayn on the Day of ‘Arafah

Laylat al-Adha: The 10th Night of Dhul Hijjah

‘Id al-Adha: The 10th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 15th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 18th Night of Dhul Hijjah

‘Id al-Ghadir: The 18th Day of Dhul Hijjah

Yawm al-Mubahalah: The 24th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The 25th Day of Dhul Hijjah

The Last Day of Dhul Hijjah

Ch 7 Muharram Observances

The First Night of Muharram

The First Day of Muharram

The Third Day of MuHarram

The 9th Day of Muharram

The 10th Night of Muharram

‘Ashura: The 10th Day of Muharram

The 25th Day of Muharram

Ch 8 Safar Observances

The First Day of Safar

The Third Day of Safar

The 7th Day of Safar

‘Arba’in: The 20th Day of Safar

The 28th Day of Safar

The Last Day of Safar

Ch 9 Rabi‘ al-Awwal Observances

The First Night of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The First Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 8th Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 9th Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 12th Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 14th Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 17th Night of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

The 17th Day of Rabi‘ al-Awwal

Ch 10 Rabi‘ II, Jumada I & Jumada II Observances

The Jumada al-­­Ula Observances

Observances of Jumada al-Thaniyah

The Third Day of Jumada al-Thaniyah

The 20th Day of Jumada al-Thaniyah

Ch 11 The New Moon & Noruz Observances

Nor­­uz Observances

Observances of the Roman Months

Appendices of the Mafatih al-Jinan

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Other Appendices

Hadith al-Kisa

The Translator’s Preface

Bibliography

Volume One

Supplications and Periodic Observances

Surahs From the Qur’an

Surat Ya Sin

Ya Sin

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

يس (١)

¹ Yā Sīn!

وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ (٢)

² By the Wise[1] Qur’ān,

إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (٣)

³ you are indeed one of the apostles,

عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ (٤)

⁴ on a straight path.

تَنْزِيلَ

⁵ It is a scripture sent down gradually

الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ (٥)

from the All-mighty, the All-merciful

لِتُنْذِرَ قَوْمًا مَا أُنْذِرَ آبَاؤُهُمْ

⁶ that you may warn a people whose fathers were not warned,[2]

فَهُمْ غَافِلُونَ (٦)

so they are oblivious.

لَقَدْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَىٰ أَكْثَرِهِمْ

⁷ The word has already become due against most of them,

فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (٧)

so they will not have faith.

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ أَغْلَالًا

⁸ Indeed, We have put iron collars around their necks,

فَهِيَ إِلَى الْأَذْقَانِ

which are up to the chins,

فَهُمْ مُقْمَحُونَ (٨)

so their heads are upturned.[3]

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا

⁹ And We have put a barrier before them

وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا

and a barrier behind them,

فَأَغْشَيْنَاهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ (٩)

then We have blind-folded them, so they do not see.

وَسَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ

¹⁰ It is the same to them

أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ

whether you warn them or do not warn them,

لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (١٠)

they will not have faith.

إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ

¹¹ You can only warn someone who follows the Reminder[4]

وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَٰنَ بِالْغَيْبِۖ

and fears the All-beneficent in secret;

فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ

so give him the good news of forgiveness

وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ (١١)

and a noble reward.

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ

¹² It is indeed We who revive the dead

وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا

and write what they have sent ahead[5]

وَآثَارَهُمْۚ

and their effects [which they left behind],[6]

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ (١٢)

and We have figured everything in a manifest Imam.[7]

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلًا أَصْحَابَ الْقَرْيَةِ

¹³ Cite for them the example of the inhabitants of the town

إِذْ جَاءَهَا الْمُرْسَلُونَ (١٣)

when the apostles came to it.

إِذْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ اثْنَيْنِ

¹⁴ When We sent to them two apostles,

فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا

they impugned both of them.

فَعَزَّزْنَا بِثَالِثٍ

Then We reinforced them with a third,

فَقَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ مُرْسَلُونَ (١٤)

and they said, ‘We have indeed been sent to you.’

قَالُوا مَا أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا

¹⁵ They said, ‘You are nothing but humans like us,

وَمَا أَنْزَلَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

and the All-beneficent has not sent down anything,

إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا تَكْذِبُونَ (١٥)

and you are only lying.’

قَالُوا رَبُّنَا يَعْلَمُ

¹⁶ They said, ‘Our Lord knows

إِنَّا إِلَيْكُمْ لَمُرْسَلُونَ (١٦)

that we have indeed been sent to you,

وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ (١٧)

¹⁷ and our duty is only to communicate in clear terms.’

قَالُوا إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْۖ

¹⁸ They said, ‘Indeed, we take you for a bad omen.

لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهُوا لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ

If you do not desist we will stone you,

وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُمْ مِنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (١٨)

and surely a painful punishment will visit you from us.’

قَالُوا طَائِرُكُمْ مَعَكُمْۚ

¹⁹ They said, ‘Your bad omens attend you.

أَئِنْ ذُكِّرْتُمْۚ

What! If you are admonished … .[8]

بَلْ أَنْتُمْ قَوْمٌ مُسْرِفُونَ (١٩)

You are indeed an unrestrained lot.’

وَجَاءَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ يَسْعَىٰ

²⁰ There came a man from the city outskirts, hurrying.

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُوا الْمُرْسَلِينَ (٢٠)

He said, ‘O my people! Follow the apostles!

اتَّبِعُوا مَنْ لَا يَسْأَلُكُمْ أَجْرًا

²¹ Follow them who do not ask you any reward

وَهُمْ مُهْتَدُونَ (٢١)

and they are rightly guided.

وَمَا لِيَ لَا أَعْبُدُ الَّذِي فَطَرَنِي

²² Why should I not worship Him who has originated me,

وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (٢٢)

and to whom you will be brought back?

أَأَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً

²³ Shall I take gods besides Him?

إِنْ يُرِدْنِ الرَّحْمَٰنُ بِضُرٍّ

If the All-beneficent desired to cause me any distress,

لَا تُغْنِ عَنِّي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا

their intercession will not avail me in any way,

وَلَا يُنْقِذُونِ (٢٣)

nor will they rescue me.

إِنِّي إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (٢٤)

²⁴ Indeed, then I would be in plain error.

إِنِّي آمَنْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَاسْمَعُونِ (٢٥)

²⁵ Indeed, I have faith in your Lord, so listen to me.’

قِيلَ ادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَۖ

²⁶ He was told, ‘Enter paradise!’

قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ (٢٦)

He said, ‘Alas! Had my people only known

بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي

²⁷ for what my Lord forgave me

وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ (٢٧) ۞

and made me one of the honoured ones!’

وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ

²⁸ After him We did not send down on his people

مِنْ جُنْدٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ

a host from the heavens,

وَمَا كُنَّا مُنْزِلِينَ (٢٨)

nor We would have sent down.[9]

إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً

²⁹ It was but a single Cry,

فَإِذَا هُمْ خَامِدُونَ (٢٩)

and behold, they were stilled like burnt ashes!

يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِۚ

³⁰ How regrettable of the servants!

مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ رَسُولٍ

There did not come to them any apostle

إِلَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (٣٠)

but that they used to deride him.

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا

³¹ Have they not regarded

كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ

how many generations We have destroyed before them

أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ (٣١)

who will not come back to them?

وَإِنْ كُلٌّ لَمَّا جَمِيعٌ لَدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ (٣٢)

³² And all of them will indeed be presented before Us.

وَآيَةٌ لَهُمُ الْأَرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَاهَا

³³ A sign for them is the dead earth, which We revive

وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبًّا فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ (٣٣)

and bring forth grain out of it, so they eat of it.

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّاتٍ مِنْ نَخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ

³⁴ We make in it orchards of date palms and vines,

وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ (٣٤)

and We cause springs to gush forth in it,

لِيَأْكُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ

³⁵ so that they may eat of its fruit

وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْۖ

and what their hands have cultivated.[10]

أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ (٣٥)

Will they not then give thanks?

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا

³⁶ Immaculate is He who has created all the kinds[11]

مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ

of what the earth grows, and of themselves,

وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (٣٦)

and of what they do not know.

وَآيَةٌ لَهُمُ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ

³⁷ A sign for them is the night, which We strip of daylight,

فَإِذَا هُمْ مُظْلِمُونَ (٣٧)

and behold, they find themselves in the dark!

وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَاۚ

³⁸ The sun runs on to its place of rest:[12]

ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ (٣٨)

That is the ordaining of the All-mighty, the All-knowing.

وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ

³⁹ As for the moon, We have ordained its phases,

حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ (٣٩)

until it becomes like an old palm leaf.

لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا

⁴⁰ Neither it behooves the sun

أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ

to overtake the moon,

وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِۚ

nor may the night outrun the day,

وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ (٤٠)

and each swims in an orbit.

وَآيَةٌ لَهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنَا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ

⁴¹ A sign for them is that We carried their progeny

فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ (٤١)

in the laden ship,[13]

وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ

⁴² and We have created for them what is similar to it,

مَا يَرْكَبُونَ (٤٢)

which they ride. [14]

وَإِنْ نَشَأْ نُغْرِقْهُمْ

⁴³ And if We like, We drown them,

فَلَا صَرِيخَ لَهُمْ

whereat they have no one to call for help,

وَلَا هُمْ يُنْقَذُونَ (٤٣)

nor are they rescued

إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِنَّا

⁴⁴ —except by a mercy from Us

وَمَتَاعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ (٤٤)

and for an enjoyment until some time.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ

⁴⁵ And when they are told,

اتَّقُوا مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ

‘Beware of that which is before you

وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ

and that which is behind you,[15]

لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ (٤٥)

so that you may receive His mercy.’[16]

وَمَا تَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ

⁴⁶ There does not come to them any sign

مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ

from among the signs of their Lord

إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ (٤٦)

but that they have been disregarding it.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ

⁴⁷ When they are told,

أَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللهُ

‘Spend out of what God has provided you,’

قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

the faithless say to the faithful,

أَنُطْعِمُ

‘Shall we feed someone

مَنْ لَوْ يَشَاءُ اللهُ أَطْعَمَهُ

whom God would feed, if He wished?

إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (٤٧)

You are only in plain error.’

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا الْوَعْدُ

⁴⁸ And they say, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled,

إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (٤٨)

if you are truthful?’

مَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً

⁴⁹ They do not await but a single Cry

تَأْخُذُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَخِصِّمُونَ (٤٩)

that will seize them as they wrangle.

فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَوْصِيَةً

⁵⁰ Then they will not be able to make any will,

وَلَا إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (٥٠)

nor will they return to their folks.

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ

⁵¹ And when the Trumpet is blown,

فَإِذَا هُمْ

behold, there they will be,

مِنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَنْسِلُونَ (٥١)

scrambling towards their Lord from their graves!

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا

⁵² They will say, ‘Woe to us!

مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ مَرْقَدِنَاۜۗ

Who raised us from our place of sleep?’

هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ

‘This is what the All-beneficent had promised

وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ (٥٢)

and the apostles had spoken the truth!’

إِنْ كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَاحِدَةً

⁵³ It will be but a single Cry,

فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ (٥٣)

and behold, they will all be presented before Us!

فَالْيَوْمَ لَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا

⁵⁴ ‘Today no soul will be wronged in the least,

وَلَا تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (٥٤)

nor will you be requited except for what you used to do.’

إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ

⁵⁵ Indeed, today the inhabitants of paradise

فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ (٥٥)

rejoice in their engagements

هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ

⁵⁶ —they and their mates,

فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ (٥٦)

reclining on couches in the shades.

لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُمْ مَا يَدَّعُونَ (٥٧)

⁵⁷ There they have fruits, and they have whatever they want.

سَلَامٌ قَوْلًا مِنْ رَبٍّ رَحِيمٍ (٥٨)

⁵⁸ ‘Peace!’—a salutation from the all-merciful Lord.

وَامْتَازُوا الْيَوْمَ أَيُّهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ (٥٩) ۞

⁵⁹ And ‘Get apart today, you guilty ones!’

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ

⁶⁰ ‘Did I not exhort you, O children of Adam,

أَنْ لَا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَۖ

saying, "Do not worship Satan.

إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ (٦٠)

He is indeed your manifest enemy.

وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِيۚ

⁶¹ Worship Me.

هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ (٦١)

That is a straight path"?

وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنْكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًاۖ

⁶² He has already led astray many of your generations.

أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْقِلُونَ (٦٢)

Did you not exercise your reason?

هَٰذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ (٦٣)

⁶³ This is the hell you had been promised!

اصْلَوْهَا الْيَوْمَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ (٦٤)

⁶⁴ Enter it today, because of what you used to deny.

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ

⁶⁵ Today We shall seal their mouths,

وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ

and their hands will speak to Us,

وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ

and their feet will bear witness

بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ (٦٥)

concerning what they used to earn.’

وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَىٰ أَعْيُنِهِمْ

⁶⁶ Had We wished We would have blotted out their eyes:[17]

فَاسْتَبَقُوا الصِّرَاطَ

then, were they to advance towards the path,

فَأَنَّىٰ يُبْصِرُونَ (٦٦)

how would have they seen?

وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ

⁶⁷ Had We wished

لَمَسَخْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِهِمْ

We would have deformed them in their place;[18]

فَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا مُضِيًّا

then, they would neither have been able to move ahead,

وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ (٦٧)

nor to return.[19]

وَمَنْ نُعَمِّرْهُ

⁶⁸ And whomever We give a long life,

نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِۖ

We cause him to regress in creation.

أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ (٦٨)

Then, will they not exercise their reason?

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنْبَغِي لَهُۚ

⁶⁹ We did not teach him poetry, nor does it behoove him.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُبِينٌ (٦٩)

This is just a reminder and a manifest Qur’ān,

لِيُنْذِرَ مَنْ كَانَ حَيًّا

⁷⁰ so that anyone who is alive may be warned

وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ (٧٠)

and that the word may come due against the faithless.

أَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ

⁷¹ Have they not seen that We have created for them,

مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا

of what Our hands have worked,

أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (٧١)

cattle, so they have become their masters?

وَذَلَّلْنَاهَا لَهُمْ

⁷² And We made them tractable for them,

فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ

so some of them make their mounts

وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ (٧٢)

and some of them they eat.

وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مَنَافِعُ وَمَشَارِبُۖ

⁷³ There are other benefits for them therein, and drinks.[20]

أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ (٧٣)

Will they not then give thanks?

وَاتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ آلِهَةً

⁷⁴ They have taken gods besides God,

لَعَلَّهُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ (٧٤)

hoping that they might be helped.

لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَهُمْ

⁷⁵ But they cannot help them,

وَهُمْ لَهُمْ جُنْدٌ مُحْضَرُونَ (٧٥)

while they are an army mobilized for their defence.[21]

فَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ قَوْلُهُمْۘ

⁷⁶ So do not let their remarks grieve you.

إِنَّا نَعْلَمُ

We indeed know

مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ (٧٦)

whatever they hide and whatever they disclose.

أَوَ لَمْ يَرَ الْإِنْسَانُ

⁷⁷ Does not man see

أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ

that We created him from a drop of seminal fluid,

فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُبِينٌ (٧٧)

and behold, he is an open contender!?

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا

⁷⁸ He draws comparisons for Us,

وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُۖ

and forgets his own creation.

قَالَ

He says,

مَنْ يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ (٧٨)

‘Who will revive the bones when they have decayed?’

قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا

⁷⁹ Say, ‘He will revive them

الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۖ

who produced them the first time,

وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ (٧٩)

and He has knowledge of all creation.

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمْ

⁸⁰ —He, who made for you

مِنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا

fire out of the green tree,

فَإِذَا أَنْتُمْ مِنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ (٨٠)

and behold, you light fire from it!

أَوَ لَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ

⁸¹ Is not He who created the heavens

وَالْأَرْضَ

and the earth

بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْۚ

able to create the like of them?

بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ (٨١)

Yes indeed! He is the All-creator, the All-knowing.

إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا

⁸² All His command, when He wills something,

أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ (٨٢)

is to say to it ‘Be,’ and it is.

فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي

⁸³ So immaculate is He

بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

in whose hand is the dominion of all things

وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ (٨٣)

and to whom you shall be brought back.

The Virtues of Surat Ya Sin

The Prophet (ṣ) is reported to have said that when someone recites Sūrat Yā Sīn for the sake of God’s pleasure, God Almighty grants him the reward for reciting the Qur’ān twelve times. When this sūrah is recited by the side of a sick person, for each verse recited there descend ten angels, who, standing before him in ranks, pray for forgiveness of his sins. They are present when his soul is being taken away, accompany his funeral, offer the funeral prayer for him and attend his burial. When a dying person recites it—or when it is recited by his side—he is given a drink brought from paradise. The dying person drinks it on his death bed and is satiated. He will not be thirsty again, neither when he enters his grave, nor when he rises on the Day of Resurrection, nor till he enters paradise.[22]

It is mentioned in a tradition[23] that Sūrat Yā Sīn brings its reciter the good of the world and the Hereafter, and protects him from all kinds of afflictions in this life and from the fears of the Hereafter. It safeguards him from every evil and fulfils his needs. Its reciter receives a reward equal to that of twenty ḥajj pilgrimages, and anyone who listens to its recitation is blessed with the reward for giving a thousand dīnars in charity. It is stated that if someone writes it and drinks the washing, there enter his side a thousand medicines, a thousand lights, a thousand certainties, a thousand blessings, and a thousand mercies, and he is relieved from every affliction.

The Prophet (ṣ) is reported[24] to have said that when someone recites Sūrat Yā Sīn on visiting a graveyard, God Almighty lightens the torments of the dead buried therein, and grants him the reward for performing good deeds equal to their number.

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) is reported[25] to have said that one who recites Sūrat Yā Sīn during day remains well-provided and safe until nightfall, and God Almighty assigns a thousand angels to guard someone who recites it at bedtime. They protect him from the harm of every devil and from every affliction, and should he die during that day, God Almighty admits him into paradise.

Surat al-Rahman

The All-Beneficent[26]

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

الرَّحْمَٰنُ (١)

¹ The All-beneficent

عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ (٢)

² has taught the Qur’ān.

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ (٣)

³ He created the human being,

عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ (٤)

⁴ and taught him articulate speech.

الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ (٥)

⁵ The sun and the moon are disposed calculatedly,

وَالنَّجْمُ وَالشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ (٦)

⁶ and the herb and the tree prostrate to God.

وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ (٧)

⁷ He raised the heaven high and set up the balance,

أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ (٨)

⁸ declaring, ‘Do not infringe the balance!

وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ

⁹ Maintain the weights with justice,

وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ (٩)

and do not shorten the balance!’

وَالْأَرْضَ وَضَعَهَا لِلْأَنَامِ (١٠)

¹⁰ And the earth—He laid it out for mankind.

فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ

¹¹ In it are fruits and date-palms

ذَاتُ الْأَكْمَامِ (١١)

with sheaths,

وَالْحَبُّ ذُو الْعَصْفِ وَالرَّيْحَانُ (١٢)

¹² grain with husk, and fragrant herbs.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (١٣)

¹³ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both[27] deny?

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ صَلْصَالٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ (١٤)

¹⁴ He created man out of dry clay,[28] like the potter’s,

وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ (١٥)

¹⁵ and created the jinn out of a flame of a fire.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (١٦)

¹⁶ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ (١٧)

¹⁷ Lord of the two easts and Lord of the two wests![29]

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (١٨)

¹⁸ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيَانِ (١٩)

¹⁹ He merged the two seas,[30] meeting each other.

بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخٌ

²⁰ There is a barrier between them

لَا يَبْغِيَانِ (٢٠)

which they do not overstep.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٢١)

²¹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ (٢٢)

²² From them emerge the pearl and the coral.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٢٣)

²³ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

وَلَهُ الْجَوَارِ الْمُنْشَآتُ فِي الْبَحْرِ

²⁴ His are the sailing ships[31] on the sea

كَالْأَعْلَامِ (٢٤)

appearing like landmarks.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٢٥)

²⁵ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ (٢٦)

²⁶ Everyone on it[32] is ephemeral,

وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ

²⁷ yet lasting is the Face of your Lord,

ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ (٢٧)

majestic and munificent.[33]

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٢٨)

²⁸ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

يَسْأَلُهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِۚ

²⁹ Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him.

كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ (٢٩)

Every day He is engaged in some work.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٣٠)

³⁰ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

سَنَفْرُغُ لَكُمْ

³¹ Soon We shall make Ourselves unoccupied for you,

أَيُّهَ الثَّقَلَانِ (٣١)

O you notable two![34]

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٣٢)

³² So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ

³³ O community of the jinn and humans!

إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا

If you can pass through

مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

the confines of the heavens and the earth,

فَانْفُذُواۚ

then do pass through.

لَا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ (٣٣)

But you will not pass through except by an authority.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٣٤)

³⁴ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

يُرْسَلُ عَلَيْكُمَا

³⁵ There will be unleashed upon you

شُوَاظٌ مِنْ نَارٍ وَنُحَاسٌ

a flash of fire and a smoke;

فَلَا تَنْتَصِرَانِ (٣٥)

then you will not be able to help one another.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٣٦)

³⁶ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فَإِذَا انْشَقَّتِ السَّمَاءُ

³⁷ When the sky is split open,

فَكَانَتْ وَرْدَةً كَالدِّهَانِ (٣٧)

and turns crimson like tanned leather.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٣٨)

³⁸ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ

³⁹ On that day

لَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذَنْبِهِ إِنْسٌ

neither humans will be questioned about their sins,

وَلَا جَانٌّ (٣٩)

nor jinn.[35]

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٤٠)

⁴⁰ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

يُعْرَفُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَاهُمْ

⁴¹ The guilty will be recognized by their mark;

فَيُؤْخَذُ بِالنَّوَاصِي وَالْأَقْدَامِ (٤١)

so they will be seized by their forelocks and feet.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٤٢)

⁴² So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

هَٰذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ

⁴³ ‘This is the hell

الَّتِي يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا الْمُجْرِمُونَ (٤٣)

which the guilty would deny!’

يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ آنٍ (٤٤)

⁴⁴ They shall circuit between it and boiling hot water.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٤٥)

⁴⁵ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ (٤٦)

⁴⁶ For him who stands in awe of his Lord will be two gardens.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٤٧)

⁴⁷ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

ذَوَاتَا أَفْنَانٍ (٤٨)

⁴⁸ Both abounding in branches.[36]

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٤٩)

⁴⁹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ تَجْرِيَانِ (٥٠)

⁵⁰ In both of them will be two flowing springs.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٥١)

⁵¹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِمَا مِنْ كُلِّ فَاكِهَةٍ زَوْجَانِ (٥٢)

⁵² In both of them will be two kinds of every fruit.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٥٣)

⁵³ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَىٰ فُرُشٍ

⁵⁴ They will be reclining on beds

بَطَائِنُهَا مِنْ إِسْتَبْرَقٍۚ

lined with heavy silk.

وَجَنَى الْجَنَّتَيْنِ دَانٍ (٥٤)

And the fruit of the two gardens will be near at hand.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٥٥)

⁵⁵ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِنَّ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ

⁵⁶ In them are maidens of restrained glances,

لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَانٌّ (٥٦)

whom no human has touched before, nor jinn.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٥٧)

⁵⁷ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

كَأَنَّهُنَّ الْيَاقُوتُ وَالْمَرْجَانُ (٥٨)

⁵⁸ As though they were rubies and corals.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٥٩)

⁵⁹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ (٦٠)

⁶⁰ Is the requital of goodness anything but goodness?

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٦١)

⁶¹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

وَمِنْ دُونِهِمَا جَنَّتَانِ (٦٢)

⁶² Beside these two, there will be two other gardens.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٦٣)

⁶³ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

مُدْهَامَّتَانِ (٦٤)

⁶⁴ Dark green.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٦٥)

⁶⁵ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِمَا عَيْنَانِ نَضَّاخَتَانِ (٦٦)

⁶⁶ In both of them will be two gushing springs.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٦٧)

⁶⁷ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِمَا فَاكِهَةٌ

⁶⁸ In both of them will be fruits,

وَنَخْلٌ وَرُمَّانٌ (٦٨)

date-palms and pomegranates.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٦٩)

⁶⁹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

فِيهِنَّ خَيْرَاتٌ حِسَانٌ (٧٠)

⁷⁰ In them are maidens good and lovely.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٧١)

⁷¹ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

حُورٌ مَقْصُورَاتٌ فِي الْخِيَامِ (٧٢)

⁷² Houris secluded in pavilions.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٧٣)

⁷³ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَانٌّ (٧٤)

⁷⁴ Whom no human has touched before, nor jinn.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٧٥)

⁷⁵ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَىٰ رَفْرَفٍ خُضْرٍ

⁷⁶ Reclining on green cushions

وَعَبْقَرِيٍّ حِسَانٍ (٧٦)

and lovely carpets.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ (٧٧)

⁷⁷ So which of your Lord’s bounties will you both deny?

تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ

⁷⁸ Blessed is the Name of your Lord,

ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ (٧٨)

the Majestic and the Munificent!

The Virtues of Surat al-Rahman

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) is reported to have said: "Do not neglect to recite Sūrat al-Raḥmān. Indeed, it does not stay in a hypocrite’s (munāfiq) heart. On the day of Resurrection, it will appear before God in the form of a most beautiful person and bearing the finest aroma, and it will take a place nearmost to God Almighty. God will ask it, ‘Who are the ones who were your constant companions in the life of the world, who used to recite you regularly?’ It will mention their names. Thereupon their faces will brighten, and He will say to them, ‘You may intercede in favour of whomsoever you wish.’ Thereupon they will intercede for whomsoever they wish and not a single soul will be left out from those for whom they intercede. Then God Almighty will tell them, ‘Enter paradise and settle wherever you wish.’ "[37]

A report mentions Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) as having said that when reciting Sūrat al-Raḥmān, one should say Lā bi shay’in min ālâ’ika rabbī ukadhdhib! (I do not deny any of Your bounties, my Lord!) after the refrain, Fa bi ayyi ālâ’i rabbi kumā tukadhdhibān.[38] The Imam (‘a) said that someone who recites Sūrat al-Raḥmān in this manner, during day or night, will die a martyr were he to die on that day or night.[39]

Surat al-Waqi‘ah

The Imminent Hour[40]

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ (١)

¹ When the Imminent[41] Hour befalls

لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ (٢)

² —there is no denying that it will befall—

خَافِضَةٌ رَافِعَةٌ (٣)

³ it will be lowering and exalting.[42]

إِذَا رُجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ رَجًّا (٤)

⁴ When the earth is shaken violently,

وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسًّا (٥)

⁵ and the mountains are shattered into bits

فَكَانَتْ هَبَاءً مُنْبَثًّا (٦)

⁶ and become scattered dust,

وَكُنْتُمْ أَزْوَاجًا ثَلَاثَةً (٧)

⁷ you will be three groups:

فَأَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

⁸ The People of the Right Hand

مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ (٨)

—and what are the People of the Right Hand?

وَأَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

⁹ And the People of the Left Hand

مَا أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ (٩)

—and what are the People of the Left Hand?

وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ (١٠)

¹⁰ And the Foremost Ones are the foremost ones:[43]

أُولَٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ (١١)

¹¹ they are the ones brought near to God,

فِي جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ (١٢)

¹² who will reside in the gardens of bliss.

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ (١٣)

¹³ A multitude from the former peoples[44]

وَقَلِيلٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ (١٤)

¹⁴ and a few from the latter ones.

عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ مَوْضُونَةٍ (١٥)

¹⁵ On brocaded couches,

مُتَّكِئِينَ عَلَيْهَا مُتَقَابِلِينَ (١٦)

¹⁶ reclining on them, face to face.

يَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُخَلَّدُونَ (١٧)

¹⁷ They will be waited upon by immortal youths,

بِأَكْوَابٍ وَأَبَارِيقَ

¹⁸ with goblets and ewers

وَكَأْسٍ مِنْ مَعِينٍ (١٨)

and a cup of a clear wine,[45]

لَا يُصَدَّعُونَ عَنْهَا وَلَا يُنْزِفُونَ (١٩)

¹⁹ which causes them neither headache nor stupefaction,

وَفَاكِهَةٍ مِمَّا يَتَخَيَّرُونَ (٢٠)

²⁰ and such fruits as they prefer

وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ (٢١)

²¹ and such flesh of fowls as they desire,

وَحُورٌ عِينٌ (٢٢)

²² and big-eyed houris

كَأَمْثَالِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ (٢٣)

²³ like guarded pearls,

جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (٢٤)

²⁴ a reward for what they used to do.

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا (٢٥)

²⁵ They will not hear therein any vain talk or sinful speech,

إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا (٢٦)

²⁶ but only the watchword, ‘Peace!’ ‘Peace!’

وَأَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ

²⁷ And the People of the Right Hand

مَا أَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ (٢٧)

—what are the People of the Right Hand?!

فِي سِدْرٍ مَخْضُودٍ (٢٨)

²⁸ Amid thornless lote trees

وَطَلْحٍ مَنْضُودٍ (٢٩)

²⁹ and bananas regularly set in clusters,[46]

وَظِلٍّ مَمْدُودٍ (٣٠)

³⁰ and extended shade,[47]

وَمَاءٍ مَسْكُوبٍ (٣١)

³¹ and ever-flowing water

وَفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ (٣٢)

³² and abundant fruits,

لَا مَقْطُوعَةٍ وَلَا مَمْنُوعَةٍ (٣٣)

³³ neither inaccessible, nor forbidden,

وَفُرُشٍ مَرْفُوعَةٍ (٣٤)

³⁴ and noble spouses.

إِنَّا أَنْشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنْشَاءً (٣٥)

³⁵ We have created them with a special creation,

فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا (٣٦)

³⁶ and made them virgins,

عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا (٣٧)

³⁷ loving, of a like age,

لِأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ (٣٨)

³⁸ for the People of the Right Hand.

ثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ (٣٩)

³⁹ A multitude from the former peoples

وَثُلَّةٌ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ (٤٠)

⁴⁰ and a multitude from the latter ones.

وَأَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ

⁴¹ And the People of the Left Hand

مَا أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ (٤١)

—what are the People of the Left Hand?!

فِي سَمُومٍ وَحَمِيمٍ (٤٢)

⁴² Amid infernal miasma and boiling water

وَظِلٍّ مِنْ يَحْمُومٍ (٤٣)

⁴³ and the shadow of a dense black smoke,

لَا بَارِدٍ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ (٤٤)

⁴⁴ neither cool nor beneficial.[48]

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ مُتْرَفِينَ (٤٥)

⁴⁵ They had indeed been affluent before this,

وَكَانُوا يُصِرُّونَ عَلَى الْحِنْثِ الْعَظِيمِ (٤٦)

⁴⁶ and they used to persist in the great sin.[49]

وَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ

⁴⁷ And they used to say,

أَئِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا وَعِظَامًا

‘What! When we are dead and become dust and bones,

أَإِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ (٤٧)

shall we be resurrected?

أَوَ آبَاؤُنَا الْأَوَّلُونَ (٤٨)

⁴⁸ And our forefathers, too?’

قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ (٤٩)

⁴⁹ Say, ‘The former and the latter peoples

لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَىٰ مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ (٥٠)

⁵⁰ will indeed be gathered for the tryst of a known day.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ (٥١)

⁵¹ Then indeed, you, astray deniers,

لَآكِلُونَ مِنْ شَجَرٍ مِنْ زَقُّومٍ (٥٢)

⁵² will surely eat from the Zaqqūm tree

فَمَالِئُونَ مِنْهَا الْبُطُونَ (٥٣)

⁵³ and stuff your bellies with it,

فَشَارِبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْحَمِيمِ (٥٤)

⁵⁴ and drink boiling water on top of it,

فَشَارِبُونَ شُرْبَ الْهِيمِ (٥٥)

⁵⁵ drinking like thirsty camels.’

هَٰذَا نُزُلُهُمْ

⁵⁶ Such will be the hospitality they receive

يَوْمَ الدِّينِ (٥٦)

on the Day of Retribution.[50]

نَحْنُ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ فَلَوْلَا تُصَدِّقُونَ (٥٧)

⁵⁷ We created you. Then why do you not acknowledge it?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تُمْنُونَ (٥٨)

⁵⁸ Have you considered the sperm that you emit?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْخَالِقُونَ (٥٩)

⁵⁹ Is it you who create it, or are We the creator?

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ

⁶⁰ We have ordained death among you,

وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ (٦٠)

and We are not to be outmanoeuvred

عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُبَدِّلَ أَمْثَالَكُمْ

⁶¹ from replacing you with your likes

وَنُنْشِئَكُمْ فِي مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (٦١)

and recreating you in a realm you do not know.

وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَىٰ

⁶² Certainly you have known the first genesis,

فَلَوْلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ (٦٢)

then why do you not take admonition?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَحْرُثُونَ (٦٣)

⁶³ Have you considered what you sow?

أَأَنْتُمْ تَزْرَعُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِعُونَ (٦٤)

⁶⁴ Is it you who make it grow, or are We the grower?

لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَاهُ حُطَامًا

⁶⁵ If We wish, We turn it into chaff,

فَظَلْتُمْ تَفَكَّهُونَ (٦٥)

whereat you are left stunned[51] [saying to yourselves,]

إِنَّا لَمُغْرَمُونَ (٦٦)

⁶⁶ ‘We have indeed suffered loss!

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ (٦٧)

⁶⁷ Rather, we are totally deprived!’

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ الْمَاءَ الَّذِي تَشْرَبُونَ (٦٨)

⁶⁸ Have you considered the water that you drink?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ

⁶⁹ Is it you who bring it down from the rain cloud,

أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْزِلُونَ (٦٩)

or is it We who bring it down?

لَوْ نَشَاءُ جَعَلْنَاهُ أُجَاجًا

⁷⁰ If We wish We can make it bitter.

فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ (٧٠)

Then why do you not give thanks?

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ النَّارَ الَّتِي تُورُونَ (٧١)

⁷¹ Have you considered the fire that you kindle?

أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْشَأْتُمْ شَجَرَتَهَا

⁷² Was it you who caused its tree to grow,

أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْشِئُونَ (٧٢)

or were We the grower?

نَحْنُ جَعَلْنَاهَا تَذْكِرَةً

⁷³ It was We who made it a reminder

وَمَتَاعًا لِلْمُقْوِينَ (٧٣)

and a boon for the desert-dwellers.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ (٧٤) ۞

⁷⁴ So celebrate the Name of your Lord, the All-supreme.

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ (٧٥)

⁷⁵ I swear by the places where[52] the stars set![53]

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ (٧٦)

⁷⁶ And indeed it is a great oath, should you know.

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ (٧٧)

⁷⁷ This is indeed a noble Qur’ān,

فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ (٧٨)

⁷⁸ in a guarded Book,[54]

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ (٧٩)

⁷⁹ —no one touches it except the pure ones—

تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (٨٠)

⁸⁰ sent down gradually from the Lord of all the worlds.

أَفَبِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنْتُمْ مُدْهِنُونَ (٨١)

⁸¹ What! Do you take lightly this discourse?

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ (٨٢)

⁸² And make your denial of it your vocation?[55]

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ (٨٣)

⁸³ So when it[56] reaches the throat of the dying person

وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ (٨٤)

⁸⁴ and at that moment you are looking on

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ

⁸⁵ —and We are nearer to him[57] than you are,

وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ (٨٥)

though you do not perceive—

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ (٨٦)

⁸⁶ then why do you not, if you are not subject[58]

تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (٨٧)

⁸⁷ [to Divine dispensation], restore it, if you are truthful?

فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ (٨٨)

⁸⁸ Then, if he be of those brought near,[59]

فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ (٨٩)

⁸⁹ then ease, abundance, and a garden of bliss.

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ (٩٠)

⁹⁰ And if he be of the People of the Right Hand,

فَسَلَامٌ لَكَ

⁹¹ he will be told, ‘Peace be to you,

مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ (٩١)

of the People of the Right Hand!’

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ

⁹² But if he be of the impugners,

الضَّالِّينَ (٩٢)

the astray ones,

فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ (٩٣)

⁹³ then a treat of boiling water

وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ (٩٤)

⁹⁴ and entry into hell.[60]

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ (٩٥)

⁹⁵ This is indeed certain truth.

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ (٩٦)

⁹⁶ So celebrate the Name of your Lord, the All-supreme!

The Virtues of Surat al-Waqiah

It is reported that ‘Uthmān b. ‘Affān visited ‘Abd Allāh b. Mas‘ūd during his last illness. He asked ‘Abd Allāh, What troubles you? My own sins! answered ‘Abd Allāh. What do you want? God’s mercy, he replied. Shall I send a physician for you? asked ‘Uthmān. The physician has made me sick, said ‘Abd Allāh. Shall I order for you an allowance from the public treasury? ‘Abd Allāh replied, You withheld it when I was in need. I don’t need it now. Let it be a grant for your daughters, suggested ‘Uthmān. "They don’t need it, as I have told them to recite Sūrat al-Wāqi‘ah. I heard the Apostle of Allah (ṣ) say that one who recites Sūrat al-Wāqi‘ah every night never faces any hardship."[61]

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) is reported[62] to have stated that someone who recites Sūrat al-Wāqi‘ah every night before sleep will meet Allah Almighty with a face bright like the full moon.

The Imam is also reported[63] to have said that those who look forward to paradise and its attributes should recite Sūrat al-Wāqi‘ah.

Surat al-Jumuah

Friday[64]

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

يُسَبِّحُ لِلهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ

¹ Whatever there is in the heavens glorifies God

وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ

and whatever there is in the earth,

الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ (١)

the Sovereign, the All-holy, the All-mighty, the All-wise.

هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ

² It is He who sent to the unlettered people

رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ

an apostle from among themselves,

يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ

to recite to them His signs, to purify them,

وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ

and to teach them the Book and wisdom,

وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (٢)

and earlier they had indeed been in manifest error.

وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ

³ And to others from among them as well

لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْۚ

who have not yet joined them,

وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (٣)

and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.

ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللهِ

⁴ That is God’s grace

يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُۚ

which He grants to whomever He wishes,

وَاللهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ (٤)

and God is dispenser of a mighty grace.

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ

⁵ The example of those who were charged with the Torah,

ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا

then failed to carry it,

كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًاۚ

is that of an ass carrying books.

بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ

Evil is the example of the people

الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللهِۚ

who deny God’s signs,

وَاللهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (٥)

and God does not guide the wrongdoing lot.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُوا

⁶ Say, ‘O Jews!

إِنْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ لِلهِ

If you claim that you are God’s favourites

مِنْ دُونِ النَّاسِ

to the exclusion of other people,

فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (٦)

then long for death, if you are truthful.’

وَلَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَهُ أَبَدًا

⁷ Yet they will never long for it,

بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْۚ

because of what their hands have sent ahead,

وَاللهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ (٧)

and God knows best the wrongdoers.

قُلْ إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ الَّذِي تَفِرُّونَ مِنْهُ

⁸ Say, ‘The death that you flee

فَإِنَّهُ مُلَاقِيكُمْۖ

will indeed encounter you.

ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ

Then you will be returned

إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ

to the Knower of the sensible and the Unseen

فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ (٨)

and He will inform you about what you used to do.’

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

⁹ O you who have faith!

إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ

When the call is made for prayer on Friday,

فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَۚ

hurry to the remembrance of God and leave all business.

ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (٩)

That is better for you, should you know.

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ

¹⁰ And when the prayer is finished

فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ

disperse through the land

وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللهِ

and seek God’s grace,

وَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (١٠)

and remember God much so that you may be felicitous.

وَإِذَا رَأَوْا تِجَارَةً أَوْ لَهْوًا

¹¹ When they sight a deal or a diversion,

انْفَضُّوا إِلَيْهَا وَتَرَكُوكَ قَائِمًاۚ

they scatter off towards it and leave you standing!

قُلْ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرٌ

Say, ‘What is with God is better than

مِنَ اللَّهْوِ وَمِنَ التِّجَارَةِۚ

diversion and dealing,

وَاللهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ (١١)

and God is the best of providers.’

The Virtues of Surat al-Jumuah

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) is reported[65]1 to have said that it is obligatory for every mu’min who follows the Imams (‘a) to recite Sūrat al-Jumu‘ah and Sūrat al-A‘lā in the night prayer on Friday eve, and Sūrat al-Jumu‘ah and Sūrat al-Munāfiqīn in that day’s noon prayer. One who observes this practice is like one who emulates the Apostle of Allah (ṣ), and his reward, with God Almighty, is paradise.

Surat al-Mulk

Sovereignty[66]

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ

¹ Blessed is He in whose hands is all sovereignty

وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (١)

and He has power over all things.

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ

² He, who created death and life

لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ

that He may test you

أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًاۚ

to see which of you is best in conduct.

وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ (٢)

And He is the All-mighty, the All-forgiving.

الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًاۖ

³ He created seven heavens in layers.

مَا تَرَىٰ

You do not see

فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ مِنْ تَفَاوُتٍۖ

any discordance in the creation of the All-beneficent.

فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِنْ فُطُورٍ (٣)

Look again! Do you see any flaw?

ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ

⁴ Look again once more.

يَنْقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ

Your look will return to you,

خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ (٤)

humbled and weary.

وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ

⁵ We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps,

وَجَعَلْنَاهَا

and made them

رُجُومًا لِلشَّيَاطِينِۖ

the means of pelting missiles[67] against the devils,

وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ (٥)

and We have prepared for them punishment of the Blaze.

وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ

⁶ For those who defy their Lord

عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (٦)

is the punishment of hell, and it is an evil destination.

إِذَا أُلْقُوا فِيهَا

⁷ When they are thrown in it

سَمِعُوا لَهَا شَهِيقًا وَهِيَ تَفُورُ (٧)

they hear it blaring, as it seethes,

تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الْغَيْظِۖ

⁸ almost exploding with rage.

كُلَّمَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ

Whenever a group is thrown in it,

سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا

its keepers will ask them,

أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ (٨)

‘Did not any warner come to you?’

قَالُوا بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَاءَنَا نَذِيرٌ

⁹ They will say, ‘Yes, a warner did come to us,

فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا

but we impugned him and said,

مَا نَزَّلَ اللهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

‘God did not send down anything;

إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا فِي ضَلَالٍ كَبِيرٍ (٩)

you are only in great error.’

وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ

¹⁰ They will say, ‘Had we listened or exercised our reason,

مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ (١٠)

we would not have been among inmates of the Blaze.’

فَاعْتَرَفُوا بِذَنْبِهِمْ

¹¹ Thus they will admit their sin.

فَسُحْقًا لِأَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ (١١)

So away with the inmates of the Blaze!

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ

¹² Indeed, for those who fear their Lord in secret

لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ (١٢)

there will be forgiveness and a great reward.

وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ اجْهَرُوا بِهِۖ

¹³ Speak secretly, or do so openly,

إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ (١٣)

indeed He knows well what is in the breasts.

أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ

¹⁴ Would He who has created not know?

وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ (١٤)

And He is the All-attentive, the All-aware.

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا

¹⁵ It is He who made the earth tractable for you;

فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِهِۖ

so walk on its flanks and eat of His provision,

وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ (١٥)

and towards Him is the resurrection.

أَأَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ

¹⁶ Are you secure that He who is in the heaven

أَنْ يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ (١٦)

will not make the earth swallow you while it quakes?

أَمْ أَمِنْتُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ

¹⁷ Are you secure that He who is in the heaven

أَنْ يُرْسِلَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاصِبًاۖ

will not unleash upon you a rain of stones?

فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ نَذِيرِ (١٧)

Soon you will know how My warning has been!

وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ

¹⁸ Certainly, those who were before them had impugned;

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ (١٨)

but then how was My rebuttal![68]

أَوَ لَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ

¹⁹ Have they not regarded the birds above them,

صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَۚ

spreading and closing their wings?

مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحْمَٰنُۚ

No one sustains them except the All-beneficent.

إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ (١٩)

He indeed watches all things.

أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ جُنْدٌ لَكُمْ

²⁰ Who is it that is your host

يَنْصُرُكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِۚ

who may help you, besides the All-beneficent?

إِنِ الْكَافِرُونَ إِلَّا فِي غُرُورٍ (٢٠)

The faithless only dwell in delusion.

أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي يَرْزُقُكُمْ

²¹ Who is it that may provide for you

إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۚ

if He withholds His provision?

بَلْ لَجُّوا فِي عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ (٢١)

Indeed, they persist in defiance and aversion.

أَفَمَنْ يَمْشِي مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ أَهْدَىٰ

²² Is he who walks prone on his face better guided,

أَمَّنْ يَمْشِي سَوِيًّا

or he who walks upright

عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ (٢٢)

on a straight path?

قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْشَأَكُمْ

²³ Say, ‘It is He who created you

وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ

and invested you with hearing,

وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَۖ

sight, and the hearts.

قَلِيلًا مَا تَشْكُرُونَ (٢٣)

Little do you thank.’

قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي ذَرَأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ

²⁴ Say, ‘It is He who created you on the earth,

وَإِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ (٢٤)

and toward Him you will be gathered.’

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا الْوَعْدُ

²⁵ They say, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled,

إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (٢٥)

if you are truthful?’

قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللهِ

²⁶ Say, ‘Its knowledge is only with God;

وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ (٢٦)

I am only a manifest warner.’

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً

²⁷ When they see it brought near,

سِيئَتْ وُجُوهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

the countenances of the faithless will be contorted,

وَقِيلَ

and they will be told,

هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تَدَّعُونَ (٢٧)

‘This is what you had been asking for!’

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِيَ اللهُ

²⁸ Say, ‘Tell me, irrespective of whether God destroys me

وَمَنْ مَعِيَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا

and those who are with me, or He has mercy on us,

فَمَنْ يُجِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ

who will shelter the faithless

مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (٢٨)

from a painful punishment?’

قُلْ هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ

²⁹ Say, ‘He is the All-beneficent;

آمَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَاۖ

we have faith in Him, and in Him do we trust.

فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (٢٩)

Soon you will know who is in plain error.’

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ

³⁰ Say, ‘Tell me,

إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا

should your water sink down into the ground,

فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِمَاءٍ مَعِينٍ (٣٠)

who will bring you running water?’

The Virtues of Surat al-Mulk

Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) is reported[69] to have stated that one who recites Sūrat al-Mulk from written text before going to bed will remain in God Almighty’s protection until morning, and on the Day of Resurrection he will remain in His shelter until he enters paradise.

An episode is narrated by Quṭb al-Dīn Rāwandī[70] from Ibn ‘Abbās that a man unknowingly pitched a tent at a spot beneath which was a grave. On reciting Sūrat al-Mulk, he heard a voice say, "This sūrah is delivering." Later on, when he related the incident to the Apostle of Allāh (ṣ), he was told that the sūrah relieves the dead from the torments of the grave.

Surat al-Naba’

The Tiding[71]

بِسْمِ اللهِ

In the Name of God,

الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ (١)

¹ What is it about which they are questioning each other?!

عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ (٢)

² Is it about the Great Tiding,

الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ (٣)

³ the one about which they differ?

كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (٤)

⁴ No indeed! Soon they will know!

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ (٥)

⁵ Once again, no indeed! Soon they will know!

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا (٦)

⁶ Did We not make the earth a resting place?

وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا (٧)

⁷ and the mountains stakes?

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا (٨)

⁸ and create you in pairs?

وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا (٩)

⁹ and make your sleep for rest?

وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا (١٠)

¹⁰ and make the night a covering?

وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا (١١)

¹¹ and make the day for livelihood?

وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا (١٢)

¹² and build above you the seven mighty heavens?

وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا (١٣)

¹³ and make the sun for a radiant lamp?

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا (١٤)

¹⁴ and send down water pouring from the rain-clouds,

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا (١٥)

¹⁵ that We may bring forth with it grains and plants,

وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا (١٦)

¹⁶ and luxuriant gardens?

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا (١٧)

¹⁷ The Day of Judgement is indeed the tryst,

يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ

¹⁸ the day the Trumpet will be blown,

فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا (١٨)

and you will come in groups,

وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا (١٩)

¹⁹ and the heaven will be opened and become gates,

وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ

²⁰ and the mountains will be set moving,

فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا (٢٠)

becoming a mirage.

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا (٢١)

²¹ Hell is indeed in ambush,

لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا (٢٢)

²² a resort for the rebels,

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا (٢٣)

²³ to reside therein for ages,

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا (٢٤)

²⁴ tasting in it neither any coolness nor drink,

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا (٢٥)

²⁵ except boiling water and pus,

جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا (٢٦)

²⁶ a fitting requital.

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا (٢٧)

²⁷ They did not indeed expect any reckoning,

وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا (٢٨)

²⁸ and they denied Our signs mendaciously,

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا (٢٩)

²⁹ and We have figured everything in a Book.

فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ

³⁰ Now taste! We shall increase you in nothing

إِلَّا عَذَابًا (٣٠)

but punishment!

إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا (٣١)

³¹ Deliverance and triumph indeed await the Godwary:

حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا (٣٢)

³² gardens and vineyards,

وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا (٣٣)

³³ and buxom maidens of a like age,

وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا (٣٤)

³⁴ and brimming cups.

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا (٣٥)

³⁵ Therein they will hear neither vain talk nor lies

جَزَاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطَاءً حِسَابًا (٣٦)

³⁶ —a reward and sufficing[72] bounty from your Lord,

رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

³⁷ the Lord of the heavens and the earth

وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا

and whatever is between them,

الرَّحْمَٰنِۖ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْهُ خِطَابًا (٣٧)

the All-beneficent, whom they will not be able to address

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّاۖ

³⁸ on the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in an array.

لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ

None shall speak except whom the All-beneficent permits

وَقَالَ صَوَابًا (٣٨)

and who says what is right.

ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمُ الْحَقُّۖ

³⁹ That day is true for certain.

فَمَنْ شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ مَآبًا (٣٩)

So let anyone who wishes take resort with his Lord.

إِنَّا أَنْذَرْنَاكُمْ عَذَابًا قَرِيبًا

⁴⁰ We have indeed warned you of a punishment near at hand

يَوْمَ يَنْظُرُ الْمَرْءُ

—the day when a person will observe[73]

مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ

what his hands have sent ahead,

وَيَقُولُ الْكَافِرُ يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ تُرَابًا (٤٠)

and the faithless one will say, ‘I wish I were dust!’

The Virtues of Surat al-Naba’

Shaykh Ṣadūq narrates[74] from Imam Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq (‘a) that he said, For someone who recites Sūrat al-Naba’ regularly every day, the year will not end without his making pilgrimage to the Bayt Allāh.

Shaykh Ṭabrisī, in Majma‘ al-Bayān, narrates[75] on the authority of Ubayy b. Ka‘b that the Apostle of Allah (ṣ) said that on the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will slake with a cool drink the thirst of those who recite Sūrat al-Naba’. In the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), ‘the great tiding’ mentioned at the head of this sūrah is interpreted