Surah Qaf - English Translation by Muhammad Asad
قٓۚ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ ٱلۡمَجِيدِ
Qaf. CONSIDER this sublime Qur’an
Surah Qaf, Verse 1
بَلۡ عَجِبُوٓاْ أَن جَآءَهُم مُّنذِرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَقَالَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ هَٰذَا شَيۡءٌ عَجِيبٌ
But nay - they deem it strange that a warner should have come unto them from their own midst; and so these deniers of the truth are saying, “A strange thing is this
Surah Qaf, Verse 2
أَءِذَا مِتۡنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابٗاۖ ذَٰلِكَ رَجۡعُۢ بَعِيدٞ
Why - [how could we be resurrected] after we have died and become mere dust? Such a return seems far-fetched indeed!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 3
قَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا مَا تَنقُصُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ مِنۡهُمۡۖ وَعِندَنَا كِتَٰبٌ حَفِيظُۢ
Well do We know how the earth consumes their bodies, for with Us is a record unfailing
Surah Qaf, Verse 4
بَلۡ كَذَّبُواْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِيٓ أَمۡرٖ مَّرِيجٍ
Nay, but they [who refuse to believe in resurrection] have been wont to give the lie to this truth whenever it was proffered to them; and so they are in a state of confusion
Surah Qaf, Verse 5
أَفَلَمۡ يَنظُرُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَيۡفَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا وَزَيَّنَّـٰهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٖ
Do they not look at the sky above them - how We have built it and made it beautiful and free of all faults
Surah Qaf, Verse 6
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَٰهَا وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوۡجِۭ بَهِيجٖ
And the earth - We have spread it wide, and set upon it mountains firm, and caused it to bring forth plants of all beauteous kinds
Surah Qaf, Verse 7
تَبۡصِرَةٗ وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَبۡدٖ مُّنِيبٖ
thus offering an insight and a reminder unto every human being who willingly turns unto God
Surah Qaf, Verse 8
وَنَزَّلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ مُّبَٰرَكٗا فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا بِهِۦ جَنَّـٰتٖ وَحَبَّ ٱلۡحَصِيدِ
And We send down from the skies water rich in blessings, and cause thereby gardens to grow, and fields of grain
Surah Qaf, Verse 9
وَٱلنَّخۡلَ بَاسِقَٰتٖ لَّهَا طَلۡعٞ نَّضِيدٞ
and tall palm-trees with their thickly-clustered dates
Surah Qaf, Verse 10
رِّزۡقٗا لِّلۡعِبَادِۖ وَأَحۡيَيۡنَا بِهِۦ بَلۡدَةٗ مَّيۡتٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡخُرُوجُ
as sustenance apportioned to men; and by [all] this We bring dead land to life: [and] even so will be [man’s] coming-forth from death
Surah Qaf, Verse 11
كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ وَأَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلرَّسِّ وَثَمُودُ
[Long] before those [who now deny resurrection] did Noah’s people give the lie to this truth, and [so did] the folk of Ar-Rass, and [the tribes of] Thamud
Surah Qaf, Verse 12
وَعَادٞ وَفِرۡعَوۡنُ وَإِخۡوَٰنُ لُوطٖ
and Ad, and Pharaoh, and Lot’s brethren
Surah Qaf, Verse 13
وَأَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَيۡكَةِ وَقَوۡمُ تُبَّعٖۚ كُلّٞ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ
and the dwellers of the wooded dales [of Madyan], and the people of Tubba: they all gave the lie to the apostles - and thereupon that whereof I had warned [them] came true
Surah Qaf, Verse 14
أَفَعَيِينَا بِٱلۡخَلۡقِ ٱلۡأَوَّلِۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ فِي لَبۡسٖ مِّنۡ خَلۡقٖ جَدِيدٖ
Could We, then, be [thought of as being] worn out by the first creation? Nay - but some people are [still] lost in doubt about [the possibility of] a new creation
Surah Qaf, Verse 15
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفۡسُهُۥۖ وَنَحۡنُ أَقۡرَبُ إِلَيۡهِ مِنۡ حَبۡلِ ٱلۡوَرِيدِ
NOW, VERILY, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein
Surah Qaf, Verse 16
إِذۡ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلۡمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلۡيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٞ
[And so,] whenever the two demands [of his nature] come face to face, contending from the right and from the left
Surah Qaf, Verse 17
مَّا يَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيۡهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٞ
not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present
Surah Qaf, Verse 18
وَجَآءَتۡ سَكۡرَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنۡهُ تَحِيدُ
And [then,] the twilight of death brings with it the [full] truth that [very thing, O man,] from which thou wouldst always look away! –
Surah Qaf, Verse 19
وَنُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡوَعِيدِ
and [in the end] the trumpet [of resurrection] will be blown: that will be the Day of a warning fulfilled
Surah Qaf, Verse 20
وَجَآءَتۡ كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ مَّعَهَا سَآئِقٞ وَشَهِيدٞ
And every human being will come forward with [his erstwhile] inner urges and [his] conscious mind
Surah Qaf, Verse 21
لَّقَدۡ كُنتَ فِي غَفۡلَةٖ مِّنۡ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفۡنَا عَنكَ غِطَآءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ حَدِيدٞ
[and will be told:] “Indeed, unmindful hast thou been of this [Day of Judgment]; but now We have lifted from thee thy veil, and sharp is thy sight today!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 22
وَقَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ هَٰذَا مَا لَدَيَّ عَتِيدٌ
And one part of him will say: “This it is that has been ever-present with me!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 23
أَلۡقِيَا فِي جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٖ
[Whereupon God will command:] “Cast, cast into hell every [such] stubborn enemy of the truth
Surah Qaf, Verse 24
مَّنَّاعٖ لِّلۡخَيۡرِ مُعۡتَدٖ مُّرِيبٍ
[every] withholder of good [and] sinful aggressor [and] fomentor of distrust [between man and man – everyone]
Surah Qaf, Verse 25
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَأَلۡقِيَاهُ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلشَّدِيدِ
who has set up another deity beside God: cast him, then, cast him into suffering severe!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 26
۞قَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطۡغَيۡتُهُۥ وَلَٰكِن كَانَ فِي ضَلَٰلِۭ بَعِيدٖ
Man’s other self’ will say: “O our Sustainer! It was not I that led his conscious mind into evil [nay,] but it had gone far astray [of its own accord]
Surah Qaf, Verse 27
قَالَ لَا تَخۡتَصِمُواْ لَدَيَّ وَقَدۡ قَدَّمۡتُ إِلَيۡكُم بِٱلۡوَعِيدِ
[And] He will say: “Contend not before Me, [O you sinners,] for I gave you a forewarning [of this Day of Reckoning]
Surah Qaf, Verse 28
مَا يُبَدَّلُ ٱلۡقَوۡلُ لَدَيَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ بِظَلَّـٰمٖ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ
The judgment passed by Me shall not be altered; but never do I do the least wrong unto My creatures!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 29
يَوۡمَ نَقُولُ لِجَهَنَّمَ هَلِ ٱمۡتَلَأۡتِ وَتَقُولُ هَلۡ مِن مَّزِيدٖ
On that Day We will ask hell, “Art thou filled?”- and it will answer, “[Nay,] is there yet more [for me]?”
Surah Qaf, Verse 30
وَأُزۡلِفَتِ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٍ
And [on that Day] paradise will be brought within the sight of the God-conscious, and will no longer be far away; [and they will be told]
Surah Qaf, Verse 31
هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٖ
“This is what you were promised - [promised] unto everyone who was wont to turn unto God and to keep Him always in mind –
Surah Qaf, Verse 32
مَّنۡ خَشِيَ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلۡبٖ مُّنِيبٍ
[everyone] who stood in awe of the Most Gracious although He is beyond the reach of human perception, and who has come [unto Him] with a heart full of contrition
Surah Qaf, Verse 33
ٱدۡخُلُوهَا بِسَلَٰمٖۖ ذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُلُودِ
Enter this [paradise] in peace; this is the Day on which life abiding begins!”
Surah Qaf, Verse 34
لَهُم مَّا يَشَآءُونَ فِيهَا وَلَدَيۡنَا مَزِيدٞ
In that [paradise] they shall have whatever they may desire - but there is yet more with Us
Surah Qaf, Verse 35
وَكَمۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا قَبۡلَهُم مِّن قَرۡنٍ هُمۡ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُم بَطۡشٗا فَنَقَّبُواْ فِي ٱلۡبِلَٰدِ هَلۡ مِن مَّحِيصٍ
AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastisement befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refuge
Surah Qaf, Verse 36
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكۡرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُۥ قَلۡبٌ أَوۡ أَلۡقَى ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٞ
In this, behold, there is indeed a reminder for everyone whose heart is wide-awake -that is, [everyone who] lends ear with a conscious mind
Surah Qaf, Verse 37
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٖ
and [who knows that] We have indeed created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six aeons, and [that] no weariness could ever touch Us
Surah Qaf, Verse 38
فَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمۡسِ وَقَبۡلَ ٱلۡغُرُوبِ
HENCE, [O believer,] bear thou with patience whatever they may say, and extol thy Sustainer’s limitless glory and praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting
Surah Qaf, Verse 39
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡهُ وَأَدۡبَٰرَ ٱلسُّجُودِ
and in the night, too, extol His glory, and at every prayer’s end
Surah Qaf, Verse 40
وَٱسۡتَمِعۡ يَوۡمَ يُنَادِ ٱلۡمُنَادِ مِن مَّكَانٖ قَرِيبٖ
And [always] listen for the day when He who issues the call [of death] shall call [thee] from close-by
Surah Qaf, Verse 41
يَوۡمَ يَسۡمَعُونَ ٱلصَّيۡحَةَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ ذَٰلِكَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡخُرُوجِ
[and bethink thyself, too, of] the Day on which all [human beings] will in truth hear the final blast - that Day of [their] coming-forth [from death]
Surah Qaf, Verse 42
إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نُحۡيِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيۡنَا ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
Verily, it is We who grant life and deal death; and with Us will be all journeys’ end
Surah Qaf, Verse 43
يَوۡمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ عَنۡهُمۡ سِرَاعٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ حَشۡرٌ عَلَيۡنَا يَسِيرٞ
on the Day when the earth is riven asunder all around them as they hasten forth [towards God’s judgment]: that gathering will be easy for Us [to encompass]
Surah Qaf, Verse 44
نَّحۡنُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يَقُولُونَۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِجَبَّارٖۖ فَذَكِّرۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ
Fully aware are We of what they [who deny resurrection] do say; and thou canst by no means force them [to believe in it]. Yet none the less, remind, through this Qur’an, all such as may fear My warning
Surah Qaf, Verse 45