35. Fatir

[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.

All praise be to God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, who made the angels His messengers, with wings -- two, or three, or four pairs. He adds to His creation whatever He wills; for God has the power to will anything

All Praise is due to Allah, the Originator of all Highs and their Lows, Who appoints His angels as message-bearers having wings two, three and four. (Many of the angels, the physical laws in the Universe, have more than one function). He increases in creation what He Will. For, Allah is the Appointer of due measure of all things, and He is Able to do all things

Whatever Allāh grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

No one can withhold the blessings God bestows upon people, nor can anyone apart from Him bestow whatever He withholds: He is the Almighty, the Wise One

Whatever Grace Allah opens for mankind, none can withhold it. And whatever He withholds, none can release, for He is the Almighty, the Wise. (He uses His Might in Mercy and Wisdom)

O mankind, remember the favor of Allāh upon you. Is there any creator other than Allāh who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded?

People, remember God's favour to you. Is there any creator other than God who provides for you from the heavens and the earth? There is no God save Him. How then are you turned away from the truth

O Mankind! Think of the blessings of Allah upon you. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no god but He. How could you wander in the wilderness of thought

And if they deny you, [O Muḥammad] - already were messengers denied before you. And to Allāh are returned [all] matters.

If they reject you, other messengers have been rejected before you. To God all affairs will be returned

(O Messenger) if they deny you, Messengers before you were also denied. But all affairs ultimately end up in His Court

O mankind, indeed the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].

O Men. The promise of God is true. Let not the life of this world deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you about God

O Mankind! Indeed Allah's Promise is true. (The Law of Requital is an inevitable reality). So let not the present life deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you about Allah. (Deceiver = Satan = Selfish desire. Also misguided people and their propaganda)

Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.

Surely Satan is your enemy: so treat him as an enemy: he calls on his followers only so that they should become inmates of the burning Fire

Behold, Satan is a foe unto you; so treat him as a foe. He only calls his party to become companions of the Blazing Fire

Those who disbelieve will have a severe punishment, and those who believe and do righteous deeds will have forgiveness and great reward.

Those who are bent on denying the truth will have a severe punishment, while those who believe and do good deeds will have forgiveness and a great reward

For those who are bent on rejecting the Truth, is a severe retribution. And for those who accept the Truth and work for the welfare of others, is the protection of forgiveness and a great reward

Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, Allāh sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what they do.

Is he whose evil deeds are made alluring to him so that he looks upon them as good, [equal to the man who is rightly guided]? God leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. Do not destroy yourself with grief for them. God has full knowledge of all their actions

Can you think of he whose persistence in evil blunts his sensitivity - so that his deeds seem fair to him? Verily, Allah lets go astray any who wants to go astray, just as He guides any who wants to be guided. Therefore, waste not yourself in sorrowing over them. Verily, Allah is Aware of all that they contrive

And it is Allāh who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds, and We drive them to a dead land and give life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Thus is the resurrection.

It is God who sends forth the winds so that they raise up the clouds. We drive them to a dead land, and by them bring the earth to life after its death. Such is the Resurrection

And Allah it is Who sends the winds and they raise a cloud; then We lead it unto a dead land and revive the earth after it had been lifeless. Thus is the Resurrection (and revival of individuals and nations with Divine Guidance)

Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allāh belongs all honor.1 To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it.2 But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.

If anyone seeks glory, let him know that glory belongs to God alone. Good words ascend to Him and righteous deeds are exalted by Him. Those who plot evil deeds shall be sternly punished and their plotting will come to nothing

Whoever desires dignity should know that to Allah belongs all Dignity. Unto Him ascend all good words, and He exalts the works that help others. (That is how individuals and nations can ascend in honor). But those who plot imbalance in the lives of others, for them is severe punishment and their plotting, in the end, will come to naught

And Allāh created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop; then He made you mates. And no female conceives nor does she give birth except with His knowledge. And no aged person is granted [additional] life nor is his lifespan lessened but that it is in a register. Indeed, that for Allāh is easy.

God has created you from dust, then from a drop of semen and then divided you into pairs; no female conceives or gives birth without His knowledge; and no one's life is prolonged or shortened, but it is recorded in a Book. That surely is easy for God

(Recall your common humble origin.) Allah created you from dust, then from male and female gametes, and then He makes you pairs. And no female becomes pregnant, nor gives birth without His Knowledge (according to His Appointed Science, without exceptions). No one lives long, and no one lives short, but by His Law (3:144). Behold, all this is easy to Allah. ('Nutfah' = Gamete, male or female)

And not alike are the two seas [i.e., bodies of water]. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter. And from each you eat tender meat and extract ornaments which you wear, and you see the ships plowing through [them] that you might seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.

The two seas are not alike. The one is sweet, thirst-quenching, and pleasant to drink from, while the other is salty and bitter. Yet from each you eat fresh fish and extract ornaments to wear, and in each you see the ships ploughing through the waves so that you may seek His bounty and so that you may feel thankful

(Observe the diversity in Nature.) Thus the two seas (and subsoil waters) are not alike. One is fresh, good to drink, the other undrinkable, salty (25:53). Yet, from either of them you eat tender meat and extract ornament that you may wear. And you see ships sailing through the waves seeking His Bounty, so that you may have cause to be grateful

He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon - each running [its course] for a specified term. That is Allāh, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed.

He makes the night pass into the day and He makes the day pass into the night. He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term. Such is God, your Lord: His is the kingdom. Those whom you invoke besides Him do not own so much as the skin of a date stone

He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night. And He has committed the sun and the moon to service, each running to an appointed term. Such is Allah, your Lord - unto Him belongs all Dominion. And those whom you call upon instead of Him, do not own so much as the husk of a date-stone. (

If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association.1 And none can inform you like [one] Aware [of all matters].

if you invoke them, they do not hear your call; and even if they could hear, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will disown your having associated them with God. No one can tell you [the Truth] like the One who is all knowing

When you call them (the dead 'saints'), they don't even hear your call, and even if they were to hear they won't be able to respond to you. On the Day of Resurrection they will disown your 'partnership'. And none can inform you like the One Who is Aware

O mankind, you are those in need of Allāh, while Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.

O men! It is you who stand in need of God -- God is self-sufficient, and praiseworthy

O Mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah. And Allah! He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise

If He wills, He can do away with you and bring forth a new creation.

if He so wished, He could take you away and replace you with a new creation

If He Will, He can do away with you and bring some new creation

And that is for Allāh not difficult.

that is not difficult for God

This is not at all difficult for Allah

And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls [another] to [carry some of] its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allāh is the [final] destination.

No burden-bearer shall bear another's burden, and if some over-laden soul should call out for someone else to carry his load, not the least portion of it will be borne for him, even though he were a near relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord in the unseen, and pray regularly. Anyone who purifies himself will benefit greatly from doing so. To God all shall return

And no person, being already burdened with his own doings, will be made to carry the burden of another. And if a laden one calls for help with his load, none may carry part of it even if he is a close relative. Hence, you can warn only those who understand their Lord's Law of Requital knowing that even their actions done in secrecy have consequences. So, such people follow the Divine Commands closely. Whoever grows in virtue does so for the good of his "Self". And the destination of all is to Allah

Not equal are the blind and the seeing,

The blind and the sighted are not equal

The blind of reason and the seeing are not equal

Nor are the darknesses and the light,

nor are the darkness and the light

Nor are the Darkness and the Light

Nor are the shade and the heat,1

shade and heat are not alike

Nor the cooling shade and the scorching heat

And not equal are the living and the dead. Indeed, Allāh causes to hear whom He wills, but you cannot make hear those in the graves.1

nor are the living and the dead. God causes whom He will to hear Him, but you cannot make those who are in their graves hear you

Nor are the living equal with the dead. Behold, Allah makes him hear who wants to hear. You cannot make hear the dead of heart like those who are in the graves

You, [O Muḥammad], are not but a warner.

You are but a warner

You are but a Warner

Indeed, We have sent you with the truth as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And there was no nation but that there had passed within it a warner.

We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and a warner, there is no community to which a warner has not come

Verily, We have sent you with the Truth, as a bearer of glad news, and a Warner. And there is not a nation but a Warner has passed among them

And if they deny you - then already have those before them denied. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs and written ordinances and with the enlightening Scripture.

If they reject you, so did their predecessors. Messengers came to them with clear signs, with scriptures, and with the enlightening Book

(O Prophet) if they deny you, those before them also denied. Their Messengers came to them with all evidence of the Truth, and with Books of Divine Wisdom, and the Scripture giving light

Then I seized the ones who disbelieved, and how [terrible] was My reproach.

but in the end I seized those who were bent on denying the truth and how terrible was My punishment

Then My Law of Requital seized the rejecters of the Truth, and how intense was My rejection

Do you not see that Allāh sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby fruits of varying colors? And in the mountains are tracts, white and red of varying shades and [some] extremely black.

Did you not see how God sent down water from the sky with which We bring forth fruit of diverse colours. In the mountains there are streaks of various shades of white and red, and jet-black rocks

Have you not seen that Allah causes water to fall from the height. And from the same water We produce fruit and flower of different color, just as in the mountains are streaks of varying colors - white, red, and varying shades of black

And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allāh, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Forgiving.

in like manner, men, beasts, and cattle have their diverse hues too. Only those of His servants, who possess knowledge, fear God. God is almighty and most forgiving

And of human beings, and other creatures, and the cattle have diverse colors. This is how it is: of all His servants only the ULAMA get some idea of the Glory of Allah (by examining the wonders in Nature. ULAMA = men and women of scientific knowledge. They understand that) Allah is Almighty, the Absolver of imperfections

Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allāh and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a transaction [i.e., profit] that will never perish -

Those who read the Book of God and attend to their prayers and spend in charity in private and in public out of what We have provided them, may hope for a commerce that suffers no loss

Verily those who read the Scripture of Allah (in Nature) and follow Allah's Commands, and spend on others the provision We have given them secretly and openly, are conducting business that will never perish

That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.1

He will give them their full rewards and give them more out of His bounty. He is forgiving and appreciative

He will pay their wages and give them yet more of His Bounty. He is Absolver of imperfections, Responsive to gratitude

And that which We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], of the Book is the truth, confirming what was before it. Indeed Allāh, of His servants, is Aware and Seeing.

The Book which We have revealed to you is the truth confirming previous scriptures. God knows and observes His servants

And (O Prophet) all that We have revealed in this Book to you is the very Truth, confirming the Divine Origin of the previous Scriptures. For, behold, of the needs of His servants Allah is fully Aware, all-Seeing

Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants;1 and among them is he who wrongs himself [i.e., sins], and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allāh. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty.

We have bestowed the Book on those of Our servants whom We have chosen. Some wrong their own souls, some keep half-way [between right and wrong]; some, by God's leave, excel others in good deeds. This is a great bounty of God

And so, We have bestowed this Book (on you) as a heritage from Our servants whom We chose. And among people are those who (ignore it and thus) hurt themselves. Others will have a lukewarm attitude toward it, and some who, by Allah's leave, will be foremost in attaining all the good in it. That! Indeed that is, the Great Bounty

[For them are] gardens of perpetual residence which they will enter. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk.

they shall enter the Gardens of Eternity, where they shall be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and wear silk garments

Hence, the Gardens of Eden of eternal bliss will they enter, therein to be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and therein to be dressed in garments of silk. (And right here in this world they will establish a society in which life will be pleasant and honorable)

And they will say, "Praise to Allāh, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative -

They will say, "Praise be to God who has taken away all sorrow from us. Our Lord is forgiving and appreciative

And they will say, "All praise to Allah Who has put away grief from us. Verily, Our Lord is Absolver of imperfections, Responsive to gratitude

He who has settled us in the home of duration [i.e., Paradise] out of His bounty. There touches us not in it any fatigue, and there touches us not in it weariness [of mind]."

Through His grace He has admitted us to the everlasting Abode, where neither toil nor weariness affects us

Who, out of His Bounty, has settled us in the mansion of Eternity. Neither do we experience toil herein, nor any sense of weariness

And for those who disbelieve will be the fire of Hell. [Death] is not decreed for them1 so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one.

Those who deny the truth shall remain in the fire of Hell. Death will not be decreed for them, so that they could escape by way of death, nor will its torment ever be eased for them. Thus do We requite every ungrateful person

But for those who reject the Truth, is fire of Hell. Therein they neither end up dying nor is the torment lightened for them. Thus We requite all those who remain ungrateful (for the Guidance)

And they will cry out therein, "Our Lord, remove us;1 we will do righteousness - other than what we were doing!" But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.

There they will cry out, "Lord, take us out! We shall do good deeds, and behave differently from the way we used to." But He will answer, "Did We not make your life long enough to take warning if you were going to? The warner did come to you. So now have a taste of the punishment." Wrongdoers will have no supporter

And in that suffering they will cry, "Our Lord! Get us out of here. We will do right, not that we used to do." Did We not give you a life-long opportunity replete with reminders for whoever would bethink? And a Warner had come to you. Taste then the fruit of your transgressions, for there is no helper for the transgressors of Divine Laws

Indeed, Allāh is Knower of the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and earth. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.

God knows the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth. He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts of men

Verily, Allah is the Knower of the Hidden realities of the heavens. Behold, He is Knower of what is in the hearts

It is He who has made you successors upon the earth. And whoever disbelieves - upon him will be [the consequence of] his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them in the sight of their Lord except in hatred; and the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them except in loss.

it is He who has made you inherit the earth. He who denies Him shall bear the burden of his denial. God's displeasure with the deniers will only be increased by their denial of the truth, it will only increase their loss

He it is Who has given you supremacy in the earth (2:30). So whoever denies this blessing, his denial is upon him. Their denial increases their deprivation according to the Laws of their Lord, and their denial only increases their own loss (causing them to be content with a subhuman existence)

Say, "Have you considered1 your 'partners' whom you invoke besides Allāh? Show me what they have created from the earth, or have they partnership [with Him] in the heavens? Or have We given them a book so they are [standing] on evidence therefrom? [No], rather, the wrongdoers do not promise each other except delusion."2

Say, "Have you ever considered your associate gods whom you call on besides God? Show me what it is that they have created on earth. Or have they a share in the creation of the heavens?" Or have We given them a book so that they may act on evidence from it? Indeed, the wrongdoers' promises to one another are nothing but deception

Say, "Have you seen your 'partners' whom you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they created of the earth! Or have they any share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Scripture as evidence to prove their fallacies?" Nay, those who exploit the weak, support one another with delusions

Indeed, Allāh holds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease. And if they should cease, no one could hold them [in place] after Him. Indeed, He is Forbearing1 and Forgiving.

Surely, God holds the heavens and the earth, lest they should deviate [from their places]. Were they to deviate, none could hold them after Him. Surely, He is forbearing and most forgiving

Verily, it is Allah Who upholds the celestial bodies and the earth, so they deviate not from their course. And if they were to deviate, there is none, no one whatsoever that can uphold them after He ceases to uphold them. Verily, He is Clement, Absolver of imperfections

And they swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion

They swore their most solemn oaths that if a warner should ever come to them, they would be better guided than any other community. But when a warner did come to them, it only increased their aversion

Thus it is, yet - they used to swear by Allah with their most solemn oaths that if a Warner came to them, they would follow his guidance better than any nation ever could. But now that a Warner has come unto them, it arouses in them nothing but aversion

[Due to] arrogance in the land and plotting of evil; but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people. Then do they await except the way [i.e., fate] of the former peoples? But you will never find in the way [i.e., established method] of Allāh any change, and you will never find in the way of Allāh1 any alteration.2

and they behaved arrogantly in the land and plotted evil. But the plotting of evil only rebounds on those who plot. Are they but looking for the way the previous peoples [sinners] were dealt with? You will never find any change in the ways of God; nor will you ever find God's decree averted

Their arrogance in the land and their evil schemes! Yet an evil scheme engulfs its designers. Are they waiting for anything but the way the ancients were dealt with? Yes! No change you will ever find in the Laws of Allah, and no deviation you will ever find in the Laws of Allah

Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? And they were greater than them in power. But Allāh is not to be caused failure [i.e., prevented] by anything in the heavens or on the earth. Indeed, He is ever Knowing and Competent.

Have they not travelled around the earth and seen the fate of those who preceded them? And they were far superior to them in strength. Nothing in the heavens or the earth can ever frustrate God's [plans]. He is all-knowing and all powerful

Have they not traveled in the land and seen what happened to those before them? And they were greater in might than these are. Allah is not such that anything in the heavens and the earth could foil His Authority, for He is Knower, Supreme Controller

And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allāh has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.

If God were to take men to task for their misdeeds, He would not leave a single living creature on the surface of the earth; but He grants them respite until an appointed time; and when their appointed time comes, then they will know that God is indeed observant of all His servants

Now if Allah took mankind to task by that which they earn by their deeds, He would not leave a creature on its surface. However, He grants them Respite unto an appointed term. And when their term comes to an end, then, verily, they come to know that Allah is ever Seer of His servants. ('Not leave a creature' - Life on the planet earth exists for and manifests itself in the highest form as the humans (2)