Surah As-Saffat (Those who Set the Ranks) 37

Revealed 56th in the Qur'an

Read the Full Text with References to the Torah and the Gospel

37:1
By those [angels] lined up in rows

37:2
And those who strongly repel [every rebellious devil]

37:3
And those who recite the Reminder,

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Indeed, your God is One, *Deuteronomy 6:4, *Mark 12:29, *Mark 12:32, *James 2:19, *Shepherd of Hermas 26:1

37:5
Lord of the heavens and the earth *Acts 17:24 and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.

37:6
Indeed, We have adorned the [lowest] heaven of this world with an adornment of stars

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And as protection against every rebellious devil

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[So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] *Book of Enoch 108:7, *Testament of Solomon 113, *Testament of Solomon 114 and are pelted from every side,

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Repelled; and there is a constant punishment for them,

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Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].

37:11
Then inquire of them, "Are they a stronger creation or those [angels] We have created?" Indeed, We created men from sticky clay. *Genesis 2:7

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But you wonder, while they mock,

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And when they are reminded, they do not remember.

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And when they see a sign, they ridicule

37:15
And say, "This is nothing but clear magic.

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When we have died and become dust and bones, are we indeed to be resurrected?

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And our forefathers [as well]?"

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Say, "Yes, and you will be humiliated."

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It will only be one shout, ~*Jeremiah 25:30 and at once they will be observing.

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They will say, "O woe to us! This is the Day of the Religion."

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[They will be told], "This is the Day of Decision which you used to deny."

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[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to serve

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Other than God, and guide them to the path of Hellfire *Book of Enoch 54:6, *Matthew 13:49 - 50

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And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned."

37:25
[They will be asked], "What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?"

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But they will be submissive [to God by compulsion] that Day. *Psalms 66:3

37:27
And they will approach one another blaming each other.

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They will say, "Indeed, you used to come at us from the right."

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The oppressors will say, "Rather, you [yourselves] were not believers,

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And we had no authority over you, but you were a transgressing people.

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So the word of our Lord has come true upon us; indeed, we will taste [punishment].

37:32
And we led you to deviation; indeed, we were deviators."

37:33
So indeed, they will be sharing in the punishment that Day.

37:34
Indeed, that is how We deal with the criminals.

37:35
Indeed, when it was said to them, "There is no god except God," they were arrogant

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And were saying, "Are we to leave our gods for a poet possessed [by devils of jinn]?"

37:37
Rather, the prophet has come with the truth and confirmed the [previous] messengers.

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Indeed, you [disbelievers] will surely taste the painful punishment,

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And you will not be recompensed except for what you used to do -

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But not the chosen servants of God.

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Those will have a known provision -

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Fruits; and they will be honored

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In Gardens of Pleasure *2 Ezra 7:53

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Facing one another on thrones. *Book of Enoch 108:12

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There will be a cup [of wine] from a flowing spring circulated among them,

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White and delicious to the drinkers;

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There is no bad effect in it, nor will they be intoxicated from it.

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And there will be companions of modest gaze with them, with large, [beautiful] eyes,

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As if they were well-protected eggs.

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And they will approach one another, inquiring of each other.

37:51
A speaker among them will say, "Indeed, I had a companion [on earth]

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Who would say, 'Are you indeed among those who confirm

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That when we have died and become dust and bones, we will indeed be recompensed?'"

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He will say, "Would you [care to] look?"

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And he will look and see him in the midst of the Hellfire.

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He will say, "By God, you almost ruined me.

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If not for the favor of my Lord, I would have been among those brought in [to Hell].

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Then, are we not to die

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Except for our first death, and we will not be punished?"

37:60
Indeed, this is the great attainment.

37:61
Let the workers [on earth] work for the like of this.

37:62
Is that a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqum?

37:63
Indeed, We have made it a trial for the wrongdoers. *17:60

37:64
Indeed, it is a tree coming out from the bottom of the Hellfire,

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Its emerging fruit is as if it were heads of the devils.

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And indeed, they will eat from it and fill their bellies with it.

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Then indeed, they will have a mixture of scalding water after it.

37:68
Then indeed, their return will be to the Hellfire.

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Indeed they found their fathers astray.

37:70
So they hastened [to follow] in their footsteps.

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And most of the former [peoples] had already strayed before them,

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And We had already sent warners among them.

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Then look at how the end was for those who were warned -

37:74
But not the chosen servants of God.

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And Noah had certainly called Us, and [We are] the best of responders.

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And We saved him and his family from the great affliction.

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And We made his descendants those remaining [on the earth]

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And left [favorable remembrance] for him among later generations

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Peace upon Noah among the worlds.

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Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.

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Indeed, he was among Our believing servants.

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Then We drowned the others.

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And indeed, Abraham was among his sect,

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When he came to his Lord with a sound heart

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[And] when he said to his father and his people, "What do you serve?

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Do you desire falsehood [as] gods other than God? ~*Joshua 24:2, *Book of Jubilees 12:1 - 2

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Then what is your assumption about the Lord of the worlds?"

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And he cast a look at the stars

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And said, "Indeed, I am ill."

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So they turned away from him, departing.

37:91
Then [Abraham] turned to their gods and said, "Do you not eat? ~*Book of Jasher 11:29 - 30

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What is [wrong] with you that you do not speak?"

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And he turned a blow upon them with [his] right hand. ~*Book of Jasher 11:33, ~*Book of Jubilees 12:12, *Gospel of Barnabas 28:1

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Then the people came hastening toward him.

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[Abraham] said, "Do you serve that which you [yourselves] carve,

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While God created you and that which you do?"

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They said, "Construct a furnace for him and throw him into the 'Hellfire.'" *Book of Jasher 12:6

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And they intended a plan for him, but We made them the lowest.

37:99
And [then] he said, "Indeed, I will go to my Lord; He will guide me.

37:100
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous."

37:101
So We gave him good news of a forbearing boy.

37:102
And when he reached [the age of] working with him, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me among the patient, if God wills." ~*Book of Jasher 23:51 - 52

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And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,

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We called to him, "O Abraham, *Genesis 22:10 - 11

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You have fulfilled the vision." Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.

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Indeed, this was the clear trial.

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And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, *Genesis 22:13

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And We left [favorable remembrance] for him among later generations

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Peace upon Abraham.

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Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.

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Indeed, he was among Our believing servants.

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And We gave him good news of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.

37:113
And We blessed him and Isaac. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself.

37:114
And We certainly conferred favor upon Moses and Aaron.

37:115
And We saved them and their people from the great affliction,

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And We supported them so it was they who overcame.

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And We gave them the explicit Scripture,

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And We guided them on the straight path.

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And We left [favorable remembrance] for them among later generations

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Peace upon Moses and Aaron.

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Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.

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Indeed, they were among Our believing servants.

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And indeed, Elijah was from among the messengers,

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When he said to his people, "Will you not fear [God]?

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Do you call upon Baal *1 Kings 18:21 and leave the best of creators -

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God, your Lord and the Lord of your first forefathers?"

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And they denied him, so indeed, they will be brought [for punishment],

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Except the chosen servants of God.

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And We left [favorable remembrance] for him among later generations

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Peace upon Elijah.

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Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.

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Indeed, he was among Our believing servants.

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And indeed, Lot was among the messengers.

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[So remember] when We saved [Lot] *Book of Jubilees 16:11, *2 Peter 2:7 and his family, all,

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Except an old woman among those who remained [with the evildoers].

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Then We destroyed the others.

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And indeed, you pass by them in the [early] morning

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And at night. Then will you not use reason?

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And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers.

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When he ran away to the laden ship. *Jonah 1:3

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And he drew lots and was among the losers. *Jonah 1:7

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Then the fish swallowed him, *Jonah 1:17 while he was blameworthy.

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And had he not been among those who exalt [God],

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He would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.

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But We threw him onto the open shore *Jonah 2:10 while he was ill.

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And We caused a gourd vine to grow over him. *Jonah 4:6

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And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more. *Jonah 4:11

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And they believed, *Jonah 3:5 so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.

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So inquire of them, "Does your Lord have daughters while they have sons?

37:150
Or did We create the angels as females while they were witnesses?"

37:151
Unquestionably, it is out of their [invented] falsehood that they say,

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"God has begotten," *John 3:16, *1 John 4:9, *1 John 5:1 and indeed, they are liars.

37:153
Has He chosen daughters over sons?

37:154
What is [wrong] with you? How do you judge?

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Then will you not be reminded?

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Or do you have a clear authority?

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Then produce your scripture, if you should be truthful.

37:158
And they have claimed a lineage between Him and the jinn, but the jinn have already known that those [who made such claims] will be brought to [punishment].

37:159
God is exalted above what they describe,

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Except the chosen servants of God [who do not describe God as such].

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So indeed, you [disbelievers] and whatever you serve,

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You cannot tempt [anyone] away from Him

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Except he who is to [enter and] burn in the Hellfire.

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[The angels say], "There is no one among us except that he has a known position.

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And indeed, we are those who line up [for prayer].

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And indeed, we are those who exalt [God]."

37:167
And indeed, the disbelievers used to say,

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"If we had a message from the former [peoples],

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We would have been the chosen servants of God."

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But they disbelieved in it, so soon they are going to know.

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And Our word has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers,

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[That] indeed, they would be those given help *Luke 1:70 - 1:71

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And [that] indeed, Our soldiers will be those who overcome.

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So, turn away from them for a time.

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And see [what will befall] them, for soon they are going to see.

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Then are they impatient for Our punishment?

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But when it descends in their territory, then the dawn of those who were warned will [indeed] be evil.

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And turn away from them for a time.

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And see, for soon they are going to see.

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Your Lord is exalted above what they describe - [He is] the Lord of Honor.

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And peace upon the messengers.

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And praise [belongs] to God, Lord of the worlds.