But now hath it been revealed to thee and to those who flourished before thee,–"Verily, if thou join partners with God, vain shall be all thy work, and thyself shalt be of those who perish. Nay, rather worship God! and be of those who render thanks." But they have not deemed of God as is His due;12 for on the resurrection day the whole Earth shall be but his handful, and in his right hand shall the Heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted above the partners they join with Him! And there shall be a blast on the trumpet, and all who are in the Heavens and all who are in the Earth shall expire, save those whom God shall vouchsafe to live. Then shall there be another blast on it, and lo! arising they shall gaze around them: And the earth shall shine with the light of her Lord, and the Book shall be set, and the prophets shall be brought up, and the witnesses; and judgment shall be given between them with equity; and none shall be wronged: And every soul shall receive as it shall have wrought, for well knoweth He men's actions. And by TROOPS shall the unbelievers be driven towards Hell, until when they reach it, its gates shall be opened, and its keepers shall say to them, "Came not apostles from among yourselves to you, reciting to you the signs of your Lord, and warning you of the meeting with Him on this your day?"13 They shall say, "Yes." But just is the sentence of punishment on the unbelievers. It shall be said to them, "Enter ye the gates of Hell, therein to dwell for ever;" and wretched the abode of the arrogant! But those who feared their Lord shall be driven on by troops to Paradise, until when they reach it, its gates shall be opened, and its keepers shall say to them, "All hail! virtuous have ye been: enter then in, to abide herein for ever." And they shall say, "Praise be to God, who hath made good to us His promise, and hath given to us the earth as our heritage, that we may dwell in Paradise wherever we please!" And goodly is the reward of those who travailed virtuously. And thou shalt see the Angels circling around the Throne with praises of their Lord: and judgment shall be pronounced between them with equity: and it shall be said, "Glory be to God the Lord of the Worlds." _______________________ 1 Lit. the sending down, or revelation, of the Book is, etc. 2 Lit. in truth, i.e. for a serious and earnest purpose, and not as mere pastime. 3 That is, camels, oxen, sheep and goats. 4 The wording of this verse would seem to indicate a period when Muhammad was meditating flight from Mecca. Comp. [lxxxi.] xxix. 56. 5 See on the word Mathani, Sura xv. 87, p. 116. Or, by rhyming couplets. 6 The word associates contains an implied allusion to the deities associated with God, and who distract the idolaters in their worship. 7 In the fem. gender in the Ar. This passage was revealed shortly after the circumstances mentioned, liii. 20, n. p. 70. 8 See Sura [lxxxix.] vi. 60.