Surah 21. Al-Anbya

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-29 [2], 30-41 [3], 42-50 [4], 51-75 [5], 76-93 [6], 94-112 [7]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1021. Al-Anbya Page 32221. Al-Anbyaبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِاِقْتَرَبَ(Has) approachedلِلنَّاسِfor [the] mankindحِسَابُهُمْtheir accountوَ هُمْwhile theyفِیْ(are) inغَفْلَةٍheedlessnessمُّعْرِضُوْنَۚturning away مَاNotیَاْتِیْهِمْcomes to themمِّنْofذِكْرٍa Reminderمِّنْfromرَّبِّهِمْtheir Lordمُّحْدَثٍanewاِلَّاexceptاسْتَمَعُوْهُthey listen to itوَ هُمْwhile theyیَلْعَبُوْنَۙ(are at) play لَاهِیَةًDistractedقُلُوْبُهُمْ ؕtheir heartsوَ اَسَرُّواAnd they concealالنَّجْوَی ۖۗthe private conversationالَّذِیْنَthose whoظَلَمُوْا ۖۗ[they] wrongedهَلْIsهٰذَاۤthisاِلَّاexceptبَشَرٌa human beingمِّثْلُكُمْ ۚlike youاَفَتَاْتُوْنَSo would you approachالسِّحْرَthe magicوَ اَنْتُمْwhile youتُبْصِرُوْنَ see (it) قٰلَHe saidرَبِّیْMy Lordیَعْلَمُknowsالْقَوْلَthe wordفِیinالسَّمَآءِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؗand the earthوَ هُوَAnd Heالسَّمِیْعُ(is) the All-Hearerالْعَلِیْمُ the All-Knower بَلْNayقَالُوْۤاthey sayاَضْغَاثُMuddledاَحْلَامٍۭdreamsبَلِnayافْتَرٰىهُhe (has) invented itبَلْnayهُوَheشَاعِرٌ ۖۚ(is) a poetفَلْیَاْتِنَاSo let him bring usبِاٰیَةٍa signكَمَاۤlike whatاُرْسِلَwas sentالْاَوَّلُوْنَ (to) the former مَاۤNotاٰمَنَتْbelievedقَبْلَهُمْbefore themمِّنْanyقَرْیَةٍtownاَهْلَكْنٰهَا ۚwhich We destroyedاَفَهُمْso will theyیُؤْمِنُوْنَ believe وَ مَاۤAnd notاَرْسَلْنَاWe sentقَبْلَكَbefore youاِلَّاexceptرِجَالًاmenنُّوْحِیْۤWe revealedاِلَیْهِمْto themفَسْـَٔلُوْۤاSo askاَهْلَ(the) peopleالذِّكْرِ(of) the Reminderاِنْifكُنْتُمْyouلَا(do) notتَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ مَاAnd notجَعَلْنٰهُمْWe made themجَسَدًاbodiesلَّاnotیَاْكُلُوْنَeatingالطَّعَامَthe foodوَ مَاand notكَانُوْاthey wereخٰلِدِیْنَ immortals ثُمَّThenصَدَقْنٰهُمُWe fulfilled (for) themالْوَعْدَthe promiseفَاَنْجَیْنٰهُمْand We saved themوَ مَنْand whomنَّشَآءُWe willedوَ اَهْلَكْنَاand We destroyedالْمُسْرِفِیْنَ the transgressors لَقَدْIndeedاَنْزَلْنَاۤWe (have) sent downاِلَیْكُمْto youكِتٰبًاa Bookفِیْهِin itذِكْرُكُمْ ؕ(is) your mentionاَفَلَاThen will notتَعْقِلُوْنَ۠you use reason

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Surah Introduction

Like the previous sûrah, this is another Meccan sûrah that aims at reassuring the Prophet ( ﷺ ) by reminding him of Allah's grace and support to His prophets, including Abraham, Job, Jonah, Zachariah, and Jesus. The Prophet ( ﷺ ) is said to be sent as a mercy to the whole world (verse 107). Warnings of the horrors of Judgment Day are dispersed throughout the sûrah and are carried over to the next sûrah.

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Translation of Verse 1-101. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. ˹The time of˺ people's judgment has drawn near, yet they are heedlessly turning away.

2. Whatever new reminder comes to them from their Lord, they only listen to it jokingly,

3. with their hearts ˹totally˺ distracted. The evildoers would converse secretly, ˹saying,˺ "Is this ˹one˺ not human like yourselves? Would you fall for ˹this˺ witchcraft, even though you can ˹clearly˺ see?"

4. The Prophet responded, "My Lord ˹fully˺ knows every word spoken in the heavens and the earth. For He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

5. Yet they say, "This ˹Quran˺ is a set of confused dreams! No, he has fabricated it! No, he must be a poet! So let him bring us a ˹tangible˺ sign like those ˹prophets˺ sent before."

6. Not a ˹single˺ society We destroyed before them ever believed ˹after receiving the signs˺. Will these ˹pagans˺ then believe?

7. We did not send ˹messengers˺ before you ˹O Prophet˺ except mere men inspired by Us. If you ˹polytheists˺ do not know ˹this already˺, then ask those who have knowledge ˹of the Scriptures˺.

8. We did not give those messengers ˹supernatural˺ bodies that did not need food, nor were they immortal.

9. Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, saving them along with whoever We willed and destroying the transgressors.

10. We have surely revealed to you a Book, in which there is glory for you. Will you not then understand?

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Commentary