6. Al-An'aam

They indeed are losers who deny the encounter with God through resurrection until hattā is purposive to expose the extent of their mendacity when the Hour the Resurrection comes upon them suddenly they shall say ‘Alas for us yā hasratanā ‘O grief of ours’ expresses extreme suffering the vocative call to which is figurative meaning ‘Now is the time for you O grief so come forth!’ that we neglected it!’ the worldly life. On their backs they shall be bearing their burdens so that these come to them at the Resurrection in the vilest of forms and with the most putrid of smells and they ride them. Ah evil is that burden of theirs which they bear!

The life of this world that is preoccupation with it is nothing but a game and a diversion while obedience and what is conducive to it are of the things of the Hereafter; surely the abode of the Hereafter wa-la’l-dāru is also read wa-la-dāru’l-ākhirati namely Paradise is better for those who fear idolatry. What do they not understand? this and so believe? read a-fa-lā ya‘qilūna ‘do they not understand’ or a-fa-lā ta‘qilūna ‘do you not understand?’.

We know indeed qad is a confirmative particle that it grieves you that matter which they say to you in denial; yet it is not that they deny you in secret for they know that you are truthful a variant reading for lā yukadhdhibūnaka ‘not that they deny you’ has lā yukdhibūnak that is to say ‘they do not associate you with mendacity’ but evildoers al-zālimīn replaces the previous pronominalisation ‘they’ knowingly reject deny the signs of God the Qur’ān.

Messengers indeed have been denied before you — herein is a consolation for the Prophet s — yet they endured patiently the denial and the persecution until Our victorious help came to them through the destruction of their peoples so be patient until the victorious help comes to you through the destruction of your people. There is none to change the words of God His promises and there has already come to you tidings of the messengers tidings through which your heart can be at peace.

And if their aversion to Islam is grievous too great for you on account of your concern for them then if you can seek out a hole an underground passage in the earth or a ladder a stairway to heaven that you may bring them a sign from among those they have requested then go ahead the meaning is that you will not be able to do this so be patient until God delivers His judgement — but had God willed to guide them He would have gathered them together in guidance but He did not will this and so they do not believe; so do not be among the ignorant of this matter.

Only those who hear in such a way so as to understand and take heed will answer your call to faith; as for the dead that is the disbelievers — they are likened to them on account of their inability to hear — God will resurrect them in the Hereafter and then to Him they will be returned and He will requite them for their deeds.

And they the disbelievers of Mecca say ‘Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?’ a sign such as the she-camel of the prophet Sālih or the staff of Moses or the Table of Jesus. Say to them ‘Surely God has the power to send down read yunazzil or yunzil a sign from among those they have requested but most of them do not know’ that its sending down would be a trial for them for if they then still denied it they would necessarily be destroyed.

There is no mā min min is extra animal that crawls on the earth and no bird that flies through the air with its wings but they are communities like to you in the way that its creation has been ordained together with its sustenance and affairs. We have neglected nothing min shay’ min is extra in the Book in the Preserved Tablet al-lawh al-mahfūz nothing that We have not written; then to their Lord they shall be gathered and judgement shall be passed upon them and the hornless sheep shall retaliate against the horned ram and then it will be said to them the animals ‘Be dust’.

Say O Muhammad (s) to the Meccans ‘Do you see yourselves that is inform me if God’s chastisement comes upon you in this world or the Hour the Resurrection which includes this chastisement comes upon you suddenly will ye call upon any other than God? No! If you speak truly!’ that the idols can benefit you then call upon them.