Kâf Hâ Yâ `Ain Sâd - Allâh is sufficient for all, and He is the True Guide, Bestower of mercy and security and blessings, the All-Knowing, the Supermost, Truthful.
(This is) an account of the mercy of your Lord (shown) to His servant Zachariah,
When he called upon his God, crying aloud (in humble supplication).
He said (praying), `My Lord! now the very bones within me have waxed feeble and the hair of (my) head are all gray and hoary, my Lord! never have I been (hitherto) deprived of a favourable response to my prayer to You.
`I fear (for the unrighteousness of) my kinsfolk after me, and my wife is barren. Grant me by Your (special) grace a (pious and righteous) successor,
`Who may be an heir to me and inherit (the divine blessings promised to) the House of Jacob and make him, my Lord! well-pleasing (to You).´
(God accepted his prayer and said,) `Zachariah! We give you the glad tidings of (the birth of) a son, named Yahyâ (- John, - who will live long). We have made none like him (in your house) before this.´
He (- Zachariah) said, `My Lord! how shall I beget a son when my wife is barren and I have (already) reached the extreme (limit of) old age?´
(The Lord) said, `So shall it be,´ and (the angel bearing the revelation) said, `Your Lord says, "It is easy for Me, and behold, I have created you before this whereas you (too) were nothing".´
He (- Zachariah) said, `My Lord! appoint for me a commandment.´ (The Lord) said, `The commandment for you is that you shall not speak to people for three successive (days and) nights, being in sound health.
Then he (- Zachariah) went forth to his people from the Sanctuary and told them in a low voice and by signs, to glorify (their Lord) morning and evening.
(We said to John,) `Yahyâ! hold fast the (divine) Book.´ And while he was yet a child We gave him wisdom,
And tenderheartedness and purity by Our (special) grace. He was one who carefully guarded against evil.
And (he was) dutiful towards his parents and he was neither arrogant nor rebellious.
Blessed was he the day he was born and the day he died and (peace will be upon him) the day he will be raised to life (again).
And give an account of Mary in this Book when she withdrew from her people to an eastern spacious place (of the temple).
Then she screened herself off from them. Then We sent to her Our (angel of) revelation and he presented himself to her in the form of a perfect and well-proportioned man.
Mary said, `I invoke the Most Gracious (God) to defend me from you. If you guard the least against evil (leave me alone).´
He said, `I am but a messenger of your Lord. I give you (glad tidings of) a most pure son.´
She said, `How can I bear a son while no man (has married me and) has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste.´
(The angel) said, `So the fact is (just as you describe). Your Lord has said, "It is easy for Me. (We shall do it) so that We make him a sign and a (source of) blessing from Us for the people. It is a matter ordained".´
She (- Mary) conceived him (- the child) and withdrew with him to a remote place.
(At the time of the delivery of the child) the throes of child birth drove her to the trunk of the palm-tree. She said, `Oh! would that I had become unconscious before this and had become a thing gone and forgotten.´
Then a voice called her from the side of the slope by her (saying), `Do not grieve, your Lord has placed a rivulet on the side of the slope by you (and a chief of the nation has born to you).
`Shake the branch of the palm-tree, drawing it towards you, it will cause fresh and ripe dates to fall upon you.
`Eat therefore and drink and be happy. Then if you see any human being tell (him), "I have vowed a fast to the Gracious God so I will not speak to any human being today".´
(When Jesus grew up) she took him to her people carrying him on a mount. They said, `Mary! you have brought a strange thing.
`O sister of Aaron! your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother unchaste.´
Thereupon she pointed to him (- her son Jesus meaning thereby that he will answer them). They said, `How should we speak to one who was (till recently) a child in the cradle?´
(It came to pass that the son of Mary) said, `I am indeed a servant of Allâh, He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet.
`And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined upon me prayer and alms-giving so long as I live.
`And (He has made me) dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me arrogant, graceless.
`And peace was upon me the day I was born, and (peace will be upon me) the day I die, and the day I shall be raised up to life (again).´
Such was Jesus, son of Mary. (This is) a statement of true facts (about him), concerning which they so deeply disagree.
It does not behove (the Majesty of) Allâh to take to Himself a son. Holy is He. When He decrees a matter He only commands it `Be´ and it comes to be.
(Jesus said), `Surely, Allâh is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (alone). This is the exact right path.´
Yet the various sects were divided among themselves. Woe shall befall those who deny the meeting of the great day.
How clear they will hear and how well they will see on the day they come to Us. But this day the unjust are steeped in manifest error.
Warn them of the day of intense regret when the matter is decided and it is all over, and they are (still) steeped in ignorance and negligence and they do not believe.
It is We Who will remain after the earth and (all) who are inhabiting it have perished. To Us shall they all be returned.
Give an account of Abraham in this Book. Surely, he was a very truthful man, a Prophet.
Behold! he said to his sire, `My dear sire, why do you worship that which can neither hear, nor see, nor can be of any avail to you?
`My dear sire, indeed I have been given the sort of knowledge which has not been given to you, so follow me, I will guide you along the straight path.
`My dear sire, do not serve satan, surely satan is disobedient to the Most Gracious (God).
`My dear sire, if you went on serving satan, I fear lest some punishment from the Most Gracious (God) should seize you so that you should become an associate of satan.´
(Thereupon Abraham´s uncle) replied, `Do you dare to be averse to my gods, O Abraham? If you do not give up, I shall certainly cut off all relations with you. You had better leave me alone for a time.´
(Abraham) said (leaving him), `Peace be upon you. I will ask protection for you from my Lord. He is indeed gracious to me.
`I shall keep away from you and from that which you call upon besides Allâh. I will pray to my Lord. I hope that in praying to my Lord I shall not be disappointed.´
So he (- Abraham) kept away from them and from that which they worshipped besides Allâh. We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob. We made each one (of them) a Prophet.
And We bestowed Our blessings upon them, and We granted them a sublime and lasting good name, and made the people remember and mention them.
Give an account of Moses in this Book. He was indeed a purified and chosen one and he was a Messenger, a Prophet.
And We called out to him from the blessed side of the Mount (Sinai) and We made him draw near (to Us) for close and special communion.
And out of Our mercy We bestowed upon him (as his helper) his brother Aaron, (also) a Prophet.
Give an account of Ismâîl in this Book. He (too) was strictly true to his promise. And he was a Messenger, a Prophet.
He enjoined his people to observe prayer and present alms. He was well pleasing to his Lord.
And give an account of Idrîs (- Enoch) in this Book. He was a very truthful man, a Prophet.
And We raised him to an exalted position.
It is these people on whom Allâh did bestow His blessings. They were all Prophets. They were of the posterity of Adam and of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah. Some of them were of the posterity of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. They would fall prostrating (glorifying God) and weeping when the Messages of the Most Gracious (Lord) were recited to them. [Prostration]
But after them evil descendants came, who neglected prayer and pursued (their) evil passions. They are doomed to meet perdition.
Different, however, will be the case of those who turn (to God in repentance) and believe and do righteous deeds. It is these to whom no injustice shall be done in the least (and will get their due rewards). They shall enter Paradise,
Gardens of Eternity which the Most Gracious (God) has promised to his servants while (these Gardens are) yet hidden (from the sight). His promise is sure to come to pass.
There they will hear no idle talk, but all that they hear will be only (greetings of) peace. There they shall remain, provided with their sustenance, morning and evening (regularly and eternally).
Such is the Paradise which We give for a free gift and for an inheritance to those of Our servants who guard against evil.
And (the angels will say to them), `We (the angels) do not descend without the command of your Lord. To Him belongs all that is before us (- the future) and all that is behind us (-the past) and all that is in between that (-the present). Your Lord is never forgetful (and will not neglect you).
`(He is the) Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between the two. Worship Him, therefore, and remain constant and steadfast in His worship. Do you not know that no one is His peer?´
A human being (disbelieving in the Day of Resurrection) says, `What! shall I be really raised to life (again) when I am dead?´
Does not such a human being remember that We created him before, when he was nothing at all?
By your Lord! We will most certainly gather them together and (their) satans as well, then We shall bring them, in every case, crouching on their knees to the environs of Gehenna.
Then shall We pick out from every group the vilest of them in disobedience to the Most Gracious (God).
Behold! We surely know best those who are the most deserving of being cast and burnt therein (- the Hell).
There is none among you, (O those condemned to Hell!), but he shall reach there (- the Hell). This is (a promise) binding on your Lord, an absolute decree.
And (let Us tell you another thing,) We shall save those who guard against evil and are righteous. We shall leave only the wrong doing people therein (the Hell) fallen on their knees.
When Our clear Messages are recited to them the disbelievers say to those who believe, `Which of the two parties of us is better in respect of position and (makes) more impressive society?´
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them, who were better off in assets and better in outward show and splendour (than these).
Say, `The Most Gracious (God) gives those, who are steeped in error, long respite.´ But when such people see that with which they are threatened, be it some (worldly) punishment or the Hour (of complete and final destruction), they shall realize who is worse placed and weaker in forces.
To those who follow guidance Allâh gives increased guidance. And from the point of view of reward and ultimate return, (you should bear in mind that) the righteous deeds that last and endure are best in the sight of your Lord.
Have you considered the case of one who denies Our Messages and says `I shall indeed be given great wealth and a number of children.´
Has he looked into and gained knowledge of the unseen or has he taken a promise from the Most Gracious (God)?
Indeed not. We shall certainly record what he goes on saying and We shall continue prolonging for him the punishment to a great extent.
And We shall remain after his leaving behind all that of which he talks (so boastfully), and he shall come to Us all alone.
And they have chosen other gods besides Allâh that they may be a source of strength and honour to them.
Not at all! (they are utterly mistaken.) They (-their gods) will deny (one day) their worshipping them; they will turn hostile to them.
Have you not considered that We do not keep away satans from the disbelievers (by force). These (satans) incite them greatly (in their acts of disobedience).
So do not be impatient with regard to (punishment against) them. We are counting their time out (and We are also keeping full account of their deeds).
(Look forward to) the day when the Most Gracious (God) shall gather those who guard against evil before Him as honoured delegates (to bestow honours on them).
And We shall drive those who cut off their ties (with Allâh) to Gehenna (like) a herd of thirsty animals (to quench their thirst).
(On that day,) intercession shall be denied to all, save him who holds a promise from the Most Gracious (God).
Some say, `The Most Gracious (God) has taken to Himself a son (who will be our intercessor).´
(Say,) `You have indeed uttered something exceedingly abominable and hideous.
`The heavens are about to burst on account of that, and the earth about to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down in pieces.
`Because they have ascribed a son to the Most Gracious (God).
`Whereas it does not behove the Most Gracious (God) that He should take to Himself a son.´
Whoever is in the heavens and the earth shall come before the Most Gracious (God) in complete submission as a bondsman (would).
He indeed comprehends them (by His infinite knowledge) and having full power over them. He has numbered them (all) exactly.
And they shall all come to Him on the Day of Resurrection, all by themselves.
Those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious (God) will surely bring about (in the hearts of the people) fondest love for them.
(Prophet!) We have made this (Qur´ân) easy (by revealing it) in your own tongue, that you may give glad tidings thereby to those who guard against evil and warn thereby a people stubbornly given to contention.
Many a generation have We destroyed before them! Can you find (so much as) a single one of them or can you hear (even) a whisper of them?