Surah Ash-Shura (The Consultation) 42

Revealed 62nd in the Qur'an

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

42:1
Ha, Meem.

42:2
'Ayn, Seen, Qaf.

42:3
Thus He has revealed to you, and to those before you - God, the Almighty, the Wise.

42:4
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth [belong] to Him, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

42:5
The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels exalt [God] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth. Unquestionably, it is God who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

42:6
And those who take allies other than Him - God is Guardian over them; and you are not a manager over them.

42:7
And thus We have revealed an Arabic Qur'an to you so that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it and warn of the Day of Assembly, about which there is no doubt. A group will be in the Garden and a group in the Blaze.

42:8
And if God willed, He could have made them one nation [united in religion], but He admits whom He wills into His mercy. And the wrongdoers do not have any protector or helper. *Isaiah 43:11, *Hosea 13:4, *Sirach 24:24

42:9
Or have they taken protectors [or allies] besides Him? But God - He is the Protector, and He gives life to the dead, and He is Powerful over all things.

42:10
And in anything which you disagree over - its ruling is [to be referred] to God. [Say], "That is God, my Lord; I trust in Him, and I turn back to Him."

42:11
[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made mates for you from yourselves and mates among the cattle; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like Him, *Exodus 15:11, *Psalms 89:6, *Isaiah 40:18, *Isaiah 40:25, *Isaiah 46:5, *Isaiah 46:9, *Baruch 3:36 and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

42:12
The keys of the heavens and the earth [belong] to Him. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. *1 Samuel 2:7 Indeed He is Knowing of all things.

42:13
He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. [But] that which you invite them to is difficult for those who associate others [with God]. God chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him].

42:14
And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are in suspicious doubt concerning it.

42:15
So invite to that [religion of God], and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what God has sent down of the Scripture, and I have been commanded to do justice among you. God is our Lord and your Lord. Our deeds are for us, and your deeds are for you. There is no [need for] argument between us and you. God will bring us together, and the [final] destination is to Him."

42:16
And those who argue concerning God after he has been responded to - their argument is invalid with their Lord, and [His] wrath [will be] upon them, and there [will be] a severe punishment for them.

42:17
It is God who has sent down the Book in truth and [also] the balance. And what will make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near.

42:18
Those who do not believe in it are impatient for it, but those who believe are fearful of it and know that it is the truth. Unquestionably, those who dispute concerning the Hour are in extreme error.

42:19
God is Subtle with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Almighty.

42:20
Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase his harvest for him. And whoever desires the harvest of this world - We give him thereof, but there is no share for him in the Hereafter.

42:21
Or do they have other partners who have ordained a religion for them to which God has not consented? But if not for the Word of Judgement, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.

42:22
You will see the wrongdoers fearful of what they have earned, and it will befall them. And those who have believed and done righteous deeds will be in flowering meadows of the Gardens having whatever they will in the presence of their Lord. That is the great bounty.

42:23
It is that which God gives good news to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, "I do not ask you for any payment for [this message], *Shepherd of Hermas 43:12 except love among relatives." And whoever commits a good deed - We will increase good for him therein. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Appreciative.

42:24
Or do they say, "He has invented a lie about God"? But if God willed, He could seal your heart over. And God eliminates falsehood and establishes the truth by His words. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the hearts.

42:25
And it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do.

42:26
And He answers [the supplication of] those who have believed and done righteous deeds *Proverbs 15:29 and increases His bounty [for] them. But the disbelievers will have a severe punishment.

42:27
And if God had extended provision [excessively] for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is Aware and Seeing of His servants.

42:28
And it is He who sends down the rain after they had despaired and spreads His mercy. And He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.

42:29
And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and earth and what He has dispersed throughout them of creatures. And He is Powerful for gathering them when He wills.

42:30
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.

42:31
And you will not cause failure [to God] upon the earth. And you do not have any protector or helper besides God. *Isaiah 43:11, *Hosea 13:4, *Sirach 24:24

42:32
And among His signs are the ships in the sea, like landmarks.

42:33
If He willed, He could still the wind, and they would remain motionless on its surface. Indeed there are signs in that for everyone patient and grateful.

42:34
Or He could destroy them for what they earned; but He pardons much.

42:35
And [that is so that] those who dispute concerning Our signs may know that there is no place of escape for them.

42:36
So whatever thing you have been given - it is only [for] enjoyment of the worldly life. But what is with God is better and more lasting for those who have believed and trusted in their Lord.

42:37
And those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive,

42:38
And those who have responded to their Lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation amongst themselves, and they spend from what We have provided them.

42:39
And those who defend themselves when tyranny strikes them,

42:40
And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from God. Indeed, He does not love the wrongdoers.

42:41
And whoever defends himself after having been wronged - those do not have any way [of blame] against them.

42:42
The way [of blame] is only against the ones who wrong the people and rebel upon the earth without truth. Those will have a painful punishment.

42:43
And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is among the matters [requiring] determination.

42:44
And he whom God sends astray - there is no protector for him beyond Him. And you will see the wrongdoers saying when they see the punishment, "Is there any way for return [to the former world]?"

42:45
And you will see them being exposed to [the Fire], humbled from humiliation, looking from [behind] a stealthy glance. And those who had believed will say, "Indeed, the [true] losers are the ones who lost their souls and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Unquestionably, the wrongdoers are in an enduring punishment."

42:46
And there will not be any allies for them to aid them other than God. And whoever God sends astray - there is no way for him.

42:47
Respond to your Lord before a Day comes from God of which there is no repelling. You will have no refuge that Day, nor will there be any denial for you.

42:48
But if they turn away - then We have not sent you as a guardian over them; [there is] nothing upon you except [the duty of] notification. And indeed, when We let man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but if evil afflicts him for what his hands have put forth, then indeed, man is ungrateful.

42:49
The kingdom of the heavens and the earth [belongs] to God; *Psalms 89:11, *Job 41:11 He creates what He wills. He gives female [children] to whom He wills, and He gives males to whom He wills.

42:50
Or He pairs them, males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Powerful.

42:51
And it is not for any human being that God should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a partition, *Numbers 12:6 or that He sends a messenger to reveal what He wills by His permission. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.

42:52
And thus We have revealed a [Holy] Spirit to you by Our command. You did not know what the Scripture is or [what] faith [is], but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, you guide to a straight path -

42:53
The path of God, to whom [belongs] whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Unquestionably, [all] matters return to God.