The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’án (Pickthall), Unknown
The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’án (Pickthall)
Category: Islam
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The Qur’án is the holy book of Islam, believed to be the word of God revealed to the prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. This text matches the 1930 Alfred A. Knopf publication of Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s translation, except that verse numbers have been updated to match the standard verse numbering of today, and transliterations have been updated.

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’án

Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdu’llah

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’án (Pickthall)

Translation by Muḥammad Marmaduke Pickthall

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’án (Pickthall)

1.
Al-Fatiha: The Opening

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
The Beneficent, the Merciful.

Master of the Day of Judgment,
Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.

Show us the straight path,
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.

2.
Al-Baqarah: The Cow

In the name of Alláh, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Alif. Lám. Mím.

This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil).

Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;

And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muḥammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.

These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not.

Alláh hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom.

And of mankind are some who say: We believe in Alláh and the Last Day, when they believe not.

They think to beguile Alláh and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.

In their hearts is a disease, and Alláh increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.

And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only.

Are not they indeed the mischief-makers? But they perceive not.

And when it is said unto them: believe as the people believe, they say: shall we believe as the foolish believe? Are not they indeed the foolish? But they know not.

And when they fall in with those who believe, they say: We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.

Alláh (Himself) doth mock them, leaving them to wander blindly on in their contumacy.

These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided.

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Alláh taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see,

Deaf, dumb and blind; and they return not.

Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears by reason of the thunder-claps, for fear of death, Alláh encompasseth the disbelievers (in His guidance, His omniscience and His omnipotence).

The lightning almost snatcheth away their sight from them. As often as it flasheth forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Alláh willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. Lo! Alláh is able to do all things.

O mankind! worship your Lord, Who hath created you and those before you, so that ye may ward off (evil).

Who hath appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Alláh when ye know (better).

And if ye are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muḥammad), then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Alláh if ye are truthful.

And if ye do it not—and ye can never do it—then guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones.

And give glad tidings (O Muḥammad) unto those who believe and do good works; that theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow; as often as they are regaled with food of the fruit thereof, they say: this is what was given us aforetime; and it is given to them in resemblance. There for them are pure companions; there for ever they abide.

Lo! Alláh disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a gnat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Alláh wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants;

Those who break the covenant of Alláh after ratifying it, and sever that which Alláh ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers.

How disbelieve ye in Alláh when ye were dead and He gave life to you! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye will return.

He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.

And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.

And He taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform Me of the names of these, if ye are truthful.

They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.

He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names, and when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and which ye hide.

And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever.

And We said: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat ye freely (of the fruits) thereof where ye will; but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers.

But Satan caused them to deflect therefrom and expelled them from the (happy) state in which they were; and We said: Fall down, one of you a foe unto the other! There shall be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a time.

Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He relented toward him. Lo! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.

We said: Go down, all of you, from hence; but verily there cometh unto you from Me a guidance; and whoso followeth My guidance, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.

But they who disbelieve, and deny Our revelations, such are rightful Peoples of the Fire. They will abide therein.

O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you, and fulfil your (part of the) covenant, I shall fulfil My (part of the) covenant, and fear Me.

And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me.

Confound not truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth.

Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship).

Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practise it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?

Seek help in patience and prayer; and truly it is hard save for the humble-minded,

Who know that they will have to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are returning.