Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’ān with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (2005)
hurrying.
He said, ‘O my people! Follow the apostles!
21 Follow them who do not ask you any reward
and they are rightly guided.
22 Why should I not worship Him
who has originated me,
and to whom you shall be brought back?
23 Shall I take gods besides Him?
If the All-beneficent desired to cause me any distress
their intercession will not avail me in any way,
nor will they rescue me.
24 Indeed then I would be in manifest error.
25 Indeed I have faith in your Lord,
so listen to me.’
26 He was told, ‘Enter paradise!’
He said, ‘Alas! Had my people only known
27 for what my Lord forgave me
and made me one of the honoured ones!’
28 After him We did not send down on his people
a host from the sky,
nor We would have sent down.1
29 It was but a single Cry,
and, behold, they were stilled [like burnt ashes]!
30 How regrettable of the servants!
There did not come to them any apostle
but that they used to deride him.
31 Have they not regarded
1 Or ‘and what We used to send down [before];’ see Ṭabrisī, Fayḍ Kāshānī.
