Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)
SÛRAH XXVI
Ash-Shu‘arâ, “The Poets,” takes its title from v. 224 ff., where the difference between poets and a Prophet is tersely pointed out; poets being those who say what they do not mean, while a Prophet always practises what he preaches. The pagan Arabs and their poets believed the poetic inspiration to be the work of Jinn.
The story of a number of former Prophets is here given to console the believers at a time of persecution, with the assurance that it is no new thing for a messenger of God to be persecuted, but that the persecutors always suffer in the end. It shows also that all the messengers of God came with the same message.
It belongs to the middle group of Meccan Sûrahs, with the exception of vv. 224–227, which were revealed at Al-Madînah.
The Poets
1. Tâ. Sîn. Mîm.1
2. These are revelations of the Scripture that maketh plain.
3. It may be that thou tormentest thyself (O Muhammad) because they believe not.
4. If We will, We can send down on them from the sky a portent so that their necks would remain bowed before it.
5. Never cometh there unto them a fresh reminder from the Beneficent One, but they turn away from it.
1 See Sûr. II, v. 1, footnote.
