Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān; Translated and Explained by Muhammad Asad (1980)
were lost in sin will be broken in spirit: (13) for they will have no intercessors in the beings to whom they were wont to ascribe a share in God’s divinity,10 seeing that [by then] they themselves will have ceased to believe in their erstwhile blasphemous fancies.11
(14) And when the Last Hour dawns – on that Day will all [men] be sorted out: (15) as for those who attained to faith and did righteous deeds, they shall be made happy in a garden of delight; (16) but as for those who refused to acknowledge the truth and gave the lie to Our messages – and [thus] to the announce ment12 of a life to come – they will be given over to suffering.
(17) Extol, then, God’s limitless glory when you enter upon the evening hours, and when you rise at morn; (18) and [seeing that] unto Him is due all praise in the heavens and on earth, [glorify Him] in the afternoon as well, and when you enter upon the hour of noon.13
(19) He [it is who] brings forth the living out of that which is dead, and brings forth the dead out of that which is alive, and gives life to the earth after it had been lifeless: and even thus will you be brought forth [from death to life].
(20) And among His wonders is this: He creates you out of dust14-and then, lo! you become human beings ranging far and wide!
(21) And among His wonders is this: He creates for you mates out of your own kind,15 so that you might incline towards them, and He engenders love and tenderness between you: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!
(22) And among his wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours: for in this, behold, there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of [innate] knowledge!
(23) And among His wonders is your sleep, at night or in daytime, as well as your [ability to go about in] quest of some of His bounties: in this, behold, there
10 Lit., “among their [God-]partners” (see sūrah 6, note 15).
11 Lit., “they will have rejected those [God-]partners of theirs”.
12 See note 111 on 7 : 147.
13 I.e., “remember God at all times”. Apart from this general exhortation, the hours mentioned above circumscribe the times of the five daily prayers incumbent upon a Muslim. The evening hours” indicate the prayer after sunset (maghrib) as well as that after nightfall fisha ).
14 Seesecondhalfofnote47on3:59,andnote4on23: 12. 15 Lit., “from among yourselves” (see surah 4, note 1).
