The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient.
وَيَدعُ الإِنسٰنُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعاءَهُ بِالخَيرِ وَكانَ الإِنسٰنُ عَجولًا
wa yad’ul insaanu bishsharri du’aaa ‘ahoo bilkhayr; wa kaanal insaanu ‘ajoola
We rendered the night and the day two signs. We made the night dark, and the day lighted, that you may seek provisions from your Lord therein. This also establishes for you a timing system, and the means of calculation. We thus explain everything in detail.
وَجَعَلنَا الَّيلَ وَالنَّهارَ ءايَتَينِ فَمَحَونا ءايَةَ الَّيلِ وَجَعَلنا ءايَةَ النَّهارِ مُبصِرَةً لِتَبتَغوا فَضلًا مِن رَبِّكُم وَلِتَعلَموا عَدَدَ السِّنينَ وَالحِسابَ وَكُلَّ شَىءٍ فَصَّلنٰهُ تَفصيلًا
wa ja’alnal laila wannahaara Aayatayni famahawnaaa Aayatal laili wa ja’alnaaa Aayatan nahaari mubsiratal litabtaghoo fadlam mir Rabbikum wa lita’lamoo ‘adadas sineena walhisaab; wa kulla shai’in fassalnaahu tafseelaa
(The Video Tape*)
We have recorded the fate of every human being; it is tied to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection we will hand him a record that is accessible.
وَكُلَّ إِنسٰنٍ أَلزَمنٰهُ طٰئِرَهُ فى عُنُقِهِ وَنُخرِجُ لَهُ يَومَ القِيٰمَةِ كِتٰبًا يَلقىٰهُ مَنشورًا
wa kulla insaanin alzamnaahu taaa’irahoo fee ‘unuqihee wa nukhriji lahoo Yawmal Qiyaamati kitaabany yalqaahu manshooraa
*17:13 Your life is already recorded, as if on a video tape, from birth to death. This same record will be made accessible to us upon resurrection. See 57:22 & Appendix 14.
Read your own record. Today, you suffice as your own reckoner.
اقرَأ كِتٰبَكَ كَفىٰ بِنَفسِكَ اليَومَ عَلَيكَ حَسيبًا
iqra kitaabaka kafaa bi nafsikal Yawma ‘alaika haseebaa
Whoever is guided, is guided for his own good, and whoever goes astray does so to his own detriment. No sinner will bear the sins of anyone else. We never punish without first sending a messenger.
مَنِ اهتَدىٰ فَإِنَّما يَهتَدى لِنَفسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّما يَضِلُّ عَلَيها وَلا تَزِرُ وازِرَةٌ وِزرَ أُخرىٰ وَما كُنّا مُعَذِّبينَ حَتّىٰ نَبعَثَ رَسولًا
manihtadaa fa innamaa yahtadee linafsihee wa man dalla fa innamaa yadillu ‘alaihaa; wa laa taziru waaziratunw wizra ukhraa; wa maa kunnaa mu’azzibeena hatta nab’asa Rasoola
If we are to annihilate any community, we let the leaders commit vast corruption therein. Once they deserve retribution, we annihilate it completely.
وَإِذا أَرَدنا أَن نُهلِكَ قَريَةً أَمَرنا مُترَفيها فَفَسَقوا فيها فَحَقَّ عَلَيهَا القَولُ فَدَمَّرنٰها تَدميرًا
wa izaaa aradnaaa an nuhlika qaryatan amarnaa mutrafeehaa fafasaqoo feehaa fahaqqa ‘alaihal qawlu fadammarnaahaa tadmeeraa
Many a generation have we annihilated after Noah. Your Lord is most efficient in dealing with the sins of His servants; He is fully Cognizant, Seer.
وَكَم أَهلَكنا مِنَ القُرونِ مِن بَعدِ نوحٍ وَكَفىٰ بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنوبِ عِبادِهِ خَبيرًا بَصيرًا
wa kam ahlaknaa minal qurooni min ba’di Nooh; wa kafaa bi Rabbika bizunoobi ‘ibaadihee Khabeeram Baseeraa
(Choose Your Priorities Carefully This Life)
Anyone who chooses this fleeting life as his priority, we will rush to him what we decide to give him, then we commit him to Gehenna, where he suffers forever, despised and defeated.
مَن كانَ يُريدُ العاجِلَةَ عَجَّلنا لَهُ فيها ما نَشاءُ لِمَن نُريدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلنا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصلىٰها مَذمومًا مَدحورًا
man kaana yureedul ‘aajilata ‘ajjalnaa lahoo feehaa maa nashaaa’u liman nureedu summa ja’alnaa lahoo Jahannama yaslaahaa mazmoomammad hooraa
(The Hereafter)
As for those who choose the Hereafter as their priority, and work righteousness, while believing, their efforts will be appreciated.
وَمَن أَرادَ الـٔاخِرَةَ وَسَعىٰ لَها سَعيَها وَهُوَ مُؤمِنٌ فَأُولٰئِكَ كانَ سَعيُهُم مَشكورًا
wa man araadal Aakhirata wa sa’aa lahaa sa’yahaa wa huwa mu’minun fa ulaaa’ika kaana sa’yuhum mashkooraa
For each one of them we provide; we provide for those and these from your Lord’s bounties. Your Lord’s bounties are inexhaustible.
كُلًّا نُمِدُّ هٰؤُلاءِ وَهٰؤُلاءِ مِن عَطاءِ رَبِّكَ وَما كانَ عَطاءُ رَبِّكَ مَحظورًا
kullan numiddu haaa ‘ulaaa’i wa haaa’ulaaa’i min ‘ataaa’i rabbik; wa maa kaana ‘ataaa’u rabbika mahzooraa