Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

"Be, then, conscious of God and pay heed unto me:

  - Mohammad Asad

Have fear of Allah and obey me.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Rather keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and [thus] be conscious of Him who has [so] amply provided you with all [the good] that you might think of ⁵⁹ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "with all that you know" or "that you are [or "might be"] aware of".

Fear the One Who has given you all the things that you know.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Keep your duty toward Him who hath aided you with (the good things) that ye know,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

amply provided you with flocks, and children,

  - Mohammad Asad

He has given you flocks and children,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hath aided you with cattle and sons.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and gardens, and springs -:

  - Mohammad Asad

gardens and fountains.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And gardens and watersprings.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for, verily, I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Truly I fear for you the torment of a dreadful Day."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! I fear for you the retribution of an awful day.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[But] they answered: "It is all one to us whether thou preaches" [something new] or art not of those who [like to] preach.

  - Mohammad Asad

They replied: "It is the same to us whether you preach us or you are not one of the preachers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They said: It is all one to us whether thou preachest or art not of those who preach;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

This [religion of ours] is none other than that to which our forebears clung,⁶⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the innate habit of the earlier people (al-awwalin)". The noun khuluq denotes one’s "nature" in the sense of "innate disposition" (tabi'ah)or "moral character" (Taj al-'Arus); hence the use of this term to describe "that to which one clings", i.e., one’s "innate habit" or "custom", and, in a specific sense, one’s religion (ibid.).

Such preaching is nothing but an ancient myth.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is but a fable of the men of old,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and we are not going to be chastised [for adhering to it]!"

  - Mohammad Asad

We are not going to be punished."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And we shall not be doomed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And so they gave him the lie: and thereupon We destroyed them. In this [story], behold, there is a message [unto men], even though most of them will not believe [in it].⁶¹

  - Mohammad Asad

The message referred to here is contained in verses {128-130}, which point out the three cardinal sins resulting from man's inordinate striving for power: worship of anything apart from God, self-admiring search for "glory", and cruelty or harshness towards one's fellow-men.

So they disbelieved him and We utterly destroyed them. Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson and become believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they denied him; therefor We destroyed them. Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But, verily, thy Sustainer-He alone-is almighty. a dispenser of grace!

  - Mohammad Asad

The fact is that your Rabb is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo! thy Lord, He is indeed the Mighty, the Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[AND the tribe of] Thamud gave the lie to [one of God's] message-bearers

  - Mohammad Asad

The people of Thamud also disbelieved their Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(The tribe of) Thamud denied the messengers (of Allah)

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

when their brother Salih⁶² said unto them: "Will you not be conscious of God?

  - Mohammad Asad

For the story of Salih and the tribe of Thamud, see 7:73 and the corresponding note [56]; also, the version appearing in {11:61-68}.

Remember when their brother Saleh asked them: "Have you no fear of Allah?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When their brother Salih said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold, I am an apostle [sent by Him] to you, [and therefore] worthy of your trust:

  - Mohammad Asad

Rest assured that I am a trustworthy Rasool of Allah towards you.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

be, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me!

  - Mohammad Asad

So fear Allah and obey me.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So keep your duty to Allah and obey me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And no reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward rests with none but the Sustainer of all the worlds.

  - Mohammad Asad

I do not ask you any reward for my services, for my reward will be given by the Rabb of the Worlds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And I ask of you no wage therefor; my wage is the concern only of the Lord of the Worlds.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall