Surah 69. Al-Haqqah

nor any food save the filth

  - Mohammad Asad

nor any food except the pus from the washing of wounds,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

nor any food except 'oozing' pus,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nor any food save filth

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Nor hath he any food except the corruption from the washing of wounds ⁵⁶⁶⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They wounded many people by their cruelty and injustice in this life, and it is befitting that they should have no food other than "the foul pus from the washing of wounds.!"

which none but the sinners eat!"²⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

The noun ghislin, which appears in the Qur'an only in this one instance, has been variously - and very contradictorily - explained by the early commentators. Ibn 'Abbas, when asked about it, frankly answered, "I do not know what grisly denotes" (Razi). The term "filth" used by me contains an allusion to the "devouring" of all that is abominable in the spiritual sense: cf. its characterisation in the next verse as "[that] which none but the sinners eat" - i.e., (metaphorically) in this world and, consequently, in the hereafter as well.

which none but the wrongdoers eat."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

which none will eat except the evildoers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Which none but sinners eat.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Which none do eat but those in sin."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

BUT NAY! I call to witness all that you can see,

  - Mohammad Asad

Nay! I swear by all that you can see,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Now, I do swear by whatever you see,

  - Mustafa Khattab

But nay! I swear by all that ye see

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So I do call to witness what ye see ⁵⁶⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is an adjuration in the same form as that which occurs in lvi. 75, lxx. 40, xc. 1, and elsewhere. Allah's Word is the quintessence of Truth. But what if someone doubts whether a particular Message is Allah's Word comunicated through His Messenger, or merely an imaginary tale presented by a poet, or a soothsayer's vain prophecy? Then we have to exanmine it in the light of our highest spiritual facilities. The witness to that Word is what we know in the visible world, in which falsehood in the long run gives place to truth, and what we know in the invisible world, through our highest spiritual faculties. We are asked to examine and test it in both these ways.

as well as all that you cannot see!²¹

  - Mohammad Asad

The phrase "all that you can see" comprises all the observable phenomena of nature - including man himself and the organic conditions of his own existence - as well as the configuration of human society and the perceptible rules of its growth and decay in the historical sense; whereas "that which you cannot see" relates to the intangible spiritual verities accessible to man's intuition and instinct, including the voice of his own conscience: all of which "bears witness", as it were, to the fact that the light which the divine writ (spoken of in the sequence) casts on the innermost realities and interrelations of all that exists objectively - or, as the case may be, manifests itself subjectively in man's own psyche - must be an outcome of genuine revelation, inasmuch as it goes far beyond anything that unaided human intellect could ever acheive.

and all that you cannot see,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and whatever you cannot see!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And all that ye see not

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And what ye see not

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold, this [Qur'an] is indeed the [inspired] word of a noble apostle,

  - Mohammad Asad

that this is the word of a noble Rasool.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, this 'Quran' is the recitation of a noble Messenger.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That it is indeed the speech of an illustrious messenger.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That this is verily the word of an honored apostle; ⁵⁶⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Honoured messenger: one that is worthy of honour on account of the purity of his life, and may be relied upon not to invent things but to give the true word of revelation which he received.

and is not - however little you may [be prepared to] believe it - the word of a poet;

  - Mohammad Asad

is it not the word of a poet - little is it that you believe,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is not the prose of a poet 'as you claim', 'yet' you hardly have any faith.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It is not poet's speech--little is it that ye believe!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe! ⁵⁶⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A poet draws upon his imagination, and the subjective factor is so strong that though we may learn much from him, we cannot believe as facts the wonderful tales he has to tell. And the poet who is not a Seer is merely a vulgar votary of exaggerations and falsehoods.

and neither is it - however little you may [be prepared to] take it to heart - the word of a soothsayer:

  - Mohammad Asad

nor it is the word of a soothsayer - little admonition is that you take.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Nor is it the mumbling of a fortune-teller, 'yet' you are hardly mindful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nor diviner's speech--little is it that ye remember!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive. ⁵⁶⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

A soothsayer merely pretends to foretell future events of no profound spiritual consequence. Most of his prophecies are frauds, and none of them is meant to teach lessons of real admonition. Such admonition is the work of an honoured prophet.

[it is] a revelation from the Sustainer of all the worlds.

  - Mohammad Asad

This is a revelation from the Rabb of the worlds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'It is' a revelation from the Lord of all worlds.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Now if he [whom We have entrusted with it] had dared to attribute some [of his own] sayings unto Us,

  - Mohammad Asad

Had he (Muhammad) invented false statement concerning Us,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Had the Messenger made up something in Our Name,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And if he had invented false sayings concerning Us,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And if the apostle were to invent any sayings in Our name

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We would indeed have seized him by his right hand,²²

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., deprived him of all ability to act - the "right hand" symbolizing power.

We would certainly have seize him by his right hand

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We would have certainly seized him by his right hand,

  - Mustafa Khattab

We assuredly had taken him by the right hand

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We should certainly seize him by his right hand ⁵⁶⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The right hand is the hand of power and action. Any one who is seized by his right hand is prevented from acting as he wishes or carrying out his purpose. The argument is that if an impostor were to arise, he would soon be found out. He could not carry out his fraud indefinitely. But the prophets of Allah, however much they are persecuted, gain more and more power every day, as did the holy Prophet, whose truth, earnestness, sincerity, and love for all, were recognised as his life unfolded itself.

and would indeed have cut his life-vein,

  - Mohammad Asad

then cut off his main artery,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

then severed his aorta,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And then severed his life artery,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart: ⁵⁶⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This would effectually stop the functioning of his life.

and none of you could have saved him!

  - Mohammad Asad

and none of you could prevent it!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and none of you could have shielded him 'from Us'!

  - Mustafa Khattab

And not one of you could have held Us off from him.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nor could any of you withhold him (from Our wrath). ⁵⁶⁷¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The protection which the prophets of Allah enjoy in circumstances of danger and difficulty would not be available for impostors.

And, verily, this [Qur'an] is a reminder to all the God-conscious.²³

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "who believe in [the existence of] that which is beyond the reach of human perception": cf. {2:2-3}.

Surely this Qur'an is a reminder to the Godfearing.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, this 'Quran' is a reminder to those mindful 'of Allah'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo! it is a warrant unto those who ward off (evil).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But verily this is a Message for the Allah-fearing.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And, behold, well do We know that among you are such as will give the lie to it:

  - Mohammad Asad

We know that there are some among you who deny it,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We certainly know that some of you will persist in denial,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo! We know that some among you will deny (it).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We certainly know that there are amongst you those that reject (it)

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

yet, behold, this [rejection] will indeed become a source of bitter regret for all who deny the truth [of God's revelation] -

  - Mohammad Asad

and for such disbelievers it is indeed a cause of despair.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and it will surely be a source of regret for the disbelievers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo! it is indeed an anguish for the disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But truly (Revelation) is a cause of sorrow for the Unbelievers. ⁵⁶⁷²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Message of Allah is glad tidings for those who believe in Him and follow His Law, for it is a message of Mercy and Forgiveness through repentance and amendment. But in the case of the wicked it is a cause of sorrow, for it denounces sin and proclaims the punishment of those who do not turn from evil: