Surah 6. Al-An'am

Then, when the night overshadowed him with its darkness, he beheld a star; [and] he exclaimed, "This is my Sustainer!" - but when it went down, he said, "I love not the things that go down."

  - Mohammad Asad

When the night drew its shadow over him, he saw a star and said, "this is my Rabb." But when it set, he said: "I do not love to worship such a god that fades away."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When the night grew dark upon him, he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord!' But when it set, he said, 'I do not love things that set.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

When the night grew dark upon him he beheld a star. He said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: I love not things that set.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When the night covered him over he saw a star: he said: "this is my Lord." But when it set he said: "I love not those that set." ⁸⁹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This allegory shows stages of Abraham'spiritual enlightenment. It should not be supposed that he literally worshipped stars or heavenly bodies. Having seen through the folly of ancestral idol worship, he began to see the futility of worshipping distant beautiful things that shine, which the vulgar endue with a power which does not reside in them. A type of such is a star shining in the darkness of thenight. Superstition might read fortunes in it, but truer knowledge shows that it rises and sets according to laws whose author is God. And its light is extinguished in the broader light of day. Its worship is therefore futile. It is not a Power, much less the Supreme Power.

Then, when he beheld the moon rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer!" - but when it went down, he said, "Indeed, if my Sustainer guide me not, I will most certainly become one of the people who go astray!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Afterwards he saw the moon shining, he said; "This is my Rabb." But when it also set, he cried: "If my Rabb does not guide me, I shall certainly become one of those who go astray."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then when he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This one is my Lord!' But when it disappeared, he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me, I will certainly be one of the misguided people.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when he saw the moon uprising, he exclaimed: This my Lord. But when it set, he said: Unless my Lord guide me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When he saw the moon rising in splendor He said: "This is my Lord." but when the moon set he said: "Unless my Lord guide me I shall surely be among those who go astray." ⁸⁹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Continuing the allegory, the moon, though she looks bigger and brighter than the star, turns out on closer knowledge, not only to set like the star, but to change her shape from hour to hour, and even to depend for her light on some other body! How deceptive are appearances! That is not God! At that stage you begin to search for something more reliable than appearances to the eye in the darkness of the night. You ask for guidance from God.

Then, when he beheld the sun rising, he said, "This is my Sustainer! This one is the greatest [of all]!" - but when it [too] went down, he exclaimed: "O my people! Behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as you do, to aught beside God!

  - Mohammad Asad

Then when he saw the sun with its brighter shine, and he said: "This must be my Rabb; it is larger than the other two." But when it also set, he exclaimed: "O my people! I am done with your shirk (associating partners with Allah).

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then when he saw the sun shining, he said, 'This must be my Lord- it is the greatest!' But again when it set, he declared, 'O my people! I totally reject whatever you associate 'with Allah in worship'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when he saw the sun uprising, he cried: This is my Lord! This is greater! And when it, set be exclaimed: O my people! Lo! I am free from all that ye associate (with Him).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When he saw the sun rising in splendor he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun set he said: "O my people! I am (now) free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. ⁹⁰⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The next stage in the allegory is the sun. You are in the open light of Day. Now you have the right clue. You see the biggest object in the heavens. But is it the biggest? There are thousands of stars in the universe bigger than the sun. And every day the sun appears and disappears from your sight. Such is not the god who created you and all these wonderful works of His. What folly to worship creatures, when we might turn to the true God? Let us abjure all these follies and proclaim the one true God.

Behold, unto Him who brought into being the heavens and the earth have I turned my face, having turned away from all that is false; and I am not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him."

  - Mohammad Asad

As far as I am concerned, I will turn my face, being upright, to Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of the mushrikin."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

I have turned my face towards the One Who has originated the heavens and the earth- being upright- and I am not one of the polytheists.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! I have turned my face toward him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not of the idolaters.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"For me I have set my face firmly and truly toward Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And his people argued with him. He said: "Do you argue with me about God, when it is He who has guided me? But I do not fear anything to which you ascribe divinity side by side with Him, [for no evil can befall me] unless my Sustainer so wills.⁶⁷ All things does my Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; will you not, then, keep this in mind?

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "unless my Sustainer wills a thing".

When his people started arguing with him, he told them: "Will you argue with me about Allah, whereas He Himself has guided me? I do not fear those whom you take for gods besides Him, none can harm me unless my Rabb so wills, the knowledge of my Rabb encompasses everything, why don't you get admonition?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And his people argued with him. He responded, 'Are you arguing with me about Allah, while He has guided me? I am not afraid of whatever 'idols' you associate with Him- 'none can harm me,' unless my Lord so wills. My Lord encompasses everything in 'His' knowledge. Will you not be mindful?

  - Mustafa Khattab

His people argued with him. He said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at a]] that which ye set beside Him unless my Lord willeth. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge: Will ye not then remember?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

His people disputed with him. He said: "(come) ye to dispute with me about Allah when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah: unless my Lord willeth (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things: will ye not (yourselves) be admonished? ⁹⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To continue Abraham's allegory: if spiritual enlightenment go so far as to take a man beyond his ancestral worship, people will continue to dispute with him. They will frighten him with the dire consequences of his dissent. What does he care? He has found the truth. He is free from superstitious fears, for has he not found the true God, without Whose Will nothing can happen? On the contrary he knows that it is the godless who have just grounds for fear. And he offers admonition to them, and the arguments that should bring them the clearness of truth instead of the vagueness and mystery of superstition, -the security of Faith instead of the haunting fear of those who have no clear guidance.

And why should I fear anything that you worship side by side with Him, seeing that you are not afraid of ascribing divinity to other powers beside God without His ever having bestowed upon you from on high any warrant therefor? [Tell me,] then, which of the two parties has a better right to feel secure - if you happen to know [the answer]?

  - Mohammad Asad

Why should I fear your idols, when you are not afraid of your actions of making them partners with Allah, for which He has not given you any sanction? Which one from the two parties of us deserves to feel secure? Tell me, if you know the truth.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And how should I fear your associate-gods, while you have no fear in associating 'others' with Allah- a practice He has never authorized? Which side has more right to security? 'Tell me' if you really know!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

How should I fear that which ye set up beside Him, when ye fear not to set up beside Allah that for which He hath revealed unto you no warrant? `Which of the two factions hath more right to safety?, (Answer me that) if ye have knowledge.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah when ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security? (tell me) if ye know.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those who have attained to faith, and who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing - it is they who shall be secure, since it is they who have found the right path!"

  - Mohammad Asad

As a matter of fact those who believe and do not taint their faith with wrongdoings will feel more secure and will be better guided."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is 'only' those who are faithful and do not tarnish their faith with falsehood¹ who are guaranteed security and are 'rightly' guided.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., associating false gods in worship with the Almighty.

Those who believe and obscure not their belief by wrong doing, theirs is safety; and they are rightly guided.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong that are (truly) in security for they are on (right) guidance."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And this was Our argument⁶⁸ which We vouchsafed unto Abraham against his people: [for] We do raise by degrees whom We will.⁶⁹ Verily, thy Sustainer is wise, all-knowing.

  - Mohammad Asad

The description of Abraham's reasoning as God's own argument implies that it was divinely inspired, and is therefore valid for the followers of the Qur'an as well.

This is evidently an allusion to Abraham's gradual grasp of the truth, symbolized by his intuitive progress from an adoration of celestial bodies - stars, moon and sun - to a full realization of God's transcendental, all-embracing existence. Alternatively, the expression "by degrees" may be taken to mean "by many degrees", signifying the great spiritual dignity to which this forerunner of a long line of prophets was ultimately raised see 4:125 .

This was the argument which We furnished Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We exalt in ranks whom We please; surely your Rabb is Wise, Aware.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This was the argument We gave Abraham against his people. We elevate in rank whoever We please. Surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That is Our argument. We gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! thy Lord is Wise, Aware.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That was the reasoning about Us which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people: We raise whom We will degree after degree: for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge. ⁹⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The spiritual education of Abraham raised him many degrees above his contemporaries, and he was expected to use that knowledge and dignity for preaching the truth among his own people.

And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; and We guided each of them as We had guided Noah aforetime. And out of his offspring, [We bestowed prophethood upon] David, and Solomon, and Job, and Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: for thus do We reward the doers of good;

  - Mohammad Asad

We gave him Ishaq (Isaac) and Ya'qoob (Jacob) and guided them all as We guided Nuh (Noah) before them, and among his descendants were Dawood (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ayub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses) and Haroon (Aaron); thus do We reward those who do good to others.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We blessed him with Isaac and Jacob. We guided them all as We previously guided Noah and those among his descendants: David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. This is how We reward the good-doers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We gave him Isaac and Jacob: all (three) We guided: and before him We guided Noah and before him We guided Noah and among his progeny David Solomon Job Joseph Moses and Aaron: thus do We reward those who do good: ^{903 904}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We have now a list of eighteen Apostles in four groups, covering the great Teachers accepted among the three great religions based on Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. The first group to be mentioned is that of Abraham, his son Issac, and Isaac's son Jacob. Abraham was the first to have a Book. His Book is mentioned in Q. lxxxvii. 19, though it is now lost. They were therefore the first to receive Guidance in the sense of a Book.

In the second group, we have the great founders of families, apart from Abraham, viz., Noah of the time of the Flood; David and Solomon, the real establishers of the Jewish monarchy; Job, who lived 140 years, saw four generations of descendants, and was blessed at the end of his life with large pastoral wealth (Job xlii. 16,12); Joseph, who as Minister of State did great things in Egypt and ws the progenitor of two Tribes; and Moses and Aaron, the leaders of the Exodus from Egypt. They led active lives and called "doers of good."

and [upon] Zachariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elijah: every one of them was of the righteous;

  - Mohammad Asad

Other descendants include Zakariya, Yahya (John), Isa (Jesus), and Ilyas (Elias); all of them were righteous;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Likewise, 'We guided' Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias, who were all of the righteous.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And Zakariya and John and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous: ⁹⁰⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: "the Righteous." They form a connected group round Jesus. Zakariya was the father of John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus (iii. 37-41); and Jesus referred to John the Baptist as Elias, "this is Elias, which was to come" (Matt xi. 14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt. xvii. 3). Elias is the same as Elijah.

and [upon] Ishmael, and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot.⁷⁰ And every one of them did We favour above other people;

  - Mohammad Asad

Although Lot was not a "descendant" of Abraham since he was his brother's son, his name is included here for two reasons: firstly, because he followed Abraham from his earliest youth as a son follows his father, and, secondly, because in ancient Arabian usage a paternal uncle is often described as "father" and, conversely, a nephew as "son".- For the Hebrew prophets Elijah (Ilyas) and Elisha (Al-Yasa'), see note [48] on 37:123 .

and Isma`il (Ishmael), Al-Yas'a (Elisha), Yunus (Jonah) and Lut (Lot). We exalted every one of them over the worlds

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'We also guided' Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot, favouring each over other people 'of their time'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above (Our) creatures,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And Ismail and Elisha and Jonas and Lot: and to all We gave favor above the nations: ⁹⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is the last group, described as those "favoured above the nations." It consists of four men who had all great misfortunes to contend with, and were concerned in the clash of nations, but they kept in the path of God, and came through above the clash of nations. Ismail was the eldest son of Abraham; when he was a baby, he and his mother had nearly died of thirst in the desert round Mecca; but they were saved by the well of Zamzam, and became the founder of the new Arab nation. Elisha (Al-Yasa) succeeded to the mantle of the Prophet Elijah (same as Elias,see last note); he lived in troublous times for both the Jewish kingdoms (of Judah and Isreal); there were wicked kings, and other nations were pressing in on them; but he performed many miracles, and some check was given to the enemies under his advice. The story of Jonas (Yunus) is well-known: he was swallowed by a fish or whale, but was saved by God's mercy: through his preaching, his city (Ninevah) was saved (x. 98). Lot was a contemporary and nephew of Abraham: when the city of Sodom was destroyed for its wickedness, he was saved as a just man (vii. 80-84).

and [We exalted likewise] some of their forefathers and their offspring and their brethren: We elected them [all], and guided them onto a straight way.

  - Mohammad Asad

as We exalted some of their forefather, their children and their brothers. We chose them for Our service and guided them to the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And 'We favoured' some of their forefathers, their descendants, and their brothers. We chose them and guided them to the Straight Path.

  - Mustafa Khattab

With some of their forefathers and thee offspring and thee brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path:

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(To them) and to their fathers and progeny and brethren: We chose them. And We guided them to a straight way. ⁹⁰⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I take verse 87 to refer back to all the four groups just mentioned.

Such is God's guidance: He guides therewith whomever He wills of His servants. And had they ascribed divinity to aught beside Him - in vain, indeed, would have been all [the good] that they ever did:

  - Mohammad Asad

This is the guidance from Allah; He bestows it upon whom He pleases of His devotees. If they had committed shirk (worshiped anyone else besides Allah) all their deeds would have become void.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is Allah's guidance with which He guides whoever He wills of His servants. Had they associated others with Him 'in worship', their 'good' deeds would have been wasted.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Such is the guidance of Allah wherewith He guideth whom He will of His bondmen. But if they had set up (for worship ) aught beside Him, (all) that they did would have been vain.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

This is the guidance of Allah: He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him all that they did would be vain for them.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[but] it was to them that We vouchsafed, revelation, and sound judgment, and prophethood. And now, although the unbelievers may choose to deny these truths,⁷¹ [know that] We have entrusted them to people who will never refuse to acknowledge them -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "if these deny them" - i.e., the manifestations of God's oneness and of the revelation of His will through the prophets.

Such were the people to whom We gave the Book, wisdom and Prophethood. Now if these people deny this guidance, it does not matter; We would bestow this guidance upon other people who would not disbelieve.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those were the ones to whom We gave the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood. But if these 'pagans' disbelieve in this 'message', then We have already entrusted it to a people who will never disbelieve in it.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Those are they unto whom We gave the Scripture and command and prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein, then indeed We shall entrust it to a people who will not be disbelievers therein.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

These were the men to whom We gave the Book and authority and prophethood: if these (their descendants) reject them behold! We shall entrust their charge to a new People who reject them not. ⁹⁰⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Them, i.e., the Book, and authority and Prophethood. They were taken away from the other People of the Book and entrusted to the holy Apostle Muhammad and his People.

to those whom God has guided. Follow, then, their guidance, [and] say: "No reward do I ask of you for this [truth]: behold, it is but an admonition unto all mankind!"

  - Mohammad Asad

O Muhammad, those were the people who were rightly guided by Allah, therefore, follow their guidance and tell these people: "I am not asking you any compensation for this work of delivering the Message to you, this message is nothing but a reminder to all the worlds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

These 'prophets' were 'rightly' guided by Allah, so follow their guidance. Say, 'I ask no reward of you for this 'Quran'- it is a reminder to the whole world.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those are they whom Allah guideth, so follow their guidance. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee for it. Lo! it is naught but a Reminder to (His) creatures.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Those were the (prophets) who received Allah's guidance: copy the guidance they received; Say: "No reward for this do I ask of you: this is no less than a Message for the nations."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali