SURAH RAAD

The Thunder

(Madnie, Surah # 13, Verses 43 )

13:1 Alif-Lam-Mim-Ra. These are the Verses of the Book (the Quran), and that which has been revealed unto you (Muhammad) from your Lord is the truth, but most men believe not.

ALLAH’S SIGN IN HIS CREATIONS

13:2 Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne. He has subjected the sun and the moon each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, He makes the signs clear so that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord.

13:3 And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created fruits of every kind in pairs. He covers the day with night. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect.

13:4 And on the earth there are ˹different˺ neighboring tracts, gardens of grapevines, ˹various˺ crops, palm trees—some stemming from the same root, others standing alone. They are all irrigated with the same water, yet We make some taste better than others. Surely in this are signs for those who understand.

DISBELIEVERS

13:5 And if you (O Muhammad) wonder, then wondrous is their saying:"When we become dust, shall we be brought back to life again? They are those who disbelieve in their Lord! They are those who will have iron chains tying their hands to their necks. They will be dwellers of the Fire to abide therein.

13:6 They ask you to bring upon them punishment before they ask you for mercy. Such punishments were already brought upon the people who lived before them. Surely your Lord is full of forgiveness for people, despite their wrongdoing, and your Lord is truly severe in punishment.

13:7 And the disbelievers say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide.

13:8 Allah knows what every female bears and what increases and decreases in the wombs. And with Him everything is determined with precision.

13:9 All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.

13:10 It is all the same to Him whether you speak in secret or out loud, try to hide in the darkness of night or walk in the brightness of day.

13:11 For each (person), there are attendant angels, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah. Verily! Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change their own state of faith. . And if it is Allah’s Will to torment a people, it can never be averted, nor can they find a protector other than Him.

13:12 He it is Who shows you the lightning causing fear and hope and (Who) brings up the heavy cloud.

13:13 Both the thunder and the angels glorify Him and out of His fear always praise Him. He sends down thunder-bolts to strike whomever He wants, while they are busy arguing about the existence of Allah. And He is Mighty in strength and Severe in punishment.

13:14 Calling upon Him ˹alone˺ is the truth. But those ˹idols˺ the pagans invoke besides Him ˹can˺ never respond to them in any way. ˹It is˺ just like someone who stretches out their hands to water, ˹asking it˺ to reach their mouths, but it can never do so. The calls of the disbelievers are only in vain.

13:15 And unto Allah (Alone) falls in prostration whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and so do their shadows in the mornings and in the afternoons.

13:16 Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allah." Say: "Have you then taken (for worship) Auliya' (protectors, etc.) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or have they associated with Allah partners who ˹supposedly˺ produced a creation like His, leaving them confused between the two creations? Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme.”

13:17 He sends down rain from the sky, causing the valleys to flow, each according to its capacity. The currents then carry along rising foam, similar to the slag produced from metal that people melt in the fire for ornaments or tools. This is how Allah compares truth to falsehood. The ˹worthless˺ residue is then cast away, but what benefits people remains on the earth. This is how Allah sets forth parables.

13:18 For those who answered their Lord's Call is Al-Husna (i.e. Paradise). But those who answered not His Call , if they had all that is in the earth together with its like, they would offer it in order to save themselves (from the torment, it will be in vain). For them there will be terrible reckoning. Their dwelling place will be Hell; - and worst indeed is that place for rest.

13:19 Can a person, who knows that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be like him who is blind?Only those who have understanding take heed.

13:20 Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract,

13:21 Those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (i.e. they are good to their relatives -kinship), fear their Lord, and are afraid of the evil of [their] account,

13:22 And ˹they are˺ those who remain patiently, seeking their Lord’s pleasure, establish prayer, donate from what We have provided for them—secretly and openly—and respond to evil with good. It is they who will have the ultimate Home:

13:23 Adn, Paradise, which they shall enter and (also) those who acted righteously from among their fathers, and their wives, and their offspring. And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying):

13:24 "Salamun 'Alaikum (peace be upon you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!"

13:25 And those who violate Allah’s covenant after it has been affirmed, break whatever ˹ties˺ Allah has ordered to be maintained, and spread corruption in the land—it is they who will be condemned and will have the worst Home:

13:26 Allah gives abundant or limited provisions to whoever He wills. And the disbelievers become prideful of ˹the pleasures of˺ this worldly life. But the life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is but a brief passing enjoyment.

13:27 The disbelievers say, “If only a sign could be sent down to him from his Lord.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Indeed, Allah leaves to stray whoever He wills, and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him in repentance.

13:28 Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.

13:29 Those who believe and work righteousness, Tuba (it means all kinds of happiness or name of a tree in Paradise) is for them and a beautiful place of (final) return.

13:30 And so We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ to a community, like ˹We did with˺ earlier communities, so that you may recite to them what We have revealed to you. Yet they deny the Most Compassionate. Say, “He is my Lord! There is no God ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. In Him I put my trust, and to Him I turn ˹in repentance˺.”

13:31 If there were a recitation that could cause mountains to move, or the earth to split, or the dead to speak, ˹it would have been this Quran˺. But all matters are by Allah’s Will. Have the believers not yet realized that had Allah willed, He could have guided all of humanity? And disasters will continue to afflict the disbelievers or strike close to their homes for their misdeeds, until Allah’s promise comes to pass. Surely Allah never fails in His promise.

13:32 (Muhammad), people have mocked the Messengers who lived before you. I gave a respite to the unbelievers (so that they would repent, but they did not). Then I struck them with a terrible retribution.

13:33(Can anyone be considered equal to) the One who is the Guardian of every soul and the Watcher of what it has gained? Yet, the unbelievers have considered their idols equal to God. Say, "Name the attributes of your idols. Are you trying to tell God about something that does not exist on the earth? Do you only mention empty names? Evil plans have attracted the unbelievers and have misled them from the right path. No one can guide those whom God has caused to go astray.

13:34 For them is punishment in this worldly life, but the punishment of the Hereafter is truly far worse. And none can shield them from Allah.

13:35 The description of the Paradise which the Muttaqun have been promised! -Underneath it rivers flow, its provision is eternal and so is its shade, this is the end (final destination) of the Muttaqun , and the end (final destination) of the disbelievers is Fire. 

13:36 The People of the Book are happy with what has been revealed to you. Among the different parties, there are some who dislike part of what has been revealed to you. (Muhammad), tell them, "I have been commanded to worship Allah alone, not to consider anything equal to Him. To Him do I pray and to Him shall I return."

WARNING TO PROPHET MUHAMMAD

13:37 We revealed it (the Quran) as a code of conduct in the Arabic language. (Muhammad), if you follow their desires after the knowledge has been revealed to you, know that no one will be able to guard or protect you from the wrath of Allah.

13:38 We have certainly sent messengers before you ˹O Prophet˺ and blessed them with wives and offspring. It was not for any messenger to bring a sign without Allah’s permission. Every matter there is a Decree (from Allah).

13:39 Allah eliminates and confirms what He wills, and with Him is the Master Record.

13:40 Whether We show you ˹O Prophet˺ some of what We threaten them with, or cause you to die ˹before that˺, your duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺. Judgment is for Us.

13:41 See they not that We gradually reduce the land (of disbelievers, by giving it to the believers, in war victories) from its outlying borders. And Allah judges, there is none to put back His Judgment and He is Swift at reckoning.

13:42 Those ˹disbelievers˺ before them ˹secretly˺ planned, but Allah has the ultimate plan. He knows what every soul commits. And the disbelievers will soon know who will have the ultimate outcome

13:43 The disbelievers say, “You ˹Muḥammad˺ are no messenger.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah is sufficient as a Witness between me and you, and those too whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.”

Online Sources: Citations

https://quran.com/1

https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=1&verse=1

https://noblequran.com/