Surah 34: Sheba (Saba')

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذى لَهُ ما فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَما فِى الأَرضِ وَلَهُ الحَمدُ فِى الـٔاخِرَةِ وَهُوَ الحَكيمُ الخَبيرُ

Praise be to God - to whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth; all praise is also due to Him in the Hereafter. He is the Most Wise, the Cognizant.

يَعلَمُ ما يَلِجُ فِى الأَرضِ وَما يَخرُجُ مِنها وَما يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَما يَعرُجُ فيها وَهُوَ الرَّحيمُ الغَفورُ

He knows everything that goes into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.

وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا لا تَأتينَا السّاعَةُ قُل بَلىٰ وَرَبّى لَتَأتِيَنَّكُم عٰلِمِ الغَيبِ لا يَعزُبُ عَنهُ مِثقالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَلا فِى الأَرضِ وَلا أَصغَرُ مِن ذٰلِكَ وَلا أَكبَرُ إِلّا فى كِتٰبٍ مُبينٍ

Those who disbelieve have said, "The Hour will never come to pass!" Say, "Absolutely - by my Lord - it will most certainly come to you. He is the Knower of the future. Not even the equivalent of an atom's weight is hidden from Him, be it in the heavens or the earth. Not even smaller than that, or larger (is hidden). All are in a profound record."

لِيَجزِىَ الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم مَغفِرَةٌ وَرِزقٌ كَريمٌ

Most certainly, He will reward those who believe and lead a righteous life. These have deserved forgiveness and a generous provision.

وَالَّذينَ سَعَو فى ءايٰتِنا مُعٰجِزينَ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم عَذابٌ مِن رِجزٍ أَليمٌ

As for those who constantly challenge our revelations, they have incurred a retribution of painful humiliation.

وَيَرَى الَّذينَ أوتُوا العِلمَ الَّذى أُنزِلَ إِلَيكَ مِن رَبِّكَ هُوَ الحَقَّ وَيَهدى إِلىٰ صِرٰطِ العَزيزِ الحَميدِ

It is evident to those who are blessed with knowledge that this revelation from your Lord to you is the truth, and that it guides to the path of the Almighty, the Most Praiseworthy.

وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا هَل نَدُلُّكُم عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُم إِذا مُزِّقتُم كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُم لَفى خَلقٍ جَديدٍ

Those who disbelieve have said, "Let us show you a man who tells you that after you are torn apart you will be created anew.

أَفتَرىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ بَلِ الَّذينَ لا يُؤمِنونَ بِالـٔاخِرَةِ فِى العَذابِ وَالضَّلٰلِ البَعيدِ

"Either he fabricated lies about God, or he is crazy." Indeed, those who disbelieve in the Hereafter have incurred the worst retribution; they have gone far astray.

أَفَلَم يَرَوا إِلىٰ ما بَينَ أَيديهِم وَما خَلفَهُم مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ إِن نَشَأ نَخسِف بِهِمُ الأَرضَ أَو نُسقِط عَلَيهِم كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّماءِ إِنَّ فى ذٰلِكَ لَـٔايَةً لِكُلِّ عَبدٍ مُنيبٍ

Have they not seen all the things in front of them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If we willed, we could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses to fall on them from the sky. This should be a sufficient proof for every obedient servant.

وَلَقَد ءاتَينا داوۥدَ مِنّا فَضلًا يٰجِبالُ أَوِّبى مَعَهُ وَالطَّيرَ وَأَلَنّا لَهُ الحَديدَ

We endowed David with blessings from us: "O mountains, submit with him, and you too, O birds." We softened the iron for him.

أَنِ اعمَل سٰبِغٰتٍ وَقَدِّر فِى السَّردِ وَاعمَلوا صٰلِحًا إِنّى بِما تَعمَلونَ بَصيرٌ

"You may make shields that fit perfectly, and work righteousness. Whatever you do, I am Seer thereof."

وَلِسُلَيمٰنَ الرّيحَ غُدُوُّها شَهرٌ وَرَواحُها شَهرٌ وَأَسَلنا لَهُ عَينَ القِطرِ وَمِنَ الجِنِّ مَن يَعمَلُ بَينَ يَدَيهِ بِإِذنِ رَبِّهِ وَمَن يَزِغ مِنهُم عَن أَمرِنا نُذِقهُ مِن عَذابِ السَّعيرِ

To Solomon we committed the wind at his disposal, traveling one month coming and one month going. And we caused a spring of oil to gush out for him. Also, the jinns worked for him, by his Lord's leave. Any one of them who disregarded our commands, we subjected him to a severe retribution.

يَعمَلونَ لَهُ ما يَشاءُ مِن مَحٰريبَ وَتَمٰثيلَ وَجِفانٍ كَالجَوابِ وَقُدورٍ راسِيٰتٍ اعمَلوا ءالَ داوۥدَ شُكرًا وَقَليلٌ مِن عِبادِىَ الشَّكورُ

They made for him anything he wanted - niches, statues, deep pools, and heavy cooking pots. O family of David, work (righteousness) to show your appreciation. Only a few of My servants are appreciative.

فَلَمّا قَضَينا عَلَيهِ المَوتَ ما دَلَّهُم عَلىٰ مَوتِهِ إِلّا دابَّةُ الأَرضِ تَأكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ فَلَمّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الجِنُّ أَن لَو كانوا يَعلَمونَ الغَيبَ ما لَبِثوا فِى العَذابِ المُهينِ

When the appointed time for his death came, they had no clue that he had died. It was not until one of the animals tried to eat his staff, and he fell down, that the jinns realized that he was dead. They thus realized that if they really knew the unseen, they would have stopped working so hard as soon as he died.

لَقَد كانَ لِسَبَإٍ فى مَسكَنِهِم ءايَةٌ جَنَّتانِ عَن يَمينٍ وَشِمالٍ كُلوا مِن رِزقِ رَبِّكُم وَاشكُروا لَهُ بَلدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفورٌ

Sheba's homeland used to be a marvel, with two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from your Lord's provisions, and be appreciative of Him - good land, and a forgiving Lord.

فَأَعرَضوا فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم سَيلَ العَرِمِ وَبَدَّلنٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيهِم جَنَّتَينِ ذَواتَى أُكُلٍ خَمطٍ وَأَثلٍ وَشَىءٍ مِن سِدرٍ قَليلٍ

They turned away and, consequently, we poured upon them a disastrous flood, and we substituted their two gardens into two gardens of bad tasting fruits, thorny plants, and a skimpy harvest.

ذٰلِكَ جَزَينٰهُم بِما كَفَروا وَهَل نُجٰزى إِلَّا الكَفورَ

We thus requited them for their disbelief. Do we not requite only the disbelievers?

وَجَعَلنا بَينَهُم وَبَينَ القُرَى الَّتى بٰرَكنا فيها قُرًى ظٰهِرَةً وَقَدَّرنا فيهَا السَّيرَ سيروا فيها لَيالِىَ وَأَيّامًا ءامِنينَ

We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: "Travel therein days and nights in complete security."

فَقالوا رَبَّنا بٰعِد بَينَ أَسفارِنا وَظَلَموا أَنفُسَهُم فَجَعَلنٰهُم أَحاديثَ وَمَزَّقنٰهُم كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّ فى ذٰلِكَ لَـٔايٰتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبّارٍ شَكورٍ

But they (turned unappreciative and) challenged: "Our Lord, we do not care if You increase the distance of our journeys (without any stations)." They thus wronged their own souls. Consequently, we made them history, and scattered them into small communities throughout the land. This should provide lessons for those who are steadfast, appreciative.

وَلَقَد صَدَّقَ عَلَيهِم إِبليسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعوهُ إِلّا فَريقًا مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ

Satan found them readily fulfilling his expectations. They followed him, except a few believers.

وَما كانَ لَهُ عَلَيهِم مِن سُلطٰنٍ إِلّا لِنَعلَمَ مَن يُؤمِنُ بِالـٔاخِرَةِ مِمَّن هُوَ مِنها فى شَكٍّ وَرَبُّكَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَىءٍ حَفيظٌ

He never had any power over them. But we thus distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are doubtful about it.* Your Lord is in full control of all things.

*34:21 The criteria that inform us whether or not we believe in the Hereafter are in 6:113, 17:45, & 39:45. These three criteria bring out our true convictions, regardless of our oral statements.

قُلِ ادعُوا الَّذينَ زَعَمتُم مِن دونِ اللَّهِ لا يَملِكونَ مِثقالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَلا فِى الأَرضِ وَما لَهُم فيهِما مِن شِركٍ وَما لَهُ مِنهُم مِن ظَهيرٍ

Say, "Implore the idols you have set up beside God. They do not possess as much as a single atom in the heavens, or the earth. They possess no partnership therein, nor does He permit them to be His assistants."

وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفٰعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلّا لِمَن أَذِنَ لَهُ حَتّىٰ إِذا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلوبِهِم قالوا ماذا قالَ رَبُّكُم قالُوا الحَقَّ وَهُوَ العَلِىُّ الكَبيرُ

Intercession with Him will be in vain, unless it coincides with His will. When their minds are finally settled down, and they ask, "What did your Lord say," they will say, "The truth." He is the Most High, the Most Great.

قُل مَن يَرزُقُكُم مِنَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالأَرضِ قُلِ اللَّهُ وَإِنّا أَو إِيّاكُم لَعَلىٰ هُدًى أَو فى ضَلٰلٍ مُبينٍ

Say, "Who provides for you, from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "God," and "Either we or you are guided, or have gone far astray."

قُل لا تُسـَٔلونَ عَمّا أَجرَمنا وَلا نُسـَٔلُ عَمّا تَعمَلونَ

Say, "You are not responsible for our crimes, nor are we responsible for what you do."

قُل يَجمَعُ بَينَنا رَبُّنا ثُمَّ يَفتَحُ بَينَنا بِالحَقِّ وَهُوَ الفَتّاحُ العَليمُ

Say, "Our Lord will gather us all together before Him, then He will judge between us equitably. He is the Judge, the Omniscient."

قُل أَرونِىَ الَّذينَ أَلحَقتُم بِهِ شُرَكاءَ كَلّا بَل هُوَ اللَّهُ العَزيزُ الحَكيمُ

Say, "Show me the idols you have set up as partners with Him!" Say, "No; He is the one God, the Almighty, Most Wise."

وَما أَرسَلنٰكَ إِلّا كافَّةً لِلنّاسِ بَشيرًا وَنَذيرًا وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

We have sent you (O Rashad)* to all the people, a bearer of good news, as well as a warner, but most people do not know.

*34:28 As detailed in Appendix 2, the name of this messenger is mathematically coded into the Quran as ``Rashad Khalifa.'' By adding the numerical value of the name ``Rashad'' (505), plus the numerical value of the name ``Khalifa'' (725), plus the number of the sura (34), plus the number of the verse (28), we obtain a total that conforms with the Quran's 19-based mathematical miracle, which was unveiled through Rashad Khalifa. (505+725+34+28=1292=19x68). More information is given in 5:19 and its footnote.

وَيَقولونَ مَتىٰ هٰذَا الوَعدُ إِن كُنتُم صٰدِقينَ

They challenge, "When will this promise come to pass, if you are truthful?"

قُل لَكُم ميعادُ يَومٍ لا تَستَـٔخِرونَ عَنهُ ساعَةً وَلا تَستَقدِمونَ

Say, "You have a specific time, on a specific day, that you cannot delay by one hour, nor advance."

وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا لَن نُؤمِنَ بِهٰذَا القُرءانِ وَلا بِالَّذى بَينَ يَدَيهِ وَلَو تَرىٰ إِذِ الظّٰلِمونَ مَوقوفونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِم يَرجِعُ بَعضُهُم إِلىٰ بَعضٍ القَولَ يَقولُ الَّذينَ استُضعِفوا لِلَّذينَ استَكبَروا لَولا أَنتُم لَكُنّا مُؤمِنينَ

Those who disbelieve have said, "We will not believe in this Quran, nor in the previous scriptures." If you could only envision these transgressors when they stand before their Lord! They will argue with one another back and forth. The followers will tell their leaders, "If it were not for you, we would have been believers."

قالَ الَّذينَ استَكبَروا لِلَّذينَ استُضعِفوا أَنَحنُ صَدَدنٰكُم عَنِ الهُدىٰ بَعدَ إِذ جاءَكُم بَل كُنتُم مُجرِمينَ

The leaders will say to those who followed them, "Are we the ones who diverted you from the guidance after it came to you? No; it is you who were wicked."

وَقالَ الَّذينَ استُضعِفوا لِلَّذينَ استَكبَروا بَل مَكرُ الَّيلِ وَالنَّهارِ إِذ تَأمُرونَنا أَن نَكفُرَ بِاللَّهِ وَنَجعَلَ لَهُ أَندادًا وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدامَةَ لَمّا رَأَوُا العَذابَ وَجَعَلنَا الأَغلٰلَ فى أَعناقِ الَّذينَ كَفَروا هَل يُجزَونَ إِلّا ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ

The followers will say to their leaders, "It was you who schemed night and day, then commanded us to be unappreciative of God, and to set up idols to rank with Him." They will be ridden with remorse, when they see the retribution, for we will place shackles around the necks of those who disbelieved. Are they not justly requited for what they did?

وَما أَرسَلنا فى قَريَةٍ مِن نَذيرٍ إِلّا قالَ مُترَفوها إِنّا بِما أُرسِلتُم بِهِ كٰفِرونَ

Every time we sent a warner to a community, the leaders of that community said, "We reject the message you are sent with."

وَقالوا نَحنُ أَكثَرُ أَموٰلًا وَأَولٰدًا وَما نَحنُ بِمُعَذَّبينَ

They also said, "We are more powerful, with more money and children, and we will not be punished."

قُل إِنَّ رَبّى يَبسُطُ الرِّزقَ لِمَن يَشاءُ وَيَقدِرُ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

Say, "My Lord is the One who controls all provisions; He grants the provisions to whomever He wills, or reduces them, but most people do not know."

وَما أَموٰلُكُم وَلا أَولٰدُكُم بِالَّتى تُقَرِّبُكُم عِندَنا زُلفىٰ إِلّا مَن ءامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صٰلِحًا فَأُولٰئِكَ لَهُم جَزاءُ الضِّعفِ بِما عَمِلوا وَهُم فِى الغُرُفٰتِ ءامِنونَ

It is not your money or your children that bring you closer to us. Only those who believe and lead a righteous life will receive the reward for their works, multiplied manifold. In the abode of Paradise they will live in perfect peace.

وَالَّذينَ يَسعَونَ فى ءايٰتِنا مُعٰجِزينَ أُولٰئِكَ فِى العَذابِ مُحضَرونَ

As for those who consistently challenge our revelations, they will abide in retribution.

قُل إِنَّ رَبّى يَبسُطُ الرِّزقَ لِمَن يَشاءُ مِن عِبادِهِ وَيَقدِرُ لَهُ وَما أَنفَقتُم مِن شَىءٍ فَهُوَ يُخلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيرُ الرّٰزِقينَ

Say, "My Lord is the One who controls all provisions; He increases the provisions for whomever He chooses from among His servants, or reduces them. Anything you spend (in the cause of God), He will reward you for it; He is the Best Provider."

وَيَومَ يَحشُرُهُم جَميعًا ثُمَّ يَقولُ لِلمَلٰئِكَةِ أَهٰؤُلاءِ إِيّاكُم كانوا يَعبُدونَ

On the day when He summons them all, He will say to the angels, "Did these people worship you?"

قالوا سُبحٰنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنا مِن دونِهِم بَل كانوا يَعبُدونَ الجِنَّ أَكثَرُهُم بِهِم مُؤمِنونَ

They will answer, "Be You glorified. You are our Lord and Master, not them. Instead, they were worshiping the jinns; most of them were believers therein."

فَاليَومَ لا يَملِكُ بَعضُكُم لِبَعضٍ نَفعًا وَلا ضَرًّا وَنَقولُ لِلَّذينَ ظَلَموا ذوقوا عَذابَ النّارِ الَّتى كُنتُم بِها تُكَذِّبونَ

On that day, you possess no power to help or harm one another, and we will say to the transgressors, "Taste the retribution of the Hell that you used to deny."

وَإِذا تُتلىٰ عَلَيهِم ءايٰتُنا بَيِّنٰتٍ قالوا ما هٰذا إِلّا رَجُلٌ يُريدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُم عَمّا كانَ يَعبُدُ ءاباؤُكُم وَقالوا ما هٰذا إِلّا إِفكٌ مُفتَرًى وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا لِلحَقِّ لَمّا جاءَهُم إِن هٰذا إِلّا سِحرٌ مُبينٌ

When our proofs were recited to them, perfectly clear, they said, "This is simply a man who wants to divert you from the way your parents are worshiping." They also said, "These are fabricated lies." Those who disbelieved also said about the truth that came to them, "This is obviously magic."

*34:43 By adding the gematrical value of "Rashad" (505), plus the value of "Khalifa" (725), plus this verse number (43), we get 505+725+43=1273=19x67. See Appendices 1 & 2.

وَما ءاتَينٰهُم مِن كُتُبٍ يَدرُسونَها وَما أَرسَلنا إِلَيهِم قَبلَكَ مِن نَذيرٍ

We did not give them any other books to study, nor did we send to them before you another warner.

وَكَذَّبَ الَّذينَ مِن قَبلِهِم وَما بَلَغوا مِعشارَ ما ءاتَينٰهُم فَكَذَّبوا رُسُلى فَكَيفَ كانَ نَكيرِ

Those before them disbelieved, and even though they did not see one-tenth* of (the miracle) we have given to this generation, when they disbelieved My messengers, how severe was My retribution!

*34:45 The great miracles given to Moses and Jesus were limited in time and place; they were witnessed by a few people who happened to exist in that place at that time. But the mathematical miracle of the Quran is perpetual (see 74:30-35 and Appendix 1).

قُل إِنَّما أَعِظُكُم بِوٰحِدَةٍ أَن تَقوموا لِلَّهِ مَثنىٰ وَفُرٰدىٰ ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّروا ما بِصاحِبِكُم مِن جِنَّةٍ إِن هُوَ إِلّا نَذيرٌ لَكُم بَينَ يَدَى عَذابٍ شَديدٍ

Say, "I ask you to do one thing: Devote yourselves to God, in pairs or as individuals, then reflect. Your friend (Rashad) is not crazy. He is a manifest warner to you, just before the advent of a terrible retribution."

*34:46 By placing the gematrical value of "Rashad" (505) next to the value of "Khalifa" (725), then the sura number (34), and the verse number (46), we get 5057253446=19x266171234.

قُل ما سَأَلتُكُم مِن أَجرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُم إِن أَجرِىَ إِلّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَىءٍ شَهيدٌ

Say, "I do not ask you for any wage; you can keep it. My wage comes only from God. He witnesses all things."

قُل إِنَّ رَبّى يَقذِفُ بِالحَقِّ عَلّٰمُ الغُيوبِ

Say, "My Lord causes the truth to prevail. He is the Knower of all secrets."

قُل جاءَ الحَقُّ وَما يُبدِئُ البٰطِلُ وَما يُعيدُ

Say, "The truth has come; while falsehood can neither initiate anything, nor repeat it."

قُل إِن ضَلَلتُ فَإِنَّما أَضِلُّ عَلىٰ نَفسى وَإِنِ اهتَدَيتُ فَبِما يوحى إِلَىَّ رَبّى إِنَّهُ سَميعٌ قَريبٌ

Say, "If I go astray, I go astray because of my own shortcomings. And if I am guided, it is because of my Lord's inspiration. He is Hearer, Near."

وَلَو تَرىٰ إِذ فَزِعوا فَلا فَوتَ وَأُخِذوا مِن مَكانٍ قَريبٍ

If you could only see them when the great terror strikes them; they cannot escape then, and they will be taken away forcibly.

وَقالوا ءامَنّا بِهِ وَأَنّىٰ لَهُمُ التَّناوُشُ مِن مَكانٍ بَعيدٍ

They will then say, "We now believe in it," but it will be far too late.

وَقَد كَفَروا بِهِ مِن قَبلُ وَيَقذِفونَ بِالغَيبِ مِن مَكانٍ بَعيدٍ

They have rejected it in the past; they have decided instead to uphold conjecture and guesswork.*

*34:53 People of all religions tend to forsake the word of God and uphold the words of men. The Jews and the Muslims uphold the Mishnah (Hadith) and Gemarrah (Sunna), while the Christians uphold a trinity invented by the Nicene Conference, 325 years after Jesus.

وَحيلَ بَينَهُم وَبَينَ ما يَشتَهونَ كَما فُعِلَ بِأَشياعِهِم مِن قَبلُ إِنَّهُم كانوا فى شَكٍّ مُريبٍ

Consequently, they were deprived of everything they longed for. This is the same fate as their counterparts in the previous generations. They harbored too many doubts.