Surah Ar-Rum
(The Byzantines)
~ Excerpt from The Qur’an: Volume VIII, forthcoming, offered by Camille Adams Helminski
In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate,
the Continually Merciful
Alif. Lam. Mim.
Overcome have been the Byzantines,
in the lands nearby; yet it is they, even after this defeat, who soon will be victorious,
within a few years, for with God is the determining power, before and after. And on that Day, the faithful will rejoice—
with the help of Allah—He helps whom He wills; and He is the Most Exalted in Might and Most Dear, the Continually Merciful [Wa Huwa al-‘Aziz ur-Rahim]:
the promise of God! Never does Divine Reality deviate from Its promise; but most people do not understand.
They know only the obvious surface of the life of this world; but of that which is beyond it, they are heedless.
Don’t they ever reflect within themselves? Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and that which is between them except with Truth [bil Haqqi] and for a determined term. Yet there are, truly, many among humankind who deny the meeting with their Sustainer!
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength; they tilled the soil and populated it more extensively than these have done; and their messengers came to them with clear signs. It was not God who wronged them, but they who wronged their own souls.
And so again, wretched is the inevitable end of those who do evil, because they deny the Signs of Divine Reality and disparage them.
God creates in the beginning; then He brings forth anew; then, to Him you will return. [Allahu yabda’ul khalqa; thumma yu‘eeduhu; thumma ilayhi turja‘un.]
And the Day the Ultimate Hour dawns, those who have cut themselves off by committing crimes will be in despair (as they have become unable to see the right way).
And among those to whom they ascribed a share in God’s divinity and power, there will be no intercessors for them, for they will have rejected those partners of theirs.
On the Day that the Ultimate Hour dawns, that Day, all will be sorted with discernment—
as for those who have faith and do the deeds of wholeness and reconciliation, for them is a well-watered garden [rawdah], where they will abide beautified with joy;
but as for those who were ungrateful, in denial (of Truth)—and rejected Our Communications and the meeting of the Hereafter—such as those will be thirsting within grievous chastisement.
So, glorify God when you reach the evening and when you rise in the morning—
for all praise belongs to Him in the heavens and on earth—and also in the late afternoon and when the day reaches its zenith.
It is He who brings out the living from the dead and who brings out the dead from the living, and who gives life to the earth after it has died, and even so shall you all be brought forth.
And among the Signs of God is this: that He created you from dust, and then, see how you became human beings ranging far and wide!
And among His Signs is this: that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He engenders love and compassion between you; truly, in that are signs for people who reflect [inna fi zhalika la-Ayati li-qawmin yatafakkarun].
And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variety of your languages and your colors: truly, in that are Signs for those who know [inna fi zhalika la-Ayati lil‘alameen].
And among His signs is your sleep by night and by day as well as your quest for provision from His Bounty: truly, in that are signs for those who listen [inna fi zhalika la-Ayati li-qawmin yasma‘un].
And among His Signs He shows you the lightning by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: truly, in that are signs for people who use their intelligence [inna fi zhalika la-Ayati li-qawmin y‘aqilun].
And among His Signs is this: that heaven and earth stand by His Command. Then, when He calls you from within the earth by a single call, witness, you will emerge;
to Him belongs every being that is in the heavens and on earth—with Him all are wholeheartedly resonant [qanitun].
It is He who begins the unfolding of Creation, then brings it forth anew, and this is even easier for Him, for His is the essence of all that is most sublime in the heavens and the earth. And He alone is the Exalted in Might, Most Dear, the All-Wise Healer of All. [Wa Huwa al-‘Aziz, al-Hakim.]
He propounds for you an example from among yourselves: from those over whom you have control would you have partners in what We have provided for you, such that you would have equal shares in it and you would be concerned (about using it without their consent), just as you might be concerned with your equals? Like this do We detail the Messages for people who use their intelligence [li-qawmin y‘aqilun].
But no, those who are bent on doing evil follow their own desires, without any knowledge. Then who can guide one whom Divine Reality has allowed to wander into confusion? For them there are no helpers [nasireen].
So set your face steadfastly toward the truly upright Way [Dini Hanifa (turning away from all that is false)], according to the innate nature [fitrah] with which He has originated human beings; do not allow to be corrupted that which God has created. That is the truly straightforward Way (the Way that is truly of value [ad-Deenul Qaiyimu]), but most people do not understand.
Continually turn to Him. [Muneebena ilayhi.] And remain conscious of Him. [Wa at-taqquHu.] And be constant in prayer. [Wa aqimu as-salaata]. And do not be among those who attribute divine power to any beside Divine Reality,
or be among those who split apart their religion and become sects, each group celebrating alone that which is with itself!
When adversity touches people, they call out to their Sustainer, turning again and again in repentance toward Him; but when He gives them a taste of His Compassion from Himself, a group of them attribute power to others beside their Sustainer,
so that they ungratefully deny what We have bestowed upon them. So, enjoy yourselves; you will soon come to know.
Or have We ever sent down to them an authority speaking to them of attributing partnership to others with Us?
When We give human beings a taste of Compassion, they rejoice in it; but when some evil befalls them because of what their own hands have sent forth, see how they lose courage and hope.
Don’t they see how God grants abundant sustenance to whom He wills, or restricts it? Truly, in this are Signs for people who have faith. [Inna fi zhalika la-Ayati li-qawmin yu’minun.]
So, give what is due to those near to you [al-qurba], and to the needy [al-miskeena], and to the one who is journeying [ibna as-sabeeli]. That is best for those who seek the Countenance of God [Wajha Allahi], and it is they who are the ones who find felicity [ula’ika humul muflihun].
Whatever you give out under usury [riba], so that it might increase amid the wealth of people, will not increase with God. But what you give in purifying charity [zakat], seeking the Face of Divine Reality [Wajha Allahi], it is that which will multiply.
It is Divine Reality that has created you; then It has provided sustaining support for you; then It will cause you to die; and then It will again give you life. Are there any of those you take as partners (with God) who can do any one of these things? Sublimely Glorious is He! And Exalted far above any of the partners they may ascribe to Him. [SubhannaHu! Wata‘ala ‘amma yushrikun!]
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and within the sea because of that which the hands of human beings have wrought; and so He will let them taste some of what they have done, so that they might return (to alignment with Truth).
Say, “Journey throughout the earth and see what was the end of those who came before you; most of them ascribed others (persons or material things) as partners in power with God.”
So set your face steadfastly towards the Ever-true Way [Fa aqim wajhaka lil-Dinil-Qaiyimi], before there comes a Day from Divine Reality which cannot be averted. That Day all will be sorted in discernment.
Whoever is in ungrateful denial will have to bear his denial, whereas those who have done the deeds of wholeness and reconciliation will have prepared, for their soul [anfusihim (nafs)],
so that He might recompense, out of His abundant grace, those who have come to faith and done the deeds of wholeness and reconciliation. Truly, He does not love (with intimate Love) those who turn away in denial (cutting themselves off from that Love).
Among His Signs (of that Loving Reality) is this: that He sends the winds as heralds of joyous news, giving you a taste of His Compassion, that the ships may sail by means of His energizing command, and that you may be able to seek of His abundance of grace: so that you might be grateful.
We did indeed send before you messengers to their peoples, and they came to them with clear evidence (of the Truth); then, to those who still transgressed, We apportioned retribution, for it was incumbent upon Us to help the faithful.
It is God who sends the winds, and they raise the clouds; then He spreads them in the sky as He wills, and then breaks them apart until you see rain-drops flow forth—then, when He has made them reach those among His servants whom He wills, see how they rejoice!
Even though before it was sent down upon them, just before that, they had been in despair.
So, contemplate the imprints of the Compassion of Allah, how He/She brings the earth to life after it was dead. Surely, it is that One who gives life to the dead. And He/She has determining power over everything. [Wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in Qadir.]
But if We send a wind such that they see it (all that might grow in greenness) turn yellow, they begin, after that, to deny the Truth (of Our Beneficent Power).
And, truly, you cannot make the dead (of heart) hear. Nor can you make the deaf (of heart) hear this call, when they turn their backs and go away.
Nor can you guide the blind (of heart) out of their confused wandering. You will only be able to make hear those who (by heart) have come to have faith in Our Communications, such that they are in surrender to Us [muslimun].
It is God who creates you out of incapacity; and then, after weakness, ordains strength; and then after strength, ordains frailty and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the All-Knowing, the Determining Power [wa Huwa al-‘Alimu al-Qadir].
And when the Ultimate Hour dawns, those who had been committing crimes will swear they have remained no more than an hour; this is how they delude themselves.
But those who were granted knowledge and faith will say, “Truly, you have been too slow in regard to the Book of God —(waiting) until the Day of Resurrection! Now this is the Day of Resurrection, and you had no idea.”
So, that Day, no excuse will be of benefit to those who were determined to do wrong; and they will not be granted the possibility of making amends (they won’t be able to “approach the threshold”).
And, truly, We have set forth for human beings in this Qur’an [Wa laqad darabna lin-nasi fi hadhal Qur’ani] every kind of example, but if you bring to them any Sign, the deniers will surely say, “You are just making up lies.”
Thus, does Divine Reality close the hearts of those who do not know (and refuse to know).
So, patiently persevere! For, truly, God’s promise is true. [Fasbir! Inna wa‘da Allahi Haqqan.] And do not let those who have no certainty of faith shake your certainty (of nearness).
[Surah ar-Rum 30:1-60 complete]