English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 18: Al-Kahf — The Cave (Revealed at Makkah: 12 sections, 110 verses)
Section 8 (Verses 18:54–18:59): Warning is Disregarded
Translation:
وَ لَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡ ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِنۡ کُلِّ مَثَلٍ ؕ وَ کَانَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ اَکۡثَرَ شَیۡءٍ جَدَلًا ﴿۵۴﴾
18:54 And certainly We have made distinct in this Quran for mankind every kind of description; and man is in most things contentious.
وَ مَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ اَنۡ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِذۡ جَآءَہُمُ الۡہُدٰی وَ یَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡا رَبَّہُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ تَاۡتِیَہُمۡ سُنَّۃُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ اَوۡ یَاۡتِیَہُمُ الۡعَذَابُ قُبُلًا ﴿۵۵﴾
18:55 And nothing prevents people from believing when the guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, but that (they wait) for the way of the ancients to catch up with them, or that the punishment should confront them.
وَ مَا نُرۡسِلُ الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ اِلَّا مُبَشِّرِیۡنَ وَ مُنۡذِرِیۡنَ ۚ وَ یُجَادِلُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِالۡبَاطِلِ لِیُدۡحِضُوۡا بِہِ الۡحَقَّ وَ اتَّخَذُوۡۤا اٰیٰتِیۡ وَ مَاۤ اُنۡذِرُوۡا ہُزُوًا ﴿۵۶﴾
18:56 And We do not send messengers but as givers of good news and warning, and those who disbelieve contend by means of falsehood to weaken thereby the Truth, and they take My messages and the warning for a mockery.
وَ مَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنۡ ذُکِّرَ بِاٰیٰتِ رَبِّہٖ فَاَعۡرَضَ عَنۡہَا وَ نَسِیَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ یَدٰہُ ؕ اِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلٰی قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ اَکِنَّۃً اَنۡ یَّفۡقَہُوۡہُ وَ فِیۡۤ اٰذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرًا ؕ وَ اِنۡ تَدۡعُہُمۡ اِلَی الۡہُدٰی فَلَنۡ یَّہۡتَدُوۡۤا اِذًا اَبَدًا ﴿۵۷﴾
18:57 And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the messages of his Lord, then he turns away from them and forgets what his hands have already done? Surely We have placed veils over their hearts, so they do not understand it, and a deafness in their ears.1 And if you call them to the guidance, they will even then never follow the right course.
وَ رَبُّکَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ ذُو الرَّحۡمَۃِ ؕ لَوۡ یُؤَاخِذُہُمۡ بِمَا کَسَبُوۡا لَعَجَّلَ لَہُمُ الۡعَذَابَ ؕ بَلۡ لَّہُمۡ مَّوۡعِدٌ لَّنۡ یَّجِدُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ مَوۡئِلًا ﴿۵۸﴾
18:58 And your Lord is Forgiving, full of mercy. If He were to punish them for what they earn, He would certainly hasten the punishment for them. But for them there is an appointed time from which they will find no refuge.
وَ تِلۡکَ الۡقُرٰۤی اَہۡلَکۡنٰہُمۡ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوۡا وَ جَعَلۡنَا لِمَہۡلِکِہِمۡ مَّوۡعِدًا ﴿٪۵۹﴾
18:59 And these towns — We destroyed them when they did wrong. And We have appointed a time for their destruction.2