THE IRON (57) (al-hadid)

All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify God. He is Majestic and All-wise (57:1).

To Him belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes things to die. He has power over all things (2).

He is the First, the Last, the Manifest, and the Unseen and He knows all things (3).

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established His Dominion over the Throne. He knows whatever enters into the earth, what comes out of it, what descends from the sky, and what ascends to it. He is with you wherever you may be and He is Well Aware of what you do (4).

To Him belong the heavens and the earth and to Him all things return (5)

. He causes night to enter into day and day into night. He knows best what all hearts contain (6).

Have faith in God and His Messenger and spend for His cause out of what is entrusted to you. Those who believe and spend for the cause of God will have a great reward (7).

If you are true indeed to this covenant, why do you not believe in God, when His Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord with whom you have made a solemn covenant? (8).

It is He who sends illustrious revelations to His servant to take you out of darkness to light. God is Compassionate and All-merciful to you (9).

Why do you not spend for the cause of God when to Him belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Those who spend for the cause of God and fight before victory will have higher positions than those who spend for the cause of God and fight after victory. However, to both parties God has promised good rewards. God is Well Aware of what you do (10).

Whoever gives a virtuous loan to God will receive double from Him in addition to an honorable reward (11).

On the Day of Judgment you will see the believers with their light shining in front of them and to their right. They will be told, "Paradise wherein streams flow is the glad news for you today. You will live therein forever. This is the greatest triumph" (12).

On that day the hypocrites will say to the believers, "Please look at us so that we might benefit from your light." They will be told, "Go back and search for your own light." A barrier with a door will be placed between them. Inside it there will be mercy but outside of it there will be torment (13).

(Those outside) will call out, "Were we not with you?" (Those inside) will reply, "Yes, you were with us but you spent your life in disbelief and hypocrisy, wished death to (Muhammad), had doubts about his message and let your longings deceive you until the decree of God came to pass. The devil deceived you about the mercy of God (14).

So on this day no ransom will be accepted from you nor from the disbelievers. Your dwelling will be fire. It will be your friend and a terrible end" (15).

Is it not time for the hearts of the believers to become humbled by the remembrance of God and by the Truth which has been revealed so that they will not be like the followers of the Bible who lived before them and whose hearts have become hard like stone through the long years. Many of them are evil doers (16).

Know that God brings the dead earth back to life. We have explained Our revelations to you so that you may perhaps have understanding (17).

The charitable men and women who give a virtuous loan to God will receive double from Him in addition to their honorable reward (18).

Those who believe in God and His Messenger are the truthful ones and are witness (to the deeds of others) before their Lord. They will have their reward and their light. Those who disbelieve and reject Our revelations shall be the dwellers of hell (19).

Know that the worldly life is only a game, a temporary attraction, a means of boastfulness among yourselves and a place for multiplying your wealth and children. It is like the rain which produces plants that are attractive to the unbelievers. These plants flourish, turn yellow, and then become crushed bits of straw. In the life hereafter there will be severe torment or forgiveness and mercy from God. The worldly life is only an illusion (20).

Compete with one another to achieve forgiveness from your Lord and to reach Paradise, which is as vast as the heavens and the earth, and is prepared for those who believe in God and His Messenger. This is the blessing of God and He grants it to whomever He wants. The blessings of God are great (21).

Whatever hardships you face on earth and in your souls were written in the Book before the creation of the souls. This is certainly easy for God (22) so that you would not grieve over what you have lost nor become too happy about what God has granted to you. God does not love the arrogant boastful ones who are niggardly and who try to make other people also niggardly (23). Those who turn away (from guidance) should know that God is Self-sufficient and Praiseworthy (24).

We sent Our Messengers with clear evidence (to support their truthfulness), and sent with them the Book and the Balance so that people would maintain justice. We sent down iron - in which there is strong power and benefit for the people - so that God would know who would help Him and His Messenger without seeing the unseen. God is All-powerful and Majestic (25).

We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and the Book among their offsprings, some of whom have the right guidance. However, most of them are evil doers (26).

Then We sent Our other Messengers to follow their traditions. After them We sent

Jesus, the son of Mary, to whom We gave the Gospel. In the hearts of his followers We placed compassion and mercy. We did not command them to lead the monastic life. This was their own method of seeking the pleasure of God. Despite this intention, they did not properly observe it (the monastic life). To the believers among them, We gave their reward but many of them are evil-doers (27).

Believers, have fear of God and believe in His Messenger. God will grant you a double share of mercy, a light by which you can walk, and forgive your sins. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful (28). (Have fear of God and believe in His Messenger) so that the followers of the Bible will know that they can receive no reward from God. They should know that all favors are in the hands of God. He grants them to whomever He wants. The favors of God are great (29).