Revealed during the middle Makkan period when the Quraysh were actively turning away from the impending reality of the Day of Judgment, Surah Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) serves as an urgent and profound wake-up call to an increasingly heedless humanity. The chapter opens with a stark warning that mankind's reckoning is drawing near while they remain entirely distracted by worldly amusement, firmly establishing that the heavens and the earth were not created in mere play, but with immense divine purpose and absolute precision. To address the skeptics' arrogant rejection of a mortal messenger, the Surah beautifully strings together a rapid, sweeping historical tapestry of numerous past prophets—including Noah, David, Solomon, Job, Jonah, and Zechariah—highlighting that every single messenger was a fragile human being who faced overwhelming adversity, cried out to God in moments of intense desperation, and was ultimately rescued by His boundless mercy. It vividly recounts the courageous youth of Prophet Abraham as he logically dismantled his community's idolatry and miraculously survived being cast into a massive, blazing fire, explicitly demonstrating the interconnected brotherhood of all prophets who universally preached the exact same core message of absolute monotheism. Culminating with the profound cosmic realities of the universe's ultimate folding up and the undeniable decree that "every soul will taste death," the chapter stands as a powerful testament to the inevitability of divine justice, urging humanity to recognize that this final revelation was sent down not as a burden, but purely as a mercy to the worlds.
Transliteration
Iqtaraba lilnnasi hisabuhum wahum fee ghaflatin muAAridoona
Translation
Mankind’s reckoning has drawn near, but they turn away heedlessly
Transliteration
Ma yateehim min thikrin min rabbihim muhdathin illa istamaAAoohu wahum yalAAaboona
Translation
No fresh reminder comes to them from their Lord, but they listen to it playfully
Transliteration
Lahiyatan quloobuhum waasarroo alnnajwa allatheena thalamoo hal hatha illa basharun mithlukum afatatoona alssihra waantum tubsiroona
Translation
Their hearts distracted, the wrongdoers confer secretly, “Is this anything but a mortal like you? Will you take to sorcery, with open-eyes?”
Transliteration
Qala rabbee yaAAlamu alqawla fee alssamai waalardi wahuwa alssameeAAu alAAaleemu
Translation
He said, “My Lord knows what is said in the heaven and the earth; and He is the Hearer, the Knower.”
Transliteration
Bal qaloo adghathu ahlamin bali iftarahu bal huwa shaAAirun falyatina biayatin kama orsila alawwaloona
Translation
And they said, “A jumble of dreams,” and, “He made it up,” and, “He is a poet,” “let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the ancients.”
Transliteration
Ma amanat qablahum min qaryatin ahlaknaha afahum yuminoona
Translation
None of the towns We destroyed before them had believed. Will they, then, believe
Transliteration
Wama arsalna qablaka illa rijalan noohee ilayhim faisaloo ahla alththikri in kuntum la taAAlamoona
Translation
We did not send before you except men, whom We inspired. Ask the people of knowledge, if you do not know
Transliteration
Wama jaAAalnahum jasadan la yakuloona alttaAAama wama kanoo khalideena
Translation
We did not make them mere bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal
Transliteration
Thumma sadaqnahumu alwaAAda faanjaynahum waman nashao waahlakna almusrifeena
Translation
Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, and We saved them together with whomever We willed, and We destroyed the extravagant
Transliteration
Laqad anzalna ilaykum kitaban feehi thikrukum afala taAAqiloona
Translation
We have sent down to you a Book, containing your message. Do you not understand
Transliteration
Wakam qasamna min qaryatin kanat thalimatan waanshana baAAdaha qawman akhareena
Translation
How many a guilty town have We crushed, and established thereafter another people
Transliteration
Falamma ahassoo basana itha hum minha yarkudoona
Translation
Then, when they sensed Our might, they started running away from it
Transliteration
La tarkudoo wairjiAAoo ila ma otriftum feehi wamasakinikum laAAallakum tusaloona
Translation
Do not run, but come back to your luxuries, and to your homes, that you may be questioned
Transliteration
Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna thalimeena
Translation
They said, “Woe to us; we were unfair.”
Transliteration
Fama zalat tilka daAAwahum hatta jaAAalnahum haseedan khamideena
Translation
This continued to be their cry, until We made them silent ashes
Transliteration
Wama khalaqna alssamaa waalarda wama baynahuma laAAibeena
Translation
We did not create the sky and the earth and what is between them for amusement
Transliteration
Law aradna an nattakhitha lahwan laittakhathnahu min ladunna in kunna faAAileena
Translation
If We wanted amusement, We could have found it within Us, were We to do so
Transliteration
Bal naqthifu bialhaqqi AAala albatili fayadmaghuhu faitha huwa zahiqun walakumu alwaylu mimma tasifoona
Translation
In fact, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes it, so it vanishes. Woe unto you, for what you describe
Transliteration
Walahu man fee alssamawati waalardi waman AAindahu la yastakbiroona AAan AAibadatihi wala yastahsiroona
Translation
To Him belongs everyone in the heavens and the earth. Those near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they waver
Transliteration
Yusabbihoona allayla waalnnahara la yafturoona
Translation
They praise night and day, without ever tiring