The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

286
The Quran 37: 28
28 They will say, ‘You came to us from a position of power.’ a 29 They
will say, ‘No! It was you who would not believe – 30 we had no power
over you – and you were already exceeding all limits. 31 Our Lord’s
sentence on us is just and we must all taste the punishment. 32 We led
you astray as we ourselves were astray.’ 33 On that Day they will all
share the torment: 34 this is how We deal with the guilty. 35 Whenever
it was said to them, ‘There is no deity but God,’ they became arrogant,
36 and said, ‘Are we to forsake our gods for a mad poet?’ 37 ‘No:
he brought the truth and confirmed the earlier messengers; 38 you
will taste the painful torment, 39 and be repaid only according to your
deeds.’
40 Not so God’s true servants. 41 They will have familiar provisions
b –– 42 fruits – and will be honoured 43 in gardens of delight;
44 seated on couches, facing one another. 45 A drink will be passed
round among them from a flowing spring: 46 white, delicious to those
who taste it, 47 causing no headiness or intoxication. 48 With them will
be spouses – modest of gaze and beautiful of eye – 49 like protected
eggs. c
50 They will turn to one another with questions: 51 one will say, ‘I
had a close companion on earth 52 who used to ask me, “Do you really
believe that 53 after we die and become dust and bone, we shall be
brought for judgement?”’ 54 Then he will say, ‘Shall we look for
him?’ 55 He will look down and see him in the midst of the Fire, 56 and
say to him, ‘By God, you almost brought me to ruin! 57 Had it not
been for the grace of my Lord, I too would have been taken to Hell.’
58 Then he will say [to his blessed companions], ‘Are we never to die
again after our earlier death? 59 Shall we never suffer? 60 This truly is
the supreme triumph!’ 61 Everyone should strive to attain this. 62 Is
this the better welcome, or the tree of Zaqqum, 63 which we have
made a test for the evildoers? 64 This tree grows in the heart of the
blazing Fire, d 65 and its fruits are like devils’ heads. 66 They will fill
their bellies eating from it; 67 then drink scalding water on top of it;
a The Arabic expression ‘from the right-hand side’ conveys the meaning of being in
the right or approaching from the most honourable angle, or with power and influence
(see verse 30).
b See 2: 25.
c Arabs described beautiful women as being as precious as the ostrich eggs they
protected from the dust with feathers.
d The disbelievers said, scornfully, ‘How can there be a tree in the Fire?’