What does “Islam” mean? The word الإسلام [Islam] is an infinitive word derived from س ل م [silm] root in if‘al pattern and used as noun and infinitive. The word silm means “release/keeping away; and to be distant from fear, doubt, trouble, lack of peace, unhappiness, fight, war, pain, suffering, material and spiritual inconveniences, weakness and decaying, and all the negativities.” This word is also the root of salim, selam, teslim, Islam etc. The word’s “Islam” form means “strengthening” [removal from problems, worries, fear, unhappiness, fights, wars, and similar negative things]. Hence, the religion Islam means the “the religion that strengthens humans [entire range of principles that protects and secures people by putting a distance between them and problems, worries, war, weakness, spiritual illness, unhappiness, and similar things].”

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SURAH AZ-ZUMAR (THE THRONGS)
MECCAN PERIOD
Division: 227
1Revelation of this Scripture is from Allah, the Supreme, the Most Powerful,
the Most Honorable, the Invincible/the Subduer, the Best Law-Maker, the One Who
Precludes Corruption the Best/the One Who Makes Incorruptible the Best.
2Surely, We have sent down this Scripture with the Truth. Then, purifiy the
religion only for Him and worship only Allah.
3Be careful, the pure religion belongs only to Allah. Those who adopt helpers,
guides, guardians from His minion say: “We worship those subordinates of Allah,
which we adopt as our helpers, guides and protectors, to allow them to bring us
closer to Allah”. Surely, Allah will judge between them on the matter for which they
conflict/dispute among themselves. Surely, Allah does not guide those who are liars
and ungrateful.
4Had Allah wished to beget children, He would have chosen one of His
creations. But He is exonerated from this. He is the One and the Only Punishing
Allah.
5The One and the Only God, Allah, created the Heavens and the Earth with the
Truth, He covered the day with the night and vice versa. He created the sun and the
moon so that you may benefit them. All flow through time until the end of a
predetermined term. You should know well that He is the Omnipotent and the Most
Forgiving.
6He created you all from a single soul, then created his wife and sent down
eight pairs of beasts. He creates you in the womb of your mothers within three
phases of darkness and then makes you with a single creation. This is Allah, our
Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer], only to Him belongs the
dominion. There is no god but Him. Then how are you being averted?
7If you blaspheme; consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the fact that He
is Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] and become ungrateful,
you should also know that Allah relies onto no one and He does not accept
blasphemy; denial of His servants of His Divinity and the fact that He is Rabb [the
Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] and ungratefulness. If you are
grateful for what you are given, He will be pleased with you about that. No carrier
would carry the burden of others. Then you shall be returned only to your Rabb [the

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Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer]. Thus He will inform you about
what you have done. Surely, He knows well what is within your hearts.
(59/39; Az-Zumar/1-7)
Division: 228
8When a trouble touches a man, he then calls upon his Rabb [the Lord, the
Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] with his deepest devotion. Then when a
blessing is given upon him, he forgets about his repentance and associates partners
with Allah to lead others from the path of Allah. Say: “Enjoy your blasphemy; your
denial of the Divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher,
the Nurturer, the Sustainer] for a while! Surely you are one of the companied of the
Fire”.
9Or are those who wake up in the night and prostrate, stand up with fear of
Akhirat [Afterlife] and, with respect, hope for the mercy of their Rabb [the Lord, the
Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] is equal to those who do not? Say: “Are those
who know and those who do not equal?”. Surely, only those who possess a pure
mind are capable of receiving the admonition/think as they should.
10Say: “O My believing servants!245 Surrender under the guardianship of your
Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer]. Blessings will be for
those who do good deeds in this world. Surely, the Earth of Allah is vast. But, those
who have patience will be fully rewarded”.
11,12Say: “I surely have been commanded to attribute the religion only to Him
and worship Allah. And I have been commanded to be the first Muslim”.
13Say: “Surely, if I refuse my Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the
Sustainer], I fear the wrath of the great day”.
14,16Say: “I only worship Allah by purifying my religion only for Him. Despite
this, you have been worshipping His subordinates”. Say: “Surely the real losers are
the ones who will make themselves and their families lose on the Day of Qiyamat
[Resurrection]”. –Be careful! This is a clear loss. Below and above them will be
layers of fire. Thus scares Allah His servants: O my servants! Surrender under My
custody/guardianship.-
17,18And for those who avoid to worship Taghut246 and turn to Allah will be the
good tidings. Now harbinger the good tidings to My servants who obey my
command and follow the best path! They are the ones whom Allah guides to the

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righteous path. And they are the ones who are capable of comprehending have a pure
mind.
19And what about the one upon whom the word “punishment” has been cast?
Will you save him who already is in the fire?
20Then, as the promise of Allah, for those who surrender under the
guardianship of their Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] will
be lofty mansions under which rivers flow. Allah never breaks His promise.
21Have you never seen/thought that Allah sends down the rains from the
Heavens and puts it in the springs through a way, then grows crops with it, from
many different colors, then ripens and withers these crops thus making them bare
stalks? Surely, this is evidence/admonition for those who are capable of
comprehending/have a pure mind.
22So, when Allah opens a man’s heart to Islam, will he be not upon a light?
Then, woe to those whose hearts are like stone against remembrance of Allah! They
are in a blatant perversion.
23Allah has sent down the best statement as a Scripture with synonyms and
reiterations.247 Those who respect their Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer,
the Sustainer] will shiver because of it.248 Then their skins and hands soften against
the remembrance of Allah. This is the guide of Allah. With it Allah guides
whomever He wishes. And whomever Allah leads astray, no one can guide him to
the righteous path.
24And while those who associate others with Allah; who act against their own
good are told “Enjoy what you deserve for your deeds!”, is the one who will try to
avoid the harshness of the punishment or the one who will come safely better on the
Day of Qiyamat [Resurrection]?240
25,26Those before them denied as well and the punishment seized them from the
direction they least expected. Then Allah made them taste the disgrace in their
simple worldly lives. Indeed, time of Akhirat [Afterlife] will be more severe. If only
they could know!
27,28And surely, We sent down the Qur’an in Arabic so they can understand and
take the admonition; and included many examples of all kinds for the mankind to
surrender themselves under the guardianship of Allah.
29Allah gave the example of a man who has conflicting partners and another
man who is affiliated to just one person. Can they be same? –All praise be upon
Allah; no one else may be praised.- Quite contrary, most of them do not know.

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30Surely, you will die, and they shall die too.
31Then on the Day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], you all shall dispute in the
presence of your Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer].
32Then, who else can be more wrong than those who lie against Allah and who
deny the Truth when it is revealed to them; who else can act more badly against their
own good? Will there be a shelter in Jahannah [Hell] for those infidels; those who
consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [the Lord, the
Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer]!?
33And those who bring the Truth and acknowledge it; they are the ones who are
under the guardianship of Allah.
34,35With their Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] will
be whatever they desire. This is the reward of those who do good deeds; Allah will
forgive their worst deeds that they did before and reward them for their best deeds.
36Is Allah not sufficient for His servants? But they scare you with His
subordinates. And whomever Allah leads astray, no one can guide him back to the
righteous path.
37And whomever Allah guides, no one can lead him astray from the righteous
path. Is Allah not the Omnipotent, the One Who catches, punishes the sinners, thus
maintaining justice?
38And had you asked them: “Who created the Heavens and the Earth?”, they
would surely answer: “Allah!”. Say: “Then have you thought those subordinates of
Allah whom you worship? Had Allah wished to harm me, could they fix it? Or had
He wished to have mercy upon me, could they preclude His mercy? Say: “Allah is
sufficient for me. Whoever relies, rely onto Him only”.
39,40Say: “O my people! Work in accordance with your position. Surely, I work
too. Soon you will know upon whom the disgraceful punishment will come and upon
whom will a persistent agony set”.
41Surely, We have sent down this Scripture upon you with the Truth. Then,
whoever finds the righteous path he is guided, finds it for his own good. And
whoever goes astray from it, does it against his own good. And you are not a
guardian over them to make them stand.
42And when they die, Allah will remind those souls one by one what they did in
the past and that they failed to do while being obliged to. And He keeps those for
whom He decreed death when they are asleep; and He releases all others for a
predetermined term. Surely, this is evidence for a people who think about it.

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43Or they have adopted intercessors, helpers, supporters from among those
subordinates of Allah? Say: “Would you do so even though they had no authority
whatsoever?”
44Say: “All help, support and intercession comes from Allah. Only He
possesses the Heavens and the Earth. Only to Him you shall be returned”.
45And when Allah is mentioned as “the One and the Only”, hearts of those who
disbelieve Akhirat [Afterlife] twists with hatred and when subordinates of Allah are
mentioned, they smile.
46Say: “O my Allah, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth from nothing, the
One Who knows the unseen, the unheard, the unfelt, the past and the future and that
which can be sensed and are comprehensible! Judgment will be Yours for those
servants of Yours about that which they dispute continuously”.
47And had the Earth and as much again belonged to those who do wrong by
associating others with Allah; who act against their own good, they would surely
have given them away to be spared from the punishment on the Day of Qiyamat
[Resurrection]. And what they never take into account will be disclosed before them
by Allah.
48And evil they have yielded will be disclosed to them and that which they used
to ridicule will surround them.
49And when a trouble touches a man he invokes Us and when We bestow Our
blessings upon him, he says: “It was given to me thanks to my knowledge”. But
those blessings are given for test. But most of them do not know.
50Indeed, those before them said, “It was given to me thanks to my knowledge”
as well but what they earned did not avail them.
51And evils they had earned eventually hit them. And those who do wrong by
associating others with Allah; who act against their own good; their evil deeds will
hit them too. And they shall not be able to make it fail.
52Have they still not understood that Allah indeed extends or restricts His
blessings for whom He wishes? Surely, this is a clear evidence/sign for a people who
believe.
53Say. “O you servants of Allah who transgressed against their own souls!250
Do not lose your hopes on the mercy of Allah. Surely, Allah is the Most Forgiving of
all sins. Surely, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

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54And before the wrath seizes you, turn to your Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher,
the Nurturer, the Sustainer] and surrender to Him. Or you shall not be helped.
55-58And follow the best what your Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer,
the Sustainer] reveals to you before the punishment comes suddenly and people say,
“O woe to me for my transgression in the presence of Allah! I truly was among the
mockers” or “Had Allah showed me the righteous path, I would have indeed
surrendered myself under the guardianship of Allah” or “If only I could have another
chance so I could have done good deeds”.
59Quite contrary, My Ayat came to you and you denied them immediately,
acted arrogantly and became one of those infidels; those who consciously deny the
Divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer,
the Sustainer].
60And on the Day of Qiyamat [Resurrection], you will see those who lie with
their faces burned black. –Will there be no place in Jahannah [Hell] for those who
act arrogantly?-
61Allah will save those who surrender themselves under the guardianship of
Allah in their shelters for their success. No trouble will touch them and they shall not
be sad.
62Allah is the Creator of all. He is the One Who “manages all pursuant to a
schedule and maintains, supports and implements that schedule”.
63The key to the Heavens and the Earth is in His hands. Those who cover up
the Ayat of Allah; they are the losers.
64Say: “O you ignorant, do you command me to worship others but Allah
despite all these?”.
65,66And surely, thus you and those before you were revealed: “Surely, if you
associate others with Allah, your efforts will surely be in vain and you will become
one of the losers. Therefore, worship only Allah and be grateful for the blessings you
have”.
67And they did not appreciate Allah as they should/could not estimate. And on
the Day of Qiyamat [Resurrection] the Earth will be in His hands. And the Heavens
will be folded under His power. Exalted is He from that which they used to associate
with Him and He is the Highest.
68And the Sûr will be blown, then whoever in the Heavens and on the Earth,
except for those Allah wishes to be excluded, will be struck and fall dead. Then the
Sûr will be blown for the second time and all they shall resurrect and look at it.

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69And the Earth will be illuminated with the light of your Rabb [the Lord, the
Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer], the Scripture will be revealed, prophets and
witnesses shall be sent and the judgment will be decreed among them with the Truth.
And they shall not be treated unjustly.
70And Allah will fully recompense everyone for their deeds. And Allah is the
Most Knowing of what they do.
71And infidels; those who consciously deny the Divinity of Allah and the fact
that He is Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] will surely
transferred to Jahannah [Hell] in groups. And when they arrive there, gates of
Jahannah [Hell] will open. And guards of Jahannah [Hell] will ask: “Were
messengers from among you not sent to you who recited you the Ayat of your Rabb
[the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] and warned you that this day
would eventually come?. They shall answer: “Yes they were”. –But the word of
wrath will be fulfilled upon the infidels; those who consciously deny the Divinity of
Allah and the fact that He is Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the
Sustainer].-
“72Now proceed through the gates of Jahannah [Hell] to stay there eternally”. –
How evil is the place of those who acted arrogantly!-
73And those who surrender themselves under the guardianship of Allah shall be
transferred to Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] in groups. And when they arrive there, gates
of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] will open and the guards will say: “Peace be upon you!
You have come pure!” and they shall be told: “Now enter Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]
to abide there eternally!”.
74And they shall say: “All praise be upon Allah, Who has fulfilled His promise
and made us successors of the Earth and placed us in Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]”. –
How good is the reward of those who worked!-
75And you will see all of the forces of the universe252 exonerating Allah from
all deficiencies while surrounding the great Throne on one side253,254. And reward
and punishment will be judged among them with the Truth. And it is said: “All praise
be upon Allah, Rabb [the Lord, the Cherisher, the Nurturer, the Sustainer] of all
universes”.
(59/39; Az-Zumar/8-75)
245 Orthographic and orthoepic errors were made in the 10th and 53rd Ayat of the Surah
Az-Zumar. The word that we translated as “the Servants” is, according to the Official Mushaf, “My
servants”. This orthographic error in the Official Mushaf has been omitted for centuries. This error,
which emerges the notion that people should be servants to Muhammad and thus contradicting the
creeds of Islam, must be corrected (for details about this matter see Tabyeen-al-Qur’an..

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246 The term Taghut means “a transgressor, a pervert, a leader of evil and perversion, a
tyrant, a devil, an idol, the house of idols, an oracle (cohen), a sorcerer, an individual who turns away
from the judgment of Allah and the establishment”.
247 The term Masani means “double, multiple”. The masani (double, multiple) nature of
the Qur’an can briefly be explained as follows: A) The Method of Contradiction: Positive and
negative concepts, as can be seen in the Surah Az-Zumar/22-23, are always given in conjunction with
each other in the Qur’an using the Method of Contradiction. Abrar-Fujjar, good-evil, heavens-earth,
human-jinn, truth-superstition, Jannah [Heaven/Paradise]-Jahannah [Hell], warning-good tidings, etc.
B) Any message conveyed is always emphasized twice.
248 The phrase “Raises the skin” has the same meaning as the English phrase “Gives the
goose-bumps”.
249 The verb of the phrase has been removed. The verb has been added to the
Interpretation with the guidance of the Surah Fussilat/40.
250 See Footnote No. 245
251 See Footnote No. 27
252 See Footnote No. 56
253 See Footnote No. 37
254 In this Ayah, it is stated that the Companions of Jannah [Heaven/Paradise] shall be
shown, as the manifestation of Allah, His greatness and sublimity. This divine manifestation
mentioned in this Ayah is expressed using a highly figurative allegory: Allah sits upon the throne of
dominion while all forces of the universe circumambulate around Him, exonerating and glorifying
Him. These forces (angels) mentioned here are similar to the angels mentioned in the Surah Al-
Baqara/30-34. All the forces, systems created by Allah exonerate, glorify and hallow Allah in the
Jannah [Heaven/Paradise].