The Closing
Verses

Six verses close the sixth chapter. They move from the arithmetic of mercy to a straight road, to a life offered whole, to the oneness of the One, to the weight each soul carries alone — and end with the earth handed forward, generation to generation.

160

I · Tenfold

The arithmetic of mercy

مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا ۖ وَمَن جَآءَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَىٰٓ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.

ٱلْحَسَنَةal-ḥasanah — the single good act, returned multiplied مِثْلَهَاmithlahā — its like only, never more

161

II · The Road

A path with no bend in it

قُلْ إِنَّنِى هَدَىٰنِى رَبِّىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ دِينًۭا قِيَمًۭا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفًۭا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

Say, "Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path — a correct religion — the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with Allah."

صِرَاطṣirāṭ — a wide, open, unswerving road حَنِيفًاḥanīf — leaning, by nature, toward the truth

162

III · Living & Dying

The whole of it, offered

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds."

نُسُكِيnusukī — my offering, my rite ٱلْعَٰلَمِينal-ʿālamīn — all the worlds, every order of being

163

IV · No Partner

One light, and no second

لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims."

شَرِيكsharīk — an associate, a share-holder in dominion أُمِرْتُumirtu — I was commanded; not chosen, but given

164

V · The Burden

Each drop carries its own weight

قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْغِى رَبًّۭا وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

Say, "Is it other than Allah I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ."

وِزْرwizr — a load, a burden borne on the back مَرْجِعُكُمmarjiʿukum — your returning place

165

VI · Successors

The earth, handed forward

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍۢ دَرَجَٰتٍۢ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ

And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.

خَلَٰٓئِفkhalāʾif — those who come after, taking the place of others دَرَجَٰتdarajāt — degrees, terraces, ranks لِيَبْلُوَكُمli-yabluwakum — that He may test you