What Quran Says About “Absolute Power” (Jabbar)
But how many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins),- stronger in power than they? Then did they wander through the land: was there any place of escape (for them)? [50:36] Verily in this is a Message for any that has a heart and understanding or who gives ear and earnestly witnesses (the truth). [50:37] We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in Six Days, nor did any sense of weariness touch Us. [50:38] Bear, then, with patience, all that they say, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting. [50:39] And during part of the night, (also,) celebrate His praises, and (so likewise) after the postures of adoration. [50:40] And listen for the Day when the Caller will call out from a place quiet near,- [50:41] The Day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in (very) truth: that will be the Day of Resurrection. [50:42] Verily it is We Who give Life and Death; and to Us is the Final Goal- [50:43] The Day when the Earth will be rent asunder, from (men) hurrying out: that will be a gathering together,- quite easy for Us. [50:44] We know best what they say; and thou art not one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'an such as fear My Warning! [50:45]
Has not the story reached you, (O people!), of those who (went) before you? - of the people of Noah, and 'Ad, and Thamud? - And of those who (came) after them? None knows them but Allah. To them came apostles with Clear (Signs); but they put their hands up to their mouths, and said: "We do deny (the mission) on which ye have been sent, and we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which ye invite us." [14:9] Their apostles said: "Is there a doubt about Allah, The Creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He Who invites you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed!" They said: "Ah! ye are no more than human, like ourselves! Ye wish to turn us away from the (gods) our fathers used to worship: then bring us some clear authority." [14:10] Their apostles said to them: "True, we are human like yourselves, but Allah doth grant His grace to such of his servants as He pleases. It is not for us to bring you an authority except as Allah permits. And on Allah let all men of faith put their trust. [14:11] "No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed He Has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us. For those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah." [14:12] And the Unbelievers said to their apostles: "Be sure we shall drive you out of our land, or ye shall return to our religion." But their Lord inspired (this Message) to them: "Verily We shall cause the wrong-doers to perish! [14:13] "And verily We shall cause you to abide in the land, and succeed them. This for such as fear the Time when they shall stand before My tribunal,- such as fear the punishment denounced." [14:14] But they sought victory and decision (there and then), and frustration was the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor. [14:15]
The 'Ad (people) rejected the apostles. [26:123] Behold, their brother Hud said to them: "Will ye not fear (Allah)? [26:124] "I am to you an apostle worthy of all trust: [26:125] "So fear Allah and obey me. [26:126] "No reward do I ask of you for it: my reward is only from the Lord of the Worlds. [26:127] "Do ye build a landmark on every high place to amuse yourselves? [26:128] "And do ye get for yourselves fine buildings in the hope of living therein (for ever)? [26:129] "And when ye exert your strong hand, do ye do it like men of absolute power? [26:130]
To the 'Ad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him. (Your other gods) ye do nothing but invent! [11:50] "O my people! I ask of you no reward for this (Message). My reward is from none but Him who created me: Will ye not then understand? [11:51] "And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength: so turn ye not back in sin!" [11:52] They said: "O Hud! No Clear (Sign) that hast thou brought us, and we are not the ones to desert our gods on thy word! Nor shall we believe in thee! [11:53] "We say nothing but that (perhaps) some of our gods may have seized thee with imbecility." He said: "I call Allah to witness, and do ye bear witness, that I am free from the sin of ascribing, to Him, [11:54] "Other gods as partners! so scheme (your worst) against me, all of you, and give me no respite. [11:55] "I put my trust in Allah, My Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He hath grasp of its fore-lock. Verily, it is my Lord that is on a straight Path. [11:56] "If ye turn away,- I (at least) have conveyed the Message with which I was sent to you. My Lord will make another people to succeed you, and you will not harm Him in the least. For my Lord hath care and watch over all things." [11:57] So when Our decree issued, We saved Hud and those who believed with him, by (special) Grace from Ourselves: We saved them from a severe penalty. [11:58] Such were the 'Ad People: they rejected the Signs of their Lord and Cherisher; disobeyed His apostles; And followed the command of every powerful, obstinate transgressor. [11:59]
Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. [5:20] "O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin." [5:21] They said: "O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: Never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter." [5:22]
We rehearse to thee some of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in Truth, for people who believe. [28:3] Truly Pharaoh elated himself in the land and broke up its people into sections, depressing a small group among them: their sons he slew, but he kept alive their females: for he was indeed a maker of mischief. [28:4] And We wished to be Gracious to those who were being depressed in the land, to make them leaders (in Faith) and make them heirs, [28:5] To establish a firm place for them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Haman, and their hosts, at their hands, the very things against which they were taking precautions. [28:6] So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses: "Suckle (thy child), but when thou hast fears about him, cast him into the river, but fear not nor grieve: for We shall restore him to thee, and We shall make him one of Our apostles." [28:7] Then the people of Pharaoh picked him up (from the river): (It was intended) that (Moses) should be to them an adversary and a cause of sorrow: for Pharaoh and Haman and (all) their hosts were men of sin. [28:8] The wife of Pharaoh said: "(Here is) joy of the eye, for me and for thee: slay him not. It may be that he will be use to us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they perceived not (what they were doing)! [28:9] But there came to be a void in the heart of the mother of Moses: She was going almost to disclose his (case), had We not strengthened her heart (with faith), so that she might remain a (firm) believer. [28:10] And she said to the sister of (Moses), "Follow him" so she (the sister) watched him in the character of a stranger. And they knew not. [28:11] And we ordained that he refused suck at first, until (His sister came up and) said: "Shall I point out to you the people of a house that will nourish and bring him up for you and be sincerely attached to him?"... [28:12] Thus did We restore him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true: but most of them do not understand. [28:13] When he reached full age, and was firmly established (in life), We bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge: for thus do We reward those who do good. [28:14] And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching: and he found there two men fighting,- one of his own religion, and the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own religion appealed to him against his foe, and Moses struck him with his fist and made an end of him. He said: "This is a work of Evil (Satan): for he is an enemy that manifestly misleads!" [28:15] He prayed: "O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul! Do Thou then forgive me!" So (Allah) forgave him: for He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [28:16] He said: "O my Lord! For that Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace on me, never shall I be a help to those who sin!" [28:17] So he saw the morning in the city, looking about, in a state of fear, when behold, the man who had, the day before, sought his help called aloud for his help (again). Moses said to him: "Thou art truly, it is clear, a quarrelsome fellow!" [28:18] Then, when he decided to lay hold of the man who was an enemy to both of them, that man said: "O Moses! Is it thy intention to slay me as thou slewest a man yesterday? Thy intention is none other than to become a powerful violent man in the land, and not to be one who sets things right!" [28:19]
(This is) a recital of the Mercy of thy Lord to His servant Zakariya. [19:2] Behold! he cried to his Lord in secret, [19:3] Praying: "O my Lord! infirm indeed are my bones, and the hair of my head doth glisten with grey: but never am I unblest, O my Lord, in my prayer to Thee! [19:4] "Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself,- [19:5] "(One that) will (truly) represent me, and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased!" [19:6] (His prayer was answered): "O Zakariya! We give thee good news of a son: His name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We conferred distinction before." [19:7] He said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son, when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?" [19:8] He said: "So (it will be) thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before, when thou hadst been nothing!'" [19:9] (Zakariya) said: "O my Lord! give me a Sign." "Thy Sign," was the answer, "Shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb." [19:10] So Zakariya came out to his people from him chamber: He told them by signs to celebrate Allah's praises in the morning and in the evening. [19:11] (To his son came the command): "O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might": and We gave him Wisdom even as a youth, [19:12] And piety (for all creatures) as from Us, and purity: He was devout, [19:13] And kind to his parents, and he was not overbearing or rebellious. [19:14]
Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. [19:16] She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. [19:17] She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah." [19:18] He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son. [19:19] She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" [19:20] He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed." [19:21] So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. [19:22] And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" [19:23] But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; [19:24] "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. [19:25] "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'" [19:26] At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! [19:27] "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" [19:28] But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" [19:29] He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; [19:30] "And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; [19:31] "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; [19:32]
O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) He has sent forth for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah: for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. [59:18] And be ye not like those who forgot Allah; and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors! [59:19] Not equal are the Companions of the Fire and the Companions of the Garden: it is the Companions of the Garden, that will achieve Felicity. [59:20] Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitudes which We propound to men, that they may reflect. [59:21] Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. [59:22]Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah. (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. [59:23]