57:1  Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth has existed in expression of the most beautiful attributes of Allah. HE is the Almighty, All-Wise.

57:2  HIs is the dominion of the heavens and the earth. HE gives life, and HE gives death, and HE has almighty control over all things and their measure.

57:3  HE is the First and the Last, the Outward [and manifested], and the Inward [and the Hidden], and HE is ever knowing of all things.

57:4  HE is WHO created the heavens and the earth in six [heavenly] days. Further to that, HE set HIS attributes to reign over all manifestation. HE knows what passes into the earth and what emerges from it, and what descends from the sky and what ascends into it, and HE is with you wherever you be. And Allah is ever seeing of what you do.

57:5  To HIM belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And unto Allah are all matters being returned.

57:6  HE gives passage to the night into the day, and HE gives passage to the day into the night, and HE is ever knowing of the bosoms’ inner holdings.

57:7  Believe in Allah and HIS Messenger and spend from that of which HE has made you rightful successors. For those of you who have believed and have spent [in God’s way], for them is a transcendent reward.

57:8  What cause do you have to not believe in Allah, while the Messenger calls you to believe in your Rabb? And whereas HE has already taken your pledge, if you be believers?

57:9  HE is WHO sends down telling verses upon HIS devotee, so HE may bring you [all] out from layers of darkness towards light. And indeed, Allah is every wise kind and ever merciful unto you all.

57:10  What cause do you have that you do not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not do they match up amongst you, those who have spent and fought before the Opening [of Makkah]. Such as they have a greater rank than the ones who spent and fought afterwards. Yet unto each Allah has promised the utmost good, and Allah is fully aware of what you do.

57:11  Who is to be one to lend unto Allah a beautiful loan, so HE may multiply it for him? And for him is a generous reward

57:12  The day you see the believing men and the believing women, their light darting forth in front of them and to their right, [being welcomed], “Your tidings this day: gardens with subservient streams in flow, abiders therein.” That is the transcendent success.

57:13  A day, the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women say to the believers, “Look toward us, so we may take light from your light.” It will be said, “Go back to your past to grope for light.” Then a demarcation was instated between them with a wall, with a door to it. The interior of it— all through it is mercy while the exterior of it— in front of it is the punishment.

57:14  They [i.e., the hypocrites] call out unto them, “Were we not with you?” They replied, “Yes sure. But you tempted your own souls, and you waited out, and hung on to your doubts, and your wishful claims deluded you, until the command of Allah came into effect. And the delusion [you had fostered] deluded you [even] about Allah.

57:15  So today no ransom is to be accepted from you, nor from the ones who had disbelieved. Your shelter is the fire— it is your patron.” Wretched is the journey’s end.

57:16  Is it not about time for the ones who have believed that their hearts remain in submission to the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the Truth, and not be like the ones who were given the timeless Book before them? For as the span of time grew over them— their hearts hardened and many of them, through the ages, became iniquitous.

57:17  Know that Allah— HE revives the earth after its death. WE have already made evident the signs for you, to enable you to understand through reasoning.

57:18  Surely, the men who give generously [in recognition of the Truth] and the women who give [in recognition of the Truth] and lend to Allah a beautiful loan, it will be multiplied for them, and for them is an ever-generous reward.

57:19  And the ones who have believed in Allah and HIS Messengers, those are the veracious ones, and the [worthy] witnesses with Allah. For them is their reward and their light. While the ones who have disbelieved and denied OUR signs, they are the inmates of Jaḥīm.

57:20  Know that the earthly life is a contest, and a diversionary interlude, and a glamorous display, and a boastful show between yourselves, and a competitive want for more wealth and children— like the parable of a rain: The proliferous vegetation thereof, leaves the sowers marveling. Then it spurs on abuzz, and then you see it turned to saffron shades. Then it becomes chaff. While in the Hereafter is a severe punishment, and forgiveness from Allah and acceptance. And the earthly life is not but a chattel of the illusion [of permanence].

57:21  Race towards forgiveness from your Rabb and a garden whose expanse is like the expanse of the sky and the earth, proportioned for those who had believed in Allah and HIS messengers. That is the Grace of Allah. HE gives it to whom HE wills, and Allah is the Owner of the transcendent Grace.

57:22  There is not any disastrous ordeal to befall in the land or within you, except it is in a record, before OUR releasing of it. Verily, that is easy upon Allah

57:23  —purposed for your not despairing over whatever has eluded you. And do not gloat over what has come to you. Allah loves not each bragging self-conceited one—

57:24  Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on people, and whoever [else] turns away from [spending in the way of Allah]— [they fail to realize that] Allah is ever the self-sufficient One, the One worthy of all Praise.

57:25  WE did send OUR messengers with telling proofs, and WE sent down with them the timeless Book [of Scripture] and the Balance, so that men may stand committed to fairness. And WE sent down Iron— in it is severe might as well as benefits for humankind, and [all is sent down] that Allah may prove out, who helps HIM and HIS messengers, in all that is hidden from men yet fully manifest to HIM. Surely, Allah is all-powerful, almighty.

57:26  WE did send Noah and Abraham and placed Prophethood and the timeless book [of Scripture] among their descendants. Then from them was the rightly guided, and many from them [across the ages] were iniquitous.

57:27  Then WE followed up with OUR messengers on their tracks. And WE followed up with Jesus, son of Mary, and WE gave him the Injīl and engendered compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. Whereas a life of monastic reclusiveness—they initiated [and introduced] it. WE did not decree it upon them— [not else] except the pursuit of the assent of Allah. So they did not observe it for the trueness of its observance. So, WE gave to those of them who had believed their reward, while many of them [across the ages] were ever iniquitous.

57:28  O you who have embraced Faith, be conscious of Allah and believe in HIS messenger— HE will give you two portions of HIS mercy and render for you a light to walk in and forgive you. Allah is forgiving, ever merciful.

57:29  [A double portion], so that the people of the timeless book [of Scripture] may know that they have no control over any of Allah’s bounties and that all the bounty is in Allah’s Hand— HE gives it to whosoever HE wills. And Allah is the Owner of the Transcendent Bounty.