those who believe and do
what is right with justice; but those who misbelieve, for them is a drink of
boiling water, and grievous woe, for that they did misbelieve.
[5] He it is who made the
sun for a brightness, and the moon for a light, and decreed for it mansions,
that ye may know the number of the years and the reckoning.-God only created
that in truth. He details the signs unto a people who do know.
Verily, in the alternation
of night and day, and in what God has created of the heavens and the earth, are
signs unto a people who do fear.
Verily, those who hope not
for our meeting, and are content with the life of this world, and are comforted
thereby, and those who are neglectful of our signs,-these, their resort is fire
for that which they have earned!
Verily, those who believe
and do what is right, their Lord guides them by their faith; beneath them shall
rivers flow in the gardens of pleasure.
[10] Their cry therein
shall be, 'Celebrated be Thy praises, O God!' and their salutation therein
shall be, 'Peace!' and the end of their cry shall be, 'Praise (belongs) to God,
the Lord of the worlds!'
And if God should hasten on
the bad to men as they would hasten on the good, their appointed time would
surely be fulfilled. But we will let those who hope not for our meeting go on
in their rebellion, blindly wandering on.
When distress touches man,
he calls us to his side, whether sitting or standing; but when we have removed
from him his distress, he passes on
as though he had not called
on us in a distress that touched him. Thus unto the extravagant is made seemly
that which they have done.
We have already destroyed
generations before you when they did wrong, and there came to them their
apostles with manifest signs, but they would not believe. Thus do we reward the
sinful people.
[15] Then we made you their
successors in the earth after them, that we may see how ye will act.
But when our evident signs
are recited to them, those who hope not for our meeting say, 'Bring a Qur'ân
other than this; or change it.' Say, 'It is not for me to change it of my own
accord; I do not follow aught but what I am inspired with; verily, I fear, if I
rebel against my Lord, the torment of a mighty day!'
Say, 'Had God pleased, I
should not have recited it to you, nor taught you therewith. I have tarried a
lifetime amongst you before it;-have ye not then any sense?'
Who is more unjust than he
who forges against God a lie, or says His signs are lies? verily, the sinners
shall not prosper.
They worship beside God
what can neither harm them nor profit them, and they say, 'These are our
intercessors with God!' Say, 'Will ye inform God of aught in the heavens or the
earth, that He knows not of?' Celebrated be His praise! and exalted be He,
above what they associate with Him!
[20] People were but one
nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not been for thy Lord's word
already passed, there would have been decided between them that concerning
which they disagreed.
They say, 'Why is not a sign
sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say, 'The unseen is only God's; but wait ye
for a while, verily, I with you am one of those who wait!'
When we have let men taste
of mercy after distress which has touched them, lo! they use a stratagem
against our signs! Say, 'God is quicker at stratagem.' Verily, our
messengers 1 write down what stratagem ye use.
He it is who makes you
travel in the land and sea, until when ye are in the ships-and these carry
them 2 afloat with a favouring wind, and they rejoice
therein, there comes to them a violent wind, and there comes to them the wave
from every place, and they think that they are encompassed about then they call
on God, sincere in religion towards Him, 'If thou dost save from this we will
surely be of those who thank.' But when He has saved them, lo! they are wilful
in the earth unjustly;-O ye folk! your wilfulness against yourselves is but a
provision of this world's life; then unto us is your return, and we will inform
you of that which ye have done!
[25] Verily, the likeness
of this world's life is like water which we send down from the sky, and the
plants of the earth, from which men and cattle eat, are mingled therewith;
until when the earth puts on its gilding and is adorned, the people thereof
think that they have power over it. Our order comes to it by night or. day, and
we make it as it
were mown down-as though it
had not yesterday been rich!-Thus do we detail the signs unto a people who
reflect.
God calls unto the abode of
peace, and guides whom He will into the right path.
To those who do what is
good, goodness and increase! nor shall blackness or abasement cover their
faces! these are the fellows of Paradise, they shall dwell therein for aye.
But, as for those who have
earned ill, the reward of evil is the like thereof; abasement shall cover them!
they shall have none to defend them against God;-as though their faces were
veiled with the deep darkness of the night; these are the fellows of the Fire,
and they shall dwell therein for aye.
And on the day we gather
them all together then we will say to those who associated other gods (with
us), 'To your places, ye and your associates!' and we will part them; and their
associates will say, 'It was not us ye worshipped. - [30] But God is witness
enough between us and you, that we were heedless of your worshipping us.' There
shall every soul prove what it has sent on before; and they shall be returned
unto God, their God, their true sovereign, and that which they devised shall
stray away from them.
Say, 'Who provides you from
the heaven and the earth? who has dominion over hearing and sight? and who
brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the
living? and who governs the affair?' And they will say, 'God.' Say, 'Do ye not
then fear?'
That is God, your true
Lord! and what is there
after the truth but error?
how then can ye turn away?
Thus is the word of thy
Lord verified against those who commit abomination; verily, they will not believe.
Say, 'Is there any of your associates who can produce a creature and then turn
it back again?' Say, 'God produces a creature, then turns it back again; how
then can ye lie?' [35] Say, 'Is there any of your associates who guides unto
the truth?' Say, 'God guides unto the truth.' Is then He who guides unto the
truth more worthy to be followed, or he that guides not except he be himself
guided? What ails you then, how ye judge?
But most of them follow
only suspicion; verily, suspicion does not avail against the truth at all;
verily, God knows what they do.
This Qur'ân could not have
been devised by any beside God; but it verifies that which was before it, and
details the Book-there is no doubt therein-from the Lord of the worlds.
Do they say, 'He 1 hath devised it?' say then, 'Bring a sûrah like it,-and call, if ye
can, on other, than God, if ye do tell the truth!'
[40] Yet they call that a
lie, the knowledge of which they cannot compass, while its interpretation has
not yet come to them; so did those before them charge with lying, and see what
was the end of the unjust!
Of them are some who
believe therein; and of them are some who do not believe therein but thy Lord
knows best who are corrupters.
But if they call thee liar,
say, 'I have my work, and ye have your work; ye are clear of what I work, and I
am clear of what ye work.'
There are some of them who
listen to thee-canst thou make the deaf to hear, although they have no sense?
And of them are some who look at thee-canst thou guide the blind, although they
cannot see?
[45] Verily, God wrongs not
man at all, but men do wrong themselves.
And on the day when we will
gather them together it will be as though they had not tarried save an hour of
the day, they shall know each other. Lost are those who called the meeting with
God a lie, and were not guided!
Either we will show thee
something of that with which we threatened them, or we will take thee to
ourself, for unto us is their return; then is God a witness to what they do.
Every nation has its
apostle; and when their apostle comes to them, it is decided between them with
justice, and they are not wronged.
But they say, 'When is this
threat (to come), if ye tell the truth?'
[50] Say, 'I have no power over
myself for harm or for profit, save what God will. Every nation has its
appointed time; when their appointed time comes to them they cannot delay it
for an hour or bring it on.'
Say, 'Let us see now when
the torment comes to you, by night or day, what will the sinners fain bring on
thereof? And when it has fallen-will ye believe in it now!-And yet ye wish to
bring it on! Then shall it be said to those who have done
wrong, Taste ye the torment
of eternity! shall ye be recompensed except for that which ye have earned?'
They will ask thee to inform them whether it be true. Say, 'Aye, by my Lord!
verily, it is the truth, nor can ye weaken him.'
[55] And if every soul that
hath done wrong had whatever is in the earth, it would give it as a ransom.
They will utter their repentance when they see the torment; and it shall be
decided between them with justice, nor shall they be wronged.
Is not indeed what is in
the heavens and what is in the earth God's? is not indeed the promise of God
true? Though most of them know not. He quickens and He kills, and unto Him are
ye returned!
O ye folk! there has come
to you a warning from your Lord, and a balm for what is in your breasts, and a
guidance and a mercy to believers.
Say, 'By the grace of God
and by His mercy,-and in that let them rejoice! It is better than that which
they collect!'
[60] Let us see now what
God has sent down to you of provision! and yet ye have made. of it unlawful and
lawful. Say, 'Does God permit you, or against God do ye forge lies?'
What will those who forge
lies against God think on the resurrection day? Verily, God is Lord of grace
towards men, but most of them do not give thanks!
Nor shalt thou be in any
affair, nor shalt thou recite concerning it a Qur'ân 1-nor shall ye do a work, without our
being witness against you, when
ye are engaged therein: nor
does the weight of an atom escape thy Lord in earth or in heaven; nor is there
less than that or greater, but it is in the perspicuous Book.
Are not, verily, the
friends of God those on whom there is no fear, neither shall they be
grieved?-They who believed and who did fear - [65] for them are good tidings in
the life of this world, and in the future too; there is no changing the words
of God! That is the mighty happiness!
Let not their speech grieve
thee; verily, power is wholly God's! He both hears and knows.
Is not, verily, whoever is
in the heavens and whoever is in the earth God's? What then do they follow who
call on associates other than God?
Verily, they follow nothing
but suspicion, and verily, they are telling naught but lies.
He it is who made for you
the night, that ye might rest therein, and the day to see therein; verily, in
that are. signs unto a people who can hear.
They say, 'God has taken to
Himself a son.' Celebrated be His praises! He is the rich one! His is whatever
is in the heavens, and whatever is in the earth. Ye have no authority for this!
will ye say against God, that which ye do not know?
[70] Say, 'Verily, those
who forge against God a lie shall not prosper!'
A provision in this
world-then unto us is their return! then we will make them taste keen torment
for that they misbelieved.
Recite to them the story of
Noah, when he said to his people, 'O my people! if my stay with you be grievous
to you, and my reminding you of the signs of God, yet upon God do I rely!
Collect
then your affairs and your
associates 1; nor let your affair (be ordered) for you in
the dark; then decide respecting me, and do not wait; and if ye turn your
backs, I ask you not for hire; my hire is only due from God, and I am bidden to
be of those resigned.' But they called him a liar; and we saved him, and those
with him, in the ark; and we made these 2 successors, and drowned those who
had said our signs were lies; see then how was the end of those who had been
warned!
[75] Then we raised up
after him apostles unto their people, and they came to them with manifest
signs; but they would not believe in what they had called a lie before. Thus do
we set a stamp upon the hearts of the transgressors.
Then we raised up after
them Moses and Aaron, unto Pharaoh and his chiefs with our signs; but they were
too big with pride, and were a sinful people; and when the truth came to them
from us they said, verily, 'This is obvious sorcery.'
Moses said, 'Will ye say of
the truth when it comes to you, Is this sorcery? But sorcerers shall not
prosper.'
They said, 'Hast thou come
to turn us away from what we found our fathers at, that there may be for you
twain grandeur in the earth? but we will not believe you.'
[80] And Pharaoh said,
'Bring me every knowing sorcerer;' and when the sorcerers came, Moses said to
them, 'Throw down what ye have, to throw!' and when they threw down, Moses said,
'What ye have brought is sorcery! verily, God will make
it vain; verily, God rights
not the work of evil-doers!'
But God verifies the truth
by His words, although the sinners are averse therefrom.
But none believed in Moses,
save a race of his own people, through fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs; lest he
should afflict them, for verily, Pharaoh was lofty in the earth, and verily, he
was extravagant.
And Moses said, 'O my
people! if ye did believe in God, then on Him rely, if ye be resigned.' [85]
They said, 'Upon God do we rely. O our Lord! make us not a cause of trial for a
people who do wrong, but save, us by Thy mercy from the people who misbelieve!'
And we inspired Moses and
his brother thus, 'Establish, ye twain, houses for your people in Egypt; and make
ye your houses a qiblah 1; and be ye steadfast in prayer, and
give glad tidings to those who believe.'
Moses said, 'O our Lord!
verily, Thou hast brought to Pharaoh and his chiefs ornaments and wealth in the
life of this world; O our Lord! that they may err from Thy way! O our Lord!
confound their wealth and harden their hearts that they may not believe until
they see grievous woe!' He said, 'Your prayer is answered; be upright then, ye
two, and follow not the path of those who do not know!'
[90] And we brought the
children of Israel
across the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts followed them eager and hostile,
until when drowning overtook him, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but
[paragraph continues] He in whom the children of Israel
believe, and I am of those who are resigned!' - 'Now 1! but thou didst rebel aforetime,
and wert of those who do evil; but to-day we will save thee in thy body, that
thou mayest be to those who come after thee a sign, for verily, many men are
careless of our signs 2!'
And we established the
people of Israel with a sure establishment, and we provided them with good
things; nor did they disagree until there came to them the knowledge. Verily,
thy Lord shall decide between them on the resurrection day concerning that
whereon they did dispute.
And if thou art in doubt of
that which we have sent down unto thee, ask those who read the Book before thee
verily, the truth is come to thee from thy Lord, be not then of those who are
in doubt. And be not of those who say the signs of God are lies, or thou wilt
be of those who lose! [95] Verily, those against whom God's word is pronounced
will not believe, even though there come to them every sign, until they see the
grievous woe. Were it not so, a city would have believed and its faith would
have, profited it. But (none did) except the people of Jonas; when they
believed we removed from them the torment of disgrace in this world, and we
gave them provision for a while. But had thy Lord pleased, all who are in the
earth would have believed altogether; as for thee, wilt thou force men to
become believers?
[100] It is not for any
person to believe save by the permission of God; He puts horror on those who
have no sense.
Say, 'Behold what is in the
heavens and in the earth! but signs and warners avail not a people who do not
believe. Do they await aught but the like of the days of those who passed away
before them?' Say, 'Wait ye then! verily, I am with you one of those who wait.'
Then we will save our apostles and those who believe; thus is it due from us to
save believers.
Say, 'O ye folk! if ye are
in doubt concerning my religion, I will not worship those ye worship other than
God; but I worship God, who takes you to Himself, and I am bidden to be of the
believers!' [105] And, 'Make steadfast thy face to the religion as a
'Hanîf 1; and be not of the idolaters; and call not
besides God on what can neither profit thee nor harm thee; for if thou dost,
verily, thou art then of the unjust!'
And should God touch thee
with harm, there is none to remove it save He; and if He wish thee well, there
is none to repel His grace; He makes it fall on whom He will of His servants;
for He is pardoning and merciful!
Say, O ye people! there has
come to you the truth from your Lord, and he who is guided, his guidance is
only for his soul; and he who errs, errs only against it; and I am not a
guardian over you.'
Follow what is revealed to
thee, and be patient until God judges, for He is the best of judges.