Alif Lam Ra. [This is] a Book, with verses which are fundamental [in nature], and then expounded in detail by One who is all wise and all aware.
[It teaches] that you should worship none but God. I am sent to you from Him to warn you and to give you good tidings.
Seek forgiveness from your Lord; then turn towards Him [in repentance]. He will make generous provision for you for an appointed term and will bestow His grace on all who merit it! But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a dreadful Day:
to God you shall all return; and He has power over all things.
See how they cover themselves up to hide [their thoughts] from Him. But when they cover themselves up with their garments, He knows what they hide and what they reveal. He knows their innermost thoughts.
There is not a living creature on the earth but it is for God to provide its sustenance. He knows its dwelling and its [final] resting place. All this is recorded in a clear book.
Enthroned above the waters, it was He who created the heavens and the earth in six Days [periods], in order to test which of you is best in conduct. If you say, \"You will [all] be raised up after death,\" those who deny the truth will say, \"This is just sheer sorcery!\"
If We defer their punishment till an appointed time, they ask, \"What is holding it back?\" On the Day when it overtakes them, there will be nothing to avert it from them; and what they used to mock at shall encompass them.
When We bestow upon man a measure of Our grace and then take it away from him, he yields to despair and becomes ungrateful.
And if, after adversity, We let him taste good fortune he says, \"All my ills are gone.\" He becomes exultant and boastful.
Not so those who are patient and do good deeds. They shall have forgiveness and a great reward.
You may [feel the inclination] to leave aside a part of what is revealed to you and you may be distressed because they say, \"Why has no treasure been sent down to him, why has no angel come with him?\" But you are only to give warning. God is the guardian of all things.
If they say, \"He has invented it himself.\" Say, \"If you are truthful, produce ten invented chapters like it, and call on whom you can besides God, to help you.\"
But if they do not respond to you, then know that this [Quran] is sent down with God's knowledge and that there is no deity but Him. Will you then surrender yourselves to Him?
Those who desire the life of this world and all its finery shall be repaid in full in this life for their deeds -- nothing shall be denied them.
These are the people who, in the world to come, shall have nothing but Hellfire and all that they used to do shall be in vain.
Can they be compared to those who possess a clear proof from their Lord, followed up by a witness from Him, preceded by the Book of Moses, as a guide and a mercy? These people believe in it; whereas those groups that deny its truth are promised the Fire. Therefore, have no doubt about it. It is the truth from your Lord, but most people do not believe it.
Who does greater wrong than the one who fabricates a lie against God? Such people shall be brought before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, \"These are the ones who lied about their Lord.\" Surely God's rejection is merited by such wrongdoers.
Such as those who turn others away from the path of God and seek to make it appear crooked: these are the ones who deny the Hereafter.
They can never frustrate God on earth, nor have they any protectors besides God. They will be subjected to double punishment, for they could neither hear nor see.
It is such as these who have ruined their souls, and that which they fabricated shall fail them.
In the Hereafter, it is they who shall be the greatest losers.
Those who have believed and done good deeds and humbled themselves before their Lord are destined for Paradise, and they will live in it forever.
These two groups are like the blind and the deaf as compared with those who can see and hear. Can the two be equal? Will you not then understand?
We sent Noah to his people. He said, \"I have come to you with a clear warning:
worship none but God. I fear lest punishment befall you on a woeful Day.\"
The leaders of his people, who refused to acknowledge the truth, said, \"We regard you only as a human being like ourselves. We do not see that anyone follows you but the lowliest of us, those of immature judgement. We see no superior merit in you; in fact we believe you are a liar.\"
He said, \"O my people, tell me: if I have clear evidence from my Lord and He has favoured me with grace from Himself, which you have been unable to recognize, can we force it on you against your will?
O my people, I do not ask you for any money for this; my reward comes only from God. I will not drive away those who believe; they shall surely meet their Lord. Yet I see that you are a people who act out of ignorance.
My people, who would support me against God if I were to drive them off? Will you not take heed?
I do not say to you that I possess God's treasures, or that I have knowledge of the unseen, or that I am an angel. Nor do I say concerning those upon whom you look with contempt, that God will not bestow any good upon them -- God knows best what is in their hearts. If I did, I would certainly be one of the wrongdoers.\"
\"Noah,\" they replied, \"you have argued with us, and argued to excess. Now bring down upon us what you threaten us with, if you speak the truth!?\"
He said, \"It is God who will bring it down upon you, if He wishes, and you will not be able to escape.
My advice will not benefit you, no matter how sincerely I want to advise you, if God lets you go astray. He is your Lord and you will all return to Him.\"
If they say, \"He has invented it himself,\" say to them, \"If I have indeed invented this myself, then may I be punished for my sin; I am innocent of the crimes that you commit.\"
God's will was revealed to Noah, \"No more of your people will believe in you than those who already believe; do not grieve, therefore, over what they have been doing.
Build the Ark under Our eyes and in accordance with Our revelation. Do not plead with Me concerning the evil-doers. They shall certainly be drowned.\"
So he began to build the Ark, and whenever leaders of his people passed by, they scoffed at him. He said, \"If you are scoffing at us, we shall scoff at you [and your ignorance], just as you scoff at us:
you will soon come to know who will receive a humiliating punishment, and find unleashed against him an everlasting punishment.\"
When Our command came, and water gushed forth in torrents, We said to Noah, \"Take into the Ark a pair from every species, and your own family -- except those on whom the sentence has already been passed, and all the true believers.\" But only a few believed along with him.
Noah said, \"Embark on it. In the name of God, it shall set sail and cast anchor. Truly, my Lord is forgiving and merciful.\"
The Ark sailed along with them through mountainous waves. Noah called out to his son who stood apart, \"O my son! Embark with us and do not be among the deniers!\"
He replied, \"I shall seek refuge on a mountain, which will save me from the water.\" Noah cried, \"Today there is no refuge for anyone from God's command except for those to whom He shows mercy!\" Thereupon, a wave swept in between them, and Noah's son was among those who were drowned.
A voice cried out, \"Earth, swallow up your waters. O sky, cease your rain.\" The waters receded. The command was fulfilled. The Ark came to rest on Mount Judi. It was said, \"Away with the wrong-doing people.\"
Noah called out to his Lord, saying, \"My Lord, my son was a part of my family. Your promise was surely true. You are the most just of all judges.\"
God said, \"Noah, he was not one of your family. For, indeed, he was unrighteous in his conduct. Do not question Me about something of which you have no knowledge; I admonish you lest you become like an ignorant man.\"
He said, \"My Lord, I take refuge with You from asking You something of which I have no knowledge. If You do not forgive me and show me mercy, I shall be one of the losers.\"
God said, \"Noah, go ashore in peace; Our blessings upon you and upon the people who are with you and upon some of the descendants of those who are with you. [As for the unrighteous] We shall grant provision for a time, then a grievous punishment from Us shall afflict them.\"
These are tidings of the unseen that We reveal to you, [O Prophet], which you did not know before, nor did your people, so be patient: the future belongs to the God-fearing.
To 'Ad We sent their brother Hud. He said, \"O my people, worship God alone; you have no god but Him. You do nothing but fabricate lies.
I ask of you nothing in return for this [Message]. My recompense is with Him who has created me. Why do you not use your reason?
My people, seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance. He will send from the sky abundant rain upon you; He will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away from Him as evil-doers.\"
They replied, \"Hud, you have not brought us any clear evidence and we shall not forsake our deities merely at your behest, nor will we believe in you.
We can only say that some of our gods have stricken you with evil.\" He said, \"I call God to witness, and you also bear witness, that I disown those which you associate with God.
So scheme against me, all of you together, and then grant me no respite.
I have put my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord. For there is no living creature which He does not hold by its forelock. My Lord is on the straight path.
\"If you turn away, I have conveyed to you the message with which I was sent. My Lord will make another people your successors and you cannot harm Him in the least. For my Lord is guardian over all things.\"
When Our command came, We delivered Hud and those who believed with him by Our special mercy. We saved them from a severe punishment.
Such were the 'Ad who denied the signs of their Lord and disobeyed His messengers and followed the bidding of every headstrong enemy of truth.
They were pursued by a curse in this world as they will be on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, the 'Ad denied their Lord. So away with the 'Ad, the people of Hud!
To the Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, \"My people, worship God! You have no god but Him. It was He who brought you into being from the earth and settled you upon it and so ask His forgiveness. Turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is near and responsive.\"
They said, \"O Salih! We had great hopes in you. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? We are in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, concerning that to which you call us.\"
He said, \"O my people, tell me: if I have clear evidence from my Lord, and He has granted His mercy, who then will support me against God, if I disobey Him? You would only make my loss greater.
My people! This she-camel of God is a sign for you. So leave her alone to graze on God's earth. And do her no harm, lest you should be instantly afflicted with a torment.\"
But they hamstrung her. He [Salih] said, \"Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three more days. This warning will not prove false.\"
Then when Our command came by Our grace, We saved Salih and those who believed along with him from the disgrace of that day. Surely, your Lord is powerful and mighty.
The wrongdoers were overtaken by a dreadful blast and they lay dead in their homes,
as if they had never dwelt there. The Thamud denied their Lord; cursed are the tribe of Thamud.
Our messengers came to Abraham with good news and greeted him with, \"Peace.\" He too said, \"Peace be on you,\" and hastened to bring a roasted calf.
But when he saw that they made no move to eat, he found this strange and became afraid of them. They said, \"Do not be afraid, for we have been sent to the people of Lot.\"
His wife, who was standing nearby, laughed when We gave her the good news of Isaac, and after Isaac, Jacob.
She said, \"Alas! Shall I bear a child in this old age, while my husband here is also old? This is indeed a strange thing!\"
They said, \"Are you astonished at God's command? May the mercy of God and His blessings be upon you, O people of this house. Surely, He is praiseworthy and glorious.\"
When the fear had left Abraham, and the glad tidings had been conveyed to him, he began to plead with Us for Lot's people,
for Abraham was forbearing, tender-hearted and oft-returning to God.
We said, \"Abraham, cease your pleading: the command of your Lord has gone forth. There shall fall upon them a punishment which none can avert!\"
When Our messengers came to Lot, he was uneasy on this account and felt powerless to protect them. He said, \"This is a dreadful day.\"
His people, who were used to committing foul deeds, came running to him. He said, \"My people, here are my daughters. They are purer for you, [if you marry] so have some fear of God and do not disgrace me before my guests. Is there not a single right-minded man among you?\"
They replied, \"You know we have no need of your daughters. You know very well what we are seeking.\"
He said, \"If only I had the strength to stop you or could take refuge in some powerful support!\"
They said, \"Lot, we are your Lord's messengers. By no means shall they reach you! So depart with your family while it is yet night and let none of you look back. But your wife will suffer the fate that befalls the others. Their appointed time is the morning: is the morning not near?\"
When Our command came, We turned that town upside down and We rained upon it stones of clay, layer upon layer,
marked for them by the decree of your Lord. The punishment of the unjust was not far off.
To the people of Midian, We sent their brother Shu'ayb. He said, \"My people, worship God. You have no deity other than Him. Do not give short measure and short weight. I see you are prospering. I fear for you the punishment of a fateful Day.
O my people, [always] give full measure and weight, in all fairness and do not defraud people by making short delivery, and do not spread corruption in the land.
What God leaves with you is the best for you, if you are believers. I have not been appointed as your keeper.\"
They said, \"Shu'ayb, does your prayer tell you that we should abandon what our forefathers worshipped and that we should stop disposing of our belongings as we please? You are indeed the only wise and rightly-guided man!\"
[Shu'ayb] said, \"O my people! What do you think? If I have clear evidence from my Lord, and He has sustained me with fair sustenance from Himself [should I not guide you?]. I have no desire to do, out of opposition to you, what I am asking you not to do. I only want to reform you as far as I can. Nor can I succeed without God's help. In Him I have put my trust and to Him I turn.
O my people, do not let your opposition to me bring upon you a fate similar to the peoples of Noah or Hud or Salih; nor is it long since the people of Lot were punished!
Seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance. For my Lord is indeed merciful and loving.\"
They replied, \"Shu'ayb, we do not understand much of what you say. In fact, we see that you are powerless among us.Were it not for your clan, we would have stoned you, for you are not strong against us.\"
He said, \"My people, is my tribe mightier to you than God? You put Him behind you, turning your backs on Him! Surely, my Lord encompasses all that you do.
My people, do what you will and so shall I. You will certainly come to know who will receive a punishment to disgrace him, and who is a liar. Wait on; I shall wait on with you.\"
When Our command came, We saved Shu'ayb and those who believed with him as a mercy from Ourself, while the blast overtook the wrongdoers, so that they lay dead in their homes,
as though they had never dwelt therein. Oh, away with the people of Midian, just as happened with the Thamud!
We sent forth Moses with Our signs and with manifest authority,
to Pharaoh and his nobles. But they followed the command of Pharaoh and the command of Pharaoh was not rightly directed.
He shall stand at the head of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and shall lead them into the Fire. Evil is the place to which they shall be led.
A curse followed them in this world, and shall follow them on the Day of Resurrection. What a foul gift to be given!
We relate to you such accounts of earlier towns: some of them are still standing; while others have ceased to exist;
We did not wrong them; they wronged themselves; the deities they called on besides God availed them nothing: when God's command came upon them, they only added to their ruin.
Such is the punishment of your Lord when He seizes the towns in the midst of their sins: His punishing grip is terrible and severe.
In that is a sign for him who fears the punishment of the Hereafter. That is a Day for which mankind shall be gathered together, a Day when all will be present.
We will only postpone it until a predetermined time,
and when that Day arrives, no soul shall speak but by His leave. Among those some shall be damned, and others shall be blessed.
The wretched ones will be in the Fire sighing and groaning,
remaining in it timelessly, for ever, as long as the heavens and earth endure, except as your Lord wills. Your Lord carries out whatever He wills.
Those who are blessed shall abide in the Garden; they will dwell therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills. Such bounty shall be unending.
Have no doubt as to what they worship. They worship nothing but what their fathers worshipped before [them]. We shall certainly give them their share in full, without diminishing anything.
We certainly gave the Book to Moses, but differences arose about it: had it not been that a word had gone forth before from your Lord, Judgement would indeed have been passed on them then and there: yet they are in grave doubt about it.
Your Lord will reward each one of them in full for their deeds. He is well-aware of all their actions.
Therefore stand firm [in the straight path] as you are commanded, along with those who have turned to God with you, and do not exceed the bounds, for He sees everything you do.
Do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire touch you. For [then] you would have none to protect you from God, and you will not be helped.
Say your prayers morning and evening, and during parts of the night; surely good makes amends for evil. This is a reminder for people who pay heed.
Be steadfast; for surely, God does not let the wages of the righteous be wasted.
Why, then, were there not among the generations before you upright men who would speak out against the [spread of] corruption on earth -- except for the few whom We saved? But the wrongdoers pursued their worldly pleasures and thus became guilty.
Your Lord would never unjustly destroy communities while their people were trying to reform.
If your Lord had wished, He would have made mankind into one community. As it is, they will not cease to dispute, --
and to this end He has created them [all], except for those to whom your Lord has shown mercy. The word of your Lord shall be fulfilled, \"I will fill Hell with jinn and men all together.\"
We have told you the stories of the prophets to make your heart firm and in these accounts truth has come to you, with an exhortation and a reminder for the believers.
Say to those who do not believe, you do things in your way and we are doing things in our way,
and wait, we too are waiting.\"
The knowledge of the secret of the heavens and the earth belongs to God alone, and to Him shall all affairs be referred. So worship Him and put your trust in Him alone. Your Lord is not unaware of what you do.
