Closer and closer to mankind comestheir Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away.
Never comes (aught) to them of arenewed Message from their Lord, but they listen to it as in jest,-
Their hearts toying as withtrifles. The wrong-doers conceal their private counsels, (saying), “Is this(one) more than a man like yourselves? Will ye go to witchcraft with youreyes open?”
Say: “My Lord knoweth (every) word(spoken) in the heavens and on earth: He is the One that heareth and knoweth(all things).”
“Nay,” they say, “(these are)medleys of dream! – Nay, He forged it! – Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let himthen bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!”
(As to those) before them, not oneof the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe?
Before thee, also, the apostles Wesent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: If ye realise this not,ask of those who possess the Message.
Nor did We give them bodies thatate no food, nor were they exempt from death.
In the end We fulfilled to themOur Promise, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We destroyedthose who transgressed beyond bounds.
We have revealed for you (O men!)a book in which is a Message for you: will ye not then understand?
How many were the populations Weutterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their placesother peoples?
Yet, when they felt Our Punishment(coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it.
Flee not, but return to the goodthings of this life which were given you, and to your homes in order that yemay be called to account.
They said: “Ah! woe to us! We wereindeed wrong-doers!”
And that cry of theirs ceased not,till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched.
Not for (idle) sport did We createthe heavens and the earth and all that is between!
If it had been Our wish to take(just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest toUs, if We would do (such a thing)!
Nay, We hurl the Truth againstfalsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish!Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us).
To Him belong all (creatures) inthe heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are nottoo proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service):
They celebrate His praises nightand day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.
Or have they taken (for worship)gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)?
If there were, in the heavens andthe earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion inboth! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above whatthey attribute to Him!
He cannot be questioned for Hisacts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).
Or have they taken for worship(other) gods besides him? Say, “Bring your convincing proof: this is theMessage of those with me and the Message of those before me.” But most ofthem know not the Truth, and so turn away.
Not an apostle did We send beforethee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I;therefore worship and serve Me.
And they say: “((Allah)) MostGracious has begotten offspring.” Glory to Him! they are (but) servantsraised to honour.
They speak not before He speaks,and they act (in all things) by His Command.
He knows what is before them, andwhat is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who areacceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory).
If any of them should say, “I am agod besides Him”, such a one We should reward with Hell: thus do We rewardthose who do wrong.
Do not the Unbelievers see thatthe heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation),before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Willthey not then believe?
And We have set on the earthmountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have madetherein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: thatthey may receive Guidance.
And We have made the heavens as acanopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things(point to)!
It is He Who created the Night andthe Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along,each in its rounded course.
We granted not to any man beforethee permanent life (here): if then thou shouldst die, would they livepermanently?
Every soul shall have a taste ofdeath: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. to Us must yereturn.
When the Unbelievers see thee,they treat thee not except with ridicule. “Is this,” (they say), “the onewho talks of your gods?” and they blaspheme at the mention of ((Allah)) MostGracious!
Man is a creature of haste: soon(enough) will I show you My Signs; then ye will not ask Me to hasten them!
They say: “When will this promisecome to pass, if ye are telling the truth?”
If only the Unbelievers knew (thetime) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, noryet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!
Nay, it may come to them all of asudden and confound them: no power will they have then to avert it, nor willthey (then) get respite.
Mocked were (many) apostle beforethee; But their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.
Say: “Who can keep you safe bynight and by day from (the Wrath of) ((Allah)) Most Gracious?” Yet they turnaway from the mention of their Lord.
Or have they gods that can guardthem from Us? They have no power to aid themselves, nor can they be defendedfrom Us.
Nay, We gave the good things ofthis life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long forthem; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) fromits outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?
Say, “I do but warn you accordingto revelation”: But the deaf will not hear the call, (even) when they arewarned!
If but a breath of the Wrath ofthy Lord do touch them, they will then say, “Woe to us! we did wrongindeed!”
We shall set up scales of justicefor the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly inthe least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, Wewill bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.
In the past We granted to Mosesand Aaron the criterion (for judgment), and a Light and a Message for thosewho would do right,-
Those who fear their Lord in theirmost secret thoughts, and who hold the Hour (of Judgment) in awe.
And this is a blessed Messagewhich We have sent down: will ye then reject it?
We bestowed aforetime on Abrahamhis rectitude of conduct, and well were We acquainted with him.
Behold! he said to his father andhis people, “What are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously)devoted?”
They said, “We found our fathersworshipping them.”
He said, “Indeed ye have been inmanifest error – ye and your fathers.”
They said, “Have you brought usthe Truth, or are you one of those who jest?”
He said, “Nay, your Lord is theLord of the heavens and the earth, He Who created them (from nothing): and Iam a witness to this (Truth).
“And by Allah, I have a plan foryour idols – after ye go away and turn your backs”..
So he broke them to pieces, (all)but the biggest of them, that they might turn (and address themselves) toit.
They said, “Who has done this toour gods? He must indeed be some man of impiety!”
They said, “We heard a youth talkof them: He is called Abraham.”
They said, “Then bring him beforethe eyes of the people, that they may bear witness.”
They said, “Art thou the one thatdid this with our gods, O Abraham?”
He said: “Nay, this was done by -this is their biggest one! ask them, if they can speak intelligently!”
So they turned to themselves andsaid, “Surely ye are the ones in the wrong!”
Then were they confounded withshame: (they said), “Thou knowest full well that these (idols) do notspeak!”
(Abraham) said, “Do ye thenworship, besides Allah, things that can neither be of any good to you nor doyou harm?
“Fie upon you, and upon the thingsthat ye worship besides Allah. Have ye no sense?”..
They said, “Burn him and protectyour gods, If ye do (anything at all)!”
We said, “O Fire! be thou cool,and (a means of) safety for Abraham!”
Then they sought a stratagemagainst him: but We made them the ones that lost most!
But We delivered him and (hisnephew) Lut (and directed them) to the land which We have blessed for thenations.
And We bestowed on him Isaac and,as an additional gift, (a grandson), Jacob, and We made righteous men ofevery one (of them).
And We made them leaders, guiding(men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, toestablish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and theyconstantly served Us (and Us only).
And to Lut, too, We gave Judgmentand Knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practised abominations:truly they were a people given to Evil, a rebellious people.
And We admitted him to Our Mercy:for he was one of the Righteous.
(Remember) Noah, when he cried (toUs) aforetime: We listened to his (prayer) and delivered him and his familyfrom great distress.
We helped him against people whorejected Our Signs: truly they were a people given to Evil: so We drownedthem (in the Flood) all together.
And remember David and Solomon,when they gave judgment in the matter of the field into which the sheep ofcertain people had strayed by night: We did witness their judgment.
To Solomon We inspired the (right)understanding of the matter: to each (of them) We gave Judgment andKnowledge; it was Our power that made the hills and the birds celebrate Ourpraises, with David: it was We Who did (all these things).
It was We Who taught him themaking of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other’sviolence: will ye then be grateful?
(It was Our power that made) theviolent (unruly) wind flow (tamely) for Solomon, to his order, to the landwhich We had blessed: for We do know all things.
And of the evil ones, were somewho dived for him, and did other work besides; and it was We Who guardedthem.
And (remember) Job, when He criedto his Lord, “Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Mercifulof those that are merciful.”
So We listened to him: We removedthe distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubledtheir number,- as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration, forall who serve Us.
And (remember) Isma’il, Idris, andZul-kifl, all (men) of constancy and patience;
We admitted them to Our mercy: forthey were of the righteous ones.
And remember Zun-nun, when hedeparted in wrath: He imagined that We had no power over him! But he criedthrough the deptHs of darkness, “There is no god but thou: glory to thee: Iwas indeed wrong!”
So We listened to him: anddelivered him from distress: and thus do We deliver those who have faith.
And (remember) Zakariya, when hecried to his Lord: “O my Lord! leave me not without offspring, though thouart the best of inheritors.”
So We listened to him: and Wegranted him Yahya: We cured his wife’s (Barrenness) for him. These (three)were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us withlove and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.
And (remember) her who guarded herchastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son asign for all peoples.
Verily, this brotherhood of yoursis a single brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore serveMe (and no other).
But (later generations) cut offtheir affair (of unity), one from another: (yet) will they all return to Us.
Whoever works any act ofrighteousness and has faith,- His endeavour will not be rejected: We shallrecord it in his favour.
But there is a ban on anypopulation which We have destroyed: that they shall not return,
Until the Gog and Magog (people)are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill.
Then will the true promise drawnigh (of fulfilment): then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedlystare in horror: “Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, wetruly did wrong!”
Verily ye, (unbelievers), and the(false) gods that ye worship besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! to itwill ye (surely) come!
If these had been gods, they wouldnot have got there! but each one will abide therein.
There, sobbing will be their lot,nor will they there hear (aught else).
Those for whom the good (record)from Us has gone before, will be removed far therefrom.
Not the slightest sound will theyhear of Hell: what their souls desired, in that will they dwell.
The Great Terror will bring themno grief: but the angels will meet them (with mutual greetings): “This isyour Day,- (the Day) that ye were promised.”
The Day that We roll up theheavens like a scroll rolled up for books (completed),- even as We producedthe first creation, so shall We produce a new one: a promise We haveundertaken: truly shall We fulfil it.
Before this We wrote in thePsalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shallinherit the earth.”
Verily in this (Qur’an) is aMessage for people who would (truly) worship Allah.
We sent thee not, but as a Mercyfor all creatures.
Say: “What has come to me byinspiration is that your Allah is One Allah. will ye therefore bow to HisWill (in Islam)?”
But if they turn back, Say: “Ihave proclaimed the Message to you all alike and in truth; but I know notwhether that which ye are promised is near or far.
“It is He Who knows what is openin speech and what ye hide (in your hearts).
“I know not but that it may be atrial for you, and a grant of (worldly) livelihood (to you) for a time.”
Say: “O my Lord! judge Thou intruth!” “Our Lord Most Gracious is the One Whose assistance should be soughtagainst the blasphemies ye utter!”