35. The Originator

Praise be to Allah, Who created (out ofnothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, messengers withwings,- two, or three, or four (pairs): He adds to Creation as He pleases:for Allah has power over all things.

What Allah out of his Mercy doth bestowon mankind there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold, there is nonecan grant, apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.

O men! Call to mind the grace of Allahunto you! is there a creator, other than Allah, to give you sustenance fromheaven or earth? There is no god but He: how then are ye deluded away fromthe Truth?

And if they reject thee, so wereapostles rejected before thee: to Allah back for decision all affairs.

O men! Certainly the promise of Allah istrue. Let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiverdeceive you about Allah.

Verily Satan is an enemy to you: sotreat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may becomeCompanions of the Blazing Fire.

For those who reject Allah, is aterrible Penalty: but for those who believe and work righteous deeds, isForgiveness, and a magnificent Reward.

Is he, then, to whom the evil of hisconduct is made alluring, so that he looks upon it as good, (equal to onewho is rightly guided)? For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guideswhom He wills. So let not thy soul go out in (vainly) sighing after them:for Allah knows well all that they do!

It is Allah Who sends forth the Winds,so that they raise up the Clouds, and We drive them to a land that is dead,and revive the earth therewith after its death: even so (will be) theResurrection!

If any do seek for glory and power,- toAllah belong all glory and power. To Him mount up (all) Words of Purity: Itis He Who exalts each Deed of Righteousness. Those that lay Plots of Evil,-for them is a Penalty terrible; and the plotting of such will be void (ofresult).

And Allah did create you from dust; thenfrom a sperm-drop; then He made you in pairs. And no female conceives, orlays down (her load), but with His knowledge. Nor is a man long-livedgranted length of days, nor is a part cut off from his life, but is in aDecree (ordained). All this is easy to Allah.

Nor are the two bodies of flowing wateralike,- the one palatable, sweet, and pleasant to drink, and the other, saltand bitter. Yet from each (kind of water) do ye eat flesh fresh and tender,and ye extract ornaments to wear; and thou seest the ships therein thatplough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the Bounty of Allah that ye maybe grateful.

He merges Night into Day, and he mergesDay into Night, and he has subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law): eachone runs its course for a term appointed. Such is Allah your Lord: to Himbelongs all Dominion. And those whom ye invoke besides Him have not theleast power.

If ye invoke them, they will not listento your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer your (prayer).On the Day of Judgment they will reject your “Partnership”. and none, (Oman!) can tell thee (the Truth) like the One Who is acquainted with allthings.

O ye men! It is ye that have need ofAllah. but Allah is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.

If He so pleased, He could blot you outand bring in a New Creation.

Nor is that (at all) difficult forAllah.

Nor can a bearer of burdens bearanother’s burdens if one heavily laden should call another to (bear) hisload. Not the least portion of it can be carried (by the other). Even thoughhe be nearly related. Thou canst but admonish such as fear their Lord unseenand establish regular Prayer. And whoever purifies himself does so for thebenefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to Allah.

The blind and the seeing are not alike;

Nor are the depths of Darkness and theLight;

Nor are the (chilly) shade and the(genial) heat of the sun:

Nor are alike those that are living andthose that are dead. Allah can make any that He wills to hear; but thoucanst not make those to hear who are (buried) in graves.

Thou art no other than a warner.

Verily We have sent thee in truth, as abearer of glad tidings, and as a warner: and there never was a people,without a warner having lived among them (in the past).

And if they reject thee, so did theirpredecessors, to whom came their apostles with Clear Signs, Books of darkprophecies, and the Book of Enlightenment.

In the end did I punish those whorejected Faith: and how (terrible) was My rejection (of them)!

Seest thou not that Allah sends downrain from the sky? With it We then bring out produce of various colours. Andin the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of colour, andblack intense in hue.

And so amongst men and crawlingcreatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear Allah,among His Servants, who have knowledge: for Allah is Exalted in Might,Oft-Forgiving.

Those who rehearse the Book of Allah,establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We haveprovided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will neverfail:

For He will pay them their meed, nay, Hewill give them (even) more out of His Bounty: for He is Oft-Forgiving, MostReady to appreciate (service).

That which We have revealed to thee ofthe Book is the Truth,- confirming what was (revealed) before it: for Allahis assuredly- with respect to His Servants – well acquainted and FullyObservant.

Then We have given the Book forinheritance to such of Our Servants as We have chosen: but there are amongthem some who wrong their own souls; some who follow a middle course; andsome who are, by Allah.s leave, foremost in good deeds; that is the highestGrace.

Gardens of Eternity will they enter:therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls; and theirgarments there will be of silk.

And they will say: “Praise be to Allah,Who has removed from us (all) sorrow: for our Lord is indeed Oft-ForgivingReady to appreciate (service):

“Who has, out of His Bounty, settled usin a Home that will last: no toil nor sense of weariness shall touch ustherein.”

But those who reject ((Allah)) – forthem will be the Fire of Hell: No term shall be determined for them, so theyshould die, nor shall its Penalty be lightened for them. Thus do We rewardevery ungrateful one!

Therein will they cry aloud (forassistance): “Our Lord! Bring us out: we shall work righteousness, not the(deeds) we used to do!” – “Did We not give you long enough life so that hethat would should receive admonition? and (moreover) the warner came to you.So taste ye (the fruits of your deeds): for the wrong-doers there is nohelper.”

Verily Allah knows (all) the hiddenthings of the heavens and the earth: verily He has full knowledge of allthat is in (men’s) hearts.

He it is That has made you inheritors inthe earth: if, then, any do reject ((Allah)), their rejection (works)against themselves: their rejection but adds to the odium for theUnbelievers in the sight of their Lord: their rejection but adds to (theirown) undoing.

Say: “Have ye seen (these) ‘Partners’ ofyours whom ye call upon besides Allah. Show Me what it is they have createdin the (wide) earth. Or have they a share in the heavens? Or have We giventhem a Book from which they (can derive) clear (evidence)?- Nay, thewrong-doers promise each other nothing but delusions.

It is Allah Who sustains the heavens andthe earth, lest they cease (to function): and if they should fail, there isnone – not one – can sustain them thereafter: Verily He is Most Forbearing,Oft-Forgiving.

They swore their strongest oaths byAllah that if a warner came to them, they would follow his guidance betterthan any (other) of the Peoples: But when a warner came to them, it has onlyincreased their flight (from righteousness),-

On account of their arrogance in theland and their plotting of Evil, but the plotting of Evil will hem in onlythe authors thereof. Now are they but looking for the way the ancients weredealt with? But no change wilt thou find in Allah.s way (of dealing): noturning off wilt thou find in Allah.s way (of dealing).

Do they not travel through the earth,and see what was the End of those before them,- though they were superior tothem in strength? Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in theheavens or on earth: for He is All-Knowing. All-Powerful.

If Allah were to punish men according towhat they deserve. He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a singleliving creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when theirTerm expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His Servants.