42. The Counsel

Ha-Mim

Ain. Sin. Qaf.

Thus doth (He) send inspiration to theeas (He did) to those before thee,- Allah, Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom.

To Him belongs all that is in theheavens and on earth: and He is Most High, Most Great.

The heavens are almost rent asunder fromabove them (by Him Glory): and the angels celebrate the Praises of theirLord, and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: Behold! VerilyAllah is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And those who take as protectors othersbesides Him,- Allah doth watch over them; and thou art not the disposer oftheir affairs.

Thus have We sent by inspiration to theean Arabic Qur’an: that thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all aroundher,- and warn (them) of the Day of Assembly, of which there is no doubt:(when) some will be in the Garden, and some in the Blazing Fire.

If Allah had so willed, He could havemade them a single people; but He admits whom He will to His Mercy; and theWrong-doers will have no protector nor helper.

What! Have they taken (for worship)protectors besides Him? But it is Allah,- He is the Protector, and it is HeWho gives life to the dead: It is He Who has power over all things,

Whatever it be wherein ye differ, thedecision thereof is with Allah. such is Allah my Lord: In Him I trust, andto Him I turn.

(He is) the Creator of the heavens andthe earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs amongcattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever likeunto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things).

To Him belong the keys of the heavensand the earth: He enlarges and restricts. The Sustenance to whom He will:for He knows full well all things.

The same religion has He established foryou as that which He enjoined on Noah – the which We have sent byinspiration to thee – and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, andJesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make nodivisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the(way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom Hepleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).

And they became divided only afterKnowledge reached them,- through selfish envy as between themselves. Had itnot been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (tending) to aTerm appointed, the matter would have been settled between them: But trulythose who have inherited the Book after them are in suspicious (disquieting)doubt concerning it.

Now then, for that (reason), call (themto the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, nor follow thoutheir vain desires; but say: “I believe in the Book which Allah has sentdown; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord andyour Lord: for us (is the responsibility for) our deeds, and for you foryour deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring ustogether, and to Him is (our) Final Goal.

But those who dispute concerning Allahafter He has been accepted,- futile is their dispute in the Sight of theirLord: on them will be a Penalty terrible.

It is Allah Who has sent down the Bookin Truth, and the Balance (by which to weigh conduct). And what will makethee realise that perhaps the Hour is close at hand?

Only those wish to hasten it who believenot in it: those who believe hold it in awe, and know that it is the Truth.Behold, verily those that dispute concerning the Hour are far astray.

Gracious is Allah to His servants: Hegives Sustenance to whom He pleases: and He has power and can carry out HisWill.

To any that desires the tilth of theHereafter, We give increase in his tilth, and to any that desires the tilthof this world, We grant somewhat thereof, but he has no share or lot in theHereafter.

What! have they partners (in godhead),who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah.Had it not been for the Decree of Judgment, the matter would have beendecided between them (at once). But verily the Wrong- doers will have agrievous Penalty.

Thou wilt see the Wrong-doers in fear onaccount of what they have earned, and (the burden of) that must(necessarily) fall on them. But those who believe and work righteous deedswill be in the luxuriant meads of the Gardens: they shall have, before theirLord, all that they wish for. That will indeed be the magnificent Bounty (ofAllah..

That is (the Bounty) whereof Allah givesGlad Tidings to His Servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: “Noreward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.” Andif any one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respectthereof: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service).

What! Do they say, “He has forged afalsehood against Allah.? But if Allah willed, He could seal up thy heart.And Allah blots out Vanity, and proves the Truth by His Words. For He knowswell the secrets of all hearts.

He is the One that accepts repentancefrom His Servants and forgives sins: and He knows all that ye do.

And He listens to those who believe anddo deeds of righteousness, and gives them increase of His Bounty: but forthe Unbelievers their is a terrible Penalty.

If Allah were to enlarge the provisionfor His Servants, they would indeed transgress beyond all bounds through theearth; but he sends (it) down in due measure as He pleases. For He is withHis Servants Well-acquainted, Watchful.

He is the One that sends down rain(even) after (men) have given up all hope, and scatters His Mercy (far andwide). And He is the Protector, Worthy of all Praise.

And among His Signs is the creation ofthe heavens and the earth, and the living creatures that He has scatteredthrough them: and He has power to gather them together when He wills.

Whatever misfortune happens to you, isbecause on the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) Hegrants forgiveness.

Nor can ye frustrate (aught), (fleeing)through the earth; nor have ye, besides Allah, any one to protect or tohelp.

And among His Signs are the ships,smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains.

If it be His Will He can still the Wind:then would they become motionless on the back of the (ocean). Verily in thisare Signs for everyone who patiently perseveres and is grateful.

Or He can cause them to perish becauseof the (evil) which (the men) have earned; but much doth He forgive.

But let those know, who dispute aboutOur Signs, that there is for them no way of escape.

Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) aconvenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and morelasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:

Those who avoid the greater crimes andshameful deeds, and, when they are angry even then forgive;

Those who hearken to their Lord, andestablish regular Prayer; who (conduct) their affairs by mutualConsultation; who spend out of what We bestow on them for Sustenance;

And those who, when an oppressive wrongis inflicted on them, (are not cowed but) help and defend themselves.

The recompense for an injury is aninjury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makesreconciliation, his reward is due from Allah. for ((Allah)) loveth not thosewho do wrong.

But indeed if any do help and defendthemselves after a wrong (done) to them, against such there is no cause ofblame.

The blame is only against those whooppress men and wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds throughthe land, defying right and justice: for such there will be a penaltygrievous.

But indeed if any show patience andforgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolutionin the conduct of affairs.

For any whom Allah leaves astray, thereis no protector thereafter. And thou wilt see the Wrong-doers, when in sightof the Penalty, Say: “Is there any way (to effect) a return?”

And thou wilt see them brought forwardto the (Penalty), in a humble frame of mind because of (their) disgrace,(and) looking with a stealthy glance. And the Believers will say: “Those areindeed in loss, who have given to perdition their own selves and thosebelonging to them on the Day of Judgment. Behold! Truly the Wrong-doers arein a lasting Penalty!”

And no protectors have they to helpthem, other than Allah. And for any whom Allah leaves to stray, there is noway (to the Goal).

Hearken ye to your Lord, before therecome a Day which there will be no putting back, because of (the Ordainmentof) Allah. that Day there will be for you no place of refuge nor will therebe for you any room for denial (of your sins)!

If then they run away, We have not sentthee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). Andtruly, when We give man a taste of a Mercy from Ourselves, he doth exultthereat, but when some ill happens to him, on account of the deeds which hishands have sent forth, truly then is man ungrateful!

To Allah belongs the dominion of theheavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows(children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan),

Or He bestows both males and females,and He leaves barren whom He will: for He is full of Knowledge and Power.

It is not fitting for a man that Allahshould speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by thesending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah.s permission, what Allah wills:for He is Most High, Most Wise.

And thus have We, by Our Command, sentinspiration to thee: thou knewest not (before) what was Revelation, and whatwas Faith; but We have made the (Qur’an) a Light, wherewith We guide such ofOur servants as We will; and verily thou dost guide (men) to the StraightWay,-

The Way of Allah, to Whom belongswhatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Behold (how) allaffairs tend towards Allah.