ALIF lām rā. These are the revelations of the Book, and a veritable Koran
The day will surely come when those who disbelieve will wish that they were Muslims
Let them feast and make merry; and let their hopes beguile them. They shall learn
Never have We destroyed a city whose term of life was not ordained and known beforehand
Communities cannot forestall their doom, nor can they retard it
They say: ‘You to whom the Admonition was revealed, you are surely possessed
Bring down to us the angels, if what you say be true.‘
We shall send down the angels only with the Truth. Then shall they never be reprieved
It was We that revealed the Admonition, and shall Ourself preserve it
We have sent forth apostles before you to the older nations
but they scoffed at each apostle We sent them
Thus do We put doubt into the hearts of the guilty
they deny him, despite the example of the ancients
If We opened for them a gate in heaven and they ascended through it higher and higher
still would they say: ‘Our eyes were dazzled: truly, we must have been bewitched.‘
And We have decked the sky with constellations and made them lovely to behold
And We have guarded them from every cursed demon
Eavesdroppers are pursued by fiery comets
We have spread out the earth and set upon it immovable mountains
We have planted it with every seasonable fruit, providing sustenance for yourselves and for those you do not provide for
We hold the store of every blessing and send it down only in appropriate measure
We let loose the fertilizing winds and bring down water from the sky for you to drink; its stores are beyond your reach
It is surely We who ordain life and death; We are the Heir of all things
We surely know those who have gone before you, as we surely know those who will come hereafter
and it is your Lord who shall herd them all together. He is wise and all-knowing
We created man from dry clay, from black moulded loam
and before him Satan from smokeless fire
Your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am creating man from dry clay, from black moulded loam.
When I have fashioned him and breathed My spirit into him, kneel down and prostrate yourselves before him.‘
The angels, one and all, prostrated themselves
except Satan: he refused to be with those who prostrated themselves
He said: ‘Satan, how is it that you are not with those who prostrated themselves?‘
He said: ‘I was not to bow to a mortal whom You created of dry clay, of black moulded loam.‘
Get you hence,‘ said He, ‘you are accursed
And the curse shall be on you till Judgement-day.‘
Lord,‘ he said, ‘reprieve me till the Day of Resurrection.‘
He said: ‘You are reprieve
till the Appointed Day.‘
Lord,‘ said Satan, ‘since You have thus tempted me, I will seduce those on earth
I will surely tempt them all, except those among them who are Your faithful servants.‘
He said: ‘This is My straight path
You shall have no power over My servants, only the sinners who follow you
they are all destined for Hell
It has seven gates, and through each gate they shall come in separate bands
The righteous shall dwell among gardens and fountains
in peace and safety shall they enter them
We shall remove all rancour from their hearts, and they shall take their ease on couches face to face, a band of brothers
Toil shall not weary them, nor shall they ever be driven out
Tell My servants that I alone am the Forgiving One, the Compassionate
and that My scourge is the woeful scourge
And tell them of Abraham‘s guests
When they went in to him and said: ‘Peace,‘ he said: ‘We fear your intent.‘
Have no fear,‘ they said. ‘We come to you with joyful tidings. You shall have a son endowed with knowledge.‘
He said: ‘Do you bring me such joyful tidings in my old age? What joyful tidings can you bring me?‘
They said: ‘We do gladden you with the Truth. Do not despair.‘
He said: ‘Who but the lost would despair of God‘s mercy
Envoys,‘ he said, ‘what is your errand?‘
They said: ‘We are sent forth to a sinful people
The house of Lot alone we shall deliver
except his wife.‘ We had decreed that she should stay with those who were to stay behind
And when the envoys came to the house of Lot
he said: ‘No one knows you.‘
No,‘ they said. ‘We bring you news of that concerning which they are in doubt
We bring you Truth, and what we say is true
Go with your kin in the dead of night; walk in their rear and let none turn round: go where you are commanded.‘
Such was the command We gave him; those were to be obliterated next morning
And the townsfolk came to him rejoicing
He said: ‘These are my guests; do not disgrace me
Fear God and do not shame me.‘
They said: ‘Did we not forbid you to entertain strangers?‘
He said: ‘These are my daughters: take them, if you are bent on doing the deed.‘
By your life, they were reeling in their frenzy
At sunrise the Cry took them
We turned their city upside down and let loose a shower of clay-stones upon them
Surely in this there are signs for prudent people
The road on which it stood is trodden still
Surely in this there is a sign for true believers
Surely the dwellers of the Forest¹ also did wrong
On them, too, We took vengeance, and made of both a manifest example
The people of Hijr² also denied the apostles
We gave them Our signs, but they ignored them
They hewed their dwellings out of the mountains and led their lives in safety
But one morning the Cry took them
Nothing did their gains avail them
It was but to reveal the Truth that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them. The Hour is sure to come: bear with them nobly
It is your Lord who is the all-knowing Creator
We have given you the seven oft-repeated verses³ and the Glorious Koran
Do not eye with envy what We have given some among them to enjoy, nor grieve on their account. Show kindness to the faithful
and say: ‘I am he that gives veritable warning.‘
As surely will We punish the schismatics, those who have broken up
the Koran into bits and pieces.⁴
By the Lord, We will question the
all about their doings
Proclaim, then, what you are bidden and let the idolaters be
We will Ourself sustain you against those that mock yo
and serve other deities besides God. They shall learn
We know you are distressed by what they say
Give glory in praise of your Lord and prostrate yourself
Worship your Lord till the inevitable overtakes you