?a. Mim
By the clear Book
truly We have made it an Arabic Quran, that haply you may understand
and truly it is with Us in the Mother of the Book, sublime indeed, wise
Shall We withdraw the reminder from you altogether for your having been a prodigal people
How many a prophet did We send among those of old
Yet never did a prophet come unto them, but that they mocked him
So We destroyed those of greater prowess than them, and the example of those of old has passed
Wert thou to ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they would surely say, “The Mighty, the Knowing created them.
He it is Who made the earth a cradle for you and made paths for you therein, that haply you may be guided
Who sent down water from the sky in due measure, whereby We revived a dead land—thus shall you be brought forth
and Who created the pairs, all of them, and appointed for you ships and cattle that you ride
that you may mount their backs and then remember the blessing of your Lord when you are mounted thereon and say, “Glory be to God, Who made this subservient unto us, though we were not equal to it
Truly unto our Lord do we turn.
Yet they assign to Him a portion from some of His servants. Truly man is a manifest ingrate
Or has He taken daughters from that which He creates and favored you with sons
And when one of them receives glad tidings of that which he has set forth as a description of the Compassionate, his face blackens and he chokes with anguish
“What! One who is reared amid ornaments and is incoherent in dispute?
And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Compassionate, females. Did they witness their creation? Their witnessing shall be recorded, and they will be questioned
They say, “Had the Compassionate willed, we would not have worshipped them.” They have no knowledge thereof. They do naught but guess
Or did We give them a book beforehand to which they hold fast
Nay! They say, “We found our fathers upon a creed, and surely we are rightly guided in their footsteps.
Likewise, We sent no warner unto a town before thee, but that those living in luxury therein said, “We found our fathers upon a creed, and we are surely following in their footsteps.
He replied, “What! Though I bring you better guidance than that which you found your fathers following?” They said, “Truly we disbelieve in that wherewith you have been sent.
So We took vengeance upon them. And behold how the deniers fared in the end
And [remember] when Abraham said to his father and his people, “Truly I am quit of that which you worship
save Him who originated me, for surely He will guide me.
And He made it a word enduring among his posterity, that haply they may return
Nay, I provided for these and their fathers until the Truth came unto them and a clear messenger
And when the Truth came unto them, they said, “This is sorcery, and we do not believe in it.
And they said, “Why was this Quran not sent down to a great man from one of the two towns?
Is it they who apportion the Mercy of thy Lord? We have apportioned for them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in rank, that some of them may take others into service. And the Mercy of thy Lord is better than that which they amass
And were it not that mankind would be one community, We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Compassionate silver roofs for their houses, stairways whereon to ascend
doors to their houses, couches whereon to recline
and gold ornaments. Yet all of that would be but enjoyment of the life of this world. And the Hereafter, in the presence of thy Lord, is for the reverent
Whosoever turns blindly away from the remembrance of the Compassionate, We assign to him a satan who is then a companion unto him
And they turn them from the way; yet they suppose that they are rightly guided
till, when he comes unto Us, he will say, “Would that there were between me and thee the distance of the two easts! What an evil companion!
Yet on that Day it will not benefit you, since you did wrong, to share in the punishment
Dost thou, then, make the deaf to hear or guide the blind and those in manifest error
Either We shall take thee away, and then take vengeance upon them
or We shall show thee that which We have promised them. For surely We have power over them
So hold fast to that which We have revealed unto thee. Truly thou art upon a straight path
Truly it is a reminder unto thee and thy people, and you will be questioned
Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before thee, “Have We appointed gods to be worshipped apart from the Compassionate?
We did indeed send Moses with Our signs unto Pharaoh and his notables. And he said, “I am a messenger of the Lord of the worlds.
But when he brought them Our signs, behold, they laughed at them
Not a sign did We show them, but that it was greater than its sister. And We seized them with the punishment, that haply they may return
They said, “O sorcerer, call upon your Lord for us in accord with that which He has covenanted with you; surely we shall then be guided.
Yet when We removed the punishment from them, behold, they reneged
And Pharaoh called out among his people, saying, “O my people! Is not the sovereignty of Egypt mine, and do these streams not flow beneath me? Do you not, then, see
Am I not better than this one who is vile and can scarcely speak plain
Why, then, have armlets of gold not been cast upon him, and why do angels not accompany him?
Then he incited his people to make light, and they obeyed him. Truly they were an iniquitous people
So when they roused Our Anger, We took vengeance upon them and drowned them all together
We made them a bygone people and an example for those of later times
And when the son of Mary is set forth as an example, behold, thy people turn away from it
They say, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They do not cite him to thee, save to dispute. Nay, they are a contentious people
He was naught but a servant whom We blessed and whom We made an example for the Children of Israel
Had We willed, We would have appointed angels among you, succeeding one another upon the earth
And he is indeed a portent of the Hour; so doubt not concerning it and follow Me. This is a straight path
And let not Satan turn you away; truly he is a manifest enemy unto you
When Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, “I have come unto you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that wherein you differ. So reverence God and obey me
Truly God is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him. This is a straight path.
But, then, the parties differed among themselves. Woe unto those who do wrong for the punishment of a painful day
Do they await aught but that the Hour should come upon them suddenly, while they are unaware
Friends on that Day will be enemies to one another, save for the reverent.
My servants! No fear shall be upon you this Day; nor shall it be you who grieve
you who believed in Our signs and who were submitters
enter the Garden, you and your spouses, made joyous
For them are brought round trays and goblets of gold. Therein is whatsoever souls desire and eyes find pleasing. And you shall abide therein
This is the Garden that you have inherited for that which you used to do
Abundant fruit from which you will eat shall be yours therein
Truly the guilty are abiding in the punishment of Hell
It will not be lightened for them, and therein will they despair
We did not wrong them; rather, it is they who were the wrongdoers
And they will call, “O Malik, let thy Lord put an end to us.” He will reply, “You will surely remain
We did indeed bring you the truth, but most of you were averse to the truth.
Or have they devised anything? Truly it is We Who devise
Or do they suppose that We hear not their secret and their secret converse? Yea, and Our envoys are present with them, recording
Say, “If the Compassionate had a child, then I would be the first of the worshippers.
Glory be to the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, above that which they ascribe
And leave them to indulge in idle talk and play until they meet the Day that they are promised
He it is Who is God in Heaven and God on earth. And He is the Wise, the Knowing
Blessed is He unto Whom belongs sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, and with Whom lies knowledge of the Hour, and unto Whom you will be returned
Those upon whom they call apart from Him have no power of intercession, save such as have borne witness to the truth knowingly
Wert thou to ask them, “Who created you?” they would surely say, “God.” How, then, are they perverted
And as for his saying, “O my Lord, truly these are a people who believe not,
bear with them and say, “Peace.” For soon they will know