— 59 verses
Ha-Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.
By this Light-Giving Book
Surely, We have sent it down in a blessed night. Surely, We are the Warner
In this (night) judgment is given on all matters of wisdom (separately)
By Our command; surely, it is We Who send
(It) is mercy from your Lord. Verily, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing
The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, provided you have faith with certitude
There is no God but He. He is the One Who gives life and causes death. He is your Lord and the Lord of your fathers (as well)
Yet they are in doubt, busy playing
So wait for the Day when the sky will cause a clear smoke to appear
Which will envelop people (i.e., will encompass everything). That will be a painful torment
(They will then say:) ‘O our Lord! Remove this torment from us. Surely, we believe.
How can their acceptance of the admonition now be (of any use), whereas there came to them a Messenger with a clear exposition
But they turned their faces from him and (denigrating) they said: ‘(He) is a tutored madman.
Indeed, We remove the torment a little (but) you will certainly reiterate (the same disbelief)
The Day when We will seize with the Greatest Seizure, (that Day) We shall certainly exact revenge
And in fact, We put to trial the people of Pharaoh (also) before them and the exalted Messenger (Musa [Moses]) came to them
(He said:) ‘Hand over to me the servants of Allah (the Children of Israel). Verily, I am a trusted Messenger for your guidance and leadership
And do not rebel against Allah. I have come to you with the enlightening proof
And I have indeed sought the protection of my Lord and your Lord lest you should stone me
And if you do not believe in me, then keep away from me.
Then he prayed to his Lord: ‘Surely, they are a sinful people.
(Allah said:) ‘Then set out with My servants by night. You shall certainly be chased
And (after you pass through) leave the river still and split open. Surely, they are an army who will be drowned.
How many a garden and spring they left behind
And green crops and magnificent buildings
And blessings (and comforts) in which they used to luxuriate
So it happened! We made another people the inheritors of all that
Then neither the heaven nor the earth wept over them, nor were they given respite
And verily, We delivered the Children of Israel from a humiliating suffering
From Pharaoh. Indeed, he was of the most rebellious transgressors
And surely, We chose them (the Children of Israel) above (their contemporary civilizations of) the world on the basis of knowledge
And We bestowed upon them signs containing an obvious favour (and a clear trial)
Surely, they say
‘There is nothing after our first death and we shall not be raised up (again)
So bring back our ancestors (alive) if you are truthful.
Well, are they better or the people of Tubba‘ (the people of As‘ad Abu Kurib al-Himyari, the King of Yemen) and those who were before them? We destroyed (all of) them. Surely, they were people given to evildoing
And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them merely in sport
We have created them both with (the purpose and reason) of truth. But most of them do not know
Surely, the Day of Judgment is the appointed time for all of them
The Day when a friend shall not avail a friend at all, nor will they be helped
Except those to whom Allah has shown mercy. (They will intercede for one another.) Surely, He is Almighty, Ever-Merciful
Indeed, the tree bearing thorny fruit
Will be the food of the major sinners
It will boil in the bellies like molten copper
Like the seething of simmering water
(It will be commanded:) ‘Seize him and drag him forcefully to the midst of Hell
Then torment him by pouring boiling water over his head
Taste it! Yes, you it is, the respectable and venerable (in your notion and claim)
Certainly, this is the very Hell you used to doubt.
Assuredly, the Godfearing will be in a place of calm and peace
Amid gardens and springs
Dressed in fine silk and heavy brocade, facing one another
So will it happen! And We shall marry them to fair maidens having lovely wide eyes
(Sitting) there, they will call calmly for every kind of fruit
There (in Paradise) they will not taste death except the first death (which would have passed). And Allah will save them from the torment of Hell
It is a bounty of your Lord (i.e., your Lord will bestow through your mediation alone). That is but a great success
So We have made this (Qur’an) easy in your own tongue so that they may take advice
So wait. Certainly, they (too) are waiting. (You will see Our revenge and their evil end, and they will see your glory and My favours to the believers through your mediation.