Surah 15 - Al Hijr THE ROCKY TRACT

015.001 Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the Ayats of Revelation,- of a Qur'an that makes things clear.

015.002 Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to God's will) in Islam.

015.003 Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them).

015.004 Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand.

015.005 Neither can a people anticipate its term, nor delay it.

015.006 They say: "O thou to whom the Message is being revealed! truly thou art mad (or possessed)!

015.007 "Why bringest thou not angels to us if it be that thou hast the Truth?"

015.008 We send not the angels down except for just cause: if they came (to the ungodly), behold! no respite would they have!

015.009 We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).

015.010 We did send apostles before thee amongst the religious sects of old:

015.011 But never came an apostle to them but they mocked him.

015.012 Even so do we let it creep into the hearts of the sinners -

015.013 That they should not believe in the (Message); but the ways of the ancients have passed away.

015.014 Even if We opened out to them a gate from heaven, and they were to continue (all day) ascending therein,

015.015 They would only say: "Our eyes have been intoxicated: Nay, we have been bewitched by sorcery."

015.016 It is We Who have set out the zodiacal signs in the heavens, and made them fair-seeming to (all) beholders;

015.017 And (moreover) We have guarded them from every evil spirit accursed:

015.018 But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see).

015.019 And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance.

015.020 And We have provided therein means of subsistence,- for you and for those for whose sustenance ye are not responsible.

015.021 And there is not a thing but its (sources and) treasures (inexhaustible) are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures.

015.022 And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though ye are not the guardians of its stores.

015.023 And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away).

015.024 To Us are known those of you who hasten forward, and those who lag behind.

015.025 Assuredly it is thy Lord Who will gather them together: for He is perfect in Wisdom and Knowledge.

015.026 We created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape;

015.027 And the Jinn race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.

015.028 Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape;

015.029 "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."

015.030 So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together:

015.031 Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

015.032 (God) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"

015.033 (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."

015.034 (God) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed.

015.035 "And the curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgment."

015.036 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."

015.037 (God) said: "Respite is granted thee

015.038 "Till the Day of the Time appointed."

015.039 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,-

015.040 "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)."

015.041 (God) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me.

015.042 "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."

015.043 And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all!

015.044 To it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned.

015.045 The righteous (will be) amid gardens and fountains (of clear-flowing water).

015.046 (Their greeting will be): "Enter ye here in peace and security."

015.047 And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity).

015.048 There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave.

015.049 Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful;

015.050 And that My Penalty will be indeed the most grievous Penalty.

015.051 Tell them about the guests of Abraham.

015.052 When they entered his presence and said, "Peace!" He said, "We feel afraid of you!"

015.053 They said: "Fear not! We give thee glad tidings of a son endowed with wisdom."

015.054 He said: "Do ye give me glad tidings that old age has seized me? Of what, then, is your good news?"

015.055 They said: "We give thee glad tidings in truth: be not then in despair!"

015.056 He said: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?"

015.057 Abraham said: "What then is the business on which ye (have come), O ye messengers (of God)?"

015.058 They said: "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin,

015.059 "Excepting the adherents of Lut: them we are certainly (charged) to save (from harm),- All -

015.060 "Except his wife, who, We have ascertained, will be among those who will lag behind."

015.061 At length when the messengers arrived among the adherents of Lut,

015.062 He said: "Ye appear to be uncommon folk."

015.063 They said: "Yea, we have come to thee to accomplish that of which they doubt.

015.064 "We have brought to thee that which is inevitably due, and assuredly we tell the truth.

015.065 "Then travel by night with thy household, when a portion of the night (yet remains), and do thou bring up the rear: let no one amongst you look back, but pass on whither ye are ordered."

015.066 And We made known this decree to him, that the last remnants of those (sinners) should be cut off by the morning.

015.067 The inhabitants of the city came in (mad) joy (at news of the young men).

015.068 Lut said: "These are my guests: disgrace me not:

015.069 "But fear God, and shame me not."

015.070 They said: "Did we not forbid thee (to speak) for all and sundry?"

015.071 He said: "There are my daughters (to marry), if ye must act (so)."

015.072 Verily, by thy life (O Prophet), in their wild intoxication, they wander in distraction, to and fro.

015.073 But the (mighty) Blast overtook them before morning,

015.074 And We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay.

015.075 Behold! in this are Signs for those who by tokens do understand.

015.076 And the (cities were) right on the high-road.

015.077 Behold! in this is a sign for those who believed.

015.078 And the Companions of the Wood were also srong-doers;

015.079 So We exacted retribution from them. They were both on an open highway, plain to see.

015.080 The Companions of the Rocky Tract also rejected the apostles:

015.081 We sent them Our Sings, but they persisted in turning away from them.

015.082 Out of the mountains did they hew (their) edifices, (feeling themselves) secure.

015.083 But the (mighty) Blast seized them of a morning,

015.084 And of no avail to them was all that they did (with such art and care)!

015.085 We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, but for just ends. And the Hour is surely coming (when this will be manifest). So overlook (any human faults) with gracious forgiveness.

015.086 For verily it is thy Lord who is the Master-Creator, knowing all things.

015.087 And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft-repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'an.

015.088 Strain not thine eyes. (Wistfully) at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them: but lower thy wing (in gentleness) to the believers.

015.089 And say: "I am indeed he that warneth openly and without ambiguity,"-

015.090 (Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided (Scripture into arbitrary parts),-

015.091 (So also on such) as have made Qur'an into shreds (as they please).

015.092 Therefore, by the Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,

015.093 For all their deeds.

015.094 Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with God.

015.095 For sufficient are We unto thee against those who scoff,-

015.096 Those who adopt, with God, another god: but soon will they come to know.

015.097 We do indeed know how thy heart is distressed at what they say.

015.098 But celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration.

015.099 And serve thy Lord until there come unto thee the Hour that is Certain.