الٓر ۚتِلْكَءَايَـٰتُٱلْكِتَـٰبِوَقُرْءَانٍۢمُّبِينٍۢ١

Alif, Lām, Rā.¹ These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur’ān [i.e., recitation].

Perhaps those who disbelieve will wish¹ that they had been Muslims.

Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.

And We did not destroy any city but that for it was a known decree.

No nation will precede its term, nor will they remain thereafter.

And they say, "O you upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed you are mad.¹

Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?"

We do not send down the angels except with truth;¹ and they [i.e., the disbelievers] would not then be reprieved.

Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur’ān], and indeed, We will be its guardian.

And We had certainly sent [messengers] before you, [O Muḥammad], among the sects of the former peoples.

And no messenger would come to them except that they ridiculed him.

Thus do We insert it [i.e., denial] into the hearts of the criminals.

They will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples.

And [even] if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they continued therein to ascend,

They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic."

And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.

And We have protected it from every devil expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]

Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame.

And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.

And We have made for you therein means of living and [for] those for whom you are not providers.¹

And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known [i.e., specified] measure.

And We have sent the fertilizing winds¹ and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.

And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.¹

And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].

And indeed, your Lord will gather them; indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.

And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.

And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.

And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul,¹ then fall down to him in prostration."

So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely,

Except Iblees;¹ he refused to be with those who prostrated.

[Allāh] said, "O Iblees, what is [the matter] with you that you are not with those who prostrate?"

He said, "Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud."

[Allāh] said, "Then depart from it,¹ for indeed, you are expelled.

And indeed, upon you is the curse until the Day of Recompense."

He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected."

[Allāh] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved

Until the Day of the time well-known."

[Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them [i.e., mankind] on earth, and I will mislead them all

Except, among them, Your chosen servants."

[Allāh] said, "This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight.

Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.

And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all.

It has seven gates; for every gate is of them [i.e., Satan's followers] a portion designated."

Indeed, the righteous will be within gardens and springs,

[Having been told], "Enter it in peace, safe [and secure]."

And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment,¹ [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other.

No fatigue will touch them therein, nor from it will they [ever] be removed.

[O Muḥammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful,

And that it is My punishment which is the painful punishment.

And inform them about the guests of Abraham,

When they entered upon him and said, "Peace." [Abraham] said, "Indeed, we are fearful [i.e., apprehensive] of you."

[The angels] said, "Fear not. Indeed, we give you good tidings of a learned boy."

He said, "Have you given me good tidings although old age has come upon me? Then of what [wonder] do you inform?"

They said, "We have given you good tidings in truth, so do not be of the despairing."

He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"

[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"

They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals,

Except the family of Lot; indeed, we will save them all

Except his wife." We [i.e., Allāh] decreed that she is of those who remain behind.¹

And when the messengers came to the family of Lot,

He said, "Indeed, you are people unknown."

They said, "But we have come to you with that about which they were disputing,

And we have come to you with truth, and indeed, we are truthful.

So set out with your family during a portion of the night and follow behind them and let not anyone among you look back and continue on to where you are commanded."

And We conveyed to him [the decree] of that matter: that those [sinners] would be eliminated by early morning.

And the people of the city came rejoicing.¹

[Lot] said, "Indeed, these are my guests, so do not shame me.

And fear Allāh and do not disgrace me."

They said, "Have we not forbidden you from [protecting] people?"

[Lot] said, "These are my daughters¹ - if you would be doers [of lawful marriage]."

By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.

So the shriek¹ seized them at sunrise.

And We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay.

Indeed in that are signs for those who discern.

And indeed, they [i.e., those cities] are [situated] on an established road.

Indeed in that is a sign for the believers.

And the companions of the thicket [i.e., the people of Madyan] were [also] wrongdoers,

So We took retribution from them, and indeed, both [cities] are on a clear highway.

And certainly did the companions of al-Ḥijr¹ [i.e., the Thamūd] deny the messengers.

And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away.

And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure.

But the shriek seized them at early morning,

So nothing availed them [from] what they used to earn.

And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.

Indeed, your Lord - He is the Knowing Creator.

And We have certainly given you, [O Muḥammad], seven of the often repeated [verses]¹ and the great Qur’ān.

Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [certain] categories of them [i.e., the disbelievers], and do not grieve over them. And lower your wing [i.e., show kindness] to the believers.

And say, "Indeed, I am the clear warner" -

Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to the separators¹

Who have made the Qur’ān into portions.¹

So by your Lord, We will surely question them all

About what they used to do.

Then declare what you are commanded¹ and turn away from the polytheists.²

Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers

Who make [equal] with Allāh another deity. But they are going to know.

And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say.

So exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].

And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].

The command of Allāh is coming,¹ so be not impatient for it. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.

He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."

He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.

He created man from a sperm-drop; then at once¹ he is a clear adversary.

And the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth¹ and [numerous] benefits, and from them you eat.

And for you in them is [the enjoyment of] beauty when you bring them in [for the evening] and when you send them out [to pasture].

And they carry your loads to a land you could not have reached except with difficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.

And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.

And upon Allāh¹ is the direction of the [right] way, and among them [i.e., the various paths] are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.

It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals].

He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.

And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.

And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.

And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.

And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,

And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.¹

Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So will you not be reminded?

And if you should count the favors of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

And Allāh knows what you conceal and what you declare.

And those they invoke other than Allāh create nothing, and they [themselves] are created.

They are [in fact] dead,¹ not alive, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.

Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the Hereafter - their hearts are disapproving, and they are arrogant.

Assuredly, Allāh knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.

And when it is said to them, "What has your Lord sent down?" they say, "Legends of the former peoples,"

That they may bear their own burdens [i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without [i.e., by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.

Those before them had already plotted, but Allāh came at [i.e., uprooted] their building from the foundations, so the roof fell upon them from above them,¹ and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive.

Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and say, "Where are My 'partners' for whom you used to oppose [the believers]?" Those who were given knowledge will say, "Indeed disgrace, this Day, and evil are upon the disbelievers" -

The ones whom the angels take in death [while] wronging themselves,¹ and [who] then offer submission, [saying], "We were not doing any evil." But, yes! Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what you used to do.

So enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and how wretched is the residence of the arrogant.

And it will be said to those who feared Allāh, "What did your Lord send down?" They will say, "[That which is] good." For those who do good in this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is better. And how excellent is the home of the righteous -

Gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter, beneath which rivers flow. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus does Allāh reward the righteous -

The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, "Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do."

Do they [i.e., the disbelievers] await except that the angels should come to them or there comes the command of your Lord? Thus did those do before them. And Allāh wronged them not, but they had been wronging themselves.

So they were struck by the evil consequences of what they did and were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.

And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?

And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allāh and avoid ṭāghūt."¹ And among them were those whom Allāh guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed [i.e., travel] through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.

[Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muḥammad], indeed, Allāh does not guide those He sends astray,¹ and they will have no helpers.

And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths [that] Allāh will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.

[It is] so He will make clear to them [the truth of] that wherein they differ and so those who have disbelieved may know that they were liars.

Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, "Be," and it is.

And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allāh after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.

[They are] those who endured patiently and upon their Lord relied.

And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.

[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.

Then, do those who have planned evil deeds feel secure that Allāh will not cause the earth to swallow them or that the punishment will not come upon them from where they do not perceive?

Or that He would not seize them during their [usual] activity, and they could not cause failure [i.e., escape from Him]?

Or that He would not seize them gradually [in a state of dread]?¹ But indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.²

Have they not considered what things Allāh has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allāh, while they [i.e., those creations] are humble.

And to Allāh prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of creatures, and the angels [as well], and they are not arrogant.

They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded.

And Allāh has said, "Do not take for yourselves two¹ deities. He [i.e., Allāh] is but one God, so fear only Me."

And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is [due] worship constantly. Then is it other than Allāh that you fear?

And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allāh. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.

Then when He removes the adversity from you, at once a party of you associates others with their Lord

So they will deny what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.

And they assign to what they do not know¹ [i.e., false deities] a portion of that which We have provided them. By Allāh, you will surely be questioned about what you used to invent.

And they attribute to Allāh daughters¹ - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons].

And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.

He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.