He said, “Did I not tell you that you will not be able to endure with me?”

He said, “If I ask you about anything after this, then do not keep company with me. You have received excuses from me.”

So they set out. Until, when they reached the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. There they found a wall about to collapse, and he repaired it. He said, “If you wanted, you could have obtained a payment for it.”

He said, “This is the parting between you and me. I will tell you the interpretation of what you were unable to endure.

As for the boat, it belonged to paupers working at sea. I wanted to damage it because there was a king coming after them seizing every boat by force.

As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared he would overwhelm them with oppression and disbelief.

So we wanted their Lord to replace him with someone better in purity, and closer to mercy.

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphaned boys in the town. Beneath it was a treasure that belonged to them. Their father was a righteous man. Your Lord wanted them to reach their maturity, and then extract their treasure—as a mercy from your Lord. I did not do it of my own accord. This is the interpretation of what you were unable to endure.”

And they ask you about Zul-Qarnain. Say, “I will tell you something about him.”

We established him on earth, and gave him all kinds of means.

He pursued a certain course.

Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a murky spring, and found a people in its vicinity. We said, “O Zul-Qarnain, you may either inflict a penalty, or else treat them kindly.”

He said, “As for him who does wrong, we will penalize him, then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with an unheard-of torment.

“But as for him who believes and acts righteously, he will have the finest reward, and We will speak to him of Our command with ease.”

Then he pursued a course.

Until, when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no shelter from it.

And so it was. We had full knowledge of what he had.

Then he pursued a course.

Until, when he reached the point separating the two barriers, he found beside them a people who could barely understand what is said.

They said, “O Zul-Qarnain, the Gog and Magog are spreading chaos in the land. Can we pay you, to build between us and them a wall?”

He said, “What my Lord has empowered me with is better. But assist me with strength, and I will build between you and them a dam.”

“Bring me blocks of iron.” So that, when he had leveled up between the two cliffs, he said, “Blow.” And having turned it into a fire, he said, “Bring me tar to pour over it.”

So they were unable to climb it, and they could not penetrate it.

He said, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes true, He will turn it into rubble, and the promise of my Lord is always true.”

On that Day, We will leave them surging upon one another. And the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them together.

On that Day, We will present the disbelievers to Hell, all displayed.

Those whose eyes were screened to My message, and were unable to hear.

Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants for masters instead of Me? We have prepared Hell for the hospitality of the faithless.

Say, “Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in their works?”

“Those whose efforts in this world are misguided, while they assume that they are doing well.”

It is they who rejected the communications of their Lord, and the encounter with Him. So their works are in vain. And on the Day of Resurrection, We will consider them of no weight.

That is their requital—Hell—on account of their disbelief, and their taking My revelations and My messengers in mockery.

As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have the Gardens of Paradise for hospitality.

Abiding therein forever, without desiring any change therefrom.

Say, “If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord run out,” even if We were to bring the like of it in addition to it.

Say, “I am only a human being like you, being inspired that your god is One God. Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and never associate anyone with the service of his Lord.”

Kaf, Ha, Ya, Ayn, Saad.

A mention of the mercy of your Lord towards His servant Zechariah.

When he called on his Lord, a call in seclusion.

He said, “My Lord, my bones have become feeble, and my hair is aflame with gray, and never, Lord, have I been disappointed in my prayer to you.

“And I fear for my dependents after me, and my wife is barren. So grant me, from Yourself, an heir.

To inherit me, and inherit from the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, pleasing.”

“O Zechariah, We give you good news of a son, whose name is John, a name We have never given before.”

He said, “My Lord, how can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have become decrepit with old age?”

He said, “It will be so, your Lord says, ‘it is easy for me, and I created you before, when you were nothing.’”

He said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights straight.”

And he came out to his people, from the sanctuary, and signaled to them to praise morning and evening.

“O John, hold on to the Scripture firmly,” and We gave him wisdom in his youth.

And tenderness from Us, and innocence. He was devout.

And kind to his parents; and he was not a disobedient tyrant.

And peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the Day he is raised alive.

And mention in the Scripture Mary, when she withdrew from her people to an eastern location.

She screened herself away from them, and We sent to her Our spirit, and He appeared to her as an immaculate human.

She said, “I take refuge from you in the Most Merciful, should you be righteous.”

He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord, to give you the gift of a pure son.”

She said, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I was never unchaste?”

He said, “Thus said your Lord, `It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for humanity, and a mercy from Us. It is a matter already decided.'“

So she carried him, and secluded herself with him in a remote place.

The labor-pains came upon her, by the trunk of a palm-tree. She said, “I wish I had died before this, and been completely forgotten.”

Whereupon he called her from beneath her: “Do not worry; your Lord has placed a stream beneath you.

And shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards you, and it will drop ripe dates by you.”

“So eat, and drink, and be consoled. And if you see any human, say, ‘I have vowed a fast to the Most Gracious, so I will not speak to any human today.'“

Then she came to her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have done something terrible.

O sister of Aaron, your father was not an evil man, and your mother was not a whore.”

So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to an infant in the crib?”

He said, “I am the servant of God. He has given me the Scripture, and made me a prophet.

And has made me blessed wherever I may be; and has enjoined on me prayer and charity, so long as I live.

And kind to my mother, and He did not make me a disobedient rebel.

So Peace is upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the Day I get resurrected alive.”

That is Jesus son of Mary—the Word of truth about which they doubt.

It is not for God to have a child—glory be to Him. To have anything done, He says to it, “Be,” and it becomes.

“God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.”

But the various factions differed among themselves. So woe to those who disbelieve from the scene of a tremendous Day.

Listen to them and watch for them the Day they come to Us. But the wrongdoers today are completely lost.

And warn them of the Day of Regret, when the matter will be concluded. Yet they are heedless, and they do not believe.

It is We who will inherit the earth and everyone on it, and to Us they will be returned.

And mention in the Scripture Abraham. He was a man of truth, a prophet.

He said to his father, “O my father, why do you worship what can neither hear, nor see, nor benefit you in any way?

O my father, there has come to me knowledge that never came to you. So follow me, and I will guide you along a straight way.

O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil is disobedient to the Most Gracious.

O my father, I fear that a punishment from the Most Gracious will afflict you, and you become an ally of the devil.”

He said, “Are you renouncing my gods, O Abraham? If you do not desist, I will stone you. So leave me alone for a while.”

He said, “Peace be upon you. I will ask my Lord to forgive you; He has been Kind to me.

And I will withdraw from you, and from what you pray to instead of God. And I will pray to my Lord, and I hope I will not be disappointed in my prayer to my Lord.”

When he withdrew from them, and from what they worship besides God, We granted him Isaac and Jacob. And each We made a prophet.

And We gave them freely of Our mercy, and gave them a noble reputation of truth.

And mention in the Scripture Moses. He was dedicated. He was a messenger and a prophet.

And We called him from the right side of the Mount, and brought him near in communion.

And We granted him, out of Our mercy, his brother Aaron, a prophet.

And mention in the Scripture Ishmael. He was true to his promise, and was a messenger, a prophet.

And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and charity, and he was pleasing to his Lord.

And mention in the Scripture Enoch. He was a man of truth, a prophet.

And We raised him to a high position.

These are some of the prophets God has blessed, from the descendants of Adam, and from those We carried with Noah, and from the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and from those We guided and selected. Whenever the revelations of the Most Gracious are recited to them, they would fall down, prostrating and weeping.

But they were succeeded by generations who lost the prayers and followed their appetites. They will meet perdition.

Except for those who repent, and believe, and act righteously. These will enter Paradise, and will not be wronged in the least.

The Gardens of Eden, promised by the Most Merciful to His servants in the Unseen. His promise will certainly come true.

They will hear no nonsense therein, but only peace. And they will have their provision therein, morning and evening.

Such is Paradise which We will give as inheritance to those of Our servants who are devout.

“We do not descend except by the command of your Lord. His is what is before us, and what is behind us, and what is between them. Your Lord is never forgetful.”

Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them. So worship Him, and persevere in His service. Do you know of anyone equal to Him?

And the human being says, “When I am dead, will I be brought back alive?”

Does the human being not remember that We created him before, when he was nothing?

By your Lord, We will round them up, and the devils, then We will bring them around Hell, on their knees.

Then, out of every sect, We will snatch those most defiant to the Most Merciful.

We are fully aware of those most deserving to scorch in it.

There is not one of you but will go down to it. This has been an unavoidable decree of your Lord.

Then We will rescue those who were devout, and leave the wrongdoers in it, on their knees.

When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, “Which of the two parties is better in position, and superior in influence?”

How many a generation have We destroyed before them, who surpassed them in riches and splendor?

Say, “Whoever is in error, the Most Merciful will lead him on.” Until, when they see what they were promised—either the punishment, or the Hour. Then they will know who was in worse position and weaker in forces.

God increases in guidance those who accept guidance. And the things that endure—the righteous deeds—have the best reward with your Lord, and the best outcome.

Have you seen him who denied Our revelations, and said, “I will be given wealth and children”?

Did he look into the future, or did he receive a promise from the Most Merciful?

No indeed! We will write what he says, and will keep extending the agony for him.

Then We will inherit from him what he speaks of, and he will come to Us alone.

And they took, besides God, other gods, to be for them a source of strength.

By no means! They will reject their worship of them, and become opponents to them.

Have you not considered how We dispatch the devils against the disbelievers, exciting them with incitement?

So do not hurry against them. We are counting for them a countdown.

On the Day when We will gather the righteous to the Most Merciful, as guests.

And herd the sinners into hell, like animals to water.

They will have no power of intercession, except for someone who has an agreement with the Most Merciful.

And they say, “The Most Merciful has begotten a son.”

You have come up with something monstrous.

At which the heavens almost rupture, and the earth splits, and the mountains fall and crumble.

Because they attribute a son to the Most Merciful.

It is not fitting for the Most Merciful to have a son.

There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Most Merciful as a servant.

He has enumerated them, and counted them one by one.

And each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.

Those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Most Merciful will give them love.

We made it easy in your tongue, in order to deliver good news to the righteous, and to warn with it a hostile people.

How many a generation have We destroyed before them? Can you feel a single one of them, or hear from them the slightest whisper?

Ta, Ha.

We did not reveal the Quran to you to make you suffer.

But only as a reminder for him who fears.

A revelation from He who created the earth and the high heavens.

The Most Merciful; on the Throne He settled.

To Him belongs everything in the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, and everything beneath the soil.

If you speak aloud—He knows the secret, and the most hidden.

God, there is no god but He, His are the Most Beautiful Names.

Has the story of Moses reached you?

When he saw a fire, he said to his family, “Stay; I have noticed a fire; Perhaps I can bring you a torch therefrom, or find some guidance by the fire.”

Then, when he reached it, he was called, “O Moses.

I—I am your Lord. Take off your shoes. You are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.

I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed.

I—I am God. There is no God but I. So serve Me, and practice the prayer for My remembrance.

The Hour is coming—but I keep it almost hidden—so that each soul will be paid for what it endeavors.

And do not let him who denies it and follows his desire turn you away from it, lest you fall.

And what is that in your right-hand, O Moses?”

He said, “This is my staff. I lean on it, and herd my sheep with it, and I have other uses for it.”

He said, “Throw it, O Moses.”

So he threw it—thereupon it became a moving serpent.

He said, “Take hold of it, and do not fear. We will restore it to its original condition.

And press your hand to your side; it will come out white, without a blemish—another sign.

That We may show you some of Our greatest signs.

Go to Pharaoh; He has transgressed.”

He said, “My Lord, put my heart at peace for me.

And ease my task for me.

And untie the knot from my tongue.

So they can understand my speech.

And appoint an assistant for me, from my family.

Aaron, my brother.

Strengthen me with him.

And have him share in my mission.

That we may glorify You much.

And remember You much.

You are always watching over us.”

He said, “You are granted your request, O Moses.

We had favored you another time.

When We inspired your mother with the inspiration.

`Put him in the chest; then cast him into the river. The river will wash him to shore, where an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his will pick him up. And I have bestowed upon you love from Me, so that you may be reared before My eye.

When your sister walked along, and said, ‘Shall I tell you about someone who will take care of him?' So We returned you to your mother, that she may be comforted, and not sorrow. And you killed a person, but We saved you from stress; and We tested you thoroughly. And you stayed years among the people of Median. Then you came back, as ordained, O Moses.

And I made you for Myself.

Go, you and your brother, with My signs, and do not neglect My remembrance.

Go to Pharaoh. He has tyrannized.

But speak to him nicely. Perhaps he will remember, or have some fear.”

They said, “Lord, we fear he may persecute us, or become violent.”

He said, “Do not fear, I am with you, I hear and I see.

Approach him and say, `We are the messengers of your Lord; so let the Children of Israel go with us, and do not torment them. We bring you a sign from your Lord, and peace be upon him who follows guidance.

It was revealed to us that the punishment falls upon him who disbelieves and turns away.'“

He said, “Who is your Lord, O Moses.”

He said, “Our Lord is He who gave everything its existence, then guided it.”

He said, “What about the first generations?”

He said, “Knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a Book. My Lord never errs, nor does He forget.”

He who made the earth a habitat for you; and traced in it routes for you; and sent down water from the sky, with which We produce pairs of diverse plants.

Eat and pasture your livestock. In that are signs for those with understanding.

From it We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will bring you out another time.

We showed him Our signs, all of them, but he denied and refused.

He said, “Did you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

We will produce for you magic like it; so make an appointment between us and you, which we will not miss—neither us, nor you—in a central place.”

He said, “Your appointment is the day of the festival, so let the people be gathered together at mid-morning.”

Pharaoh turned away, put together his plan, and then came back.

Moses said to them, “Woe to you. Do not fabricate lies against God, or He will destroy you with a punishment. He who invents lies will fail.”

They disagreed among themselves over their affair, and conferred secretly.

They said, “These two are magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic, and to abolish your exemplary way of life.

So settle your plan, and come as one front. Today, whoever gains the upper hand will succeed.”

They said, “O Moses, either you throw, or we will be the first to throw.”

He said, “You throw.” And suddenly, their ropes and sticks appeared to him, because of their magic, to be crawling swiftly.

So Moses felt apprehensive within himself.

We said, “Do not be afraid, you are the uppermost.

Now throw down what is in your right hand—it will swallow what they have crafted. What they have crafted is only a magician’s trickery. But the magician will not succeed, no matter what he does.”

And the magicians fell down prostrate. They said, “We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.”

He said, “Did you believe in him before I have given you permission? He must be your chief, who has taught you magic. I will cut off your hands and your feet on alternate sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of the palm-trees. Then you will know which of us is more severe in punishment, and more lasting.”

They said, “We will not prefer you to the proofs that have come to us, and Him who created us. So issue whatever judgment you wish to issue. You can only rule in this lowly life.

We have believed in our Lord, so that He may forgive us our sins, and the magic you have compelled us to practice. God is Better, and more Lasting.”

Whoever comes to his Lord guilty, for him is Hell, where he neither dies nor lives.

But whoever comes to Him a believer, having worked righteousness—these will have the highest ranks.

The Gardens of Perpetuity, beneath which rivers flow, dwelling therein forever. That is the reward for him who purifies himself.

And We inspired Moses: “Travel by night with My servants, and strike for them a dry path across the sea, not fearing being overtaken, nor worrying.”

Pharaoh pursued them with his troops, but the sea overwhelmed them, and completely engulfed them.

Pharaoh misled his people, and did not guide them.

O Children of Israel! We have delivered you from your enemy, and promised you by the right side of the Mount, and sent down to you manna and quails.

Eat of the good things We have provided for you, but do not be excessive therein, lest My wrath descends upon you. He upon whom My wrath descends has fallen.

And I am Forgiving towards him who repents, believes, acts righteously, and then remains guided.

“And what made you rush ahead of your people, O Moses?”

He said, “They are following in my footsteps; and I hurried on to You, my Lord, that you may be pleased.”

He said, “We have tested your people in your absence, and the Samarian misled them.”

So Moses returned to his people, angry and disappointed. He said, “O my people, did your Lord not promise you a good promise? Was the time too long for you? Or did you want wrath from your Lord to descend upon you, so you broke your promise to me?”

They said, “We did not break our promise to you by our choice, but we were made to carry loads of the people’s ornaments, and we cast them in. That was what the Samarian suggested.”

So he produced for them a calf—a mere body which lowed. And they said, “This is your god, and the god of Moses, but he has forgotten.”

Did they not see that it cannot return a word to them, and has no power to harm them or benefit them?

Aaron had said to them before, “O my people, you are being tested by this. And your Lord is the Merciful, so follow me, and obey my command.”

They said, “We will not give up our devotion to it, until Moses returns to us.”

He said, “O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray.

From following me? Did you disobey my command?”

He said, “Son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or my head. I feared you would say, `You have caused division among the Children of Israel, and did not regard my word.'“

He said, “What do you have to say, O Samarian?”

He said, “I saw what they did not see, so I grasped a handful from the Messenger’s traces, and I flung it away. Thus my soul prompted me.”

He said, “Begone! Your lot in this life is to say, ‘No contact.’ And you have an appointment that you will not miss. Now look at your god that you remained devoted to—we will burn it up, and then blow it away into the sea, as powder.”

Surely your god is God, the One besides whom there is no other god. He comprehends everything in knowledge.

Thus We narrate to you reports of times gone by; and We have given you a message from Our Presence.

Whoever turns away from it will carry on the Day of Resurrection a burden.

Abiding therein forever. And wretched is their burden on the Day of Resurrection.

On the Day when the Trumpet is blown—We will gather the sinners on that Day, blue.

Murmuring among themselves: “You have lingered only for ten.”

We are fully aware of what they say, when the most exemplary of them in conduct will say, “You have lingered only a day.”

And they ask you about the mountains. Say, “My Lord will crumble them utterly.”

And leave them desolate waste.

You will see in them neither crookedness, nor deviation.”

On that Day, they will follow the caller, without any deviation. Voices will be hushed before the Merciful, and you will hear nothing but murmur.

On that Day, intercession will not avail, except for him permitted by the Merciful, and whose words He has approved.

He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend Him in their knowledge.

Faces will be humbled before the Living, the Eternal. Whoever carries injustice will despair.

But whoever has done righteous deeds, while being a believer—will fear neither injustice, nor grievance.

Thus We have revealed it an Arabic Quran, and We have diversified the warnings in it, that perhaps they would become righteous, or it may produce a lesson for them.

Exalted is God, the True King. Do not be hasty with the Quran before its inspiration to you is concluded, and say, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”

And We covenanted with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found in him no resolve.

And when We said to the angels, “Bow down to Adam.” They bowed down, except for Satan; he refused.

We said, “O Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So do not let him make you leave the Garden, for then you will suffer.

In it you will never go hungry, nor be naked.

Nor will you be thirsty in it, nor will you swelter.”

But Satan whispered to him. He said, “O Adam, shall I show you the Tree of Immortality, and a kingdom that never decays?”

And so they ate from it; whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they started covering themselves with the leaves of the Garden. Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, and fell.

But then his Lord recalled him, and pardoned him, and guided him.

He said, “Go down from it, altogether; some of you enemies of some others. But whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, will not go astray, nor suffer.

But whoever turns away from My Reminder, for him is a confined life. And We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”

He will say, “My Lord, why did You raise me blind, though I was seeing?”

He will say, “Just as Our revelations came to you, and you forgot them, today you will be forgotten.”

Thus We recompense him who transgresses and does not believe in the revelations of his Lord. The punishment of the Hereafter is more severe, and more lasting.

Is it not instructive to them, how many generations before them We destroyed, in whose settlements they walk? Surely in that are signs for people of understanding.

Were it not for a word that issued from your Lord, the inevitable would have happened, but there is an appointed term.

So bear patiently what they say, and celebrate the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting. And during the hours of the night glorify Him, and at the borders of the day, that you may be satisfied.

And do not extend your glance towards what We have given some classes of them to enjoy—the splendor of the life of this world—that We may test them thereby. Your Lord’s provision is better, and more lasting.

And exhort your people to pray, and patiently adhere to it. We ask of you no sustenance, but it is We who sustain you. The good ending is that for righteousness.

And they say, “Why does he not bring us a miracle from his Lord?” Were they not given enough miracles in the former scriptures?

Had We destroyed them with a punishment before him, they would have said, “Our Lord, if only You had sent us a messenger, we would have followed Your revelations before we were humiliated and disgraced.”

Say, “Everybody is waiting, so wait. You will know who the people of the straight path are, and who is rightly-guided.