To Him is referred the knowledge of the Hour. No fruit emerges from its sheath, and no female conceives or delivers, except with His knowledge. And on the Day when He calls out to them, “Where are My associates?” They will say, “We admit to you, none of us is a witness.”

What they used to pray to before will forsake them, and they will realize that they have no escape.

The human being never tires of praying for good things; but when adversity afflicts him, he despairs and loses hope.

And when We let him taste a mercy from Us, after the adversity that had afflicted him, he will say, “This is mine, and I do not think that the Hour is coming; and even if I am returned to my Lord, I will have the very best with Him.” We will inform those who disbelieve of what they did, and We will make them taste an awful punishment.

When We provide comfort for the human being, he withdraws and distances himself; but when adversity befalls him, he starts lengthy prayers.

Say, “Have you considered? If it is from God and you reject it—who is further astray than he who is cutoff and alienated?”

We will show them Our proofs on the horizons, and in their very souls, until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness over everything?

Surely they are in doubt about the encounter with their Lord. Surely He comprehends everything.

Ha, Meem.

Ayn, Seen, Qaf.

Thus He inspires you, and those before you—God the Almighty, the Wise.

To him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. He is the Sublime, the Magnificent.

The heavens above them almost burst apart, while the angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on earth. God is indeed the Forgiver, the Merciful.

As for those who take masters other than Him: God is in charge of them, and you are not responsible for them.

Thus We inspired you with an Arabic Quran, that you may warn the Central City and whoever is around it, and to warn of the Day of Assembly, of which there is no doubt; a group in the Garden, and a group in the Furnace.

Had God willed, He could have made them one community, but He admits into His mercy whomever He wills. As for the wrongdoers, they will have no protector and no savior.

Or have they adopted protectors besides him? But God is the Protector, and He gives life to the dead, and He has power over all things.

Whatever matter you differ about, its judgment rests with God. “Such is God, my Lord, in Whom I trust, and unto Him I repent.”

Originator of the heavens and the earth. He made for you mates from among yourselves, and pairs of animals, by means of which He multiplies you. There is nothing like Him. He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

To Him belongs absolute control of the heavens and the earth. He spreads the bounties to whomever He wills, or reduces it. He is aware of all things.

He prescribed for you the same religion He enjoined upon Noah, and what We inspired to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: “You shall uphold the religion, and be not divided therein.” As for the idolaters, what you call them to is outrageous to them. God chooses to Himself whom He wills, and He guides to Himself whoever repents.

They became divided only after knowledge came to them, out of resentment among themselves. Were it not for a predetermined decision from your Lord, judgment would have been pronounced between them. Indeed, those who were made to inherit the Book after them are in grave doubt about it.

To this go on inviting, and be upright as you were commanded, and do not follow their inclinations, and say, “I believe in whatever Book God has sent down, and I was commanded to judge between you equitably. God is our Lord and your Lord. We have our deeds, and you have your deeds. Let there be no quarrel between us and you. God will bring us together, and to Him is the ultimate return.”

As for those who dispute about God after having answered His call, their argument is invalid with their Lord; and upon them falls wrath; and a grievous torment awaits them.

It is God who revealed the Book with the truth, and the Balance. And what will make you realize that perhaps the Hour is near?

Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten it; but those who believe are apprehensive of it, and they know it to be the truth. Absolutely, those who question the Hour are in distant error.

God is kind towards His worshipers. He provides for whomever He wills. He is the Powerful, the Honorable.

Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We increase for him his harvest; and whoever desires the harvest of this world, We give him thereof, and he has no share of the Hereafter.

Or is it that they have partners who litigate for them religious laws never authorized by God? Were it not for the conclusive decision, it would have been settled between them. The wicked will have a painful punishment.

You will see the unjust terrified of what they have earned, and it will befall them. As for those who believe and do good deeds, they will be in the Meadows of the Gardens; they will have whatever they please in the presence of their Lord; that is the supreme blessing.

That is the good news God gives to His servants who believe and do good deeds. Say, “I ask of you no wage for it, except affection among the near of kin.” Whoever does a good deed, We will increase its goodness for him. God is Forgiving and Appreciative.

Or do they say, “He forged a lie about God.” If God so willed, He could have sealed your heart. But God obliterates the false, and confirm the true by His Words. He knows what is in the hearts.

It is He who accepts the repentance of His worshipers, and remits the sins, and knows what you do.

And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and He increases them of His grace. But the disbelievers will suffer a terrible punishment.

If God were to increase the provision to His servants, they would transgress on earth; but He sends down in precise measure whatever He wills. Surely, regarding His servants, He is Expert and Observant.

It is He who brings down the rain after they have despaired, and unfolds His mercy. He is the Guardian, the Praised.

And of His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the creatures He has spread throughout them; and He is Able to gather them at will.

Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned; and yet He pardons much.

You are not the ones to interfere on earth; and besides God, you have no ally, and no helper.

And of His signs are the ships sailing the sea like flags.

If He willed, He could have stilled the winds, leaving them motionless on its surface. Surely in that are signs for every disciplined, grateful person.

Or He could wreck them, because of what they have earned. And yet He pardons much.

Those who dispute Our signs know that there is no asylum for them.

Whatever thing you are given is only the provision of this life. But what God possesses is better and more lasting for those who believe and rely on their Lord.

And those who avoid major sins and indecencies; and if they become angry, they forgive.

And those who respond to their Lord, and pray regularly, and conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and give of what We have provided them.

And those who, when wronged, defend themselves.

The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But whoever pardons and makes reconciliation, his reward lies with God. He does not love the unjust.

As for those who retaliate after being wronged, there is no blame on them.

Blame lies on those who wrong people, and commit aggression in the land without right. These will have a painful punishment.

But whoever endures patiently and forgives—that is a sign of real resolve.

Whoever God leaves astray has no protector apart from Him. And you will see the transgressors, when they see the torment, saying, “Is there a way of going back?”

And you will see them exposed to it, cowering from disgrace, looking with concealed eyes. Those who believed will say, “The losers are those who lost themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection.” Indeed, the evildoers are in a lasting torment.

They will have no allies to support them against God. Whomever God leaves astray has no way out.

Respond to your Lord before there comes from God a Day that cannot be turned back. You will have no refuge on that Day, and no possibility of denial.

But if they turn away—We did not send you as a guardian over them. Your only duty is communication. Whenever We let man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but when misfortune befalls them, as a consequence of what their hands have perpetrated, man turns blasphemous.

To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He grants daughters to whomever He wills, and He grants sons to whomever He wills.

Or He combines them together, males and females; and He renders whomever He wills sterile. He is Knowledgeable and Capable.

It is not for any human that God should speak to him, except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His permission whatever He wills. He is All-High, All-Wise.

We thus inspired you spiritually, by Our command. You did not know what the Scripture is, nor what faith is, but We made it a light, with which We guide whomever We will of Our servants. You surely guide to a straight path.

The path of God, to whom belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Indeed, to God all matters revert.

Ha, Meem.

By the Book that makes things clear.

We made it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand.

And it is with Us, in the Source Book, sublime and wise.

Shall We hold back the Reminder from you, since you are a transgressing people?

How many a prophet did We send to the ancients?

No messenger came to them, but they ridiculed him.

We destroyed people more powerful than they, and so the example of the ancients has passed away.

And if you asked them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” They would say, “The Mighty, the Knower created them.”

He who made the earth a habitat for you, and traced pathways for you on it, that you may be guided.

He who sends down water from the sky in due proportion; and so We revive thereby a dead land. Thus you will be brought out.

He Who created all the pairs; and provided you with ships, and animals on which you ride.

That you may mount their backs, and remember the favor of your Lord as you sit firmly upon them, and say, “Glory be to Him Who placed these at our service; surely we could not have done it by ourselves.

And surely, to our Lord we will return.”

Yet they turn one of His servants into a part of Him. Man is clearly ungrateful.

Or has He chosen for Himself daughters from what He creates, and favored you with sons?

Yet when one of them is given news of what he attributes to the Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he suppresses grief.

“Someone brought up to be beautiful, and unable to help in a fight?”

And they appoint the angels, who are servants to the Most Gracious, as females. Have they witnessed their creation? Their claim will be recorded, and they will be questioned.

And they say, “Had the Most Gracious willed, we would not have worshiped them.” But they have no knowledge of that; they are merely guessing.

Or have We given them a book prior to this one, to which they adhere?

But they say, “We found our parents on a course, and we are guided in their footsteps.”

Likewise, We sent no warner before you to any town, but the wealthy among them said, “We found our parents on a course, and we are following in their footsteps.”

He would say, “Even if I bring you better guidance than what you found your parents following?” They would say, “We reject what you are sent with.”

So We wreaked vengeance upon them. Behold, then, what was the fate of those who deny.

When Abraham said to his father and his people, “I am innocent of what you worship.

Except for He who created me, for He will guide me.”

And he made it an enduring word in his progeny, so that they may return.

I gave these and their forefathers some enjoyment, until the truth and a manifest messenger came to them.

But when the truth came to them, they said, “This is sorcery, and we refuse to believe in it.”

They also said, “If only this Quran was sent down to a man of importance from the two cities.”

Is it they who allocate the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have allocated their livelihood in this life, and We elevated some of them in rank above others, that some of them would take others in service. But your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass.

Were it not that humanity would become a single community, We would have provided those who disbelieve in the Most Gracious with roofs of silver to their houses, and stairways by which they ascend.

And doors to their houses, and furnishings on which they recline.

And decorations. Yet all that is nothing but the stuff of this life. Yet the Hereafter, with your Lord, is for the righteous.

Whoever shuns the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We assign for him a devil, to be his companion.

They hinder them from the path, though they think they are guided.

Until, when He comes to Us, he will say, “If only there were between me and you the distance of the two Easts.” What an evil companion!

It will not benefit you on that Day, since you did wrong. You are partners in the suffering.

Can you make the deaf hear, or guide the blind, and him who is in evident error?

Even if We take you away, We will wreak vengeance upon them.

Or show you what We have promised them; for We have absolute power over them.

So adhere to what is revealed to you. You are upon a straight path.

It is a message for you, and for your people; and you will be questioned.

Ask those of Our messengers We sent before you: “Did We appoint gods besides the Most Gracious to be worshiped?”

We sent Moses with Our revelations to Pharaoh and his dignitaries. He said, “I am the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds.”

But when he showed them Our signs, they started laughing at them.

Each sign We showed them was more marvelous than its counterpart. And We afflicted them with the plagues, so that they may repent.

They said, “O sorcerer, pray to your Lord for us, according to His pledge to you, and then we will be guided.”

But when We lifted the torment from them, they immediately broke their promise.

Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying, “O my people, do I not own the Kingdom of Egypt, and these rivers flow beneath me? Do you not see?

Am I not better than this miserable wretch, who can barely express himself?

Why are bracelets of gold not dropped on him, or they angels came with him in procession?”

Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him. They were wicked people.

And when they provoked Our wrath, We took retribution from them, and We drowned them all.

Thus We made them a precedent and an example for the others.

And when the son of Mary was cited as an example, your people opposed.

They said, “Are our gods better, or he?” They cited him only for argument. In fact, they are a quarrelsome people.

He was just a servant whom We blessed, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.

Had We willed, We would have made of you angels to be successors on earth.

He is a portent of the Hour, so have no doubt about it, and follow Me. This is a straight way.

And let not Satan divert you. He is an open enemy to you.

When Jesus came with the clarifications, he said, “I have come to you with wisdom, and to clarify for you some of what you differ about. So fear God, and obey me.

God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him—this is a straight path.”

But the factions differed among themselves. So woe to the wrongdoers from the suffering of a painful Day.

Are they only waiting for the Hour to come upon them suddenly, while they are unaware?

On that Day, friends will be enemies of one another, except for the righteous.

O My servants, you have nothing to fear on that Day, nor will you grieve.

Those who believed in Our revelations, and were submissive.

Enter the Garden, you and your spouses, Joyfully.

They will be served around with trays of gold, and cups. Therein is whatever the souls desire and delights the eyes. Therein you will stay forever.

Such is the Garden you are made to inherit, because of what you used to do.

Therein you will have abundant fruit, from which you eat.

As for the sinners, they will be in the torment of Hell forever.

It will never be eased for them. In it, they will be devastated.

We did them no injustice, but it was they who were the unjust.

And they will cry, “O Malek, let your Lord finish us off.” He will say, “You are staying.”

We have given you the truth, but most of you hate the truth.

Have they contrived some scheme? We too are contriving.

Or do they think that We cannot hear their secrets and their conspiracies? Yes indeed, Our messengers are by them, writing down.

Say, “If the Most Gracious had a son, I would be the first to worship.”

Glorified be the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, beyond what they describe.

So leave them to blunder and play, until they encounter their Day which they are promised.

It is He who is God in heaven, and God on earth. He is the Wise, the Knower.

And blessed is He Who has sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and what is between them. He alone has knowledge of the Hour, and to Him you will be returned.

Those they invoke besides Him are incapable of intercession; only those who testify to the truth and have knowledge.

And if you asked them, “Who created them?”, they would say, “God.” Why then do they deviate?

As for his statement: “My Lord, these are a people who do not believe.”

Pardon them, and say, “Peace.” They will come to know.

Ha, Meem.

By the Enlightening Scripture.

We have revealed it on a Blessed Night—We have warned.

In it is distinguished every wise command.

A decree from Us. We have been sending messages.

As mercy from your Lord. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you know for sure.

There is no god but He. He gives life and causes death—your Lord and Lord of your ancestors of old.

Yet they play around in doubt.

So watch out for the Day when the sky produces a visible smoke.

Enveloping mankind; this is a painful punishment.

“Our Lord, lift the torment from us, we are believers.”

But how can they be reminded? An enlightening messenger has already come to them.

But they turned away from him, and said, “Educated, but crazy!”

We will ease the punishment a little, but you will revert.

The Day when We launch the Great Assault—We will avenge.

Before them We tested the people of Pharaoh; a noble messenger came to them.

Saying, “Hand over God’s servants to me. I am an honest messenger to you.”

And, “Do not exalt yourselves above God. I come to you with clear authority.

I have taken refuge in my Lord and your Lord, lest you stone me.

But if you do not believe in me, keep away from me.”

He appealed to his Lord: “These are a sinful people.”

“Set out with My servants by night—you will be followed.

And cross the sea quickly; they are an army to be drowned.”

How many gardens and fountains did they leave behind?

And plantations, and splendid buildings.

And comforts they used to enjoy.

So it was; and We passed it on to another people.

Neither heaven nor earth wept over them, nor were they reprieved.

And We delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating persecution.

From Pharaoh. He was a transgressing tyrant.

And We chose them knowingly over all other people.

And We gave them many signs, in which was an obvious test.

These people say.

“There is nothing but our first death, and we will not be resurrected.

Bring back our ancestors, if you are truthful.”

Are they better, or the people of Tubba and those before them? We annihilated them. They were evildoers.

We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them to play.

We created them only for a specific purpose, but most of them do not know.

The Day of Sorting Out is the appointed time for them all.

The Day when no friend will avail a friend in any way, and they will not be helped.

Except for him upon whom God has mercy. He is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The Tree of Bitterness.

The food of the sinner.

Like molten lead; boiling inside the bellies.

Like the boiling of seething water.

Seize him and drag him into the midst of Hell!

Then pour over his head the suffering of the Inferno!

Taste! You who were powerful and noble.

This is what you used to doubt.

As for the righteous, they will be in a secure place.

Amidst gardens and springs.

Dressed in silk and brocade, facing one another.

So it is, and We will wed them to lovely companions.

They will call therein for every kind of fruit, in peace and security.

Therein they will not taste death, beyond the first death; and He will protect them from the torment of Hell.

A favor from your Lord. That is the supreme salvation.

We made it easy in your language, so that they may remember.

So wait and watch. They too are waiting and watching.

Ha, Meem.

The revelation of the Book is from God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

In the heavens and the earth are proofs for the believers.

And in your own creation, and in the creatures He scattered, are signs for people of firm faith.

And in the alternation of night and day, and in the sustenance God sends down from the sky, with which He revives the earth after its death, and in the circulation of the winds, are marvels for people who reason.

These are God’s Verses which We recite to you in truth. In which message, after God and His revelations, will they believe?

Woe to every sinful liar.

Who hears God's revelations being recited to him, yet he persists arrogantly, as though he did not hear them. Announce to him a painful punishment.

And when he learns something of Our revelations, he takes them in mockery. For such there is a shameful punishment.

Beyond them lies Hell. What they have earned will not benefit them at all, nor will those they adopted as lords instead of God. They will have a terrible punishment.

This is guidance. Those who blaspheme their Lord’s revelations will have a punishment of agonizing pain.

It is God who placed the sea at your service, so that ships may run through it by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may give thanks.

And He placed at your service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth—all is from Him. In that are signs for a people who think.

Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not hope for the Days of God. He will fully recompense people for whatever they have earned.

Whoever does a good deed, it is for his soul; and whoever commits evil, it is against it; then to your Lord you will be returned.

We gave the Children of Israel the Book, and wisdom, and prophecy; and We provided them with the good things; and We gave them advantage over all other people.

And We gave them precise rulings. They fell into dispute only after knowledge came to them, out of mutual rivalry. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding the things they differed about.

Then We set you upon a pathway of faith, so follow it, and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know.

They will not help you against God in any way. The wrongdoers are allies of one another, while God is the Protector of the righteous.

This is an illumination for mankind, and guidance, and mercy for people who believe with certainty.

Do those who perpetrate the evil deeds assume that We will regard them as equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, whether in their life or their death? Evil is their judgment!

God created the heavens and the earth with justice, so that every soul will be repaid for what it has earned. And they will not be wronged.

Have you considered him who has taken his desire for his god? God has knowingly led him astray, and has sealed his hearing and his heart, and has placed a veil over his vision. Who will guide him after God? Will you not reflect?

And they say, “There is nothing but this our present life; we die and we live, and nothing destroys us except time.” But they have no knowledge of that; they are only guessing.

When Our clarifying Verses are recited to them, their only argument is to say, “Bring back our ancestors, if you are truthful.”

Say, “God gives you life, then He makes you die; then He gathers you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. But most people do not know.”

To God belongs the kingship of the heavens and the earth. On the Day when the Hour takes place, on that Day the falsifiers will lose.

You will see every community on its knees; every community will be called to its Book: “Today you are being repaid for what you used to do.

This Book of Ours speaks about you in truth. We have been transcribing what you have been doing.”

As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is the clear triumph.

But as for those who disbelieved: “Were My revelations not recited to you? But you turned arrogant, and were guilty people.”

And when it was said, “The promise of God is true, and of the Hour there is no doubt,” you said, “We do not know what the Hour is; we think it is only speculation; we are not convinced.”

The evils of what they did will become evident to them, and the very thing they ridiculed will haunt them.

And it will be said, “Today We forget you, as you forgot the encounter of this Day of yours. Your abode is the Fire, and there are no saviors for you.

That is because you took God’s revelations for a joke, and the worldly life lured you.” So today they will not be brought out of it, and they will not be allowed to repent.

Praise belongs to God; Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of humanity.

To Him belongs all supremacy in the heavens and the earth. He is the Majestic, the Wise.