English - Chapter 23

Prosperous are the believers

who in their prayers are humble

and from idle talk turn away

and at almsgiving are active

and guard their private parts

save from their wives and what their right hands own then being not blameworthy

but whosoever seeks after more than that, those are the transgressors

and who preserve their trusts and their covenant

and who observe their prayers

Those are the inheritors

who shall inherit Paradise therein dwelling forever

We created man of an extraction of clay

then We set him, a drop, in a receptacle secure

then We created of the drop a clot then We created of the clot a tissue then We created of the tissue bones then We garmented the bones in flesh; thereafter We produced him as another creature. So blessed be God, the fairest of creators

Then after that you shall surely die

then on the Day of Resurrection you shall surely be raised up

And We created above you seven ways, and We were not heedless of creation

And We sent down out of heaven water in measure and lodged it in the earth; and We are able to take it away

Then We produced for you therewith gardens of palms and vines wherein are many fruits for you, and of them you eat

and a tree issuing from the Mount of Sinai that bears oil and seasoning for all to eat

And surely in the cattle there is a lesson for you; We give you to drink of what is in their bellies, and many uses there are in them for you, and of them you eat

and upon them, and on the ships, you are borne

And We sent Noah to his people; and he, said, 'O my people, serve God! You have no god other than He. Will you not be godfearing

Said the Council of the unbelievers of his people, 'This is naught but a mortal like yourselves, who desires to gain superiority over you. And if God willed, He would have sent down angels. We never heard of this among, our fathers, the ancients

He is naught but a man bedevilled; so wait on him for a time

He said, 'O my Lord, help me, for that they cry me lies

Then We said to him, 'Make thou the Ark under Our eyes and as We reveal, and then, when Our command comes and the Oven boils, insert in it two of every kind and thy, family -- except for him against whom the word already has been spoken; and address Me not concerning those who have done evil; they shall be drowned

Then, when thou art seated in the Ark and those with thee, say, "Praise belongs to God, who has delivered us from the people of the evildoers

And say, "'O my Lord, do Thou harbour me in a blessed harbour, for Thou art the best of harbourers

Surely in that are signs, and surely We put to the test

Thereafter, after them, We produced another generation

and We sent amongst them a Messenger of themselves, saying, 'Serve God! You have no god other than He. Will you not be godfearing

Said the Council of the unbelievers of his people, who cried lies to the encounter of the world to come, and to whom We had given ease in the present' life, 'This is naught but a mortal like yourselves, who eats of what you eat and drinks of what you drink

If you obey a mortal like yourselves, then you will be losers

What, does he promise you that when you are dead, and become dust and bones, you shall be brought forth

Away, away with that you are promised

There is nothing but our present life; we die, and we live, and we shall not be raised up

He is naught but a man who has forged against God a lie, and we will not believe him

He said, 'O my Lord, help me, for that they cry me lies

He said, 'In a little they will be remorseful

And the Cry seized them justly, and We made them as scum; so away with the people of the evildoers

Thereafter, after them, We produced other generations

no nation outstrips its term, nor do they put it back

Then sent We Our Messengers successively; whenever its Messenger came to a nation they cried him lies, so We caused some of them to follow others, and We made them as but tales; so away with a people who do not believe

Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a manifest authority

unto Pharaoh and his Council; but they waxed proud, and they were a lofty people

and they said, 'What, shall we believe two mortals like ourselves, whose people are our servants

So they cried them lies, and they were among the destroyed

And We gave Moses the Book, that haply they would be guided

and We made Mary's son, and his mother, to be a sign, and gave them refuge upon a height, where was a hollow and a spring

O Messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness; surely I know the things you do

Surely this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord; so fear Me

But they split in their affair between them into sects, each party rejoicing in what is with them

So leave thou them in their perplexity for a time

What, do they think that We succour them with of wealth and children

We vie in good works for them? Nay, but they are not aware

Surely those who tremble in fear of their Lord

and those who believe in the signs of their Lord

and those who associate naught with their Lord

and those who give what they give, their hearts quaking that they are returning to their Lord

those vie in good works, outracing to them

We charge not any soul save to its capacity, and with Us is a Book speaking truth, and they shall not be wronged

Nay, but their hearts are in perplexity as to this, and they have deeds besides that that they are doing

Till, when We seize with the chastisement the ones of them that live at ease, behold, they groan

Groan not today; surely you shall not be helped from Us

My signs were recited to you, but upon your heels you withdrew

waxing proud against it, talking foolish talk by night

Have they not pondered the saying, or came there upon them that which came not upon their fathers, the ancients

Or did they not recognise their Messenger and so denied him

Or do they say, 'He is bedevilled'? Nay, he has brought them the truth, but most of them are averse from the truth

Had the truth followed their caprices, the heavens and the earth and whosoever in them is had surely corrupted. Nay, We brought them their Remembrance, but from their Remembrance they turned

Or dost thou ask them for tribute? Yet the tribute of thy Lord is better, and He is the best of providers

Assuredly thou art calling them to a straight path

and surely they that believe not in the world to come are deviating from the path

Did We have mercy on them, and remove the affliction that is upon them, they would persist in their insolence wandering blindly

We already seized them with the chastisement, yet they abased not themselves to their Lord nor were they humble

until, when We open against them a door of terrible chastisement, lo, they are sore confounded at it

It is He who produced for you hearing, and eyes, and hearts; little thanks you show

It is He who scattered you in the earth, and to Him you shall be mustered

It is He who gives life, and makes to die, and to Him belongs the alternation of night and day; what, will you not understand

Nay, but they said the like of what the ancients said

They said, 'What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we be indeed raised up

We and our fathers have been promised this before; this is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients

Say: 'Whose is the earth, and whoso is in it, if you have knowledge

They will say, God's.' Say: 'Will you not then remember

Say: 'Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the mighty Throne

They will say, 'God's.' Say: 'Will you not then be godfearing

Say: 'In whose hand is the dominion of everything, protecting and Himself unprotected, if you have knowledge

They will say, 'God's.' Say: 'How then are you bewitched

Nay, but We brought them the truth and they are truly liars

God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him; for then each god would have taken off that he created and some of them would have risen up over others; glory to be God, beyond that they describe

who has knowledge of the Unseen and the Visible; high exalted be He, above that they associate

Say: 'O my Lord, if Thou shouldst show me that they are promised

O my Lord, put me not among the people of the evildoers

Assuredly, We are able to show thee that We promise them

Repel thou the evil with that which is fairer. We Ourselves know very well that they describe

And say: 'O my Lord, I take refuge in Thee from the evil suggestions of the Satans

and I take refuge in Thee, O my Lord, lest they attend me

Till, when death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, return me

haply I shall do righteousness in that I forsook.' Nay, it is but a word he speaks; and there; behind them, is a barrier until the day that they shall be raised up

For when the Trumpet is blown, that day there shall be no kinship any more between them, neither will they question one another

Then he whose scales are heavy -- they are the prosperers

and he whose scales are light -- they have lost their souls in Gehenna dwelling forever

the Fire smiting their faces the while they glower there

What, were My signs not recited to you, and you cried them lies

They shall say, 'Our Lord, our adversity prevailed over us; we were an erring people

Our Lord, bring us forth out of it! Then, if we revert, we shall be evildoers indeed

Slink you into it,' He shall say, 'and do not speak to Me

There is a party of My servants who said, "Our Lord, we believe; therefore forgive us, and have mercy on us, for Thou art the best of the merciful

But you took them for a laughing-stock, till they made you forget My remembrance, mocking at them

Now today I have recompensed them for their patient endurance; they are the triumphant

He shall say, 'How long have you tarried in the earth, by number of years

They shall say, 'We have tarried a day, or part of a day; ask the numberers

He shall say, 'You have tarried but a little, did you know

What, did you think that We created you only for sport, and that you would not be returned to Us

Then high exalted be God, the King, the True! There is no god but He? the Lord of the noble Throne

And whosoever calls upon another god with God, whereof he has no proof, his reckoning is with his Lord; surely the unbelievers shall not prosper

And say: 'My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the best of the merciful