English - Chapter 46 - Al-Ahqaf

Ha M'im

This Book is revealed by Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise

We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them to manifest the truth and to last for an appointed term. Yet the disbelievers give no heed to Our warning

Ask them: "Have you pondered on those whom you invoke besides Allah? Show me anything that they have created in the earth, or do they have any share in the creation of the heavens? Bring me any Book revealed before this, or some remnant of divine knowledge if you are telling the truth

And who could be more astray than the one who invokes those deities besides Allah who cannot answer him till the Day of Resurrection - which, in fact, are not even aware that they are being invoked

And when mankind shall be assembled on the Day of Judgment, they will become enemies of those who invoked them and deny their worship altogether

When Our revelations are recited to them, clear as they are, and the truth comes before them, the disbelievers say: "This is plain magic

Do they say that the Prophet has fabricated it himself? O Prophet, tell them: "If I have fabricated it myself, then there is nothing that you can do to protect me from the wrath of Allah. He knows fully well what you say about it. Enough is He as a witness between me and you. He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful

Further say: "Think, if this Qur’an is indeed from Allah and you reject it, when a witness (a Jew) from the Children of Israel has also testified to its similarity with earlier scriptures and has believed (accepted Islam), while you are showing arrogance, how unjust you are! Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people

The unbelievers say about the believers: "Had there been any good to believe in the message of the Qur’an, they would not have believed in it before us (because the unbelievers were strong and wealthy whereas believers were weak and poor)." And since they reject its guidance, they say: "This is an ancient falsehood

Yet before it the Book of Moses was revealed which was a guide and blessing; and this Book (Qur’an) confirms it. It is revealed in the Arabic language to forewarn the wrongdoers and to give good news to those who have adopted the righteous conduct

Indeed those who say: "Our Lord is Allah, and then remain firm shall have nothing to fear or to regret

They shall dwell in paradise forever as a reward for their good deeds

We have enjoined upon man to treat his parents with kindness. With much trouble his mother bore him, and with much pain did she give him birth. His bearing and his weaning took thirty months. When he reaches the age of full strength and becomes forty years old, he says: "My Lord! Grant me the grace that I may thank you for the favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good deeds that will please You, and grant me good children. Surely I turn to You in repentance and surely I am of those who are Muslims

Such are the people from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their misdeeds. They shall be among the residents of paradise: true is the promise that has been made to them in this life

But he who rebukes his parents and says: "Uff (as if to say, do not bother me)! Do you threaten me with a resurrection, whereas many a generations have passed before me and none has come back from among them?" And they both cry for Allah’s help and say: "Woe to you! Be a good believer. Surely the promise of Allah is true." But he replies: "This is nothing but tales of the ancients

Such are the people against whom the verdict of torment has proved true and they will be among the prior people of the jinns and the men that have passed away before them. Indeed they will be the losers

All will be assigned in ranks, according to their deeds, so that He may reward them fully for what they have done and they shall not be wronged

On that Day when the disbelievers will be brought before the fire, they will be told: "You squandered away your good things in your earthly life and you enjoyed them for a while. Today you shall be recompensed with a punishment of humiliation because you behaved with arrogance for which you had no right during your life on earth and because of the transgressions you committed

Tell them the story of ‘Ad’s brethren, the Prophet Hud, when he warned his people, the residents of Ahqaf - in fact Warners came to them before him and after him saying: "Worship none but Allah. Surely I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day

They replied: "Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bring us the torment that you threaten us with, if you are telling the truth

The Prophet Hud said: "The Knowledge of when it is going to come is only with Allah. I am only conveying the Message with which I have been sent, however, I can see that you are ignorant people

Then when they saw the torment in the shape of a cloud coming towards their valleys, they said: "This cloud will bring us rain." - "Nay! It is what you were asking for, a fierce wind bringing you a woeful torment

It is going to destroy everything by the command of its Lord. Consequently by the morning, there was nothing to be seen except the ruins of their dwellings. Thus did We reward those guilty people

We had established them much better than We have established you, O Qureysh of Mecca, and endowed them with the faculties of hearing, seeing, and intellect. Yet their faculties of hearing, sight and intellect availed them nothing since they denied the revelations of Allah; and they were completely hemmed in by the same thing that they used to mock at

We have destroyed the towns which once flourished around you - and We repeatedly sent them Our revelations so that they may turn to the Right Way

Then Why did not those whom they worshipped besides Allah help them who they regarded as a means of attaining nearness to Him? But those deities utterly forsook them, because those were nothing but their lies and their false inventions

Tell them how We brought to you a group of jinns, who when they reached the place where you were reciting and listened to the Qur’an, said to each other: "Be silent." When the recitation was over, they returned to their people as warners

They said "O our people! We have just listened to a Book that has been revealed after Moses which is confirming that what came before it, and it guides to the truth and to the Right Way

O our people, answer the one who is calling you towards Allah and believe in him! Allah will forgive you your sins and save you from a painful punishment

He that does not answer the one who is calling towards Allah, shall neither escape in the earth, nor shall have any to protect from Him. Surely such people are in manifest error

Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and was not wearied by their creation, has the power to raise the dead to life? Why not! Surely He has the power over everything

On the Day when the unbelievers will be brought before the fire, Allah will ask: "Is this not real?" "Yes, by our Lord!" They will answer. "Well, then taste the punishment now," Will He reply, "in consequence of your disbelief

Therefore, bear with them with patience, as did the Messengers endowed with firmness of purpose before you, and do not be in haste about them. On the Day when they shall see that which they are being threatened with, their life on earth will seem to them as if they had lived no more than an hour of a day. The Message of forewarning has been conveyed. Shall any be destroyed except the transgressors