English - Chapter 10

Alif Lam Ra, these are the verses of the Wise Book

Do people find it really amazing that We sent revelations to a man from among them, saying: "Warn all people, and give good news to those who believe that in the sight of their Lord, they are considered truthful." But the unbelievers say, "He is clearly a sorcerer

Your Lord is God, who has created the heavens and the earth in six days. He then settled on the throne of His majesty, governing everything that exists. No one can intercede with Him unless He first gives His permission. This is God, your Lord: worship Him. Will you not, then, keep this in mind

You will all return to Him: this is a true promise from God. He begins the process of creation, and then He repeats it so that He may justly reward all who believe and do good works. However, those who refuse to believe will have boiling drinks and grievous suffering because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth

He has made the sun radiant light and the moon a source of enlightenment for He has plotted out its phases so that you may know how to calculate the years and measure time. There is a purpose to everything God created in Truth. He explains His messages to those who are willing to know

In the succession of night and day, and in all that God has created in the heavens and on the earth, there are signs for those who are aware of Him

Those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us-being content with their worldly life and unable to see beyond it, paying no attention to Our signs

will have the fire for their home in return for all they have deserved

As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, their Lord guides them because of their faith. Streams will flow at their feet in Gardens of pleasure

There they will call out, "Glory be to You, God," their greeting will be "Peace," and the last part of their prayer will be, "All praise is due to God, the Lord of the worlds

Were God to rush punishment for people in the same way they rush toward what they consider good, their time would already be up. We will leave those who do not believe they are destined to meet Us to wander blindly in their arrogance

When trouble afflicts man, he cries to Us, whether he is lying on his side, or sitting, or standing, but, as soon as We have freed him of his trouble, he carries on as though he had never called on Us to save him from his trouble. In this way the deeds of such overindulgent people seem right in their own eyes

We destroyed earlier generations when they transgressed in spite of the evidence of truth brought to them by their messengers, whom they refused to believe. This is how we punish those who force others to reject God's messages

We then made you their successors on earth, so We could see what you would do

Whenever Our messages are clearly conveyed to them, those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us will say, "Bring us a different Qur'an, or change it." Say [Prophet], "It is not up to me to change it of my own accord; I follow only what is revealed to me. I fear the punishment of that Monumental Day [of Judgment] if I were to disobey my Lord

Say, "If God had willed it, I would not have conveyed this [Book] to you, nor would He have brought it to your knowledge. I was among you for an entire lifetime before it came to me. Why cannot you think

Who could be more unjust than someone who makes up lies against God or denies His revelations? Those who force others to reject God's messages will never prosper

[nor will] they [who] worship things other than God-things that can neither harm nor benefit them-saying, "These are our intercessors with God." Say, "Do you [think that you could] inform God about something in the heavens or on earth that He does not know? May He be exalted in His glory, and far higher above all they associate with Him

People were once a single community, but later they began to hold divergent views. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, their differences would already have been settled

They ask, "Why has his Lord never given him any miraculous sign?" Say, "The unknown belongs to God, so wait, and I will wait with you

Whenever We let [such] people experience Our grace after they have endured hardship, they then turn to plot against Our messages. Say, "God plots even faster. Our [heavenly] messengers are tracking all of your plotting

He enables you to travel on land and sea, until-while they are sailing on ships and rejoicing in favorable winds-a storm arrives, and waves come towards them from all directions, so that you think you are facing death. Then they cry out to God in all sincerity, claiming faith in Him alone: "If You save us from this, We will be truly thankful

Once He has saved them, they return to being corruptive on earth in defiance to the Truth. People! All your outrageous deeds will be counted against you; your enjoyment is limited to life in this world. Then you will return to Us, and We will confront you with everything You have done

The example of life on earth is like rain that We send down, which stimulates the growth of plants that humans and animals eat. Then, [just] as the earth takes on its finest appearance and is beautifully adorned, and its people think they have power over it, Our judgment comes to it suddenly, by night or day, and We reduce it to stubble, as if it had not flourished just the day before. We make Our messages clear to people who reflect on them

God invites you to dwell in peace, and He guides whoever chooses to a straight path

For those who do good, there is ultimate good in store, and even more besides. No darkness or shame will overshadow their faces [on Resurrection Day]. They are destined for Heaven, where they will remain forever

As for those who have done evil deeds, one iniquity deserves another, shame will overshadow them, [and] they will have no one to protect them from God. Their faces will appear as if they were covered by the night's darkness. They are destined to live in the fire, and there they will remain

On the [Judgment] Day We will gather them all together, [and] We will say to those who associated other [beings] with God, "Stay where you are, you and your associates." Then We will separate them from one another. The partners will say, "You were not supposed to worship us

God is witness enough between you and us. We were unaware that you were worshipping us

There, every soul will answer for its past deeds, and they will all return to God, their true Supreme Lord, and all their false deities will desert them

Say, "Who provides you with sustenance out of heaven and earth, or who has full power over hearing and sight? Who brings forward the living from the dead, and the dead from the living? Who administers all matters?" They will say, "God." Then say, "will you not then be mindful of Him

This is God, your Lord, the Ultimate Truth. What is beyond Truth except falsehood? How can you lose sight of the Truth

Thus, your Lord's word proved to be true against those who defiantly disobeyed Him; they will not believe

Say, "Can any of your 'partners-gods' initiate creation, and then repeat it?" Say, "God initiates creation, and then repeats it. What falsehood are you preaching

Say, "Who among those 'partners-gods' you associated with Him guides you to the Truth?" Say, "It is God who guides to the Truth. Which is more worthy to be followed; He who guides you to the Truth, or he who cannot find the path unless he's guided? What is the matter with you? How do you judge

Most of them follow nothing but speculations, which can never substitute for the Truth. God has full knowledge of all that they do

This Qur'an could have never been created by anyone but God as a confirmation of what is available to him from earlier revelations and a detailed explanation of the Book that-let there be no doubt-is from the Lord of all the worlds

Or do they say, "He [the Prophet] has invented it?" Say, "Then produce a chapter of similar merit, and call on anyone you can other than God if what you say is true

They are, in fact, denying what they cannot comprehend while its inner meaning has yet to become clear to them. In that same way, those who lived before them rejected belief, so reflect on the final fate of those who were unjust

There are some among them who will eventually come to believe, just as there are some who will never believe. Your Lord is fully aware of those who cause corruption

If they deny you, say, "I act based on my own belief, and your acts are based on yours. You are not accountable for what I do, and I am not accountable for whatever you do

Some of them listen to you, but, can you cause the deaf to hear if they do not understand

Some of them look at you, but can you show the blind the right way even though they cannot see

God does not wrong people at all but it is they who wrong themselves

On the Day He gathers them together, it will be as if they have stayed [in this world] no longer than a single hour of the day, and they will recognize one another. Those who denied that they would ever meet God will be the losers, for they were not guided

Whether We show you something of what We have promised them or retrieve you [first], they will still return to Us. Then God will be a witness to all that they have done

Every nation has had a messenger, and, only after their messenger appeared [and delivered his message] will they be justly judged; they will not be dealt with unfairly

They ask, "When will this promise be fulfilled, if you are telling the truth

Say, "I have no power to harm or help myself, except as God wills. An appointed time has been set for every nation, and, when they reach their appointed time, they can neither delay it by a single hour nor speed it up

Say, "Have you ever considered how you would feel if His punishment were to befall you by night or by day? What part of it would those who force others to reject God's messages wish to speed up

Say, "Will you believe [only] when it actually befalls you. Now [at the Judgment, you believe], whereas [before] you tried to hasten it

Then the wrongdoers will be told, "Taste eternal punishment. Why should you be repaid [with anything] other than what you have earned

Some people ask you, "Is this really true?" Say, "Yes, by my Lord, it is definitely true, and you cannot prevent it

Even if each soul that had done wrong possessed everything on earth, it would surely offer it [that day] in ransom. They will show remorse when they see the punishment; they will be judged justly, and they will not be treated unfairly

Everything that is in the heavens and on earth belongs to God. God's promise always comes true, but most of them do not know this

He is the One who grants life and deals death, and you will all be returned to Him

People, a lesson has now come to you from your Lord, and a cure for what is in your hearts, and guidance and grace to the believers

Say, "It is grace and mercy from God, so let them rejoice; it is better than all [the wealth] that they have accumulated

Say, "Have you considered the sustenance that God has sent down to you, some [of which] you have made unlawful and some lawful?" Say, "Has God given you permission [to do this], or are you inventing lies about God

What would those people who invent lies about God think on the Day of Resurrection? God's grace is limitless towards people, but most of them are ungrateful

Whatever you [Prophet] are doing, or whatever part of the Qur'an you may be reciting, and whatever you [people] are doing, We are watching you when you are doing it. Not an atom's weight escapes your Lord on earth or in heaven, nor is there anything even smaller or larger [that is not] recoded in a clear book

Truly, those who are loyal to God do not need to fear, and they will not grieve

[For] those who believe and are ever mindful of God

there is good news in the life of this world and the life to come. There is no changing the words of God; this is truly the supreme triumph

And you [Prophet] should not be grieved by what they say. All might belongs entirely to God: He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing

Verily, everyone in heaven and on earth belongs to God. Those who invoke other [beings] besides God are not really calling on His associates; they are only following their guess, and they only tell lies

It is He who has made the night for you, so that you might rest, and the day, to give you sight. Truly there are messages in this for people who hear

They say, "God has taken a son. May He be exalted in His glory. He is self-sufficient beyond needs. Everything that is in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him." You have no authority to say this. How dare you say about God what you do not know

Say, "Those who invent lies about God will never prosper

They may have brief enjoyment in this world, but they will return to Us, and We will make them taste severe suffering because of their denial of the truth

Tell them the story of Noah, when he said to his people, "My people, if my presence [among you] and my reminding you of God's messages has become too much for you to bear, then my trust is really placed in God. So, decide with your 'partner-gods' what you want to do, and do not be hesitant; do with me whatever you decide, and do not keep me waiting

If you turn away, I have asked for nothing from you; my reward is from God, for I was commanded to be among those who have surrendered themselves to Him

[Nevertheless,] they denied him, so We rescued him and all those with him in the ark and made them successors, while We drowned those who denied our messages. See what happened to those who were forewarned

After him, We sent [other] messengers, each to his own people, who brought them evidence of the truth, but they were not going to believe anything they had already rejected. It is in this way that We seal the hearts of the transgressors

Afterward, We sent Moses and Aaron with Our messages to Pharaoh and his inner circle, but they acted arrogantly because they had decided to severe all relations to God and to reject Him

So, when the Truth came to them from Us, they said, "This is nothing but clear sorcery

Moses said, "You are calling it sorcery when the Truth was being given to you? Sorcerers can never prosper

They said, "Have you come to turn us away from what we found our forefathers believing so that the two of you might become supreme in this land? We do not believe in the two of you

So Pharaoh commanded, "Bring every sorcerer of great knowledge before me

When the sorcerers came, Moses said to them, "Throw whatever you may throw

When they had thrown down, Moses said to them, "Everything you have done is sorcery, and God will show it to be false. God does not support the works of those who cause corruption

God confirms the Truth by His words, even though those who force others to reject God's messages hate it

Only a handful of Moses' people declared their faith in him, [while others held back] for fear that Pharaoh would persecute them and their own people. Pharaoh was mighty on earth and prone to excesses

Moses said, "My people, if you believe in God, place your trust in Him if you have [truly] surrendered yourselves to Him

They answered, "We have placed our trust in God. Our Lord, do not make us an object of persecution for the people who do evil

and save us, by Your grace, from people who deny the truth

We revealed to Moses and his brother, "Make homes for your people in Egypt and [tell them], 'Turn your houses into places of worship and be constant in prayer.' Give good news to the believers

Moses prayed, "Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his inner circle splendor and wealth in this life, and they are leading others astray from your path. Lord, wipe out their riches and harden their hearts, so that they will not attain faith until they see painful suffering

God said, "Your [and Aaron's] prayer is accepted. Continue steadfastly on the right path, and do not follow the path of those who have no knowledge

We then brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his troops pursued them in arrogance and aggression, until, when he was about to drown, [Pharaoh] cried out, "I believe that there is no God except the one the Children of Israel believe in, and I am of those who surrender themselves to Him

[And God said], "[Only] now? When [before] you rebelled and lived among those who caused corruption

Today We will save only your body, so that you may be a sign to those who will come after you. Many people fail to heed Our signs

We then settled the Children of Israel in a good place and provided them with good things to sustain them. And it was not until knowledge [of God's revelation] had come to them that they began to bicker among themselves. Your Lord will judge between them on Resurrection Day regarding all of their differences

So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who been reading the Book [revealed] before your time. The Truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be one of the doubters

or [one of] those who deny God's messages, lest you be among the doomed

Those against whom the words of your Lord are justly carried out will not believe

even though every sign comes to them, until they see the agonizing suffering

There had never been a single community that believed and benefited from its faith except Jonah's people. When they believed, We relieved them from the disgrace of suffering in the life of this world and allowed them to enjoy their life for a time

Had your Lord willed, all the people on earth would have believed, all of them entirely. Is it, then, up to you [Prophet] to compel People to believe

No soul can ever believe except with God's permission, and He brings disgrace on those who will not use their reason

Say, "Look at what there is in the heavens and on earth." But signs and warnings will not help the people who will not believe

What are they waiting for other than the punishment which came to those before them? Say, "Wait, then, and I will be waiting with you

Then We will save Our Messengers and those who believe. It is incumbent upon us to save the believers

Say, "People, if you are in doubt as to what my faith is, then [know that] I do not worship those you worship besides God, but I worship God alone, Who will eventually retrieve you back to Him, and I am commanded to be among the believers

[Prophet,] set your face towards this faith, as a man inclined to the truth. Do not be among those who violate God's unity

Do not call on any besides God who can neither benefit you nor harm you. If you do it, you will be among the unjust

If God inflicts harm on you, no one can remove it except for Him, and, if He intends good for you, no one can turn away His favor. He grants His bounty to any of His worshipers whom He wills. He alone is truly forgiving, the true Purveyor of Mercy

Say, "People, the Truth has come to you from your Lord. Whoever chooses to follow the path of guidance follows it for his own good, and whoever chooses to go astray does so to his own loss. I am not responsible for your conduct

Follow what is being revealed to you, and be patient in hard times until God gives His judgment. He is the best of all judges