The Bee 16

The commandment of Allah will come to pass, so seek not ye to hasten it. Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate (with Him).

He sendeth down the angels with the Spirit of His command unto whom He will of His bondmen, (saying): Warn mankind that there is no God save Me, so keep your duty unto Me.

He hath created the heavens and the earth with truth. High be He Exalted above all that they associate (with Him).

He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent.

And the cattle hath He created, whence ye have warm clothing and uses, and whereof ye eat;

And wherein is beauty for you, when ye bring them home, and when ye take them out to pasture.

And they bear your loads for you unto a land ye could not reach save with great trouble to yourselves. Lo! your Lord is Full of Pity, Merciful.

And horses and mules and asses (hath He created) that ye may ride them, and for ornament. And He createth that which ye know not.

And Allah's is the direction of the way, and some (roads) go not straight. And had He willed He would have led you all aright.

He it is Who sendeth down water from the sky, whence ye have drink, and whence are trees on which ye send your beasts to pasture.

Therewith He causeth crops to grow for you, and the olive and the date-palm and grapes and all kinds of fruit. Lo! herein is indeed a portent for people who reflect.

And He hath constrained the night and the day and the sun and the moon to be of service unto you, and the stars are made subservient by His command. Lo! herein indeed are portents for people who have sense.

And whatsoever He hath created for you in the earth of divers hues, lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who take heed.

And He it is Who hath constrained the sea to be of service that ye eat fresh meat from thence, and bring forth from thence ornaments which ye wear. And thou seest the ships ploughing it that ye (mankind) may seek of His bounty and that haply ye may give thanks.

And He hath cast into the earth firm hills that it quake not with you, and streams and roads that ye may find a way.

And landmarks (too), and by the star they find a way.

Is He then Who createth as him who createth not? Will ye not then remember?

And if ye would count the favour of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! Allah is indeed Forgiving, Merciful.

And Allah knoweth that which ye keep hidden and that which ye proclaim.

Those unto whom they cry beside Allah created naught, but are themselves created.

(They are) dead, not living. And they know not when they will be raised.

Your God is One God. But as for those who believe not in the Hereafter their hearts refuse to know, for they are proud.

Assuredly Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden and that which they proclaim. Lo! He loveth not the proud.

And when it is said unto them: What hath your Lord revealed? they say: (Mere) fables of the men of old,

That they may bear their burdens undiminished on the Day of Resurrection, with somewhat of the burdens of those whom they mislead without knowledge. Ah! evil is that which they bear!

Those before them plotted, so Allah struck at the foundations of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the doom came on them whence they knew not;

Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and will say: Where are My partners, for whose sake ye opposed (My guidance)? Those who have been given knowledge will say: Disgrace this day and evil are upon the disbelievers,

Whom the angels cause to die while they are wronging themselves. Then will they make full submission (saying): We used not to do any wrong. Nay! Surely Allah is Knower of what ye used to do.

So enter the gates of hell, to dwell therein for ever. Woeful indeed will be the lodging of the arrogant.

And it is said unto those who ward off (evil): What hath your Lord revealed? They say: Good. For those who do good in this world there is a good (reward) and the home of the Hereafter will be better. Pleasant indeed will be the home of those who ward off (evil) -

Gardens of Eden which they enter, underneath which rivers flow, wherein they have what they will. Thus Allah repayeth those who ward off (evil),

Those whom the angels cause to die (when they are) good. They say: Peace be unto you! Enter the Garden because of what ye used to do.

Await they aught say that the angels should come unto them or thy Lord's command should come to pass? Even so did those before them. Allah wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves,

So that the evils of what they did smote them, and that which they used to mock surrounded them.

And the idolaters say: Had Allah willed, we had not worshipped aught beside Him, we and our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught without (command from) Him. Even so did those before them. Are the messengers charged with aught save plain conveyance (of the message)?

And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers!

Even if thou (O Muhammad) desirest their right guidance, still Allah assuredly will not guide him who misleadeth. Such have no helpers.

And they swear by Allah their most binding oaths (that) Allah will not raise up him who dieth. Nay, but it is a promise (binding) upon Him in truth, but most of mankind know not,

That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.

And Our word unto a thing, when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: Be! and it is.

And those who became fugitives for the cause of Allah after they had been oppressed, We verily shall give them goodly lodging in the world, and surely the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew;

Such as are steadfast and put their trust in Allah.

And We sent not (as Our messengers) before thee other than men whom We inspired - Ask the followers of the Remembrance if ye know not! -

With clear proofs and writings; and We have revealed unto thee the Remembrance that thou mayst explain to mankind that which hath been revealed for them, and that haply they may reflect.

Are they who plan ill-deeds then secure that Allah will not cause the earth to swallow them, or that the doom will not come on them whence they know not?

Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro so that there be no escape for them?

Or that He will not seize them with a gradual wasting? Lo! thy Lord is indeed Full of Pity, Merciful.

Have they not observed all things that Allah hath created, how their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

And unto Allah maketh prostration whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth of living creatures, and the angels (also) and they are not proud.

They fear their Lord above them, and do what they are bidden.

Allah hath said: Choose not two gods. There is only One God. So of Me, Me only, be in awe.

Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, and religion is His for ever. Will ye then fear any other than Allah?

And whatever of comfort ye enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when misfortune reacheth you, unto Him ye cry for help.

And afterward, when He hath rid you of the misfortune, behold! a set of you attribute partners to their Lord,

So as to deny that which We have given them. Then enjoy life (while ye may), for ye will come to know.

And they assign a portion of that which We have given them unto what they know not. By Allah! but ye will indeed be asked concerning (all) that ye used to invent.

And they assign unto Allah daughters - Be He Glorified! - and unto themselves what they desire;

When if one of them receiveth tidings of the birth of a female, his face remaineth darkened, and he is wroth inwardly.

He hideth himself from the folk because of the evil of that whereof he hath had tidings, (asking himself): Shall he keep it in contempt, or bury it beneath the dust. Verily evil is their judgment.

For those who believe not in the Hereafter is an evil similitude, and Allah's is the Sublime Similitude. He is the Mighty, the Wise.