The Prophets 21

Their reckoning draweth nigh for mankind, while they turn away in heedlessness.

Never cometh there unto them a new reminder from their Lord but they listen to it while they play,

With hearts preoccupied. And they confer in secret. The wrong-doers say: Is this other than a mortal like you? Will ye then succumb to magic when ye see (it)?

He saith: My Lord knoweth what is spoken in the heaven and the earth. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

Nay, say they, (these are but) muddled dreams; nay, he hath but invented it; nay, he is but a poet. Let him bring us a portent even as those of old (who were God's messengers) were sent (with portents).

Not a township believed of those which We destroyed before them (though We sent them portents): would they then believe?

And We sent not (as Our messengers) before thee other than men, whom We inspired. Ask the followers of the Reminder if ye know not?

We gave them not bodies that would not eat food, nor were they immortals.

Then we fulfilled the promise unto them. So we delivered them and whom We would, and We destroyed the prodigals.

Now We have revealed unto you a Scripture wherein is your Reminder. Have ye then no sense?

How many a community that dealt unjustly have We shattered, and raised up after them another folk!

And, when they felt Our might, behold them fleeing from it!

(But it was said unto them): Flee not, but return to that (existence) which emasculated you and to your dwellings, that ye may be questioned.

They cried: Alas for us! we were wrong-doers.

And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct.

We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play.

If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did.

Nay, but We hurl the true against the false, and it doth break its head and lo! it vanisheth. And yours will be woe for that which ye ascribe (unto Him).

Unto Him belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who dwell in His presence are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary;

They glorify (Him) night and day; they flag not.

Or have they chosen gods from the earth who raise the dead?

If there were therein gods beside Allah, then verily both (the heavens and the earth) had been disordered. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from all that they ascribe (unto Him).

He will not be questioned as to that which He doeth, but they will be questioned.

Or have they chosen other gods beside Him? say: Bring your proof (of their godhead). This is the Reminder of those with me and those before me, but most of them know not the Truth and so they are averse.

And We sent no messenger before thee but We inspired him, (saying): There is no God save Me (Allah), so worship Me.

And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves;

They speak not until He hath spoken, and they act by His command.

He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.

And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a god beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We Repay wrong-doers.

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?

And We have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them, and We have placed therein ravines as roads that haply they may find their way.

And we have made the sky a roof withheld (from them). Yet they turn away from its portents.

And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.

We appointed immortality for no mortal before thee. What! if thou diest, can they be immortal!

Every soul must taste of death, and We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And unto Us ye will be returned.

And when those who disbelieve behold thee, they but choose thee out for mockery, (saying): Is this he who maketh mention of your gods? And they would deny all mention of the Beneficent.

Man is made of haste. I shall show you My portents, but ask Me not to hasten.

And they say: When will this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?

If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not be able to drive off the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be helped!

Nay, but it will come upon them unawares so that it will stupefy them, and they will be unable to repel it, neither will they be reprieved.

Messengers before thee, indeed, were mocked, but that whereat they mocked surrounded those who scoffed at them.

Say: Who guardeth you in the night or in the day from the Beneficent? Nay, but they turn away from mention of their Lord!

Or have they gods who can shield them from Us? They cannot help themselves nor can they be defended from Us.

Nay, but We gave these and their fathers ease until life grew long for them. See they not how we aim to the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? Can they then be the victors?

Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I warn you only by the Inspiration. But the deaf hear not the call when they are warned.

And if a breath of thy Lord's punishment were to touch them, they assuredly would say: Alas for us! Lo! we were wrong-doers.

And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners.

And We verily gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion (of right and wrong) and a light and a Reminder for those who keep from evil,

Those who fear their Lord in secret and who dread the Hour (of doom).

This is a blessed Reminder that we have revealed: Will ye then reject it?

And We verily gave Abraham of old his proper course, and We were Aware of him,

When he said unto his father and his folk: What are these images unto which ye pay devotion?

They said: We found our fathers worshippers of them.

He said: Verily ye and your fathers were in plain error.

They said: Bringest thou unto us the truth, or art thou some jester?

He said: Nay, but your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them; and I am of those who testify unto that.

And, by Allah, I shall circumvent your idols after ye have gone away and turned your backs.

Then he reduced them to fragments, all save the chief of them, that haply they might have recourse to it.

They said: Who hath done this to our gods? Surely it must be some evil- doer.

They said: We heard a youth make mention of them, who is called Abraham.