The Rangers 37

When he came unto his Lord with a whole heart;

When he said unto his father and his folk: What is it that ye worship?

Is it a falsehood - gods beside Allah - that ye desire?

What then is your opinion of the Lord of the Worlds?

And they turned their backs and went away from him.

Then turned he to their gods and said: Will ye not eat?

Then he attacked them, striking with his right hand.

And (his people) came toward him, hastening.

He said: Worship ye that which ye yourselves do carve

When Allah hath created you and what ye make?

They said: Build for him a building and fling him in the red-hotfire.

And they designed a snare for him, but We made them the undermost.

And he said: Lo! I am going unto my Lord Who will guide me.

And when (his son) was old enough to walk with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee. So look, what thinkest thou? He said: O my father! Do that which thou art commanded. Allah willing, thou shalt find me of the steadfast.

Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had flung him down upon his face,

Thou hast already fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good.

Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim.

And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation):

And we gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a prophet of the righteous.

And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves.

And We verily gave grace unto Moses and Aaron,

And saved them and their people from the great distress,

And helped them so that they became the victors.

And We left for them among the later folk (the salutation):

Lo! they are two of Our believing slaves.

And lo! Elias was of those sent (to warn),

When he said unto his folk: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

Will ye cry unto Baal and forsake the Best of creators,

Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?

But they denied him, so they surely will be haled forth (to the doom)

And we left for him among the later folk (the salutation):

And lo! Lot verily was of those sent (to warn).

When We saved him and his household, every one,

Save an old woman among those who stayed behind;

And lo! ye verily pass by (the ruin of) them in the morning

And at night-time; have ye then no sense?

And lo! Jonah verily was of those sent (to warn)

And then drew lots and was of those rejected;

And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy;

And had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah)

He would have tarried in its belly till the day when they are raised;

Then We cast him on a desert shore while he was sick;

And We caused a tree of gourd to grow above him;

And We sent him to a hundred thousand (folk) or more

And they believed, therefor We gave them comfort for a while.

Now ask them (O Muhammad): Hath thy Lord daughters whereas they have sons?

Or created We the angels females while they were present?

Lo! it is of their falsehood that they say:

Allah hath begotten. Allah! verily they tell a lie.

(And again of their falsehood): He hath preferred daughters to sons.

Then produce your writ, if ye are truthful.

And they imagine kinship between him and the jinn, whereas the jinn know well that they will be brought before (Him).

Glorified be Allah from that which they attribute (unto Him),

Lo! verily, ye and that which ye worship,

There is not one of us but hath his known position.

Lo! we, even we are they who set the ranks,

Lo! we, even we are they who hymn His praise

If we had but a reminder from the men of old

We would be single-minded slaves of Allah.

Yet (now that it is come) they disbelieve therein; but they will come to know.