part VIII

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111. Even if We should send down the angels to them, and the dead should speak to them, and even if We should bring all things together face to face (to them), they would not believe unless Allâh had (enforced) His will. The thing is that most of them persist in ignorance.

112. And in the same manner have We made the evil ones from among (ordinary) human beings and the jinns enemies to every prophet; some of them suggest one to another gilded speech to beguile (them). Had your Lord (enforced) His will, they would not have done so; so leave them alone with what they forge;

113. And the result (of their so doing) is that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are inclined to it (- their guile), and they take pleasure therein and they continue committing their (evil) deeds as they are doing.

114. (Say,) `What! shall I seek for a judge (to decide between us) other than Allâh, when it is He, Who has revealed to you this perfect Book clearly explained?' And those to whom We have given this Book know that it is revealed by your Lord with all the requirements of truth and wisdom, so be not of the disputers.

115. The (prophetic) word of your Lord is bound to be fulfilled in truth and justice. There is no one who can change His words. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

116. Should you obey the majority of those on earth, they would lead you astray from Allâh's way. They follow nothing but mere surmise and they do nothing but make conjectures.

117. Surely He, Your Lord, knows best who goes astray from His way; as He knows best the rightly guided.

118. So (do not follow those who go astray, and) eat of that over which the name of Allâh has been pronounced, if you are indeed believers in His Messages.

119. What reason have you that you do not eat of that over which Allâh's name has been pronounced, whilst He has already explained to you the things He has forbidden to you, excepting that which you are constrained to (eat out of necessity). And surely many mislead (others) by following their own fancies due to lack of knowledge. Verily, your Lord knows best these transgressors.

120. Refrain from sin in form and its spirit (both). Verily, those who commit sins deliberately shall be repaid according to the deeds committed by them.

121. And do not eat of that on which Allâh's name has not been pronounced, for it is the sure (product of) disobedience. Certainly, the evil ones suggest their friends to dispute with you, and if you obey them, you shall invariably become polytheists.

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122. Can he, who was lifeless (before) and to whom We gave life and We provided for him a light whereby he moves about among the people, be like the person whose condition is (as one) consigned to thick darkness from whence he cannot emerge? Thus the deeds of the disbelievers are made fair-seeming to them (by satan);

123. Similarly have We made the leaders in every town the guilty ones, (because their doings seem fair to them) with the result that they intrigue therein; but little do they understand that, (as a matter of fact,) they intrigue only against themselves.

124. And when there comes to them a (Divine) Message they say, `We will never believe unless we ourselves are given the like of what has been given to the Messengers of Allâh.' Allâh knows best whom to entrust His Messengership. Surely, humiliation and severe and disgraceful punishment from Allâh shall befall those who cut off their ties (with Him) because of their intrigues (against Our Prophets).

125. But as to whom Allâh intends to guide He opens his bosom to Islam and as to him whom He allows to go astray He makes his bosom close and constricted, so that he feels as though he were climbing up the heights. Just as Allâh does this He lays ignominy on those who do not believe.

126. And this path (of Islam) is an exact right path (leading) to your Lord. We have indeed explained the Messages (of truth) in detail for a people who would accept admonition.

127. There awaits with their Lord an abode of peace, and He is their Patron because of their (righteous) deeds.

128. Beware of the day when He will gather them all together (and say), `O multitude of jinn! you made a great many of the (ordinary) people subservient to yourselves (in disobedience).' And their votaries from the people will say, `Our Lord! some of us benefited one from another but (at last) we have reached the end of the (appointed) term which You determined for us.' He will then say, `The Fire is your lodging, therein to abide, unless Allâh wills (otherwise).' Verily, your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

129. In the like manner do We let some of the unjust have power one over another because of their (wrongful) deeds.

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130. `O multitude of jinn (- fiery natured, houghty) and (ordinary) peoples! did there come to you no Messengers from among yourselves who related to you My Messages and warned you that you would face this your day?' They will say, `(Yes,) we bear witness against ourselves.' And the present life has beguiled them. And they will bear witness against themselves (on that day) that they were disbelievers.

131. This (sending of the Messengers) is because your Lord destroys no township unjustly whilst their inhabitants are unwarned.

132. And for all are (fixed different) degrees (of rank) in accordance with their deeds. Your Lord is not at all unaware of what they do.

133. Your Lord is Self-Sufficient, Lord of mercy. If He will, He may do away with you (O disbelievers!) and replace you with such others as He will, just as He evolved you from the seeds of other people.

134. Verily, that punishment which you are promised must come to pass and you cannot frustrate (His plans).

135. Say, `O my people! go on working according to (the utmost of) your capacities and positions. Surely, I am doing (my best)! Soon you shall come to know for whom is the (best) reward of this abode.' Anyhow, the wrong-doers never attain their goal.

136. They allocate to Allâh a portion out of what He has produced of the tillage and the cattle, and they say, `This is for Allâh,' - according to their fancies - `and this is (set apart) for our gods (we associate with Allâh).' Then what is for their associate-gods never goes over to Allâh, but what is (set apart) for Allâh does (often) go over to their associate-gods. How ill they judge!

137. Just (as their associate-gods turned the polytheists away from Allâh) so did they make (even so monstrous a deed as) the killing of their children seem fair to a large number of the polytheists, with the result that they ruin them and that they obscure for them their religion. And if Allâh had (enforced) His will they would not have done so, so leave them alone and that what they forge.

138. And they say (according to their fancies), `Such and such cattle and tillage are secure; (since their use is forbidden for others,) none shall eat them except whom we please.' So they assert - there are some cattle whose backs have been forbidden (for use), and some cattle over which they would not pronounce the name of Allâh. (They do all this) forging a lie against Him (that such practices are by His will). Soon He will surely punish them for the lies they have forged.

139. They further say, `That (the young one) which is (living) in the womb of such and such cattle is exclusively reserved for our males and is forbidden to our spouses, but if it be still- born then they are (all) partakers of it.' He will surely repay them with punishment for their (false) specification. Surely, He is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

140. Certainly, they suffer a loss (those) who kill their children in folly (and) ignorance, and forbid (themselves) what Allâh has provided for them; forging lies in the name of Allâh. They have indeed gone astray and they are not rightly guided.

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141. And He it is Who evolved gardens trellised and untrellised, and the date-palms, and the cornfields whose produce and fruits are of diverse kinds and tastes, and oil producing plants, and pomegranates; similar (in kind) yet dissimilar (in variety). Eat of the fruit of each when it yields fruit, and render thereof His due (in charity) on the day of harvesting, and do not exceed the bounds. Verily, He loves not those who exceed the bounds.

142. (He it is Who created some) of the cattle for carrying burdens and some (like sheep and goat) are too low (to carry burdens but fit for slaughter). Eat of what Allâh has provided for you and do not follow in the footsteps of satan, for he is indeed an enemy disuniting you (from Allâh).

143. And (of cattle slaughtered for food, He has created) eight (heads in four) pairs, the pair of sheep, the pair of goats. Say, `Is it the two males He has made unlawful, or the two females, or is it that (young) which the wombs of the two females contain (which He has forbidden)? Expound to me (the case) with (sure) knowledge if you are in the right.'

144. And (He created) the pair of camels and the pair of cows. Say, `Is it the two males that He has made unlawful or the two females or is it that which the wombs of the two females contain (which He has forbidden)? Or were you present when Allâh enjoined this (unlawfulness and lawfulness) on you?' Who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allâh deliberately that he may lead the people astray without having any knowledge. Verily, Allâh does not guide the unjust people.

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145. Say, `I find nothing in what Allâh has revealed to me that forbids the people to eat anything except it be that which dies of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine; for (all) this is unclean, or (I find that thing forbidden) what is profane, which has been sacrificed in other than Allâh's name, yet he who is constrained (to eat any of them), having no desire (for that) and having no intention to exceed the limit, (will find that) surely your Lord is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

146. And as for those who judaised, We forbade them every animal having claws, We forbade them the fat of the oxen and that of the goats (and of the sheep) except that (fat) which their backs or entrails bear or which cleaves to a bone. That is how We punished them for their transgression; and We are always true to Our words.

147. And if they cry lies to you then say to them, `Your Lord is the Lord of All-Embracing Mercy; but His punishment cannot be averted from the guilty people.'

148. Now those who associate partners (with Allâh) say, `If Allâh had (so) willed we would not have associated partners (with Him), nor would have our forefathers, nor would we have made anything unlawful (of our own);' just as (they deny you) their predecessors cried lies (to their apostles of God) until they suffered Our punishment. Say, `Have you any knowledge (about it)? Then present it before us. You follow naught but mere conjectures, and you do nothing but tell lies.'

149. Say, `Then with Allâh is the conclusive argument. Had He (enforced) His will, He would have surely guided you all.'

150. Say, `Bring your witnesses who can testify that Allâh has forbidden the thing (you forbid yourselves).' Then supposing they testify this, do not bear them out, nor follow the caprice of those who treat Our Messages as lies and who do not believe in the Hereafter and who set up equals to their Lord.

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151. Say, `Come, I will rehearse to you what your Lord has made binding on you; it is that you shall associate not any thing as partner with Him, and that you shall be good to parents, and that you waste not your children because of poverty. It is We Who make provisions for you as well for them too. (Allâh has also enjoined upon you that you) approach not indecencies, whether open or hidden, and that you kill no soul which Allâh has made sacred, except in the cause of justice.' This has He enjoined you with, so that you may (learn to) abstain (from evil).

152. And (He has enjoined you) that you do not approach the property of an orphan except in the fairest manner; until he attains his maturity, and give full measure and weight with equity. We charge no soul except to its capacity, and that when you speak (giving your verdict), observe justice even though the person concerned be a relative (of yours), and fulfill the covenant (you made) with Allâh. That is what He enjoins upon you so that you may take heed,

153. And (the Lord says,) `This is My exact right path, so follow it, and follow not (diverse) ways, lest they should deviate you away from His (straight) way.' That is what He enjoins you with, that you may guard against evil.

154. And behold! We gave Moses the Scripture to complete (Our favours) upon him who did good to others and is righteous, and to explain everything worth explaining and as a guidance and a mercy, so that the people may believe in that they will meet their Lord.

155. And (similarly) this is a (glorious) Book which We have revealed full of blessings, so follow it and guard against evil that you may be shown mercy.

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156. (We have revealed this blessed Book) lest you should say, `The Book has only been revealed to two communities (- the Jews and the Christians) before us, and (as for us) we remained unaware of what those (Books) read.'

157. Or lest you should say, `Had the Book been revealed to us we would surely have been better guided than they.' Now there has certainly come to you from your Lord (in the form of the Qur'ân) a clear evidence, an excellent guidance and a great mercy. Who then, is more unjust than he who cries lies to the revelations of Allâh and turns away from them? We will certainly award those who turn away from Our revelations an awful punishment, because of their having turned away.

158. Do they await only that the angels should come to them (with wars), or that (complete destruction from) your Lord should come (upon them), or that some of the signs of your Lord should visit them (with earthly calamities). The day when some of the signs of your Lord shall come, no soul, that did not believe earlier or accomplished some good deeds through (his) belief, will ever benefit by his faith. Say, `Wait, we too are waiting.'

159. Verily, those who have caused a split in their religion and became (divided into) sects you have no concern whatsoever with them. Their case will come before Allâh, then He will (judge it) and will fully inform them of what they have been doing.

160. Whosoever does good shall be repaid tenfold, but he who commits evil shall be recompensed only in proportion (to the evil done), and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.

161. Say, `As for me, surely my Lord has guided me to the exact straight path, the ever true faith, the creed of Abraham the upright, and he was not of the polytheists.'

162. Say, `Surely, my Prayer and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are (all) for the sake of Allâh, the Lord of the worlds.

163. No associate-partner has He, and so am I ordained, and I am the first of the submitting ones (to Allâh).'

164. Say, `Shall I seek a Lord other than Allâh whilst He is the Lord of all things?' And no soul does anything (evil) but only against itself; no soul that bears a burden shall bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return and He will fully inform you about that (truth) wherein you have been disagreeing.

165. And He it is Who has made you successors (of others and rulers) of the land, and He has exalted some of you over the others in degrees (of rank) so that He may try you by that which He has given you. Surely, your Lord is Quick at retribution; and He is all the same, Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

Chapter

7

Al-A`râf

(The Elevated Places)

(Revealed before Hijrah)

With the name of Allâh,

the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful

(I commence to read Sûrah Al-A`râf)

1. Alif Lâm Mîm Sâd - I am Allâh, the Best Knower, the Most Truthful.

2. (This Qur'ân is) a (glorious) Book revealed to you that you may warn (the erring) therewith, and (that it may be) a source of eminence and honour to the believers. Let there be no constriction in your mind on this account .

3. (People!) follow (the Message) which has been revealed to you by your Lord and follow no patrons (as you assume them to be), apart from Allâh. How little heed you pay to admonition!

4. So many a (rebellious) township have We caused to be ruined; so Our punishment visited them by night or while they were taking their midday rest;

5. So that their cry meant nothing when Our punishment came upon them except that they (apologisingly) said, `Truly we were wrong-doing people.'

6. We will then invariably question those to whom (the Messages) were sent and We will certainly question (also) the Messengers.

7. We will certainly relate to them (true facts) with exact details, having full knowledge of them, for We were never absent (from them when it came to pass).

8. On that day the weighing (- the judging of deeds) will be just and true, then he whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, it is these only who shall attain their goal.

9. And those whose scales are light (and their deeds of little account), it is they who have made their souls suffer losses because they have been unjust with regard to Our Messages.

10. (People!) We have indeed established you in the earth (giving you power therein), and provided for you therein (various) means of subsistence. How little thanks you give!

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11. We did determine you, then We gave you shape, then said to the angels, `Make submission to (the Children of) Adam,' so they all submitted. But Iblîs (did not), he would not be of those who submit.

12. (God) said, `What prevented you from submitting when I commanded you (to submit)?' (Iblîs) said, `I am better than he (- the human being). You created me from fire whereas You created him from clay.'

13. (God) said, `Get down from this (haughty state) for it is not proper for you to behave proudly here, so be gone. Surely, you are of those who have agreed to remain in an abject position.'

14. He (- Iblîs, in impertinent defiance) said, `Grant me respite till the day when they are raised up again.'

15. (God) said, `Surely, you are of those (already) given respite.'

16. (Iblîs) said, `Now, since You have adjudged me to be perverted and lost, I will assuredly lie in wait for them (- the Children of Adam) on the straight and exact path that leads to you.

17. `There will I come upon them from their front and from their backs and from their right and from their left so that You will not find most of them grateful (to You).'

18. (God) said, `Get out from this (state), despised and driven away. Be sure, whosoever of these (human beings) follows you I will certainly fill Gehenna with you all.'

19. And (We said), `O Adam! dwell you and your wife in this garden, then eat you both when and where you like but do not (even) approach this tree or you both will become of the transgressors.'

20. Then satan made an evil suggestion to them both, with the result that their shortcomings which were hidden from them, became manifest to them, and he said, `Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest you should become angels or become of the immortals.'

21. And he ardently swore to them both (saying), `Most certainly, I am one of your sincere advisers.'

22. Thus he led them on the way of guile and deceit. And when they tasted of the tree (and committed the things forbidden to them), their shortcomings became manifest to them. They (in order to cover themselves) began to stick the leaves of the garden over themselves and their Lord called out to them both (saying,) `Did I not forbid you from (approaching) that tree, and tell you that satan is to you an enemy disuniting (from Me)?'

23. Both of them said, `Our Lord! we have done injustice to our souls, and if You do not protect us (against the consequences of our faults) and do not have mercy on us, we shall surely be of the losers.'

24. (God) said, `Get down (from this land). Some of you are (indeed) enemies of others, and there will be for you on this earth a habitation and (enjoyment of) provision for a while.'

25. And (He added), `In this (very universe) you shall live and therein you shall die and from it you shall be brought forth (in the Hereafter).'

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26. O Children of Adam! We have given you a raiment that covers your nakedness and is a source of (your) elegance and protection. Yet the raiment that guards against evils, that is the best (of robes). That is one of the commandments of Allâh so that they may attain eminence.

27. O Children of Adam! do not let satan put you in trouble (in the same way) as he turned your parents out of the garden, stripping them of their raiment (of innocence) with the result that their shortcomings were made manifest to them both. Verily, he (- satan) sees you, he and his tribe, in such a way as you see them not. Verily, We have made satans friends of those who do not believe.

28. And when they (- the disbelievers) commit an act of indecency, they say, `We found our forefathers (practising) on it, and it is Allâh Who has enjoined it upon us.' Say, `Surely, Allâh never enjoins indecencies. Do you attribute to Allâh what you do not know (that it is from Him).'

29. Say, `My Lord has ordained to be equitable, and to keep your attention upright towards Him always in (your) every Prayer, and to call upon Him exclusively bearing true faith in Him. As He brought you into being (in the first instance) so shall you return (to Him again).'

30. There is a party whom He has guided aright, but there is another party, straying has become an established fact with them. Verily, they have taken the evil ones for friends to the exclusion of Allâh, yet they deem they are rightly guided.

31. O Children of Adam! look to your elegance (by dressing properly) at every time and place of worship, and eat and drink but exceed not the bounds, for He does not love those who exceed the bounds.

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32. Say, `Who has made unlawful Allâh's beautiful things of adornment and elegance which He has produced for His servants and the delicious and pure things of (His) providing?' Say, `They are primarily meant for the believers (and for the disbelievers too) in this present life (but) exclusively for (the believers) on the Day of Resurrection.' In this way do We explain the Messages for a people who would know.

33. Say, `Verily, My Lord has forbidden all (acts of) indecency, open and hidden, and every (kind of) sin and aggression, which is never justifiable; and (He forbids you also) to associate with Allâh that for which He has sent down no authority, and to say concerning Allâh that which you do not know (that it is in fact said by Him).'

34. For (the end of) every nation there is a term fixed, so that when their term comes, they cannot delay a single moment (to avoid it) nor can they get ahead (of it to escape from it).

35. O Children of Adam! whenever there come to you Messengers from amongst yourselves relating to you My Messages, then whosoever (by accepting them) becomes secure against evil and amends, there shall remain no fear on them nor shall they grieve.

36. But those who cry lies to Our Messages and turn away from them disdainfully, it is they who are the fellows of the Fire, where they shall abide till long.

37. Who is more unjust than he who forges a lie in the name of Allâh or cries lies to His Messages. It is these who shall continue to have their lot of the Book as ordained (by Allâh) until (there comes the time) when Our messengers (- the angels) come to them to take away their souls. They (- the angels) will say, `Where is (now) that which you used to call upon besides Allâh?' They will reply, `They are lost to us;' and they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.

38. He (- God) will say, `Enter into the Fire along with the communities that have passed away before you, from among the jinns and ordinary people.' Every time a (new) community enters it, it curses its sister (evil-doing community), until when they have all followed one another into it, the last of them will say with regard to the first of them (-the leaders), `Our Lord! these led us astray so give them punishment of the Fire over and over again.' He will say, `Everyone is having (his punishment) over and over again, but you do not know (about one another).'

39. And the first of them, (- their leaders) will say to the last of them (- the followers), `(If we are to blame), you (too) are no better than we. Suffer therefore, the punishment of your (evil) deeds.'

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40. Be sure, those who cry lies to Our Messages and turn away from them disdainfully, the gates of the (spiritual) firmament shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter Paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle. In this way do We award punishment to those who cut their ties (with Allâh).

41. They shall have Gehenna for their bed and above them awnings (of fire for cover), and thus do We requit the wrong-doers.

42. (As for) those who believe and do deeds of righteousness - We charge no soul except according to its capacity. It is these who are the rightful owners of Paradise where they shall abide for ever.

43. We shall strip their hearts of whatever rancour there may be (for others). They shall have streams rolling at their feet, and they shall say, `All perfect and true praise belongs to Allâh Who guided us to attain to this (Paradise). We could never have been led aright (to this) if Allâh had not guided us. The Messengers of Our Lord did come (to us) with the truth.' It will be proclaimed to them, `This is the very Paradise which you are made to inherit as a reward of your (good) deeds.'

44. The owners of Paradise will call out to the fellows of the Fire, `We have found, what Our Lord had promised, to be true. Have you (too) found what your Lord had promised (to you) to be true?' They will say, `Yes.' Then a herald will proclaim amongst them, `Let the disapproval of Allâh be on these wrong-doers

45. `Who hinder (the people) from Allâh's way and seek to make it (look as) crooked, and who are disbelievers in the Hereafter.'

46. And between the two (- the Fire and the Paradise) is a barrier, and on the elevated places there shall be men (like the Prophets and other exalted spiritual dignitaries) who will recognise every one by his appearance. And they shall call out to the (prospective) inmates of Paradise, `Peace be on you!' These (prospective inmates of Paradise) will not have (yet) entered therein, though they will be hoping (for this entry).

47. And when their eyes are turned towards the fellows of the Fire, they will say, `Our Lord! place us not with these wrong-doing people.'

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48. The occupants of the elevated places will call out to certain men (from the fellows of the Fire), whom they will recognise by their appearance, `Behold! neither your multitude nor that (amassing) in which you took pride have been of any avail to you.

49. `Are these (owners of Paradise) the ones about whom you swore that Allâh would not extend His mercy to them?' (Allâh has ordered them,) `Enter Paradise! No fear shall remain on you, nor ever shall you grieve.'

50. Now the fellows of the Fire will call out to the owners of Paradise, `Pour down upon us some water or (give us) some of that which Allâh has provided for you.' They will say, `Allâh has forbidden them both to the disbelievers;

51. `Those who took their faith for a futile and frivolous thing causing diversion (from Allâh), they were beguiled by the worldly life.' (And God will say,) `So on this day We shall forsake them as they forsook (the idea of) the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they denied Our Messages deliberately.

52. `Although We had brought them a Book which We had made clear with knowledge, as a guidance and as a mercy for a people who believe.'

53. Do these (disbelievers) just await the final sequel (of the warning) thereof? The day its final sequel comes, those who had forsaken it before (in this life) would say, `The Messengers of our Lord did indeed come with the truth. Have we (now) any intercessors so that they may intercede for us? Or could we be sent back so that we might act otherwise than we used to act?' They have indeed ruined their souls and that which they used to forge has failed them.

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54. As a matter of fact your Lord is Allâh, Who created the heavens and the earth in six aeons and at the same time He is well established on the Throne of Authority. He covers the night with the day which follows (the night) incessantly. And He created the sun and the moon and the stars all subservient (to humankind) by His command. Beware! His is all, the creation and the command. Blessed be Allâh, Lord of the worlds.

55. Call upon your Lord with humility and open supplication. In fact He does not love the transgressors.

56. And do not create disorder in the land after the fair ordering thereof and call on Him with fear (of His displeasure) and with hope (of His mercy). Surely the mercy of Allâh is always close to the doers of good to others.

57. He it is Who sends the winds as good tidings heralding His mercy, till when they (those winds) bear heavy clouds, find them light, We drive (the clouds) to a dead land, then We make it rain, then We bring forth (from the dead land) by means of that (water) all manner of fruit; that is how We will bring forth the dead so that you may achieve eminence and honour.

58. And (as for) the fertile land, its vegetation comes forth (flourishing and well) by the leave of its Lord, and that (land) which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily and (that too) defective. That is how We expound (Our) Messages in diverse ways for a people who give thanks.

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59. We sent Noah to his people and he said, `O my people! worship Allâh, there is no One worthy of worship for you other than He. Surely, I fear lest there should befall you the punishment of an awful Day.'

60. The chiefs of his people said, `Surely, we see you steeped in evident error.'

61. He said, `O my people! I am in no error, (nor am I lost), rather I am Messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

62. `I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord, and I advise you sincerely, for I know from Allâh what you do not know.

63. `Well, does it make you wonder that an exhortation, leading to eminence and honour, has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, so that he may warn you, and so that you may become secure against evil, and that you may be shown mercy?'

64. But they (to whom he delivered His Messages) cried lies to him, so We rescued him and those with him in the Ark (from the deluge), and We drowned those who cried lies to Our Messages. They were certainly a (spiritually) blind people.

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65. And to `Âd (We sent) their brother Hûd. He said, 'O my people! worship Allâh, you have no deity other than He; will you not then guard against evil?'

66. The unbelieving chiefs of his people said, `We surely see you in folly and in fact we deem you one of the liars.'

67. He said, `O my people! there is no foolishness in me, on the contrary I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

68. `I deliver to you the Messages of my Lord and I am to you a counselor, sincere and trust-worthy.

69. `Do you wonder that an exhortation, leading to eminence and honour, should come to you from your Lord, through a man from among you so that he may warn you? Remember (His favour) when He made you (- the Adites) rulers after the people of Noah and increased you vastly in respect of (your bodily) constitution (by making you stout and strong and tall), remember then the favours of Allâh so that you may attain the goal.'

70. They said, `Have you come to us that we may worship Allâh alone and renounce that which our fathers worshipped? Bring down on us the punishment you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful.'

71. He said, `There has already fallen upon you the punishment and the displeasure from your Lord. Would you dispute with me regarding mere names (of your false gods) which you have coined, you and your fathers, names in support of which Allâh has sent down no authority? (If so) then wait (for the consequences), I too, am with you, among those who wait.'

72. So We, in Our mercy, saved him and his companions, and We rooted out the last remnants of those who cried lies to Our Messages, for they would not believe.

SECTION 10

73. And to Thamûd (We sent) their brother Sâlih. He said, `O my people! worship Allâh, you have no other god than Him. A clear proof has already come to you from your Lord. Here is a she-camel (let loose for the cause) of Allâh, a sign for you. Let her alone to pasture in Allâh's land and do her no harm or a woeful punishment shall overtake you.

74. `And recall (His favour) when He made you (- Thamûd) the ruler after `Âd and assigned you abode in the land after your sufferings. You build castles in its plains, and hew out of the mountains houses. Remember, therefore, the favours of Allâh and do not commit mischief in the land, (acting as) creators of disorder.'

75. The chieftains of his people who considered themselves strong and great said to those who were reckoned weak, to those of them who had believed, `Are you sure that Sâlih is one sent from his Lord?' They replied, `Surely, we are believers in that (Message) he has been sent with.'

76. Those who considered themselves great and strong said (scornfully), `Lo! we are disbelievers in that which you believe in.'

77. So they hamstrung the she-camel and flouted the commandment of their Lord and said, `O Sâlih! bring down on us the punishment you used to threatens us with, if you are really one of the sent ones (by God).'

78. So the earthquake seized them and the morning found them lying prostrate on the ground in their habitations.

79. Then he (- Sâlih) turned away from them and said, (lamenting upon their disaster), `O my people! I delivered to you the Messages of my Lord and offered you sincere advice but you do not like sincere counsellors.'

80. And (We sent) Lot, (and recall) when he said to his people, `Do you commit such abomination (of sodomy) as is unprecedent and unsurpassed in the whole world?

81. `You indeed approach men rather than (your) women to satisfy your lust. The fact is that you are a people who transgress all limits.'

82. His people had no reply to make but that they said (to one another), `Turn them (- Lot and his followers) out of your township, for they are a people who show off to be pure.'

83. And We saved him and his followers, except his wife who chose to be of those who stayed behind.

84. And We pelted (the rest of) them with a severe rain (- a rain of stones due to volcanic eruption combined with an earthquake). Behold! how (evil) was the end of those who cut off their ties (with Allâh).

SECTION 11

85. And to (the people of) Midian (We sent) their brother Shu`aib. He said, `O my people! worship Allâh for you have no One worthy of worship other than Him. A clear proof (to this effect) has already come to you from your Lord, so give full measure and (full) weight, and do not cheat people of their goods, nor create disorder in the land after the fair ordering therein. This indeed is best for you, if you are true believers.

86. `And do not sit in every path holding out threats (to the wayfarers), and turning those who believe in Him, away from the path of Allâh and seeking to make it (appear as) crooked. And remember (His favours) when you were but a few then He multiplied you. Behold! what was the end of the spreader of corruption.

87. `And if there be a party of you who believes in what I am sent with, and a party who does not believe then wait with patience until Allâh judges between us, for He is the Best of Judges.'