Al Hijr

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verses of the Scripture and a plain Reading.

1 A. L. R. These are the Ayats of Revelation, - of a Qur'an that makes things clear.

2 It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims.

2 Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to Allah's will) in Islam.

3 Let them eat and enjoy life, and let (false) hope beguile them. They will come to know!

3 Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them).

4 And We destroyed no township but there was a known decree for it.

4 Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand.

5 No nation can outstrip its term nor can they lag behind.

5 Neither can a people anticipate its term, nor delay it.

6 And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman!

6 They say: "O thou to whom the Message is being revealed! truly thou art mad (or possessed)!

7 Why bringest thou not angels unto us, if thou art of the truthful ?

7 "Why bringest thou not angels to us if it be that thou hast the Truth?"

8 We send not down the angels save with the Fact, and in that case (the disbelievers) would not be tolerated.

8 We send not the angels down except for just cause: if they came (to the ungodly), behold! no respite would they have!

9 Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian.

9 We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).

10 We verily sent (messengers) before thee among the factions of the men of old.

10 We did send messengers before thee amongst the religious sects of old:

11 And never came there unto them a messenger but they did mock him.

11 But never came a messenger to them but they mocked him.

12 Thus do We make it traverse the hearts of the guilty:

12 Even so do we let it creep into the hearts of the sinners -

13 They believe not therein, though the example of the men of old hath gone before.

13 That they should not believe in the (Message); but the ways of the ancients have passed away.

14 And even if We opened unto them a gate of heaven and they kept mounting through it,

14 Even if We opened out to them a gate from heaven, and they were to continue (all day) ascending therein,

15 They would say: Our sight is wrong - nay, but we are folk bewitched.

15 They would only say: "Our eyes have been intoxicated: Nay, we have been bewitched by sorcery."

16 And verily in the heaven we have set mansions of the stars, and We have beautified it for beholders.

16 It is We Who have set out the zodiacal signs in the heavens, and made them fair - seeming to (all) beholders;

17 And We have guarded it from every outcast devil,

17 And (moreover) We have guarded them from every cursed devil:

18 Save him who stealeth the hearing, and them doth a clear flame pursue.

18 But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see).

19 And the earth have We spread out, and placed therein firm hills, and caused each seemly thing to grow therein.

19 And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance.

20 And we have given unto you livelihoods therein, and unto those for whom ye provide not.

20 And We have provided therein means of subsistence, - for you and for those for whose sustenance ye are not responsible.

21 And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores thereof. And we send it not down save in appointed measure.

21 And there is not a thing but its (sources and) treasures (inexhaustible) are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures.

22 And We send the winds fertilising, and cause water to descend from the sky, and give it you to drink. It is not ye who are the holders of the store thereof.

22 And We send the fecundating winds, then cause the rain to descend from the sky, therewith providing you with water (in abundance), though ye are not the guardians of its stores.

23 Lo! and it is We, even We, Who quicken and give death, and We are the Inheritor.

23 And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away).

24 And verily We know the eager among you and verily We know the laggards.

24 To Us are known those of you who hasten forward, and those who lag behind.

25 Lo! thy Lord will gather them together. Lo! He is Wise, Aware.

25 Assuredly it is thy Lord Who will gather them together: for He is perfect in Wisdom and Knowledge.

26 Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,

26 We created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape;

27 And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire.

27 And the Jinn race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.

28 And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered,

28 Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape;

29 So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.

29 "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."

30 So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together

30 So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together:

31 Save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate.

31 Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

32 He said: O Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate ?

32 (Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"

33 He said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered!

33 (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."

34 He said: Then go thou forth from hence, for lo! thou art outcast.

34 (Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed.

35 And lo! the curse shall be upon thee till the Day of Judgment.

35 "And the curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgment."

36 He said: My Lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised.

36 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."

37 He said: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved

37 (Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee

38 Till the Day of appointed time.

38 "Till the Day of the Time appointed."

39 He said: My Lord! Because Thou hast sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one,

39 (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair - seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong, -

40 Save such of them as are Thy perfectly devoted slaves.

40 "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)."

41 He said: This is a right course incumbent upon Me:

41 (Allah) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me.

42 Lo! as for My slaves, thou hast no power over any of them save such of the froward as follow thee,

42 "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."

43 And lo! for all such, hell will be the promised place.

43 And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all!

44 It hath seven gates, and each gate hath an appointed portion.

44 To it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned.

45 Lo! those who ward off (evil) are among gardens and watersprings.

45 The righteous (will be) amid gardens and fountains (of clear - flowing water).

46 (And it is said unto them): Enter them in peace, secure.

46 (Their greeting will be): "Enter ye here in peace and security."

47 And We remove whatever rancour may be in their breasts. As brethren, face to face, (they rest) on couches raised.

47 And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity).

48 Toil cometh not unto them there, nor will they be expelled from thence.

48 There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave.

49 Announce, (O Muhammad) unto My slaves that verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful,

49 Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft - forgiving, Most Merciful;

50 And that My doom is the dolorous doom.

50 And that My Penalty will be indeed the most grievous Penalty.

51 And tell them of Abraham's guests,

51 Tell them about the guests of Abraham.

52 (How) when they came in unto him, and said: Peace. He said: Lo! we are afraid of you.

52 When they entered his presence and said, "Peace!" He said, "We feel afraid of you!"

53 They said: Be not afraid! Lo! we bring thee good tidings of a boy possessing wisdom.

53 They said: "Fear not! We give thee glad tidings of a son endowed with wisdom."

54 He said: Bring ye me good tidings (of a son) when old age hath overtaken me ? Of what then can ye bring good tidings ?

54 He said: "Do ye give me glad tidings that old age has seized me? Of what, then, is your good news?"

55 They said: We bring thee good tidings in truth. So be not thou of the despairing.

55 They said: "We give thee glad tidings in truth: be not then in despair!"

56 He said: And who despaireth of the mercy of his Lord save those who are astray ?

56 He said: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?"

57 He said: And afterward what is your business, O ye messengers (of Allah) ?

57 Abraham said: "What then is the business on which ye (have come), O ye messengers (of Allah)?"

58 They said: We have been sent unto a guilty folk,

58 They said: "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin,

59 (All) save the family of Lot. Them we shall deliver every one,

59 "Excepting the adherents of Lut: them we are certainly (charged) to save (from harm), - All -

60 Except his wife, of whom We had decreed that she should be of those who stay behind.

60 "Except his wife, who, We have ascertained, will be among those who will lag behind."

61 And when the messengers came unto the family of Lot,

61 At length when the messengers arrived among the adherents of Lut,

62 He said: Lo! ye are folk unknown (to me).

62 He said: "Ye appear to be uncommon folk."

63 They said: Nay, but we bring thee that concerning which they keep disputing,

63 They said: "Yea, we have come to thee to accomplish that of which they doubt.

64 And bring thee the Truth, and lo! we are truth - tellers.

64 "We have brought to thee that which is inevitably due, and assuredly we tell the truth.

65 So travel with thy household in a portion of the night, and follow thou their backs. Let none of you turn round, but go whither ye are commanded.

65 "Then travel by night with thy household, when a portion of the night (yet remains), and do thou bring up the rear: let no one amongst you look back, but pass on whither ye are ordered."

66 And We made plain the case to him, that the root of them (who did wrong) was to be cut at early morn.

66 And We made known this decree to him, that the last remnants of those (sinners) should be cut off by the morning.

67 And the people of the city came, rejoicing at the news (of new arrivals).

67 The inhabitants of the city came in (mad) joy (at news of the young men).

68 He said: Lo! they are my guests. Affront me not!

68 Lut said: "These are my guests: disgrace me not:

69 And keep your duty to Allah, and shame me not!

69 "But fear Allah, and shame me not."

70 They said; Have we not forbidden you from (entertaining) anyone ?

70 They said: "Did we not forbid thee (to speak) for all and sundry?"

71 He said: Here are my daughters, if ye must be doing (so).

71 He said: "There are my daughters (to marry), if ye must act (so)."

72 By thy life (O Muhammad) they moved blindly in the frenzy of approaching death.

72 Verily, by thy life (O Prophet), in their wild intoxication, they wander in distraction, to and fro.

73 Then the (Awful) Cry overtook them at the sunrise.

73 But the (mighty) Blast overtook them before morning,

74 And We utterly confounded them, and We rained upon them stones of heated clay.

74 And We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay.

75 Lo! therein verily are portents for those who read the signs.

75 Behold! in this are Signs for those who by tokens do understand.

76 And lo! it is upon a road still uneffaced.

76 And the (cities were) right on the high - road.

77 Lo! therein is indeed a portent for believers.

77 Behold! in this is a sign for those who believed.

78 And the dwellers in the wood indeed were evil - doers.

78 And the Companions of the Wood were also wrong - doers;

79 So we took vengeance on them; and lo! they both are on a high - road plain to see.

79 So We exacted retribution from them. They were both on an open highway, plain to see.

80 And the dwellers in Al - Hijr denied (Our) messengers.

80 The Companions of the Rocky Tract also rejected the messengers:

81 And we gave them Our revelations, but they were averse to them.

81 We sent them Our Signs, but they persisted in turning away from them.

82 And they used to hew out dwellings from the hills, (wherein they dwelt) secure.

82 Out of the mountains did they hew (their) edifices, (feeling themselves) secure.

83 But the (Awful) Cry overtook them at the morning hour,

83 But the (mighty) Blast seized them of a morning,

84 And that which they were wont to count as gain availed them not.

84 And of no avail to them was all that they did (with such art and care)!

85 We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them save with truth, and lo! the Hour is surely coming. So forgive, (O Muhammad), with a gracious forgiveness.

85 We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, but for just ends. And the Hour is surely coming (when this will be manifest). So overlook (any human faults) with gracious forgiveness.

86 Lo! Thy Lord! He is the All - Wise Creator.

86 For verily it is thy Lord who is the Master - Creator, knowing all things.

87 We have given thee seven of the oft - repeated (verses) and the great Qur'an.

87 And We have bestowed upon thee the Seven Oft - repeated (verses) and the Grand Qur'an.

88 Strain not thine eyes toward that which We cause some wedded pairs among them to enjoin, and be not grieved on their account, and lower thy wing (in tenderness) for the believers.

88 Strain not thine eyes. (Wistfully) at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them: but lower thy wing (in gentleness) to the believers.

89 And say: Lo! I, even I, am a plain warner,

89 And say: "I am indeed he that warneth openly and without ambiguity," -

90 Such as We send down for those who make division,

90 (Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided (Scripture into arbitrary parts), -

91 Those who break the Qur'an into parts.

91 (So also on such) as have made Qur'an into shreds (as they please).

92 Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one,

92 Therefore, by the Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,

93 Of what they used to do.

93 For all their deeds.

94 So proclaim that which thou art commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters.

94 Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.

95 Lo! We defend thee from the scoffers,

95 For sufficient are We unto thee against those who scoff, -

96 Who set some other god along with Allah. But they will come to know.

96 Those who adopt, with Allah, another god: but soon will they come to know.

97 Well know We that thy bosom is oppressed by what they say,

97 We do indeed know how thy heart is distressed at what they say.

98 But hymn the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who make prostration (unto Him).

98 But celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration.

99 And serve thy Lord till the Inevitable cometh unto thee.

99 And serve thy Lord until there come unto thee the Hour that is Certain.