The Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/15. The Rock

15. The Rock (Al-Hihr)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

I, Allah, am the Seer. These are the verses of the Book and (of) a Qur'an that makes manifest. 

Often will those who disbelieve wish that they were Muslims. 

Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves, and let (false) hope beguile them, for they will soon know. 

And never did We destroy a town but it had a decree made known. 

No people can hasten on their doom, nor can they postpone (it). 

And they say: O thou to whom the Reminder is revealed, thou art indeed mad. 

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

We send not angels but with truth, and then they would not be respited. 

<section begin="15:9"/>Surely We have revealed the Reminder, and surely We are its Guardian. <section end="15:9"/>

<section begin="15:10"/>And certainly We sent (messengers) before thee among the sects of yore. <section end="15:10"/>

ii And there never came a messenger to them but they mocked him. <section begin="15:12"/>Thus do We make it enter the hearts of the guilty -- <section end="15:12"/>

<section begin="15:13"/>They believe not in it; and the example of the ancients has gone before. <section end="15:13"/>

<section begin="15:14"/>And even if We open to them a gate of heaven, and they keep on ascending into it, <section end="15:14"/>

<section begin="15:15"/>They would say: Only our eyes have been covered over, rather we are an enchanted people. <section end="15:15"/>

<section begin="15:16"/>And certainly We have made strongholds in the heaven, and We have made it fair-seeming to the beholders, <section end="15:16"/>

<section begin="15:17"/>And We guard it against every accursed devil, <section end="15:17"/>

<section begin="15:18"/>But he who steals a hearing; so there follows him a visible flame. <section end="15:18"/>

<section begin="15:19"/>And the earth -- We have spread it out and made in it firm mountains and caused to grow in it of every suitable thing <section end="15:19"/>

<section begin="15:20"/>And We have made in it means of subsistence for you and for him for whom you provide not. <section end="15:20"/>

<section begin="15:21"/>And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it, and We send it not down but in a known measure. <section end="15:21"/>

<section begin="15:22"/>And We send the winds fertilizing, then send down water from the clouds, so We give it to you to drink; nor is it you who store it up. <section end="15:22"/>

<section begin="15:23"/>And surely it is We, Who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritors. <section end="15:23"/>

<section begin="15:24"/>And certainly We know those among you who go forward and We certainly know those who lag behind. <section end="15:24"/>

<section begin="15:25"/>And surely thy Lord will gather them together. He indeed is Wise, <section end="15:25"/>

<section begin="15:26"/>And surely We created man of sounding clay, of black mud fashioned into shape. <section end="15:26"/>

<section begin="15:27"/>And the jinn, We created before of intensely hot fire. <section end="15:27"/>

<section begin="15:28"/>And when thy Lord said to the angels I am going to create a mortal of sound clay, of black mud fashioned into shape. <section end="15:28"/>

<section begin="15:29"/>So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down making obeisance to him. <section end="15:29"/>

<section begin="15:30"/>So the angels made obeisance, all of them together -- <section end="15:30"/>

<section begin="15:31"/>But Iblis (did it not). He refused to be with those who made obeisance. <section end="15:31"/>

<section begin="15:32"/>He said: O Iblis, what is the reason that thou art not with those who make obeisance? <section end="15:32"/>

<section begin="15:33"/>He said: I am not going to make obeisance to a mortal, whom Thou liast created of sounding clay, of black mud fashioned into shape. <section end="15:33"/>

<section begin="15:34"/>He said: Then go forth, for surely thou art driven away, <section end="15:34"/>

<section begin="15:35"/>And surely on thee is a curse till the day of Judgment. <section end="15:35"/>

<section begin="15:36"/>He said: My Lord, respite me till the time when they are raised. <section end="15:36"/>

<section begin="15:37"/>He said: Surely thou art of the respited ones, <section end="15:37"/>

<section begin="15:38"/>Till the period of the time made known. <section end="15:38"/>

<section begin="15:39"/>He said: My Lord, as Thou hast judged me erring, I shall certainly make (evil) fair-seeming to them on earth, and I shall cause them all to deviate, <section end="15:39"/>

<section begin="15:40"/>Except Thy servants from among them, the purified ones. <section end="15:40"/>

<section begin="15:41"/>He said: This is a right way with Me. <section end="15:41"/>

<section begin="15:42"/>As regards My servants, thou hast no authority over them except such of the deviators as follow thee. <section end="15:42"/>

<section begin="15:43"/>And surely hell is the promised place for them all -- <section end="15:43"/>

<section begin="15:44"/>It has seven gates. For each gate is an appointed portion of them. <section end="15:44"/>

<section begin="15:45"/>Surely those who keep their duty are in Gardens and fountains. <section end="15:45"/>

<section begin="15:46"/>Enter them in peace, secure. <section end="15:46"/>

<section begin="15:47"/>And We shall root out whatever of rancour is in their breasts -- as brethren, on raised couches, face to face. <section end="15:47"/>

<section begin="15:48"/>Toil afflicts them not therein, nor will they be ejected therefrom. <section end="15:48"/>

<section begin="15:49"/>Inform My servants that I am the Forgiving, the Merciful, <section end="15:49"/>

<section begin="15:50"/>And that My chastisement -- that is the painful chastisement. <section end="15:50"/>

<section begin="15:51"/>And inform them of the guests of Abraham. <section end="15:51"/>

<section begin="15:52"/>When they entered upon him, they said, Peace He said: We are afraid of you. <section end="15:52"/>

<section begin="15:53"/>They said: Be not afraid, we give thee good news of a boy, possessing knowledge. <section end="15:53"/>

<section begin="15:54"/>He said: Do you give me good news when old age has come upon me? Of what then do you give me good news? <section end="15:54"/>

<section begin="15:55"/>They said: We give thee good news with truth, so be not thou of the despairing ones. <section end="15:55"/>

<section begin="15:56"/>He said: And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord but the erring ones? <section end="15:56"/>

<section begin="15:57"/>He said: What is your business, then, O messengers? <section end="15:57"/>

<section begin="15:58"/>They said: We have been sent to a guilty people, <section end="15:58"/>

<section begin="15:59"/>Except Lot's followers. We shall deliver them all, <section end="15:59"/>

<section begin="15:60"/>Except his wife: We ordained that she shall surely be of those who remain behind. <section end="15:60"/>

<section begin="15:61"/>So when the messengers came to Lot's followers, <section end="15:61"/>

<section begin="15:62"/>He said: Surely you are an unknown people. <section end="15:62"/>

<section begin="15:63"/>They said: Nay, we have come to thee with that about which they disputed. <section end="15:63"/>

<section begin="15:64"/>And we have come to thee with the truth, and we are surely truthful. <section end="15:64"/>

<section begin="15:65"/>So travel with thy followers for a part of the night and thyself follow their rear; and let not any one of you turn round, and go whither you are commanded. <section end="15:65"/>

<section begin="15:66"/>And We made known to him this decree, that the roots of these should be cut off in the morning. <section end="15:66"/>

<section begin="15:67"/>And the people of the town came rejoicing. <section end="15:67"/>

<section begin="15:68"/>He said: These are my guests, so disgrace me not, <section end="15:68"/>

<section begin="15:69"/>And keep your duty to Allah and shame me not. <section end="15:69"/>

<section begin="15:70"/>They said: Did we not forbid thee from (entertaining) people? <section end="15:70"/>

<section begin="15:71"/>He said: These are my daughters, if you will do (aught). <section end="15:71"/>

<section begin="15:72"/>By thy life they blindly wandered on in their frenzy. <section end="15:72"/>

<section begin="15:73"/>So the cry overtook them at sunrise <section end="15:73"/>

<section begin="15:74"/>Thus We turned it upside down, and rained upon them hard stones. <section end="15:74"/>

<section begin="15:75"/>Surely in this are signs for those who take a lesson. <section end="15:75"/>

<section begin="15:76"/>And it is on a road that still abides. <section end="15:76"/>

<section begin="15:77"/>Verily therein is a sign for the believers. <section end="15:77"/>

<section begin="15:78"/>And the dwellers of the thicker were indeed iniquitous: <section end="15:78"/>

<section begin="15:79"/>So We inflicted retribution on them. And they are both on an open high road. <section end="15:79"/>

<section begin="15:80"/>And the dwellers of the Rock indeed rejected the messengers; <section end="15:80"/>

<section begin="15:81"/>And We gave them Our messages, but they turned away from them; <section end="15:81"/>

<section begin="15:82"/>And they hewed houses in the mountains, in security. <section end="15:82"/>

<section begin="15:83"/>So the cry overtook them in the morning; <section end="15:83"/>

<section begin="15:84"/>And what they earned availed them not. <section end="15:84"/>

<section begin="15:85"/>And We created not the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with truth. And the Hour is surely coming, so turn away with kindly forgiveness. <section end="15:85"/>

<section begin="15:86"/>Surely thy Lord -- He is the Creator, the Knower. <section end="15:86"/>

<section begin="15:87"/>And certainly We have given thee seven oft-repeated (verses) and the grand Qur'an. <section end="15:87"/>

<section begin="15:88"/>Strain not thine eyes at what We have given certain classes of them to enjoy, and grieve not for them, and make thyself gentle to the believers. <section end="15:88"/>

<section begin="15:89"/>And say: I am indeed the plain warner. <section end="15:89"/>

<section begin="15:90"/>Like as We sent down on them who took oaths, <section end="15:90"/>

<section begin="15:91"/>Those who divided the Qur'an into parts. <section end="15:91"/>

<section begin="15:92"/>So, by thy Lord! We shall question them all. <section end="15:92"/>

<section begin="15:93"/>As to what they did. <section end="15:93"/>

<section begin="15:94"/>Therefore declare openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from the polytheists. <section end="15:94"/>

<section begin="15:95"/>Surely We are sufficient for thee against the scoffers -- <section end="15:95"/>

<section begin="15:96"/>Those who set up another god with Allah; so they will come to know. <section end="15:96"/>

<section begin="15:97"/>And We know indeed that thy breast straitens at what they say; <section end="15:97"/>

<section begin="15:98"/>So celebrate the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who make obeisance. <section end="15:98"/>

<section begin="15:99"/>And serve thy Lord, until there comes to thee that which is certain. <section end="15:99"/>