Az-Zukhruf

Ha, Meem

By the clear Book

Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand

And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom

Then should We turn the message away, disregarding you, because you are a transgressing people

And how many a prophet We sent among the former peoples

But there would not come to them a prophet except that they used to ridicule him

And We destroyed greater than them in [striking] power, and the example of the former peoples has preceded

And if you should ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "They were created by the Exalted in Might, the Knowing

[The one] who has made for you the earth a bed and made for you upon it roads that you might be guided

And who sends down rain from the sky in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land - thus will you be brought forth

And who created the species, all of them, and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount

That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. "Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it

And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return

But they have attributed to Him from His servants a portion. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful

Or has He taken, out of what He has created, daughters and chosen you for [having] sons

And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief

So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]

And they have made the angels, who are servants of the Most Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned

And they said, "If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them." They have of that no knowledge. They are not but falsifying

Or have We given them a book before the Qur'an to which they are adhering

Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided

And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following

[Each warner] said, "Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers

So we took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father and his people, "Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship

Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me

And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it]

However, I gave enjoyment to these [people of Makkah] and their fathers until there came to them the truth and a clear Messenger

But when the truth came to them, they said, "This is magic, and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers

And they said, "Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities

Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate

And if it were not that the people would become one community [of disbelievers], We would have made for those who disbelieve in the Most Merciful - for their houses - ceilings and stairways of silver upon which to mount

And for their houses - doors and couches [of silver] upon which to recline

And gold ornament. But all that is not but the enjoyment of worldly life. And the Hereafter with your Lord is for the righteous

And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion

And indeed, the devils avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided

Until, when he comes to Us [at Judgement], he says [to his companion], "Oh, I wish there was between me and you the distance between the east and west - how wretched a companion

And never will it benefit you that Day, when you have wronged, that you are [all] sharing in the punishment

Then will you make the deaf hear, [O Muhammad], or guide the blind or he who is in clear error

And whether [or not] We take you away [in death], indeed, We will take retribution upon them

Or whether [or not] We show you that which We have promised them, indeed, We are Perfect in Ability

So adhere to that which is revealed to you. Indeed, you are on a straight path

And indeed, it is a remembrance for you and your people, and you [all] are going to be questioned

And ask those We sent before you of Our messengers; have We made besides the Most Merciful deities to be worshipped

And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, and he said, "Indeed, I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds

But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them

And We showed them not a sign except that it was greater than its sister, and We seized them with affliction that perhaps they might return [to faith]

And they said [to Moses], "O magician, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided

But when We removed from them the affliction, at once they broke their word

And Pharaoh called out among his people; he said, "O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me; then do you not see

Or am I [not] better than this one who is insignificant and hardly makes himself clear

Then why have there not been placed upon him bracelets of gold or come with him the angels in conjunction

So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were [themselves] a people defiantly disobedient [of Allah]

And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all

And We made them a precedent and an example for the later peoples

And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud

And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute

Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel

And if We willed, We could have made [instead] of you angels succeeding [one another] on the earth

And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path

And never let Satan avert you. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy

And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, "I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me

Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path

But the denominations from among them differed [and separated], so woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day

Are they waiting except for the Hour to come upon them suddenly while they perceive not

Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous

[To whom Allah will say], "O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve

[You] who believed in Our verses and were Muslims

Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted

Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally

And that is Paradise which you are made to inherit for what you used to do

For you therein is much fruit from which you will eat

Indeed, the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, abiding eternally

It will not be allowed to subside for them, and they, therein, are in despair

And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers

And they will call, "O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!" He will say, "Indeed, you will remain

We had certainly brought you the truth, but most of you, to the truth, were averse

Or have they devised [some] affair? But indeed, We are devising [a plan]

Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording

Say, [O Muhammad], "If the Most Merciful had a son, then I would be the first of [his] worshippers

Exalted is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe

So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised

And it is Allah who is [the only] deity in the heaven, and on the earth [the only] deity. And He is the Wise, the Knowing

And blessed is He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them and with whom is knowledge of the Hour and to whom you will be returned

And those they invoke besides Him do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know

And if you asked them who created them, they would surely say, "Allah." So how are they deluded

And [Allah acknowledges] his saying, "O my Lord, indeed these are a people who do not believe

So turn aside from them and say, "Peace." But they are going to know