Al-Hijr— The Rocky Tract

Alif, Lām, Rā. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur’ān [i.e., recitation].

Perhaps those who disbelieve will wish that they had been Muslims.

Let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.

And We did not destroy any city but that for it was a known decree.

No nation will precede its term, nor will they remain thereafter.

And they say, "O you upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed you are mad.

Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?"

We do not send down the angels except with truth; and they [i.e., the disbelievers] would not then be reprieved.

Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur’ān], and indeed, We will be its guardian.

And We had certainly sent [messengers] before you, [O Muḥammad], among the sects of the former peoples.

And no messenger would come to them except that they ridiculed him.

Thus do We insert it [i.e., denial] into the hearts of the criminals.

They will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples.

And [even] if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they continued therein to ascend,

They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic."

And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.

And We have protected it from every devil expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]

Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame.

And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.

And We have made for you therein means of living and [for] those for whom you are not providers.

And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known [i.e., specified] measure.

And We have sent the fertilizing winds and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.

And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.

And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].

And indeed, your Lord will gather them; indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.

And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.

And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.

And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration."

So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely,

Except Iblees; he refused to be with those who prostrated.

[Allāh] said, "O Iblees, what is [the matter] with you that you are not with those who prostrate?"

He said, "Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud."

[Allāh] said, "Then depart from it, for indeed, you are expelled.

And indeed, upon you is the curse until the Day of Recompense."

He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected."

[Allāh] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved

Until the Day of the time well-known."

[Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them [i.e., mankind] on earth, and I will mislead them all

Except, among them, Your chosen servants."

[Allāh] said, "This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight.

Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.

And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all.

It has seven gates; for every gate is of them [i.e., Satan's followers] a portion designated."

Indeed, the righteous will be within gardens and springs,

[Having been told], "Enter it in peace, safe [and secure]."

And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment, [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other.

No fatigue will touch them therein, nor from it will they [ever] be removed.

[O Muḥammad], inform My servants that it is I who am the Forgiving, the Merciful,

And that it is My punishment which is the painful punishment.