By the Name
God
the Fount-of-All-Mercy
the Ever-Merciful
Alif Lam Mim Ra
those are
the Signs of the Book
and that which has been
sent down to you
from your Liege
is the truth
but most people
do not believe
it is God
raised up the heavens
with no pillars you can see
then Hu sat upon the Throne
Hu made
the sun and moon
to serve
each one running
to a certain time
Hu directs the whole affair
Hu makes the Signs clear
so that hopefully
you will have faith in
the meeting with
your Liege
it is Hu
stretched out the earth
and set in it
firm mountains
and rivers
and made
of every fruit
two kinds
Hu covers the day
with the night
surely in that are Signs
for people who think
and on the earth
are areas of land
side by side
with
gardens of grape vines
and sown fields
and palm trees in pairs
and single palm trees
all watered with
the same water
and We make some of them
grow more and better
than others
surely in that are Signs
for people who understand
if you want to be amazed
then surely it is amazing
that they say
"When we are dust
will we really be
raised up again
in a new creation?"
those are the ones
who are ungrateful
to their Liege
around their necks
they will have iron collars
they are the ones
whose home is the Fire
to live there forever
they want you
to hurry along
the bad before the good
but there are examples
in those who have
gone before them
your Liege is forgiving
to humankind
for all their evil deeds
and your Liege
is terrifying in punishment
those who are ungrateful
say
"Why has a Sign
not been sent down
upon him from his Liege?"
you are only a warner
and a guide to every people
God knows
what every woman carries
and when the wombs
shrink and swell
everything has its measure
with Hu
the Knower of
the unseen and the visible
the All-Great
the Supreme
you are all alike
those who hide
what they say
and those who
speak out loud
those who hide
in the night
and those who
go out by day
they have Angels with them
before them
and behind them
watching over them
by God's command
God does not change
what is in a people
until they change
what is in themselves
whenever God wants
harm for a people
there is no turning it back
apart from Hu
they have no protector
Hu shows you the lightning
for fear and hope
and builds up
the heavy clouds
the thunder
sings Hu's praise
and the Angels
are in awe of Hu
Hu sets loose
the thunderbolts
and strikes with them
whoever Hu wills
yet they argue about God
when Hu is mighty in power
to Hu is the call of truth
and those they call upon
apart from Hu
give no answer
it is like someone
who stretches out
their hands to water
to bring it to their mouth
but they cannot reach it
the prayer of those
who are ungrateful
only goes astray
all who are in the heavens
and on the earth
make Sajda to God
willingly or unwillingly
as do their shadows in
the mornings and evenings
say
"Who is the Liege of
the heavens and the earth?"
say
"God"
say
"Then have you taken
others beside Hu
to be your protectors
even those
who have no power
even to help or harm
themselves?"
say
"Are those who are blind
equal to those who can see?
or are the shadows
equal to the light?
or have they set up
partners with God
who create as Hu creates
so that creation
is all the same to them?"
say
"God is
the Creator of everything
and Hu is
the One
the Irresistible"
Hu sends down water
out of heaven
and the river beds
fill and flow
according to their size
and the flood water
carries with it
a frothy scum
and out of what
you heat up in a fire
to make things
for ornament
and other uses
out of that
floats to the surface
a scum like it
that is how God shows
the true and the false
as for the scum
it is swept away
and what is of benefit
to humankind
stays in the earth
in the same way
God sets out
Hu's examples
for those who
answer their Liege
a reward most fair
and those who
do not answer Hu
if they owned
all that is in the earth
and the like of it with it
they would offer it all
for their ransom
theirs will be
an evil reckoning
and their shelter
will be Hell
an evil resting place
is the one who knows
that what is
sent down to you
from your Liege
is the truth
like one who is blind?
only people who can think
pay any attention
those who keep
their promise to God
and do not break
their agreement
those who join
what God has said
must be joined
who are in awe of their Liege
and fear the evil reckoning
those who are patient
searching for
the Face of their Liege
who make the Sala
and spend from
what We have given them
in secret and in public
and who drive away evil
with good
theirs will be
the final home
Gardens of Eden
which they shall enter
along with those
who were good
from amongst their parents
their partners and children
and the Angels shall enter
from every gate
"Peace be upon you
because you were patient"
fair is the final home
and those who break
their promise to God
after Hu's agreement
and who break
what God has said
should be joined
and who spread sickness
in the earth
theirs will be rejection
and theirs the evil home
God spreads out
and draws back
what Hu provides
to whoever Hu wills
they rejoice in
this present life
but compared to
the world to come
this present life
is nothing more than
a passing enjoyment
those who are ungrateful
say
"Why has a Sign
not been sent down
upon him from his Liege?"
say
"God leads
whoever Hu wills
to take the wrong way
and Hu guides to Hu
all who turn to Hu
in sorrow"
those who believe
their hearts being at rest
remembering God
and in remembering God
hearts are at rest
of those who believe
and do good deeds
happiness will be theirs
and a wonderful
homecoming
so We have sent you
to a people
before whom other peoples
have passed away
to read to them
what We have revealed
to you
and yet they are ungrateful
to the Fount-of-All-Mercy
say
"Hu is my Liege
there is no god but Hu
in Hu I have put my trust
and to Hu I turn"
if only there was a Reading
by which the mountains
were set in motion
or the earth were split open
or the dead were spoken to
no
God's is the affair altogether
do those who believe
not know that if God willed
Hu would have guided
all of humankind together?
and still those who are
ungrateful
will continue to be
struck by disaster
for what they have done
or disaster will strike
near where they live
until God's promise comes
and God will not
break Hu's promise
certainly
Messengers
were made fun of
before you
but I gave time
to those who were
ungrateful
then I seized them
and then how terrible
was My punishment
Hu stands over every soul
for what it has earned
and yet they set up
partners with God
say
"Name them
or will you tell Hu
of something in the earth
Hu does not know of
or is this
no more than words?"
the plots of those
who are ungrateful
are made
to look good to them
and they are turned aside
from the Way
and there is no guide
for whoever
God leads
to take the wrong way
for them there is punishment
in the present life
and worse punishment
in the world to come
they have no one
to defend them
from God
but Paradise
that is promised
to those who are
Mindful of God
like a garden
beneath which
rivers flow
that grows food
without end
and has cool shade
that is the reward
for those who are
Mindful of God
and the reward
for those who are
ungrateful
is the Fire
and those to whom
We have given the Book
are happy
for what has been
sent down to you
but some groups
reject some of it
say
"I have only been ordered
to serve God
and to partner
no other
with Hu
to Hu I call
and to Hu I turn"
in that way
We have sent it down
as an Arabic judgement
and if you follow
what they fancy
after the knowledge
that has come to you
you will have no protector
against God
and no defender
We sent Messengers
before you
and We gave them
partners and children
and it was not for
any Messenger
to bring a Sign
except
by God's permission
every time has a Book
God wipes out
or fixes
whatever Hu wills
and with Hu is
the Mother of the Book
whether We show you
part of what
We promise them
or We call you to Us
it is only for you
to deliver the Message
for Us is the reckoning
have they not seen
how We come to the land
making it smaller
from its edges
God judges
no one turns back
Hu's judgement
Hu is quick at
reckoning
those that were before them
made plans
but all planning
belongs to God
Hu knows
what every soul earns
and those who are
ungrateful
will surely know
who has the final home
those who are ungrateful
say
"You are not a Messenger"
say
"God is enough
for a witness
between me and you
and whoever
has knowledge of
the Book"