Chapter Seven: Al-A'raf

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad.( 1 )

[ This is ]a Book that has been sent down to you so let there be no disquiet in your heart on its account that you may warn thereby and as an admonition for the faithful.( 2 )

Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and do not follow any masters besides Him. Little is the admonition that you take!( 3 )

How many a town We have destroyed! Our punishment came to it at night, or while they were taking a midday nap.( 4 )

Then their cry, when Our punishment overtook them, was only that they said," We have indeed been wrongdoers!"( 5 )

We will surely question those to whom the apostles were sent, and We will surely question the apostles.( 6 )

Then We will surely recount to them with knowledge, for We had not been absent.( 7 )

The weighing[ of deeds ]on that Day is a truth. As for those whose deeds weigh heavy in the scales it is they who are the felicitous.( 8 )

As for those whose deeds weigh light in the scales, it is they who have ruined their souls, because they used to wrong Our signs.( 9 )

Certainly We have established you on the earth, and made in it[ various ]means of livelihood for you. Little do you thank.( 10 )

Certainly We created you, then We formed you, then We said to the angels," Prostrate before Adam." So they[ all ]prostrated, but not Iblis: he was not among those who prostrated.( 11 )

Said He," What prevented you from prostrating, when I commanded you?"" I am better than him," he said." You created me from fire and You created him from clay."( 12 )

" Get down from it!" He said." It is not for you to be arrogant therein. Begone! You are indeed among the degraded ones."( 13 )

He said," Respite me till the day they will be resurrected."( 14 )

Said He," You are indeed among the reprieved."( 15 )

" As You have consigned me to perversity," he said," I will surely lie in wait for them on Your straight path.( 16 )

Then I will come at them from their front and from their rear, and from their right and their left, and You will not find most of them to be grateful."( 17 )

Said He," Begone hence, blameful, banished! Whoever of them follows you, I will surely fill hell with you all."( 18 )

[ Then He said to Adam, ]" O Adam, dwell with your mate in paradise, and eat thereof whence you wish; but do not approach this tree, lest you should be among the wrongdoers."( 19 )

Then Satan tempted them, to expose to them what was hidden from them of their nakedness, and he said," Your Lord has only forbidden you from this tree lest you should become angels, or lest you become immortal."( 20 )

And he swore to them," I am indeed your well-wisher."( 21 )

Thus he brought about their fall by deception. So when they tasted of the tree, their nakedness became exposed to them, and they began to stitch over themselves with the leaves of paradise. Their Lord called out to them," Did I not forbid you from that tree, and tell you," Satan is indeed your manifest enemy?""( 22 )

They said," Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves! If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."( 23 )

He said," Get down, being enemies of one another! On the earth shall be your abode and sustenance for a time."( 24 )

He said," In it you will live, and in it you will die; and from it you will be raised[ from the dead ]."( 25 )

" O Children of Adam! We have certainly sent down to you garments to cover your nakedness, and for adornment. Yet the garment of God wariness that is the best." That is[ one ]of Allah's signs, so that they may take admonition.( 26 )

" O Children of Adam! Do not let Satan tempt you, like he expelled your parents from paradise, stripping them of their garments to expose to them their nakedness. Indeed he sees you he and his hosts whence you do not see them. We have indeed made the devils friends of those who have no faith."( 27 )

When they commit an indecency, they say," We found our fathers practising it, and Allah has enjoined it upon us." Say," Indeed Allah does not enjoin indecencies. Do you attribute to Allah what you do not know?"( 28 )

Say," My Lord has enjoined justice," and[ He has enjoined, ]" Set your heart[ on Him ]at every occasion of prayer, and invoke Him, putting your exclusive faith in Him. Even as He brought you forth in the beginning, so will you return."( 29 )

A part[ of mankind ]He has guided and a part has deserved[ to be consigned to ]error, for they took devils for guardians instead of Allah, and supposed they were guided.( 30 )

O Children of Adam! Put on your adornment on every occasion of prayer, and eat and drink, but do not waste; indeed He does not like the wasteful.( 31 )

Say," Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of[ His ]provision?" Say," These are for the faithful in the life of this world, and exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection." Thus do We elaborate the signs for a people who have knowledge.( 32 )

Say," My Lord has only forbidden indecencies, the outward among them and the inward ones, and sin and undue aggression, and that you should ascribe to Allah partners for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you should attribute to Allah what you do not know.( 33 )

There is a[ preordained ]time for every nation: when their time comes, they shall not defer it by a single hour nor shall they advance it.( 34 )

O Children of Adam! If there come to you apostles from among yourselves, recounting to you My signs, then those who are God wary and righteous will have no fear, nor will they grieve.( 35 )

But those who deny Our signs and are disdainful of them, they shall be the inmates of the Fire and they shall remain in it[ forever ].( 36 )

So who is a greater wrongdoer than him who fabricates a lie against Allah, or denies His signs? Their share, as decreed in the Book, shall reach them. When Our messengers come to take them away, they will say," Where is that which you used to invoke besides Allah?" They will say," They have forsaken us," and they will testify against themselves that they were faithless.( 37 )

He will say," Enter, along with the nations who passed before you of jinn and humans, into the Fire!" Every time that a nation enters[ hell ], it will curse its sister[ nation ]. When they all rejoin in it, the last of them will say about the first of them," Our Lord, it was they who led us astray; so give them a double punishment of the Fire." He will say," It is double for each[ of you ], but you do not know."( 38 )

And the first of them will say to the last of them," You have no advantage over us! So taste the punishment because of what you used to earn."( 39 )

Indeed, those who deny Our signs and are disdainful of them the gates of the heaven will not be opened for them, nor shall they enter paradise until the camel passes through the needle's eye, and thus do We requite the guilty.( 40 )

They shall have hell for their resting place, and over them shall be sheets[ of fire ], and thus do We requite the wrongdoers.( 41 )

As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds We task no soul except according to its capacity they shall be the inhabitants of paradise, and they shall remain in it[ forever ].( 42 )

We will remove whatever rancour there is in their breasts, and streams will run for them. They will say," All praise belongs to Allah, who guided us to this. We would have never been guided had not Allah guided us. Our Lord's apostles had certainly brought the truth." And the call would be made to them:" This is paradise, which you have been given to inherit because of what you used to do!"( 43 )

The inhabitants of paradise will call out to the inmates of the Fire," We found what our Lord promised us to be true; did you find what your Lord promised you to be true?"" Yes," they will say. Then a caller will announce in their midst," May Allah's curse be on the wrongdoers!"( 44 )

Those who bar[ others ]from the way of Allah, and seek to make it crooked, and disbelieve in the Hereafter.( 45 )

And there will be a veil between them. And on the Elevations will be certain men who recognize each of them by their mark. They will call out to the inhabitants of paradise," Peace be to you!"( They will not have entered it, though they would be eager to do so.( 46 )

And when their look is turned toward the inmates of the Fire, they will say," Our Lord, do not put us among the wrongdoing lot!" )( 47 )

And the occupants of the Elevations will call out to certain men whom they recognize by their marks," Your rallying did not avail you, nor what you used to disdain.( 48 )

Are these the ones concerning whom you swore that Allah will not extend them any mercy?"" Enter paradise! You shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve."( 49 )

The inmates of the Fire will call out to the inhabitants of paradise," Pour on us some water, or something of what Allah has provided you." They will say," Allah has indeed forbidden these two to the faithless!"( 50 )

Those who took their religion for diversion and play and whom the life of the world had deceived. So today We will forget them as they forgot the encounter of this day of theirs, and as they used to impugn Our signs.( 51 )

Certainly We have brought them a Book, which We have elaborated with knowledge, as a guidance and mercy for a people who have faith.( 52 )

Do they await anything but its fulfillment? The day when its fulfillment comes, those who had forgotten it before will say," Our Lord's apostles had certainly brought the truth. If only we had some intercessors to intercede for us, or we would be returned, so that we may do differently from what we did!" They have certainly ruined their souls, and what they used to fabricate has forsaken them.( 53 )

Indeed your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then settled on the Throne. He draws the night's cover over the day, which pursues it swiftly, and[ He created ]the sun, the moon, and the stars,[ all of them ]disposed by His command. Look! All creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.( 54 )

Supplicate your Lord, beseechingly and secretly. Indeed He does not like the transgressors.( 55 )

And do not cause corruption on the earth after its restoration, and supplicate Him with fear and hope: indeed Allah's mercy is close to the virtuous.( 56 )

It is He who sends forth the winds as harbingers of His mercy. When they bear[ rain- clouds, We drive them toward a dead land and send down water on it, and with it We bring forth all kinds of crops. Thus shall We raise the dead; maybe you will take admonition.( 57 )

The good land its vegetation comes out by the permission of its Lord, and as for that which is bad, it does not come out except sparsely. Thus do We paraphrase the signs variously for a people who give thanks.( 58 )

Certainly We sent Noah to his people. He said," O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. Indeed I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous day."( 59 )

The elite of his people said," Indeed we see you in manifest error."( 60 )

He said," O my people, I am not in error. Rather I am an apostle from the Lord of all the worlds.( 61 )

I communicate to you the messages of my Lord, and I am your well-wisher, and I know from Allah what you do not know.( 62 )

Do you consider it odd that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, to warn you so that you may be God wary and so that you may receive His mercy?"( 63 )

But they denied him. So We delivered him and those who were with him in the ark, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Indeed they were a blind lot.( 64 )

And to[ the people of ]" Ad, Houd, their brother. He said," O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. Will you not then be wary[ of Him ]?"( 65 )

The elite of his people who were faithless said," Indeed we see you to be in folly, and indeed we consider you to be a liar."( 66 )

He said," O my people, I am not in folly. Rather I am an apostle from the Lord of all the worlds.( 67 )

I communicate to you the messages of my Lord and I am a trustworthy well-wisher for you.( 68 )

Do you consider it odd that there should come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among yourselves, so that he may warn you? Remember when He made you successors after the people of Noah, and increased you vastly in creation. So remember Allah's bounties so that you may be felicitous."( 69 )

They said," Have you come to[ tell ]us that we should worship Allah alone and abandon what our fathers have been worshiping? Then bring us what you threaten us with, should you be truthful."( 70 )

He said," There has become due against you a punishment and wrath from your Lord. Do you dispute with me regarding names which you have named you and your fathers for which Allah has not sent down any authority? So wait! I too am waiting along with you."( 71 )

Then We delivered him and those who were with him by a mercy from Us, and We rooted out those who denied Our signs and were not faithful.( 72 )

And to[ the people of ]Thamoud, Salih, their brother. He said," O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. There has certainly come to you a manifest proof from your Lord. This she-camel of Allah is a sign for you. Let her alone to graze[ freely ]in Allah's land, and do not cause her any harm, for then you shall be seized by a painful punishment.( 73 )

Remember when He made you successors after[ the people of ]" Ad, and settled you in the land: you build palaces in its plains, and hew houses out of the mountains. So remember Allah's bounties, and do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption."( 74 )

The elite of his people who were arrogant said to those who were abased to those among them who had faith" Do you know that Salih has been sent by his Lord?" They said," We indeed believe in what he has been sent with."( 75 )

Those who were arrogant said," We indeed disbelieve in what you have believed."( 76 )

So they hamstrung the She-camel and defied the command of their Lord, and they said," O Salih, bring us what you threaten us with, if you are one of the apostles."( 77 )

So the earthquake seized them, and they lay lifeless prostrate in their homes.( 78 )

So he abandoned them[ to their fate ], and said," O my people! Certainly I communicated to you the message of my Lord, and I was your well-wisher, but you did not like well-wishers."( 79 )

And Lot, when he said to his people," What! Do you commit an outrage none in the world ever committed before you?!( 80 )

Indeed you come to men with desire instead of women! Rather you are a profligate lot."( 81 )

But the only answer of his people was that they said," Expel them from your town! They are indeed a puritanical lot."( 82 )

So We delivered him and his family, except his wife; she was one of those who remained behind.( 83 )

Then We poured down upon them a rain[ of stones ]. So observe how was the fate of the guilty!( 84 )

And to[ the people of ]Midian, Shu'ayb, their brother. He said," O my people, worship Allah! You have no other god besides Him. There has certainly come to you a manifest proof from your Lord. Observe fully the measure and the balance, and do not cheat the people of their goods, and do not cause corruption on the earth after its restoration. That is better for you, if you are faithful.( 85 )

And do not lie in wait on every road to threaten and bar from the way of Allah those who have faith in Him, seeking to make it crooked. And remember when you were few, and He multiplied you, and observe how was the fate of the agents of corruption.( 86 )

If a group of you have believed in what I have been sent with, and a group have not believed, be patient until Allah judges between us, and He is the best of judges."( 87 )

The elite of his people who were arrogant said," O Shu'ayb, we will surely expel you and the faithful who are with you from our town, or else you shall revert to our creed." He said," What! Even if we should be unwilling?!( 88 )

We would be fabricating a lie against Allah should we revert to your creed after Allah had delivered us from it. It does not behoove us to return to it, unless Allah, our Lord, should wish so. Our Lord embraces all things in[ His ]knowledge. In Allah we have put our trust."" Our Lord! Judge justly between us and our people, and You are the best of judges!"( 89 )

The elite of his people who were faithless said," If you follow Shu'ayb, you will indeed be losers."( 90 )

So the earthquake seized them, and they lay lifeless prostrate in their homes.( 91 )

Those who impugned Shu'ayb became as if they had never lived there. Those who impugned Shu'ayb were themselves the losers.( 92 )

So he abandoned them[ to their fate ]and said," O my people! Certainly I communicated to you the messages of my Lord, and I was your well-wisher. So how should I grieve for a faithless lot?"( 93 )

We did not send a prophet to any town without visiting its people with stress and distress so that they might entreat[ for Allah's forgiveness ].( 94 )

Then We changed the ill[ conditions ]to good until they multiplied[ in numbers ]and said," Adversity and ease befell our fathers[ too ]." Then We seized them suddenly while they were unaware.( 95 )

If the people of the towns had been faithful and God wary, We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied; so We seized them because of what they used to earn.( 96 )

Do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment overtaking them at night while they are asleep?( 97 )

Do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment overtaking them at midday while they are playing around?( 98 )

Do they feel secure from Allah's devising? No one feels secure from Allah's devising except the people who are losers.( 99 )

Does it not dawn upon those who inherited the earth after its[ former ]inhabitants that if We wish We will punish them for their sins, and set a seal on their hearts so they would not hear?( 100 )

These are the towns some of whose accounts We recount to you. Their apostles certainly brought them manifest proofs, but they were not the ones to believe in what they had denied earlier. Thus does Allah put a seal on the hearts of the faithless.( 101 )

We did not find in most of them any[ loyalty to ]covenants. Indeed We found most of them to be transgressors.( 102 )

Then after them We sent Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his elite, but they wronged them. So observe how was the fate of the agents of corruption!( 103 )

And Moses said," O Pharaoh, I am indeed an apostle from the Lord of all the worlds.( 104 )

It behooves me to say nothing about Allah except the truth. I certainly bring you a manifest proof from your Lord. So let the Children of Israel go with me."( 105 )

He said," If you have brought a sign, produce it, should you be truthful."( 106 )

Thereat he threw down his staff, and behold, it became a manifest python.( 107 )

Then he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to the onlookers.( 108 )

The elite of Pharaoh's people said," This is indeed an expert magician;( 109 )

he seeks to expel you from your land."" So what do you advise?"( 110 )

They said," Put him and his brother off for a while, and send heralds to the cities,( 111 )

to bring you every expert magician."( 112 )

And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said," We shall indeed have a reward if we were to be the victors?"( 113 )

He said," Of course! And indeed you shall be among those near[ to me ]."( 114 )

They said," O Moses, will you throw[ first ], or shall we throw?"( 115 )

He said," Throw[ yours ]." So when they threw, they bewitched the people's eyes and overawed them, producing a tremendous magic.( 116 )

And We signalled to Moses:" Throw down your staff." And behold, it was swallowing what they had faked.( 117 )

So the truth came out, and what they had wrought was reduced to naught.( 118 )

Thereat they were vanquished, and they retreated, humiliated.( 119 )

And the magicians fell down in prostration.( 120 )

They said," We have believed in the Lord of all the worlds,( 121 )

the Lord of Moses and Aaron."( 122 )

Pharaoh said," Do you profess faith in Him before I may permit you? It is indeed a plot you have devised in the city to expel its people from it. Soon you will know[ the consequences ]!( 123 )

Surely I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and then I will surely crucify all of you."( 124 )

They said," Indeed we shall return to our Lord.( 125 )

You are vindictive toward us only because we have believed in the signs of our Lord, when they came to us."" Our Lord! Pour patience upon us, and grant us to die as Muslims."( 126 )

The elite of Pharaoh's people said," Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land, and to abandon you and your gods?" He said," We will kill their sons and spare their women, and indeed we are dominant over them."( 127 )

Moses said to his people," Turn to Allah for help and be patient. The earth indeed belongs to Allah, and He gives its inheritance to whomever He wishes of His servants, and the outcome will be in favour of the God wary."( 128 )

They said," We were tormented before you came to us and[ also ]after you came to us." He said," Maybe your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, and then He will see how you act."( 129 )

Certainly We afflicted Pharaoh's clan with droughts and loss of produce, so that they may take admonition.( 130 )

But whenever any good came to them, they would say," This is our due." And if any ill visited them, they took it for ill omens attending Moses and those who were with him.( Look! Indeed the cause of their ill omens is with Allah, but most of them do not know. )( 131 )

And they said," Whatever sign you may bring us to bewitch us, we are not going to believe you."( 132 )

So We sent against them a flood and locusts, lice, frogs and blood, as distinct signs. But they acted arrogantly, and they were a guilty lot.( 133 )

Whenever a plague fell upon them, they would say," O Moses, invoke your Lord for us by the covenant He has made with you. If you remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in you and let the Children of Israel go along with you."( 134 )

But when We had removed the plague from them until a term that they should have completed, behold, they broke their promise.( 135 )

So We took vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea, for they denied Our signs and were oblivious to them.( 136 )

We made the people who were abased the heirs to the east and west of the land which We had blessed, and your Lord's best word[ of promise ]was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of their patience, and We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had built and what they used to erect.( 137 )

We carried the Children of Israel across the sea, whereat they came upon a people cleaving to certain idols that they had. They said," O Moses, make for us a god like the gods that they have." He said," You are indeed an ignorant lot.( 138 )

What they are engaged in is indeed bound to perish, and what they have been doing shall come to naught."( 139 )

He said," Shall I find you a god other than Allah, while He has graced you over all the nations?"( 140 )

And when We delivered you from Pharaoh's clan who inflicted on you a terrible torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women, and there was a great test in that from your Lord.( 141 )

And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights, and completed them with ten[ more ]; thus the tryst of his Lord was completed in forty nights. And Moses said to Aaron, his brother," Be my successor among my people, and set things right and do not follow the way of the agents of corruption."( 142 )

When Moses arrived at Our tryst and his Lord spoke to him, he said," My Lord, show[ Yourself ]to me, that I may look at You!" He said," You shall not see Me. But look at the mountain: if it abides in its place, then you will see Me." So when his Lord disclosed Himself to the mountain, He levelled it, and Moses fell down swooning. And when he recovered, he said," Immaculate are You! I turn to You in penitence, and I am the first of the faithful."( 143 )

He said," O Moses, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My speech. So take what I give you, and be among the grateful."( 144 )

And We wrote for him in the Tablets advice concerning all things and an elaboration of all things,[ and We said ]," Hold on to them with power, and bid your people to hold on to the best of[ what is in ]them. Soon I shall show you the abode of the transgressors.( 145 )

Soon I shall turn away from My signs those who are unduly arrogant in the earth:[ even ]though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it, and if they see the way of rectitude they will not take it as[ their ]way, and if they see the way of error they will take it as[ their ]way. That is because they deny Our signs and are oblivious to them."( 146 )

Those who deny Our signs and the encounter of the Hereafter, their works have failed. Shall they be requited except for what they used to do?( 147 )

The people of Moses took up in his absence a calf[ cast ]from their ornaments a body that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not regard that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it up[ for worship ]and they were wrongdoers.( 148 )

But when they became remorseful and realised they had gone astray, they said," Should our Lord have no mercy on us, and forgive us, we will be surely among the losers."( 149 )

And when Moses returned to his people, angry and indignant, he said," Evil has been your conduct in my absence! Would you hasten on the edict of your Lord?" He threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, pulling him towards himself. He said," Son of my mother, indeed this people thought me to be weak, and they were about to kill me. So do not let the enemies gloat over me, and do not take me with the wrongdoing lot."( 150 )

He said," My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the most merciful of the merciful.( 151 )

Indeed those who took up the calf[ for worship ]shall be overtaken by their Lord's wrath and abasement in the life of the world." Thus do We requite the fabricators[ of lies ].( 152 )

Yet[ to ]those who commit misdeeds but repent after that, and believe, indeed, after that, your Lord shall surely be all-forgiving, all-merciful.( 153 )

And when Moses" indignation abated, he picked up the tablets whose inscriptions contained guidance and mercy for those who are in awe of their Lord.( 154 )

Moses chose seventy men from his people for Our tryst, and when the earthquake seized them, he said," My Lord, had You wished, You would have destroyed them and me before. Will You destroy us because of what the fools amongst us have done? It is only Your test by which You lead astray whomever You wish and guide whomever You wish. You are our master, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who forgive.( 155 )

And appoint goodness for us in this world and the Hereafter, for indeed we have come back to You." Said He," I visit My punishment on whomever I wish, but My mercy embraces all things. Soon I shall appoint it for those who are God wary and give the zakat and those who believe in Our signs( 156 )

those who follow the Apostle, the uninstructed prophet, whose mention they find written with them in the Torah and the Evangel, who bids them to do what is right and forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful to them all the good things and forbids them from all vicious things, and relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them those who believe in him, honour him, and help him and follow the light that has been sent down with him, they are the felicitous."( 157 )

Say," O mankind! I am the Apostle of Allah to you all,[ of Him ]to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except Him. He gives life and brings death." So have faith in Allah and His Apostle, the uninstructed prophet, who has faith in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided.( 158 )

Among the people of Moses is a nation who guide[ the people ]by the truth and do justice thereby.( 159 )

We split them up into twelve tribal communities, and We revealed to Moses, when his people asked him for water,[ saying ]," Strike the rock with your staff," whereat twelve fountains gushed forth from it. Every tribe came to know its drinking-place. And We shaded them with clouds, and We sent down to them manna and quails:" Eat of the good things We have provided you." And they did not wrong Us, but they used to wrong[ only ]themselves.( 160 )

And when they were told," Settle in this town and eat thereof whence you wish; and say," Relieve[ us of the burden of our sins ]," and enter prostrating at the gate, that We may forgive your iniquities, and soon We shall enhance the virtuous."( 161 )

But the wrongdoers changed the saying with other than what they had been told. So We sent against them a plague from the sky because of the wrongs they used to commit.( 162 )

Ask them about the town that was situated on the seaside, when they violated the Sabbath, when their fish would come to them on the Sabbath day, visibly on the shore, but on days when they were not keeping Sabbath they would not come to them. Thus did We test them because of the transgressions they used to commit.( 163 )

When a group of them said," Why do you advise a people whom Allah will destroy or punish with a severe punishment?" They said," As an excuse before your Lord, and[ with the hope ]that they may be God wary."( 164 )

So when they forgot what they had been reminded of We delivered those who forbade evil[ conduct ]and seized the wrongdoers with a terrible punishment because of the transgressions they used to commit.( 165 )

When they defied[ the command pertaining to ]what they were forbidden from, We said to them," Be you spurned apes."( 166 )

And when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them a terrible punishment. Indeed your Lord is swift in retribution, and indeed He is all-forgiving, all-merciful.( 167 )

We dispersed them into communities around the earth: some of them were righteous, and some of them otherwise, and We tested them with good and bad[ times ]so that they may come back.( 168 )

Then they were succeeded by an evil posterity which inherited the Book: they grab the transitory gains of this lower world, and say," It will be forgiven us." And if similar transitory gains were to come their way, they would grab them too. Was not the covenant of the Book taken with them that they shall not attribute anything to Allah except the truth? They have studied what is in it, and[ know that ]the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who are God wary. Do you not apply reason?( 169 )

As for those who hold fast to the Book and maintain the prayer indeed We do not waste the reward of those who bring about reform.( 170 )

When We plucked the mountain[ and held it them as if it were a canopy( and they thought it was about to fall on them ):" Hold on with power to what We have given you and remember that which is in it, so that you may be God wary."( 171 )

When your Lord took from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants and made them bear witness over themselves,[ He said to them, ]" Am I not your Lord?" They said," Yes indeed! We bear witness."[ This, ]lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection," Indeed we were unaware of this,"( 172 )

or lest you should say," Our fathers ascribed partners[ to Allah ]before[ us ]and we were descendants after them. Will You then destroy us because of what the falsifiers have done?"( 173 )

Thus do We elaborate the signs, so that they may come back.( 174 )

Relate to them an account of him to whom We gave Our signs, but he cast them off. Thereupon Satan pursued him, and he became one of the perverse.( 175 )

Had We wished, We would have surely raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his[ base ]desires. So his parable is that of a dog: if you make for it, it lolls out its tongue, and if you let it alone, it lolls out its tongue. Such is the parable of the people who deny Our signs. So recount these narratives, so that they may reflect.( 176 )

Evil is the parable of the people who deny Our signs and wrong themselves.( 177 )

Whomever Allah guides is rightly guided, and whomever He leads astray it is they who are the losers.( 178 )

Certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and humans: they have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle; rather they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.( 179 )

To Allah belong the Best Names, so supplicate Him by them, and abandon those who commit sacrilege in His names. Soon they shall be requited for what they used to do.( 180 )

Among those We have created are a nation who guide by the truth and do justice thereby.( 181 )

As for those who deny Our signs, We will draw them imperceptibly[ into ruin ], whence they do not know.( 182 )

And I will grant them respite, for My devising is indeed sure.( 183 )

Have they not reflected that there is no madness in their companion,[ and that ]he is just a manifest warner?( 184 )

Have they not contemplated the dominions of the heavens and the earth, and whatever things Allah has created, and that maybe their time has already drawn near? So what discourse will they believe after this?!( 185 )

Whomever Allah leads astray has no guide, and He leaves them bewildered in their rebellion.( 186 )

They question you concerning the Hour, when will it set in? Say," Its knowledge is only with my Lord: none except Him shall manifest it at its time. It will weigh heavy on the heavens and the earth. It will not overtake you but suddenly." They ask you as if you were in the know of it. Say," Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know."( 187 )

Say," I have no control over any benefit for myself nor[ over ]any harm except what Allah may wish. Had I known the Unseen, I would have acquired much good, and no ill would have befallen me. I am only a warner and a bearer of good news to a people who have faith."( 188 )

It is He who created you from a single soul, and made from it its mate, that he might find comfort with her. So when he had covered her, she bore a light burden and passed[ some time ]with it. When she had grown heavy, they both invoked Allah, their Lord:" If You give us a healthy[ child ], we will be surely grateful."( 189 )

Then when He gave them a healthy[ child ], they ascribed partners to Him in what He had given them. Exalted is Allah above[ having ]any partners that they ascribe[ to Him ]!( 190 )

Do they ascribe[ to Him ]partners that create nothing and have been created themselves,( 191 )

and can neither help them, nor help themselves?( 192 )

And if you call them to guidance, they will not follow you: it is the same to you whether you call them or whether you are silent.( 193 )

Indeed those whom you invoke besides Allah are creatures like you. So invoke them: they should answer you, if you are truthful.( 194 )

Do they have any feet to walk with? Do they have any hands to grasp with? Do they have any eyes to see with? Do they have any ears to hear with? Say," Invoke your partners[ that you ascribe to Allah ]and try out your stratagems against me without granting me any respite.( 195 )

My guardian is indeed Allah who sent down the Book, and He takes care of the righteous.( 196 )

Those whom you invoke besides Him can neither help you, nor help themselves."( 197 )

If you call them to guidance, they will not hear. You see them observing you, but they do not perceive.( 198 )

Adopt[ a policy of ]excusing[ the faults of people ], bid what is right, and turn away from the ignorant.( 199 )

Should a temptation from Satan disturb you, invoke the protection of Allah; indeed He is all-hearing, all-knowing.( 200 )

When those who are God wary are touched by a visitation of Satan, they remember[ Allah ]and, behold, they perceive.( 201 )

But their brethren, they draw them into error, and then they do not spare[ any harm ].( 202 )

When you do not bring them a sign, they say," Why do you not improvise one?" Say," I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are insights from your Lord, and a guidance and mercy for a people who have faith."( 203 )

When the Qur'an is recited, listen to it and be silent, maybe you will receive[ Allah's ]mercy.( 204 )

And remember your Lord within your heart beseechingly and reverentially, without being loud, morning and evening, and do not be among the heedless.( 205 )

Indeed those who are[ stationed ]near your Lord do not disdain to worship Him. They glorify Him and prostrate to Him.( 206 )