45 To the people of Thamud We sent their brother, Salih, saying, ‘Worship God alone,’ but they split into two rival factions. 46 Salih said, ‘My people, why do you rush to bring [forward] what is bad rather than good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God, so that you may be given mercy?’ 47 They said, ‘We see you and your followers as an evil omen.’ He replied, ‘God will decide on any omen you may see: you people are being put to the test.’ 48 There were nine men in the city who spread corruption in the land without making amends. 49 They said, ‘Swear by God: we shall attack this man and his household in the night, then say to his next of kin, “We did not witness the destruction of his household. We are telling the truth.”’ 50 So they devised their evil plan, but We too made a plan of which they were unaware. 51 See how their scheming ended: We destroyed them utterly, along with all their people. 52 As a result of their evil deeds, their homes are desolate ruins– there truly is a sign in this for those who know– 53 but We saved those who believed and were mindful of God.
54 We also sent Lot to his people. He said to them, ‘How can you commit this outrage with your eyes wide open? 55 How can you lust after men instead of women? What fools you are!’ 56 The only answer his people gave was to say, ‘Expel Lot’s followers from your town! These men mean to stay chaste!’ 57 We saved him and his family– except for his wife: We made her stay behind– 58 and We brought rain down on them. How dreadful that rain was for those who had been warned!
Who is equal to God?
59 Say [Prophet], ‘Praise be to God and peace on the servants He has chosen. [a] Who is better: God, or those they set up as partners with Him?
60 Who created the heavens and earth? Who sends down water from the sky for you– with which We cause gardens of delight to grow: you have no power to make the trees grow in them– is it another god beside God? No! But they are people who take others to be equal with God. 61 Who is it that made the earth a stable place to live? Who made rivers flow through it? Who set immovable mountains on it and created a barrier between the fresh and salt water? Is it another god beside God? No! But most of them do not know. 62 Who is it that answers the distressed when they call upon Him? Who removes their suffering? Who makes you successors in the earth? Is it another god beside God? Little notice you take! 63 Who is it that guides you through the darkness on land and sea? Who sends the winds as heralds of good news before His mercy? [b] Is it another god beside God? God is far above the partners they put beside him! 64 Who is it that creates life and reproduces it? Who is it that gives you provision from the heavens and earth? Is it another god beside God?’ Say, ‘Show me your evidence then, if what you say is true.’
65 Say, ‘No one in the heavens or on earth knows the unseen except God.’ They do not know when they will be raised from the dead: 66 their knowledge cannot comprehend the Hereafter; they are in doubt about it; they are blind to it. 67 So the disbelievers say, ‘What! When we and our forefathers have become dust, shall we be brought back to life again? 68 We have heard such promises before, and so did our forefathers. These are just ancient fables.’ 69 [Prophet], say, ‘Travel through the earth and see how the evildoers ended up.’ 70 [Prophet], do not grieve over them; do not be distressed by their schemes. 71 They also say, ‘When will this promise be fulfilled if what you say is true?’ 72 Say, ‘Maybe some of what you seek to hasten is near at hand.’ 73 Your Lord is bountiful to people, though most of them are ungrateful. 74 He knows everything their hearts conceal and everything they reveal: 75 there is nothing hidden in the heavens or on earth that is not in a clear Record.
Separation and Division of Groups
76 Truly, this Quran explains to the Children of Israel most of what they differ about, 77 and it is guidance and grace for those who believe. 78 Truly, your Lord will judge between them in His wisdom– He is the Almighty, the All Knowing– 79 so [Prophet], put your trust in God, you are on the path of clear truth. 80 You cannot make the dead hear, you cannot make the deaf listen to your call when they turn their backs and leave, 81 you cannot guide the blind out of their error: you cannot make anyone hear you except those who believe in Our signs and submit [to Us]. 82 When the verdict is given against them, We shall bring a creature out of the earth, which will tell them that people had no faith in Our revelations. 83 The Day will come when We gather from every community a crowd of those who disbelieved in Our signs and they will be led in separate groups 84 until, when they come before Him, He will say, ‘Did you deny My messages without even taking them in? Or what were you doing?’ 85 The verdict will be given against them because of their wrongdoing: they will not speak.
86 Did they not see that We gave them the night for rest, and the day for light? There truly are signs in this for those who believe. 87 On the Day the Trumpet sounds, everyone in heaven and on earth will be terrified– except such as God wills– and all will come to Him in utter humility. 88 You will see the mountains and think they are firmly fixed, but they will float away like clouds: this is the handiwork of God who has perfected all things. He is fully aware of what you do: 89 whoever comes with a good deed will be rewarded with something better, and be secure from the terrors of that Day, 90 but whoever comes with evil deeds will be cast face downwards into the Fire. ‘Are you rewarded for anything except what you have done?’ 91 [Say Prophet], ‘What I am commanded to do is to serve the Sustainer of this town, [c] which He has made inviolable. Everything belongs to Him; I am commanded to be one of those devoted to Him; 92 I am commanded to recite the Quran.’ Whoever chooses to follow the right path does so for his own good. Say to whoever deviates from it, ‘I am only here to warn.’ 93 Say, ‘Praise belongs to God: He will show you His signs so that you will recognize them.’ Your Lord is never unmindful of what you all do.
Footnotes
a. As messengers, see e.g. 3: 33.
b. i.e. rain.
c. Mecca.
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
The Qur'an / a new translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, copyright © 2004 Oxford World's Classics (Oxford University Press). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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