20 If anyone desires a harvest in the life to come, We shall increase it for him; if anyone desires a harvest in this world, We shall give him a share of it, but in the Hereafter he will have no share. 21 How can they believe in others who ordain for them things which God has not sanctioned in the practice of their faith? If it were not for God’s decree concerning the final Decision, judgement would already have been made between them. The evildoers will have a grievous punishment– 22 you will see them fearful because of what they have done: punishment is bound to fall on them– but those who believe and do good deeds will be in the flowering meadows of the Gardens. They will have whatever they wish from their Lord: this is the great bounty; 23 it is of this that God gives good news to His servants who believe and do good deeds.
Say [Prophet], ‘I ask no reward from you for this, only the affection due to kin.’ [a] If anyone does good, We shall increase it for him; God is most forgiving and most appreciative. 24 How can they say, ‘He has invented a lie about God’? If God so willed, He could seal your heart and blot out lies: God confirms the Truth with His words. He has full knowledge of what is in the heart– 25 it is He who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons bad deeds– He knows everything you do. 26 He responds to those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more of His bounty; agonizing torment awaits the disbelievers. 27 If God were to grant His plentiful provision to [all] His creatures, they would act insolently on earth, but He sends down in due measure whatever He will, for He is well aware of His servants and watchful over them: 28 it is He who sends relief through rain after they have lost hope, and spreads His mercy far and wide. He is the Protector, Worthy of All Praise.
29 Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and earth and all the living creatures He has scattered throughout them: He has the power to gather them all together whenever He will. 30 Whatever misfortune befalls you [people], it is because of what your own hands have done– God forgives much– 31 you cannot escape Him anywhere on earth: you have no protector or helper other than God.
Forgiveness is Better
32 Among His signs are the ships, sailing like floating mountains: 33 if He willed, He could bring the wind to a standstill and they would lie motionless on the surface of the sea– there truly are signs in this for anyone who is steadfast and thankful– 34 or He could cause them to be wrecked on account of what their passengers have done– God pardons much– 35 to let those who argue about Our messages know that there is no escape for them.
36 What you have been given is only the fleeting enjoyment of this world. Far better and more lasting is what God will give to those who believe and trust in their Lord; 37 who shun great sins and gross indecencies; who forgive when they are angry; 38 respond to their Lord; keep up the prayer; conduct their affairs by mutual consultation; give to others out of what We have provided for them; 39 and defend themselves when they are oppressed. 40 Let harm be requited by an equal harm, though anyone who forgives and puts things right will have his reward from God Himself– He does not like those who do wrong. 41 There is no cause to act against anyone who defends himself after being wronged, 42 but there is cause to act against those who oppress people and transgress in the land against all justice– they will have an agonizing torment– 43 though if a person is patient and forgives, this is one of the greatest things.
Only Deliver the Message. God Retains All Control
44 Anyone God allows to stray will have no one else to protect him: you [Prophet] will see the wrongdoers, when they face the punishment, exclaiming, ‘Is there any way of going back?’ 45 You will see them exposed to the Fire, abject in humiliation, glancing furtively, while those who believed exclaim, ‘The losers are the ones who have lost themselves and their people on the Day of Resurrection.’ Truly the evildoers will remain in lasting torment; 46 they will have no allies to help them against God. There is no way [forward] for those God allows to stray.
47 So [people] respond to your Lord before there comes a Day that cannot, against God’s will, be averted– you will have no refuge on that Day, and no possibility of denying [your sins]. If they still turn away [remember that] 48 We have not sent you [Prophet] to be their guardian: your only duty is to deliver the message. When We give man a taste of Our mercy, he rejoices in it, but if some harm befalls him on account of what he has done with his own hands, then he is ungrateful. 49 God has control of the heavens and the earth; He creates whatever He will– He grants female offspring to whoever He will, 50 male to whoever He will, or both male and female, and He makes whoever He will barren: He is all knowing and all powerful.
51 It is not granted to any mortal that God should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His command what He will: He is exalted and wise. 52 So We have revealed a spirit to you [Prophet] by Our command: you knew neither the Scripture nor the faith, but We made it [b] a light, guiding with it whoever We will of Our servants. You give guidance to the straight path, 53 the path of God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and earth: truly everything will return to God.
Footnotes
a. Or ‘I only do this out of affection for you as kin!’
b. The Scripture or the Quran.
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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