سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي

1. Glory be to Him Who took His (esteemed) servant (Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) on a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He is the One Who is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

2. We gave Musa (Moses) the Book and made it a guide for the Children of Israel (saying:) ‘Do not take any guardian apart from Me.’

3. (You are) descendants of those whom We carried (on the Ark) with Nuh (Noah). Indeed, he was an incredibly grateful servant.

4. We warned the Children of Israel in the Book: ‘You will certainly cause corruption on the earth twice, and most certainly you will become extremely arrogant, perpetrating great tyranny.’

5. So when the promise of the first of the two (prophecies) came to pass, We aroused against you Our servants, possessing great might. So they ravaged your homes (to kill you). And it was a warning to be fulfilled.

6. Then We gave you a turn against them, helped you with wealth and children, and made you greater in number.

7. (We said to them:) ‘If you act righteously, you will do good to your souls, but if you commit evil, it will be for them. So when (the occasion of) the second promise came (We raised another people against you), so that they may shame your faces (i.e. disgrace the notables of the Israelites) and enter the Temple (of Jerusalem) as they entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever they overtake.

8. Perhaps your Lord will have mercy upon you (after your repentance), but if you again turn (to rebellion), We (too) will return (with the punishment). And We have made Hell a prison for the disbelievers.’

9. Indeed, this Qur’an guides to what is most upright and gives glad tidings to the believers—who perform righteous deeds—that there is a great reward for them.

10. And as for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have prepared a painful punishment for them.

11. Human being prays for evil as he prays for good, and man is overly hasty.

12. We made the night and the day (as) two signs. Then We effaced the sign of the night (by darkening it) and made the sign of the day sight giving, that you may seek grace from your Lord, and that you may know the number of years and the calculation (of time). And We have elaborated everything distinctly.

13. We have attached (out of Our pre-eternal knowledge), for every human being, his record of deeds to his neck (to be performed by him with free choice). And We shall bring it out for him on the Day of Resurrection, as a wide-open book he will encounter.

14. (It will be said to him:) ‘Read your book (of deeds)! Today, your (own) soul is sufficient as a reckoner against yourself.’

15. Whoever accepts guidance is guided only for (the benefit of) his soul, and whoever goes astray goes astray only to its detriment. No bearer shall bear the burden of another. And We do not punish (a people) until We have sent a messenger (to them).

16. And whenever We intend to destroy a town, We send Our command to its elites (to reform themselves and obey God), but they (continue to) act disobediently therein. Thus, the Word comes due against that town, and We utterly destroy it.

17. And how many generations have We destroyed since Nuh (Noah)? And your Lord is sufficient as the One (Who is) All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants’ sins.

18. Whoever desires this momentary life, We expedite for him in it whatever We wish for whomever We wish. Then We assign Hell for him, where he shall burn, being blameful and rejected.

19. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it with an effort due to it, and he is a (truthful) believer—they are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated.

20. (O Prophet!) We extend (Our help) to all (of them)—these and those (i.e. the ambitious of this world and the aspiring of the Hereafter)—out of the bounty of your Lord. And the bounty of your Lord is not confined (to one group alone).

21. See how We have exalted some of them over others, and the Hereafter is surely much superior in degrees and far greater in excellence.

22. (O listener!) Do not set up another god with Allah, lest you sit down blameful, forsaken.

23. Your Lord has decreed that you shall worship none except Him and that you be kind and virtuous to parents. If either of them or both of them reach old age in your care, do not say to them (so much as) ‘Uff!’ (i.e. any word expressing annoyance, impatience or displeasure). And do not be harsh with them but speak to them a generous word.

24. And lower to them the wing of humility out of kindness. And say: ‘My Lord! Have mercy on them, just as they raised me (mercifully) when I was small.’

25. Your Lord knows best what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, He is indeed Most-Forgiving to the penitent.

26. Give the relatives their (due) right, and the needy and the traveller (as well). But do not spend (your money) wastefully.

27. Indeed, the wasteful are the brothers of Satan. And Satan is most ungrateful to his Lord.

28. And if you have to overlook them (for their lack of means), seeking the mercy of your Lord, which you will (soon) expect, then (at least) speak to them a gentle word.

29. Do not keep your hand chained to your neck (i.e. do not be miserly), nor open it all together (i.e. do not overspend), lest you sit down blamed, regretful.

30. Indeed, your Lord expands the provision for whom He wishes and straitens (it for whom He wills). Surely, He is All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.

31. And do not kill your children fearing poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is a great sin.

32. And do not go near adultery. It is an indecent act and an evil path.

33. And do not kill any soul whom Allah has forbidden, except lawfully. And whoever is killed unjustly, We have certainly given his heir the authority (of obtaining legal retribution). But he must not commit any excess in (the retributive) killing, for he indeed enjoys the support (of the Law).

34. And do not go near the orphan’s property, except in the most virtuous manner, until he attains maturity. And fulfil the promise. Indeed, all promises are accountable.

35. Give full measure when you measure, and weigh with an accurate scale. That is better and more virtuous in outcome.

36. And do not follow (blindly) what you do not know (to be the truth). Indeed, the hearing, the seeing and the heart—all of these shall be held accountable.

37. And do not walk proudly on the earth. Indeed, you can neither tear up the earth nor reach the mountains in height.

38. The evil of all these (actions) is detestable in the sight of your Lord.

39. This is from the wisdom that your Lord has revealed to you. And do not set up another god with Allah, lest you should be thrown into Hell, condemned, rejected.

40. Did your Lord prefer you with sons, while He adopted (for Himself) daughters from among the angels? Indeed, you utter a terrible saying.

41. And We have indeed explained (the facts) in this Qur’an in various ways so that they may accept admonition. But it increases them only in aversion.

42. Say: ‘If there were (other) gods alongside Him as they claim, then surely they would have been able to seek a path to the Possessor of the Mighty Throne.

43. Glory be to Him. He is greatly exalted above whatever they say!’

44. The seven heavens glorify Him, the earth, and whoever is in them. And there is not a single thing, but it glorifies His praise. But you do not understand their glorification. Indeed, He is All-Forbearing, All-Forgiving.

45. And (O Prophet), when you recite the Qur’an, We put a hidden barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter.

46. And We have placed coverings over their hearts that prevent them from understanding it, and (there is) a heaviness in their ears (that prevents them from listening to it). And when you mention your Lord alone in the Qur’an, they turn their backs in aversion.

47. We know best what they listen for when they listen to you, and when they have secret talks, when the wrongdoers say: ‘(If you follow him,) you will be following just a bewitched man.’

48. See how they strike comparisons for you. So they have gone astray and cannot find the (right) way.

49. And they say: ‘What! When we become bones and dust, shall we surely be raised as a new creation?’

50. Say: ‘(Even) if you turn into stones or iron,

51. or some other creature that is more difficult (to resurrect) in your minds! (You will still be brought to life again).’ Then they will say: ‘Who will bring us back (to life)?’ Say: ‘He Who originated you the first time.’ So they will shake their heads at you and say: ‘When will it be?’ Say: ‘Perhaps it is soon.’

52. The Day when He calls you, you will respond by praising Him, and you will think that you remained (in the world) for only a little while.

53. Tell My servants to speak what is more virtuous. Indeed, Satan provokes ill-feeling between them. Indeed, Satan is an open enemy to human being.

54. Your Lord knows you best. If He pleases, He will have mercy upon you. If He wants, He will punish you, and We have not sent you as a guardian over them.

55. Your Lord knows best who is in the heavens and the earth. And indeed, We have exalted some Prophets over others, and We gave Dawud (David) the Zabur (Psalms).

56. Say: ‘Call upon those you consider (to be gods) besides Him. They have no power to remove harm from you nor transfer it (to someone else).

57. Those (angels) whom they call upon are (themselves) seeking a means to approach their Lord—whoever of them is nearer—and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment.’ Indeed, your Lord’s punishment is much to be feared.

58. There is not a town (of evildoers), but We will destroy it before the Day of Resurrection or punish it with a most severe torment. That has been written in the Book.

59. Nothing prevents Us from sending (miraculous) signs, except that the ancients had denied them (previously). We gave Thamud the she-camel (of Salih) as an eye-opener, but they wronged her. And We do not send the signs except to instil fear (as a deterrence).

60. When We said to you: ‘Indeed, your Lord encompasses all humankind (with His power and knowledge). And We did not make the vision that We showed you except as a test for the people, and the Accursed Tree in the Qur’an (as well). And We instil fear in them, but it only increases them in great rebellion.’

61. And when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate before Adam.’ They (all) prostrated except Iblis. He said: ‘Shall I prostrate before someone whom You have created from clay?’

62. He (further) said: ‘Do you see this one whom You have honoured above me? If You reprieve me till the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his progeny, except a few.’

63. Allah said: ‘Be gone! Whoever of them follows you, the Hellfire shall indeed be a recompense for you (all)—an ample reward.

64. So incite whomsoever of them you can with your (tempting) voice, and rally against them with your cavalry and your infantry. And be their partner in wealth and children. And make (false) promises to them!’ And Satan promises them nothing but delusion.

65. ‘As for My (faithful) servants, you shall have no authority over them. And your Lord can take care of them well enough.’

66. Your Lord is the One Who makes the ships sail smoothly for you across the sea, that you may seek His grace. Indeed, He is All-Merciful to you.

67. Whenever affliction befalls you at sea, those you worship desert (you), except for Him. But when He delivers you safely to the land, you (again) turn away (from Him). And human being is very ungrateful.

68. Do you feel secure that He will not cause the coast to swallow you, or He will not send upon you a tornado of pebbles? Then, you will not find any guardian for yourselves.

69. Do you feel secure that He will not take you back into it again, and He will not send upon you a violent storm and drown you for your being ungrateful? Then you will not find for yourselves any redresser against Us in the matter.

70. And indeed, We have honoured the children of Adam. We carried them in the land and the sea, provided them with all the good things and favoured them above many We have created with an appropriate preference.

71. (Remember) the Day We shall call every group of people along with their leader. So whoever is given his book in his right hand, it is they who shall read their book (with delight), and they shall not be wronged so much as a thread of a date stone.

72. But whoever was blind in this (world) will be blind in the Hereafter and even more astray from the (right) way.

73. And they had aspired to tempt you (to turn) away from what Allah has revealed to you, so that you may fabricate against Us something other than that, and then they would certainly have taken you as a friend.

74. Had We not firmly fortified you (with the strength of truth and divine wisdom), you might have gone near to incline a little bit towards them.

75. In that case, We would surely have made you taste double in this life and double after death. And then you would not have found any helper against Us. (But it could never happen because of Our protection).

76. And they had (also) sought to unsettle you in the land (of Mecca) to expel you from it, (but Allah Himself caused you to migrate by His Divine Plan). But in that case, they would not have remained after you (had left) except a little.

77. Such was (Our) custom regarding those We had sent from among Our messengers before you, and you will not find any change in Our custom.

78. Establish the (ritual) prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkening of the night, and (observe particularly) the dawn recitation. Indeed, the dawn recitation is witnessed (by angels).

79. And during a part of the night, offer an additional prayer as an act of extra devotion for you. Surely, your Lord will raise you to a praiseworthy station.

80. And say: ‘My Lord! Make me enter with an honourable entrance, and make me depart with an honourable departure, and grant me a favourable authority from Your Presence.’

81. And say: ‘The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.’

82. And We send down in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers. And it increases the wrongdoers in nothing but loss.

83. And whenever We bestow favour upon human being, he becomes disregardful and turns aside arrogantly. But whenever harm befalls him, he loses hope.

84. Say: ‘Each acts according to his character.’ Your Lord knows best who is better guided on the way.

85. And they ask you about the spirit. Say: ‘The spirit is from (the realm of) the Command of my Lord, and you have not been given knowledge but a little.’

86. If We wished, We could have certainly taken away what We have revealed to you. Then you would not find for yourself any guardian against Us.

87. But on account of mercy from your Lord (We have not taken it away from your community). Indeed, His grace upon you (O Prophet) has (always) been abundant.

88. Say: ‘If (all) humans and jinn were to come together to bring the equivalent of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they supported one another.’

89. And surely, We have repeatedly employed for the people in this Qur’an all kinds of examples. Yet most people refuse everything except disbelief.

90. And they say: ‘We shall never believe you (O Muhammad s) until you make a spring gush out for us from the ground.

91. Or until you have a garden of date palms and grapes, and you should cause streams to flow, gushing out through it.

92. Or until you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, just as you have claimed, or until you bring Allah and the angels right in front of us.

93. Or until you have a house of gold, or you ascend into heaven. And we will not believe your ascension until you bring us down a Book we can read.’ Say: ‘Glory be to my Lord! Am I anything but a human being (and) a Messenger?’

94. And nothing has prevented (these) people from believing when the guidance has come to them, except that they say: ‘Has Allah sent a human as a messenger?’

95. Say: ‘If there were angels on the earth, walking around as residents, We would have certainly sent down to them from heaven an angel as a messenger.’

96. Say: ‘Allah is sufficient as a Witness between me and you. Indeed, He is All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.

97. Whomever Allah guides is rightly guided, and whomever He leaves to stray, you will never find for them any guardians apart from Him. And on the Day of Resurrection, We shall gather them (scrambling) upon their faces—blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge shall be Hell. Whenever it dies down, We shall intensify the blazing flame for them.’

98. That is their recompense because they disbelieved in Our Signs and said (mockingly): ‘What! When we are reduced to bones and dust, will we surely be resurrected as a new creation?’

99. Do they not realise that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, is capable of creating the like of them? And He has appointed for them a term in which there is no doubt. Yet the wrongdoers refuse everything except disbelief.

100. Say: ‘Were you to possess the (countless) treasures of my Lord’s mercy, you would hold back for fear of spending. And humans are ever miserly.

101. Indeed, We gave Musa (Moses) nine clear signs. So ask the Children of Israel. When he came to them, Pharaoh said to him: ‘O Musa (Moses), most surely, I think you are bewitched.’

102. He said: ‘You certainly know that no one could have sent down these (clear proofs) as eye-openers, except the Lord of the heavens and the earth. And, O Pharaoh, I most surely think that you are doomed.’

103. He (Pharaoh) desired to exterminate them from the land (of Egypt). So We drowned him and all those with him.

104. And after him, We said to the Children of Israel: ‘Take up (your) residence in the land. And when the promise of the Hereafter comes, We shall gather you as a mixed crowd.’

105. And with the truth, We have revealed it (i.e. the Qur’an), and with the truth, it has come down. And (O Prophet!) We have not sent you except as a Bearer of glad tidings and as a Warner.

106. (It is) a Qur’an, We have divided it into distinct parts so that you may recite it to the people in intervals. And We have sent it down in successive revelations.

107. Say: ‘Believe in it or do not believe.’ Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall on their faces in prostration.

108. And they say: ‘Glory be to our Lord. Indeed, our Lord’s promise is fulfilled.’

109. And they fall down upon their faces weeping, and it (i.e. the Qur’an) increases them in humility.

110. Say: ‘Invoke Allah or invoke al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate). Whichever (Name) you call, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.’ And be not loud in your prayer, nor too quiet in it; instead, seek a middle course between the two.

111. And say: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, Who has never taken any son nor does He have any partner in the kingdom; nor has He (taken) any helper out of weakness.’ And proclaim His Greatness with a magnification (worthy of Him).

1. All praise belongs to Allah, Who revealed the Book to His (Esteemed) Servant and did not allow any deviation to be in it.

2. (He has made it) perfectly upright, to warn (the disbelievers) of severe punishment from Him and to give glad tidings to the believers who perform righteous deeds that there shall be a beautiful reward for them,

3. wherein they shall stay forever,

4. and to warn those who say: ‘Allah has taken a son.’

5. They have no knowledge about this, nor did their forefathers. It is a grievous utterance that comes out of their mouths, and they say nothing but a lie.

6. Yet (O Prophet), perhaps you will consume yourself with grief for their sake if they do not believe in this message (i.e. the Qur’an).

7. Indeed, We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it, that We may test them as to which of them is best in conduct.

8. And We shall surely turn whatever is upon it into a barren plain.

9. (O Prophet!) Have you considered that the Companions of the Cave and the Valley of al-Raqim (or Inscription) were among Our wonderful signs?*

* The story of the Companions of the Cave is also known in the Christian tradition as the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. This was a group of believing Christian youths who hid inside a cave outside the city of Ephesus around 250 AD. They fled to Allah, protecting their faith and seeking refuge from their king (the Roman emperor) named Daqyanus (Decius). The pious youths slept for 300 solar years, which equates to 309 lunar years. It is one of the most evident examples of non-prophetic miracles (karamat) in the Qur’an.

10. When the youths took refuge in the cave, they said: ‘Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Your presence and make us incline to the right course concerning our affair.’

11. So We cast (a veil) over their ears (causing them to fall dead asleep) in the cave for several years.

12. Then We raised them (again) so that We may show (them) which of the two groups had better calculated the period they had stayed (in the cave).

13. We relate their story to you exactly (as it happened). They were (pious) youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.

14. We fortified their hearts when they stood up boldly (before their king). They said: ‘Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We will never worship any (false) god besides Him, for then we shall have certainly said an outrageous thing.

15. These people of ours have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not bring any clear evidence to support them? So who could be more unjust than someone who fabricates a lie against Allah?’

16. (So those young men said to one another:) ‘When you have separated yourselves from them and what they worship besides Allah, take refuge in the cave. Your Lord will unfold His mercy for you and will make for you an easy way out in your affair.’

17. You would have seen the sun as it rose, declining from their cave to the right, and when it set (you would have seen it) turning away from them to the left while they were in an open space within it. That is among the signs of Allah. Whomever Allah guides is rightly guided, and whomever He leaves to stray, you shall never find for him any guardian who guides (to the right path).

18. You would have thought them awake while they were asleep. And We turned them over, to the right and the left, while their dog was (lying) stretching out its forelegs at the entrance (of the cave). Had you come upon them, you would surely have turned away to flee from them and would surely been filled with fear of them.

19. Even so, We raised them (from sleep) that they might question one another. One of them said: ‘How long have you stayed (here)?’ Some replied: ‘We have stayed a day or a part of a day.’ They said (to one another): ‘Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed. Send one of you to the town with this money of yours. Let him observe which of them has the purest food and bring you some provisions from there. Let him be polite (and careful), and by no means make anyone aware of you.

20. Indeed, if they come to find you out, they will stone you (to death) or force you to return to their faith. And then you will never be saved.’

21. So in this way, We brought them to the people’s attention so that they may know that Allah’s promise (of the Resurrection) is true, and as for the Last Hour, there is no doubt about it. As they (i.e. the town’s people) were disputing among themselves in their matter, they said: ‘Construct a building over them; their Lord knows best about them.’ Those who prevailed over their affair said: ‘We shall build a place of worship over them.’

22. Some will say: ‘(The Companions of the Cave) were three, and the fourth of them was their dog.’ And others will say: ‘(They were) five, and the sixth of them was their dog.’ (They are) guessing at the Unseen. Yet others will say: ‘(They were) seven, and the eighth of them was their dog.’ Say: ‘My Lord knows best their number, and none (truly) knows about them except a few.’ So do not dispute concerning them except with a clear argument. And do not question any of them about them.

23. And do not say of anything: ‘I will surely do it tomorrow,’

24. except (adding): ‘If Allah wills so.’ And remember your Lord when you forget. And say: ‘Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is closer to right conduct than this.’

25. They remained in their cave for three hundred years, adding nine more (to that number).*

* It may be 300 years, according to the Gregorian Calendar, which equals 309 years of the Islamic Lunar Calendar.

26. Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they stayed.’ To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How wonderful His seeing and how wonderful His hearing! They have no guardian besides Him. And He does not make anyone a partner in His judgement.

27. Recite what has been revealed to you from your Lord’s Book. None can change His Words. And you will never find any refuge besides Him.

28. Keep yourself patiently in the company of those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, desiring His Countenance (i.e. His pleasure). And do not turn your eyes away from them, desiring the attractions of this world’s life, nor follow the one whose heart We have made negligent of Our remembrance, who follows his low desires and whose affair exceeds (all) bounds.

29. And say: ‘(This is) the truth from your Lord. So whoever wishes, let him believe, and whoever wishes, let him disbelieve.’ Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire, the curtains of which will surround them (from all sides). And if they plead for relief, they will be showered with (boiling) water, like molten copper, which will burn (their) faces. What a dreadful drink! And what a terrible resting place!

30. As for those who believe and perform righteous deeds, We surely do not waste the reward of those who are excellent in conduct.

31. For such, there shall be the Gardens of Eternity, with rivers flowing beneath them. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they shall wear green robes of fine silk and brocade interwoven with gold. They will be comfortably seated therein upon soft couches. What a blessed reward! And what a fantastic resting place!

32. Tell them the parable of two men: for one of them, We made two gardens of grapevines, and We surrounded them both with date palms and placed corn fields between them.

33. Both gardens produced their fruits and did not fall short in any way. And We caused a river to gush through them.

34. And he possessed (abundant wealth and) fruits. So he said to his companion, as he argued with him: ‘I am greater than you in wealth and stronger in number (i.e. in family and followers).’

35. And he went into his garden wronging himself (by way of arrogance). He said: ‘I do not think that this will ever perish.

36. And I do not think that the Hour will ever come. And even if I am returned to my Lord, I will surely find a resort better than this.’

37. His companion said to him while conversing with him: ‘Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you (i.e. your father Adam) from dust, and then (developed you) from a zygote*, and then fashioned you as a man?

* In Arabic, the word ‘al-nutfa’ is mentioned, and it refers to a zygote, which is a mixture of male and female gametes. It is the new single cell formed after the union of a sperm and ovum.

38. But He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not ascribe any partner to my Lord.

39. And why did you not say when you entered your garden: ‘(This is) what Allah has willed! There is no power except in Allah!’ If you see that I am lesser than you in wealth and children,

40. perhaps, my Lord will grant me (something) better than your garden and send down upon your garden thunderbolts from the sky so that it becomes a flattened plain.

41. Or its water may sink so deep into the ground that you will never be able to obtain it (again).’

42. (And so it happened.) His fruits were (entirely) destroyed, and he began to wring his hands over what he had invested while it had collapsed on its trellises, and he was saying: ‘I wish I had not ascribed any partner to my Lord.’

43. He had no group to help him besides Allah, nor could he help himself.

44. In this situation, the only protection* is that of Allah, the real (God). He is the best in rewarding and the best in requiting.

* The word ‘al-Walaya’, in common usage, designates a state of friendship, attachment and protection. In contrast, ‘al-Wilaya’ denotes a spiritual or political authority or guardianship, which comes from one’s relationship with a higher authority.

45. Draw an example of this worldly life for them: (It is) like the water We send down from the sky. Then the vegetation of the earth absorbs it (to grow). Then it (i.e. the vegetation) becomes dry, broken into pieces, which the winds scatter (afterwards). And Allah holds power over everything.

46. Wealth and children are the attractions of the worldly life. However, the everlasting righteous deeds are better in reward with your Lord and better in hope.

47. On the Day when We shall make the mountains move away, and you will see the earth an open plain, and We shall gather them, We shall not leave any of them out.

48. And they will be presented before your Lord in rows. (It will be said to them:) ‘Indeed, you have come to Us as We created you the first time. Rather, you claimed that We would never appoint for you a time for the fulfilment of the promise.’

49. The record of deeds will be laid (open). Then, you will see the evildoers fearful of what is in it. They will say: ‘Oh, woe to us! What kind of record is this that does not omit anything, small or big, but numbers them all.’ And they will find present whatsoever they had done. And your Lord does not deal with anyone unjustly.

50. And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate before Adam (in veneration).’ So they prostrated except Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he deviated from the command of his Lord. Would you still take him and his offspring as guardians besides Me, though they are your enemies? How evil an exchange for the wrongdoers!

51. I did not make them witnesses to the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation. And I do not take the misleaders as assistants.

52. On the Day, He will say: ‘Call those whom you claimed as My partners.’ They will call upon them, but they will not respond to them, and We will cause a destructive separation between them.

53. The evildoers will see the Fire and will realise that they are about to fall into it, and they will find no means of escape from it.

54. Indeed, We have presented in this Qur’an every (kind of) illustration for people. But human being is the most contentious of all creatures.

55. Nothing prevents people from believing in their Lord when guidance has come to them and asking forgiveness, except that the fate of the earlier people overtakes them or their punishment confronts them face to face.

56. We do not send the messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners. And those who disbelieve, dispute falsely to refute the truth thereby. And they take My revelations and what they are warned about in mockery.

57. Who is more unjust than he who has been reminded of the signs of his Lord, but he turns away from them and forgets what his hands have sent forth? Indeed, We have placed coverings over their hearts, lest they should understand it, and a deafness in their ears. And if you invite them to (the path of) guidance, they will never (let themselves) be guided.

58. And your Lord is All-Forgiving, the Possessor of Mercy. Were He to punish them because of what they had committed, He would have hastened the punishment for them. But they have a fixed time (when) they shall not find a refuge besides Him.

59. And those are the towns that We destroyed when they acted unjustly. And We had fixed a time for their destruction.

60. And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his young companion: ‘I shall not stop until I reach the junction of the two seas, even if I keep travelling for ages.’

61. So when they reached the (location of the) junction of the two (seas), they forgot their fish (there), which made its way into the sea and swam away.

62. But when they had gone further, he told his young companion: ‘Bring us our meal. Surely, we have encountered much fatigue during this journey of ours.’

63. He (the disciple) said: ‘Did you notice? When we rested at the rock, I forgot the fish (there), and none but Satan made me forget to mention it (to you). And it made its way into the sea amazingly (after returning to life).’

64. He (Moses) said: ‘That’s (the place) we were looking for.’ So they turned back, retracing their footsteps carefully.

65. They found a (unique) servant from among Our servants (there, i.e. al-Khidr), whom We had granted special mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught special knowledge from Our presence.

66. Musa (Moses) said to him: ‘May I follow you that you teach me some of the right guidance you have been taught (especially)?’

67. He (al-Khidr) said: ‘Indeed, you will not be able to be patient with me!’

68. How could you be patient upon something you do not comprehend in knowledge?’

69. He (Moses) said: ‘If Allah pleases, you will find me patient, and I will not violate any of your instructions.’

70. He (al-Khidr) said: ‘If you follow me, then do not question me about anything until I mention it to you (myself).’

71. So they went on till they boarded the boat, (and) he (al-Khidr) made a hole in it. He (Moses) said: ‘Did you make a hole in it to drown its people? Surely, you have done a grievous thing.’

72. He (al-Khidr) said: ‘Did I not tell you that you will not be able to be patient with me?’

73. He (Moses) said: ‘Do not take me to task that I forgot, nor make me suffer much hardship on account of what I have done.’

74. So they travelled on until they came across a young boy. He (al-Khidr) killed him. He (Moses) said: ‘Did you kill an innocent soul who had slain no other soul? Indeed, you have done a terrible thing!’