وَمَن يَقْنُتْ

31. But whoever of you remains devoutly obedient to Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) and acts righteously, We shall give her a twofold reward. And we have prepared a generous provision for her.

32. O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women; if you are conscious (of Allah), then be not overly soft in speech (with men), lest one with sickness in his heart may be tempted. But speak in an honourable way.

33. Stay in your homes and do not display your charm, like the displaying of the former (days of) ignorance. Establish the prayer, pay the alms due and keep obeying Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him). Indeed, Allah only desires to keep all (forms and causes of) impurity away from you, O Members of the (Prophet’s) Family, and purify you with a thorough purifying.

34. Remember what is recited in your homes from Allah’s verses and wisdom (i.e. the Prophetic sunnah). Indeed, Allah is All-Subtle, All-Aware.

35. Indeed, the submitting men and the submitting women, the believing men and the believing women, the devout men and the devout women, the truthful men and the truthful women, the steadfast men and the steadfast women, the humble men and the humble women, the charitable men and the charitable women, the fasting men and the fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard (their chastity) and the men who remember Allah abundantly and the women who remember (Allah abundantly)—Allah has prepared for them (all) forgiveness and a great reward.

36. It is not for a believing man nor a believing woman when Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) have decreed a matter that they should have a choice in their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) has undoubtedly strayed into manifest error.

37. And (remember) when you said to him whom Allah had blessed, and you (too) had blessed: ‘Retain your wife for yourself (in the bond of marriage) and be God-conscious.’ And you had concealed (the secret) within yourself; what Allah would reveal (later). And (out of decency) you were worried about the people (that they might misunderstand the situation). Whereas it is more befitting that you consider Allah’s command fearfully. But when (your adopted son) Zayd gave up his claim upon her (through divorce), We wedded her to you. So, there should be no restriction for the believers in (marrying) the ex-wives of their adopted sons when they have finished their marital relationship with them. And Allah’s command is bound to be fulfilled.

* This verse refers to the inability of Zaynab bint Jahsh to reconcile with Zayd b. Haritha because she insisted on getting a divorce. According to another report, Zayd insisted on divorcing her. Since Zayd and Zaynab came from two different social classes, the marriage was not successful, despite the Prophet’s advice to them on several occasions to retain the marriage. In contrast, Allah had willed that Zaynab would be wedded to the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) after her divorce. The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) was worried that people would misunderstand the situation. Hence, this verse was revealed.

38. There is no restriction upon the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) regarding what Allah has ordained for him. (This has been) the practice of Allah concerning those (prophets) who had gone before. And Allah’s command has been firmly decreed.

39. Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and fear none but Allah, Allah suffices (for them) as a Reckoner.

40. Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) is not the father of any of your men. However, he is the Messenger of Allah and the Last of the Prophets. And Allah is All-Knowing of everything.

41. O believers! Remember Allah (frequently) with much remembrance.

42. And glorify Him (every) morning and evening.

43. He is the One Who sends His blessings upon you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out of darkness into light. And He is All-Merciful to the believers.

44. Their greeting on the day they meet Him will be ‘Peace’. And He has prepared for them an honourable reward.

45. O (Esteemed) Prophet! Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner,

46. and a caller to Allah by His leave and an illuminating lamp (i.e. the shining sun).

47. And give glad tidings to the believers that they shall have a great bounty from Allah.

48. Do not yield to (the demands of) the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Disregard their hostile attitude and maintain your trust in Allah. And Allah suffices as a Guardian.

49. O believers! When you marry the believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, they will have no waiting period for you, which you may count on. But give them a (suitable) provision and release them graciously.

50. O Prophet! Indeed, We have made lawful for you your wives, to whom you have paid their bridal gifts, and those (bondwomen) in your possession, whom Allah has assigned to you through war. And (you are allowed to marry) the daughters of your paternal uncle, the daughters of your paternal aunts, the daughters of your maternal uncle and the daughters of your maternal aunts, who migrated with you. (Similarly,) any other believing woman who offers herself to the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) and the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) pleases to take her in marriage. (This permission is) an exclusive privilege for you, not for the rest of the believers. We know what We have made lawful for them concerning their wives and (the bondwomen) in their possession so that there may be no blame upon you. And Allah is Most-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

51. It is up to you (O Prophet!) to delay (the turn of) any (wife) whom you may please among them and keep with you (any of them) whom you may please. And there is no blame on you if you seek (to keep with you) someone from whom you have kept your distance (for a while). That makes it more likely that they will be comforted and not feel grieved, and all of them should be pleased with what you have bestowed upon them. And Allah knows what is in your hearts, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Forbearing.

52. It is not permissible for you to marry more women after this, nor can you replace any of your present wives with another, even if their (moral and spiritual) beauty pleases you—except whom your right hands possess (through lawful war). And Allah is Watchful over everything.

53. O believers! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) unless permission is granted to you for a meal—nor (arrive too early as to) linger until the meal is ready. But if you are invited, then enter (on time). And when you have eaten, disperse (at the earliest convenience) without staying there to chat. Indeed, such behaviour would discomfort the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). And he is too shy to ask you (to leave), but Allah is never shy from expressing the truth. And when you ask his wives for something, ask them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not (permissible) for you to annoy the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him), nor may you ever marry his wives after him. That would indeed be a grievous offence in the sight of Allah.

54. Whether you reveal anything or conceal it, Allah is surely All-Knowing of everything.

55. There is no blame on them (if they appear unveiled) before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their own women folk or those (bondwomen) in their possession. And be God-conscious. Indeed, Allah is a Witness to everything.

56. Indeed, Allah and (all) His angels (continuously) invoke blessings upon the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). O believers! You, too, invoke blessings upon him and salute him with worthy salutations of peace.

57. Indeed, those who offend (or insult) Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this life and the Hereafter. And He has prepared a humiliating punishment for them.

58. As for those who abuse (or insult) the believing men and the believing women without having committed (any offence), they will surely bear the burden of false allegation and a flagrant sin.

59. O Prophet! Ask your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks over themselves (when they go out). In this way, it is more likely that they may be recognised (as virtuous women), and they will not be troubled. And Allah is Most-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

60. If the hypocrites, those with sickness in their hearts and those who spread false rumours in the city (of Medina) do not cease (their malicious activities), then We will indeed urge you (to take action) against them. Then they will not be able to stay in your neighbourhood (of Medina) except for a short while.

61. (They are) accursed (and treacherous) people (who are engaged in anti-state and violent conspiracies). Wherever they are confronted, they will be arrested and put to death relentlessly (for their rebellious and anti-peace activities).

62. (That has been) Allah’s practice regarding those who passed away before. And you shall never find any alteration in Allah’s practice.

63. People ask you about the Hour. Say: ‘Its knowledge is only with Allah. What shall make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near.’

64. Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared a Blazing Fire for them.

65. They will remain in it forever. They will find neither any guardian nor any helper.

66. The Day when their faces are turned about in the Fire, they will say: ‘Oh! If only we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him)!’

67. And they will say: ‘Our Lord, indeed we obeyed our leaders and (the influential) elders. So they led us astray from the (right) way.

68. Our Lord! Give them a twofold punishment and curse them with a tremendous curse.’

69. O believers! Do not be like those who slandered Musa (Moses), whereas Allah cleared him of what they alleged. And he was highly honourable in Allah’s sight.

70. O believers! Be God-conscious and speak an upright word.

71. He shall rectify for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) has undoubtedly achieved great success.

72. Indeed, We offered (Our) trust to the heavens, the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear this (burden) and were afraid of it. Yet human being undertook it. Indeed, he has proved himself very unfair (in keeping the trust) and highly ignorant (of the consequence of his negligence).

73. (It is) so that Allah may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the polytheist men and the polytheist women, and Allah may turn in mercy to the believing men and the believing women, and Allah is Most-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

1. All praise is for Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And to Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter. And He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware.

2. He knows whatever penetrates the earth and whatever emerges out of it, and whatever descends from Heaven and whatever ascends into it. And He is the All-Merciful, the Most-Forgiving.

3. The disbelievers say: ‘The Hour will not come to us.’ Say: ‘Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you.’ (He is) the Knower of the Unseen. Not (even) the weight of an atom can escape Him in the heavens or on the earth. (There is) nothing smaller than that nor bigger, but it is (mentioned) in a clear Book,

4. that He may reward those who believe and perform righteous deeds. It is they for whom there shall be forgiveness and a generous provision.

5. But those who strive hard to undermine Our revelations, presuming to frustrate (Us), it is they for whom there shall be the punishment of painful wrath.

6. Those gifted with knowledge can see that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and (that) it guides to the path of the All-Mighty, the All-Praised.

7. And the disbelievers say: ‘Shall we show you a man who informs you that when you have been totally torn to pieces, you will be (raised) as a new creation?

8. Has he fabricated a lie against Allah, or is there a madness in him?’ Instead, those who do not believe in the Hereafter shall (languish) in punishment and (are in) extreme error.

9. Have they not considered what is in front of them and what is behind them (engulfing them) from the sky and the earth? If We wish, We could make the earth swallow them or cause (deadly) pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Indeed, there is a sign in this for every penitent servant.

10. And indeed, We granted Dawud (David) a (unique) favour from Us, (commanding:) ‘O mountains, echo God’s praises together with him, and the birds as well.’ And We made iron mouldable for him,

11. instructing: ‘Make full-length armour, measure well while balancing the links and act righteously. Indeed, I am All-Seeing of whatever you do.’

12. And for Sulayman (Solomon), (We subjected) the wind: Its morning course was a month’s journey, and its evening course was (also) a month’s journey. And We caused a fountain of molten copper to flow for him. And (We subjected) some of the jinn who would work for him by the command of his Lord. And (We had warned that) whoever of them turned away from Our order, We would make him taste the punishment of the Blaze.

13. They built for him as many places of worship as he wished, and images and bowls (large) like water reservoirs and cooking pots fixed in the ground. (We commanded:) ‘O family of Dawud (David)! Work thankfully. Only a few of My servants are thankful!’

14. Then, when We decreed death for him, nothing indicated his death to them except a creature of the earth that kept eating his staff. And, when he collapsed, the jinn realised that if they had known the Unseen, they would not have remained in that humiliating punishment.

15. Indeed, there was a sign for (the people of) Saba’ (Sheba) in their dwelling place. (There were) two gardens: to the right and the left. (They were told:) ‘Eat from the provision of your Lord and be grateful to Him. (Yours is) a good land and a forgiving Lord!’

16. But they turned away (from obedience). So We sent upon them a devastating flood and replaced their two gardens with two (other) gardens, bearing bitter fruit, tamarisk bushes and a few thorny trees (here and there).

17. Thus, We paid them back for their ingratitude. Would We ever punish (anyone in such a way) except the ungrateful?

18. We had set up between them and the towns (on the Yemen-Syria highway) many other prominent settlements (to facilitate their trade), which We had blessed (with provisions). We had set moderate travel distances in between (for rest). (And We said:) ‘Travel safely between them by night and by day.’

19. But they said: ‘Our Lord! Place a distance between our journeys,’ and they wronged themselves. So, We turned them into old stories (as a warning) and caused them to disintegrate totally. Indeed, there are signs in this (account) for every extraordinary patient and highly grateful person.

20. Indeed, Iblis (Satan) proved his opinion true about them. So they (all) followed him except a group of the believers.

21. He possesses no authority over them, but We only want to distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who doubt it. And your Lord is Watchful over everything.

22. Say: ‘Call upon those you claim to be (gods) besides Allah. They do not control (even) an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth. Nor have they any share in either of them. Nor is any one of them a helper to Him.’

23. No intercession will be of any benefit in His presence except by those to whom He has (already) granted permission. When fear is banished from their hearts, they will ask: ‘What has your Lord said?’ They will say: ‘The truth. And He is the All-Exalted, the All-Great.’

24. Say: ‘Who provides you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘Allah (is the One Who provides). Indeed, (either) we or you (i.e. one of us) must be upon guidance or in manifest error.’

25. Say: ‘You will not be questioned about what we were guilty of, nor shall we be questioned about what you do.’

26. Say: ‘Our Lord will bring us together, then He will judge between us with justice. And He is the Greatest Judge, the All-Knowing.’

27. Say: ‘Show me those whom you associate with Him as partners. No, indeed! (They can never show any such partner). Instead, He (alone) is Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’

28. We have not sent you except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to all of humankind, but most people do not know.

29. And they say: ‘When will this promise (of the Last Day) be fulfilled if you are truthful?’

30. Say: ‘You (already) have the appointment of a day that you will neither delay nor advance by a single moment.’

31. The disbelievers say: ‘We will never believe in this Qur’an, nor in what was (revealed) before it.’ If only you could see when the wrongdoers would be made to stand before their Lord, throwing blame at each other. Those who had been oppressed will say to those who were arrogant: ‘Had it not been for you, we would surely have been believers.’

32. Those who were arrogant will say to those oppressed: ‘Did we hinder you from guidance after it had come to you? Instead, you were guilty (yourselves).’

33. The oppressed will say to the arrogant: ‘No! (It was your) plotting by night and day when you prompted us to disbelieve in Allah and assign equals to Him.’ They will hide (their) regret when they see the punishment, and We will put iron shackles around the necks of the disbelievers. Will they be rewarded except for what they used to do?

34. We never sent a warner to any town, but its elite would (always) say: ‘We reject what you have been sent with.’

35. They said: ‘We have greater wealth and more children (than the believers), and we will never be punished.’

36. Say: ‘Indeed, my Lord expands provision for whomever He pleases and tightens it (for whom He wills), but most people do not know.’

37. It is not your wealth nor your children that will bring you closer to Our proximity. But those who believe and act righteously, it is they for whom there will be a manifold reward for what they did, and they will be secure in elevated mansions (of Paradise).

38. As for those who strive to discredit Our revelations, seeking to undermine them, they will be brought to punishment.

39. Say: ‘Indeed, my Lord gives provision in abundance to whom He pleases among His servants and restraints it for whom (He wills). And whatever you spend (in charity), He will replace it (in compensation). And He is the best of providers.’

40. On the day He gathers them all, He will then say to the angels: ‘Were it you whom these (polytheists) used to worship?’

41. They will say: ‘Glory be to You! You are our sole Guardian, not them! Instead, they used to worship the jinn; most of them had faith in them.’

42. So, today, none of you has any power to benefit or harm one another. And We shall say to the wrongdoers: ‘Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny.’

43. When Our clear revelations are recited to them, they say: ‘This is just a man who desires to keep you away from what your fathers used to worship.’ And they (also) say: ‘This (Qur’an) is nothing but a fabricated lie.’ And the disbelievers (further) say about the truth when it has come to them: ‘This is nothing but pure magic.’

44. We did not give them any scriptures they might have studied, nor did We send them any warner before you.

45. And those before them had denied (the messengers). And these have not yet attained one-tenth of what We had given them. But they rejected My messengers, so how severe was My response?

46. Say: ‘I advise you to do one thing only: That you rise for Allah’s sake, in pairs or individually (remaining awake and warned) and then reflect. There is no madness in your companion. He is just a warner to you before (the arrival of) a severe punishment.’

47. Say: ‘Whatever reward I may have asked you is only for yourselves. My reward lies only with Allah, and He is witness over everything.’

48. Say: ‘Indeed, My Lord utters the truth. (He is) the Great Knower of the unseen things.’

49. Say: ‘Truth has come, and falsehood can neither originate (anything) nor does it return.’

50. Say: ‘If I go astray, my going astray is only against myself. And if I follow the right direction, that is because of what my Lord has revealed to me. Indeed, He is All-Hearing, All-Near.’

51. If you could see when they are terrified with no escape and are seized from a nearby place,

52. they will say: ‘We believe in it (now).’ But how could they reach that (faith) at a distant place (from the world),

53. while they had already disbelieved it before? They are guessing at the Unseen from a place far away.

54. So a barrier will be placed between them and whatever they desire, as was done with their counterparts before. Indeed, they all were in a deceiving doubt.

1. All praise belongs to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Maker of the angels as messengers who fly on wings with two, three or four (pairs). He increases in creation whatever He wishes. Indeed, Allah is All-Capable of everything.

2. Whatever mercy Allah opens for the people, there is none to withhold it. And whatever He withholds, there is none to release it after Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

3. O humankind! Remember Allah’s blessing upon you. Is there any Creator other than Allah who may provide you (sustenance) from the heavens and the earth? There is no god except Him. So, how can you be so deluded?

4. If they deny you, indeed (other) messengers were (also) denied before you. And (in the end) all matters are returned to Allah.

5. O humankind! Indeed, Allah’s promise is true. Therefore, let not the worldly life deceive you, nor let the Deceiver deceive you regarding Allah.

6. Indeed, Satan is your enemy. So, treat him as an enemy. He only invites his followers so that they may become the inhabitants of the Blaze.

7. (As for) the disbelievers, there is a severe punishment for them. But (as for) those who believe and perform righteous deeds, they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.

8. Is someone whose evil conduct is made so appealing to him that he regards it as good (like the rightly guided and virtuous conduct)? Indeed, Allah leaves to stray whoever He wills and guides whoever He pleases. So do not let your soul waste away in grief for them. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing of what they do.

9. It is Allah Who sends the winds, and they cause clouds to rise (together). Then We drive it towards a dead land to water it. Then, with it, We revive the earth after its death. Similar will be the resurrection (of the dead).

10. Whoever seeks honour, then (let him know that) all honour belongs to Allah. The good words ascend to Him alone, and He uplifts the righteous deed. As for those who plot evil deeds, they will suffer a severe punishment. And the plotting of such people will surely perish.

11. Allah created you from dust, then from a fertilised egg (i.e. a zygote ), and then He made you mates (i.e. males and females). And no female conceives or delivers except with His knowledge. No older person advances in age, nor is anything decreased from his life, but it is (all recorded) in a Book. That is indeed easy for Allah.

* See footnote of verse 16:4

12. The two seas are not equal: This one is sweet, satisfying and delicious to drink, and the other is salty and bitter. Yet from each of them, you eat fresh meat and extract ornaments you wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you may seek His grace and perhaps be grateful (to Him).

13. He causes the night to merge into the day and causes the day to merge into the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon, each orbiting for a specified term. That is Allah, your Lord! All sovereignty belongs to Him. And those (idols) you worship besides Him do not control even the skin of a date stone.

14. (O polytheists!) If you call upon them, they cannot hear your call. And if they were to hear, they could not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your ascribing partners to Allah. And no one can inform you like the One Who is All-Aware.

15. O humankind! You are the ones in need of Allah. And Allah is the One Who is the All-Sufficient, the All-Praiseworthy.

16. If He wills, He could eliminate you and bring a new creation.

17. And that is no great matter for Allah.

18. No bearer will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily burdened soul calls (another) to carry its burden, none of its load will be carried, even if he were a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord in private and maintain the prayer. Whoever purifies himself only purifies for his own sake. And to Allah is the eventual return.

19. The blind and the seeing are not equal,

20. nor the darkness and the light,

21. nor the shade and the heat,

22. nor are the living equal to the dead. Indeed, Allah makes whoever He pleases to hear, and you cannot make those in the graves hear.*

* Here, the words ‘man fi al-qubur’ (those in the graves) allude to the disbelievers. It means you are not responsible for making the disbelievers accept your call. The leading exegetes have reported that the Companions and the Followers narrated the same meaning. References: Tafsir al-Baghawi, Zad al-Masir, Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Khazin, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Lubab, al-Durr al-Manthur and Fath al-Qadir.

23. You are only a warner.

24. We have sent you with the truth as a conveyor of glad tidings and a warner. And there was not a nation, but a warner had gone among them.

25. And if they deny you, those before them had also denied (likewise), (when) their messengers brought them clear proofs, divine scriptures and the enlightening Book.

26. Then I seized the disbelievers (with the torment). So, how severe was My response?

27. Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky with which We produce fruits of various colours? In the mountains are streaks of white, red, and diverse shades, and others intensely black.

28. And among humans, beasts and cattle are also diverse colours. Indeed, only the knowledgeable among His servants fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, Most-Forgiving.

29. Surely, those who recite the Book of Allah, establish prayer and spend secretly and openly from what We have provided them hope for a trade that will never perish,

30. so that He may pay them their rewards in full and increase them out of His grace. Indeed, He is Most-Forgiving, Most-Appreciative.

31. The Book which We have revealed to you is the truth, confirming what was (revealed) before it. Indeed, Allah is All-Aware (and) All-Seeing of His servants.

32. Then We made heirs to the Book those We chose from Our servants. Yet among them are some who wrong themselves, some who are average (in rank) and some who are foremost in virtuous deeds by Allah’s will. That is the greatest grace.

33. (There will be) the Gardens of Eternity, which they will enter, where they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their clothing therein will be of silk.

34. And they will say: ‘All praise belongs to Allah, Who has removed all sorrow from us. Indeed, our Lord is Most-Forgiving, Most-Appreciative,

35. Who has settled us in the everlasting home by His grace, wherein no exertion will touch us, nor any fatigue will befall us.’

36. As for the disbelievers, they will have the Fire of Hell. They will neither be done away with so that they may die nor shall its punishment be lightened for them. Thus, We retribute every ungrateful person.

37. And there (in Hell), they shall cry: ‘Our Lord, take us out (from here and send us back). We will act righteously, different from what we used to do (before).’ (They will be told:) ‘Did We not grant you long enough life during which whoever wanted to seek advice might reflect? And (moreover,) the Warner had also come to you. Now taste (the consequence of your deeds). So, the wrongdoers shall have no helpers.

38. Indeed, Allah is the Knower of the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. He is undoubtedly All-Knowing of the things (hidden) in the breasts.

39. He is the One Who made you successors (of the former peoples) on the earth. So, whoever disbelieves is to face the consequences of his disbelief. The denial of the disbelievers increases nothing for them in the sight of their Lord except (His) displeasure. And the denial of the disbelievers adds nothing to them except loss.

40. Say: ‘Have you considered your partners whom you worship besides Allah? Show me what part of the earth they have created, or do they have any share in the heavens? Have We given them any scripture so that they may rely upon its evidence? Instead, the wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion.’

41. Allah (alone) sustains the heavens and the earth lest they fall apart. And if they were to fall apart, none could hold them except Him. Indeed, He is All-Forbearing, Most Forgiving.

42. They swore by Allah with their solemn oaths that if a warner were to come to them, they would surely be better guided than any of the nations. Yet when a warner came to them, it increased them in nothing but aversion.

43. (They started) behaving more arrogantly in the land and intensifying (their) evil schemes. But evil plotting rebounds only on those who devise it. So, do they await anything except the earlier people’s precedent (of destruction)? You will never find any change in Allah’s practice nor see any diversion in Allah’s course.

44. Have they not travelled across the earth so they may observe what the end of those (destroyed) before them was? They were far superior to them in might. And Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or the earth could frustrate Him. Indeed, He is All-Knowing, All-Capable.

45. If Allah were to punish people (at once) for what they have earned, He would not have left a single living being on earth. But He grants them respite till a specified term. And when their time arrives, Allah is All-Seeing of (every action of) His servants.

1. Ya-Sin.

2. By the Wise Qur’an,

3. you are indeed one of the messengers,

4. upon the straight path.

5. (This is a revelation) sent down gradually from the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful,

6. so that you may warn a people whose ancestors were not warned, so they are heedless.

7. The Word has already proved true against most of them, but they do not believe.

8. We have put iron shackles around their necks, which (reach) up to (their) chins. So their heads are turned up.

9. We have placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and then We have veiled them so they do not see.

10. It is the same for them: whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.

11. You (can) only warn the one who follows the Reminder and fears the Most-Compassionate (Lord) without seeing Him. So give him the glad tidings of forgiveness and a generous reward.

12. Indeed, it is We Who revive the dead and write down what they have sent forth and their effects (which they have left behind). We have counted everything in a clear Record.

13. And set out for them an example of the people of a town when the messengers came to them.

* Most exegetes identify the town as Antioch (an ancient city in Northern Syria).

14. When (at first) We sent them two (messengers), they rejected both of them, then We reinforced (the two) with the third, and they declared: ‘We (all) have been sent to you (as messengers).’

15. They said: ‘You are only human beings like us, and the Most- Compassionate (Lord) has not revealed anything. You are just lying.’

16. They (the messengers) said: ‘Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you.

17. And we are not responsible except for clear communication (of the message).’

18. They answered: ‘We take you as an evil fortune. If you do not stop, we shall certainly stone you, and surely a painful punishment will afflict you from us.’

19. They (the messengers) said: ‘Your evil fortune lies within yourselves. (Why do you take it as an evil omen) when you are reminded (of the truth)? Instead, you are a transgressing people.’

20. And a person came running from the farthest end of the city. He said: ‘O my people, follow the messengers.

21. Follow those who do not ask you for any reward, and they are rightly guided.