Sūra VII. A’rāf, or the Heights

The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934], at sacred-texts.com

p. 341

Sūra VII.

A’rāf, or the Heights

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful

1. Alif, Lām, Mīm, Ṣād.

2. A Book revealed unto thee,—
So let thy heart be oppressed'
No more by any difficulty
On that account,
That with it thou mightest
Warn (the erring) and teach
The Believers.

3. Follow (O men!) the revelation
Given unto you from your Lord,
And follow not, as friends
Or protectors, other than Him.
Little it is ye remember
Of admonition.

4. How many towns have We
Destroyed (for their sins)?
Our punishment took them
On a sudden by night
Or while they slept
For their afternoon rest.

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5. When (thus) Our punishment
Took them, no cry
Did they utter but this:
"Indeed we did wrong."

6. When shall we question
Those to whom Our Message
Was sent and those by whom
We sent it.

7. And verily We shall recount
Their whole story
With knowledge, for We
Were never absent
(At any time or place).

8. The balance that day
Will be true (to a nicety):
Those whose scale (of good)
Will be heavy, will prosper:

9. Those whose scale will be light,
Will find their souls
In perdition, for that they
Wrongfully treated Our Signs.

10. It is We Who have
Placed you with authority
On earth, and provided
You therein with means
For the fulfilment of your life:
Small are the thanks
That ye give!

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SECTION 2.

11. It is We Who created you
And gave you shape;
Then We bade the angels
Bow down to Adam, and they
Bowed down; not so Iblīs;
He refused to be of those
Who bow down.

12. (God) said: "What prevented
Thee from bowing down
When I commanded thee?"
He said: "I am better
Than he: Thou didst create
Me from fire, and him from clay."

13. (God) said: "Get thee down
From this: it is not
For thee to be arrogant
Here: get out, for thou
Art of the meanest (of creatures)."

14. He said: "Give me respite
Till the day they are
Raised up."

15. (God) said: "Be thou
Among those who have respite."

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16. He said: "Because thou
Hast thrown me out
Of the Way, lo! I will
Lie in wait for them
On Thy Straight Way:

17. "Then will I assault them
From before them and behind them,
From their right and their left:
Nor wilt Thou find,
In most of them,
Gratitude (for Thy mercies).

18. (God) said: "Get out
From this, disgraced
And expelled. If any
Of them follow thee,—
Hell will I fill
With you all.

19. "O Adam! dwell thou
And thy wife in the Garden,
And enjoy (its good things)
As ye wish: but approach not
This tree, or ye run
Into harm and transgression."

20. Then began Satan to whisper
Suggestions to them, bringing
Openly before their minds
All their shame

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That was hidden from them
(Before): he said: "Your Lord
Only forbade you this tree,
Lest ye should become angels
Or such beings as live for ever."

21. And he swore to them
Both, that he was
Their sincere adviser.

22. So by deceit he brought about
Their fall: when they
Tasted of the tree,
Their shame became manifest
To them, and they began
To sew together the leaves
Of the Garden over their bodies.
And their Lord called
Unto them: "Did I not
Forbid you that tree,
And tell you that Satan
Was an avowed
Enemy unto you?"

23. They said: "Our Lord!
We have wronged our own souls:
If Thou forgive us not
And bestow not upon us
Thy Mercy, we shall
Certainly be lost."

24. (God) said: "Get ye down,
With enmity between yourselves.
On earth will be your dwelling-place
And your means of livelihood,—
For a time."

25. He said: "Therein shall ye
Live, and therein shall ye
Die; but from it shall ye
Be taken out (at last)."

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SECTION 3.

26. O ye Children of Adam!
We have bestowed raiment
Upon you to cover
Your shame, as well as
To be an adornment to you.
But the raiment of righteousness,—
That is the best.
Such are among the Signs
Of God, that they
May receive admonition!

27. O ye Children of Adam!
Let not Satan seduce you,
In the same manner as
He got your parents out
Of the Garden, stripping them
Of their raiment, to expose
Their shame: for he
And his tribe watch you
From a position where ye
Cannot see them: We made
The Evil Ones friends
(Only) to those without Faith.

28. When they do aught
That is shameful, they say:
"We found our fathers
Doing so"; and "God
Commanded us thus":
Say: "Nay, God never

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Commands what is shameful:
Do ye say of God
What ye know not?"

29. Say: "My Lord hath commanded
Justice; and that ye set
Your whole selves (to Him)
At every time and place
Of prayer, and call upon Him,
Making your devotion sincere
As in His sight:
Such as He created you
In the beginning, so
Shall ye return."

30. Some He hath guided:
Others have (by their choice)
Deserved the loss of their way;
In that they took
The Evil Ones, in preference
To God, for their friends
And protectors, and think
That they receive guidance.

31. O Children of Adam!
Wear your beautiful apparel
At every time and place
Of prayer: eat and drink:
But waste not by excess,
For God loveth not the wasters.

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SECTION 4.

32. Say: Who hath forbidden
The beautiful (gifts) of God,
Which He hath produced
For His servants,
And the things, clean and pure,
(Which He hath provided)
For sustenance?
Say: They are, in the life
Of this world, for those
Who believe, (and) purely
For them on the Day
Of Judgment. Thus do We
Explain the Signs in detail
For those who understand.

33. Say: The things that my Lord
Hath indeed forbidden are:
Shameful deeds, whether open
Or secret; sins and trespasses
Against truth or reason; assigning
Of partners to God, for which
He hath given no authority;
And saying things about God
Of which ye have no knowledge.

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34. To every People is a term.
Appointed: when their term
Is reached, not an hour
Can they cause delay,
Nor (an hour) can they
Advance (it in anticipation).

35. O ye Children of Adam!
Whenever there come to you
Apostles from amongst you,
Rehearsing My Signs unto you,
Those who are righteous
And mend (their lives),—
On them shall be no fear
Nor shall they grieve.

36. But those who reject
Our Signs and treat them
With arrogance,—they
Are Companions of the Fire,
To dwell therein (for ever).

37. Who is more unjust
Than one who invents
A lie against God
Or rejects His Signs?
For such, their portion
Appointed must reach them
From the Book (of Decrees):
Until, when Our messengers
(Of death) arrive and take
Their souls, they say:
"Where are the things
That ye used to invoke
Besides God?"
They will reply, "They

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Have left us in the lurch,"
And they will bear witness
Against themselves, that they
Had rejected God.

38. He will say: "Enter ye
In the company of
The Peoples who passed away
Before you—men and Jinns,—
Into the Fire. Every time
A new People enters,
It curses its sister-People
(That went before), until
They follow each other, all
Into the Fire. Saith the last
About the first: "Our Lord!
It is these that misled us:
So give them a double
Penalty in the Fire."
He will say: "Doubled
For all": but this
Ye do not understand.

39. Then the first will say
To the last: "See then!
No advantage have ye
Over us; so taste ye
Of the Penalty for all
That ye did!"

SECTION 5.

40. To those who reject
Our Signs and treat them
With arrogance, no opening
Will there be of the gates

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Of heaven, nor will they
Enter the Garden, until
The camel can pass
Through the eye of the needle:
Such is Our reward
For those in sin.

41. For them there is
Hell, as a couch
(Below) and folds and folds
Of covering above: such
Is Our requital of those
Who do wrong.

42. But those who believe
And work righteousness,—
No burden do We place
On any soul, but that
Which it can bear,
They will be Companions
Of the Garden, therein
To dwell (for ever).

43. And We shall remove
From their hearts any
Lurking sense of injury;—
Beneath them will be
Rivers flowing;—and they
Shall say: "Praise be, to God,
Who hath guided us
To this (felicity): never
Could we have found
Guidance, had it not been
For the guidance of God:
Indeed it was the truth.
That the Apostles of our Lord
Brought unto us." And they
Shall hear the cry:
"Behold! the Garden before you!

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Ye have been made
Its inheritors, for your
Deeds (of righteousness)."

44. The Companions of the Garden
Will call out to the Companions
Of the Fire: "We have
Indeed found the promises
Of our Lord to us true:
Have you also found
Your Lord's promises true?"
They shall say, "Yes"; but
A Crier shall proclaim
Between them: "The curse
Of God is on the wrong-doers;—

45. "Those who would hinder (men)
From the path of God
And would seek in it
Something crooked:
They were those who
Denied the Hereafter."

46. Between them shall be
A veil, and on the Heights

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Will be men
Who would know every one
By his marks: they will call
Out to the Companions
Of the Garden, "Peace on you":
They will not have entered,
But they will have
An assurance (thereof.)

47. When their eyes shall be turned
Towards the Companions
Of the Fire, they will say:
"Our Lord! send us not
To the company
Of the wrong-doers."

SECTION 6.

48. The men on the Heights
Will call to certain men
Whom they will know
From their m arks, saying:
"Of what profit to you
Were your hoards and your
Arrogant ways?

49. "Behold! are these not
The men whom you swore
That God with His Mercy
Would never bless?
Enter ye the Garden:
No fear shall be on you,
Nor shall ye grieve."

50. The Companions of the Fire
Will call to the Companions
Of the Garden: "Pour down
To us water or anything

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That God doth provide
For your sustenance."
They will say: "Both
These things hath God forbidden
To those who rejected Him;—

51. "Such as took their religion
To be mere amusement
And play, and were deceived
By the life of the world."
That day shall We forget them
As they forgot the meeting
Of this day of theirs,
And as they were wont
To reject Our Signs.

52. For We had certainly
Sent unto them a Book,
Based on knowledge,
Which We explained
In detail,—a guide
And a mercy
To all who believe.

53. Do they just wait
For the final fulfilment
Of the event? On the day
The event is finally fulfilled,
Those who disregarded it
Before will say: "The apostles
Of our Lord did indeed
Bring true (tidings). Have we
No intercessors now to intercede
On our behalf? Or could we

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Be sent back? Then should eve
Behave differently from our
Behaviour in the past."
In fact they will have lost
Their souls, and the things
They invented will leave
Them in the lurch.

SECTION 7.

54. Your Guardian-Lord
Is God, Who created
The heavens and the earth
In six Days, and is firmly
Established on the Throne
(Of authority): He draweth
The night as a veil
O'er the day, each seeking
The other in rapid succession:
He created the sun,
The moon, and the stars,
(All) governed by laws
Under His Command.
Is it not His to create
And to govern? Blessed
Be God, the Cherisher
And Sustainer of the Worlds!

55. Call on your Lord
With humility and in private:

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For God loveth not
Those who trespass beyond bounds.

56. Do no mischief on the earth,
After it hath been
Set in order, but call
On Him with fear
And longing (in your hearts):
For the Mercy of God
Is (always) near
To those who do good.

57. It is He Who sendeth
The Winds like heralds
Of glad tidings, going before
His Mercy: when they have
Carried the heavy-laden
Clouds, We drive them
To a land that is dead,
Make rain to descend thereon,
And produce every kind
Of harvest therewith: thus
Shall We raise up the dead:
Perchance ye may remember.

58. From the land that is clean
And good, by the Will
Of its Cherisher, springs up
Produce, (rich) after its kind:

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But from the land that is
Bad, springs up nothing
But that which is niggardly:
Thus do we explain the Signs
By various (symbols) to those
Who are grateful.

SECTION 8.

59. We sent Noah to his people.
He said: "O my people!
Worship God! ye have
No other god but Him.
I fear for you the Punishment
Of a dreadful Day!

60. The leaders of his people
Said: "Ah! we see thee
Evidently wandering (in mind)."

p. 358

61. He said: "O my people!
No wandering is there
In my (mind): on the contrary
I am an apostle from
The Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds!

62."I but fulfil towards you
The duties of my Lord's mission:
Sincere is my advice to you,
And I know from God
Something that ye know not.

63. "Do ye wonder that
There hath come to you
A message from your Lord,
Through a man of your own
People, to warn you,—
So that ye may fear God
And haply receive His Mercy?"

64. But they rejected him,
And We delivered him,
And those with him,
In the Ark:
But We overwhelmed
In the Flood those
Who rejected Our Signs.
They were indeed
A blind people!

SECTION 9.

65. To the ’Ad people,
(We sent) Hūd, one

p. 359

Of their (own) brethren:
He said: "O my people!
Worship God! ye have
No other god but Him.
Will ye not fear (God)?

66. The leaders of the unbelievers
Among his people said:
"Ah! we see thou art
An imbecile!" and "We think
Thou art a liar!"

67. He said: "O my people!
I am no imbecile, but
(I am) an apostle from
The Lord and Cherisher
Of the Worlds!

68. "I but fulfil towards you
The duties of my Lord's mission:
I am to you a sincere
And trustworthy adviser.

69. "Do ye wonder that
There hath come to you
A message from your Lord
Through a man of your own
People, to warn you?
Call in remembrance
That He made you
Inheritors after the people
Of Noah, and gave you
A stature tall among the nations.
Call in remembrance
The benefits (ye have received)
From God: that so
Ye may prosper."

70. They said: "Comest thou
To us, that we may worship
God alone, and give up
The cult of our fathers?
Bring us what thou
Threatenest us with,
If so be that thou
Tellest the truth!"

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71. He said: "Punishment
And wrath have already
Come upon you from your Lord
Dispute ye with me
Over names which ye
Have devised—ye
And your fathers,
Without authority from God?
Then wait: I am
Amongst you, also waiting."

72. We saved him and those
Who adhered to him,
By Our Mercy, and We
Cut off the roots of those
Who rejected Our Signs
And did not believe.

SECTION 10.

73. To the Thamūd people
(We sent) Ṣaliḥ, one

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Of their own brethren:
He said: "O my people!
Worship God; ye have
No other god but Him.
Now hath come unto you
A clear (Sign) from your Lord!
This she-camel of God
Is a Sign unto you:
So leave her to graze
In God's earth, and let her
Come to no harm,
Or ye shall be seized
With a grievous punishment.

74. "And remember how He
Made you inheritors
After the ’Ad people
And gave you habitations
In the land: ye build
For yourselves palaces and castles
In (open) plains, and carve out
Homes in the mountains;
So bring to remembrance
The benefits (ye have received)
From God, and refrain
From evil and mischief
On the earth."

75. The leaders of the arrogant
Party among his people said

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To those who were reckoned
Powerless—those among them
Who believed: "Know ye
Indeed that Ṣaliḥ is
An apostle from his Lord?"
They said: "We do indeed
Believe in the revelation
Which hath been sent
Through him."

76. The arrogant party said:
"For our part, we reject
What ye believe in."

77. Then they ham-strung
The she-camel, and insolently
Defied the order of their Lord,
Saying: "O Ṣaliḥ! bring about
Thy threats, if thou art
An apostle (of God)!"

78. So the earthquake took them
Unawares, and they lay
Prostrate in their homes
In the morning!

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79. So Ṣaliḥ left them,
Saying: "O my people!
I did indeed convey to you
The message for which
I was sent by my Lord:
I gave you good counsel,
But ye love not good counsellors!"

80. We also (sent) Lūṭ:
He said to his people:
"Do ye commit lewdness
Such as no people
In creation (ever) committed
Before you?

81. "For ye practise your lusts
On men in preference
To women: ye are indeed
A people transgressing
Beyond bounds."

82. And his people gave
No answer but this:
They said, "Drive them out
Of your city: these are

p. 364

Indeed men who want
To be clean and pure!"

83. But we saved him
And his family, except
His wife: she was
Of those who lagged behind

84. And we rained down on them
A shower (of brimstone):
Then see what was the end
Of those who indulged
In sin and crime!

SECTION 11.

85. To the Madyan people

p. 365

We sent Shu‘aib, one
Of their own brethren: he said:
"O my people! worship God;
Ye have no other god
But Him. Now hath come
Unto you a clear (Sign)
From your Lord! Give just
Measure and weight, nor withhold
From the people the things
That are their due; and do
No mischief on the earth
After it has been set
In order: that will be best
For you, if ye have Faith.

86. "And squat not on every road,
Breathing threats, hindering
From the path of God
Those who believe in Him,
And seeking in it
Something crooked;
But remember how ye were
Little, and He gave you increase.
And hold in your mind's eye
What was the end

p. 366

Of those who did mischief.

87. "And if there is a party
Among you who believes
In the Message with which
I have been sent, and a party
Which does not believe,
Hold yourselves in patience
Until God doth decide
Between us: for He
Is the best to decide."

p. 367

88. The leaders, the arrogant
Party among his people, said:
"O Shu’aib! we shall
Certainly drive thee out
Of our city—(thee) and those
Who believe with thee;
Or else ye (thou and they)
Shall have to return
To our ways and religion."
He said: "What! even
Though we do detest (them)?

89. "We should indeed invent
A lie against God,
If we returned to your ways
After God hath rescued
Us therefrom; nor could we
By any manner of means
Return thereto unless it be
As in the will and plan of God,
Our Lord. Our Lord
Can reach out to the utmost
Recesses of things by His
knowledge.
In God is our trust.
Our Lord! Decide thou
Between us and our people

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In truth, for thou
Art the best to decide."

90. The leaders, the Unbelievers
Among his people, said:
"If ye follow Shu’aib,
Be sure then ye are ruined!"

91. But the earthquake took them
Unawares, and they lay
Prostrate in their homes
Before the morning!"

92. The men who rejected
Shu’aib became as if
They had never been
In the homes where they
Had flourished: the men
Who rejected Shu’aib—
It was they who were ruined!

93. So Shu’aib left them,
Saying: "O my people!
I did indeed convey to you
The Messages for which
I was sent by my Lord:
I gave you good counsel,
But how shall I lament

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Over a people who refuse
To believe!"

SECTION 12.

94. Whenever We sent a prophet
To a town, We took up
Its people in suffering
And adversity, in order
That they might learn humility.

95. Then We changed their suffering
Into prosperity, until they grew
And multiplied, and began
To say: "Our fathers (too)
Were touched by suffering
And affluence"… Behold!
We called them to account
Of a sudden, while they
Realised not (their peril).

96. If the people of the towns
Had but believed and feared
God, We should indeed
Have opened out to them

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(All kinds of) blessings
From heaven and earth;
But they rejected (the truth),
And We brought them
To book for their misdeeds.

97. Did the people of the towns
Feel secure against the coming
Of Our wrath by night
While they were asleep?

98. Or else did they feel
Secure against its coming
In broad daylight while they
Played about (care-free)?

99. Did they then feel secure
Against the Plan of God?—
But no one can feel
Secure from the Plan
Of God, except those
(Doomed) to ruin!

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SECTION 13.

100. To those who inherit
The earth in succession
To its (previous) possessors,
Is it not a guiding (lesson)
That, if We so willed,
We could punish them (too)
For their sins, and seal up
Their hearts so that they
Could not hear?

101. Such were the towns
Whose story We (thus)
Relate unto thee:
There came indeed to them
Their apostles with clear (Signs):
But they would not believe
What they had rejected before.
Thus doth God seal up
The hearts of those
Who reject Faith.

102. Most of them We found not
Men (true) to their covenant:
But most of them We found
Rebellious and disobedient.

103. Then after them We sent
Moses with Our Signs
To Pharaoh and his chiefs,
But they wrongfully rejected them:
So see what was the end
Of those who made mischief.

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104. Moses said: "O Pharaoh!
I am an apostle from
The Lord of the Worlds,—

105. One for whom it is right
To say nothing but truth
About God. Now have I
Come unto you (people), from
Your Lord, with a clear (Sign):
So let the Children of Israel
Depart along with me."

106. (Pharaoh) said: "If indeed
Thou hast come with a Sign,

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Show it forth,
If thou tellest the truth."

107. Then (Moses) threw his rod,
And behold! it was
A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

108. And he drew out his hand,
And behold! it was white
To all beholders!

SECTION 14.

109. Said the Chiefs of the people
Of Pharaoh: "This is indeed
A sorcerer well-versed.

110. "His plan is to get you out
Of your land: then
What is it ye counsel?"

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111. They said: "Keep him
And his brother in suspense
(For a while); and send
To the cities men to collect—

112. And bring up to thee
All (our) sorcerers well-versed.

113. So there came
The sorcerers to Pharaoh:
They said, "Of course
We shall have a (suitable)
Reward if we win!"

114. He said: "Yea, (and more),—
For ye shall in that case
Be (raised to posts)
Nearest (to my person)."

115. They said: "O Moses!
Wilt thou throw (first),
Or shall we have
The (first) throw?"

116. Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)."
So when they threw,
They bewitched the eyes
Of the people, and struck
Terror into them: for they
Showed a great (feat of) magic.

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117. We put it into Moses's mind
By inspiration: "Throw (now)
Thy rod": and behold!
It swallows up straightway
All the falsehoods
Which they fake!

118. Thus truth was confirmed.
And all that they did
Was made of no effect.

119. So the (great ones) were vanquished
There and then, and were
Made to look small.

120. But the sorcerers fell down
Prostrate in adoration,

121. Saying: "We believe
In the Lord of the Worlds,—

122. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron.

123. Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye
In Him before I give
You permission? Surely
This is a trick which ye
Have planned in the City
To drive out its people:
But soon shall ye know
(The consequences).

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124. "Be sure I will cut off
Your hands and your feet
On opposite sides, and I
Will cause you all
To die on the cross."

125. They said: "For us,
We are but sent back
Unto our Lord:

126. "But thou dost wreak
Thy vengeance on us
Simply because we believed
In the Signs of our Lord
When they reached us!
Our Lord! pour out on us
Patience and constancy, and take
Our souls unto Thee
As Muslims (who bow
To Thy Will)!

SECTION 15.

127. Said the chiefs of Pharaoh's
People: "Wilt thou leave
Moses and his people,
To spread mischief in the land,
And to abandon thee
And thy gods?" He said:
"Their male children will we
Slay; (only) their females
Will we save alive;
And we have over them

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(Power) irresistible."

128. Said Moses to his people:
"Pray for help from God,.
And (wait) in patience and
constancy:
For the earth is God's,
To give as a heritage
To such of His servants
As He pleaseth; and the end
Is (best) for the righteous.

129. They said: "We have had
(Nothing but) trouble, both before
And after thou camest
To us." He said:
"It may be that your Lord
Will destroy your enemy
And make you inheritors
In the earth; that so
He may try you
By your deeds."

SECTION 16.

130. We punished the people
Of Pharaoh with years

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(Of drought) and shortness
Of crops; that they might
Receive admonition.

131. But when good (times) came,
They said, "This is due
To us;" when gripped
By calamity, they ascribed it
To evil omens connected
With Moses and those with him!
Behold! in truth the omens
Of evil are theirs
In God's sight, but most
Of them do not understand!

132. They said (to Moses):
"Whatever be the Signs
Thou bringest, to work
Therewith thy sorcery on us,"
We shall never believe
In thee."

133. So We sent (plagues) on them:
Wholesale Death,
Locusts, Lice, Frogs,
And Blood: Signs openly
Self-explained: but they
Were steeped in arrogance,—
A people given to sin.

134. Every time the Penalty
Fell on them, they said:

p. 379

"O Moses! on our behalf
Call on thy Lord in virtue
Of his promise to thee:
If thou wilt remove
The Penalty from us,
We shall truly believe in thee,
And we shall send away
The Children of Israel
With thee."

135. But every tune We removed
The Penalty from them
According to a fixed term
Which they had to fulfil,—
Behold! they broke their word!

136. So We exacted retribution
From them: We drowned them
In the sea, because they
Rejected Our Signs, and failed
To take warning from them.

137. And We made a people,
Considered weak (and of no account),
Inheritors of lands
In both East and West,—

p. 380

Lands whereon We sent
Down Our blessings.
The fair promise of thy Lord
Was fulfilled for the Children
Of Israel, because they had
Patience and constancy,
And We levelled to the ground
The great Works and fine Buildings
Which Pharaoh and his people
Erected (with such pride).

138. We took the Children of Israel
(With safety) across the sea.
They came upon a people
Devoted entirely to some idols
They had. They said:
"O Moses! fashion for us
A god like unto the gods
They have." He said:

p. 381

"Surely ye are a people
Without knowledge.

139. "As to these folk,—
The cult they are in
Is (but) a fragment of a ruin,
And vain is the (worship)
Which they practise."

140. He said: "Shall I seek for you
A god other than the (true)
God, when it is God
Who hath endowed you
With gifts above the nations?"

141. And remember We rescued you
From Pharaoh's people,
Who afflicted you with
The worst of penalties,
Who slew your male children
And saved alive your females:
In that was a momentous
Trial from your Lord.

SECTION 17.

142. We appointed for Moses
Thirty nights, and completed
(The period) with ten (more):
Thus was completed the term
(Of communion) with his Lord,
Forty nights. And Moses
Had charged his brother Aaron
(Before he went up):

p. 382

"Act for me amongst my people:
Do right, and follow not
The way of those
Who do mischief."

143. When Moses came
To the place appointed by Us,
And his Lord addressed him,
He said: "O my Lord!
Show (Thyself) to me,
That I may look upon Thee."
God said, "By no means
Canst thou see Me (direct);
But look upon the mount;
If it abide
In its place, then
Shalt thou see Me."
When his Lord manifested
His glory on the Mount,
He made it as dust,
And Moses fell down
In a swoon. When he
Recovered his senses he said:
"Glory be to Thee! To Thee
I turn in repentance, and I
Am the first to believe."

p. 383

144. (God) said: "O Moses!
I have chosen thee
Above (other) men,
By the mission I (have
Given thee) and the words
I (have spoken to thee):
Take then the (revelation)
Which I give thee,
And be of those
Who give thanks."

145. And We ordained laws
For him in the Tablets
In all matters, both
Commanding and explaining
All things, (and said):
"Take and hold these
With firmness, and enjoin
Thy people to hold fast
By the best in the precepts:
Soon shall I show you
The homes of the wicked,—
(How they lie desolate)."

146. Those who behave arrogantly
On the earth in defiance

p. 384

Of right—them will I
Turn away from My Signs:
Even if they see all the Signs,
They will not believe in them;
And if they see the way
Of right conduct, they will
Not adopt it as the Way;
But if they see the way
Of error, that is
The Way they will adopt.
For they have rejected
Our Signs, and failed
To take warning from them.

147. Those who reject Our Signs
And the Meeting in the Hereafter,—
Vain are their deeds:
Can they expect to be rewarded
Except as they have wrought?

SECTION 18.

148. The people of Moses made,
In his absence, out of their ornaments,

p. 385

The image of a calf,
(for worship):
It seemed to low: did they
Not see that it could
Neither speak to them, nor
Show them the Way?
They took it for worship
And they did wrong.

149. When they repented, and saw
That they had erred,
They said: "if our Lord
Have not mercy upon us
And forgive us, we shall
Indeed be of those who perish."

150. When Moses came back
To his people, angry and grieved,
He said: "Evil it is that ye
Have done in my place
In my absence: did ye
Make haste to bring on
The judgment of your Lord?"
He put down the Tablets,

p. 386

Seized his brother by (the hair
Of) his head, and dragged him
To him. Aaron said:
"Son of my mother! The people
Did indeed reckon me
As naught, and went near
To slaying me! Make not
The enemies rejoice over
My misfortune, nor count thou
Me amongst the people
Of sin."

151. Moses prayed: "O my Lord!
Forgive me and my brother!
Admit us to Thy mercy!
For Thou art the Most Merciful
Of those who show mercy!"

SECTION 19.

152. Those who took the calf
(For worship) will indeed
Be overwhelmed with wrath
From their Lord, and with
Shame in this life:
Thus do We recompense
Those who invent (falsehoods).

153. But those who do wrong
But repent thereafter and
(Truly) believe,—verily
Thy Lord is thereafter
Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

p. 387

154. When the anger of Moses
Was appeased, he took up
The Tablets: in the writing
Thereon was Guidance and Mercy
For such as fear their Lord.

155. And Moses chose seventy
Of his people for Our place
Of meeting: when they
Were seized with violent quaking,
He prayed: "O my Lord!
If it had been Thy Will
Thou couldst have destroyed,
Long before, both them
And me: wouldst Thou
Destroy us for the deeds
Of the foolish ones among us?
This is no more than
Thy trial: by it Thou causest
Whom Thou wilt to stray,
And Thou leadest whom
Thou wilt into the right path.
Thou art our Protector:
So forgive us and give us
Thy mercy; for Thou art
The Best of those who forgive.

156. "And ordain for us
That which is good,
In this life
And in the Hereafter:
For we have turned unto Thee."
He said: "With My Punishment

p. 388

I visit whom I will;
But My Mercy extendeth
To all things. That (Mercy)
I shall ordain for those
Who do right, and practise
Regular charity, and those
Who believe in Our Signs;—

157. "Those who follow the Apostle,
The unlettered Prophet,
Whom they find mentioned
In their own (Scriptures),—
In the Law and the Gospel;—
For he commands them
What is just and forbids them
What is evil; he allows
Them as lawful what is good
(And pure) and prohibits them
From what is bad (and impure);
He releases them
From their heavy burdens
And from the yokes
That are upon them.
So it is those who believe
In him, honour him,
Help him, and follow the Light
Which is sent down with him,—

p. 389

It is they who will prosper."

SECTION 20.

158. Say: "O men! I am sent
Unto you all, as the Apostle
Of God, to Whom belongeth
The dominion of the heavens
And the earth: there is no god
But He: it is He that giveth
Both life and death. So believe
In God and His Apostle,
The unlettered Prophet,
Who believeth in God
And His Words: follow him
That (so) ye may be guided."

159. Of the people of Moses
There is a section
Who guide and do justice
In the light of truth.

p. 390

160. We divided them into twelve Tribes
Or nations. We directed
Moses by inspiration,
When his (thirsty) people asked
Him for water: "Strike the rock
With thy staff": out of it
There gushed forth twelve springs:
Each group knew its own place
For water. We gave them
The shade of clouds, and sent
Down to them manna and quails,
(Saying): "Eat of the good things
We have provided for you":
(But they rebelled); to Us
They did no harm, but
They harmed their own souls.

161. And remember it was
Said to them:
"Dwell in this town
And eat therein as ye wish,
But say the word of humility
And enter the gate
In a posture of humility:
We shall forgive you
Your faults; We shall increase
(The portion of) those who do good."

162. But the transgressors among them
Changed the word from that
Which had been given them
So we sent on them
A plague from heaven.
For that they repeatedly transgressed.

SECTION 21.

163. Ask them concerning the town
Standing close by the sea.
Behold! they transgressed

p. 391

In the matter of the Sabbath.
For on the day of their Sabbath
Their fish did come to them,
Openly holding up their heads,
But on the day they had
No Sabbath, they came not:
Thus did We make a trial
Of them, for they were
Given to transgression.

164. When some of them said:
"Why do ye preach
To a people whom God
Will destroy or visit
With a terrible punishment?"—
Said the preachers: "To discharge
Our duty to your Lord,
And perchance they may fear Him."

165. When they disregarded the warnings
That had been given them,
We rescued those who forbade
Evil; but We visited
The wrong-doers with a
Grievous punishment, because
They were given to transgression.

166. When in their insolence
They transgressed (all) prohibitions,
We said to them:
"Be ye apes,
Despised and rejected."

p. 392

167. Behold! thy Lord did declare
That He would send
Against them, to the Day
Of Judgment, those who would
Afflict them with grievous
Penalty. Thy Lord is quick
In retribution, but He is also
Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

168. We broke them up
Into sections on this earth.
There are among them some
That are the righteous, and some
That are the opposite.
We have tried them
With both prosperity and adversity:
In order that they
Might turn (to Us).

169. After them succeeded
An (evil) generation: they
Inherited the Book, but
They chose (for themselves)
The vanities of this world,
Saying (for excuse): "(Everything)
Will be forgiven us."
(Even so), if similar vanities
Came their way, they would
(Again) seize them.
Was not the Covenant
Of the Book taken from them,
That they would not
Ascribe to God anything

p. 393

But the truth? And they
Study what is in the Book.
But best for the righteous
Is the Home in the Hereafter.
Will ye not understand?

170. As to those who hold fast
By the Book and establish
Regular Prayer,—never
Shall we suffer the reward
Of the righteous to perish.

171. When We shook the Mount
Over them, as if it had been
A canopy, and they thought
It was going to fall on them
(We said): "Hold firmly
To what We have given you,
And bring (ever) to remembrance
What is therein;
Perchance ye may fear God."

SECTION 22.

172. When thy Lord drew forth
From the Children of Adam—

p. 394

From their loins—
Their descendants, and made them
Testify concerning themselves, (saying):
"Am I not your Lord
(Who cherishes and sustains you)?"—
They said: "Yea!
We do testify!" (This), lest
Ye should say on the Day
Of Judgment: "Of this we
Were never mindful":

173. Or lest ye should say:
"Our fathers before us
May have taken false gods,
But we are (their) descendants
After them: wilt Thou then
Destroy us because of the deeds
Of men who were futile?"

174. Thus do We explain
The Signs in detail;
And perchance they may turn
(Unto Us).

175. Relate to them the story
Of the man to whom
We sent Our Signs,
But he passed them by:

p. 395

So Satan followed him up,
And he went astray.

176. If it had been Our Will,
We should have elevated him
With Our Signs; but he
Inclined to the earth,
And followed his own vain desires.
His similitude is that
Of a dog: if you attack
Him, he lolls out his tongue,
Or if you leave him alone,
He (still) lolls out his tongue.
That is the similitude
Of those who reject Our Signs;
So relate the story;
Perchance they may reflect.

177. Evil as an example are
People who reject Our Signs
And wrong their own souls.

178. Whom God doth guide,
He is on the right path:
Whom He rejects from His guidance,—
Such are the persons who perish.

179. Many are the Jinns and men
We have made for Hell:
They have hearts wherewith they
Understand not, eyes wherewith

p. 396

They see not, and ears wherewith
They hear not. They are
Like cattle,—nay more
Misguided: for they
Are heedless (of warning).

180. The most beautiful names
Belong to God:
So call on him by them;
But shun such men as
Use profanity in His names:
For what they do, they will
Soon be requited.

181. Of those We have created
Are people who direct
(Others) with truth.
And dispense justice therewith,

SECTION 23.

182. Those who reject Our Signs,
We shall gradually visit
With punishment, in ways
They perceive not;

183. Respite will I grant
Unto them: for My scheme
Is strong (and unfailing).

184. Do they not reflect?
Their Companion is not seized

p. 397

With madness: he is but
A perspicuous warner.

185. Do they see nothing
In the government of the heavens
And the earth and all
That God hath created?
(Do they not see) that
It may well be that
Their term is nigh
Drawing to an end?
In what Message after this
Will they then believe?

186. To such as God rejects
From His guidance, there can be
No guide: He will
Leave them in their trespasses,
Wandering in distraction.

187. Whey ask thee about
The (final) Hour—when
Will be its appointed time?
Say: "The knowledge thereof
Is with my Lord (alone):
None but He can reveal
As to when it will occur.
Heavy were its burden through
The heavens and the earth.
Only, all of a sudden
Will it come to you."
They ask thee as if thou

p. 398

Wert eager in search thereof:
Say: "The knowledge thereof
Is with God (alone),
But most men know not."

188. Say: "I have no power
Over any good or harm
To myself except as God
Willeth. If I had knowledge
Of the unseen, I should have
Multiplied all good, and no evil
Should have touched me:
I am but a warner,
And a bringer of glad tidings
To those who have faith."

SECTION 24.

189. It is He Who created
You from a single person,
And made his mate
Of like nature, in order
That he might dwell with her
(In love). When they are
United, she bears a light
Burden and carries it about
(Unnoticed). When she grows
Heavy, they both pray
To God their Lord, (saying):
"If Thou givest us
A goodly child,

p. 399

We vow we shall
(Ever) be grateful."

190. But when He giveth them
A goodly child, they ascribe
To others a share in the gift
They have received:
But God is exalted
High above the partners
They ascribe to Him.

191. Do they indeed ascribe
To Him as partners things
That can create nothing,
But are themselves created?

192. No aid can they give them,
Nor can they aid themselves!

193. If ye call them to guidance,
They will not obey:
For you it is the same
Whether ye call them
Or ye hold your peace!

194. Verily those whom ye
Call upon besides God
Are servants like unto you:
Call upon them, and let them
Listen to your prayer,
If ye are (indeed) truthful!

195. Have they feet to walk with?
Or hands to lay hold with?

p. 400

Or eyes to see with?
Or ears to hear with?
Say: "Call your 'god-partners',
Scheme (your worst) against me,
And give me no respite!

196. "For my Protector is God,
Who revealed the Book
(From time to time),
And He will choose
And befriend the righteous.

197. "But those ye call upon
Besides Him, are unable
To help you, and indeed
To help themselves."

198. If thou callest them
To guidance, they hear not.
Thou wilt see them
Looking at thee, but
They see not.

199. Hold to forgiveness;
Command what is right;
But turn away from the ignorant.

200. If a suggestion from Satan
Assail thy (mind)

p. 401

Seek refuge with God;
For He heareth and knoweth
(All things).

201. Those who fear God,
When a thought of evil
From Satan assaults them,
Bring God to remembrance,
When lo! they see (aright)!

202. But their brethren (the evil ones)
Plunge them deeper into error,
And never relax (their efforts).

203. If thou bring them not
A revelation, they say:
"Why hast thou not
Got it together?"
Say: "I but follow
What is revealed to me
From my Lord:
This is (nothing but)
Lights from your Lord,
And Guidance, and Mercy,
For any who have Faith."

204. When the Qur-ān is read,
Listen to it with attention,

p. 402

And hold your peace:
That ye may receive Mercy.

205. And do thou (O reader!)
Bring thy Lord to remembrance
In thy (very) soul,
With humility and in reverence,
Without loudness in words,
In the mornings and evenings;
And be not thou
Of those who are unheedful.

206. Those who are near
To thy Lord, disdain not
To do Him worship:
They celebrate His praises,
And bow down before Him.

p. 403 p. 404 p. 405 p. 406 p. 407 p. 408 p. 409 p. 410 p. 411 p. 412 p. 413 p. 414