Sūra XI. Hūd (The Prophet Hūd)

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

p. 513 p. 514

Sūra XI.

Hūd (The Prophet Hūd).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R.
(This is) a Book,
With verses basic or fundamental
(Of established meaning),
Further explained in detail,—
From One Who is Wise
And Well-Acquainted (with al] things):

2. (It teacheth) that ye should
Worship none but God.
(Say:) "Verily I am
(Sent) unto you from Him
To warn and to bring
Glad tidings:

3. "(And to preach thus), "Seek ye
The forgiveness of your Lord,
And turn to Him in repentance;
That He may grant you
Enjoyment, good (and true),
For a term appointed,
And bestow His abounding grace
On all who abound in merit!
But if ye turn away,
Then I fear for you
The Penalty of a Great Day:

4. "'To God is your return,
And He hath power
Over all things.'"

5. Behold! they fold up
Their hearts, that they may lie
Hid from Him! Ah! even
When they cover themselves
With their garments, He knoweth
What they conceal, and what
They reveal: for He knoweth
Well the (inmost secrets)
Of the hearts

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6. Where is no moving creature
On earth but its sustenance
Dependeth on God: He knoweth
The time and place of its
Definite abode and its
Temporary deposit:
All is in a clear Record.

7. He it is Who created
The heavens and the earth
In six Days—and His Throne
Was over the Waters—
That He might try you,
Which of you is best
In conduct. But if
Thou wert to say to them,
"Ye shall indeed be raised up
After death", the Unbelievers
Would be sure to say,
"This is nothing but
Obvious sorcery!"

8. If We delay the penalty
For them for a definite term,
They are sure to say,
"What keeps it back?"

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Ah! On the day it (actually)
Reaches them, nothing will.
Turn it away from them,
And they will be completely
Encircled by that which
They used to mock at!

SECTION 2.

9. If We give man a taste
Of Mercy from Ourselves,
And then withdraw it from him,
Behold! he is in despair
And (falls into) blasphemy.

10. But if We give hint a taste
Of (Our) favours after
Adversity hath touched him,
He is sure to say,
"All evil has departed from me:
Behold! he falls into exultation
And pride.

11. Not so do those who show
Patience and constancy, and work
Righteousness; for them
Is forgiveness (of sins)
And a great reward.

12. Perchance thou mayest (feel
The inclination) to give up
A part of what is revealed
Unto thee, and thy heart

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Feeleth straitened lest they say,
"Why is not a treasure sent down
Unto him, or why does not
An angel come down with him?"
But thou art there only to warn!
It is God that arrangeth
All affairs!

13. Or they may say, "He forged it."
Say, "Bring ye then ten Sūras
Forged, like unto it, and call
(To your aid) whomsoever
Ye can, other than God!—
If ye speak the truth!

14. "If then they (your false gods)
Answer not your (call),
Know ye that this Revelation
Is sent down (replete) with the knowledge
Of God, and that there is
No god but He! Will ye
Even then submit (to Islam)?"

15. Those who desire
The life of the Present
And its glitter,—to them
We shall pay (the price
Of) their deeds therein,—
Without diminution.

16. They are those for whom
There is nothing in the Hereafter
But the Fire: vain
Are the designs they frame therein,
And of no effect
Are the deeds that they do!

17. Can they be (like) those
Who accept a Clear (Sign)
From their Lord, and whom
A witness from Himself

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Doth teach, as did the Book
Of Moses before it,—a guide
And a mercy? They believe
Therein; but those of the Sects
That reject it,—the Fire
Will be their promised
Meeting-place. Be not then
In doubt thereon: for it is
The Truth from thy Lord:
Yet many among men
Do not believe!

18. Who doth more wrong
Than those who invent a lie
Against God? They will be
Turned back to the presence
Of their Lord, and the witnesses
Will say, "These are the ones
Who lied against their Lord!
Behold! the Curse of God
Is on those who do wrong!—

19. "Those who would hinder (men)
From the path of God
And would seek in it
Something crooked: these were
They who denied the Hereafter!"

20. They will in no wise
Frustrate (His design) on earth,
Nor have they protectors
Besides God! Their penalty
Will be doubled! They lost
The power to hear,
And they did not see!

21. They are the ones who
Have lost their own souls:

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And the (fancies) they invented
Have left them in the lurch!

22. Without a doubt, these
Are the very ones who
Will lose most in the Hereafter!

23. But those who believe
And work righteousness,
And humble themselves
Before their Lord,—
They will be Companions
Of the Garden, to dwell
Therein for aye!

24. These two kinds (of men)
May be compared to
The blind and deaf,
And those who can see
And hear well. Are they
Equal when compared?
Will ye not then take heed?

SECTION 3.

25. We sent Noah to his People
(With a mission): "I have come
To you with a Clear Warning:

26. "That ye serve none but God:
Verily I do fear for you

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The Penalty of a Grievous Day."

27. But the Chiefs of the Unbelievers
Among his People said:
"We see (in) thee nothing
But a man like ourselves:
Nor do we see that any
Follow thee but the meanest
Among us, in judgment immature:
Nor do we see in you (all)
Any merit above us:
In fact we think ye are liars!"

28. He said: "O my People!
See ye if (it be that)
I have a Clear Sign
From my Lord, and that He
Hath sent Mercy unto me
From His own Presence, but
That the Mercy hath been
Obscured from your sight?
Shall we compel you
To accept it when ye
Are averse to it?

29. "And O my People!
I ask you for no wealth

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In return: my reward
Is from none but God:
But I will not drive away
(In contempt) those who believe:
For verily they are
To meet their Lord, and ye
I see are the ignorant ones!

30. "And O my People!
Who would help me against God
If I drove them away?
Will ye not then take heed?

31. "I tell you not that
With me are the Treasures
Of God, nor do I know
What is hidden,
Nor claim I to be
An angel. Nor yet
Do I say, of those whom
Your eyes do despise
That God will not grant them
(All) that is good:
God knoweth best
What is in their souls:
I should, if I did,
Indeed be a wrong-doer."

32. They said: "O Noah!
Thou hast disputed with us,

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And (much) hast thou prolonged
The dispute with us: now
Bring upon us what thou
Threatenest us with, if thou
Speakest the truth!?"

33. He said: "Truly, God
Will bring it on you
If He wills,—and then,
Ye will not be able
To frustrate it!

34. "Of no profit will be
My counsel to you,
Much as I desire
To give you (good) counsel,
If it be that God
Willeth to leave you astray:
He is your Lord!
And to Him will ye return!"

35. Or do they say,
"He has forged it "? Say:
"If I had forged it,
On me were my sin!
And I am free
Of the sins of which
Ye are guilty!

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SECTION 4.

36. It was revealed to Noah:
"None of thy People will believe
Except those who have believed
Already! So grieve no longer
Over their (evil) deeds.

37. "But construct an Ark
Under Our eyes and Our
Inspiration, and address Me
No (further) on behalf
Of those who are in sin:
For they are about to be
Overwhelmed (in the Flood)."

38. Forthwith he (starts)
Constructing the Ark:
Every time that the Chiefs
Of his People passed by him,
They threw ridicule on him.
He said: "If ye ridicule
Us now, we (in our turn)
Can look down on you
With ridicule likewise!

39. "But soon will ye know
Who it is on whom
Will descend a Penalty
That will cover them

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With shame,—on whom will be
Unloosed a Penalty lasting:"

40. At length, behold!
There came Our Command,
And the fountains of the earth
Gushed forth! We said:
"Embark therein, of each kind
Two, male and female,
And your family—except
Those against whom the Word
Has already gone forth,—
And the Believers."
But only a few
Believed with him.

41. So he said: "Embark ye
On the Ark,
In the name of God,
Whether it move
Or be at rest!
For my Lord is, be sure,
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!"

42. So the Ark floated
With them on the waves
(Towering) like mountains,
And Noah called out
To his son, who had
Separated himself (from the rest):
"O my son! embark
With us, and be not
With the Unbelievers!"

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43. The son replied: "I will
Betake myself to some mountain:
It will save me from
The water." Noah said:
"This day nothing can save,
From the Command of God,
Any but those on whom
He hath mercy!"—
And the waves came
Between them, and the son
Was among those
Overwhelmed in the Flood.

44. Then the word went forth:
"O earth! swallow up
Thy water, and O sky!
Withhold (thy rain)!"
And the water abated,
And the matter was ended.
The Ark rested on Mount
Jūdī, and the word
Went forth: "Away
With those who do wrong!"

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45. And Noah called upon
His Lord, and said:
"O my Lord! surely
My son is of my family!
And Thy promise is true,
And Thou art
The Justest of Judges!"

46. He said: "O Noah!
He is not of thy family:
For his conduct is unrighteous.
So ask not of Me
That of which thou
Hast no knowledge!
I give thee counsel, lest
Thou act like the ignorant!"

47. Noah said: "O my Lord!
I do seek refuge with Thee,
Lest I ask Thee for that
Of which I have no knowledge.
And unless Thou forgive me
And have Mercy on me,
I should indeed be lost!"

48. The word came: "O Noah!
Come down (from the Ark)
With Peace from Us,
And Blessing on thee
And on some of the Peoples
(Who will spring) from those
With thee: but (there will be
Other) Peoples to whom We
Shall grant their pleasures
(For a time), but in the end
Will a grievous Penalty
Reach them from Us."

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49. Such are some of the stories
Of the Unseen, which We
Have revealed unto thee:
Before this, neither thou
Nor thy People knew them.
So persevere patiently:
For the End is for those
Who are righteous.

SECTION 5.

50. To the ’Ād People
(We sent) Hūd, one
Of their own brethren.
He said: "O my people!
Worship God! ye have
No other god but Him.
(Your other gods) ye do nothing
But invent!

51. "O my people! I ask of you
No reward for this (Message).
My reward is from none
But Him who created me:
Will ye not then understand?

52. "And O my people! Ask
Forgiveness of your Lord,

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And turn to Him (in repentance):
He will send you the skies
Pouring abundant rain,
And add strength
To your strength:
So turn ye not back
In sin!"

53. They said: "O Hūd!
No Clear (Sign) hast thou
Brought us, and we are not
The ones to desert our gods
On thy word! Nor shall we
Believe in thee!

54. "We say nothing but that
(Perhaps) some of our gods
May have seized thee
With imbecility." He said:
"I call God to witness,
And do ye bear witness,
That I am free from the sin
Of ascribing, to Him,

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55. "Other gods as partners!
So scheme (your worst) against me,
All of you, and give me
No respite.

56. "I put my trust in God,
My Lord and your Lord!
There is not a moving
Creature, but He hath
Grasp of its fore-lock.
Verily, it is my Lord
That is on a straight Path.

57. "If ye turn away,—
I (at least) have conveyed
The Message with which I
Was sent to you. My Lord
Will make another People
To succeed you, and you
Will not harm Him
In the least. For my Lord
Hath care and watch
Over all things."

58. So when Our decree
Issued, We saved Hūd
And those who believed
With him, by (special) Grace
From Ourselves: We saved them
From a severe Penalty.

59. Such were the ’Ād People:
They rejected the Signs

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Of their Lord and Cherisher;
Disobeyed His Apostles;
And followed the command
Of every powerful, obstinate
Transgressor.

60. And they were pursued
By a Curse in this Life,
And on the Day of Judgment.
Ah! Behold! For the ’Ād
Rejected their Lord and Cherisher
Ah! Behold! Removed (from sight)
Were ’Ād the People of Hūd!

SECTION 6.

61. To the Thamūd People
(We sent) Sālih, one
Of their own brethren.
He said: "O my People!
Worship God: ye have
No other God but Him.
It is He Who hath produced you
From the earth and settled you
Therein: then ask forgiveness
Of Him, and turn to Him
(In repentance): for my Lord
Is (always) near, ready
To answer."

62. They said: "O Sālib!
Thou hast been of us!—

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A centre of our hopes
Hitherto! Dost thou (now)
Forbid us the worship
Of what our fathers worshipped?
But we are really
In suspicious (disquieting)
Doubt as to that to which
Thou invitest us."

63. He said: "O my people!
Do ye see?—If I have
A Clear (Sign) from my Lord
And He hath sent Mercy
Unto me from Himself,—who
Then can help me
Against God if I were
To disobey Him? What
Then would ye add
To my (portion) but perdition?

64. "And O my people!
This she-camel of God is
A symbol to you:
Leave her to feed
On God's (free) earth,
And inflict no harm
On her, or a swift Penalty
Will seize you!"

65. But they did ham-string her.
So he said: "Enjoy yourselves
In your homes for three days:
(Then will be your ruin):

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(Behold) there a promise
Not to be belied!"

66. When Our Decree issued,
We saved Sālib and those
Who believed with him,
By (special) Grace from
Ourselves—
And from the Ignominy
Of that Day. For thy Lord—
He is the Strong One, and Able
To enforce His Will.

67. The (mighty) Blast overtook
The wrong-doers, and they
Lay prostrate in their homes
Before the morning,—

68. As if they had never
Dwelt and flourished there.
Ah! Behold! For the Thamūd
Rejected their Lord and Cherisher!
Ah! Behold! Removed
(From sight) were the Thamūd!

SECTION 7.

69. There came Our Messengers
To Abraham with glad tidings.

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They said, "Peace!" He answered,
"Peace!" and hastened
To entertain them
With a roasted calf.

70. But when he saw
Their hands went not
Towards the (meal), he felt
Some mistrust of them,
And conceived a fear of them.
They said: "Fear not:
We have been sent
Against the people of Lūt."

71. And his wife was standing
(There), and she laughed:
But We gave her
Glad tidings of Isaac,
And after him, of Jacob.

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72. She said: "Alas for me!
Shall I bear a child,
Seeing I am an old woman,
And my husband here
Is an old man?
That would indeed
Be a wonderful thing!"

73. They said: "Dost thou
Wonder at God's decree?
The grace of God
And His blessings on you,
O ye people of the house!
For He is indeed
Worthy of all praise,
Full of all glory!"

74. When fear had passed
From (the mind of) Abraham
And the glad tidings
Had reached him, he
Began to plead with Us
For Lūt's people.

75. For Abraham was,
Without doubt, forbearing
(Of faults), compassionate,
And given to look to God.

76. O Abraham! Seek not this.
The decree of thy Lord
Hath gone forth: for them
There cometh a Penalty

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That cannot be turned back!

77. When Our Messengers
Came to Lūt, he was
Grieved on their account
And felt himself powerless
(To protect) them. He said:
"This is a distressful day."

78. And his people came
Rushing towards him,
And they had been long
In the habit of practising
Abominations. He said:
"O my people! Here are
My daughters: they are purer
For you (if ye marry)!
Now fear God, and cover me not
With shame about my guests!
Is there not among you
A single right-minded man?"

79. They said: "Well dost thou
Know we have no need
Of thy daughters: indeed
Thou knowest quite well
What we want!"

80. He said: "Would that I
Had power to suppress you

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Or that I could betake
Myself to some powerful support."

81. (The Messengers) said: "O Lūt
We are Messengers from thy Lord!
By no means shall they
Reach thee! Now travel
With thy family while yet
A part of the night remains,
And let not any of you
Look back: but thy wife
(Will remain behind):
To her will happen
What happens to the people.
Morning is their time appointed:
Is not the morning nigh?"

82. When Our decree issued,
We turned (the cities)
Upside down, and rained down
On them brimstones
Hard as baked clay,
Spread, layer on layer,—

83. Marked as from thy Lord:

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Nor are they ever far
From those who do wrong!

SECTION 8.

84. To the Madyan people
(We sent) Shu’aib, one
Of their own brethren: he said:
"O my people! worship God:
Ye have no other god
But Him. And give not
Short measure or weight:
I see you in prosperity,
But I fear for you
The Penalty of a Day
That will compass (you) all round.

85. "And O my people! give
Just measure and weight,
Nor withhold from the people
The things that are their due:
Commit not evil in the land
With intent to do mischief.

86. "That which is left you
By God is best for you,

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If ye (but) believed!
But I am not set
Over you to keep watch!"

87. They said: "O Shu’aib!
Does thy (religion of) prayer
Command thee that we
Leave off the worship which
Our fathers practised, or
That we leave off doing
What we like with our property?
Truly, thou art the one
That forbeareth with faults
And is right-minded!"

88. He said: "O my people!
See ye whether I hate
A Clear (Sign) from my Lord,
And He hath given me
Sustenance (pure and) good
As from Himself? I wish not,
In opposition to you, to do
That which I forbid you to do.
I only desire (your) betterment
To the best of my power;
And my success (in my task)
Can only come from God.
In Him I trust,
And unto Him I look.

89. "And O my people!
Let not my dissent (from you)

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Cause you to sin,
Lest ye suffer
A fate similar to that
Of the people of Noah
Or of Hūd or of Sālib,
Nor are the people of Lūt
Far off from you!

90. "But ask forgiveness
Of your Lord, and turn
Unto Him (in repentance):
For my Lord is indeed
Full of mercy and loving-kindness."

91. They said: "O Shu’aib!
Much of what thou sayest
We do not understand!
In fact among us we see
That thou hast no strength!
Were it not for thy family,
We should certainly
Have stoned thee!
For thou hast among us
No great position!"

92. He said: "O my people!
Is then my family
Of more consideration with you
Than God? For ye cast Him
Away behind your backs
(With contempt). But verily
My Lord encompasseth
On all sides
All that ye do!

93. "And O my people!
Do whatever ye can:

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I will do (my part):
Soon will ye know
Who it is on whom
Descends the Penalty
Of ignominy, and who
Is a liar!
And watch ye!
For I too am watching
With you!"

94. When Our decree issued,
We saved Shu’aib and those
Who believed with him,
By (special) Mercy from Ourselves
But the (mighty) Blast did seize
The wrong-doers, and they
Lay prostrate in their homes
By the morning,—

95. As if they had never
Dwelt and flourished there!
Ah! Behold! How the Madyan
Were removed (from sight)
As were removed the Thamūd!

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SECTION 9.

96. And we sent Moses,
With our Clear (signs)
And an authority manifest,

97. Unto Pharaoh and his Chiefs:
But they followed the command
Of Pharaoh, and the command
Of Pharaoh was no right (guide).

98. He will go before his people
On the Day of Judgment,
And lead them into the Fire
(As cattle are led to water):
But woeful indeed will be
The place to which they are led!

99. And they are followed
By a curse in this (life)
And on the Day of Judgment:
And woeful is the gift
Which shall be given
(Unto them)!

100. These are some of the stories
Of communities which We
Relate unto thee: of them
Some are standing, and some

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Have been mown down
(By the sickle of time.

101. It was not We that wronged them:
They wronged their own souls:
The deities, other than God,
Whom they invoked, profited them
No whit when there issued
The decree of thy Lord:
Nor did they add aught
(To their lot) but perdition!

102. Such is the chastisement
Of thy Lord when He chastises
Communities in the midst of
Their wrong: grievous, indeed,
And severe is His chastisement.

103. In that is a Sign
For those who fear
The Penalty of the Hereafter:
That is a Day for which mankind
Will be gathered together:
That will be a Day
Of Testimony.

104. Nor shall We delay it
But for a term appointed.

105. The day it arrives,
No soul shall speak

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Except by His leave:
Of those (gathered) some
Will be wretched and some
Will be blessed.

106. Those who are wretched
Shall be in the Fire:
There will be for them
Therein (nothing but) the heaving
Of sighs and sobs:

107. They will dwell therein
For all the time that
The heavens and the earth
Endure, except as thy Lord
Willeth: for thy Lord
Is the (sure) Accomplisher
Of what He planneth.

108. And those who are blessed
Shall be in the Garden:
They will dwell therein
For all the time that
The heavens and the earth
Endure, except as thy Lord
Willeth: a gift without break.

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109. Be not then in doubt
As to what these men
Worship. They worship nothing
But what their fathers worshipped
Before (them): but verily
We shall pay them back
(In full) their portion
Without (the least) abatement.

SECTION 10.

110. We certainly gave the Book
To Moses, but differences
Arose therein: had it not been
That a Word had gone forth
Before from thy Lord, the matter
Would have been decided
Between them: but they
Are in suspicious doubt
Concerning it.

111. And, of a surety, to all
Will your Lord pay back
(In full the recompense)
Of their deeds: for He
Knoweth well all that they do.

112. Therefore stand firm (in the straight
Path) as thou art commanded,—

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Thou and those who with thee
Turn (unto God); and transgress not
(From the Path): for He seeth
Well all that ye do.

113. And incline not to those
Who do wrong, or the Fire
Will seize you; and ye have
No protectors other than God,
Nor shall ye be helped.

114. And establish regular prayers
At the two ends of the day
And at the approaches of the night:
For those things that are good
Remove those that are evil:
Be that the word of remembrance
To those who remember (their Lord):

115. And be steadfast in patience;
For verily God will not suffer
The reward of the righteous
To perish.

116. Why were there not,
Among the generations before you,
Persons possessed of balanced
Good sense, prohibiting (men)

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From mischief in the earth—
Except a few among them
Whom We saved (from harm)?
But the wrong-doers pursued
The enjoyment of the good things
Of life which were given them,
And persisted in sin.

117. Nor would thy Lord be
The One to destroy
Communities for a single wrong-doing,
If its members were likely
To mend.

118. If thy Lord had so willed,
He could have made mankind
One People: but they
Will not cease to dispute,

119. Except those on whom thy Lord
Hath bestowed His Mercy:
And for this did He create
Them: and the Word
Of thy Lord shall be fulfilled:
"I will fill Hell with jinns
And men all together."

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120. All that we relate to thee
Of the stories of the apostles,—
With it We make firm
Thy heart: in them there cometh
To thee the Truth, as well as
An exhortation and a message
Of remembrance to those who believe.

121. Say to those who do not
Believe: "Do whatever ye can:
We shall do our part;

122. "And wait ye!
We too shall wait."

123. To God do belong
The unseen (secrets)
Of the heavens and the earth,
And to Him goeth back
Every affair (for decision)
Then worship Him,
And put thy trust in Him .
And thy Lord is not
Unmindful of aught
That ye do.

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