And call not upon any other God along with Allah; there is no God but He. Everything is perishable (or will perish), except His countenance. His is the command, and unto Him shall you return!
ALIF LAM MIM.
Do men imagine that they will be left alone because they say, "We believe," and not be tested?
We did try those who were before you, and Allah will surely know those who are sincere, and He will surely know those who feign.
Do those who do evil reckon that they can outstrip Us? Evil is it that which they judge.
He who looks forward to the meeting with Allah, - verily, the appointed time is surely nigh, and He is the Hearer and Knower.
And he who strives, strives only for his own soul; for verily, Allah is altogether Independent of (His) creatures (or the worlds).
Those who believe and do right, We will surely blot out all evil from (or in) them; and reward them according to the best of their deeds (or with better than their deeds).
We have enjoined on man kindness to parents; but if they strive to make you join with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return, and I will inform you of that which you did.
But those who believe and do right, We will surely make them enter amongst the righteous.
And there are those among men who say, "We believe in Allah!" but when they suffer for the sake of Allah, they mistake the persecution of men for the punishment of Allah; but if help come from your Lord they will say, "Verily, we were with you!" Is not Allah best aware of what is in the breasts of His creatures?
Allah surely knows those who believe, and surely knows the hypocrites.
And those who disbelieved said to those who believed, "Follow our way (religion), we will bear your sins. But they cannot bear aught of their sins; verily, they are liars!
But they shall surely bear their own burdens, and other burdens besides their own; and they shall surely be questioned on the Day of Resurrection concerning what they devised.
And We sent Noah to his people, and he dwelt among them for a thousand save fifty years; and the deluge engulfed them while they persisted in evil-doing.
But We saved him and the company of the ark, and made it a sign unto the worlds (all peoples or creatures).
And Abraham, when he said to his people, "Serve Allah and fear Him, that is better for you if you did but know.
"You serve instead of Allah only idols and you only invent a lie; verily, those whom you serve beside Allah own (control) no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks to Him; unto Him shall you return.
But if you deny this, then know that nations before you have denied it. The messenger has only to convey the message plainly."
See they not how Allah produces creation, and then reproduces it? Verily, for Allah it is easy.
Say, "Travel you in the earth, and behold how Allah originated creation; so will He produce a later creation. Verily, Allah has power over all things."
"He punishes whom He will, and bestows mercy on whom He will; and towards Him are you turned.
"You cannot make Him powerless (escape Him) in the earth, nor in the heavens; nor have you beside Allah a friend or a helper.
"And those who disbelieve in the revelations of Allah and in their meeting with Him, these shall despair of My mercy; and for these is grievous woe."
But the answer of his people was only to say, "Kill him" or "Burn him!" But Allah saved him from the fire; verily, in that are signs unto a people who have faith.
He said, "Verily, you take beside Allah idols, through mutual friendship in the life of this world; but on the Day of Judgment you shall deny each other, and shall curse each other, and your resort shall be the fire, and you shall have none to help."
And Lot believed him and said, "Verily, I flee unto (or for the sake of) my Lord! Verily, He, only He, is the Mighty, the Wise."
And We granted Abraham Isaac and Jacob; and We placed in his seed the Prophethood and the Scriptures; and We gave him his reward in this world; and, verily, in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous."
And Lot! (Remember) When he said to his people, "Verily, you commit an abomination such as no creature did before you.
"Do you approach men? And cut off the highway? And practice wickedness in your assemblies?" But his people gave no answer but this, "Bring us the Wrath of Allah, if you speak the truth."
Said he, "My Lord! Help me against a people who do evil!"
And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the glad tidings, they said, "We are about to destroy the people of these cities. Verily, the people thereof are evil-doers."
Said he, "Verily, in it is Lot." They said, "We are best aware of who is therein; we shall of a surety save him and his people, except his wife, who is of those who lag behind."
And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled on account of them, and felt powerless to protect them. But they said, "Fear not, neither grieve; we are about to save you and your people, except your wife, who is of those who lag behind.
"Verily, we are about to send down upon the people of this city a horror from heaven, for that they are evil-livers."
And, verily, of that We have left a manifest sign unto a people who have sense.
And unto Midian We sent their brother Shu´eyb, and he said, "My people, serve Allah, and fear the Last Day; and do not evil, making mischief in the land, (despoiling it)."
But they denied him; and the convulsion seized them, and on the morrow they lay prostrate in their dwellings.
And A´ad and Thamud! But their fate is plain to you from their ruined habitations. Satan made their deeds fair seeming unto them, and turned them from the Way, gifted with intelligence and skill though they were.
And Korah, Pharaoh and Haman! Moses did come to them with clear signs, but they were inflated with pride in the earth. Yet they could not outstrip Us!
And each of them We seized in his sin; and of them were some against whom We sent a sandstorm; and some were caught by a mighty Blast; and some We caused the earth to swallow; and some We drowned. It was not Allah who injured (or oppressed, wronged) them, but it was themselves (or their own souls) they injured (oppressed, wronged).
The similitude of those who choose other patrons than Allah, is as the likeness of a spider, that takes to himself a house; and, lo! The frailest of all houses is the spider´s house, if they but knew!
Verily, Allah knows whatever thing they call upon beside Him; for He is the Mighty, the Wise.
As for these similitudes (parables), We have coined for mankind, but none will understand them, save the wise.
Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth. Verily, in this is a sign for those have faith.
Recite what has been inspired in you of the Book; and establish worship. Verily, worship preserves from shameful deeds and iniquity, but surely the remembrance (or mention) of Allah is more important; and Allah knows what you do.
And argue not with the people of the Book, unless with better means; except with those who have done wrong amongst them and say, "We believe in what is sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we Surrender (as Muslims)."
Thus did We send down to you the Book; and those unto whom We gave the Book (Scriptures) before will believe therein, and of these (Pagan Arabs) also there are some who believe therein. None reject Our revelations save disbelievers.
You (Muhammad) could not recite before this any Book (or Scripture), nor write it with your right hand, for then, indeed, might those who deal (or talk) in vanities (trivialities, falsehoods, irrelevancies) have doubted.
Nay, but it is a clear revelation in the heart of those who are endowed with knowledge, and none deny Our revelations save the wrongdoers (or unjust).
And still they say, "Why have not signs been sent down upon him from his Lord." Say, "Verily, signs are with Allah only, and I am but a plain Warner."
Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book which you do recite to them? Verily, in that is a mercy and a reminder to a people who believe.
Say, "Allah is sufficient witness between me and you. He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and those who believe in vanities (falsehoods, frivolities) and disbelieve in Allah, they it is who are the losers."
They will wish you to hasten on the doom (punishment); but were it not that a term had been appointed, the doom would have come upon them ere now. And verily it will come upon them suddenly when they perceive not.
They ask you to hurry on the doom, but, verily, hell encompasses the disbelievers!
On the Day when the Doom (or Wrath) shall overwhelm them from above them and from beneath their feet, and He will say, "Taste that which you have done."
O my servants who believe! Verily, My earth is spacious enough; therefore serve Me only.
Every soul must taste of death, then unto Us shall you return.
Those who believe and act right, We will surely house them in lofty (or upper) chambers of the Garden beneath which rivers flow; to dwell therein secure (or for ever) - an excellent reward for the toilers (workers of good),
Those who persevere and put their trust in (or rely on) their Lord!
How many a beast cannot carry its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you; He is the Hearer, the Knower.
And if you should ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth, and subjected the sun and the moon?" they will surely say, "Allah!" how then can they turn away?
Allah extends provision to whomsoever He will of His servants, or restricts it; verily, Allah is aware of all things.
And if you should ask them, "Who causes water to come down from the sky and revives therewith the earth after its death?" they will surely say, "Allah!" Say, "And praise be to Allah!" But most of them have no sense.
This life of the world is nothing but a pastime and game (or a sport and a play); but, verily, the abode of the Hereafter, that is life, if they did but knew!
And when they ride in the ship they call upon Allah, making their religion seem sincere to Him; but when He delivers them safely to the shore, behold, they associate others with Him;
Disdaining ungratefully Our gifts; and that they may have some worldly enjoyment: but soon they shall come to know.
Have they not seen that We have made a Safe Sanctuary whilst people are being snatched away around them? Is it then that they believe in falsehood, and disbelieve the bounty of Allah?
But who is more unjust than he who devises against Allah a lie, or rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is there not in hell a home for the disbelievers?