The Pilgrimage

O men, fear your Lord! Surely the earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing;

on the day when you behold it, every suckling woman shall neglect the child she has suckled, and every pregnant woman shall deposit her burden, and thou shalt see mankind drunk, yet they are not drunk, but God's chastisement is terrible.

And among men there is such a one that disputes concerning God without knowledge and follows every rebel Satan,

against whom it is written down that whosoever takes him for a friend, him he leads astray, and he guides him to the chastisement of the burning.

O men, if you are in doubt as to the Uprising, surely We created you of dust then of a sperm-drop, then of a blood clot, then of a lump of flesh, formed and unformed that We may make clear to you. And We establish in the wombs what We will, till a stated term, then We deliver you as infants, then that you may come of age; and some of you die, and some of you are kept back unto the vilest state of life, that after knowing somewhat, they may know nothing. And thou beholdest the earth blackened, then, when We send down water upon it, it quivers, and swells, and puts forth herbs of every joyous kind.

That is because God -- He is the Truth, and brings the dead to life, and is powerful over everything,

and because the Hour is coming, no doubt of it, and God shall raise up whosoever is within the tombs.

And among men there is such a one that disputes concerning God without knowledge or guidance, or an illuminating Book,

turning his side to lead astray from God's way; for him is degradation in this world; and on the Resurrection Day We shall let him taste the chastisement of the burning:

'That is for what thy hands have forwarded and for that God is never unjust unto His servants.'

And among men there is such a one as serves God upon the very edge -- if good befalls him he is at rest in it, but if a trial befalls him he turns completely over; he loses this world and the world to come; that is indeed the manifest loss.

He calls, apart from God, upon that which hurts him not, and which neither profits him anything; that is indeed the far error.

He calls upon him who is likelier to hurt him, rather than to profit him -- an evil protector indeed, he, an evil friend!

God shall surely admit those who believe and do righteous deeds into gardens underneath which rivers flow; surely God does that He desires.

Whosoever thinks God will not help him in the present world and the world to come; let him stretch up a rope to heaven, then let him sever it, and behold whether his guile does away with what enrages him.

Even so We have sent it down as signs, clear signs, and for that God guides whom He desires.

Surely they that believe, and those of Jewry, the Sabaeans, the Christians, the Magians and the idolaters -- God shall distinguish between them on the Day of Resurrection; assuredly God is witness over everything.

Hast thou not seen how to God bow all who are in the and all who are in the earth, heavens the sun and the moon, the stars and the mountains, the trees and the beasts, and many of mankind? And many merit the chastisement; and whom God abases, there is none to honour him. God does whatsoever He will.

These are two disputants who have disputed concerning their Lord. As for the unbelievers, for them garments of fire shall, be cut, and there shall be poured over their heads boiling water

whereby whatsoever is in their bellies and their skins shall be melted;

for them await hooked iron rods;

as often as they desire in their anguish to come forth from it, they shall be restored into it, and: 'Taste the chastisement of the burning!'

God shall surely admit those who believe and do righteous deeds into gardens underneath which rivers flow; therein they shall be adorned with bracelets of gold and with pearls, and their apparel there shall be of silk;

and they; shall be guided unto goodly speech, and they shall be guided unto the path of the All-laudable.

Those who disbelieve, and bar from God's way and the Holy Mosque that We have appointed equal unto men, alike him who cleaves to it and the tent-dweller, and whosoever purposes to violate it wrongly, We shall let him taste a painful chastisement.

And when We settled for Abraham the place of the House: 'Thou shall not associate with Me anything. And do thou purify My House for those that shall go about it and those that stand, for those that bow and prostrate themselves;

and proclaim among men the Pilgrimage, and they shall come unto thee on foot and upon every lean beast, they shall come from every deep ravine

that they may witness things profitable to them and mention God's Name on days well-known over such beasts of the flocks as He has provided them: "So eat thereof, and feed the wretched poor."

Let them then finish with their self-neglect and let them fulfil their vows, and go about the Ancient House.'

All that; and whosoever venerates the sacred things of God, it shall be better for him with his Lord. And permitted to you are the flocks, except that which is recited to you. And eschew the abomination of idols, and eschew the speaking of falsehood,

being men pure of faith unto God, not associating with Him anything; for whosoever associates with God anything, it is as though he has fallen from heaven and the birds snatch him away, or the wind sweeps him headlong into a place far away.

All that; and whosoever venerates God's waymarks, that is of the godliness of the hearts.

There are things therein profitable to you unto a stated term; thereafter their lawful place of sacrifice is by the Ancient House.

We have appointed for every nation a holy rite, that they may mention God's Name over such beasts of the flocks as He has provided them. Your God is One God, so to Him surrender. And give thou good tidings unto the humble

who, when God is mentioned, their hearts quake, and such as endure patiently whatever visits them, and who perform the prayer, and expend of what We have provided them.

And the beasts of sacrifice -- We have appointed them for you as among God's waymarks; therein is good for you. So mention God's Name over them, standing in ranks then, when their flanks collapse, eat of them and feed the beggar and the suppliant. So We have subjected them to you; haply you will be thankful.

The flesh of them shall not reach God, neither their blood, but godliness from you shall reach Him. So He has subjected them to you, that you may magnify God for that He has guided you. And give thou good tidings unto the good-doers.

Assuredly God will defend those who believe; surely God loves not any ungrateful traitor.

Leave is given to those who fight because they were wronged -- surely God is able to help them --

who were expelled from their habitations without right, except that they say 'Our Lord is God.' Had God not driven back the people, some by the means of others, there had been destroyed cloisters and churches, oratories and mosques, wherein God's Name is much mentioned. Assuredly God will help him who helps Him -- surely God is All-strong, All-mighty

who, if We establish them in the land, perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and bid to honour, and forbid dishonour; and unto God belongs the issue of all affairs.

If they cry lies to thee, so too before them the people of Noah cried lies, and Ad and Thamood,

and the people of Abraham, the people of Lot,

and the men of Midian; to Moses also they cried lies. And I respited the unbelievers, then I seized them; and how was My horror!

How many a city We have destroyed in its evildoing, and now it is fallen down upon its turrets! How many a ruined well, a tall palace!

What, have they not journeyed in the land so that they have hearts to understand with or ears to hear with? It is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts within the breasts.

And they demand of thee to hasten the chastisement! God will not fail His promise; and surely a day with thy Lord is as a thousand years of your counting.

How many a city I have respited in its evildoing; then I seized it, and to Me was the homecoming.

Say: 'O men, I am only for you a plain warner.'

Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness -- theirs shall be forgiveness and generous provision.

And those who strive against Our signs to void them -- they shall be the inhabitants of Hell.

We sent not ever any Messenger or Prophet before thee, but that Satan cast into his fancy, when he was fancying; but God annuls what Satan casts, then God confirms His signs -- surely God is All-knowing, All-wise --

that He may make what Satan casts a trial for those in whose hearts is sickness, and those whose hearts are hard; and surely the evildoers are in wide schism;

and that they who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from thy Lord and believe in it, and so their hearts be humble unto Him; and assuredly God ever guides those who believe to a straight path.

And the unbelievers will not cease to be in doubt of it, until the Hour comes on them suddenly, or there shall come upon them the chastisement of a barren day.

The Kingdom upon that day shall belong to God, and He shall judge between them. As for those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, they shall be in Gardens of Bliss.

But as for the unbelievers, who cried lies to Our signs; for them awaits a humbling chastisement.

And those who emigrated in God's way and were slain, or died, God shall provide them with a fair provision; and surely God is the best of providers.

He shall admit them by a gate that is well-pleasing to them; and surely God is All-knowing, All-clement.

All that; and whosoever chastises after the manner that he was chastised and then again is oppressed, assuredly God will help him; surely God is All-pardoning, All-forgiving.

That is because God makes the night to enter into the day and makes the day to enter into the night; and that God is All-hearing, All-seeing.

That is because God -- He is the Truth, and that they call upon apart from Him -- that is the false; and for that God is the All-high, the All-great.

Hast thou not seen how that God has sent down out of heaven water, and in the morning the earth becomes green? God is All-subtle, All-aware.

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth; surely God -- He is the All-sufficient, the All-laudable.

Hast thou not seen how that God has subjected to you all that is in the earth and the ships to run upon the sea at His commandment, and He holds back heaven lest it should fall upon the earth, save by His leave? Surely God is All-gentle to men, All-compassionate.

It is He who gave you life, then He shall make you dead, then He shall give you life. Surely man is ungrateful.

We have appointed for every nation a holy rite that they shall perform. Let them not therefore wrangle with thee upon the matter, and do thou summon unto thy Lord; surely thou art upon a straight guidance.

And if they should dispute with thee, do thou say, 'God knows very well what you are doing.

God shall judge between you on the Day of Resurrection touching that whereon you were at variance.'

Didst thou not know that God knows all that is in heaven and earth? Surely that is in a Book; surely that for God is an easy matter.

They serve, apart from God, that whereon He has sent down never authority and that whereof they have no knowledge; and for the evildoers there shall be no helper.

And when Our signs are recited to them, clear signs, thou recognisest in the faces of the unbelievers denial; wellnigh they rush upon those who recite to them Our signs. Say: 'Shall I tell you of something worse than that? The Fire -- God has promised it to the unbelievers -- an evil homecoming!'

O men, a similitude is struck; so give you ear to it. Surely those upon whom you call, apart from God, shall never create a fly, though they banded together to do it; and if a fly should rob them of aught, they would never rescue it from him. Feeble indeed alike are the seeker and the sought!

They measure not God with His true measure; surely God is All-strong, All-mighty.

God chooses of the angels Messengers and of mankind; surely God is All-hearing, All-seeing.

He knows whatsoever is before them and behind them, and unto God all matters are returned.'

O men, bow you down and prostrate yourselves, and serve your Lord, and do good; haply so you shall prosper;

and struggle for God as is His due, for He has chosen you, and has laid on you no impediment in your religion, being the creed of your father Abraham; He named you Muslims aforetime and in this, that the Messenger might be a witness against you, and that you might be witnesses against mankind. So perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and hold you fast to God; He is your Protector -- an excellent Protector, an excellent Helper.