The Pilgrimage

O people, have fear of your Lord. The earthquake of the Hour shall be a great thing.

On that Day you will see every one that suckles shall forsake her suckling, and every carrier shall miscarry, and you shall see mankind drunk although they arenot drunk; dreadful will be the punishment of Allah.

Among people there are those, who without knowledge, dispute about Allah and follow every rebel satan,

against whom it is written down that whosoever takes him for a guide, he guides astray, and leads him to the punishment of the Blaze.

O people, if you are in doubt about the Resurrection, remember that We first created you from dust, then, from a sperm drop, then from a clot, and then from a bitesize tissue formed and unformed, so that We might clarify for you. We establish in the wombs whatever We will for an appointed term, and then We bring you forth as infants, then you come of age. Some of you die, and some of you are kept back to the vilest state of life, after knowing somewhat, they know nothing. And you see the earth dry; but no sooner do We send down rain upon it than it begins to quiver and swell, putting forth every fine variety (of herbage).

That is because Allah is the Truth; He revives the dead and has power over all things.

And the Hour is sure to come there is no doubt. And Allah will raise up those in the graves.

Some dispute about Allah, though they have neither knowledge nor guidance, nor an illuminating Book.

There is for him who turns his side to lead (others) astray from the Path of Allah, degradation in this life and We shall let him taste the punishment of theburning on the Day of Resurrection.

'This, is the reward for what your hands have forwarded. Allah is not unjust to the worshipers'

There are among the people such who worship Allah and (yet stand) on the very edge. When goodness comes to him, he is content, but if a trial befalls him he falls upon his face, he loses this world and the Everlasting Life; that is indeed a clear loss.

He calls to other than Allah, to that which neither hurts him, nor benefits him; that is indeed far error.

He calls upon him whose harm is nearer than his benefit, an evil guide and an evil friend.

As for those who believe and do good works Allah will admit them to gardens underneath which rivers flow. Allah indeed does what He will.

If any one thinks that Allah will not give him (Prophet Muhammad) victory in this present world and in the Everlasting Life, let him stretch a rope to heaven, and let him sever it. Then, let him see if his guile does away with that which has enraged him.

As such We have sent it in clear verses. Indeed, Allah gives guidance to whom He will.

Surely, they that believe, and those of Jewry, the Sabaeans, the Nazarenes, the Magians, and the unbelievers, Allah will judge them on the Day of Resurrection. Surely, Allah is witness over everything.

Have you not seen that to Allah prostrate all who are in the heavens and all who are in the earth, the sun and the moon, the stars and the mountains, the trees and the beasts, and many people? And many deserve the punishment. He who is abased by Allah has none to honor him. Allah does what He will.

Those are two who disputed concerning their Lord. Garments of fire have been prepared for the unbelievers. Boiling water shall be poured over their heads,

and that which is in their bellies and their skins shall be melted;

for them are hooked rods of iron.

Whenever in their anguish they try to get out of it, they are restored to it. (It will be said): 'Taste the punishment of burning'

Allah will admit those who believe and do good works to gardens underneath which rivers flow. They shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and with pearls, and their garments shall be of silk.

For they shall be guided to good speech and guided to the praised path.

The unbelievers who bar from the Way of Allah and from the Holy Mosque which We made equal for all peoples, he who cleaves to it and the tentdweller alike, and whosoever seeks to violate it wrongfully, We shall let him taste a painful punishment.

And when We settled for Abraham (and Ishmael) the place of the Holy Mosque, (We said): 'You shall not associate with Me anything. Purify My House for those who circumambulate it and those who stand, for those who bow and prostrate.

Proclaim the pilgrimage to the people. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they shall come from every deep ravine;

that they witness profitable things for them and mention the Name of Allah on well known days over the flocks which He has provided them. Eat thereof, and feed the wretched poor.

Then, let the pilgrims accomplish their acts of cleansing, and let them fulfill their vows, and circumambulate the Ancient House.

All that; and whosoever venerates the sacred rites of Allah it shall be better for him with his Lord. The flocks are lawful to you, except that which is recited to you. Therefore, avoid the filth of idols and avoid speaking falsely,

being of pure faith to Allah, not associating anything with Him. He who associates others with Allah is like he who falls from heaven and is snatched away by the birds or carried by the wind to some faroff place.

All that; and, he who venerates the waymarks of Allah, surely it is from the piety of the hearts.

In them, you have benefits until an appointed time. After their place of sacrifice is at the Ancient House.

For every nation We have appointed a holy ritual, that they pronounce the Name of Allah over the beast of flocks which He has provided them. Your God isOne God; to Him surrender yourselves. Give glad tidings to the humble,

whose hearts, when Allah is mentioned, quake, who endure their misfortunes with patience, and establish their prayers, and spend of that which We have provided them.

And the camels We have made a part of the waymarks of Allah. In them is good for you. Pronounce over them the Name of Allah, when they are hobbled; and when they have fallen down on their sides, eat of them and feed the impoverished nonrequestor and the requestor. As such We have subjected them to you, in order that you give thanks.

Their flesh and blood does not reach Allah rather it is piety from you that reaches Him. As such He has subjected them to you, in order that you exalt Allahfor guiding you. And give glad tidings to the generous.

Allah will defend those who believe. Verily, Allah does not love the ungrateful cheat.

Permission is given to those who fight because they were wronged. Allah has power to grant them victory:

those who have been unjustly driven from their homes, just because they said: 'Our Lord is Allah' Had Allah not repelled some people by the means ofothers, the monasteries and churches, the synagogues and mosques in which the Name of Allah is remembered would have been destroyed. But whoever helps Allah shall be helped by Him. Allah is the Strong, the Almighty,

those who, if We established them in the land, will establish the prayers and pay the obligatory charity, order with honor and forbid dishonor, and to Allah is the end of all affairs.

If they belie you, so too before them, the nation of Noah belied, and Aad and Thamood

and the nation of Abraham and the nation of Lot;

and the inhabitants of Midian, to Moses they also belied. I respited the unbelievers, then I seized them, and how was My disapproval!

How many a village We have destroyed in its harmdoing, so that it lies fallen upon its turrets, and how many an abandoned well, and empty palace!

Have they never journeyed through the land so that they have hearts to understand, or ears to hear with? It is not the eyes, but the hearts in the chests that are blind.

They ask you to hasten the punishment. Allah will not break His promise. Each day with your Lord is like a thousand years in your reckoning.

And how many a village have I respited in its evil doing! Then I seized it. To Me is the return.

Say (Prophet Muhammad): 'O people, I have been sent to warn you plainly.

Those who believe and do good works, theirs shall be forgiveness and a generous provision;

but those who strive to void Our verses, thinking they have escaped, shall be the people of Hell'

Never have We sent a Messenger or a Prophet before you, but when he hoped, satan tampered with his hope. But Allah supersedes the tampering of satan and confirms His verses. And Allah is the Knower, the Wise.

(This He permits) in order that He makes satan's interjections a temptation for those in whose hearts is a sickness and those whose hearts are hardened and the harmdoers are in a wide schism,

and so that those to whom knowledge has been given will know that this is the truth from your Lord and so believe in it and that their hearts will be humble to Him. Indeed, Allah will surely guide those who believe to a Straight Path.

The unbelievers will never cease to doubt it until the Hour overtakes them suddenly or the punishment of the Barren Day comes upon them.

The Kingdom upon that Day shall belong to Allah. He will judge between them. Those who believe and do good works shall be in Gardens of Bliss,

but for those who disbelieved Our verses and belied there awaits a humbling punishment.

As for those who emigrated in the way of Allah and were slain, or died, Allah will provide them with fine provisions. Allah is the Best of providers.

He will admit them by a gate that is pleasing to them, and surely, Allah is the Knower, the Clement.

So shall it be. He who punishes after the manner that he was punished and then again is oppressed, shall be helped by Allah. Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.

That is because Allah causes the night to enter into the day, and the day enter into the night. Allah is the Hearer and the Seer.

That is because Allah is the Truth, and falsehood is all that they call upon, other than Him. Allah is the Most High, the Most Great.

Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the sky and in the morning the earth becomes green? Allah is Subtle, the Aware.

To Him belong all that is in the heavens and earth, surely, Allah is the Rich, the Praised.

Do you not see that Allah has subjected to you all that is on the earth, and the ships which run upon the sea by His command? He holds the sky back lest it should fall upon the earth except by His permission. Allah is Gentle to people, the Most Merciful.

It is He who revives you, then He will cause you to die and then He revives you. Indeed, the human is ungrateful.

For every nation We have appointed a Holy Rite which they shall perform. Do not let them dispute with you concerning the matter. Call to your Lord; surely, you are upon a Straight Path.

If they argue with you, say: 'Allah knows best all that you do.

On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will judge between you concerning that in which you vary.

Are you not aware that Allah has knowledge of what is in the heaven and earth? This is (recorded) in a Book. That is easy for Allah.

Yet they worship that for which He did not send down authority, and that of which they have no knowledge. Indeed, the harmdoers shall have no helpers.

When Our clear verses are recited to them, you will recognize denial upon the faces of the unbelievers. They nearly rush upon those who recite Our verses to them. Say: 'Shall I tell you what is worse than that' The Fire which Allah has promised those who disbelieve an evil arrival'

People, this is a parable, listen to it. Those whom you call upon, other than Allah, could never create a fly, though they banded together to do this. And if a fly robs them of anything, they could never rescue it from it. The seeker and the sought are alike in their weakness.

They do not value Allah as He should be valued. For Allah is Powerful and Mighty.

Allah chooses Messengers from angels and from people. Allah is the Hearer, the Seer.

He knows what is before them and behind them. To Allah all things are returned.

O you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves. Worship your Lord and do good, in order that you prosper.

Struggle for Allah as is due to Him. He has chosen you and has not laden a burden upon you in your religion, being the Creed of Abraham your father. He has named you Muslims before and in this so that the Messenger (Muhammad) can be a witness for you, and in order that you be witnesses against mankind. Therefore, establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity and hold fast to Allah. He is your Guardian, the Excellent Guardian, the Excellent Helper!