Crouching

Ha. Mim.

THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise.

Behold, in the heavens as well as on earth there are indeed messages for all who [are willing to] believe.

And in your own nature, and in [that of] all the animals which He scatters [over the earth] there are messages for people who are endowed with inner certainty.

And in the succession of night and day, and in the means of subsistence which God sends down from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the change of the winds: [in all this] there are messages for people who use their reason.

These messages of God do We convey unto thee, setting forth the truth. In what other tiding, if not in God’s messages, will they, then, believe?

Woe unto every sinful self-deceiver

who hears God’s messages when they are conveyed to him, and yet, as though he had not heard them, persists in his haughty disdain! Hence, announce unto him grievous suffering –

for when he does become aware of any of Our messages, he makes them a target of his mockery! For all such there is shameful suffering in store.

Hell is ahead of them; and all that they may have gained [in this world] shall be of no avail whatever to them, and neither shall any of those things which, instead of God, they have come to regard as their protectors: for, awesome suffering awaits them.

[To pay heed to God’s signs and messages:] this is [the meaning of] guidance; on the other hand, for those who are bent on denying the truth of their Sustainer’s messages there is grievous suffering in store as an outcome of [their] vileness.

IT IS GOD who has made the sea subservient [to His laws, so that it be of use] to you so that ships might sail through it at His behest, and that you might seek to obtain [what you need] of His bounty, and that you might have cause to be grateful.

And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!

Tell all who have attained to faith that they should forgive those who do not believe in the com­ing of the Days of God, [since it is] for Him [alone] to requite people for whatever they may have earned.

Whoever does what is just and right, does so for his own good; and whoever does evil, does so to his own hurt; and in the end unto your Sustainer you all will be brought back.

AND, INDEED, [already] unto the children of Israel did We vouchsafe revelation, and wisdom, and prophethood; and We provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life, and favoured them above all other people [of their time].

And We gave them clear indications of the purpose [of faith]; and it was only after all this knowledge had been vouchsafed to them that they began, out of mutual jealousy, to hold divergent views: [but,] verily, thy Sustainer will judge be­tween them on Resurrection Day regarding all whereon they were wont to differ.

And, finally, [O Muhammad,] We have set thee on a way by which the purpose [of faith] may be fulfilled: so follow thou this [way], and follow not the likes and dislikes of those who do not know [the truth].

Behold, they could never be of any avail to thee if thou wert to defy the will of God for, verily, such evildoers are but friends and protectors of one another, whereas God is the Protector of all who are conscious of Him.

This [revelation, then,] is a means of insight for mankind, and a guidance and grace unto people who are endowed with inner certainty.

Now as for those who indulge in sinful doings - do they think that We place them, both in their life and their death, on an equal footing with those who have attained to faith and do righteous deeds? Bad, indeed, is their judgment:

for, God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth, and [has therefore willed] that every human being shall be recompensed for what he has earned and none shall be wronged.

HAST THOU ever considered [the kind of man] who makes his own desires his deity, and whom God has [thereupon] let go astray, knowing [that his mind is closed to all guidance], and whose hearing and heart He has sealed, and upon whose sight He has placed a veil? Who, then, could guide him after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not, then, bethink your­selves?

And yet they say: “There is nothing beyond our life in this world. We die as we come to life, and nothing but time destroys us.” But of this they have no knowledge whatever: they do nothing but guess.

And [so,] whenever Our messages are conveyed to them in all their clarity, their only argument is this: “Bring forth our fore­fathers [as witnesses], if what you claim is true!”

Say: “It is God who gives you life, and then causes you to die; and in the end He will gather you together on Resurrection Day, [the coming of] which is beyond all doubt - but most human beings under­stand it not.”

For, God’s is the dominion over the heavens and the earth; and on the Day when the Last Hour dawns - on that Day will be lost all who [in their lifetime] tried to reduce to nothing [whatever they could not understand].

And [on that Day] thou wilt see all people kneeling down [in humility]: all people will be called upon to [face] their record: “Today you shall be requited for all that you ever did!

This Our record speaks of you in all truth: for, verily, We have caused to be recorded all that you ever did!”

Now as for those who have attained to faith and done righteous deeds, their Sustainer will admit them to His grace: that will be [their] manifest triumph!

But as for those who were bent on denying the truth, [they will be told:] “Were not My messages conveyed to you? And withal, you gloried in your arrogance, and so you became people lost in sin:

for when it was said, ‘Behold, God’s promise always comes true, and there can be no doubt about [the coming of] the Last Hour’ - you would answer, ‘We do not know what that Last Hour may be: we think it is no more than an empty guess, and [so] we are by no means convinced!’”

And [on that Day,] the evil of their doings will become obvious to them, and they will be over­whelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride.

And [the word] will be spoken: “Today We shall be oblivious of you as you were oblivious of the coming of this your Day [of Judgment]; and so your goal is the fire, and you shall have none to succour you:

this, because you made God’s messages the target of your mockery, having allowed the life of this world to beguile you!” On that Day, therefore, they will not be brought out of the fire, nor will they be allowed to make amends.

AND THUS, all praise is due to God, Sustainer of the heavens and Sustainer of the earth: the Sustainer of all the worlds!

And His alone is all majesty in the heavens and on earth; and He alone is almighty, truly wise!