The Believers

Or dost thou ask them for tribute? Yet the tribute of thy Lord is better, and He is the best of providers.

Assuredly thou art calling them to a straight path;

Prosperous are the believers

who in their prayers are humble

and from idle talk turn away

and at almsgiving are active

and guard their private parts

save from their wives and what their right hands own then being not blameworthy

(but whosoever seeks after more than that, those are the transgressors)

and who preserve their trusts and their covenant

and who observe their prayers.

Those are the inheritors

who shall inherit Paradise therein dwelling forever.

We created man of an extraction of clay,

then We set him, a drop, in a receptacle secure,

then We created of the drop a clot then We created of the clot a tissue then We created of the tissue bones then We garmented the bones in flesh; thereafter We produced him as another creature. So blessed be God, the fairest of creators!

Then after that you shall surely die,

then on the Day of Resurrection you shall surely be raised up.

And We created above you seven ways, and We were not heedless of creation.

And We sent down out of heaven water in measure and lodged it in the earth; and We are able to take it away.

Then We produced for you therewith gardens of palms and vines wherein are many fruits for you, and of them you eat,

and a tree issuing from the Mount of Sinai that bears oil and seasoning for all to eat.

And surely in the cattle there is a lesson for you; We give you to drink of what is in their bellies, and many uses there are in them for you, and of them you eat;

and upon them, and on the ships, you are borne.

And We sent Noah to his people; and he, said, 'O my people, serve God! You have no god other than He. Will you not be godfearing?"

Said the Council of the unbelievers of his people, 'This is naught but a mortal like yourselves, who desires to gain superiority over you. And if God willed, He would have sent down angels. We never heard of this among, our fathers, the ancients.

He is naught but a man bedevilled; so wait on him for a time.

He said, 'O my Lord, help me, for that they cry me lies.'

Then We said to him, 'Make thou the Ark under Our eyes and as We reveal, and then, when Our command comes and the Oven boils, insert in it two of every kind and thy, family -- except for him against whom the word already has been spoken; and address Me not concerning those who have done evil; they shall be drowned.

Then, when thou art seated in the Ark and those with thee, say, "Praise belongs to God, who has delivered us from the people of the evildoers."

And say, "'O my Lord, do Thou harbour me in a blessed harbour, for Thou art the best of harbourers."

Surely in that are signs, and surely We put to the test.

Thereafter, after them, We produced another generation,

and We sent amongst them a Messenger of themselves, saying, 'Serve God! You have no god other than He. Will you not be godfearing?'

and surely they that believe not in the world to come are deviating from the path.

Said the Council of the unbelievers of his people, who cried lies to the encounter of the world to come, and to whom We had given ease in the present' life, 'This is naught but a mortal like yourselves, who eats of what you eat and drinks of what you drink.

If you obey a mortal like yourselves, then you will be losers.

What, does he promise you that when you are dead, and become dust and bones, you shall be brought forth?

Away, away with that you are promised!

There is nothing but our present life; we die, and we live, and we shall not be raised up.

He is naught but a man who has forged against God a lie, and we will not believe him.'

He said, 'O my Lord, help me, for that they cry me lies.'

He said, 'In a little they will be remorseful.'

And the Cry seized them justly, and We made them as scum; so away with the people of the evildoers!

Thereafter, after them, We produced other generations;

no nation outstrips its term, nor do they put it back.

Then sent We Our Messengers successively; whenever its Messenger came to a nation they cried him lies, so We caused some of them to follow others, and We made them as but tales; so away with a people who do not believe!

Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our signs and a manifest authority

unto Pharaoh and his Council; but they waxed proud, and they were a lofty people,

and they said, 'What, shall we believe two mortals like ourselves, whose people are our servants?'

So they cried them lies, and they were among the destroyed.

And We gave Moses the Book, that haply they would be guided;

and We made Mary's son, and his mother, to be a sign, and gave them refuge upon a height, where was a hollow and a spring:

'O Messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness; surely I know the things you do.

Surely this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord; so fear Me.'

But they split in their affair between them into sects, each party rejoicing in what is with them.

So leave thou them in their perplexity for a time.

What, do they think that We succour them with of wealth and children,

We vie in good works for them? Nay, but they are not aware.

Surely those who tremble in fear of their Lord

and those who believe in the signs of their Lord

and those who associate naught with their Lord

and those who give what they give, their hearts quaking that they are returning to their Lord --

those vie in good works, outracing to them.

We charge not any soul save to its capacity, and with Us is a Book speaking truth, and they shall not be wronged.

Nay, but their hearts are in perplexity as to this, and they have deeds besides that that they are doing.

Till, when We seize with the chastisement the ones of them that live at ease, behold, they groan.

'Groan not today; surely you shall not be helped from Us.

My signs were recited to you, but upon your heels you withdrew,

waxing proud against it, talking foolish talk by night.'

Have they not pondered the saying, or came there upon them that which came not upon their fathers, the ancients?

Or did they not recognise their Messenger and so denied him?

Or do they say, 'He is bedevilled'? Nay, he has brought them the truth, but most of them are averse from the truth.

Had the truth followed their caprices, the heavens and the earth and whosoever in them is had surely corrupted. Nay, We brought them their Remembrance, but from their Remembrance they turned.

Did We have mercy on them, and remove the affliction that is upon them, they would persist in their insolence wandering blindly.

We already seized them with the chastisement, yet they abased not themselves to their Lord nor were they humble;

until, when We open against them a door of terrible chastisement, lo, they are sore confounded at it.

It is He who produced for you hearing, and eyes, and hearts; little thanks you show.

It is He who scattered you in the earth, and to Him you shall be mustered.

It is He who gives life, and makes to die, and to Him belongs the alternation of night and day; what, will you not understand?

Nay, but they said the like of what the ancients said.

They said, 'What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we be indeed raised up?

We and our fathers have been promised this before; this is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients.'

Say: 'Whose is the earth, and whoso is in it, if you have knowledge?'

They will say, God's.' Say: 'Will you not then remember?'

Say: 'Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the mighty Throne?'

They will say, 'God's.' Say: 'Will you not then be godfearing?'

Say: 'In whose hand is the dominion of everything, protecting and Himself unprotected, if you have knowledge?'

They will say, 'God's.' Say: 'How then are you bewitched?

Nay, but We brought them the truth and they are truly liars.

God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him; for then each god would have taken off that he created and some of them would have risen up over others; glory to be God, beyond that they describe,

who has knowledge of the Unseen and the Visible; high exalted be He, above that they associate!

Say: 'O my Lord, if Thou shouldst show me that they are promised,

O my Lord, put me not among the people of the evildoers.'

Assuredly, We are able to show thee that We promise them.

Repel thou the evil with that which is fairer. We Ourselves know very well that they describe.

And say: 'O my Lord, I take refuge in Thee from the evil suggestions of the Satans,

and I take refuge in Thee, O my Lord, lest they attend me.'

Till, when death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, return me;

haply I shall do righteousness in that I forsook.' Nay, it is but a word he speaks; and there; behind them, is a barrier until the day that they shall be raised up.

For when the Trumpet is blown, that day there shall be no kinship any more between them, neither will they question one another.

Then he whose scales are heavy -- they are the prosperers,

and he whose scales are light -- they have lost their souls in Gehenna dwelling forever,

the Fire smiting their faces the while they glower there.

'What, were My signs not recited to you, and you cried them lies?'

They shall say, 'Our Lord, our adversity prevailed over us; we were an erring people.

Our Lord, bring us forth out of it! Then, if we revert, we shall be evildoers indeed.'

'Slink you into it,' He shall say, 'and do not speak to Me.

There is a party of My servants who said, "Our Lord, we believe; therefore forgive us, and have mercy on us, for Thou art the best of the merciful."

But you took them for a laughing-stock, till they made you forget My remembrance, mocking at them.

Now today I have recompensed them for their patient endurance; they are the triumphant.'

He shall say, 'How long have you tarried in the earth, by number of years?'

They shall say, 'We have tarried a day, or part of a day; ask the numberers!'

He shall say, 'You have tarried but a little, did you know.

What, did you think that We created you only for sport, and that you would not be returned to Us?'

Then high exalted be God, the King, the True! There is no god but He? the Lord of the noble Throne.

And whosoever calls upon another god with God, whereof he has no proof, his reckoning is with his Lord; surely the unbelievers shall not prosper.

And say: 'My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the best of the merciful.'