The Romans

Alif-Laam-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.)

The Romans have been defeated.

In the nearby land, and after their defeat they will soon be victorious.

Within a few (up to nine) years time; only for Allah is the command, before and after; and the believers will rejoice on that day.

With the help of Allah; He helps whomever He wills; and only He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful.

The promise of Allah; Allah does not renege on His promise, but most people do not know.

They know only the visible worldly life; and are totally neglectful of the Hereafter.

Have they not inwardly pondered – that Allah has not created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth and a fixed term? And indeed many people deny the meeting with their Lord.

And did they not travel in the land to see what sort of fate befell those before them? They were stronger than them, and they cultivated the land and inhabited it more than them, and their Noble Messengers came to them with clear proofs; so it did not befit Allah’s Majesty to oppress them, but it was they who used to wrong themselves.

Then the fate of those who committed evil to the extreme was that they denied the signs of Allah and used to mock at them.

Allah initiates the creation, then will create it again – then it is to Him that you will return.

And on the Last Day– when it is established, the guilty* will lose all hope. (* The disbelievers.)

And the partners they ascribed will not be their intercessors – and they will deny their partners.

And on the Last Day – that day they will all separate.

So those who believed and did good deeds – they will be hosted in the Garden.

And those who disbelieved, and denied Our signs and confronting the Hereafter – they will be hauled into the punishment.

So proclaim the Purity of Allah when you witness the night and the morning.

And only His is the praise in the heavens and the earth – and before the day ends and at noon.

He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living, and He revives the earth after its death; and this how you will be raised.

And among His signs is that He created you from dust, and therefore you are human beings spread in the earth.

And among His signs is that He created spouses for you from yourselves for you to gain rest from them, and kept love and mercy between yourselves; indeed in this are signs for the people who ponder.

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the differences in your languages and colours; indeed in this are signs for people who know.

And among His signs is your sleeping during the night and day, and your seeking His munificence; indeed in this are signs for people who heed.

And among His signs is that He shows you the lightning, instilling fear and hope, and sends down water from the sky, so revives the earth after its death; indeed in this are signs for people of intellect.

And among His signs is that the heavens and the earth remain established by His command; then when He calls you – from the earth – you will thereupon emerge.

And to Him only belong all those who are in the heavens and the earth; all are submissive to Him.

And it is He Who initiates the creation, and will then create it again – and this, according to you, should be easier for Him! And for Him only is the Supreme Majesty in the heavens and the earth; and only He is the Almighty, the Wise.

He illustrates an example for you from your own selves; do you have for yourselves, among the bondmen you possess, partners in the sustenance We have bestowed upon you, thereby you become equal in respect of it – you fearing them the way you fear each other? This is how We illustrate detailed signs for the people of intellect.

Rather the unjust followed their own desires, without knowledge; so who can guide one whom Allah has sent astray? And they do not have supporters.

Therefore set your attention for obeying Allah, devoted solely to Him; the foundation set by Allah, upon which He created man; do not change what Allah has created; this is the proper religion – but most people do not know.

Inclining towards Him – and fear Him, and keep the prayer established, and never be of the polytheists.

Those who broke their religion into several parts and became different groups; every group is happy with what it has.

And when some affliction reaches men, they pray to their Lord inclining towards Him – and when He gives them a taste of His mercy, thereupon a group among them begins setting up partners to their Lord!

In order to be ungrateful for Our bestowal; “Therefore enjoy”; you will soon come to know.

Or have We sent down to them any proof, which therefore tells them of My partners?

And when We give people the taste of mercy they rejoice at it; and if an ill fortune reaches them because of what their hands have sent ahead – thereupon they lose hope!

And did they not see that Allah eases the sustenance for whomever He wills and restricts it for whomever He wills? Indeed in this are signs for people who believe.

Therefore give the relative his right, and to the needy, and to the traveller; this is better for those who seek the pleasure of Allah; and it is they who are the successful.

And that which you give upon usury, in order that it may increase the creditors’ property, will not increase before Allah; and the charity you give seeking the pleasure of Allah – only that will increase manifold.

It is Allah Who created you and then provided you sustenance, then will cause you to die, and will then give you life again; is there any among your ascribed partners that can do any of these things? Purity and Supremacy are to Him, above their ascribing of partners (to Him)!

Chaos appears in the land and the sea because of the evil deeds which people’s hands have earned, in order to make them taste the flavour of some of their misdeeds – in order that they may come back.

Proclaim (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Travel in the land, and see what sort of fate befell the former people; and most of them were polytheists.”

Therefore set your attention for worshipping, before the day from Allah which cannot be averted – on that day people will be split, separated.

Whoever disbelieves, then the calamity of his disbelief is only on him; and those who do good deeds, are preparing for themselves.

In order to reward those who believed and did good deeds, by His munificence; indeed He does not like the disbelievers.

And among His signs is that He sends winds heralding glad tidings, to make you taste His mercy, and so that the ships may sail by His command, and so that you may seek His munificence, and for you to give thanks.

And indeed We sent several Noble Messengers before you, to their nations – so they came to them with clear signs – We therefore took revenge from the guilty; and it is incumbent upon Our mercy, to help the Muslims.

It is Allah Who sends the winds raising the clouds – therefore spreads them in the sky as He wills and shatters them – so you see the rain dropping from inside it; so when He delivers it upon whomever He wills among His bondmen, thereupon they rejoice.

Although they had lost hope before it was sent down upon them.

Therefore observe the result of Allah’s mercy, how He revives the earth after its death; He will indeed resurrect the dead; and He is Able to do all things.

And if We send a wind and they see their fields yellow because of it, then indeed they would become ungrateful after it.

For you do not make the dead hear nor make the deaf hear the call when they flee, turning back. (The disbelievers are referred to as dead and deaf.)

Nor do you guide the blind out of their error; you only make those hear who believe in Our signs, so they have submitted. (The disbelievers are referred to as blind.)

It is Allah Who created you weak, then after weakness gave you strength, then after strength gave you weakness and old age; He creates whatever He wills; and only He is the All Knowing, the Able.

And on the day when the Last Day is established, the guilty will swear that they did not stay except for an hour; this is how they keep straying.

And said those who received knowledge and faith, “You have indeed stayed in the decree of Allah until the Day of Restoration; so this is the Day of Restoration, but you did not know.”

So on that day the unjust will not benefit from their excuses, nor will anyone ask them for compensation.

And indeed We have illustrated all kinds of examples in this Qur’an for mankind; and indeed if you bring a sign to them, the disbelievers will say, “You are upon nothing but falsehood.”

This is how Allah sets seal upon the hearts of the ignorant.

Therefore patiently endure, indeed the promise of Allah is true; and may not those who do not have faith make you impatient.