The Groups

God is the creator of all things, and He is the guarantor of all things.

THE REVELATION OF this Book is from God, the mighty and all-wise.

We have revealed to you the Scripture with exactitude; so worship God with devotion all exclusive for Him.

Remember that devotion is exclusively for God. Those who have taken protectors other than Him, say: "We worship them that they may bring us nearer to God." Surely God will judge between them in what they are differing about. Verily God does not show the way to an ungrateful liar.

Had God pleased to take a son, He could have chosen whom He liked from among those He has created. Glory be to Him. He is God, the one, the omnipotent.

He has created the heavens and the earth with precision. He folds the day up over the night, and folds the night up over the day. He has subjugated the sun and moon, (so that) each runs its appointed course. Is He not all-mighty and forgiving?

He created you from a single cell, then from it created its mate; arid provided eight varieties of cattle for you. He formed you in the mother's womb, formation after formation in three (veils of) darkness. He is God your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god other than He. How then can you turn away?

If you are ungrateful, then remember! God is independent of you, and He does not favour ingratitude on the part of His creatures. If you are grateful He will be pleased with you. For no one who carries a burden bears another's load; and your returning is to your Lord, when He will tell you what you used to do. Surely He knows what is in the hearts.

That God may absolve them of their sins and reward them for the best that they had done.

When man is afflicted with adversity he turns to his Lord, and prays to Him. But when He bestows His favour on him, he forgets what he prayed for before, and sets up others as compeers of God to mislead (people) from His way. Say: "Take advantage of your denying for a while: You will be among the inmates of Hell."

Can one who prays in the watches of the night, bowing in homage or standing attentive, fearful of the life to come, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, (be like one who does not)? Say: "Can those who know, and those who do not know, be equal? Only they think who are wise."

Tell them: "O my creatures who have come to belief, have fear of displeasing your Lord. There is good for those who do good in this world, and productive is God's earth. Only those who persevere will get their reward measureless."

Say: "I am commanded to worship God with obedience all-exclusive for Him;

And I am commanded to be the first of those who submit."

Say: "If I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of an evil Day."

Say: "I worship God with devotion all-exclusive for Him.

You may worship what you will apart from Him." Say: "Surely the greatest losers will be those who will lose their own selves and their people on the Day of Resurrection." Remember, this will be an all-too-evident loss.

Above them will be a covering of fire, below them a cloud (of flames). With this does God warn His creatures: "O My creatures, fear Me."

There are happy tidings for those who keep away from the worship of false gods and turn to God in repentance. Give glad tidings to My creatures.

Those who listen to the Word and then follow the best it contains, are the ones who have been guided by God, and are men of wisdom.

Can he against whom the sentence of punishment has been justified (be rescued)? Can you save him who is in the Fire?

But for those who fear displeasing their Lord there are lofty mansions built above mansions, with rivers rippling past below them: A promise of God; (and) God does not go back on His promise.

Do you not see that God sends down water from the sky, then makes it flow in rills on the earth, and brings forth corn from it which, having passed through changes of shade and colour, comes to ripen, and you see it autumnal yellow; then He reduces it to chaff. There are indeed lessons in this for those who are wise.

Will he whose breast has been opened up to peace (not be) in luminescence from his Lord? Alas for those whose hearts have been hardened to God's remembrance! They wander (astray) in clear error.

God has sent down the very best discourse, the Book conformable in its juxtapositions, which makes all of those who fear their Lord, shudder. So their hearts and bodies become receptive to the remembrance of God. This is the guidance of God with which He guides whosoever He will; but whosoever God allows to go astray has none to show him the way.

Can he who will have to shield himself against the torment of the Day of Resurrection (be the same as one at peace)? The evil-doers will be told: "So taste what you earned."

Those before them had denied, then punishment had overtaken them is from a quarter they did not suspect.

Then God made them taste of disgrace in this life; and the torment of the life to come is greater, if they understand.

We have given examples of every kind for men in this Qur'an so that they may contemplate:

A clear discourse which expounds all things without any obliquity, so that they may take heed for themselves.

God advances the example of a man who is owned (as slave in common) by a number of men at loggerheads, and another man who is owned by only one. Are these two alike in attribute? God be praised; yet many of them do not know.

Verily you will die, and so will they.

Then on the Day of Resurrection you will dispute before your Lord.

Who does greater wrong than he who tells a lie against God, and denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there no place for unbelievers in Hell?

He who brings the truth and verifies it, -- such are the people who are God-fearing.

They shall have what they wish from their Lord. This is the recompense for the good,

Is not God sufficient for His devotee? Still they frighten you with others apart from Him. Whoever God allows to go astray has none to show him the way.

And none can lead him astray who has been guided by God. Is not God all-mighty, the lord of retribution?

If you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they will answer: "God." Say: "Then just think. Can those whom you worship apart from God remove the distress God is pleased to visit upon me, or withhold a blessing God is pleased to favour me with?' Say: "God is all-sufficient for me. The trusting place their trust in Him."

Say: "O people, act as best you can on your part, I am acting too. You will come to know in time

Who suffers the shameful punishment, and on whom falls the everlasting torment.

We have Sent down this Book to you with the truth for all mankind. So, he who comes to guidance does so for himself, and he who goes astray does so for his own loss; on you does not lie their guardianship.

God gathers up the souls of those who die, and of those who do not die, in their sleep; then He keeps back those ordained for death, and sends the others back for an appointed term. Surely there are signs in this for those who reflect.

Have they appointed intercessors other than God? Say: "Even though they have no power in the least, nor do they understand?"

Say: "God's is the intercession entirely; His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; then to Him you will return."

When God alone is mentioned the hearts of those who do not believe in the life to come, are filled with resentment. But when others are mentioned apart from God, they begin to rejoice.

Say: "O God, the originator of the heavens and the earth, the knower of the unknown and the known, You alone will judge between Your creatures for things they differed about."

Even if the sinners possessed whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and as much more, they would offer it to ransom themselves from the torment of the Day of Resurrection; yet what they did not even imagine would appear to them from God;

And the evil of what they had earned would become visible to them; and what they used to mock would surround them from all sides.

When a man is in trouble, he prays to God; but when We bestow a favour on him he says: "It has come to me through my acumen." In fact, this is an illusion, but most men do not know.

Those before them had also said so, and yet nothing of what they did availed them in the least.

Then the worst of what they had done overtook them. So will the evil deeds of those who are sinners among them recoil back on them. They cannot get the better (of Us).

Do they not know that God enhances or restricts the provision of any one He will. Surely there are signs in this for people who believe.

Say: "O creatures of God, those of you who have acted against your own interests should not be disheartened of the mercy of God. Surely God forgives all sins. He is all-forgiving and all-merciful.

Turn towards your Lord and obey Him before the punishment comes upon you when you will not be helped.

Follow the best of what has been revealed to you by your Lord before the punishment overtakes you suddenly and you are caught unawares,

Lest a soul should say: "Alas, I was heedless of God and only laughed;"

Or say: "If only God had guided me I would have been a man of fear and piety;"

Or say on seeing the punishment: "If I could only return I would be among the good."

Why, My revelations had come to you, but you denied them and were filled with pride, and were among the disbelievers.

If you see those who had imputed lies to God on the Day of Resurrection, black would be their faces (with disgrace). Is there not a place in Hell for the arrogant?

God would rescue those who fear Him (and guide them) to places of safety. Neither will evil touch them nor regret.

He has the keys of the heavens and the earth; and those who deny the revelations of God will be losers.

Say: "O you ignorant people, do you bid me to worship someone other than God?

Surely you have been commanded, as those before you were: "If you associate (any one with God), wasted will be all your deeds, arid you will perish."

So, you should worship only God, arid be among the grateful.

They do not esteem God as is rightly due to Him. The whole earth would be a fistful of His on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens would be rolled up in His right hand. Too immaculate is He and too high for what they associate with Him!

When the trumpet blast is sounded whoever is in the heavens and the earth will swoon away, except those God please. When the blast is sounded the second time, they will stand up all expectant.

The earth will light up with the effulgence of her Lord; and the ledger (of account) will be placed (in each man's hand), and the apostles and the witnesses will be called, and judgement passed between them equitably, and no wrong will be done to them.

Each soul will be paid in full for what it had done. He is cognisant of what you do.

The unbelievers will be driven into Hell in groups till, when they reach it and its doors are opened up, its keepers will say to them: "Did not apostles of your own come to you reciting your Lord's revelations, warning you of this your day of Doom?" They will answer: "Yes;" but the sentence of punishment was justified against the unbelievers.

"Enter the gates of Hell," they will be told, "and there abide for ever." How grievous a destination for the haughty!

Those who were mindful of their duty to their Lord will be driven in groups to Paradise, till they reach it and its gates are opened, and its keepers say to them: "Peace be on you; you are the joyous. So enter here to live for ever."

They will say: "All praise be to God Who has fulfilled the promise He had made to us, and bequeathed to us this land for dwelling in the garden wheresoever we like." How excellent the recompense for those who act!

You will see the angels hover round the Throne, singing the praises of their Lord; and justice will be done between them equitably, and it would be said: "All praise to God the Lord of all the worlds."