ῌā‘ mīm
By the veritable Book
We have revealed it an Arabic Koran, that perchance you may understand it
It is a transcript of the Eternal Book in Our keeping, sublime, and full of wisdom
Should We hold back the Admonition from you simply because you are a prodigal people
Many a prophet did We send forth to the ancients
but no prophet did arise among them that they did not mock
We obliterated them, though they were mightier than these.¹ Such then, was the example of the ancients
Yet, if you ask them¹ who created the heavens and the earth, they are bound to say: ‘The Almighty, the All-knowing, created them.‘
He it is who has made the earth a cradle for you and traced out routes upon it that you may find your way
who sends down water from the sky in due measure and thereby We resurrect a dead land: even thus shall you be raised to life
who has created all living things in pairs and made for you the ships and beasts on which you ride
so that, as you rest upon their backs, you may recall the goodness of your Lord and say: ‘Glory to Him who has subjected these to us. But for Him we could not be their masters
To our Lord we shall surely return.‘
Yet they¹ assign to Him some from among His servants. Surely man is monstrously ungrateful
Would God choose daughters for Himself from what He created and favour you with sons?²
And yet when the birth of a female is announced to any of them his countenance darkens and he is grievously vexed
Or would they ascribe to God females who adorn themselves with trinkets and are powerless in disputation
They make females the angels who are the Merciful‘s servants: did they witness their creation? Their testimony shall be noted down; and they shall be closely questioned
They say: ‘Had it been the will of the Merciful, we should never have worshipped them.‘ Surely of this they have no knowledge: they are only lying
Or have We given them a scripture before this, so that they should hold fast to it
Indeed, they say: ‘This was the faith our fathers practised; and we are merely guided by their footsteps.‘
Thus, never did We sent forth before you to a city one to give warning, but those who lived therein in opulence said: ‘This was the faith our fathers practised; and we are merely following in their footsteps.‘
Each of them said: ‘What if I bring you a faith more enlightened than your fathers‘?‘ But they said: ‘We reject the message you have been sent with.‘
So We took vengeance on them; and consider the fate of those who disbelieved
And tell of Abraham, who said to his father and to his people: ‘I renounce the gods you worship,
except Him who created me, for He will rightly guide me.‘
He made this an abiding precept among his descendants, that they might for ever turn to Him
Indeed, I made things pleasant for these and for their fathers until there came to them the Truth and an undoubted Apostle
But now that the Truth has come to them, they say: ‘This is sorcery. We utterly reject it.‘
They also say: ‘Why has this Koran not been revealed to some important man from the two cities?‘¹
Is it they who apportion your Lord‘s blessings? It is We who deal out to them their livelihood in this world, exalting some in rank above others, so that the one may take the other into his service. Better is your Lord‘s mercy than all their hoarded treasures
But for the chance that all humankind might have become one race of unbelievers, We would have given those who denied the Lord of Mercy mansions with silver roofs, and stairs to ascend to; mansions with silver gate
and silver couches to recline on;
and ornaments of gold: for all these are but the baubles of this life. It is the life to come that your Lord reserves for those who fear Him
He that does not observe the remembrance of the Merciful shall have a demon for his companion
they turn people away from the right path, though they may think themselves rightly guided
And when he comes before Us, he shall say:² ‘Would that we were as far apart as the East is from the West.‘ Evil indeed is that companion
But on that day, because you have done wrong, the thought that you will share the scourge with others will not console you
Can you make the deaf hear, or guide the blind or those in grievous error
Whether We take you hence or let you live to see Our promises fulfilled, of them We shall surely be avenged
for We have power absolute over them
Therefore hold fast to that which was revealed to you: you are surely on a straight path
It is an Admonition to you and to your people: and you shall be questioned all
Ask those of Our apostles whom We sent before you if We ever appointed gods besides the Merciful to be worshipped
We sent forth Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles. He said: ‘I am the apostle of the Lord of the Universe.‘
But when he came to them with Our signs they laughed at them;
yet each fresh sign We revealed to them was more powerful than the one that came before it. We therefore smote them with the scourge, so that they might return to the right path
You, sorcerer,‘ they said, ‘pray for us to your Lord and invoke the promise He has made you. We will accept your guidance.‘
But when We removed the scourge from them, they broke their pledge
And Pharaoh made a proclamation to his people. ‘My people,‘ said he, ‘is the kingdom of Egypt not mine, and are these rivers which flow at my feet not mine also? Can you not see
Am I not better than this despicable wretch, who can scarcely make his utterance clear
Why have no bracelets of gold been given him, or angels sent down to accompany him?‘
Thus did he incite his people: and they obeyed him, for they were degenerate people
And when they provoked Us, We took vengeance on them and drowned them all
as a precedent and an example to those who succeeded them
And when Mary‘s son is cited as an example, your people turn awa
and say: ‘Who is better, he or our gods?‘ They cite him to you merely to provoke you. They are indeed a contentious people
He was but a mortal whom We favoured and made an example to the Israelites
Had it been Our will, We could have turned you into angels, your successors on the earth
He is a portent of the Hour: have no doubt about its coming and follow Me
This is a straight path: let not Satan debar you, for he is your veritable foe
And when Jesus came with evident signs, he said: ‘I have come to give you wisdom, and to make plain to you some of the things you differ about. Fear God and follow me
God is my Lord and your Lord: therefore serve Him. That is a straight path.‘
Yet the factions disagreed among themselves. But woe betide the wrongdoers, for they shall suffer the anguish of a woeful day
Are they only waiting for the Hour to overtake them suddenly when they are unaware
Friends shall on that day become enemies to one another, except the God-fearing
But you, My servants, who have believed in Our revelation
and are become Muslims, shall on that day have nothing to fear or to regret
Enter Paradise, you and your spouses, rejoicing
You shall be served around with golden dishes and golden goblets. Therein shall abound what every soul desires and every eye delights in; and therein shall you abide for ever
And such is the Paradise you shall inherit by virtue of your good deeds
Therein your sustenance shall be abundant fruit
But the transgressors shall endure for ever the torment of Hell
which for them will not be assuaged; they shall be speechless with despair
We did not wrong them, but it was they who did wrong
Malik,‘¹ they will call out, ‘let your Lord make an end of us!‘ But he will say: ‘Here you shall remain!‘
We have made known to you the Truth, but most of you the Truth abhor
If they are resolved to ruin you,² We are resolved to ruin them
Or do they think We cannot hear their secret talk and private converse? Yes! Our emissaries, at their side, record it all
Say:³ ‘If the Lord of Mercy had a son, I would be the first to worship him.‘
Exalted be the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of the Throne, above their falsehoods
Let them paddle, let them play, until they face the day they are promised
And He it is who in heaven is God and on earth is God; He is the Wise One, the All-knowing
Blessed be He who has sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them! He alone has knowledge of the Hour, and to Him shall you be recalled
Those to whom they pray besides Him have not the power to intercede for them, save those who testify to the Truth and have knowledge of it
Yet if you ask them who created them, they will surely say, ‘God.‘ How then can they be so misled
And he can only says: ‘Lord, these are surely people that do not believe.‘
So bear with them and wish them peace; they shall learn