{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/pick/015.htm","path":"isl/pick/015.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/pick/015.htm","text":"The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'\u00e2n, by M.M. Pickthall\n 15. al-Hijr: The Rock\n 1\u00a0Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verses of the Scripture and a plain Reading. \n 2\u00a0It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims. \n 3\u00a0Let them eat and enjoy life, and let (false) hope beguile them. They will come to know! \n 4\u00a0And We destroyed no township but there was a known decree for it. \n 5\u00a0No nation can outstrip its term nor can they lag behind. \n 6\u00a0And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman! \n 7\u00a0Why bringest thou not angels unto us, if thou art of the truthful ? \n 8\u00a0We send not down the angels save with the Fact, and in that case (the disbelievers) would not be tolerated. \n 9\u00a0Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder, and lo! We verily are its Guardian. \n 10\u00a0We verily sent (messengers) before thee among the factions of the men of old. \n 11\u00a0And never came there unto them a messenger but they did mock him. \n 12\u00a0Thus do We make it traverse the hearts of the guilty: \n 13\u00a0They believe not therein, though the example of the men of old hath gone before. \n 14\u00a0And even if We opened unto them a gate of heaven and they kept mounting through it, \n 15\u00a0They would say: Our sight is wrong - nay, but we are folk bewitched. \n 16\u00a0And verily in the heaven we have set mansions of the stars, and We have beautified it for beholders. \n 17\u00a0And We have guarded it from every outcast devil, \n 18\u00a0Save him who stealeth the hearing, and them doth a clear flame pursue. \n 19\u00a0And the earth have We spread out, and placed therein firm hills, and caused each seemly thing to grow therein. \n 20\u00a0And we have given unto you livelihoods therein, and unto those for whom ye provide not. \n 21\u00a0And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores thereof. And we send it not down save in appointed measure. \n 22\u00a0And We send the winds fertilising, and cause water to descend from the sky, and give it you to drink. It is not ye who are the holders of the store thereof. \n 23\u00a0Lo! and it is We, even We, Who quicken and give death, and We are the Inheritor. \n 24\u00a0And verily We know the eager among you and verily We know the laggards. \n 25\u00a0Lo! thy Lord will gather them together. Lo! He is Wise, Aware. \n 26\u00a0Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered, \n 27\u00a0And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire. \n 28\u00a0And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered, \n 29\u00a0So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him. \n 30\u00a0So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together \n 31\u00a0Save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate. \n 32\u00a0He said: O Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate ? \n 33\u00a0He said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered! \n 34\u00a0He said: Then go thou forth from hence, for lo! thou art outcast. \n 35\u00a0And lo! the curse shall be upon thee till the Day of Judgment. \n 36\u00a0He said: My Lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised. \n 37\u00a0He said: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved \n 38\u00a0Till the Day of appointed time. \n 39\u00a0He said: My Lord! Because Thou hast sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one, \n 40\u00a0Save such of them as are Thy perfectly devoted slaves. \n 41\u00a0He said: This is a right course incumbent upon Me: \n 42\u00a0Lo! as for My slaves, thou hast no power over any of them save such of the froward as follow thee, \n 43\u00a0And lo! for all such, hell will be the promised place. \n 44\u00a0It hath seven gates, and each gate hath an appointed portion. \n 45\u00a0Lo! those who ward off (evil) are among gardens and watersprings. \n 46\u00a0(And it is said unto them): Enter them in peace, secure. \n 47\u00a0And We remove whatever rancour may be in their breasts. As brethren, face to face, (they rest) on couches raised. \n 48\u00a0Toil cometh not unto them there, nor will they be expelled from thence. \n 49\u00a0Announce, (O Muhammad) unto My slaves that verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful, \n 50\u00a0And that My doom is the dolorous doom. \n 51\u00a0And tell them of Abraham's guests, \n 52\u00a0(How) when they came in unto him, and said: Peace. He said: Lo! we are afraid of you. \n 53\u00a0They said: Be not afraid! Lo! we bring thee good tidings of a boy possessing wisdom. \n 54\u00a0He said: Bring ye me good tidings (of a son) when old age hath overtaken me ? Of what then can ye bring good tidings ? \n 55\u00a0They said: We bring thee good tidings in truth. So be not thou of the despairing. \n 56\u00a0He said: And who despaireth of the mercy of his Lord save those who are astray ? \n 57\u00a0He said: And afterward what is your business, O ye messengers (of Allah) ? \n 58\u00a0They said: We have been sent unto a guilty folk, \n 59\u00a0(All) save the family of Lot. Them we shall deliver every one, \n 60\u00a0Except his wife, of whom We had decreed that she should be of those who stay behind. \n 61\u00a0And when the messengers came unto the family of Lot, \n 62\u00a0He said: Lo! ye are folk unknown (to me). \n 63\u00a0They said: Nay, but we bring thee that concerning which they keep disputing, \n 64\u00a0And bring thee the Truth, and lo! we are truth-tellers. \n 65\u00a0So travel with thy household in a portion of the night, and follow thou their backs. Let none of you turn round, but go whither ye are commanded. \n 66\u00a0And We made plain the case to him, that the root of them (who did wrong) was to be cut at early morn. \n 67\u00a0And the people of the city came, rejoicing at the news (of new arrivals). \n 68\u00a0He said: Lo! they are my guests. Affront me not! \n 69\u00a0And keep your duty to Allah, and shame me not! \n 70\u00a0They said; Have we not forbidden you from (entertaining) anyone ? \n 71\u00a0He said: Here are my daughters, if ye must be doing (so). \n 72\u00a0By thy life (O Muhammad) they moved blindly in the frenzy of approaching death. \n 73\u00a0Then the (Awful) Cry overtook them at the sunrise. \n 74\u00a0And We utterly confounded them, and We rained upon them stones of heated clay. \n 75\u00a0Lo! therein verily are portents for those who read the signs. \n 76\u00a0And lo! it is upon a road still uneffaced. \n 77\u00a0Lo! therein is indeed a portent for believers. \n 78\u00a0And the dwellers in the wood indeed were evil-doers. \n 79\u00a0So we took vengeance on them; and lo! they both are on a high-road plain to see. \n 80\u00a0And the dwellers in Al-Hijr denied (Our) messengers. \n 81\u00a0And we gave them Our revelations, but they were averse to them. \n 82\u00a0And they used to hew out dwellings from the hills, (wherein they dwelt) secure. \n 83\u00a0But the (Awful) Cry overtook them at the morning hour, \n 84\u00a0And that which they were wont to count as gain availed them not. \n 85\u00a0We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them save with truth, and lo! the Hour is surely coming. So forgive, (O Muhammad), with a gracious forgiveness. \n 86\u00a0Lo! Thy Lord! He is the All-Wise Creator. \n 87\u00a0We have given thee seven of the oft-repeated (verses) and the great Qur'an. \n 88\u00a0Strain not thine eyes toward that which We cause some wedded pairs among them to enjoin, and be not grieved on their account, and lower thy wing (in tenderness) for the believers. \n 89\u00a0And say: Lo! I, even I, am a plain warner, \n 90\u00a0Such as We send down for those who make division, \n 91\u00a0Those who break the Qur'an into parts. \n 92\u00a0Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one, \n 93\u00a0Of what they used to do. \n 94\u00a0So proclaim that which thou art commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters. \n 95\u00a0Lo! We defend thee from the scoffers, \n 96\u00a0Who set some other god along with Allah. But they will come to know. \n 97\u00a0Well know We that thy bosom is oppressed by what they say, \n 98\u00a0But hymn the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who make prostration (unto Him). \n 99\u00a0And serve thy Lord till the Inevitable cometh unto thee.","title":"The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'\u00e2n,: 15. al-Hijr: The Rock","type":"page"}