Abul Ala Maududi

Guard against the disgrace and misery of the bay day when you shall return to Allah: there everyone shall be paid in full, for the good or evil one has earned and none shall be wronged.

And certainly We have created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind; they have hearts with which they fail to understand; and they have eyes with which they fail to see; and they have cars ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle - indeed, even more astray. Such are utterly heedless.

And on that Day (y our (your Lord will gather:. II gather these people together as well as their deities, whom they worship besides AIlah. Then He will ask them, "Did you mislead these servants of Mine, or did they themselves go astray?"

O children of Israel, remember that special favour 1 I bestowed upon you, and that I exalted you above all the communities of the world.

Or do you say that Abraham. Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and his children were all Jews or Christians?" Christians? Ask them,"Do them, "Do you know more than Allah does? And who is more unjust than the one who hides the testimony which Allah has entrusted to him? Allah is not unaware of what you are doing.

O Believers, if you are true worshippers of Allah alone, eat without hesitation of the good and clean things wherewith We have provided you and be grateful to Allah.°

It has been made lawful for you to go to your wives during the nights of the fast days. They are as a garment to you and you are as a garment to them. Though Allah knew that you were secretly dishonest to yourselves, He has pardoned your guilt and forgiven you. NOW you are permitted to have intercourse with your wives and enjoy what Allah has made lawful for you. You are also pemitted to eat and drink during the nights of the Fast months. until you can discern the white streak of dawn from the blackness of night. " Then (abstain from all these things and) complete your fast till night-fall. But you should not have intercourse with your wives while you confine yourselves to mosques. These are the bounds set by Allah; so do not nut go near them. In this way Allah makes His Commands clear to mankind. It is expected that they will guard themselves against wrong ways.

And they ask"What ask "What ought we to spend (in the way of Allah)"? Say"Spend Say "Spend whatever you can spare." Thus Allah makes His commands clear to you so that you may think about the good of both this world and the Hereafter. They ask you about the right way of dealing with orphans. Say "The right way is that which is for their good." Then there is no harm if you live a common life with them for they are after all your own brethren. Allah knows well the one who means harm and also the one who means good. If Allah had willed He would have been hard upon you in this matter for He is All-Powerful but He is at the same time AlI-Wise.

Divorced women must wait shall keep themselves in waiting for three monthly courses. And menstrual courses and it is not lawful unlawful for them to hide what Allah has created in their wombs, them, if theysincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day. Their Day, to hide whatever Allah might have created in their wombs. Should their husbands desire reconciliation during this time they arebest entitled to take them back as into wedlock. Women have the same rights against their wives during this waiting period, if they desire reconciliation. men as men have against them; but men have a degree above them. Allah is All- Powerful, All-Wise.

But those who devour interest become like the one whom Satan has bewitched and maddened by his touch. They have been condemned to this condition because they say, "Trade is just like interest", whereas Allah has made trade lawful and interest unlawfu1. unlawful. Henceforth, if one abstains from taking interest after receiving this admonition from his Lord, no legal action will be taken against him regarding the interest he had devoured before; his case shall ultimately go to Allah. But if one repeats the same crime after this, this,. he shall go to Hell, where he shall abide for ever.

Guard against the disgrace and misery of the day bay when you shall return to Allah: there everyone shall be paid in full, for the good or evil one has earned and none shall be wronged.

Say: 'Shall I tell you of things better than these? For the God-fearing there are, with their Lord, gardens beneath which rivers flow; there they will abide for ever, will have spouses of stainless purity as companions, and will enjoy the good pleasure of Allah.' Allah thoroughly observes His servants.

. (He also heard) when the woman of 'Imran said: 'O Lord! Behold, unto You do I vow that the child in my womb is to be devoted to Your exclusive service. Accept it, then, from me. Surely You alone are All-Hearing, All-Knowing.'

They wish that you should disbelieve just as they disbelieved so that you may all be alike. Do not, therefore, take from them allies until they emigrate in the way of Allah, but if they turn their backs (on emigration), seize them and slay them wherever you come upon them. Take none of them for your ally or helper, This is the verdict on those hypocritical confessors of faith who belong to a belligerent, non-Muslim nation and actually participate in acts of hostility against the Islamic state.

Believers! Neither desecrate the symbols of (devotion to) Allah, nor the holy month, nor the animals of offering, nor the animals wearing collars indicating they are for sacrifice, nor ill-treat those who have set out for the Holy House seeking from their Lord His bounty and good pleasure. But once you are free from Pilgrimage obligations, you are free to hunt. Do not let your wrath against the people who have barred you from the Holy Mosque move you to commit undue transgressions; rather, help one another in acts of righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression. Fear Allah. Surely Allah is severe in retribution.

Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, the animal slaughtered in any name other than Allah's, the animal which has either been strangled, killed by blows, has died of a fall, by goring or that devoured by a beast of prey - unless it be that which you yourselves might have slaughtered while it was still alive - and that which was slaughtered at the altars.- altars. - You are also forbidden to seek knowledge of your fate by divining arrows. All these are sinful acts. This day the unbelievers have fully despaired of your religion. Do not fear them; but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have bestowed upon you My bounty in full measure, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as your religion. (Follow, then, the lawful and unlawful bounds enjoined upon you.) As for he who is driven by hunger, without being wilfully inclined to sin, surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

Surely Allah took a covenant with the Children of Israel, and We raised up from them twelve of their leaders, and Allah said: 'Behold, I am with you; if you establish Prayer and pay Zakah and believe in My Prophets and help them, and lend Allah a good loan, I will certainly efface from you your evil deeds, and will surely cause you to enter the Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Whosoever of you disbelieves thereafter has indeed gone astray from the right way.

O Messenger! Do not be grieved on account of those who vie with one another in disbelieving: even though they be those who say with their mouths: 'We believe' even though their hearts have no faith; or they be Jews who have their ears eagerly turned to falsehood and spy for other people who did not chance to come to you, who pervert the words of Allah, taking them out of their proper context in order to distort their meaning. They say to people: 'If such and such teaching is given to you, accept it; if you are not given that, then beware! You can be of no avail to him whom Allah wills to fall into error. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify. For them there is degradation in this world and a mighty chastisement in the Next.

Then We revealed the Book to you (O Muhammad!) with Truth, confirming whatever of the Book was revealed before, and protecting and guarding over it. Judge, then, in the affairs of men in accordance with the Law that Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires in disregard of the Truth which has come to you. For each of you We have appointed a Law and a way of life. And had Allah so willed, He would surely have made you one single community; instead, (He gave each of you a Law and a way of life) in order to test you by what He gave you. Vie, then, one with another in good works. Unto Allah is the return of all of you; and He will then make you understand the truth concerning the matters on which you disagreed.

The Jews say: 'The Hand of Allah is fettered. It is their own hands which are fettered, and they stand cursed for the evil they have uttered. No! His Hands are outspread; He spends as He wills. Surely the message that has been revealed to you from your Lord has increased many of them in their in-surgence and unbelief, and so We have cast enmity and spite among them until the Day of Resurrection. And as often as they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it; and they go about trying to spread mischief on earth, whereas Allah does not love those who spread mischief.

And surely they disbelieved when they said: 'Christ, the son of Mary, is indeed God'; whereas Christ had said: 'Children of Israel! Serve Allah, Who is your Lord and my Lord.' Allah has forbidden Paradise to those who associate anything with Him in His divinity and their refuge shall be the Fire. No one will be able to help such wrong-doers.

Believers! When death approaches you, let two men of equity among you act as witnesses when you make your bequest; or let two of those from others than yourselves act as witnesses if you are on a journey when the affliction of death befalls you. Then if any doubt occurs you shall detain both of them (in the mosque) after the Prayer, and they shall swear by Allah: 'We shall neither sell our testimony in return for any gain even though it concerns any near of kin nor shall we conceal our testimony which we owe to Allah, for then we should become among sinners.' sinners.'.

Ask them: 'Whose testimony is the greatest?' Say: 'Allah is the witness between me and you; and this Qur'an was revealed to me that I should warn you thereby and also whomsoever it may reach.' Do you indeed testify that there are other gods with Allah? Say: 'I shall never testify such a thing.' Say: 'He is the One God and 1 I am altogether averse to all that you associate with Him in His divinity.'

(O Muhammad!) Say: 'I do not say to you I have the treasures of Allah. Nor do I have knowledge of what is beyond the reach of human perception. Nor do 1 I say to you: I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.' Then ask them: 'Are the blind and the seeing alike?' Do you not then reflect?

He recalls your souls by night, and knows what you do by day; and then He raises you back each day in order that the term appointed by Him is fulfilled. Then to Him you will return whereupon He will let you know what you have been doing. doing..

Ask them (0 (O Muhammad!): 'Who is it that delivers you from dangers in the deep darknesses of the land and the sea, and to whom do you call in humility and in the secrecy of your hearts? To whom do you pray: "If He will but save us from this distress, we shall most certainly be among the thankful?"

Ask them (0 (O Muharnmad!): "Shall we invoke, apart from Allah, something that can neither benefit nor harm us, and thus be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like the one whom the evil ones have lured into bewilderment in the earth, even though he has friends who call him to true guidance saying: "Come to us." Say: "Surely Allah's guidance is the only true guidance, and we have been commanded to submit ourselves to the Lord of the entire universe,

Then when he beheld the sun rising, he said: 'This is my Lord. This is the greatest of all.' Then, when it went down, he said: 'O my people! Most certainly 1 I am quit of those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity.

Behold, 1 I have turned my face in exclusive devotion to the One Who originated the heavens and the earth, and 1 I am certainly not one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.'

His. people remonstrated with him whereupon Abraharn said: 'Do you remonstrate with me concerning Allah Who has guided me to the right way? 1 I do not fear those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity. Only that which my Lord wills, indeed that alone will come by. My Lord embraces all things within His knowledge. Will you not take heed?

Why should 1 I fear those whom you have associated (with Allah in His divinity) when you do not fear associating others with Allah in His divinity - something for which He has sent down to you no authority. Then, which of the two parties has better title to security? Tell us, if you have any knowledge!

Do not eat of (the animal) over which the name of Allah has not been pronounced (at the time of its slaughtering), for that is a transgression. And behold, the evil ones do inspire doubts and objections into the hearts of their friends so that they dispute with you; but if you obey them, you will surely yourselves turn into those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.

Those who slayed their children in folly, without knowledge, knowledge,. and forbade the sustenance that Allah has provided them, falsely ascribing that to Allah, are utter losers; they have gone astray, and are certainly not among those guided to the right way.

Say to them (O Muhammad!): 'Come, let me recite what your Lord has laid down to you: (i) that you associate nothing with Him; (ii) and do good to your parents; (iii) and do not slay your children out of fear of poverty. We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance; (iv) and do not even draw to things shameful - be they open or secret; (v) and do not slay the soul santified by Allah except in just cause; this He has enjoined upon you so that you may understand;

(vi) and do not even draw near to the property of the orphan in his minority except in the best manner; (vii) and give full measures and weight with justice; We do not burden anyone beyond his capacity; (viii) When you speak, be just, even though it concern a near of kin; (ix) and fulfil the covenant of Allah. That is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may take heed.

Then We gave to Moses the Book, completing the benediction of Allah upon the one who acts righteously, spelling out everything clearly, a guidance and a mercy; so that they may believe in their meeting with their Lord.

What! Do they wait either for the angels to appear before them or for your Lord to come unto them or for some clear signs of your Lord1 Lord to appear before them? When some clear signs of your Lord will appear, believing will be of no avail to anyone who did not believe before, or who earned no good deeds through his faith. Say: 'Wait on; we too are waiting.'

[0 [O men!] Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and follow no masters other than Him. Little are you admonished.

0 O Adam! Live you and your spouse in the Garden and both of you eat from it wherever you will, but never approach the tree or you shall become wrongdoers.'

0 O Children of Adam! Indeed We have sent down to you a garment which covers your shame and provides protection and adornment. But the finest of all is the garment of piety. That is one of the signs of Allah so that they may take heed.

Say to them (0 (O Muhammad): 'My Lord enjoins justice; and that you set your faces aright at the time of every Prayer; and that you call upon Him, exclusively dedicating your faith to Him. You shall return to Him as you were created.'

Say (0 (O Muhammad): 'Who has forbidden the adornment which Allah has brought forth for His creatures or the good things from among the means of sustenance?' Say: 'These are for the enjoyment of the believers in this world, and shall be exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection.' Thus do We clearly expound Our revelations for those who have knowledge.

Tell them (0 (O Muhammad): 'My Lord has only forbidden indecent acts, whether overt or hidden; all manner of sin; wrongful transgression; and [He has forbidden] that you associate with Allah in His divinity that for which He has sent down no sanction; and that you ascribe to Allah things of which you have no sure knowledge that they are from Him.'

Indeed We sent forth Noah to his people and he said: '0 'O my people! Serve Allah, you have no other god than Him Indeed I fear for you the chastisement of an awesome Day.'

He said: '0 'O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the universe.

And to 'Ad We sent forth their brother Hud. He said: '0 'O my people! Serve Allah; you have no other god than Him. Will you, then, not avoid evil?'

He said: '0 'O my people! There is no folly in me; rather I am a Messenger from the Lord of the universe.

And to Thamud We sent forth their brother. Salih. He said to them: '0 'O my people! Serve Allah, you have no other god than Him. Truly there has come to you a clear proof from your Lord. This she-camel from Allah is a Divine portent for you. So leave her alone to pasture on Allah's earth, and touch her with no evil lest a painful chastisement should seize you.

Then they hamstrung the she-camel, disdainfuliy disobeyed the commandment of their Lord, and said: '0 'O Salih! Bring upon us the scourge with which you threatened us if you are truly a Messenger [of Allah].'

Shu'ayb then departed from his people, and said: '0 'O my people! Surely I conveyed to you the message of my Lord, and gave you sincere advice. How, then, can I mourn for a people who refuse to accept the truth?'

And Moses said: '0 'O Pharaoh! I am a Messenger from the Lord of the universe.

Then they said: '0 'O Moses, will you [first] throw your rod, or shall we throw?'

Each time a scourge struck them they, said: '0 'O Moses! Pray for us to your Lord on the strength of the prophethood He has bestowed upon you. Surely, if you remove this scourge from us, we will truly believe in you, and will let the Children of Israel go with you.'

And We led the Children of Israel across the sea; and then they came upon a people who were devoted to the worship of their idols. They said: '0 'O Moses, make for us a god even as they have gods.' Moses said: 'You are indeed an ignorant people.'

And recall (0 (O Prophet) when your Lord brought forth descendants from the loins of the sons of Adam, and made them witnesses against their ownselves. asking them: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes, we do testify.' We did so lest you claim on the Day of Resurrection: 'We were unaware of this.'

And certainly We have created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind; they have hearts with which they fail to understand; and they have eyes with which they fail to see; and they have ears cars with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle - indeed, even more astray. Such are utterly heedless.

[The angels] who are near to Your Lord, never turn away irom from His service out of arrogance; they rather glorify Him and prostrate themselves before Him.

Surely those who believed and migrated and strove hard in the way of Allah with their possessions and their lives, and those that sheltered and helped them - they alone are the true allies of one another. And those who believed but did not migrate (to Dar-al-Islam), you are under no obligation of alliance unless they migrate. And should they seek help from you in the matter of religion, it is incumbent on you to provide help unless it be against a people with whom you have a pact. Allah is cognizant of all that you do.

But when the sacred months expire slay those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity wherever you find them; seize them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them. But if they repent and establish the Prayer and pay Zakah, leave them alone. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him and of His good pleasure. For them await Gardens of eternal bliss.

Surely Allah has succoured you before on many a battlefield, and (you have yourselves witnessed His succour to you) on the day of Hunayn when your numbers made you proud, but they did you no good, and the earth, for all its vastness, constrained you, and you turned your backs in retreat.

It will matter little if you do not help the Prophet, for Allah surely helped him when the unbelievers drove him out of his home and he was but one of the two when they were in the cave, and when he said to his companion: "Do not grieve. Allah is with us." Then Allah caused His tranquillity to descend upon him, and supported him with hosts you did not see, He humbled the word of the unbelievers. As for Allah's Word, it is inherently uppermost. Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.

Should you question them what they were talking about, they would certainly say: "We were merely jesting and being playful." Tell them: "Was it Allah and His revelation and His Messenger that you were mocking?"

Those who were allowed to stay behind rejoiced at remaining behind and not accompanying the Messenger of Allah. They were averse to striving in the Way of Allah with their belongings and their lives and told others: "Do not go forth in this fierce heat." Tell them: "The Hell is far fiercer in heat." Would that they understand!

Surely Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their belongings and in return has promised that they shall have Paradise. They fight in the Way of Allah, and slay and are slain. Such is the promise He has made incumbent upon Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Qur'an. Who is more faithful to his promise than Allah? Rejoice, then, in the bargain you have made with Him. That indeed is the mighty triumph.

Indeed Allah's is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He it is Who confers life and causes death. You have no protector or helper apart from Allah.

Does it seem strange to people that We should have revealed to a man from among themselves, directing him to warn the people (who lie engrossed in heedlessness); and to give good news to the believers that they shall enjoy true honour and an exalted status with their Lord? (Is this so strange that) the deniers of the truth should say: 'This man is indeed an evident sorcerer'?

Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne (of His Dominion), governing all affairs of the universe. None may intercede with Him except after obtaining His leave. Such is Allah, your Lord; do therefore serve Him. Will you not take heed?

To Him is your return. This is Allah's promise that will certainly come true. Surely it is He Who brings about the creation of all and He will repeat it so that He may justly reward those who believe and do righteous deeds; and that those who disbelieve may have a draught of boiling water and suffer a painful chastisement for their denying the truth.

Surely in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the people who seek to avoid (error of outlook and conduct).

Surely those who believe (in the truths revealed in the Book) and do righteous deeds their Lord will guide them aright because of their faith. Rivers shall flow beneath them in the Gardens of Bliss.

Their cry in it will be: 'Glory be to You, Our Lord!', and their greeting: 'Peace!'; and their cry will always end with: 'All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe.

Surely We destroyed the nations (which had risen to heights of glory in their times) before you when they indulged in wrong-doing and refused to believe even when their Messengers brought clear signs to them. Thus do We recompense the people who are guilty.

Now We have appointed you as their successors in the earth to see how you act.

And whenever Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say: 'Bring us a Qur'an other than this one, or at least make changes in it. Tell them (O Muhammad): 'It is not for me to change it of my accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Were I to disobey my Lord, I fear the chastisement of an Awesome Day.

Tell them: 'Had Allah so willed, I would not have recited the Qur'an to you, nor would Allah have informed you of it. I have spent a lifetime among you before this. Do you, then, not use your reason?

Who, then, is a greater wrong-doer than he who forges a lie against Allah or rejects His signs as false? Surely the guilty shall not prosper.

They worship, beside Allah, those who can neither harm nor profit them, saying; 'These are our intercessors with Allah.' Tell them (O Muhammad): 'Do you inform Allah of something regarding whose existence in the heavens or on the earth He has no knowledge? Holy is He and He is exalted far above what they associate with Him in His divinity'.

Once all men were but a single community; then they disagreed (and formulated different beliefs and rites). Had it not been that your Lord had already so ordained, a decisive judgement would have been made regarding their disagreements.

They say: 'Why was a sign not sent down upon the prophet from His Lord? Tell (such people): 'The realm of the Unseen belongs to Allah. Wait, then; I shall wait along with you.

No sooner than We bestow mercy on a people after hardship has hit them than they begin to scheme against Our signs. Tell them: 'Allah is swifter in scheming. Our angels are recording all your intriguing.

He it is Who enables you to journey through the land and the sea. And so it happens that when you have boarded the ships and they set sail with a favourable wind, and the passengers rejoice at the pleasant voyage, then suddenly a fierce gale appears, and wave upon wave surges upon them from every side, and people believe that they are surrounded from all directions, and all of them cry out to Allah in full sincerity of faith: 'If You deliver us from this we shall surely be thankful.

But no sooner than He delivers them than they go about committing excesses on the earth, acting unjustly. Men! The excesses you commit will be of harm only to yourselves, (Enjoy, if you will) the fleeting pleasure of this world; in me end you shall all return to Us, and then We shall tell you what you did.

(You are being lured by this ephemeral world) although Allah calls you to the abode of peace and guides whomsoever He wills to a straightway.

Those who do evil deeds, the recompense of an evil deed is its like, and humiliation shall spread over them and there will be none to protect them from Allah. Darkness will cover their faces as though they were veiled with the dark blackness of night. These are the people of the Fire and in it they shall abide.

And the Day when We shall muster them all together, We shall say to those who associated others with Allah in His divinity: 'Keep to your places - you and those whom you associated with Allah.' Then We shall remove the veil of foreignness separating them. Those whom they had associated with Allah will say. 'It was not us that you worshipped.

Allah's witness suffices between you and us that (even if you worshipped us) we were totally unaware of your worshipping us.

Such, then, is Allah, your true Lord. And what is there after truth but error? How, then, are you being turned away?

Thus the word of your Lord is fulfilled concerning the transgressors that they shall not believe.

Ask them: 'Is there any among those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity who brings about the creation of all beings in the first instance and will then repeat it?' Tell them: 'It is Allah Who brings about the creation of all beings and will then repeat it. How are you, then, being misled?

Ask them: 'Are there among ones whom you associate with Allah in His divinity those who can guide to the truth? Say: 'It is Allah alone Who guides to the truth.' Then, who is more worthy to be followed - He Who guides to the truth, or he who cannot find the right way unless others guide him to it? What is wrong with you? How ill do you judge!

And this Qur'an is such that it could not be composed by any unless it be revealed from Allah. It is a confirmation of the revelation made before it and a detailed exposition of the Book. Beyond doubt it is from the Lord of the universe.

Do they say that the Messenger has himself composed the Qur'an? Say: 'In that case bring forth just one surah like it and call on all whom you can, except Allah, to help you if you are truthful.

In fact they arbitrarily rejected as false whatever they failed to comprehend and whose final sequel was not apparent to them. Likewise had their predecessors rejected the truth, declaring it falsehood. Do observe, then, what was the end of the wrong-doers.

Of those some will believe and others will not. Your Lord knows best the mischief-makers.

And if they reject you as false, tell them: 'My deeds are for myself and your deeds for yourselves. You will not be held responsible for my deeds, nor I for your deeds.

Of them some seem to give heed to you; will you, then, make the deaf hear even though they understand nothing?

And of them some look towards you; will you, then, guide the blind, even though they can see nothing?

(But today they are oblivious of everything except enjoyment of worldly life.) And on the Day when He will muster all men together, they will feel as though they had been in the world no more than an hour of the day to get acquainted with one another. (It will then become evident that) those who called the lie to meeting with Allah were utter losers and were not rightly-directed. underlies this sharp remark is the faint hope that perhaps such people would be shaken out of their slumber.

A Messenger is sent to every people; and when their Messenger comes, the fate of that people is decided with full justice; they are subjected to no wrong.

Tell them: 'I have no power to harm or benefit even myself, except what Allah may will. There is an appointed term for every people; and when the end of their term comes, neither can they put it off for an hour, nor can they bring it an hour before.

If a wrong-doer had all that is in the earth he would surely offer it to ransom himself. When the wrong-doers perceive the chastisement, they will feel intense remorse in their hearts. But a judgement shall be made with full justice about them. They shall not be wronged.

Did you consider that the sustenance which Allah had sent down for you of your own accord you have declared some of it as unlawful and some as lawful? Ask them: 'Did Allah bestow upon you any authority for this or do you forge lies against Allah?

Think how those who invent lies against Him will be treated on, the Day of Judgement? Allah is bountiful to men yet most of them do not give thanks.

(O Prophet!) Whatever you may be engaged in, whether you recite any portion of the Qur'an, or whatever else all of you are doing, We are witnesses to whatever you may be occupied with. Not even an atom's weight escapes your Lord on the earth or in the heaven, nor is there anything smaller or bigger than that, except that it is on record in a Clear Book.

It is Allah alone Who has made the night that you may rest in it, and has made the day light-giving. Surely in that there are signs for those who give heed (to the call of the Messenger).

They say: 'Allah has taken a son. Glory be to Him. He is self-sufficient! His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Have you any authority to support (that Allah has taken a son)? Do you ascribe to Allah something of which you have no knowledge?

And narrate to them the story of Noah when he said to his people: 'My people! If my living in your midst and my effort to shake you out of heedlessness by reciting to you the revelations of Allah offend you, then remember that I have put all my trust in Allah. So draw up your plan in concert with those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity, leaving no part of it obscure, and then put it into effect against me, and give me no respite.

When you turned your back on my admonition (what harm did you cause me?) I had asked of you no reward, for my reward lies only with Allah, and I am commanded to be of those who totally submit (to Allah)1.

But they rejected Noah, calling him a liar. So We saved him and those who were with him in the Ark, and made them successors (to the authority in the land), and drowned all those who had rejected Our signs as false. Consider, then, the fate of those who had been warned (and still did not believe).

Then We sent forth after him other Messengers, each one to his people. They brought to them clear signs, but they were not such as to believe in what they had rejected earlier as false. Thus do We seal the hearts of those who transgress.

Then, after them, We sent forth Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with Our signs, but they waxed proud. They were a wickd people.

And when truth came to them from Us, they said: 'Indeed this is plain sorcery.

Moses said: 'Do you say this about the truth after it has come to you? Is this sorcery? You call this sorcery although sorcerers never come to a happy end.

They replied: 'Have you come to turn us away from the way of our forefathers that the two of you might become supreme in the land? We shall never accept what the two of you say.'

Then when they had cast (their staffs), Moses said: 'What you have produced is sheer sorcery. Allah will certainly reduce it to naught. Surely Allah does not set right the work of the mischief-makers.

Moses said: 'My people! If you believe in Allah and are truly Muslims then place your reliance on Him alone.'

And We directed Moses and his brother: 'Prepare a few houses for your people in Egypt, and make your houses a direction for men to pray, and establish Prayer, and give glad tidings to the men of faith.

Moses prayed: 'Our Lord! You bestowed upon Pharaoh and his nobles splendour and riches in the world. Our Lord! Have You done this that they may lead people astray from Your path? Our Lord! Obliterate their riches and harden their hearts that they may not believe until they observe the painful chastisement.

Allah responded: 'The prayer of the two of you is accepted. So keep steadfast, and do not follow the path of the ignorant.

And We led the Children of Israel across the sea. Then Pharaoh and his hosts pursued them in iniquity and transgression until Pharaoh cried out while he was drowning: 'I believe that there is no god but Allah in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am also one of those who submit to Allah.

Did it ever happen that the people of a town believed on seeing God's chastisement and its believing profited them? (There is no such instance) except of the people of Yunus. When they believed We granted them reprieve from humiliating chastisement in this world, and We let them enjoy themselves for a while.

Had your Lord so willed, all those who are on the earth would have believed. Will you, then, force people into believing?

No one can believe except by Allah's leave, and Allah lays abomination on those who do not use their understanding. and conduct.

Tell them: 'Observe carefully all that is in the heavens and the earth.' But no signs and warnings can avail those who are bent on not believing.

(O Prophet!) Tell them: 'Men! If you are still in doubt concerning my religion, know that I do not serve those whom you serve beside Allah. I only serve Allah Who will cause (all of) you to die. I have been commanded to be one of those who believe,

and to adhere exclusively and sincerely to the true faith, and not to be one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.

Alif. Lam. Ra. This is a Divine Command whose contents have been made firm and set forth in detail from One Who is All-Wise, All-Aware

that you may seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance whereupon He will grant you a fair enjoyment of life until an appointed term, and will bestow favour on everyone who merits favour. But should you turn away (from the truth), I fear for you the chastisement of an Awesome Day.

Lo! They fold up their breasts that they may conceal themselves from Him. Surely when they cover themselves up with their garments Allah knows well what they cover and what they reveal. Indeed He even knows the secrets hidden in the breasts.

There is not a single moving creature on the earth but Allah is responsible for providing its sustenance. He knows where it dwells and where it will permanently rest. All this is recorded in a clear Book.

And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and [before that] His Throne was upon the water that He may test you, who of you is better in conduct If you were to say (O Muhammad): 'All of you will surely be raised after death', then those who disbelieve will certainly say: 'This is nothing but plain sorcery.

And were We to put off the chastisement from them for a determined period, they will cry out: 'What withholds Him from chastising?' Surely when the day of the chastisement will come, nothing will avert it and the chastisement which they had ridiculed shall encompass them.

If We ever favour man with Our Mercy, and then take it away from him, he becomes utterly desperate, totally ungrateful.

And if We let him taste favour after harm has touched him, he says: 'All my ills are gone', and he suddenly becomes exultant and boastful,

Then if (your deities) do not respond to your call for help then feel assured that this Book was revealed with the knowledge of Allah, and that there is no true god but Him. Will you, then, surrender (to this truth)?

They are the ones who shall have nothing in the Hereafter except Fire. (There they shall come to know) that their deeds in the world have come to naught; and that whatever they have done is absolutely useless.

Can it happen that he who takes his stand on a clear evidence from his Lord, subsequently followed by a witness from Him (in his support), and prior to that the Book of Moses was revealed as a guide and a mercy, (would even he deny the truth in the manner of those who adore the life of this world)? Rather, such men are bound to believe in it. The Fire shall be the promised resort of the groups that disbelieve. So be in no doubt about it for this indeed is the truth from your Lord although most people do not believe.

And who is a greater wrong-doer than he who invents a lie against Allah? Such men will be set forth before their Lord and witnesses will say: 'These are the ones who lied against their Lord. Lo! Allah's curse be upon the wrong-doers;

upon those who bar people from the way of Allah, and seek in it crookedness, and disbelieve in the Hereafter.

They had no power to frustrate Allah's design in the earth, nor did they have any protectors against Allah. Their chastisement will be doubled. They were unable to hear, nor could they see.

They caused utter loss to themselves, and all that they had invented failed them.

As for those who believed and acted righteously and dedicated themselves totally to their Lord -they are the people of Paradise, and there they shall abide forever.

The example of the two parties is that one is blind and deaf, and the other capable of seeing and hearing. Can the two be equals? Will you, then, not heed?'

(Such were the circumstances) when We sent forth Noah to his people. (He said): 'I have been sent to you to warn you plainly

that you may worship none but Allah or else I fear for you the chastisement of a Grievous Day.

The notables among Noah's own people, who had refused to follow him, responded: 'We merely consider you a human being like ourselves. Nor do we find among those who follow you except the lowliest of our folk, the men who follow you without any proper reason. We see nothing in you to suggest that you are any better than us. Rather, we believe you to be liars.'

Noah said: 'My people! If I base myself on a clear evidence from my Lord, and I have also been blessed by His mercy to which you have been blind, how can we force it upon you despite your aversion to it?

My people! I seek no recompense from you. My recompense is only with Allah. Nor will I drive away those who believe. They are destined to meet their Lord. But I find you to be an ignorant people.

I do not say to you that I possess Allah's treasures, nor that I have access to the realm beyond the ken of sense-perception, nor do I claim to be an angel. Nor do I say regarding those whom you look upon with disdain that Allah will not bestow any good upon them. Allah knows best what is in their hearts. Were I to say so I would be one of the wrongdoers.'