11:1  ALIF lām rā‘. A Book, whose verses are perfected and then expounded, from Him who is wise and all-knowing

11:2  Serve none but God. I am sent to you from Him to warn you and to give good tidings

11:3  Seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in penitence. A goodly provision He will make for you for an appointed term, and will bestow His grace on each that has merit. But if you pay no heed, then beware the torment of a fateful day

11:4  to God shall you return. And He has power over all things

11:5  They cover up their bosoms to conceal their thoughts from Him. But when they put on their garments, does He not know what they conceal and what they reveal? He well knows their innermost thoughts

11:6  And there is not a creature on the earth but God provides its sustenance. He knows its dwelling and its final resting-place. All is recorded in a veritable Book

11:7  Throned above the waters, He created the heavens and the earth in six days, to find out which of you shall best acquit himself. When you¹ say: ‘After death you shall be raised to life,‘ the unbelievers declare: ‘It is but sorcery manifest.‘

11:8  And if We put off their punishment till an appointed time, they will surely say: ‘Why is it delayed?‘ On the day it overtakes them, they shall not be immune from it: the terrors at which they scoffed will encompass them

11:9  If We let man taste a blessing from Ourself and then withhold it from him, he yields to despair and becomes ungrateful

11:10  And if after adversity We let him taste good fortune, he will surely says: ‘Gone are my sorrows from me,‘ and grows jubilant and boastful

11:11  Not so the steadfast who do good works; forgiveness and a rich recompense await them

11:12  You may chance to omit a part of what is revealed to you and be distressed because they say: ‘Why has no treasure been sent down to him? And why has no angel come with him?‘ But you are only to give warning; and God is the guardian of all things.

11:13  Or do they say: ‘He has invented it?‘¹ Say: ‘Produce ten sūrah like it, all invented. Call on whom you will among your idols, if what you say be true

11:14  If they do not answer you, know that it is revealed with God‘s knowledge, and that there is no god but Him. So will you be Muslims?‘

11:15  Those that desire the life of this world with all its finery We shall reward for their deeds in their own lifetime: they shall not be given less

11:16  They are those who in the world to come shall have earned nothing but the Fire. Fruitless are their deeds, and vain are all their works

11:17  Are they to be compared to those that have received a revelation from their Lord, recited by a witness from Him and heralded by the Book of Moses, a guide and a blessing? These have faith in it, but the factions who deny it shall be consigned to the Fire. Therefore do not doubt it. It is the Truth from your Lord: yet most people do not believe

11:18  And who is more wicked than he who invents a falsehood about God? These shall be brought before their Lord, and witnesses will say: ‘These are they who lied about their Lord.‘

11:19  God‘s curse is on the wrongdoers, who debar others from the path of God and seek to make it crooked, and who deny the life to come

11:20  These shall not be impregnable in the land; there is none to protect them besides God. Their punishment shall be doubled, for they could neither hear nor see

11:21  Such are those who shall forfeit their souls; their false devices will forsake them

11:22  and in the life to come they will assuredly lose most

11:23  As for those that believe and do good works and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the heirs of Paradise, wherein shall they abide for ever

11:24  The two are like the blind and the deaf compared with those that can see and hear. Are the two equal? So will you not take thought

11:25  We sent forth Noah to his people. He said: ‘I have come to warn you plainly

11:26  Serve none but God; beware the torment of a woeful day.‘

11:27  The unbelieving elders of his people said: ‘We see you as but a mortal like ourselves. Nor can we see you being followed by any but the lowliest of our people: rash and undiscerning. We see no superior merit in you: indeed we think that you are lying.‘

11:28  He said: ‘Consider, my people! If my Lord has revealed to me His will and bestowed on me a favour of His own, though it be hidden from you, can we impose it on you, and you averse to it?

11:29  I seek of you no recompense for this, my people; for none but God can reward me. Nor will I drive away the faithful, for they will surely meet their Lord. But I can see that you are ignorant people.

11:30  And were I to drive them away, my people, who would protect me from God? Will you not reflect

11:31  I do not say to you that I possess God‘s treasuries, nor have I knowledge of what is hidden; I do not claim to be an angel, nor do I say to those your eyes disdain that God will not be bountiful to them ― God knows best what is in their hearts ― for then I should become a wrongdoer.‘

11:32  Noah,‘ they said, ‘you have argued with us, and argued to excess. Bring down the scourge you threaten us with, if what you say be true!‘

11:33  He said: ‘God will bring it down upon you if He pleases: nor shall you be immune

11:34  My counsel will not profit you if God intends to confound you, willing though I am to offer you counsel. He is your Lord, and to Him shall you be recalled.‘

11:35  If they say: ‘He has invented it himself,‘ say: ‘If I have indeed invented it, then may I be punished for my sin! I am innocent of yours imputations.‘

11:36  And it was revealed to Noah: ‘None of your people will believe in you save those who already believe. Do not grieve at what they do

11:37  Build the ark under Our watchful eyes, and with Our inspiration. You shall not plead with Me for those who have done wrong: they shall assuredly be drowned.‘

11:38  So he built the ark. And whenever some elders of his people passed by him they mocked him. He said: ‘If you mock us, we shall mock you just as you mock us

11:39  You shall learn who will be visited by a scourge that shall humiliate him, and be smitten by a scourge everlasting.‘

11:40  And when Our judgement was passed and water welled out from the Oven, We said: ‘Take into the ark a pair from every species, your kin (except for those already doomed), and the true believers.‘ But none believed with him except a few

11:41  Embark,‘ he said.‘ In the name of God it shall set sail and cast anchor. Surely my Lord is forgiving and compassionate.‘

11:42  And as the ark moved on with them amid the mountainous waves, Noah cried out to his son, who stood apart: ‘Embark with us, my son. Do not remain with the unbelievers!‘

11:43  He replied: ‘I shall seek refuge on a mountain, which will protect me from the water.‘ He said: ‘None shall be secure today from God‘s judgement but those who shall enjoy His mercy!‘ And thereupon the billows rolled between them, and Noah‘s son was drowned

11:44  A voice cried out: ‘Earth, swallow up your waters. Heaven, cease your rain!‘ The flood abated, and judgement was passed. The ark came to rest upon Al-Judi, and a voice declared: ‘Gone are the wrongdoers.‘

11:45  Noah called out to his Lord, saying: ‘Lord, my son was my own flesh and blood. Your promise was surely true. You are the most just of judges.‘

11:46  Noah,‘ He said, ‘he was no kin of yours: he had acted unjustly. Do not question Me about things you know nothing of. I admonish you lest you become an ignorant man.‘

11:47  He said: ‘I seek refuge in You, Lord, from asking You about things I know nothing of. Forgive me and have mercy on me, or I shall surely be among the lost.‘

11:48  A voice said ‘Noah, land in peace with blessings from Ourselves upon you and on some of the communities that are with you. Other communities We will suffer to take their ease, and will then visit them with a woeful scourge.‘

11:49  That which We now reveal to you is secret history: it was unknown to you and to your people before this. Have patience; a joyful end awaits the righteous

11:50  And to ‘Ād We sent their kin Hūd. He said: ‘Serve God, my people; you have no god but Him. False are your fabrications

11:51  I demand of you no recompense, my people, for none can reward me except my Creator. Will you not understand

11:52  My people, seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in penitence. He will send from the sky abundant rain upon you; He will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away from Him with wrongdoing.‘

11:53  They said: ‘Hūd, you have given us no evidence. We will not forsake our gods at your behest, nor will we believe in you

11:54  We can only suppose that one of our gods have afflicted you with evil.‘ He said: ‘God be my witness, and you are my witnesses too: I disown your idols

11:55  Scheme against me if you will, and give me no respite

11:56  I have put my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord. There is not a creature on the earth whose destiny He does not govern. Straight is the path of my Lord

11:57  If you pay no heed, I have made known to you what I was sent with, and my Lord will replace you by other people. You will in no way harm Him. My Lord is watching over all things.‘

11:58  And when Our judgement came to pass, We delivered Hūd through Our mercy, together with those who shared his faith; We delivered them from a mighty scourge.

11:59  Such were ‘Ād. They denied the revelations of their Lord, disobeyed His apostles, and did the bidding of every headstrong reprobate

11:60  Cursed were they in this world, and cursed they shall be on the Day of Resurrection. ‘Ād denied their Lord. Gone are ‘Ād, the people of Hūd

11:61  And to Thamūd We sent their kin Ṣālih. He said: ‘Serve God, my people; you have no god but Him. It was He who brought you into being from the earth and gave you means to dwell upon it. Seek forgiveness of Him, and turn to Him in penitence. My Lord is near at hand and answers all.‘

11:62  Ṣālih,‘ they said, ‘great were the hopes we placed in you before this. Would you now forbid us to serve the gods our fathers worshipped? Truly, we strongly doubt the faith to which you call us.‘

11:63  He said: ‘Do but consider, my people! If my Lord has revealed to me His will and bestowed on me His grace, who would protect me from God if I rebelled against Him? You would surely aggravate my ruin

11:64  My people, here is God‘s she-camel, a sign for you. Leave her to graze at will in God‘s own land, and do not molest her lest an instant scourge should fall upon you.‘

11:65  Yet they hamstrung her. He said: ‘You have but three days to take your ease in your dwellings: this prophecy shall not prove false.‘

11:66  And when Our judgement came to pass, We delivered Ṣāliḥ through Our mercy from the ignominy of that day, together with those who shared his faith. Mighty is your Lord and all-powerful

11:67  The Cry took the wrongdoers, and when morning came they were crouching lifeless in their dwellings

11:68  as though they had never prospered there. Thamūd denied their Lord. Gone are Thamūd

11:69  Our messengers came to Abraham with joyful tidings. They said: ‘Peace!‘ ‘Peace!‘ he said, and hastened to bring them a roasted calf

11:70  But when he saw their hands being withheld from it, he mistrusted them and was afraid of them. They said: ‘Have no fear. We are sent forth to the people of Lot

11:71  His wife, who was standing by, laughed.¹ We bade her rejoice in Isaac, and after Isaac in Jacob

11:72  Alas!‘ she said. ‘How shall I bear a child when I am old and this, my husband, is well-advanced in years? This is indeed a marvel.‘

11:73  They said: ‘Do you marvel at the ways of God? May God‘s mercy and blessings be upon you, dear hosts! Worthy of praise is He and glorious.‘

11:74  And when awe left Abraham as he pondered the joyful tidings, he pleaded with Us for the people of Lot

11:75  Abraham was gracious, tender-hearted, and devout

11:76  Abraham, plead no more; Your Lord‘s will must needs be done. Irrevocable is the scourge which shall smite them.‘

11:77  And when Our emissaries came to Lot, he grew anxious about them, and was distressed on their account. ‘This is indeed a day of woe,‘ he said

11:78  His people, long addicted to evil practices, came hurrying towards him. ‘My people,‘ he said, ‘here are my daughters:¹ surely they are more wholesome to you. Fear God, and do not shame me by insulting my guests. Is there not one right-minded man among you?‘

11:79  They said: ‘You well know we have no need of your daughters; and you know full well what we are seeking.‘

11:80  He said: ‘Would that I had power enough to overcome you, or could find refuge in a tower of strength!‘

11:81  They said: ‘Lot, we are the emissaries of your Lord: they shall not touch you. Depart with your kin in the dead of night and let none of you turn back, except your wife; she shall suffer the fate that they shall suffer. In the morning their hour will come; is not the morning near?‘

11:82  And when Our judgement came to pass, We turned their city upside down and let loose upon it a shower of clay-stone

11:83  bearing the tokens of your Lord. The fate of the wrongdoers was not far off

11:84  And to the people of Midian We sent their kin Shu‘aib. He said: ‘Serve God, my people; you have no god but Him. Do not give short weight and measure. Prosperous though you are, beware the torment of a fateful day

11:85  My people, give just weight and measure in all fairness. Do not defraud people of their possessions, nor shall you corrupt the land with evil

11:86  Better for you is God‘s recompense, if you are true believers. I am not your keeper.‘

11:87  Shu‘aib,‘ they said, ‘do your prayers bid you that we renounce the gods our fathers worshipped and not conduct our affairs in the manner we pleased? Truly, you are a kind and rightly-guided man!‘

11:88  He said: ‘Do but consider, my people! If my Lord has revealed to me His will and bestowed on me a gracious gift, should I not guide you? I do not wish to argue with you, only to practise myself what I forbid you. I seek only to reform you: as far as I am able. Nor can I succeed without God‘s help. In Him I have put my trust and to Him I turn in penitence

11:89  My people, let your dispute with me not bring upon you the doom which overtook the people of Noah, the people of Hūd, and the people of Ṣāliḥ; nor is it long since the people of Lot was punished

11:90  Seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in penitence. Compassionate and loving is my Lord.‘

11:91  They said: ‘Shu‘aib, much of what you say we cannot comprehend. We surely know how weak you are in our midst. But for your tribe, we should have stoned you. You shall on no account prevail against us.‘

11:92  He said: ‘My people, have you more regard for my tribe than for God? Dare you turn your backs upon Him? My Lord has knowledge of all your actions

11:93  Do what you will, my people, and so will I. You shall learn who will be punished and held up to shame, and who is lying. Watch if you will; I will watch with you.‘

11:94  And when Our judgement was carried out We delivered Shu‘aib through Our mercy, together with those who shared his faith. The Cry took the wrongdoers, and when morning came they were crouching lifeless in their dwellings

11:95  as though they had never prospered there. Like Thamūd, gone are the people of Midian

11:96  We sent forth Moses with Our signs and with manifest authorit

11:97  to Pharaoh and his nobles. But they followed the behests of Pharaoh; nor was Pharaoh‘s behests rightly guided

11:98  He shall stand at the head of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and shall lead them into the Fire. Evil is the place they shall be led to

11:99  A curse followed them in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection an evil gift shall they receive

11:100  The annals of those communities We recount to you: some have survived, while others have ceased to be

11:101  We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. The gods they called on besides God availed them nothing when your Lord‘s will was done; they only added to their ruin

11:102  Such was the scourge your Lord scourged the communities while they sinned. Harrowing and relentless is His scourge

11:103  Surely in this there is a sign for him that dreads the torment of the hereafter. That will be the day on which all mankind shall be gathered; and that shall be a fateful day

11:104  We shall defer it only for a time decreed

11:105  When that day is come, no soul shall speak but by His leave. Some shall be damned, and some shall be blessed

11:106  The damned shall be cast into the Fire, where, groaning and wailing

11:107  they shall abide as long as the heavens and the earth endure, unless your Lord ordain otherwise: your Lord shall accomplish what He will

11:108  As for the blessed, they shall abide in Paradise as long as the heavens and the earth endure, unless your Lord ordain otherwise: an endless recompense

11:109  Have no doubt as to what they worship; they worship what their fathers worshiped before them. Their deserts We shall requite, undiminished

11:110  We gave the Book to Moses, but differences arose about it. And but for a Word from your Lord, already decreed, their fate would have long been sealed. Yet this they strongly doubt

11:111  Your Lord will surely reward each according to his deeds; He has full knowledge of what they do

11:112  Follow then the straight path as you are bidden, together with those who have repented with you, and do not transgress. Surely He is ever observant of what you do

11:113  Put no trust in the wrongdoers, lest the Fire should touch you. And none but God can protect or help you

11:114  Attend to your prayers at the two ends of the day, and in part of the night time too. Good deeds shall make amends for sins. This is an Admonition for those that reflect

11:115  And have patience; God will not deny the righteous their reward

11:116  Was there, among the generations that have gone before you, a remnant that forbade corruption in the land, except the few We had delivered from among them? The wrongdoers pursued their worldly pleasures and were sinful

11:117  The Lord would not have ruined the cities, without just cause, had their inhabitants been upright

11:118  And had your Lord pleased, He would have united mankind in one community. They are still at odds

11:119  except for those to whom your Lord has shown mercy. To this end He has created them. The word of your Lord shall be fulfilled: ‘I will fill Hell with jinn and humans all.‘

11:120  We recount to you the histories of those apostles to put courage into your heart. Through them Truth shall be revealed to you, with precepts and an Admonitions for the faithful

11:121  Say to the infidels: ‘Do whatever lies within your power, and so shall we

11:122  Wait if you will; we too are waiting.‘

11:123  God alone has knowledge of what the heavens and the earth conceal; to Him all things shall be referred. Worship Him, and put your trust in Him; your Lord is never heedless of what you do