21:1  Closer and closer to the human being comes their judgment. Yet they are heedless and they turn away

21:2  There has never come to them a renewed message from their Lord that they did not listen to without regard

21:3  While their hearts were distracted. The wrongdoers conceal their private meetings saying, “Is he more than a human like yourselves? Will you follow illusions with your eyes open?

21:4  Say, “My Lord knows each word in the heavens and on earth. He is the One Who hears and knows all things.

21:5  “No,” they say, "A medley of dreams." "No, he fabricated it". "No, he is a poet". "Let him bring us a sign like the ones that were sent to those in the past.

21:6  Before them, not one of the populations that We caused to perish believed. Will these believe

21:7  Before you, those We sent were also only men to whom We granted inspiration. Ask those who have the message if you do not know

21:8  Nor did We give them bodies that consumed no food, nor were they exempt from death

21:9  In the end, We fulfilled Our promise to them, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We caused to perish those who transgressed beyond bounds

21:10  We have revealed for you a book in which is a message for you. Will you not use your intelligence

21:11  How many populations did We cause to perish because of their immorality and lack of ethics, establishing in their places other people

21:12  Yet, when they sensed Our punishment behold, they tried to run from it

21:13  Run not, but return to the good things of this life that were given to you, and return home, in order that you may be called to account

21:14  They said, “Woe to us, we were indeed wrongdoers.

21:15  And that cry of theirs ceased not, until We made them as a mown field, or as ashes silenced

21:16  We did not create the heavens and the earth for fun, nor all that is in between

21:17  If it had been Our will to take a pastime, We could indeed have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do such a thing

21:18  No, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brains, and behold, falsehood is bound to perish. Woe to you for the things you ascribe to Us

21:19  To Him belong all that is in the heavens and on earth. Even those who are in His presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor do they tire in doing so

21:20  They praise Him night and day, and they do not let up

21:21  Have they taken for worship gods from the earth who can resurrect

21:22  If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods besides God, there would have been confusion in both. But glory be to God, the Lord of the throne. High is He above what they attribute to Him

21:23  He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned for theirs

21:24  Have they taken for worship gods besides Him? Say, “Bring your proof. This is the message of those with me and the message of those before me.” But most of them do not know the truth, and therefore turn away

21:25  No messenger did We send before you without this inspiration sent by Us to him, “There is no god but Me, therefore worship and serve Me.

21:26  And they say, “God, the Merciful Benefactor has a son, glory be to him.” No, they are servants raised to honor

21:27  They do not speak before He speaks, and they act by His command

21:28  He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and none can intercede except for those whom He approves, and they stand in awe and reverence before Him

21:29  If any of them should say, “I am a god besides Him,” We will reward them with hell. This is how We reward those who do wrong

21:30  Do the unbelievers fail to see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, before We split them apart? We made every living thing from water. Will they not then believe

21:31  And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad valleys between mountains for them to pass through, so that they may receive guidance

21:32  And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded. Yet they turn away from the signs

21:33  It is He Who created the night and the day, and the Sun and the Moon each float along in its orbit

21:34  We did not grant to any person before you eternal life. If you must die, should they then live forever

21:35  Every soul will have a taste of death, and We challenge you with bad and with good, and to Us you must return

21:36  When the unbelievers see you, they treat you with ridicule, “Is this,” they say, “The one who talks of your gods?” But they reject even the mention of God, the Merciful Benefactor

21:37  The human being is a creature of haste. Soon will I show you My signs, and then you will not ask Me to hasten them

21:38  They say, “When will this promise come to pass if you are telling the truth?

21:39  If only the unbelievers knew of the time when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor from their backs, nor will they be helped

21:40  No, it may come to them all of a sudden and as a shock to them. Then no power will they have to avert it, nor will they have respite

21:41  Mocked were messengers before you, but those who mocked were done in by the thing which they mocked

21:42  Say, “Who can keep you safe by night and by day from God, the Merciful Benefactor?” Yet they turn away from the mention of their Guardian Evolver

21:43  Or have they gods that can guard them from Us? They have no power to aid themselves, nor can they be defended from Us

21:44  No, We gave the good things of this life to these people and their fathers, until the period grew long for them. Do they not see that We gradually reduce the land in their control from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win

21:45  Say, “I only warn you according to revelation.” But the deaf will not hear the call when they are warned

21:46  If even a gust of the punishment of your Lord reaches them, they will then say, “Woe to us, we did wrong indeed.

21:47  We will set up scales of justice for the Day of Accountability, so no soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it to account, and enough are We to take account

21:48  In the past, We granted to Moses and Aaron the Criterion, and a light, and a message for those who are conscious

21:49  Those who are conscious of their Guardian Evolver in their most private thoughts, and who hold the Hour in awe

21:50  And this is a blessed message that We have sent down. Will you then reject it

21:51  We gave Abraham moral authority and We knew him well

21:52  Behold, he said to his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are devoted?

21:53  They said, “We found our fathers worshipping them.

21:54  He said, “Indeed you have been in manifest error, you and your fathers.

21:55  They said, “Have you brought us the truth, or are you one of those who mock?

21:56  He said, “No, and your Lord is the Guardian Evolver of the heavens and the earth, and He is the One Who created them, and I am a witness to this

21:57  “And by God, I have a plan for your idols after you go away and turn your backs.

21:58  Then he broke them to pieces, all but the biggest of them, so that they might turn to it

21:59  They said, “Who has done this to our gods? He must indeed be of the wrong-doers.

21:60  They said, “We heard a youth talk of them. His name is Abraham.

21:61  They said, “Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness.

21:62  They said, “Are you the one who did this to our gods, O Abraham?

21:63  He said, “No, this was done by that, the biggest one. Ask them, if they can speak.

21:64  So they turned to themselves and said, “Indeed you are the ones in the wrong.

21:65  Then they were angered and embarrassed. They said, “You know full well that these do not speak.

21:66  Abraham said, “Do you then worship, besides God, things that can neither be of any good to you nor do you harm

21:67  “Shame on you, and on the things that you worship besides God. Have you no sense?

21:68  They said, “Burn him and protect your gods, if you want to do something.

21:69  We said, “O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham.

21:70  Then they sought a plot against him, but We made them the ones who lost most

21:71  And We delivered him and Lot to the land which We have blessed for the nations

21:72  And We bestowed on him Isaac, and as an additional gift, Jacob, and We made righteous the people of each one of them

21:73  And We made them leaders, guiding the people by Our command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish prayer, and to give zakat, and they constantly served Us

21:74  And to Lot, We gave judgment and knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practiced abominations. Truly they were a people given to wrong, a rebellious people

21:75  And We admitted him to Our mercy, for he was one of the righteous

21:76  And Noah, when he cried, We listened to him, and delivered him and his family from great distress

21:77  We helped him against the people who rejected Our signs. Truly they were a people given to wrong. So We drowned them all

21:78  And remember David and Solomon, when they gave judgment in the matter of the field, into which the sheep of certain people had strayed by night. We did witness their judgment

21:79  To Solomon We inspired the understanding of the matter. To each We gave judgment and knowledge, it was Our power that made the hills and the birds praise Us with David. It was We Who did it

21:80  It was We Who taught him the making of armor for your benefit, to guard you from violence. Will you then be grateful

21:81  The violent wind flowed for Solomon, by his order to the land which We had blessed, for We know all things

21:82  And of the devils were some who dived for him, and did other work besides that, and it was We Who guarded them

21:83  And Job, when He cried to his Lord, “Truly distress has seized me, but You are the Most Merciful of those who are merciful.

21:84  So We listened to him. We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and doubled their number, as a grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration for all who serve Us

21:85  And Ishmael, Idris, and Zul-kifl, all were of constancy and patience

21:86  We admitted them to Our mercy, for they were of the righteous

21:87  And remember Zun-nun, when he departed in punishment. He imagined that We had no power over him, but he cried through the depths of darkness, “There is no god but You, glory to You, I was indeed wrong.

21:88  So We listened to him, and delivered him from distress, and thus do We deliver those who have faith

21:89  And Zechariah, when he cried to his Lord, “O my Lord, leave me not without offspring, though you are the best of inheritors.

21:90  So We listened to him, and We granted him Yahya. We reversed his wife’s barrenness for him. These were ever quick in doing good works, they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us

21:91  And she who guarded her chastity, We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all people

21:92  Indeed the fellowship of yours is a single fellowship, and I am your Guardian Evolver, therefore serve Me

21:93  But others severed their unity, one from another, still they will all return to Us

21:94  Whoever does any act of righteousness and has faith, his endeavor will not be rejected. We will record it in his favor

21:95  But there is a ban on any population which We have caused to perish, that they will not return

21:96  Until the Gog and Magog are let through, and they swiftly swarm from every hill

21:97  Then will the true promise draw near. Then behold, the eyes of the unbelievers will stare in horror, “Woe to us, we were indeed heedless of this. No, we truly did wrong.

21:98  Indeed you, and the gods that you worship besides God, are fuel for hell, and there you will go

21:99  If they had been gods, they would not have been sent there, but each one will live therein

21:100  For them will be sobbing, but they will not hear

21:101  Those for whom the good from Us has come before will be removed far from it

21:102  Not the slightest sound will they hear of hell. What their souls desired, in that will they dwell

21:103  The great fear will bring them no grief, but the angels will meet them. This is your day that you were promised

21:104  The day that We roll up the heavens like rolling a scroll, as We produced the first creation, We will produce a new one. This is a promise We have made and indeed We will fulfill it

21:105  Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Reminder, “My servants the righteous will inherit the earth.

21:106  Indeed in this is a message for people who want to worship God

21:107  And We have not sent you except as a mercy for all the worlds

21:108  Say, “What has come to me by inspiration, is that your God is One God. Will you therefore submit to His will?

21:109  But if they turn back say, “I have proclaimed the message to you all alike and in truth, but I know not whether that which you are promised is near or far

21:110  “It is He Who knows what is open in speech and what you hide

21:111  “I know only that it will be a trial for you and enjoyment for a time.

21:112  Say, “O my Lord, judge with truth. Our Lord the Merciful Benefactor is the One Whose assistance should be sought against your blasphemies.