ar-Ra`d (The Thunder) at IslamAwakened.com

13:2 God is the One Who created the universe that you see with your own eyes without any supporting pillar . Then He assumed the control over the universe. He has subjected the sun and the moon to the motions in theirs orbits until they face their destiny. He is in charge of all happenings in the universe. I am telling you all these so that you contemplate and come to the conclusion that [the word of your Lord is the truth and that] you will certainly meet your Lord

13:3 God is the One Who spread out the earth and placed on it mountains and rivers. Then He introduced male and female species. He is the One Who rolls the nights over the days and all these phenomena are subject of contemplation for those who bother to think

13:4 On earth you see neighboring lots of land. In them you will see orchards of grapes, corn fields, and palm trees (sharing the same root or depending on different roots.) Although they are irrigated with the same water, yet they differ in taste as planned by your Lord. These, too, are mind bugling subject of contemplation for those who are blessed with the faculty of thought

13:5 If there is anything for you to wonder at, it should be their (mockingly) saying: “What! After we turn into dust, shall we then be raised to live again?” These are the people who have chosen to deny their Lord. The only thing that they have earned is a chain around their necks to be imprisoned in the Hell forever

13:6 They are such idiots that ask you to advance their punishment (as a proof of your prophet hood) rather than asking you about righteousness. There has been more than enough instances of the Lord’s punishment in the past to serve them as an example. The fact of the matter is that your Lord bears with the sinners (for a while) and (then) He is the most sever in imposing His punishment

13:7 The disbelievers say: “If he had presented a miracle, we would have believed in him.” Your mission is to warn the people (not to impress them with the miracles. Besides, did the previous people submitted to the truth after having been exposed to so many undeniable miracles?) Every nation had a guiding teacher like you

13:8 God knows what every female bears in her womb. He is fully aware of the state of the evolution of the embryo inside the womb. as a matter of fact, everything in His realm of creation is precisely calculated

13:9 The Lord has absolute knowledge over what you see and what you do not see. He is the Great, the Most Supreme

13:10 It does not matter to Him whether you hide your thoughts, declare them, hide yourself in the darkness or show yourself in the daylight. You are constantly under His supervision

13:11 For each person, there are appointed angels who guard him from the front and the behind by the order of God. Know that God will not (order these angels to) change the condition of any people unless they, themselves, take the appropriate steps towards the change. No, if the Lord (for some reason) decides to impose a hardship for (a person or) a people, none can stop it as there is no lord beside the Lord

13:12 He is the One Who orders the lightening to strike right before your own eyes. Although you are frightened, you wish for it (for the rain that follows it.) He is the One Who raises the clouds saturated with water

13:13 The thunder glorifies Him (and manifests the power of the Lord who has created it.) The angles also glorify Him out of awe (at His greatness.) He strikes with the lightning bolts whoever He wills; yet, they (the ignorant people who cannot even see the manifestation of His power in the thunder) argue about God, though His power is awesome

13:14 The only one who should be begged (and worshipped) is the Lord. The idols that the disbelievers implore cannot ever respond. Asking for help from someone beside God is like stretching the hands towards water and asking it to come to the mouth! The prayers of the disbelievers, therefore, is in vain

13:15 To God submit whatever is in existence in the heavens and the earth. They do so willingly or unwillingly (A disbeliever’s heart, e.g., has to submit itself to what God has ordered it to do and its owner cannot change it to his will.) Have you not seen that the shadow of all things bow down (willingly or unwillingly) before the Lord in the morning and the evening

13:16 Ask: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” [When you see their hesitance in answering,] say: “God.” Then say: “Knowing this fact, why do you then adopt less than God as your lord? Do you not see that these adopted lords of yours have no power whatsoever to do something?” Say: “Is a blind man (physically speaking) equal to the one who can see?” Say: “Is darkness the same as the light?” Have your adopted gods created the things so similar to the creation of the Lord that [has made it difficult for you to distinguish God from your idols as easily as you distinguish darkness from the light or blind from the man who sees, and that] it has become so difficult for you to judge who is God and who is not God? Say: “God is the Creator of everything; He is One and He is Almighty

13:17 God is the One Who pours down water from the sky causing the valleys to overflow. The river then produces lots of foam as the water runs fast. The metals, melted to make ornaments or utensils, too, produces lots of scum. By these examples the Lord wants to explain how the truth (like the water or the melted metal) which is useful for the people stays and how the falsehood (the foam or the scum which is good for nothing) disappears

13:18 Those who respond to their Lord, they will receive an excellent reward from Him. As for those who disregard the Lord, they will end up in the Hell what a miserable destiny. They will readily pay anything in order not to be sent there. However, even if they own and offer the entire treasures of the earth (or even twice as much,) it will not be accepted from them

13:19 The true believers are the one who has accepted that this Book (which is sent down to you) is a revelation of the Lord equal to the one who is blind to this fact? Only the intelligent people will listen to the admonition

13:20 Such intelligent people will fulfill their obligation to the Lord and will not break their promises

13:21 They will respect the Lord’s commandments in its entirety, respect the Lord with an utmost respect, and will be fearful of wrongdoing

13:22 They will recourse to the patience (to achieve a “God loving way of life”), worship their Lord on regular basis, devote a part of their “God given” income to the charity (publicly or secretly), and their response to evil will be goodness. Such people deserve the best in the Hereafter

13:23 They will enter into the gardens of Paradise, together with their forefathers, spouses, and their descendents (if the latter have been righteous also) and will be welcomed by the angels at any gate

13:24 They will be greeted by peaceful wishes; a reward for their patience which led them to such a wonderful place

13:25 As for those who betrayed their Lord by breaking their promises, disregarding the commandments of the Lord, and spreading the corruption on the earth, they will face their Lord’s disenchantment and end up in a terrible place

13:26 Those who are enchanted with the life of this world should know that it is nothing compared to the Hereafter; [therefore, it really does not matter if] God (for the reasons that is mentioned in this Book) gives more (to whoever He decides) and less (to whoever He wills.

13:27 The disbelievers (make a joke and) say: “How come God has not blessed this Prophet with a miracle?” Say: “God will lead to the loss whoever He wills (for the simple token that no miracle in the past has proven to change an obdurate mind) and He guides whoever (who is willing to listen to this message which by itself is the greatest miracle and) who submits (to the messages contained in this Book.

13:28 Those who are guided are the ones who become more convinced when the name of God is mentioned. Yes; it is the Lord’s remembrance (in daily acts of worshipping) which brings comfort to hearts

13:29 Those who are guided are the ones who believe and do good deeds. The are showered with My blessings and will end up in a wonderful place

13:30 I have sent you in this manner (without any jazzy miracle) to be My Messenger for a nation who has seen so many civilization come and go. Your mission is to relay the Message. What a shame that they choose to disbelieve in the Most Gracious. Say: “He is My Lord. There is no God beside Him; to Him alone is my only resort.”

13:31 The disbelievers (who ask for a miracle) would not have believed, even if this Qur’an had made the mountains to move, the earth to open up or the dead to speak (as it happened in the case of the previous prophets.) God is in control of everything. It is too soon for the believer to be disappointed (that an undeniable miracle is not being sent.) If God wills, He can guide all the people (which, by the way, happened in their own life time when after the fall of Mecca, disbelievers embraced Islam by groups.) The disbelievers will continuously suffer directly (as it happened battle after battle) or indirectly in account of their own mischief. The Lord’s promise will be fulfilled; He never fails to deliver

13:32 The prophets before you also were subject to the disbelievers’ mockery. I put up with them for a while and then subjected them to my punishment; how awful was my punishment

13:33 They set up equals to the Lord, while He is the Only One Who is in control of every single soul. Ask them to name their adopted lords; then say: “Are you informing the Lord of something on earth that He does not know about? Is it not true that these gods of your are simply fabricated by you and that what you are saying are simply phrases void of meaning?” Their passionate defense of their religion has made the falsehood so appealing in their eyes that they are diverted from the right path. The fact of the matter is, no one can guide the one that God sends to the wrong path

13:34 They will receive a punishment in this world (and a more horrible punishment in the Hereafter) and they will find none to protect them from the Lord

13:35 The heaven (which is promised for the righteous people) may be imagined as a garden in which the water flows beneath the trees, with unlimited food (served forever), and the cool shades (to be enjoyed.) As for the disbelievers, nothing but the Fire is in reserve for them

13:36 Those who have grasped the Scripture, welcome this Book which is revealed to you. Different sects among them, however, rejects part of it. Say to them: “I am ordered to worship God and associate none with Him. I invite you to Him and to Him I give myself up.”

13:37 I have revealed My Commandments in Arabic (in order to be understood.) Now if you give up to their desires (and compromise) after having learnt the truth, know that there is none to defend you nor to protect you against the Lord

13:38 I have sent many Messengers before you and (in spite of those who think that the Prophets had to do nothing with the carnal desire) they were married and had children (it is therefore possible that, as some Christians believe, Christ was married and had children.) No Prophet can come up with a miracle without the Lord’s permission as predetermined by God (for a specific purpose and occasion.

13:39 The original source of all Divine Books (referred to as Mother of the Books) is at the disposition of the Lord. He erases (from the previously revealed Books) whatever he decides (in accordance with a planned strategy by Him) and keeps intact whatever He wills

13:40 Rest assured that my treats will be fulfilled. You may see a part of it or your life may not be long enough to see it. In any case, your only mission is to deliver the message. It is My business to call them to account

13:41 Do they not see how day by day they are loosing the ground. It is God Who rules and there is none to reverse His decrees and God is swift in taking the guilty ones to account

13:42 Others before them tried to challenge the Lord, but it is God Who has the ultimate hand. He knows what every soul has earned and the disbelievers pretty soon will realize who the real winners are