14:1  Alif Lam Ra We have revealed to you this Book so that, by their Lords command, you may lead men from darkness to the light: to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy One

14:2  to God, who possesses whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Woe to those who deny the truth, for they shall be sternly punished

14:3  Woe to those who love this life more than the Hereafter; who turn others away from the path of God and seek to make it crooked. They have gone far astray

14:4  Each messenger We have sent has spoken in the language of his own people, so that he might make the message clear to them. But God lets go astray whom He will and guides whom He pleases. He is the Almighty, the All Wise

14:5  We sent Moses with Our signs, saying, Lead your people out of the darkness into the light, and remind them of God's Days. In that there are signs for every patient, grateful person

14:6  Moses said to his people, Remember God's goodness to you when He delivered you from Pharaohs people who were treating you cruelly, putting your sons to death and sparing only your daughters. Surely that was a great trial from your Lord

14:7  Remember also the time when your Lord declared, If you are grateful, I will surely bestow more favours on you; but if you are ungrateful, then know that My punishment is severe indeed

14:8  Moses said, Even if you should deny the truth, and all who dwell on earth together, God is self-sufficient, praiseworthy

14:9  Has not news come to you concerning those who preceded you, such as Noahs people, and the Ad and Thamud, as well as those who came after them? Only God knows who they were. The messengers came to them with clear signs, but they put their hands to their mouths saying, We deny the message you have been sent with. We have grave doubts about what you are inviting us to do

14:10  Their messengers said, Is there any doubt about God, the Originator of the heavens and earth? He calls you to Him in order to forgive you some of your offences and to reprieve you for a specific period. They said, You are only human beings like ourselves! You want to divert us from what our forefathers have been worshipping, so bring us some clear authority

14:11  Their messengers replied, We are indeed mortals like yourselves. But God bestows His grace on such of His servants as He chooses. We cannot give you miracles, except by God's leave. In God let true believers put their trus

14:12  and why should we not put our trust in God when He has already guided us to our paths? We will, surely, bear with patience all the harm you do us. So in God let those who trust put their trust

14:13  Those who deny the truth said to their messengers, We shall banish you from our land unless you return to our ways. But their Lord inspired the messengers, saying, We shall destroy the evil-doers

14:14  and settle you on the land to succeed them. That is [in store] for anyone who is in awe of meeting Me, and who heeds My warnings

14:15  When they sought Our Judgement, every stubborn oppressor was frustrated

14:16  Beyond him is Hell, and he shall drink putrid water

14:17  he will sip and will not find it easy to swallow it. Death will approach him from every quarter, yet he will not die. More intense suffering will lie ahead of him

14:18  The works of those who deny their Lord are like ashes which the wind scatters on a stormy day: they shall gain nothing from what they do. To act thus is to stray far into error

14:19  Do you not see that God has created the heavens and the earth for a purpose? He can eliminate you if He wills and bring into being a new creation

14:20  that is no difficult thing for God

14:21  They shall all appear before God and the weak will say to those who behaved proudly, We were your followers. Can you protect us from God's punishment? They will reply, Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you. It is all the same whether we are patient or impatient; there is no escape for us

14:22  When the Judgement has been passed, Satan will say to them, God made you a true promise; I too made you promises, but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. Do not now blame me, but blame yourselves! I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I reject your former act in associating me with God. The wrongdoers will have a painful punishment

14:23  But those who believed and did good deeds will be brought into Gardens with rivers flowing through them. They shall abide there forever by their Lords permission, and will be welcomed with the greeting, Peace

14:24  Do you not see how God compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches are in the sky

14:25  it yields its fruit each season with its Lords permissionGod makes such comparisons for people, in order that they may take hee

14:26  but an evil word is like an evil tree torn out of the earth; it has no foothold

14:27  God will strengthen the believers with His steadfast word, both in the present life and in the Hereafter. God lets the wrongdoers go astray. He does what He wills

14:28  Do you not see those who, in exchange for God's favour, offer only ingratitude and cause their people to descend into the Abode of Ruin

14:29  In Hell shall they burn; an evil place to stay

14:30  They have set up rivals to God to lead people away from His path. Say, Enjoy yourselves awhile: you will then proceed to the Fire

14:31  Tell My servants, those who are true believers, to keep up prayer and to give alms secretly and openly out of what We have given them, before the Day comes when there will be neither trading nor befriending

14:32  It was God who created the heavens and the earth. He sends down water from the sky with which He brings forth fruits for your sustenance; He has made ships subservient to you, so that they may sail across the sea by His command; and has subjected the rivers to you

14:33  He has also subjected to you the sun and the moon, both steadfastly pursuing their courses. He has subjected to you the night as well as the day

14:34  He has given you all that you asked of Him; and if you try to reckon up God's favours, you will not be able to count them. Truly man is very unjust, very ungrateful

14:35  [Remember] when Abraham said, My Lord, make this a city of peace and help me and my children to keep away from worshipping idols

14:36  My Lord, they have led so many men astray! Anyone who follows me is with me, but if anyone turns against me, You are surely forgiving and merciful

14:37  O Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in an uncultivable valley near Your Sacred House, Lord, so that they may say their prayers regularly. So, make peoples hearts incline towards them and provide them with fruits so that they may be grateful

14:38  Lord, You have knowledge of all that we hide and all that we reveal: nothing in heaven or on earth is hidden from God

14:39  Praise be to God who has bestowed upon me, despite my old age, Ishmael and Isaac. Surely my Lord is the hearer of prayer

14:40  Lord, grant that I may keep up the prayer, and so may my offspring. My Lord, accept my prayer

14:41  Forgive me, Lord, and forgive my parents and all the believers on the Day of Reckoning

14:42  Do not think God is unaware of the wrongdoers actions. He only gives them respite till the Day on which all eyes will stare fixedly in horror

14:43  They will hurry on in fright, their heads lifted up, their gaze directed forward, their minds utterly void

14:44  Warn men of the Day when the punishment will come upon them, and when the wrongdoers will say, Our Lord, grant us respite for a short while. We will respond to Your call and will follow the messengers. [But God will answer], are you not those who swore that you would never suffer any decline

14:45  You lived in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it was made clear to you how We had dealt with them and We gave you many examples

14:46  They hatched their plots; but these plots were all within God's knowledge. Though their plots were such as to shake the mountains, God will bring their plots to nothing

14:47  Never think that God will fail in His promise to His messengers. God is mighty and capable of retribution

14:48  On the Day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens, they will all appear before God, the One, the Most Supreme

14:49  On that Day you shall see the guilty bound in chains

14:50  their garments shall be of pitch and the fire shall envelop their faces

14:51  God will requite each soul according to its deeds. Swift is God's reckoning

14:52  This is a message for mankind. Let them take warning from it and know that He is but one God. Let those possessed of understanding may take heed