14:1  ALIF lām rā‘. A Book We have revealed to you so that, by their Lord‘s leave, you may lead the people from darkness to the light; to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy One

14:2  the path of God, to whom belongs all that the heavens and all that the earth contain. Woe betide the unbelievers, for they shall be grievously punished

14:3  Those who love the life of this world more than the life to come; who debar others from the path of God and seek to make it crooked: they have strayed far into error

14:4  Each apostle We have sent has spoken only in the language of his own people, that he might clearly guide them. But God leaves in error whom He will and gives guidance to whom He pleases. He is the Almighty, the Wise One

14:5  We sent forth Moses with Our signs: ‘Lead your people out of the darkness into the light, and remind them of God‘s bounty.‘ Surely in this there are signs for every steadfast, thankful man

14:6  And when Moses said to his people: ‘Remember God‘s goodness to you when He delivered you from Pharaoh‘s nation, who had oppressed you cruelly, slaughtering your sons and sparing only your daughters; surely that was a grievous trial by your Lord

14:7  For your Lord had declared: "If you give thanks, I will bestow abundance upon you: but if you are thankless, My punishment is terrible indeed."‘

14:8  And Moses said: ‘If you and all who are on earth prove thankless, God does not need your thanks, though He deserves your praise.‘

14:9  Have you not heard what befell those that have gone before you? The people of Noah, Ad, and Thamūd, and those who came after them? God alone knows their number. Their apostles came to them with veritable signs, but they bit their hands with their mouths¹ and said: ‘We disbelieve your message. Indeed, we strongly doubt the faith to which you call us.‘

14:10  Their apostles said: ‘Is God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, to be doubted? He calls you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you till an appointed time.‘ They said: ‘You are but mortals like ourselves. You wish to turn us away from the gods our fathers worshipped. Bring us some clear authority.‘

14:11  Their apostles said to them: ‘We are indeed but mortals like yourselves; but God bestows His grace on such of His servants as He chooses. We cannot give you proof, except by God‘s leave; in God let true believers put their trust

14:12  And why should we not trust in God, when He has already guided us on to our paths? We will endure your persecution patiently. In God let the trusting put their trust.‘

14:13  Return to our folds,‘ the unbelievers said to their apostles, ‘or we will banish you from our land.‘ But their Lord revealed His will to them: ‘We shall surely destroy the wrongdoer

14:14  and shall surely give you the land to dwell in after them. Let him take heed who dreads My eminence and fears My threats.‘

14:15  And they called for help; and every hardened sinner came to grief

14:16  Hell will stretch behind him, and putrid water shall he drink

14:17  he will sip, but scarcely swallow. Death will assail him from every side, yet shall he not be dead. Harrowing torment awaits him

14:18  The works of the unbelievers are like ashes which the wind scatters on a stormy day: they shall gain nothing from what they earn. That is surely the way to egregious error

14:19  Do you not see that God created the heavens and the earth with Truth? He can remove you if He will and bring into being a new creation

14:20  that is no difficult thing for God

14:21  All shall appear before God. The humble will say to those who thought themselves mighty: ‘We were your followers. Can you protect us from God‘s punishment in any way?‘ They will say: ‘Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you. Neither panic nor patience will help us now. There is no escape for us.‘

14:22  And when judgement had been passed, Satan will say to them: ‘True was the promise which God made you. I too made you a promise, but did not keep it. Yet had I no power over you. I only called you, and you answered me. Do not now blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I never believed in that with which you associated me before.‘ Grievous torment awaits the wrongdoers

14:23  And those that believe and do good works shall be admitted into Gardens watered by running brooks, wherein, by their Lord‘s leave, shall they abide for ever. Their greeting shall be: ‘Peace!&lsquo

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 in every season by its Lord‘s leave. God speaks in parables to people so that they may reflect

14:26  But an evil word is like a rotten tree torn out of the earth and shorn of all its roots

14:27  God makes steadfast the faithful with His steadfast Word, both in this life and in the life to come. God leads the wrongdoers astray; God accomplishes what He pleases

14:28  Have you not thought of those who repay the grace of God with unbelief and drive their people into the House of Perdition

14:29  In Hell shall they burn; and evil shall be their fate

14:30  They set up equals to God to lead people away from His path. Say to them: ‘Take your pleasure now: you are surely destined for the Fire.‘

14:31  Tell My servants, those who are true believers, to be steadfast in prayer and from what We gave them to give in private and in public, before that day arrives when all trading shall cease and friendships be no more

14:32  God it was who created the heavens and the earth. He sends down water from the sky wherewith He brings forth fruits for your sustenance. He has subdued the ships which, by His leave, sail the ocean in your service. He has subdued for you the rivers

14:33  and subdued for you the sun and the moon, which steadfastly pursue their courses. And He has subdued for you the night and the day

14:34  And of everything you have asked Him for He has given you some. If you reckoned up God‘s bounties you could not count them. Truly, man is wicked and thankless

14:35  Abraham said ‘‘Lord, make this¹ land secure. Preserve me and my descendants from serving idols

14:36  Lord, many have they led astray. He that follows me shall become my brother, and if anyone turns against me, You are surely forgiving and compassionate

14:37  Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Sacred House, so that they may observe true worship, Lord. Put in some people‘s hearts kindness towards them, and provide them with the earth‘s fruits; perchance they will give thanks

14:38  Lord, You have knowledge of all that we conceal and all that we reveal: nothing on earth or in heaven can be concealed from God

14:39  Praise be to God who has bestowed on me Ishmael and Isaac despite my old age! My Lord well hears all prayers

14:40  Lord, make me and my descendants steadfast in prayer. Lord, accept my prayer

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

14:42  Never think that God is unaware of the wrongdoers‘ actions. He only gives them respite till the day on which all eyes will stare with consternation

14:43  They shall rush in terror with heads uplifted; they shall stare, but see nothing; their hearts utterly vacant

14:44  Forewarn the people of the day when the scourge will overtake them; when the wrongdoers will say: ‘Lord, grant us respite for a short while. We will obey Your call, and follow the apostles.‘ ‘Did you not once swear that you would never die away

14:45  You lived in the dwellings of those who wronged their souls before you: yet you knew full well how We had dealt with them, and We spoke to you in parables about them.‘

14:46  They schemed, but their schemes were known to God, even if their schemes could move mountains

14:47  Never think that God will break the pledge He gave to His apostles. Mighty is God, and capable of revenge

14:48  On the day when the earth is changed into a different earth and the heavens into new heavens, mankind shall stand before God, the One, who conquers all

14:49  On that day you shall see the guilty bound with chains

14:50  their garments pitch, and their faces covered with flames

14:51  God will surely requite each soul according to what it earned. Swift is God‘s reckoning

14:52  This is an exhortation to the people. Let them be warned thereby and know that He is but one God. Let them reflect, those that are of good sense possessed