al-Hijr (The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City) at IslamAwakened.com

15:1 ELIF. LAM. RA. These are the signs of the Book, and of a lucid recital [Koran]

15:2 Many a time will the infidels wish that they had been Muslims

15:3 Let them feast and enjoy themselves, and let hope beguile them: but they shall know the truth at last

15:4 We never destroyed a city whose term was not perfixed

15:5 No people can forestall or retard its destiny

15:6 They say: "O thou to whom the warning hath been sent down, thou art surely possessed by a djinn

15:7 Wouldst thou not have come to us with the angels, if thou wert of those who assert the truth?"

15:8 - We will not send down the angels without due cause. The Infidels would not in that case have been respited

15:9 Verily, We have sent down the warning, and verily, We will be its guardian

15:10 And already have We sent Apostles, before thee, among the sects of the ancients

15:11 But never came Apostles to them whom they did not deride

15:12 In like manner will We put it into the hearts of the sinners of Mecca to do the same

15:13 They will not believe on him though the example of those of old hath gone before

15:14 Even were We to open above them a gate in Heaven, yet all the while they were mounting up to it

15:15 They would surely say: It is only that our eyes are drunken: nay, we are a people enchanted

15:16 We have set the signs of the zodiac in the Heavens, and adorned and decked them forth for the beholders

15:17 And We guard them from every stoned Satan

15:18 Save such as steal a hearing: and him doth a visible flame pursue

15:19 And the Earth have We spread forth, and thrown thereon the mountains, and caused everything to spring forth in it in balanced measure

15:20 And We have provided therein sustenance for you, and for the creatures which not ye sustain

15:21 And no one thing is there, but with Us are its storehouses; and We send it not down but in settled measure

15:22 And We send forth the fertilising winds, and cause the rain to come down from the heaven, and give you to drink of it; and it is not ye who are its storers

15:23 And We cause to live and We cause to die, and We are the heir of all things

15:24 We know those of you who flourish first and We know those who come later

15:25 And truly thy Lord will gather them together again, for He is Wise, Knowing

15:26 We created man of dried clay, of dark loam moulded

15:27 And the djinn had We before created of subtle fire

15:28 Remember when thy Lord said to the Angels, "I create man of dried clay, of dark loam moulded

15:29 And when I shall have fashioned him and breathed of my spirit into him, then fall ye down and worship him."

15:30 And the Angels bowed down in worship, all of them, all together

15:31 Save Eblis: he refused to be with those who bowed in worship

15:32 "O Eblis," said God, "wherefore art thou not with those who bow down in worship?"

15:33 He said, "It beseemeth not me to bow in worship to man whom thou hast created of clay, of moulded loam."

15:34 He said, "Begone then hence; thou art a stoned one

15:35 And the curse shall be on thee till the day of reckoning."

15:36 He said, "O my Lord! respite me till the day when man shall be raised from the dead."

15:37 He said, "One then of the respited shalt thou b

15:38 Till the day of the predestined time."

15:39 He said, "O my Lord! because thou hast beguiled me, I will surely make all fair seeming to them on the earth; I will surely beguile them all

15:40 Except such of them as shall be thy sincere servants."

15:41 He said, "This is the right way with me

15:42 For over none of my servants shalt thou have power, save those beguiled ones who shall follow thee."

15:43 And verily, Hell is the promise for them one and all

15:44 It hath seven Portals; at each Portal is a separate band of them

15:45 But 'mid gardens and fountains shall the pious dwell

15:46 "Enter ye therein in peace, secure-"

15:47 And all rancour will We remove from their bosoms: they shall sit as brethren, face to face, on couches

15:48 Therein no weariness shall reach them, nor forth from it shall they be cast for ever

15:49 Announce to my servants that I am the Gracious, the Merciful

15:50 And that my chastisement is the grievous chastisement

15:51 And tell them of Abraham's guests

15:52 When they entered in unto him, and said, "Peace." "Verily," said he, "We fear you."

15:53 They said, "Fear not, for of a sage son we bring thee tidings."

15:54 He said, "Bring ye me such tidings now that old age hath come upon me? What, therefore, are your tidings really?"

15:55 They said, "We announce them to thee in very truth. Be not then one of the despairing."

15:56 "And who," said he, "despaireth of the mercy of his Lord, but they who err?"

15:57 He said, "What is your business then, O ye Sent Ones?"

15:58 They said, "We are sent unto a people who are sinners

15:59 Except the family of Lot, whom verily we will rescue all

15:60 Except his wife. We have decreed that she shall be of those who linger."

15:61 And when the Sent Ones came to the family of Lo

15:62 He said, "Yes; are persons unknown to me."

15:63 They said, "Yes; but we have come to thee for a purpose about which thy people doubt

15:64 We have come to thee with very truth, and we are truthful envoys

15:65 Lead forth therefore thy family in the dead of the night; follow thou on their rear: and let no one of you turn round, but pass ye on whither ye are bidden."

15:66 And this command we gave him because to the last man should these people be cut off at morning

15:67 Then came the people of the city rejoicing at the news

15:68 He said, "These are my guests: therefore disgrace me not

15:69 And fear God and put me not to shame."

15:70 They said, "Have we not forbidden thee to entertain any one whatever?"

15:71 He said, "Here are my daughters, if ye will thus act."

15:72 As thou livest, O Muhammad, they were bewildered in the drunkenness of their lust

15:73 So a tempest overtook them at their sunrise

15:74 And we turned the city upside down, and we rained stones of baked clay upon them

15:75 Verily, in this are signs for those who scan heedfully

15:76 And these cities lay on the high road

15:77 Verily, in this are signs for the faithful

15:78 The inhabitants also of El Aika were sinners

15:79 So we took vengeance on them, and they both became a plain example

15:80 And the people of HEDJR treated God's messengers as liars

15:81 And we brought forth our signs to them, but they drew back from them

15:82 And they hewed them out abodes in the mountains to secure them

15:83 But a tempest surprised them at early morn

15:84 And their labours availed them nothing

15:85 We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that between them is, but for a worthy end. And verily, "the hour" shall surely come. Wherefore do thou, Muhammad, forgive with kindly forgiveness

15:86 For thy Lord! He is the Creator, the Wise

15:87 We have already given thee the seven verses of repetition and the glorious Koran

15:88 Strain not thine eyes after the good things we have bestowed on some of the unbelievers: afflict not thyself on their account, and lower thy wing to the faithful

15:89 And SAY: I am the only plain-spoken warner

15:90 We will punish those who foster divisions

15:91 Who break up the Koran into parts

15:92 By thy Lord! we will surely take account from them one and all

15:93 Concerning that which they have done

15:94 Profess publicly then what thou hast been bidden, and withdraw from those who join gods to God

15:95 Verily, We will maintain thy cause against those who deride thee

15:96 Who set up gods with God: and at last shall they know their folly

15:97 Now know We that thy heart is distressed at what they say

15:98 But do thou celebrate the praise of thy Lord, and be of those who bow down in worship

15:99 And serve thy Lord till the certainty o'ertake thee