15:1  Alif Lam Ra - I am Allah, the All-Seeing. These are the verses of the perfect Book and of the Qur'an, that distinguishes the right from the wrong

15:2  Often those who disbelieve (in the verses of this perfect Book) would wish they had been Muslims

15:3  Leave them alone to eat and enjoy themselves and let vain hopes beguile them, but they will soon know (the reality)

15:4  And never did We destroy a township but it had a decree made known

15:5  No people can outstrip its term and none can ever remain behind

15:6  And they say, `O you to whom this Reminder (- the Qur'an) has been revealed! you are a mad man indeed

15:7  `Why do you not bring the angels (for punishment) to us, if you are of the truthful?

15:8  We send no angels until (the punishment becomes) rightly due and (when once We do send them) these (disbelievers) will not be the respited ones

15:9  Verily, it was We, We Ourself Who have revealed this Reminder (- the Qur'an); and it is We Who are, most certainly, its Guardian

15:10  Indeed, We sent (Messengers) before you to the sects of the former peoples

15:11  Yet not a single Messenger ever came to them but they treated him scornfully

15:12  (Just as We made this a habit with the peoples gone by,) so do We cause this (tendency of scornful treatment) enter the minds of these people who sever their ties (with God)

15:13  They will not believe in this (Qur'an), though the precedence of the former peoples has already gone (before them showing how the opposition of truth makes them deserving of the punishment of God)

15:14  And if We opened to them a gate of the heaven and they (-the angels) began ascending through it

15:15  Even then these people would surely say, `Our eyes have only been dazed; rather We are a bewitched people.

15:16  We have indeed set up constellations in the heaven, and We have decked it fair for the beholders

15:17  And We have guarded it against (the intrusion of) every rebellious rejected satan

15:18  As to one who wishes to steal a hearing (of the revelation to distort it) a bright fiery flame pursues him

15:19  We have spread out and put fertilizers in the earth from outside, and set up firm mountains therein, and We have caused to grow upon it every suitable thing in due proportion

15:20  And We have provided in it means of livelihood for you and even for (all) others whom it is not for you to provide

15:21  And there is not a thing but We have the vast treasures of it; and We do not send it down but according to a proper and prescribed measure

15:22  And We send impregnating winds and pour water from the clouds and give it to you to drink. You are not the ones to store it up

15:23  And surely it is We, Ourself Who give life and cause death; and it is We Who are the (sole) survivors (after every thing perishes)

15:24  And indeed We know those among you who are the foremost in accepting the truth, and We indeed know those who are the laggards

15:25  And certainly it is your Lord Who will gather them together; verily, He is All-Wise, All-Knowing

15:26  Surely, We created human being from dry ringing clay, (transformed) from black mud moulded into shape

15:27  And We created the jinn before (him) from the fire of intensely hot wind

15:28  And (recall the time) when your Lord said to the angels, `I am, indeed, going to create a human being from dry ringing clay (formed) from black mud, moulded into shape

15:29  `So when I have shaped him in perfection and have breathed My revelation into him, fall you down in submission to him.

15:30  And (when He created the human being,) the angels submitted, all of them together

15:31  But Iblis (though he was separately bidden to do the same, did not). He stubbornly refused to be with those who submit

15:32  (Lord) said, `Iblis! what is (the reason) with you that you would not be with those who submit?

15:33  He replied, `I would never submit to a human being whom You have created from dry ringing clay (formed) from black mud, moulded into shape.

15:34  (Lord) said, `(If it is so) then get out from this (state), for, surely, you are rejected

15:35  `And of course (My) disapproval shall be on you till the Day of Requital.

15:36  He said, `My Lord, then grant me respite till the day when these (human beings) shall be raised (to spiritual life).

15:37  (Lord) said, `You are indeed of those already granted respite

15:38  `Till the day of which the time is known (to Me).

15:39  He said, `My Lord! since You have condemned me as astray (and erring), I will surely make (evil of straying from the straight path) fair-seeming to them (as long as they stay) on the earth; I shall seduce them all

15:40  `Except your (sincere) servants from among them; (Your) chosen and purified ones, (whom I shall not be able to seduce).

15:41  (Lord) said, `The path (that My sincere servants follow) leads straight to Me

15:42  `As for My servants, you have no authority over them. Different, however, is the case of such of the deviators who (choose to) follow you

15:43  `And, of course, Gehenna is the promised place for such of them all

15:44  `It has seven gates. Each gate shall have an assigned portion of them (who have gone astray)

15:45  `Surely, those who guard against evil and are dutiful (to Me and mankind) shall live amidst gardens and fountains

15:46  `(It will be said to them,) "Enter therein (to live) in peace (and be) secure".

15:47  And We shall remove every vestige of rancour that may be in their hearts. They will be like brothers (seated cheerfully) on raised couches (of happiness), face to face

15:48  They shall suffer no fatigue, nor shall they ever be ejected from there

15:49  (O Prophet!) give My servants the important news that I - I alone - am most certainly the One Great Protector, the Ever Merciful

15:50  And (also tell them) that My punishment is a very grievous one

15:51  And (also) give them the important news about Abraham's guests

15:52  When they entered upon him and greeted him saying, `Peace (be upon you)' he answered, `We feel afraid of you.

15:53  They said, `Have no fear, we give you good tidings of (the birth of) a son endowed with knowledge.

15:54  He (-Abraham) said, `Do you give me the good tidings inspite of the fact that old age has come upon me. So on what (basis) are you giving (me this) good tidings.

15:55  They said, `We give you good tidings on the basis of (the revelation of) truth; therefore do not be of the despairing ones (of the mercy of Allah).

15:56  He said, `And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but the erring ones?

15:57  He added, `O you messengers! what is your real business then?

15:58  They said, `We have been sent to (destroy) a guilty people

15:59  `Excepting the followers of Lot (because they are not guilty). We shall invariably deliver them all

15:60  `Excepting his wife, (of whom God says,) "We have decided that she (will not accompany those ordained to be delivered but) shall be really of those staying behind".

15:61  When the messengers came to Lot (and his) followers

15:62  (Lot) said, `Surely, you are an unknown people, I apprehend evil from you (because of your coming).

15:63  They said, `(You need no apprehensions.) But we have come to you with (the news of) that (punishment) about (the truth of) which they doubted

15:64  `And we have come to you with sure news and most certainly we are truthful

15:65  `So set forth (from here) with your people in the (latter) part of the night and yourself following in their wake. Let none of you look about (and lag behind) but proceed to where you are commanded.

15:66  And We appraised him (-Lot) with certainty that the roots (and last remnants) of these people are to be cut off when they rise at dawn

15:67  And the residents of the city came rejoicing (to the house of Lot)

15:68  (Lot) said, `Surely, these are my guests, therefore do not put me to shame (by your disrespectful behaviour towards them)

15:69  `And keep your duty to Allah and disgrace me not.

15:70  They said, `Have we not told you not to entertain (all sorts of unknown) people?

15:71  He said, `Here are my daughters (as hostages to serve as a guarantee that the strangers will not make a mischief), if you must do something (to make any investigation against me).

15:72  (Prophet!) by your (holy) life and by your true faith these (your opponents) are (also) wandering distractedly in a fit of frenzy

15:73  Then a dreadful punishment overtook these (opponents of Lot) at sunrise

15:74  We turned it (- the city) upside down, and rained upon the people petrified hard stones of clay (constantly)

15:75  Surely, in this (narrative) there are many signs for such as can interpret (signs)

15:76  And (the ruins of) these (townships) lie on a road that still exists (right on the highway between Arabia and Syria)

15:77  Behold! in this (narration) is indeed a sign for the believers

15:78  Certainly, the dwellers of the thicket (of Midian) were (also) a wrong doing people

15:79  Therefore We inflicted punishment on them; and (the ruins of) both their cities (-the city of Sodomites and the city of Aikah) lie indeed on the open highway (traversed by the caravans from Hijaz to Syria)

15:80  And the dwellers of the Hijr (- a township of Thamud lying between Tabuk and Madinah, also) cried lies to the Messengers

15:81  And We gave them Our commandments but they were averse to them

15:82  And they (in search of a life of peace and security,) used to hew some parts of the mountains into houses feeling secure (therein)

15:83  But the dreadful punishment overtook them in the morning

15:84  So that all that they had accomplished was of no avail to them

15:85  And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between the two but to suit the requirements of truth and wisdom. And the (threatened) Hour (of punishment) is sure to come. So turn away from them with goodly grace

15:86  Surely, it is your Lord Who is the Great Creator, the Possessor of perfect knowledge

15:87  And infact We have given you the seven oft-recited (verses of Surah Al-Fatihah) and the Grand Qur'an

15:88  Extend not your eyes desirously towards the fleeting enjoyments We have bestowed on some classes (of people) among them, nor grieve over (this destruction of) them and be kind and gentle to the believers

15:89  And proclaim, `I am, indeed, the plain Warner (promised by God).

15:90  Since We (have decided to) send down (this revelation full of warnings) to those who have formed themselves into factions by taking oaths (against you)

15:91  And who have pronounced the Qur'an to be a pack of lies

15:92  So by your Lord, We will surely question them all

15:93  About their (mis)deeds

15:94  Therefore declare openly what you are commanded (to deliver) and turn away from the polytheists

15:95  We do suffice you (to punish) those who treat (you) scornfully

15:96  Who set up an other god beside Allah; but they shall soon come to know (the consequences)

15:97  And We know, indeed, that your mind is distressed because of (polytheistic things) that they say

15:98  So (the remedy of this distress is that you) glorify your Lord with all His true praise and be of those who prostrate themselves (before Him)

15:99  And go on worshipping your Lord until there comes to you that which is certain (and you breathe your last)