21:1  (The time) of the reckoning for the people is drawing closer: Yet they are heedlessly falling away (from the Faith).

21:2  Whenever a new Revelation Knowledge comes to them from their Lord (to admonish them), they listen to it yet playing.

21:3  Their hearts are preoccupied (with lusts). Those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims prefer to confer among themselves in secret. (They ask): ‘Is this (Muhammad) no more than a human being like you? Will you then yield to (his) sorcery while you are aware of (it)?’

21:4  He said: ‘My Lord has full knowledge of every word spoken in the heavens or on the earth. He is the All-Hearing- the All-Knowing.

21:5  Nay, but they say: ‘(The Verses of the Qur’ān are no more than) muddled dreams! Nay, but He has forged it! Nay, but he is a poet! Now, therefore let him bring us a Sign (of wonder attributed to divine power) such as the former (Messengers) were sent (with)’.

21:6  Not a single town that We utterly destroyed adhered to Monotheism before them, Will these people then adhere to Monotheistic Faith?

21:7  And We didn’t sent (Messengers) before you other than men whom We inspired. Now, therefore, ( go and) ask those who have spiritual knowledge of the previously revealed scriptures if you don’t know.

21:8  And We didn’t give them (supernatural) bodies that didn’t need food, nor were they immortal!

21:9  Then we fulfilled Our Promise to them: We saved them and all whom We willed. And We destroyed the prodigals.

21:10  (O' mankind), We send down to you a (Perfect) Book in which is your remembrance. Don't you have conscious thoughts at least in this sense?

21:11  (Just imagine) so many towns We destroyed (their inhabitants) when they had voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims. Then We raised up after them another people.

21:12  So when they felt Our Mighty Power approaching, they started to run away from their town.

21:13  (But they were told): ‘Don’t run away, but return to your comforts and your homes so that you will be questioned’.

21:14  And they said: ‘Ah! Woe betide us! We were of those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims.

21:15  That cry of theirs didn’t cease until We made them like a reaped crop, silent and still.

21:16  And We didn’t create the heavens, the earth and all that is between them in vain.

21:17  If We had intended to find a pastime, We would surely have taken it from what is with US, if We were to do so!

21:18  And We expound the truth and hurl it at falsehood so that the truth refutes and quells it, and lo! it vanishes completely. Woe betide you for all the falsehood you attribute (to Allâh).

21:19  Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and on the earth. And those who are with Him - (the Angels)- are not too proud to worship ( & venerate) Him, neither do they become weary in doing so.

21:20  They celebrate His praise and declare His absolute majesty and glory night and day without showing any sign of fatigue, or losing enthusiasm.

21:21  What! Have they taken gods from the earth (in belief that) they are capable of giving life to the dead?

21:22  If there had been (in the heavens or on the earth) any gods beside Allâh, then both would surely have fallen into ruin. So Exalted is Allâh, the Lord of the (Glorious) Throne. (Supreme is He) above all that which they attribute (to Him)!

21:23  He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will all be questioned (about their actions).

21:24  Or have they taken other gods, other than Him? Say: ‘Bring to us any irrefutable argument (to support such a claim). This Qur’ān is the Reminder of those with me, and the Reminder of those before me." But most of them don’t posses enough knowledge of the Truth, thus, they turn away in a repulsive manner.

21:25  We sent no Messenger before you but We inspired him: “There is no other god beside Me. Now, therefore, worship Me” (in the way I want you to worship Me).

21:26  Yet some say: ‘The True Merciful (God) has taken to Himself a son’. All Glory Be To Him! Nay, those are but honored and devoted servants.

21:27  And they speak only when He allows them to do so and they act according to His Command.

21:28  He has full knowledge of whatever is before them and whatever is behind them. They cannot intercede except for one whom He approves, and they themselves tremble in awe of His (Greatness).

21:29  And should any of them say: ‘I am a god beside Him’, such a one We will requite with Gehenna. This is how We requite those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims.

21:30  Don’t those who persistently refuse to Yield to the Truth see that the heavens and the earth were at first one piece then We parted them as separate entities? And We have made every living thing from water. Will they not then adhere to Faith?

21:31  And We have set up firm hills on the earth lest it should quake with them. And We have made therein wide ways so that they might follow the right direction.

21:32  And We have established the heavens as a canopy, safe and well protected. Yet they pay no attention to its signs.

21:33  And He is the One Who created the night and day, the sun and the moon- each floating in its own orbit.

21:34  And We never granted immortality to any human being before you. So if you die, will they live forever?

21:35  Every human person is bound to taste death, and We put you to test through hardship and prosperity (in order to identify you). Then unto Us you shall be brought back.

21:36  And When those who persistently refuse to Yield to the Truth see you, they only poke fun at you, (saying): ‘Is this the one who talks (awfully) about your gods?’ Yet, at the mention of the True Merciful (God), they are tempted to reject.

21:37  And man by his nature is impatient. I will soon show you My Signs (of power & glory). Now, therefore, don’t ask Me to hasten them.

21:38  And they say: ‘When will this promise (be fulfilled) if you are truthful?’

21:39  If those who persistently refuse to Yield to the Truth but knew the time when they will be incapable of averting the Fire from their faces or from their backs, and they shall not be helped!

21:40  Nay! It will come upon them unexpectedly, and then it will leave them totally flabbergasted. Verily, they won’t have the power to avert it, neither will they be given any respite.

21:41  Verily, (many) Messengers were mocked before you, but the mockers were encompassed by what they used to mock.

21:42  Say: ‘Who can protect you from (the punishment of) the True Merciful (God) during the night or during the day?’ Nay, but they turn away from celebrating the praise of their Lord and declaring His glory.

21:43  Or do they really have gods apart from Us to protect them? They- (fabled gods)- are incapable of helping themselves; neither can they obtain any sort of protection from Us.

21:44  The fact is that We give the enjoyment of this life to these men and their forefathers, so they have lived for a long time in comfort and safety. Do they not see how We progressively reduce the land (which in their control) from its outlying parts? Are they the ones who will prevail?

21:45  Say: ’I warn you only by the (power of) the Revelation Knowledge. Only the deaf don’t hear the call when they are warned.

21:46  If it happens that a whiff of the chastisement of your Lord touched them, they will surely say: ‘Ah! Woe betide us! We were of those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims.

21:47  And We shall set up the scales of (the absolute) justice on the Day of Resurrection so that no one will be wronged in any way: even though it be a deed so much as the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We will bring it forth (to be weighed). And sufficient are We to take account.

21:48  And verily We gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion (of right and wrong) - a light and an enlightenment for the Pious,

21:49  Who stand in awe of their Lord and feel a great deal of apprehension about the Hour.

21:50  And this Qur'ān is a Blessed Reminder which We have sent down. Are they, then, tempted to deny it?

21:51  And verily We had endowed Abraham with high self-awareness. And We knew him fully well.

21:52  He said to his father and his people: ‘What are these sculptures to which you are so diligently devoted?’

21:53  They said: ‘We found our fathers worshiping them’.

21:54  He said: ‘Then indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest deception’.

21:55  They said: ‘Have you brought the truth, or are you one of those who do not behave seriously?’

21:56  He said: "Nay, but your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who originated them. And I am one of those who bear witness to this:

21:57  And, by Allâh, I will certainly plot a plan for your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs.

21:58  So he broke all of them into pieces, except the biggest one of them, so that they might return to it.

21:59  They said: ’Who has done this to our gods? Surely he is (one) of the impious’.

21:60  Some of them said: ‘We heard a youth called Abraham speaking against them’.

21:61  They yelled: ‘Then bring him before the eyes of the people so that they may testify ‘.

21:62  They asked him: ‘Was it you who did this to our gods, O’ Abraham?’

21:63  He said: ‘Nay, but it was done by this, the biggest one of them! Ask them if they can speak’.

21:64  Then they turned to themselves and said: ‘Truly it is you who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims.

21:65  Then they were made to bow their heads and cast down their eyes, (saying:): ‘Very well indeed you know that these images don’t speak’.

21:66  Abraham said: ‘Do you worship that, besides Allâh, which can neither profit you nor hurt you?’

21:67  Fie upon you and upon that which you worship besides Allâh! Don't you have conscious thoughts at least in this sense?’

21:68  They yelled: ‘Burn him and avenge your gods If you would do aught’.

21:69  We said: ‘O’ fire! Be coolness and safety for Abraham!’

21:70  They meant evil against him. But We made them the worse losers.

21:71  And We saved him and Lot, (leading them) to the land which We have blessed for all beings.

21:72  And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob as an extra gift. And We made them all righteous.

21:73  And We made them (spiritual) leaders showing the people the right path to salvation by Our Command. And We revealed to them to strive to do righteous acts, to establish the regular Prayer and pay Zakāt. And they were devoted worshipers of Us (alone).

21:74  And to Lot, We gave him the authority of moral judgments and (spiritual) knowledge. And We delivered him from the town (whose inhabitants) were given to debauchery. Verily they were a people given to evil, indulging in personal disobedience extensively without repentance.

21:75  And We admitted him into Our Mercy, most certainly he was of the righteous.

21:76  And (mention) Noah, when he cried (to Us) aforetime, We answered him and delivered him and his family from the great distress.

21:77  And We helped him against a people who persistently refuse to acknowledge Our Signs. Verily, they were a people given to evil, so We drowned them, all together.

21:78  And (mention) David and Solomon, when they judged concerning the field in which the sheep of certain people had strayed and browsed therein by night; and We were witnesses to their judgment.

21:79  And We made Solomon understand the case more clearly. And to each of them, We gave the authority of moral judgments and (spiritual) knowledge. And We subjected the mountains and the birds to celebrate Our praise and declare Our glory along with David. It was We who did all this.

21:80  And We taught him the art of making coats of mail to fortify you from the violence of war. Will you, then, show gratitude?

21:81  And We had subdued to Solomon the strongly blowing wind which ran at his command to carry him to the land which We had blessed (with many good things). And We have full knowledge of everything.

21:82  And of the jinn and devils, We assigned to him some who dived (into the sea to extract precious stones) for him and obediently performed other tasks besides that. And We were watchful over them.

21:83  And (mention) Job when he called upon his Lord: "Most certainly, affliction of evil has touched me and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

21:84  So We answered his prayer and removed his affliction. And we restored his family for him and the like thereof along with them, as a Mercy from Our Own Selves and a reminder to those who worship ( Allah in the way He wants us to worship Him).

21:85  And (mention) Ishmael, Idrīs (Enoch) and Dhū’l-Kifl- all were of those who cling to patience (in adversity).

21:86  And We admitted them into Our Mercy, for they were truly righteous.

21:87  And (mention) Dhū’l-Nūn (Jonah) when he went off in rage, thinking that We had no power over him. But he called out in the darkness: “There is no other God beside You. Glory Be To You! I was indeed of those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of their own whims”.

21:88  So We responded to him and delivered him from the anguish. And this is how We deliver those who live a life of Genuine Faith.

21:89  And (mention) Zachariah, when he called upon his Lord: "O’ my Lord, don’t leave me alone (without an heir), and indeed You are the Best of the inheritors".

21:90  So We responded to him and bestowed upon him John, and restored the fertility of his wife for him. Indeed, they used to hasten towards all that is good, to call upon Us with hope and reverence, and to humble themselves before Us.

21:91  And (remember) her who guarded her virginity. We breathed into her out of Our Spirit and made her and her son a Sign (of Our power and glory) for all the beings.

21:92  Truly this, your Ummah, is one Ummah, and I am your Lord. Now, therefore, worship Me (in the way I want you to worship Me).

21:93  However, they disagreed and split up into different sects: but to Us they will all return.

21:94  Then Whoever strives to do acts of righteousness while he is a Monotheist- (having a deep, pure, focused Faith in Allâh)- there will be no denial for his effort: and We will indeed record it in his favour.

21:95  It is utterly impossible for (the inhabitants of) a town which We have destroyed to ever rise again (or return to this worldly life).

21:96  Even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they hasten forth from every height.

21:97  And the true promise - (Judgment Day)- is coming closer. Then all of a sudden the eyes of those who live in spiritual darkness are fixedly staring in horror, (yelling): "Ah! Woe betide us! We were certainly wholly inattentive to this. In fact, we have voluntarily and consciously abandoned the Full Knowledge of the Truth in favour of our own whims.

21:98  Surely, you and whatever you worship other than Allâh are but firewood for Gehenna. Therein shall they enter.

21:99  If those (idols) had truly been gods, then they would not have been compelled to enter into It (Gehenna). And they will all live therein forever.

21:100  For them therein shall be whining and therein shall they hear nothing.

21:101  Verily those for whom the promise of best reward has preceded from Us, they will be kept far away from It- (Gehenna).

21:102  And they won’t hear Its sizzling thereof, and will abide in that which their souls desire.

21:103  The greatest terror won’t grieve them, and the Angels will receive them (saying): "This is your day which you were promised."

21:104  On that day, We shall roll up the sky like the rolling up of the written scrolls. Just as We were able to create people the first time, We will bring them back to life. (It is) a promise (binding) upon Us. For We always keep Our promises.

21:105  And verity We have written in the Psalms after the Reminder: My righteous worshipers will inherit the earth.

21:106  Most certainly there is in this- (Qur’ān)- a proclamation for a people who worship (Allah in the way He wants them to worship Him).

21:107  And We have sent you for no other reason but to be a source of Mercy for the all beings.

21:108  Say: ‘It is revealed to me that your God is only one True God - (Allâh). Will you then hasten to embrace Islam?

21:109  But if it happens that they fall away (from the Faith), then say unto them: “I have faithfully conveyed to you (the messages of my Lord). Both you and I equally know of what I have warned you against, and I don’t know whether that which you are promised is near or far.

21:110  And He has full knowledge of whatever you say openly and whatever you hide (in your hearts).

21:111  I don’t know if this may be a trial for you or an enjoyment for a while.

21:112  He said: "O’ my Lord, Judge (between us) with truth. Lo! Our Lord is the True Merciful (God) Whose help is ever to be sought against all that you falsely ascribe (to Him)."