7:1  Alif Lam Mim Saad

7:2  A Book has been revealed to you. Let it cause no anxiety in your heart, as you will use it to warn and remind the believers.

7:3  Follow what has been sent down to you by your Lord, and follow no masters other than Him. How seldom do you remember!

7:4  So many [rebellious] towns have We destroyed. Our punishment came to them at night or while they were resting in the afternoon.

7:5  Their only cry when Our punishment came to them was "How unjust we were!"

7:6  We will certainly question those to whom a message was sent, and We will certainly question the messengers.

7:7  We know and will tell them in detail and knowledge, as We were never absent.

7:8  On that Day, everyone's deeds will be weighed in the balance of Truth. Those whose good deeds weigh on the heavier side will be successful

7:9  whereas; those whose good deeds are on the lighter side will suffer loss because of their willful rejection of Our messages.

7:10  We have given you a place on earth and appointed a means of livelihood for you, [yet] you are seldom grateful.

7:11  We have created you and formed you, and then We said to the angels, "Bow down before Adam," at which point, they all bowed down except for Iblis: he was not among those who bowed down.

7:12  [God] said, "What has stopped you from bowing down when I commanded you?" He answered, "I am better than him. You created me out of fire, but you only created him out of clay."

7:13  [God] said, "Get down from here, you are not allowed to be arrogant in this place. Get out, you are disgraced."

7:14  Iblis said, "Give me until the day they will be resurrected."

7:15  [God] replied, "You will have the time you want.

7:16  Iblis said, "Now that You have caused me to fall into this, I will sit for them on Your straight path.

7:17  I will come at them openly as well as secretly, from their right and from their left and You will find that most of them are ungrateful."

7:18  [God] said, "Get out of here, you disgraced and disowned! As for those who will follow you, I will definitely fill Hell with all of you.

7:19  And Adam, you and your wife will live in this garden, and both of you eat whatever you may wish, but do not approach this one tree or you will become unjust."

7:20  Then, Satan whispered to them to expose their nakedness, which had been hidden from them, and he said, "Your Lord has forbidden you this tree so that you do not become angels or immortal."

7:21  He swore to them, "I am a sincere advisor,"

7:22  and he succeeded in deceiving them. As soon as the two had tasted [the fruit] of the tree, their nakedness became obvious to them, and they started covering themselves with leaves from the Garden.Their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid that tree to you and tell you, 'Satan is your clear enemy?"

7:23  The two replied, "Lord, We have sinned against ourselves and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will definitely be lost."

7:24  God said, "You get down to earth, as enemies to one another. You will live and have your home there for a while.

7:25  There you will live," He added, "and there you will die, and from it you will be brought forth [on Resurrection Day]"

7:26  Children of Adam, We have sent down clothes to you to cover your nakedness and as a thing of beauty, but the garment of awareness of God is the best of all. These are blessings from God, so that you may remember.

7:27  Children of Adam, do not allow Satan to seduce you in the same way he caused your ancestors to be driven out of the Garden. He deprived them of their garment [of God-consciousness] in order to make them aware of their nakedness. He and his tribe watch you from where you cannot see them. We have made satanic forces allies to those who do not believe;

7:28  Whenever they commit a shameful deed, they say, "We found our forefathers doing it," and, "God has commanded us to do this." Say, "God does not command disgraceful deeds. How could you attribute something to God about which you have no knowledge?"

7:29  Say, "My Lord has commanded righteousness." Face Him, and direct your worship straight to Him. Call on Him, devoting yourself only to Him. Just as He first created you, so you will return.

7:30  Some [of you] He graced with guidance, while, others are doomed to stray. They have taken devils for their masters instead of God, thinking all the while that they have found the right path.

7:31  Children of Adam, dress well for every act of worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. He does not love the wasteful.

7:32  Say, "Who is there to forbid the adornment and nourishment that God has provided for His worshipers?" Say, "They are given to those who believe during the life of this world, to be theirs alone on Resurrection Day." We clearly spell out these messages to people who understand.

7:33  Say, "My Lord has forbidden immoral acts-- openly or in secret-- sinning and unjustified aggression, and ascribing divinity to others besides Him, and saying things about Him that you do not know."

7:34  A term has been set for every nation, and when the end of their term approaches, they can neither delay it nor hasten it by a single moment.

7:35  Children of Adam, when messengers come to you from among yourselves, conveying My messages to you, then all who are mindful of Me and live righteously don't need to fear not will they grieve,

7:36  but those who reject Our messages and arrogantly disrespect them are destined for the fire, and there they will remain.

7:37  Who could be more unjust than those who attribute their own lies to God or who reject His messages? Such people will have whatever has been allotted for them. Then when Our angels arrive to take them to die, they will ask, "Where are those beings that you invoked besides God?" [Those sinners] will reply, "They have deserted us," and [thus) they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth.

7:38  [God] says, "Join the crowds of jinn and humans who have gone before you into the fire." Every time a crowd enters, it will curse its fellow beings, so that when they have all gathered inside, the last of them will say about the first, "Lord, It is they who have led us astray. Give them double suffering through fire." He will reply, "Every one of you deserves double suffering, though you don't know it."

7:39  The first of them will say to the last of them, "You were in no way better than us. Taste the punishment for all that you have earned."

7:40  The gates of Heaven will not be opened for those who rejected Our messages and arrogantly scorned them. They will not enter Paradise any more than a thick, twisted thread can pass through a needle's eye. This is how We pay those who force others to reject Our messages.

7:41  Hell will be their resting place and covering as well. This is how We punish the unjust.

7:42  We do not burden any soul with more than it is able to bear. Those who believe and do righteous deeds are destined for Paradise, where they will live.

7:43  We will have removed all ill feeling from their hearts. Streams will flow at their feet, and they will say, "All praise is due to God, who has guided us to this, for we would certainly not have found the right path unless God had guided us. Our Lord's Messengers brought the Truth. A voice will call out to them, "This is the Paradise which you have inherited because of your past deeds."

7:44  The people of Paradise will call out to the people of the Fire, "Now We have found that what our Lord promised us has come true. Have you found that what your Lord promised you has come true?" They will answer, "Yes." A voice will proclaim from their midst, "God's rejection hangs over the unjust

7:45  who turn away from God's path and try to make it crooked, and who refuse to acknowledge the truth of the life to come."

7:46  Between the two there will be a barrier and on the heights are people who can recognize each by their features. They will call out to the people of paradise, "Peace be upon you," not having entered it themselves, but hoping to do so.

7:47  Whenever their eyes are turned towards the people of the fire, they will cry, "Lord, do not place us among the unjust people."

7:48  Those who had possessed this ability of discernment will call out to those they recognize by their marks [as sinners], saying, "How has your collection [of wealth] and all your false pride benefitted you?

7:49  Are these the people you swore God would never bless? [For now they have been told,] 'Enter paradise. There is no need to fear or grieve.'"

7:50  The people of the fire will call out to the people of Paradise, "Pour some water on us or some of the sustenance which God has provided for you." They said, "God has denied both to the unbelievers."

7:51  They are those who, enticed by the life of this world, took their religion lightly, like a mere game, and were deluded by worldly living. [God will say], "We will be ignoring them today as they ignored the coming of this Day, just as they denied Our messages."

7:52  We conveyed to them a Book in which We clearly and wisely spelled out guidance and grace to people who believe.

7:53  Are they [the unbelievers] waiting for the final prophecy to unfold? On the Day when its final meaning will unfolded, those who ignored it before will say, "Our Lord's Messengers spoke the Truth. Is there anyone to intercede for us now? Or, could we be brought back [to life] so that we might behave differently than how we behaved before?" They will have lost their souls and all the lies they had invented will have forsaken them.

7:54  Your Lord is God, who has created the heavens and the earth in six days and is established on the throne of His majesty. He covers the day with the night in swift pursuit, with the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His command. All creation is His and He commends all. Blessed is God, the Lord of all the worlds!

7:55  Call unto your Lord humbly, and in the secrecy of your hearts. He does not love those who transgress the limits of what is right.

7:56  Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. Call unto Him with fear and longing. The mercy of God is close to those who do good.

7:57  It is God who sends the winds, bearing good news of His coming mercy, and when they have gathered the heavy clouds, We drive them to a dead land where We cause rain to fall, bringing out all kinds of fruit, just as We will bring out the dead. Will you not remember?

7:58  As for the good land, vegetation comes out by its Lord's will, but poor land produces in agony. We explain Our messages in various ways to those people who are grateful.

7:59  We sent Noah to his people, and he said, "My people, worship God alone. You have no god other than Him. I am concerned that you will have the punishment on that Awesome Day."

7:60  The notable ones among his people replied, "We see that you are obviously lost in error."

7:61  [Noah] said, "My people, there is no error in me. I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds.

7:62  I am delivering to you my Lord's messages and giving you good advice. I know [through revelation] from God what you do not know.

7:63  Why do you think it is strange that a message from your Lord would come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you and so that you might become mindful of God and so that you might be graced with His mercy?"

7:64  Yet, they called him a liar. We saved him and those who stood by him, in the ark, while We caused those who rejected Our messages to drown. They were blind.

7:65  To the people of 'Aad [We sent] their brother, Hud. He said, "My people, worship God alone. You have no god other than Him. Will you not be mindful of Him?"

7:66  The notables among his people who refused to acknowledge the truth said, "We see that you are weak-minded, and we think you are a liar."

7:67  [Hud] said, "My people, there is no weak-mindedness in me. I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

7:68  I am delivering my Lord's messages to you and advising you truly and well.

7:69  Why are you surprised that your Lord would send you a reminder and a warning through one of your own? Remember how He made you heirs to Noah's people and increased your stature. Remember God's grace so that you might prosper."

7:70  They answered, "Have you come to us asking that we worship God alone and give up all that our forefathers worshiped? Then bring the [punishment] with which you have threatened us, if you are a man of truth."

7:71  [Hud] said, "You are already set to receive your Lord's condemnation and wrath. Do you argue with me about the names which you and your forefathers have invented, names for which God has given no authority? Wait, then, [for what will happen,] I will wait with you."

7:72  By Our grace, We saved him and those who stood by him, while We wiped out the last remnant of those who rejected Our messages and would not believe.

7:73  To the people of Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih who said, "My people, Worship God alone. You have no god other than Him. Clear evidence has now come to you from your Lord. The she-camel belonging to God is to be a sign for you. Let her graze on God's earth, and do not do her harm in any way or you will be struck by a painful punishment.

7:74  Remember how He made you heirs to [the tribe of] 'Aad and settled you in the land, so that you were able to build castles for yourselves on its plains and carve houses out of the mountains. Remember God's grace, and do not spread corruption on earth.

7:75  The notables from among his people, who reveled in their arrogance towards all who were deemed weak, said to the believers among them, "Do you [really] know that Salih has been sent by his Lord?" They answered, "We believe in the message which he brought to us."

7:76  The arrogant ones said, "We refuse to regard as true what you have come to believe in."

7:77  They, then, cruelly slaughtered the she-camel and turned with disdain from their Lord's commandment and said, "Salih, bring about that [punishment] that you had threatened us with, if you are truly one of God's Messengers."

7:78  An earthquake seized them, and they lay lifeless in their homes.

7:79  [Salih] turned away from them and said, "My people, I delivered to you my Lord's message and gave you good advice but you did not love those who gave [you] good advice."

7:80  And Lot, when he said to his people, "How can you practice this outrage? No one in the world has outdone you in this.

7:81  You lust after men instead of women. You transgress all bounds."

7:82  His people's only answer was, "Expel them from your land. These people want to make themselves out to be pure.

7:83  We saved him and his household, except his wife who was among those that stayed behind.

7:84  We showered upon the others a rain [of destruction]. Consider the fate of those who force others to reject God's messages.

7:85  To [the people of] Midian, [We sent] their brother Shu'ayb. He said, "My people, worship God alone. You have no god other than Him. Clear evidence of the Truth has now come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and weight, and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs, and do not spread corruption on earth after it has been well ordered. [All] of this is for your own good if you would only believe.

7:86  Do not lurk on every trail, threatening and trying to turn away all who believe in God from His path and trying to make it appear crooked. Remember when you were few and He made you many. Look at what happened in the end to those who spread corruption.

7:87  "If there are some among you who have come to believe in the message which I bear, while others do not believe, then have patience in hard times till God judges between us. He is the best of all judges."

7:88  The notables among his people who gloried in their arrogance said, "Shu'ayb, We will most certainly expel you and your fellow-believers from our land unless you return to our ways." [Shu'ayb said, "Why, even if we find it detestable?

7:89  If we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them we would be guilty of blaspheming against God. It is inconceivable to return to them, unless God, our Lord, so wills." Our Lord comprehends everything within His knowledge. We place our trust in God. Lord, expose the Truth and judge between us and our people, for You are the best judge.

7:90  The notables among his people who were bent on denying the truth, said [to his followers], "If you follow Shu'ayb, you will be the losers."

7:91  An earthquake overtook them and they lay lifeless in their homes."

7:92  It was as if those who had rejected Shu'ayb never lived there. They were the losers.

7:93  He turned away from them and said, "My people, I delivered to you my Lord's message and gave you good advice. How could I mourn for the people who have denied the truth?"

7:94  We have never sent a prophet to any community without first sending misfortune and hardship to its people so that they might humble themselves.

7:95  We then transformed their hardship into prosperity, so that they were able to thrive but then they said [to themselves], "Misfortune and hardship befell our forefathers as well." Then We seized them suddenly when they were not expecting it.

7:96  If the people of those communities had believed and been mindful of Us, We would have showered them with grace out of heaven and earth, but they rejected the truth, and so We punished them for their misdeeds.

7:97  Can the people of any community ever feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them by night while they are asleep?

7:98  Can the people of any community ever feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them in broad daylight, while they are at play?

7:99  Can they ever feel secure from God's plan? Only the people who are lost feel secure from God's plan.

7:100  Has it not become obvious to those who inherited the earth from former generations that if We willed, We could punish them [as well] for their sins, sealing their hearts so that they cannot hear?

7:101  To those [earlier] communities, some of whose stories We relate to you, messengers from among them came with evidence of the truth, but they would not believe in anything which they had already rejected. God seals the hearts of the unbelievers,

7:102  and in most of them We found that they did not honor their commitments. We found that most of them were defiant.

7:103  Later, We sent Moses with Our messages to Pharaoh and his inner circle, and they rejected them. Consider what happened to those who used to spread corruption.

7:104  Moses said, "Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

7:105  I cannot say anything about God but the Truth. I have now come to you with clear evidence from your Lord. Send the children of Israel with me."

7:106  [Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, produce it, if you are a man of truth."

7:107  [Moses] threw down his staff, and it was clearly a snake.

7:108  He pulled out his hand and it was white for all to see.

7:109  The notables among Pharaoh's people said, "This is definitely a sorcerer with great knowledge

7:110  who wants to drive you out of your land. [Pharaoh said], "What do you advise?"

7:111  They answered, "Let him and his brother wait a while, and send messengers to all cities

7:112  who will bring you every sorcerer of great knowledge."

7:113  The sorcerers came to Pharaoh [and] said, "We should be rewarded if we win."

7:114  [Pharaoh] answered, "Yes, and you will be among those who are near to me."

7:115  They said, "Moses, either you will throw [your staff first], or We will throw [first]."

7:116  He answered, "You throw [first]."When they threw down [their staffs], they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and struck them with fear, producing mighty sorcery.

7:117  [Then] We inspired Moses, "Throw down your staff," and it swallowed up all their deceptions.

7:118  The Truth was confirmed and what they had produced came to nothing.

7:119  They were vanquished there and then, and they became utterly humiliated.

7:120  The sorcerers fell down bowing themselves

7:121  [and] said, "We have come to believe in the Lord of the worlds,

7:122  the Lord of Moses and Aaron."

7:123  Pharaoh said, "How dare you believe in him before I give you permission. This is a plot which you have cunningly devised in [my] town in order to drive out its people. In time you will come to know [my revenge].

7:124  I will cut off your hands and feet in great numbers because of [your] perverseness, and then I will certainly crucify you together in great numbers."

7:125  They answered, "We return to Our Lord.

7:126  You take revenge against us only because we have come to believe in our Lord's messages as soon as they came to us. Lord, shower us with patience in hard times and make us die as men who have surrendered themselves to You."

7:127  The notables among Pharaoh's people said, "Will you allow Moses and his people to spread corruption on earth and to [cause your people to] abandon you and your gods?" (Pharaoh] replied, "We will kill their sons in great numbers and will spare [only] their women. We have complete power over them."

7:128  Moses said to his people, "Turn to God for help, and have patience in hard times. All of the earth belongs to God. He gives it as a heritage to whomever He wills of His worshipers. The future belongs to those who are mindful of Him"

7:129  [The children of Israel] said, "We were being persecuted long before you came to us, and since then too." [Moses] replied, "Your Lord may well destroy your enemy and make you successors to the land to see how you behave."

7:130  We inflicted Pharaoh's people with drought and crop failure, so that they might take heed.

7:131  Whenever good fortune came to them, they would say, "This is our due." Whenever affliction befell them, they would blame their bad fortune on Moses and those who followed him. Their [evil] fortune had been decreed by God, but most of them did not know it.

7:132  They said [to Moses], "We will not believe you, no matter what sign you produce to cast a spell on us."

7:133  We let loose on them floods, [plagues of] locusts, lice, frogs, and [water turning into] blood- all distinct signs, but they reveled in their arrogance for they were people lost in sin.

7:134  Whenever a plague struck them, they would cry, "Moses, pray for us to your Lord by virtue of the promise He has made with you. If you remove this plague from us, We will truly believe in you and will let the children of Israel go with you."

7:135  When We removed the plague from them, giving them time to fulfill their promise, they would break their word.

7:136  We exacted vengeance on them and caused them to drown in the sea, because they had rejected Our messages and paid no heed to them.

7:137  For the people who had been deemed utterly low [in the past], We gave them the eastern and western parts of the land that We had blessed, as their heritage. Your Lord's good promise to the children of Israel was fulfilled as a result of their patience in hard times. Whereas, We destroyed everything that Pharaoh and his people had created and built.

7:138  We brought the children of Israel across the sea, where they came across people who were devoted to worshipping idols. [The children of Israel] said, "Moses, give us a god like the gods they have." He replied, "You are ignorant people!"

7:139  As for these here, what they are doing is doomed to destruction; and all that they have ever done is falsehood."

7:140  He said, "Why should I seek for you a god other than God, since it is He who has favored you above all other people?"

7:141  [He reminded them of the word of God], "We saved you from Pharaoh's people who caused you cruel suffering, killing your sons in great numbers and sparing [only] your women, which was an awesome test from your Lord."

7:142  We made an appointment for thirty nights [on Mount Sinai] for Moses, and We then added ten to them. The term set by his Lord was fulfilled in forty nights. Moses said to his brother Aaron, "Take my place among my people and act righteously, and do not follow the path of those that spread corruption."

7:143  When Moses came at the appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show [Yourself] to me, so that I might see You." [God] said, "You can never see Me. However, behold this mountain. If it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me." As soon as his Lord revealed His limitless glory to the mountain, He caused it to crumble to dust and Moses fell down unconscious. After he recovered, he said, "May You be exalted in Your glory! I repent! I will be the first of the believers!"

7:144  [God] said, "Moses, I have chosen you above all people by virtue of the messages which I have entrusted to you and by virtue of My speaking [to you]. Hold on to what I have given you, and be among the grateful."

7:145  We inscribed everything for him in the Tablets which taught and clearly explained everything. [We said,] "Hold on to them with [all your] strength, and tell your people to hold fast to those most excellent teachings." I will show you the fate of the disobedient people.

7:146  All those on earth who have behaved arrogantly for no reason, I will turn away from My signs. Even if they see every sign, they will not believe in them. And if they see the path of righteousness they will not take it. Whereas, if they see a path of error, they will take it because they have rejected Our messages and have paid no attention to them.

7:147  All of the deeds of those who reject Our messages, and thus the Truth of the life to come, will be in vain. Why should they be repaid for anything other than what they have done?

7:148  In his absence, Moses' people started worshipping a calf, making lowing sounds. It was made from their jewelry. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them in any way. [Yet], they worshipped it because they were unjust.

7:149  [Later,] wringing their hands in remorse, having realized that they had gone astray, they would say, "Unless our Lord has mercy on us and grants us forgiveness, we will be lost."

7:150  When Moses returned to his people, full of wrath and sorrow, he exclaimed, "You have followed a foul and evil course in my absence! Have you abandoned your Lord's commandments?" He threw down the Tablets and seized his brother by the head, dragging him. Aaron cried, "Son of my mother! These people overpowered me and almost killed me! Do not let my enemies rejoice at my suffering, and do not include me with those unjust people."

7:151  [Moses] said, "Lord, grant my brother and me forgiveness, and cover us with Your mercy. You are the most merciful of those who show mercy."

7:152  [To Aaron, he said,] "As for those who worshiped the calf, they will experience their Lord's anger and be disgraced in this world." This is the way we repay all who instigate trouble.

7:153  As for those who do bad deeds and afterwards repent and [truly] believe, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful.

7:154  When Moses' anger subsided, he picked up the Tablets, on which were guidance and mercy for those who stood in awe of their Lord.

7:155  Moses chose seventy men for our appointment. When they were seized with trembling, he prayed, "Lord, had You willed, You would have destroyed them, and me as well. Will You destroy us for what the fools among us did? This is a trial from you, whereby You allow whomever You will to go astray and guide whomever You will. You are near to us. Grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us for You are the most forgiving of all.

7:156  Grant us good things in this world and in the life to come. We have turned to You in repentance." [God] answered, "I punish whomever I will, but My mercy encompasses everything. I grant it to those who are mindful of Me, give the purifying alms and who believe in Our messages;

7:157  those who will follow the Messenger, the gentile Prophet they find described in the Torah and in the Gospel, the Prophet who will command them to do what is obviously right and forbid what is obviously wrong and allow them the good things in life and forbid them the bad things. He will release them from their burdens and shackles that bound them before. Those who will believe in him and honor him and support him and follow the enlightenment that has been sent down with him who will succeed."

7:158  Say [Muhammad], "People, I am the Messenger of God to all, from Him who has control over the heavens and the earth. There is no god but Him. He [alone] gives life and causes death." Believe in God and His Messenger, the gentile Prophet who believed in God and His words. Follow Him, so that you may find guidance.

7:159  Among the people of Moses, there is a group of people who would guide with the Truth and who act justly according to it.

7:160  We divided them into twelve tribes. When his people asked Moses for water, We inspired him, "Strike the rock with your staff," and twelve springs gushed out so that all the people knew where to drink. We caused the clouds to comfort them with their shade, and We sent down to them manna and quail. We said, "Eat the good things We have provided for you." They did no wrong to Us; they only wronged themselves.

7:161  When you were told, "Take this village as your home, and eat anywhere you like. But say, 'Remove the burden of our sins from us', and enter the gate humbly. Then We will forgive you of your sins and will abundantly reward those who do good."

7:162  Those among them who were bent on doing wrong substituted another saying for that which they had been given, so We released from heaven a plague against them as a punishment for all their injustices.

7:163  [Prophet] Ask them about the town that stood by the sea and how its people would disregard the Sabbath whenever their fish surfaced for them only on that day, and they would never come on other days. We tested them by means of their [own] disobedience.

7:164  Whenever people among them asked [those who tried to restrain the people who broke the Sabbath], "Why do you preach to people whom God is about to destroy or [at least] to punish with severe suffering?" The pious ones would answer, "In order to be free from blame before your Lord and so that these [transgressors] might also become mindful of Him."

7:165  When those [sinners] forgot all that they had been told to take to heart, We saved those that tried to prevent them doing evil, and severely punished the wrongdoers with dreadful suffering.

7:166  When they scornfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be as despicable as apes."

7:167  Your Lord made it known that until the Day of Resurrection, He would send people to punish them with cruel suffering. Your Lord is swift in punishment but He is most Forgiving and most Merciful-to-all.

7:168  We dispersed them as [separate] communities all over earth; some of them were righteous and some of them less so. We tried them with blessings and/or misfortune so that they might return [to the right path].

7:169  They have been succeeded by generations who, [in spite of] having inherited the Book, hold onto the momentary treasures of this world [in preference to the Hereafter] and say, "We will be forgiven". Yet if the same opportunity comes around again they will take it. Didn't they make a commitment based on the Book, not to say anything about God that was not the Truth and [haven't they] studied its contents well? Since the life in the Hereafter is the better [of the two] for all who are mindful of God, will you not use your common sense?

7:170  As for those who hold fast to the Book and are constant in prayer, We will not fail to reward those who do what is right.

7:171  When We caused Mount Sinai to shake above the children of Israel as if it were a [mere] shadow, and they thought it would fall on to them, did we not say, "Hold fast with [all your] strength onto what We have given to you and remember all that is within so that you might remain mindful of God"?

7:172  When your Lord took out from the loins of the children of Adam all their descendants, He called upon them to bear witness about themselves, "Am I not your Lord?" To which they answer, "Yes, we bear witness of this." [We remind you of this] so that on the Day of Resurrection, you do not say, "We were unaware of this,"

7:173  or so that you do not say, "It was our forefathers who began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God and we were only their children. Will You destroy us because of the falsehoods they invented?"

7:174  We clearly spell out these messages and [We do it] so that they [those who have sinned] might return [to Us].

7:175  Tell them the story of the man to whom We gave Our messages and who then cast them aside: Satan catches up with him and he strays, into error.

7:176  Had We so willed, We could have used those [messages] to raise him high but he always clung to the earth and followed his own desires. He was like a dog-who pants with his tongue hanging out whether you drive him away or leave him alone. That's the image of those who reject Our messages. Tell this story so that they might reflect on it.

7:177  The people who reject Our messages are an example of evil, for It is against themselves that they are sinning.

7:178  Only He whom God guides is truly guided, whereas those whom He lets go astray are the losers.

7:179  There are many jinn and men who have hearts that fail to grasp the truth. We have destined for Hell, those whose eyes fail to see and whose ears fail to hear. They are like cattle. No, they are even less mindful of the right path. It is they who are [truly] oblivious.

7:180  The Most Beautiful Names belong to God: use them to call on Him and avoid those who take His name in vain. They will be punished for all that they do.

7:181  Among those whom We created, there are people who guide [others] in the way of the Truth and act justly in its light.

7:182  As for those who are bent on denying Our messages, We will bring them low, step by step, without their perceiving how it happened,

7:183  even if I give them more time. My subtle plan is unshakeable.

7:184  Has it never occurred to them that their companion [referring to the Prophet] is not mad but is giving them clear warning?

7:185  Have they never considered [God's] mighty dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that God has created and [asked themselves] whether the end of their own term might be near? What [other revelation] will they believe in if they do not believe in this?

7:186  For those whom God lets go astray, there is no guide and He will leave them in their presumptuous arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.

7:187  They will ask you [Prophet] about the Last Hour: "When will it come?" Say, "Knowledge of this rests with my Lord along. Only He will reveal it in its time. It will weigh heavily on the heavens and the earth [and] it will fall upon you suddenly." They will continually ask you, as if you could gain insight into this [mystery]. Say, "Knowledge of this rests with my Lord alone but most people are unaware [of this]."

7:188  Say [Prophet], "It is not with my power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from myself except as God may please. If I had knowledge of what is hidden, I would have abundant good things and no evil would ever touch me. I am only one who sounds a warning and a messenger of good news to people who will believe."

7:189  He has created [all] of you out of one living entity and out of it brought into being its mate, so that man might incline towards women [with love]. When he has embraced her, she conceives [what begins as] a light burden, and continues to bear it. Then, when she grows heavy [with child], they both call onto God, their Lord, "If You grant us a healthy [child], We will be among the grateful."

7:190  Yet, as soon as He has granted them an upright child; they begin to give credit to associates alongside Him, giving them a share in bringing about what He has granted them. However, God is far above the partners they ascribe alongside Him.

7:191  Will they ascribe divinity alongside Him to beings that cannot create anything since they are created,

7:192  and are unable to give them help nor can they help themselves.

7:193  If you [Believers] offer guidance to such people, they won't follow you: it makes no difference whether you offer it to them or remain silent.

7:194  All those that you call [idolaters] on beside God are only created beings like yourselves. Call on them and let them answer your prayers if what you claim is true.

7:195  Do They have feet to walk on? Do They have hands with which they can grasp? Do They have eyes with which they can see? Do They have ears with which they can hear? Say [Prophet], "Call to your aid all those to whom you ascribe a share in God's divinity," and then scheme [anything you may wish] against me. Do not spare me.

7:196  My protector is God, who has given me this Book from on high, for It is He who protects the righteous.

7:197  All those whom you call on instead of Him are neither able to give you help nor can they help themselves

7:198  and if you pray to them for guidance, they do not hear and although you may imagine that they see you, they do not see.

7:199  Be tolerant of man's nature and command the doing of what is right and leave alone all those who choose to remain ignorant.

7:200  If it should happen that a prompting from Satan stirs you up [to blind anger], seek refuge with God. He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

7:201  Those who are mindful of God think [of Him] when Satan prompts them to do something and immediately they begin to see [things] clearly,

7:202  even though their [godless] brethren would like to draw them into error.

7:203  When you [Prophet] do not produce a miracle for them, some [people] will say, "Why do not you seek to obtain it [from God]?" Say, "I only follow whatever is being revealed to me from my Lord. This [revelation] is a means of insight from your Lord and a guidance and grace onto people who will believe.

7:204  Hence, when the Qur'an is recited, pay attention and listen to it in silence, so that you might be graced with [God's] mercy."

7:205  [Prophet] remember your Lord humbly and with awe and without raising your voice in the morning and in the evening. Do not allow yourself to be inattentive

7:206  Those who are in the presence of your Lord are never too proud to worship Him. They praise His limitless glory and bow down before Him.