Surah “The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City”

as rendered by George Sale — 99 verses

A.L.R. These are the signs of the book, and of the perspicuous Koran
The time may come when the unbelievers shall wish that they had been Moslems
Suffer them to eat, and to enjoy themselves in this world; and let hope entertain them: But they shall hereafter know their folly
We have not destroyed any city, but a fixed term of repentance was appointed them
No nation shall be punished before their time shall be come; neither shall they be respited after
The Meccans say, O thou to whom the admonition hath been sent down, thou art certainly possessed with a devil
Wouldest thou not have come unto us with an attendance of angels, if thou hadst spoken truth
Answer, we send not down the angels, unless on a just occasion; nor should they be then respited any longer
We have surely sent down the Koran; and We will certainly preserve the same from corruption
We have heretofore sent apostles before thee, among the ancient sects
And there came no apostle unto them, but they laughed him to scorn
In the same manner will we put it into the hearts of the wicked Meccans to scoff at their prophet
They shall not believe on him; and the sentence of the nations of old hath been executed heretofore
If We should open a gate in the heaven above them, and they should ascend thereto all the day long
they would surely say, our eyes are only dazzled; or rather we are a people deluded by enchantments
We have placed the twelve signs in the heaven, and have set them out in various figures, for the observation of spectators
And we guard them from every devil driven away with stones
except him who listeneth by stealth, at whom a visible flame is darted
We have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon stable mountains; and we have caused every kind of vegetable to spring forth in the same, according to a determinate weight
And we have provided therein necessaries of life for you, and for him whom ye do not sustain
There is no one thing but the store-houses thereof are in our hands; and We distribute not the same otherwise than in a determinate measure
We also send the winds driving the pregnant clouds, and We send down from heaven water, whereof We give you to drink, and which ye keep not in store
Verily we give life, and We put to death; and We are the heirs of all things
We know those among you who go before; and We know those who stay behind
And thy Lord shall gather them together at the last day; for he is knowing and wise
We created man of dried clay, of black mud, formed into shape
And We had before created the devil of subtile fire
And remember when thy Lord said unto the angels, verily I am about to create man of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape
when therefore I shall have completely formed him, and shall have breathed of my spirit into him; do ye fall down and worship him
And all the angels worshipped Adam together
except Eblis, who refused to be with those who worshipped him
And God said unto him, O Eblis, what hindered thee from being with those who worshipped Adam
He answered, it is not fit that I should worship man, whom thou hast created of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape
God said, get thee therefore hence; for thou shalt be driven away with stones
And a curse shall be on thee, until the day of judgment
The devil said, O Lord, give me respite until the day of resurrection
God answered, verily thou shalt be one of those who are respite
until the day of the appointed time
The devil replied, O Lord, because thou hast seduced me, I will surely tempt them to disobedience in the earth; and I will seduce them all
except such of them as shall be thy chosen servants
God said, this is the right way with me
Verily as to my servants, thou shalt have no power over them; but over those only who shall be seduced, and who shall follow thee
And hell is surely denounced unto them all
It hath seven gates; unto every gate a distinct company of them shall be assigned
But those who fear God shall dwell in gardens, amidst fountains
The angels shall say unto them, enter ye therein in peace and security
And we will remove all grudges from their breasts; they shall be as brethren, sitting over against one another on couches
Weariness shall not affect them therein, neither shall they be cast out thence for ever
Declare unto my servants that I am the gracious, the merciful God
and that my punishment is a grievous punishment
And relate unto them the history of Abraham's guests
When they went in unto him, and said, peace be unto thee; he answered, verily we are afraid of you
And they replied, fear not; we bring thee the promise of a wise son
He said, do ye bring me the promise of a son now old age hath overtaken me? What is it therefore that ye tell me
They said, we have told thee the truth; be not therefore one of those who despair
He answered, and who despaireth of the mercy of God, except those who err
And he said, what is your errand therefore, O messengers of God
They answered, verily we are sent to destroy a wicked people
But as for the family of Lot, we will save them all
except his wife; we have decreed that she shall be one of those who remain behind to be destroyed with the infidels
And when the messengers came to the family of Lot
he said unto them, verily ye are people who are unknown to me
They answered, but we are come unto thee to execute that sentence, concerning which your fellow citizens doubted
We tell thee a certain truth; and we are messengers of veracity
Therefore lead forth thy family, in some time of the night; and do thou follow behind them, and let none of you turn back; but go whither ye are commanded
And We gave him this command; because the utmost remnant of those people was to be cut off in the morning
And the inhabitants of the city came unto Lot, rejoicing at the news of the arrival of some strangers
And he said unto them, verily these are my guests: Wherefore do not disgrace me by abusing them
but fear God, and put me not to shame
They answered, have we not forbidden thee from entertaining or protecting any man
Lot replied, these are my daughters; therefore rather make use of them, if ye be resolved to do what ye purpose
As thou livest they wander in their folly
Wherefore a terrible storm from heaven assailed them at sun-rise
And We turned the city upside down; and We rained on them stones of baked clay
Verily herein are signs unto men of sagacity
And those cities were punished, to point out a right way for men to walk in
Verily herein is a sign unto the true believers
The inhabitants of the wood near Midian were also ungodly
Wherefore We took vengeance on them. And both of them were destroyed, to serve as a manifest rule for men to direct their actions by
And the inhabitants of Al Hejr likewise heretofore accused the messengers of God of imposture
And We produced our signs unto them, but they retired afar off from the same
And they hewed houses out of mountains, to secure themselves
But a terrible noise from heaven assailed them in the morning
Neither was what they had wrought of any advantage unto them
We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is contained between them, otherwise than in justice: And the hour of judgment shall surely come. Wherefore, O Mohammed, forgive thy people with a gracious forgiveness
Verily thy Lord is the creator of thee and of them, and knoweth what is most expedient
We have already brought unto thee seven verses which are frequently to be repeated, and the glorious Koran
Cast not thine eyes on the good things which We have bestowed on several of the unbelievers, so as to covet the same; neither be thou grieved on their account. Behave thyself with meekness towards the true believers
and say, I am a public preacher
If they believe not, We will inflict a like punishment on them, as We have inflicted on the dividers
who distinguished the Koran into different parts
for by thy Lord, We will demand an account from them all
of that which they have wrought
Wherefore publish that which thou hast been commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters
We will surely take thy part against the scoffers
who associate with God another god; they shall surely know their folly
And now We well know that thou art deeply concerned on account of that which they say
but do thou celebrate the praise of thy Lord; and be one of those who worship
and serve thy Lord, until death shall overtake thee