Surah “The Rock, Stoneland, Rock City”

as rendered by A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018) — 99 verses

Alif, Laam, Raa. These are the verses of the Book and Quran that makes things clear.
Again and again will those who disbelieve wish that they had made peace
Leave them alone to consume and to enjoy themselves. Let false hope amuse them. Soon will they come to know
Never did We destroy a population that did not have a term decreed that We did not assign beforehand
Neither can the people anticipate its term nor delay it
They say, “O you to whom the message is being revealed, you are certainly insane
“Why do you not bring angels to us if you have the truth?
We do not send the angels down except for just cause. If they had come, behold, no respite would those people have
We have, without doubt, sent down the message, and We will certainly protect it
We sent messengers before you among the ancient religions
But there never came a messenger to them that they did not mock
And we let creep into the hearts of those who are wrong
That they should not believe in it, as certain as those from the past have passed away
Even if We opened up to them a gate from heaven, and they were to continue ascending therein
They would only say, “Our eyes have been intoxicated. No, we have been possessed by deception.
It is We Who have set out the constellations in the heavens, and made them attractive to all gazers
And We have guarded them from every rejected devil
But any who gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a bright burning flame
And We have spread out the earth, set stable mountains, and produced there all kinds of things balanced
And We have provided means of subsistence there, for you and for those for whose sustenance you do not supply
And there is nothing that does not have its treasures with Us, but We only send it down in an amount known
And We send the pollinating winds, and then cause the rain to descend from the sky, and it provides you with water, though you are not the guardians of its stores
And indeed, it is We who give life, and Who give death. It is We who remain inheritors
To Us are known those of you who hasten forward, and those who lag behind
Surely your Lord will gather them together, for He is perfect in wisdom and knowledge
We created the human from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape
And the jinn, We had created previously, from the scorching fire
Behold, your Lord said to the angels, “I am about to create a human being from sounding clay, from earth molded into shape
“When I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down, prostrating to him.
So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together
But not Lucifer. He refused to be among those who prostrated themselves
God said, “O Lucifer, what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?
Lucifer said, “I am not one to prostrate myself to the human being whom You created from sounding clay, from earth molded into shape.
God said, “Then get out from here, for you are rejected, accursed
“And the curse will be on you until the Day of Accountability.
Lucifer said, “O my Lord, then give me respite until the day they are raised.
God said, “Respite is granted to you
“Until the day of the time appointed.
Lucifer said, “O my Lord, because You have put me in the wrong, I will make wrong attractive to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong
“Except Your devotees among them, sincere and innocent.
God said, “This is indeed a way that leads straight to Me
“For over My servants, no authority will you have, except those who put themselves in harm’s way by following you.
And indeed hell is the promised abode for them all
For there are seven gates, for each of those gates is a group assigned
The righteous will be among gardens and fountains
“Enter here in peace and security.
And We will remove from their chests any hatred. They will be a community facing each other on thrones
There, no sense of fatigue will touch them, nor will they ever be asked to leave
Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming
And that My penalty will indeed be the most terrible penalty
Tell them about the guests of Abraham
When they entered his presence and said, “Peace.” He said, “We feel afraid of you.
They said, “Fear not, we give you good news of a son endowed with wisdom.
He said, “Do you give me good news that old age has seized me? Then what is your good news about?
They said, “We give you good news in truth. So do not be in despair.
He said, “And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except those who stray?
Abraham said, “What then is the business on which you have come, O you messengers?
They said, “We have been sent against a people in sin
“Not the adherents of Lot. Them we are certainly charged to save, all
“Except his wife, who We have learned will be among those who will lag behind.
Then when the messengers arrived among the adherents of Lot
He said, “Certainly you are a people unknown.
They said, “Yes, we have come to you to accomplish that which they doubt
“We have brought to you that which is inevitably due, and surely we tell the truth
“So travel by night with your household, when a portion of the night yet remains, and bring up the rear. Let no one among you look back, but go to where you are ordered.
And We made known this decree to him, that the last remains of them will be cut off by the morning
The inhabitants of the city came gaily
Lot said, “These are my guests, do not disgrace me
“Be conscious of God, and do not embarrass me.
They said, “Did we not forbid you from that world?
He said, “Here are my daughters, if you must do so.
Indeed, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they wander in distraction, going both ways
But the mighty blast overtook them before morning
And We turned them upside down, and rained down on them brimstone hard as baked clay
Behold, in this are signs for those who understand
And they were on the high road
Behold, in this is a sign for those who believed
And the Companions of the Wood were wrongdoers
So We took retribution from them. They were both on an open highway, plain to see
The companions of the Rocky Tract also rejected the messengers
We sent them Our signs, but they persisted in turning away from them
Out of the mountains, they carved secure edifices
But the mighty blast seized them one morning
And of no avail to them was all that they did
We did not create the heavens, the earth, and all between them, except for just ends, and the Hour is surely coming. So overlook with gracious forgiveness
For indeed it is your Lord who is the Master, the Creator, the All Knowing
And We have bestowed upon you the seven oft-repeated verses and the great Quran
Do not strain your eyes at what We have bestowed on certain classes of them, nor grieve over them, but lower your wing to the believers
And say, “I am indeed he who warns openly and without ambiguity.
As We have sent down on those who divided it
And have made the Quran into shreds
Therefore, by the Lord, We indeed will call them to account
For all their deeds
Therefore, answer openly what you are asked, and turn away from those who join false gods with God
For sufficient are We for you against those who ridicule
Those who take with God another god. But soon will they come to know
We certainly know how your heart is distressed at what they say
But praise your Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration
And serve your Lord until there comes to you the Hour that is certain