The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Alif Lām Mīm[1].

The revelation of the Book, about which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of the worlds.

Or do they say, “He has fabricated it.”? No, it is the truth from your Lord so that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, in order that they may be guided.

It is Allah Who created the heavens and earth and all that is between them in six Days, then rose over the Throne[2]. You have no protector or intercessor other than Him. Will you not then take heed?

He manages every matter from the heaven to the earth, then everything ascends to Him on a Day the length of which is a thousand years by your reckoning.

Such is the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful,

Who perfected everything He created, and initiated the creation of man[3] from clay.

Then He made his progeny from the extract of a worthless fluid.

Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit[4]. He granted you hearing, sight and intellect; yet little it is that you give thanks.

They say, “What! Is it that when we are disintegrated into the earth, will we then be created anew?” Rather, they deny the meeting with their Lord.

Say, “The angel of death, who is in charge of you, will take your souls, then to your Lord you will be brought back.”

If only you could see the wicked lowering their heads before their Lord, “Our Lord, we have now seen and heard. Send us back; we will do righteous deeds. Now we truly have faith.”

If We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but My Word[5] will be fulfilled: “I will certainly fill up Hell with jinn and men all together.”

So taste [the punishment] because you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours. We have likewise forgotten you. Taste the eternal punishment for what you used to do.”

The true believers in Our verses are only those who, when they are reminded of them, fall in prostration and glorify their Lord with praise, and they do not show arrogance.

They forsake their beds, invoking their Lord with fear and hope, and spend[6] out of what We have provided for them.

No soul knows what delights are kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.

Is one who is a believer like one who is an evildoer? They are not equal.

As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have gardens to dwell in, as an accommodation for what they used to do.

But those who are rebellious, their abode will be the Fire. Every time they try to escape from it, they will be driven back into it, and it will be said to them, “Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny.”

We will certainly make them taste some minor punishment[7] prior to the greater punishment[8], so that they may return.

Who does greater wrong than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord, then turns away from them? We will surely take vengeance upon the wicked.

We gave Moses the Scripture, so do not doubt about meeting him[9], and We made it a guide for the Children of Israel.

We made some of them leaders[10], guiding by Our command, because they observed patience and firmly believed in Our signs.

Indeed, it is your Lord Who will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.

Is it not yet clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they now walk about? Indeed, there are signs in this. Do they not then listen?

Do they not see that We drive water to parched land, producing thereby crops of which their cattle and they themselves eat? Do they not then see?

They say, “When will this Decision[11] be if you are truthful?”

Say, “On the Day of Decision the belief of those who disbelieved will not benefit them, nor will they be given any respite.”

So turn away from them and wait; they too are waiting.