In the name of God, the Almighty,¹ the Merciful.

¹ ḥā mīm¹

² By the Clear Writ!¹

³ We have made it an Arabic recitation,¹ that you might use reason,

⁴ And it is in the foundation of the Writ,¹ with Us, exalted and wise.

⁵ Shall We then turn the remembrance¹ away² from you because you are a people committing excess?

⁶ And how many a prophet did We send to the former peoples!

⁷ But there came not to them a prophet save they mocked him.

⁸ And We destroyed stronger than them in might; and the example of the former peoples has gone before.

⁹ And if thou askest them who created the heavens and the earth,¹ they will say: “There created them the Exalted in Might, the Knowing––”²

¹⁰ Who made the earth a bed for you, and made roads for you therein that you might be guided;

¹¹ And who sent down water from the sky in measure — and We resurrected thereby a dead land; thus will you be brought forth —

¹² And who created the pairs,¹ all of them, and made for you of ships² and cattle that whereon you ride,

¹³ That you might settle yourselves upon their backs; then remember the favour of your Lord when you have settled yourselves thereon, and say: “Glory¹ be to Him who made this subject for us when we were not equal to it!

¹⁴ “And to our Lord are we returning.”

¹⁵ But they have appointed for Him, from among His servants, a portion;¹ man is an obvious ingrate.

¹⁶ If¹ He has taken of what He creates daughters, and chosen for you sons,²

¹⁷ (But when one of them is given glad tidings of that¹ which he strikes for the Almighty² as a similitude, his face turns black and he suppresses grief:³

¹⁸ “What — one brought up among ornaments and in conflict not seen!”¹)

¹⁹ And they have made the angels, who are the servants of the Almighty,¹ females:² — did they witness their creation?³ Their witness will be recorded; and they will be questioned.⁴

²⁰ And they say: “Had the Almighty¹ willed, we would not have served them.” They have no knowledge of that; they are only guessing.²

²¹ If¹ We gave them a Writ² before it³ to which they are holding:⁴

²² The truth is,¹ they say: “We found our fathers upon² a community, and we in their footsteps³ are guided.”

²³ And thus We sent not before thee into a city any warner save its opulent ones said: “We found our fathers upon¹ a community, and we are following² in their footsteps.”

²⁴ He¹ said:² “What — though I bring you better guidance than what you found your fathers upon?” They said: “We are deniers of that wherewith you have been sent,”

²⁵ So We took vengeance on them; then see thou how was the final outcome of the deniers.

²⁶ And when Abraham said to his father and his people: “I am quit of what you serve,

²⁷ “Save Him who originated me; and He will guide me,”[...].¹

²⁸ And He made it¹ a word enduring among his posterity, that they might return.

²⁹ The truth is,¹ I gave these and their fathers enjoyment, until there came to them the truth² and a clear messenger.

³⁰ And when the truth¹ came to them, they said: “This is sorcery,² and we are deniers thereof.”

³¹ And they said: “Oh, that this Qur’an¹ had but² been sent down upon a great man of the two cities!”³

³² Is it they who distribute the mercy of thy Lord? We have distributed among them their livelihood in the life of this world and raised some of them above others in degree,¹ that some of them might take others in service; but the mercy of thy Lord is better than what they amass.

³³ And were it not that mankind would be one community, We would have appointed for him who denies the Almighty¹ — for their houses — roofs of silver, and stairs whereon to ascend,

³⁴ And for their houses doors, and couches¹ whereon to recline,

³⁵ And ornaments of gold.¹ But all that is but the enjoyment of the life of this world; and the Hereafter with your Lord is for those of prudent fear.²

³⁶ And he who is blind to the remembrance¹ of the Almighty,² We assign to him a satan³ and he is to him a companion,

³⁷ And they turn them away from¹ the path, while they think that they are guided.

³⁸ When¹ he has come to Us, he will say: “Would that between me and thee had been the distance of the two Easts!” And evil is the companion.

³⁹ “And it benefits you not this day, when you have done wrong, that you are sharers¹ in the punishment!”²

⁴⁰ Wilt thou make the deaf to hear, or wilt thou guide the blind or him who is in manifest error?

⁴¹ And whether We take thee away¹ — then will We take vengeance on them —

⁴² Or We show thee that which We have promised them:¹ — We are omnipotent over them —

⁴³ Hold thou fast that which is revealed¹ to thee; thou art on a straight path.

⁴⁴ And it is a remembrance¹ for thee and for thy people; and you will be questioned.

⁴⁵ And ask thou of Our messengers We sent before thee:¹ appointed We, besides² the Almighty, gods to be served?³

⁴⁶ And We sent Moses with Our proofs¹ to Pharaoh² and his eminent ones, and he said: “I am the messenger of the Lord of All Creation.”

⁴⁷ And when he came to them with Our proofs,¹ then they laughed at them.

⁴⁸ And We showed them no proof¹ save it was greater than its sister; and We seized them with the punishment, that they might return.

⁴⁹ And they said: “O thou sorcerer:¹ call thou to thy Lord for us by what He has made in covenant with thee — we will be guided!”