15. Al-Hijr

الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَقُرۡءَانࣲ مُّبِينࣲ‏

Alif. Lam. Ra'. These are the verses of the Book, and a Clear Qur'an

رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوۡ كَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ

Soon will the time come when the unbelievers will wish they were Muslims

ذَرۡهُمۡ يَأۡكُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلۡهِهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَلُۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Leave them to eat and enjoy life and let false hopes amuse them. They will soon come to know

وَمَآ أَهۡلَكۡنَا مِن قَرۡيَةٍ إِلَّا وَلَهَا كِتَابࣱ مَّعۡلُومࣱ‏

Whenever We destroyed a town, a definite term had previously been decreed for it

مَّا تَسۡبِقُ مِنۡ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ

No people can outstrip the term for its destruction nor can it delay it

وَقَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلذِّكۡرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجۡنُونࣱ‏

They say: "O you to whom the Admonition has been revealed, you are surely crazed

لَّوۡمَا تَأۡتِينَا بِٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

Why do you not bring down angels upon us if you are indeed truthful

مَا نُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُوٓاْ إِذࣰ ا مُّنظَرِينَ

We do not send down the angels (in frivolity); and when We do send them down, We do so with Truth; then people are granted no respite

إِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا ٱلذِّكۡرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ

As for the Admonition, indeed it is We Who have revealed it and it is indeed We Who are its guardians

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ فِي شِيَعِ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

(O Muhammad), certainly We did send Messengers before you among the nations which have gone by

وَمَا يَأۡتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ

And whenever a Messenger came to them, they never failed to mock him

كَذَٰلِكَ نَسۡلُكُهُۥ فِي قُلُوبِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ

Even so We make a way for it (that is, the Admonition) in the hearts of the culprits (like a hot rod)

لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِهِۦ وَقَدۡ خَلَتۡ سُنَّةُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِينَ

they do not believe in it. This has been the wont of people of this kind from ancient times

وَلَوۡ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَابࣰ ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَظَلُّواْ فِيهِ يَعۡرُجُونَ

If We were even to open for them a way to the heavens, and they could continually climb up to it in broad daylight

لَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتۡ أَبۡصَٰرُنَا بَلۡ نَحۡنُ قَوۡمࣱ مَّسۡحُورُونَ

they would still have said: "Surely our eyes have been dazzled; rather, we have been enchanted

وَلَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجࣰ ا وَزَيَّنَّٰهَا لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ

We have indeed set constellations in the heavens and have beautified them for the beholders

وَحَفِظۡنَٰهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيۡطَٰنࣲ رَّجِيمٍ

and have protected them against every accursed satan

إِلَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَرَقَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُۥ شِهَابࣱ مُّبِينࣱ‏

save him who may eavesdrop, and then a bright flame pursues him

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَٰهَا وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ مَّوۡزُونࣲ‏

As for the earth, We have stretched it out and have cast on it firm mountains, and have caused to grow in it everything well-measured

وَجَعَلۡنَا لَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَعَٰيِشَ وَمَن لَّسۡتُمۡ لَهُۥ بِرَٰزِقِينَ

And We have provided sustenance for you on it and also for those of whom you are not the providers

وَإِن مِّن شَيۡءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَآئِنُهُۥ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِقَدَرࣲ مَّعۡلُومࣲ‏

There is nothing except that its treasuries are with Us and We do not send it down except in a known measure

وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلرِّيَٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءࣰ فَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ بِخَٰزِنِينَ

We send fertilizing winds, and then cause rain to descend from the sky, providing you abundant water to drink even though you could not have stored it up for yourselves

وَإِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ نُحۡيِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحۡنُ ٱلۡوَٰرِثُونَ

It is indeed We Who grant life and cause death and it is We who shall be the sole Inheritors of all

وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا ٱلۡمُسۡتَقۡدِمِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا ٱلۡمُسۡتَـٔۡخِرِينَ

Surely We know those of you who have passed before and those who will come later

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَحۡشُرُهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمࣱ‏

Indeed your Lord will gather them all together. Surely He is All-Wise, All-Knowing

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ مِّنۡ حَمَإࣲ مَّسۡنُونࣲ‏

Surely We brought man into being out of dry ringing clay which was wrought from black mud

وَٱلۡجَآنَّ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ مِن نَّارِ ٱلسَّمُومِ

while We had brought the jinn into being before out of blazing fire

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرࣰ ا مِّن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ مِّنۡ حَمَإࣲ مَّسۡنُونࣲ‏

Recall when your Lord said to the angels: "I will indeed bring into being a human being out of dry ringing clay wrought from black mud

فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ

When I have completed shaping him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall you down before him in prostration

فَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَ

So, the angels - all of them - fell down in prostration

إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ

except Iblis; he refused to join those who prostrated

قَالَ يَٰٓإِبۡلِيسُ مَا لَكَ أَلَّا تَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ

The Lord inquired: "Iblis! What is the matter with you that you did not join those who prostrated

قَالَ لَمۡ أَكُن لِّأَسۡجُدَ لِبَشَرٍ خَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ مِّنۡ حَمَإࣲ مَّسۡنُونࣲ‏

He said: "It does not behove of me to prostrate myself before a human being whom You have created out of dry ringing clay wrought from black mud

قَالَ فَٱخۡرُجۡ مِنۡهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمࣱ‏

The Lord said: "Then get out of here; you are rejected

وَإِنَّ عَلَيۡكَ ٱللَّعۡنَةَ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ

and there shall be a curse upon you till the Day of Recompense

قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ

Iblis said: "My Lord! Grant me respite till the Day when they will be resurrected

قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ

Allah said: "For sure you are granted respite

إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡوَقۡتِ ٱلۡمَعۡلُومِ

until the day of a known time

قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

Iblis said: "My Lord! In the manner You led me to error, I will make things on earth seem attractive to them and lead all of them to error

إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ

except those of Your servants whom You have singled out for Yourself

قَالَ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسۡتَقِيمٌ

Allah said: "Here is the path that leads straight to Me

إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٌ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ

Over My true servants you will be able to exercise no power, your power will be confined to the erring ones, those who choose to follow you

وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمَوۡعِدُهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

Surely Hell is the promised place for all of them

لَهَا سَبۡعَةُ أَبۡوَٰبࣲ لِّكُلِّ بَابࣲ مِّنۡهُمۡ جُزۡءࣱ مَّقۡسُومٌ

There are seven gates in it, and to each gate a portion of them has been allotted

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ فِي جَنَّٰتࣲ وَعُيُونٍ

As for the God-fearing, they shall be amid gardens and springs

ٱدۡخُلُوهَا بِسَلَٰمٍ ءَامِنِينَ

They will be told: "Enter it in peace and security

وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلٍّ إِخۡوَٰنًا عَلَىٰ سُرُرࣲ مُّتَقَٰبِلِينَ

And We shall purge their breasts of all traces of rancour; and they shall be seated on couches facing one another as brothers

لَا يَمَسُّهُمۡ فِيهَا نَصَبࣱ وَمَا هُم مِّنۡهَا بِمُخۡرَجِينَ

They shall face no fatigue in it, nor shall they ever be driven out of it

۞نَبِّئۡ عِبَادِيٓ أَنِّيٓ أَنَا ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

(O Prophet), declare to My servants that I am indeed Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful

وَأَنَّ عَذَابِي هُوَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ٱلۡأَلِيمُ

At the same time, My chastisement is highly painful

وَنَبِّئۡهُمۡ عَن ضَيۡفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ

And tell them about Abraham's guests

إِذۡ دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ فَقَالُواْ سَلَٰمࣰ ا قَالَ إِنَّا مِنكُمۡ وَجِلُونَ

When they came to Abraham they said: "Peace be upon you!" He replied: "Indeed we feel afraid of you

قَالُواْ لَا تَوۡجَلۡ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَٰمٍ عَلِيمࣲ‏

They said: "Do not feel afraid, for we give you the good news of a wise boy

قَالَ أَبَشَّرۡتُمُونِي عَلَىٰٓ أَن مَّسَّنِيَ ٱلۡكِبَرُ فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ

Abraham said: "What, do you give me this tiding though old age has smitten me? Just consider what tiding do you give me

قَالُواْ بَشَّرۡنَٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡقَٰنِطِينَ

They said: "The good tiding we give you is of truth. Do not, therefore, be of those who despair

قَالَ وَمَن يَقۡنَطُ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ

Abraham said: "Who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except the misguided

قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ

He added: "What is your errand O sent ones

قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمࣲ مُّجۡرِمِينَ

They said: "Verily we have been sent to a guilty people

إِلَّآ ءَالَ لُوطٍ إِنَّا لَمُنَجُّوهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

excepting the household of Lot. We shall deliver all of them

إِلَّا ٱمۡرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرۡنَآ إِنَّهَا لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَٰبِرِينَ

except his wife (about whom Allah says that) We have decreed that she shall be among those who stay behind

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ءَالَ لُوطٍ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ

So when the envoys came to the household of Lot

قَالَ إِنَّكُمۡ قَوۡمࣱ مُّنكَرُونَ

he said: "Surely you are an unknown folk

قَالُواْ بَلۡ جِئۡنَٰكَ بِمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَمۡتَرُونَ

They said: "Nay, we have brought to you that concerning which they have been in doubt

وَأَتَيۡنَٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ

We truly tell you that we have brought to you the Truth

فَأَسۡرِ بِأَهۡلِكَ بِقِطۡعࣲ مِّنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱتَّبِعۡ أَدۡبَٰرَهُمۡ وَلَا يَلۡتَفِتۡ مِنكُمۡ أَحَدࣱ وَٱمۡضُواْ حَيۡثُ تُؤۡمَرُونَ

So set out with your family in a watch of the night, and keep yourself behind them, and no one of you may turn around, and keep going ahead as you have been commanded

وَقَضَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡهِ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡأَمۡرَ أَنَّ دَابِرَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَقۡطُوعࣱ مُّصۡبِحِينَ

And We communicated to him the decree that by the morning those people will be totally destroyed

وَجَآءَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ

In the meantime the people of the city came to Lot rejoicing

قَالَ إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ضَيۡفِي فَلَا تَفۡضَحُونِ

He said: "These are my guests, so do not disgrace me

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخۡزُونِ

Have fear of Allah, and do not humiliate me

قَالُوٓاْ أَوَلَمۡ نَنۡهَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

They replied: "Did we not forbid you again and again to extend hospitality to all and sundry

قَالَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِيٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَٰعِلِينَ

Lot exclaimed in exasperation: "If you are bent on doing something, then here are my daughters

لَعَمۡرُكَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَفِي سَكۡرَتِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ

By your life, (O Prophet), they went about blindly stumbling in their intoxication

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُشۡرِقِينَ

Then the mighty Blast caught them at sunrise

فَجَعَلۡنَا عَٰلِيَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمۡطَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةࣰ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ

and turned the land upside down, and rained down stones of baked clay

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتࣲ لِّلۡمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

There are great Signs in this for those endowed with intelligence

وَإِنَّهَا لَبِسَبِيلࣲ مُّقِيمٍ

The place (where this occurred) lies along a known route

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةࣰ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Verily there is a Sign in this for the believers

وَإِن كَانَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأَيۡكَةِ لَظَٰلِمِينَ

And the people of Aykah were also wrong-doers

فَٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامࣲ مُّبِينࣲ‏

So We chastised them. The desolate locations of both communities lie on a well-known highway

وَلَقَدۡ كَذَّبَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡحِجۡرِ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ

Surely the people of al-Hijr also rejected the Messengers, calling them liars

وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا فَكَانُواْ عَنۡهَا مُعۡرِضِينَ

We also gave them Our Signs, yet they turned away from them

وَكَانُواْ يَنۡحِتُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا ءَامِنِينَ

They used to hew out houses from the mountains and lived in security

فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّيۡحَةُ مُصۡبِحِينَ

Then the Blast caught them in the morning

فَمَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ

and whatever they had been earning proved of no avail

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةࣱۖ فَٱصۡفَحِ ٱلصَّفۡحَ ٱلۡجَمِيلَ

We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is in between them except with Truth. Surely the Hour will come. So, (O Muhammad), do graciously overlook them (despite their misdeeds)

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخَلَّٰقُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ

Your Lord is indeed the Creator of all, the All-Knowing

وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَٰكَ سَبۡعࣰ ا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَثَانِي وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡعَظِيمَ

We have indeed bestowed on you the seven oft-repeated verses and the Great Qur'an

لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجࣰ ا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا تَحۡزَنۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱخۡفِضۡ جَنَاحَكَ لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Do not even cast your eyes towards the worldly goods We have granted to different kinds of people, nor grieve over the state they are in, but turn your loving attention to the believers instead

وَقُلۡ إِنِّيٓ أَنَا ٱلنَّذِيرُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ

and clearly tell the unbelievers: "I am most certainly a plain warner

كَمَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡمُقۡتَسِمِينَ

even as We had sent warning to those who had divided their religion into fragments

ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلُواْ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ عِضِينَ

those who had split up their Qur'an into pieces

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ

By your Lord, We will question them all

عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

concerning what they have been doing

فَٱصۡدَعۡ بِمَا تُؤۡمَرُ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ

(O Prophet), proclaim what you are commanded, and pay no heed to those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity

إِنَّا كَفَيۡنَٰكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَهۡزِءِينَ

Surely We suffice to deal with those who scoff at you

ٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡعَلُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۚ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ

those who set up another deity alongside Allah. They shall soon come to know

وَلَقَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدۡرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ

We certainly know that their statements sorely grieve you

فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ

When (you feel so) glorify your Lord with His praise and prostrate yourself before Him

وَٱعۡبُدۡ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَكَ ٱلۡيَقِينُ

and worship your Lord until the last moment (of your life) that will most certainly come