(13:1) Alif. Lam. Mim Ra. These are the verses of
the Divine Book. Whatever has been revealed to you
from your Lord is the truth, and yet most (of your)
people do not believe.
(13:2) It is Allah Who has raised the heavens
without any supports that you could see, and then he
established Himself on the Throne (of Dominion). And
He it is Who has made the sun and the moon
subservient (to a law), each running its course till
an appointed term. He governs the entire order of
the universe and clearly explains the signs that you
may be firmly convinced about meeting with your
Lord.
(13:3) He it is Who has spread out the earth and has
placed in it firm mountains and has caused the
rivers to flow. He has made every fruit in pairs,
two and two, and He it is Who causes the night to
cover the day. Surely there are signs in these for
those who reflect.
(13:4) And on the earth there are many tracts of
land neighbouring each other. There are on it
vineyards, and sown fields, and date palms: some
growing in clusters from one root, some standing
alone. They are irrigated by the same water, and yet
We make some excel others in taste. Surely there are
signs in these for a people who use their reason.
(13:5) And were you to wonder, then wondrous indeed
is the saying of those who say: 'What! After we have
been reduced to the dust, shall we be created
afresh?' They are the ones who disbelieved in their
Lord; they are the ones who shall have shackles
around their necks. They shall be the inmates of the
Fire, wherein they will abide forever.
(13:6) They challenge you to hasten the coming of
evil upon them before the coming of any good,
although people who followed a like course before
had met with exemplary punishment (from Allah).
Verily your Lord is forgiving to men despite all
their wrongdoing. Verily your Lord is also severe in
retribution.
(13:7) Those who refused to believe in you say: 'Why
has no [miraculous] sign been sent down upon him
from his Lord?' You are only a Warner, and every
people has its guide.
(13:8) Allah knows what every female bears; and what
the wombs fall short of (in gestation), and what
they may add. With Him everything is in fixed
measure.
(13:9) He knows both what is hidden and what is
manifest. He is the Supreme One, the Most High.
(13:10) It is all the same for Him whether any of
you says a thing secretly, or says it loudly, and
whether one hides oneself in the darkness of night,
or struts about in broad daylight.
(13:11) There are guardians over everyone, both
before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's
command. Verily Allah does not change a people's
condition unless they change their inner selves. And
when Allah decides to make a people suffer
punishment, no one can avert it. Nor can any be of
help to such a people against Allah.
(13:12) He it is Who causes you to see lightning
that inspires you with both fear and hope, and He it
is Who whips up heavy clouds.
(13:13) The thunder celebrates His praise and
holiness, and the angels, too, for awe of Him. He
hurls thunderbolts, striking with them whom he wills
the while they are engaged in disputation concerning
Allah. He is Mighty in His contriving.
(13:14) To Him alone should all prayer be addressed,
for those to whom they do address their prayers
beside Him are altogether powerless to respond to
them. The example of praying to any other than Allah
is that of a man who stretches out his hands to
water, asking it to reach his mount, although water
has no power to reach his mouth. The prayers of the
unbelievers are a sheer waste!
(13:15) All that is in the heavens and the earth
prostrates itself, whether willingly or by force,
before Allah; and so do their shadows in the morning
and in the evening.
(13:16) Ask them: 'Who is the Lord of the heavens
and the earth?' Say: 'Allah.' Tell them: 'Have you
taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not
have the power to benefit or to hurt even
themselves?' Say: 'Can the blind and the seeing be
deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed
equals? If that is not so, then have those whom they
associate with Allah in His divinity ever created
anything like what Allah did so that the question of
creation has become dubious to them?' Say: 'Allah is
the creator of everything. He is the One, the
irresistible.'
(13:17) Allah sends down water from the heavens and
the river-beds flow, each according to its measure,
and the torrent carries along a swelling scum. And
likewise, from that metal which they smelt in the
fire to make ornaments and utensils, there arises
scum like it. Thus does Allah depict truth and
falsehood. As for the scum, it passes away as dross;
but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth.
Thus does Allah explain (the truth) through
examples.
(13:18) There is good reward for those who respond
to the call of their Lord. And those who do not
respond to their Lord, (a time will come when) they
shall offer all they have – even if they have all
the riches of the world and the like of it besides –
to redeem themselves (from the chastisement of
Allah). They will be subjected to a severe reckoning
and Hell shall be their refuge. And what a wretched
resting place it is!
(13:19) He, Who knows that the Book, which has been
sent to you from your Lord, is the truth, is he like
him who is blind to that truth? It is only men of
understanding who take heed:
(13:20) those who fulfil their covenant with Allah
and do not break their compact after firmly
confirming it;
(13:21) who join together the ties which Allah has
bidden to be joined; who fear their Lord and dread
lest they are subjected to severe reckoning;
(13:22) Who are steadfast in seeking the good
pleasure of their Lord; who establish Prayer and
spend both secretly and openly out of the wealth We
have provided them, and who ward off evil with good.
Theirs shall be the ultimate abode
(13:23) the Everlasting Gardens: which they shall
enter and so shall the righteous from among their
fathers, and their spouses, and their offspring who
acted righteously. And angels shall enter into them
from every gate, and say:
(13:24) 'Peace be upon you. You merit this reward
for your patience.' How excellent is the ultimate
abode!
(13:25) As for those who break the covenant of Allah
after firmly confirming it, who cut asunder the ties
that Allah has commanded to be joined and who create
corruption in the land: Allah's curse shall be upon
them and theirs shall be a wretched abode (in the
Hereafter).
(13:26) Allah enlarges the provision of whomsoever
He wills and grants others in strict measure. They
exult in the life of the world, although compared
with the Hereafter; the life of the world is no more
than temporary enjoyment.
(13:27) Those who have rejected the (message of
Muhammad) say: 'Why has no sign been sent down upon
him from his Lord?' Tell them: 'Allah lets go astray
to those whom He wills, and guides to Himself those
who turn to Him.'
(13:28) Such are the ones who believe in the message
of the Prophet) and whose hearts find rest in the
remembrance of Allah. Surely in Allah's remembrance
do hearts find rest.
(13:29) So those who believe (in the message of the
truth) and do good and destined for happiness and a
blissful end.
(13:30) Thus have We sent you as a Messenger to a
community before which many other communities have
passed away that you may recite to them whatever We
have revealed to you. And yet they deny the Lord of
Mercy. Say to them: 'He is my Lord, there is no god
but Him. In Him I have placed all my trust and to
Him I shall return.'
(13:31) And what would have happened were a Qur'an
to be revealed wherewith mountains could be set in
motion, or the earth cleft, or the dead made to
speak (To show such signs is not at all difficult
for) everything rests entirely with Allah. So, do
men of faith (still look forward to such a sign in
response to the demand of the unbelievers and) not
despair as a result of knowing that had Allah so
willed, He could have guided all to the truth.
Misfortune continues to afflict the unbelievers on
account of their misdeeds, or to befall on locations
close to their habitation. This will continue until
Allah's promise (of chastisement) is fulfilled.
Surely Allah does not go back upon His promise.
(13:32) Surely the Messengers before you were
ridiculed, but I always initially granted respite to
those who disbelieved, and then I seized them (with
chastisement). Then, ho awesome was My chastisement!
(13:33) Then, is it in regard to Him Who watches
over the deeds of every person that they are acting
blasphemously by setting up His associates? Tell
them: 'Name those associates (if Allah Himself has
made them His associates)! Or do you inform Allah of
something the existence of which He does not even
know? Or do people arbitrarily utter empty words?
Indeed, their foul contriving has been made to seem
fair to the unbelievers and they have been barred
from finding the right way. Whomsoever Allah lets go
astray will have none to guide him.
(13:31) They shall suffer chastisement in the life
of the world, and surely the chastisement of the
Hereafter is even more grievous. None has the power
to shield them from the chastisement of) Allah.
(13:35) And such will be the Paradise promised to
the God-fearing: rivers will flow beneath it, its
fruits will be eternal, and so will be its blissful
shade. That is the ultimate destiny of the
God-fearing while Fire is the destiny of the
unbelievers.'
(13:36) Those upon whom We bestowed the Scriptures
earlier rejoice at the Book revealed to you, while
there are also some among different groups that
reject part of it. Tell them: 'I have only been
commanded to serve Allah not to associate anyone
with Him. To Him do I call, and to Him is my
return.'
(13:37) And it is with the same directive that We
revealed to you this Arabic Writ. And were you
indeed to follow the vain desires of people after
the true knowledge had come to you, none will be
your supporter against Allah, and none will have the
power to shield you from His punishment.
(13:38) We indeed sent many Messengers before you
and We gave them wives and children; and no
Messenger had the power to produce a miraculous sign
except by the command of Allah. Every age has its
own (revealed) Book.
(13:39) Allah effaces whatever He wills and retains
whatever He wills. With him is the Mother of the
Book.
(13:40) (O Prophet!) Whether We make you see a part
of the punishment that We have threatened them with
come to pass during your life-time, or We take you
away before that happens, your duty is no more than
to convey the Message, and it is for Us to make a
reckoning.
(13:41) Do they not see that We are advancing in the
land, diminishing it by its borders on all sides?
Allah judges and no one has the power to reverse His
judgement. He is swift in reckoning.
(13:42) Those who lived before them also devised
many a plot, but the master plot rests with Allah.
He knows what everyone does. The deniers of the
truth will soon come to know whose end is good.
(13:43) The unbelievers claim that you have not been
sent by Allah. Tell them: 'Allah is sufficient as a
witness between me and you; and those too who know
the Scriptures.'
