The Quran (Koran), 1st translation by - (inspirational books to read txt) 📖

And the close of their cry, "Praise be to God, Lord, of all creatures!"

Should God hasten evil on men as they fain would hasten their good, then were their end decreed! So leave we those who hope not to meet Us, bewildered in their error.

When trouble toucheth a man, he crieth to us, on his side, or sitting, or standing; and when we withdraw his trouble from him, he passeth on as though he had not called on us against the trouble which touched him! Thus are the deeds of transgressors pre-arranged for them.

And of old destroyed we generations before you, when they had acted wickedly, and their Apostles had come to them with clear tokens of their mission, and they would not believe:-thus reward we the wicked.

Then we caused you to succeed them on the earth, that we might see how ye would act.

But when our clear signs are recited to them, they who look not forward to meet Us, say, "Bring a different Koran from this, or make some change in it." SAY: It is not for me to change it as mine own soul prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to me: verily, I fear, if I rebel against my Lord, the punishment of a great day.

SAY: Had God so pleased, I had not recited it to you, neither had I taught it to you. Already have I dwelt among you for years, ere it was revealed to me. Understand ye not?

And who is more unjust than he who coineth a lie against God, or treateth his signs as lies? Surely the wicked shall not prosper!

And they worship beside God, what cannot hurt or help them; and say, "These are our advocates with God!" SAY: Will ye inform God of aught in the Heavens and in the Earth which he knoweth not? Praise be to Him! High be He exalted above the deities they join with Him!

Men were of one religion only:3 then they fell to variance: and had not a decree (of respite) previously gone forth from thy Lord, their differences had surely been decided between them!

They say: "Unless a sign be sent down to him from his Lord. . . ." But SAY: The hidden is only with God: wait therefore: I truly will be with you among those who wait.

And when after a trouble which you befallen them,4 we caused this people to taste of mercy, lo! a plot on their part against our signs! SAY: Swifter to plot is God! Verily, our messengers note down your plottings.

He it is who enableth you to travel by land and sea, so that ye go on board of ships-which sail on with them, with favouring breeze in which they rejoice. But if a tempestuous gale overtake them, and the billow come on them from every side, and they think that they are encompassed therewith, they call on God, professing sincere religion:-"Wouldst thou but rescue us from this, then will we indeed be of the thankful."

But when we have rescued them, lo! they commit unrighteous excesses on the earth! O men! assuredly your self-injuring excess is only an enjoyment of this life present: soon ye return to us: and we will let you know what ye have done!

Verily, this present life is like the water which we send down from Heaven, and the produce of the earth, of which men and cattle eat, is mingled with it, till the earth hath received its golden raiment, and is decked out: and they who dwell on it deem that they have power over it! but, Our behest cometh to it by night or by day, and we make it as if it had been mown, as if it had not teemed only yesterday! Thus make we our signs clear to those who consider.

And God calleth to the abode of peace;5 and He guideth whom He will into the right way.

Goodness6 itself and an increase of it for those who do good! neither blackness nor shame shall cover their faces! These shall be the inmates of Paradise, therein shall they abide for ever.

And as for those who have wrought out evil, their recompense shall be evil of like degree, and shame shall cover them-no protector shall they have against God: as though their faces were darkened with deep murk of night! These shall be inmates of the fire: therein they shall abide for ever.

And on that day will we gather them all together: then will we say to those who added gods to God, "To your place, ye and those added gods of yours!" Then we will separate between them: and those their gods shall say, "Ye served us not:7

And God is a sufficient witness between us and you: we cared not aught for your worship."

There shall every soul make proof of what itself shall have sent on before, and they shall be brought back to God, their true lord, and the deities of their own devising shall vanish from them.

SAY: Who supplieth you from the Heaven and the Earth? Who hath power over hearing and sight? And who bringeth forth the living from the dead, and bringeth forth the dead from the living? And who ruleth all things? They will surely say, "God:" then SAY: "What! will ye not therefore fear him?

This God then is your true Lord: and when the truth is gone, what remaineth but error? How then are ye so perverted?

Thus is the word of thy Lord made good on the wicked, that they shall not believe.

SAY: Is there any of the gods whom ye add to God who produceth a creature, then causeth it to return to him? SAY: God produceth a creature, then causeth it to return to Him: How therefore are ye turned aside?

SAY: Is there any of the gods ye add to God who guideth into the truth? SAY:
God guideth into the truth. Is He then who guideth into the truth the more
worthy to be followed, or he who guideth not unless he be himself guided?
What then hath befallen you that ye so judge?

And most of them follow only a conceit:-But a conceit attaineth to nought of truth! Verily God knoweth what they say.

Moreover this Koran could not have been devised by any but God: but it confirmeth what was revealed before it, and is a clearing up of the Scriptures-there is no doubt thereof-from the Lord of all creatures.

Do they say, "He hath devised it himself?" SAY: Then bring a Sura like it; and call on whom ye can beside God, if ye speak truth.

But that which they embrace not in their knowledge have they charged with falsehood, though the explanation of it had not yet been given them. So those who were before them brought charges of imposture: But see what was the end of the unjust!

And some of them believe in it, and some of them believe not in it. But thy
Lord well knoweth the transgressors.

And if they charge thee with imposture, then SAY: My work for me, and your work for you! Ye are clear of that which I do, and I am clear of that which ye do.

And some of them lend a ready ear to thee: But wilt thou make the deaf to hear even though they understand not?

And some of them look at thee: But wilt thou guide the blind even though they see not?

Verily, God will not wrong men in aught, but men will wrong themselves.

Moreover, on that day, He will gather them all together: They shall seem as though they had waited but an hour of the day! They shall recognise one another! Now perish they who denied the meeting with God, and were not guided aright!

Whether we cause thee to see some of our menaces against them fulfilled, or whether we first take thee to Ourself,8 to us do they return. Then shall God bear witness of what they do.

And every people hath had its apostle.9 And when their apostle came, a rightful decision took place between them, and they were not wronged.

Yet they say, "When will this menace be made good? Tell us if ye speak truly."

SAY: I have no power over my own weal or woe, but as God pleaseth. Every people hath its time: when their time is come, they shall neither retard nor advance it an hour.

SAY: How think ye? if God's punishment came on you by night or by day, what portion of it would the wicked desire to hasten on?

When it falleth on you, will ye believe it then? Yes! ye will believe it then. Yet did ye challenge its speedy coming.

Then shall it be said to the transgressors, "Taste ye the punishment of eternity! Shall ye be rewarded but as ye have wrought?"

They will desire thee to inform them whether this be true? SAY: Yes! by my
Lord it is the truth: and it is not ye who can weaken Him.

And every soul that hath sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would assuredly ransom itself therewith; and they will proclaim their repentance when they have seen the punishment: and there shall be a rightful decision between them, and they shall not be unjustly dealt with.

Is not whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth God's? Is not then the promise of God true? Yet most of them know it not.

He maketh alive and He causeth to die, and to Him shall ye return.

O men! now hath a warning come to you from your Lord, and a medicine for what is in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy to believers.

SAY: Through the grace of God and his mercy! and in this therefore let them rejoice: better is this than all ye amass.

SAY: What think ye? of what God hath sent down to you for food, have ye made unlawful and lawful? SAY: Hath God permitted you? or invent ye on the part of God?

But what on the day of Resurrection will be the thought of those who invent a lie on the part of God? Truly God is full of bounties to man; but most of them give not thanks.

Thou shalt not be employed in affairs, nor shalt thou read a text out of the Koran, nor shall ye work any work, but we will be witnesses over you when ye are engaged therein: and not the weight of an atom on Earth or in Heaven escapeth thy Lord; nor is there aught that is less than this or greater, but it is in the perspicuous Book.

Are not the friends of God, those on whom no fear shall come, nor shall they be put to grief?

They who believe and fear God-

For them are good tidings in this life, and in the next! There is no change in the words of God! This, the great felicity!

And let not their discourse grieve thee: for all might is God's: the Hearer, the Knower, He!

Is not whoever is in the Heavens and the Earth subject to God? What then do they follow who, beside God, call upon deities they have joined with Him? They follow but a conceit, and they are but liars!

It is He who hath ordained for you the night wherein to rest, and the lightsome day. Verily in this are signs for those who hearken.

They say, "God hath begotten children." No! by his glory! He is the self- sufficient. All that is in the Heavens and all that is in the Earth is His! Have ye warranty for that assertion? What! speak ye of God that which ye know not?

SAY: Verily, they who devise this lie concerning God shall fare ill.

A portion have they in this world! Then to us they return! Then make we them to taste the vehement torment, for that they were unbelievers.

Recite to them the history of Noah,10 when he said to his people,-If, O my people! my abode with you, and my reminding you of the signs of God, be grievous to you, yet in God is my trust: Muster, therefore, your designs and your false gods, and let not your design be carried on by you in the dark: then come to some decision about me, and delay not.

And if ye