Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ha Mim. 1 By the Clear Book, 2 Lo! We have appointed it a Lecture, in Arabic that haply ye may understand. 3 Indeed it is transcribed in the Original Book with Us; sublime and full of wisdom. 4 Should We divert this Good Counsel from you because you are a people immersed in extravagance? 5 Many a prophet had We sent to the earlier communities, 6 And not a prophet came unto them but him they were wont to mock. 7 Wherefore We destroyed peoples mightier than these in prowess; and there hath gone forth the example of the ancients. 8 If you ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?", they will surely answer, "The Almighty, the All Knowing One has created them." 9 Who made the earth a resting-place for you, and placed roads for you therein, that haply ye may find your way; 10 and who sent down out of heaven water in measure; and We revived thereby a land that was dead; even so you shall be brought forth; 11 it is He who created all living things in pairs and gave you ships to sail in and beasts to ride upon 12 so that you can sit upon their backs and then remember the Favors of your Lord and say: 'Exaltations to Him who has subjected these to us otherwise, we ourselves were not capable of it, 13 surely unto our Lord we are turning.' 14 And from* His bondmen, they appointed a portion for Him; man is indeed an open ingrate. (* Appointed some of His creation as His sons and daughters). 15