The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book, and a Qur'an luminous. 1 It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims. 2 Leave them to eat and enjoy, and for aspiration to involve them in play – so they will shortly come to know. 3 We never destroyed a village whose term had not already been decreed. 4 No people can hasten or delay the term already fixed for them. 5 And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman! 6 Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?" 7 We send not down the angels, save with truth; 8 Indeed We have sent down the Qur’an, and indeed We Ourselves surely are its Guardians. (This is one of the miracles of the Qur’an – no one has been able to change even one letter of its text, despite every effort. It has remained in its original form since the 6th Century (A. D) and will remain so forever. Other Holy Books such as the Torah and the Bible have lost their originality.) 9 And assuredly We have sent apostles before thee among the sects of the ancients. 10 And there never came an apostle to them but they mocked him. 11 So We make it enter the hearts of the sinners. 12 They believe not therein, and already the example of the ancients hath gone forth. 13 And if We open for them a gate in the heavens, to ascend it through the day – 14 yet would they say, 'Our eyes have been dazzled; nay, we are a people bewitched!' 15