Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, 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 And surely it is in the original of the Book with Us, truly elevated, full of wisdom. 4 What! shall We then turn away the reminder from you altogether because you are an extravagant people? 5 How many a Prophet did We send to the earlier peoples! 6 no Prophet came to them except that they mocked him, 7 We destroyed the strongest among them in power. The stories of the ancient people have already been mentioned. 8 And if thou askest them: who hath created the heavens and the earth? they will surely say: created them the Mighty, the Knower. 9 It is He who has made the earth for you as a cradle and has made roads therein so that you will perhaps seek guidance. 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 And Who has created all the pairs and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride, 12 That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. "Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it. 13 surely unto our Lord we are turning.' 14 Yet they assign to some of His slaves a share with Him (by pretending that He has children, and considering them as equals or co-partners in worship with Him). Verily, man is indeed a manifest ingrate! 15