The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ Alif. Lam. Ra'. These are the verses of the Book, and a Clear Qur'an. 1 How strongly the unbelievers will wish that they had been Muslims. 2 Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them). 3 And never did We destroy a town but it had a term made known. 4 Neither can a people anticipate its term, nor delay it. 5 They say: 'You to whom the Remembrance is sent down, you are indeed mad. 6 Why dost thou not bring the angels unto us, if thou speakest truly?' 7 But then We never send the angels down save with the purpose (of enforcing their doom), after which they will not be given more respite. 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 certainly We sent (apostles) before you among the nations of yore. 10 and never yet came an apostle to them without their deriding him. 11 Even so do we let it creep into the hearts of the sinners - 12 they believe not in it, though the wont of the ancients is already gone. 13 If We opened a gate in the heaven and they kept ascending through it, 14 they would surely have said, "It is only our eyes that are spellbound! Nay, we have been bewitched! 15