The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
۞ ALIF LAM RA. These are the verses of the Book and the perspicuous oration. 1 Perchance the unbelievers will wish that they had surrendered: 2 so leave them to eat and enjoy themselves and let them be beguiled by vain hopes; for soon they will realise [the truth]. 3 And We have not destroyed a town but there was therefor a decree known. 4 no people can forestall their doom, nor can they delay it. 5 They say: 'Thou, upon whom the Remembrance is sent down, thou art assuredly possessed! 6 “Why do you not bring angels to us, if you are 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 Indeed, We sent Messengers before thee, among the factions of the ancients, 10 And no messenger would come to them except that they ridiculed him. 11 Thus do We let it (polytheism and disbelief) enter into the hearts of the Mujrimun [criminals, polytheists, pagans, etc. (because of their mockery at the Messengers)]. 12 They will not believe in it, though they have before them the example of former peoples, 13 and even if We opened to them a door from heaven, and they began ascending through it, 14 They would surely say: "Our eyes have been (as if) dazzled. Nay, we are a people bewitched." 15