The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
۞ A. L. R. These are the Ayats of Revelation,- of a Qur'an that makes things clear. 1 Perchance the unbelievers will wish that they had surrendered: 2 Let them eat and enjoy; and let their hopes deceive them, soon they shall know. 3 And never have We destroyed any community [for its wrongdoing] unless a divine writ had [previously] been made known to it; 4 Every nation can only live for the time appointed for it. 5 And they say, "O you upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed you are mad. 6 Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?" 7 [Yet] We never send down angels otherwise than in accordance with the [demands of] truth; and [were the angels to appear now,] lo! they [who reject this divine writ] would have no further 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, INDEED, [O Prophet,] even before thy time did We send [Our apostles] unto communities of old 10 No Messenger went to them whom they did not mock. 11 Even so we make a way for it in the hearts of the culprits. 12 they believe not in it, though the wont of the ancients is already gone. 13 Had We opened a door for them in the sky through which they could easily pass, 14 They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic." 15