Hood (Hood)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from [one who is] Wise and Acquainted. 1 (Proclaiming) that you should worship none but God. Verily I bring to you from Him a message of warning and rejoicing, 2 And that you should seek His forgiveness and turn towards Him. He will bestow the best things of life on you for a time ordained, and favour those with blessings who are worthy of grace. But if you turn away, I fear the punishment of a terrible Day for you. 3 'To Allah is your return, and He hath power over all things.'" 4 Oh, verily, they [who are bent on denying the truth of this divine writ] are enshrouding their hearts in order to hide from Him. Oh, verily, [even] when they cover themselves with their garments [in order not to see or hear,] He knows all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open - for, behold, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men]. 5 ۞ No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God; He knows its lodging-place and its repository. All is in a Manifest Book. 6 And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life,] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water. [God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if thou sayest [unto men,] "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion" 7 And if We delay for them the doom until a reckoned time, they will surely say: What withholdeth it? Verily on the day when it cometh unto them, it cannot be averted from them, and that which they derided will surround them. 8