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 a Qur'an luminous. 1 And it will come to pass that those who are [now] bent on denying this truth will wish that they had surrendered themselves to God [in their life time]. 2 Leave them thou to eat and to enjoy, and let vain hope divert them; presently they will know. 3 And We have not destroyed a town but there was therefor a decree known. 4 and no nation outstrips its term, nor do they put it back. 5 And yet they say: "You, to whom this Exposition has been sent are surely possessed of the Devil. 6 Why do you not bring down the angels if what you say is true". 7 We send not the angels down except with the truth (i.e. for torment, etc.), and in that case, they (the disbelievers) would have no 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 (O Muhammad), certainly We did send Messengers before you among the nations which have gone by. 10 But never once an apostle came to them at whom they did not scoff. 11 Even so We make a way for it (that is, the Admonition) in the hearts of the culprits (like a hot rod); 12 They will not believe in it, while there has already occurred the precedent of the former peoples. 13 And if We open for them a gate in the heavens, to ascend it through the day – 14 They would surely say: "Our eyes have been (as if) dazzled. Nay, we are a people bewitched." 15