The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verses of the Scripture and a plain Reading. 1 It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims. 2 leave them to eat, and to take their joy, and to be bemused by hope; certainly they will soon know! 3 And We have not destroyed a town but there was therefor a decree known. 4 Every nation can only live for the time appointed for it. 5 They say, "You to whom the Reminder [the Quran] has been sent down, you are surely possessed. 6 "Why bringest thou not angels to us if it be that thou hast the Truth?" 7 We do not send down angels except for a genuine purpose, at which time none will be given any 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 We did send messengers before thee amongst the religious sects of old: 10 No Messenger went to them whom they did not mock. 11 So We make it enter the hearts of the sinners. 12 They would not believe in it (the Quran), and already the example of (Allah's punishment of) the ancients (who disbelieved) has gone forth. 13 And if We open for them a gate in the heavens, to ascend it through the day – 14 they would still say, "Our eyes have been dazzled. We are bewitched." 15