Noah (Nooh)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
We sent Noah to his nation, saying: 'Give warning to your nation before a painful punishment overtakes them' 1 He said: O my people! Surely I am a plain warner to you: 2 That you should worship God and fear Him, and follow me 3 He will forgive you your sins and respite you till an appointed term. When the term of Allah arrives it cannot be deferred; if you but knew' 4 [And after a time, Noah] said: "O my Sustainer! Verily, I have been calling unto my people night and day 5 "But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth). 6 "And verily! Every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride. 7 "And behold I called unto them openly; 8 And lo! I have made public proclamation unto them, and I have appealed to them in private. 9 And I told them: 'Ask your Lord to forgive you. He is verily forgiving. 10 He will let loose the sky upon you in abundance 11 and give to you wealth and sons, and provide you with gardens and rivers. 12 "'What is amiss with you that you cannot look forward to God's majesty, 13 Knowing that He has created you by various stages? 14 Do you not see how God has created the seven heavens one above another, 15 And hath made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp? 16 "'And Allah has produced you from the earth growing (gradually), 17 And thereafter He will cause you to return thereinto, and He will bring you forth a forthbringing. 18 And God has laid the earth for you as a carpet, 19 That you may follow therein roads of passage.' " 20