Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ha-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 CONSIDER this divine writ, clear in itself and clearly showing the truth: 2 We have indeed sent it as a Qur’an in the Arabic language, so that you may understand. 3 and behold, it is in the Essence of the Book, with Us; sublime indeed, wise. 4 Shall We turn away the Remembrance from you, for that you are a prodigal people? 5 And how many a prophet did We send to people of olden times! 6 And not a prophet came unto them but him they were wont to mock. 7 So We destroyed (them)- stronger in power than these;- and (thus) has passed on the Parable of the peoples of old. 8 And if you should ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? they would most certainly say: The Mighty, the Knowing One, has created them; 9 He it is Who made this earth for you a cradle and made in it pathways for you that you may find the way to your destination; 10 He Who sent down water from the sky in a determined measure, and thereby We revived a dead land: likewise will you be raised up (from the earth) -- 11 He who created pairs of everything, and fashioned for you boats and beasts on which you ride, 12 so that perhaps when you ride them, you will recall the bounties of your Lord and when you establish your control over it you would say, "Glory belongs to Him who has made it subservient to us when we would not have been able to do so ourselves. 13 Surely we have to go back to our Lord." 14 And they allot to Him a portion of His bondmen! Lo! man is verily a mere ingrate. 15