The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
۞ Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an. 1 Often will those who disbelieve wish that they had been Muslims. 2 Let them eat and enjoy; and let their hopes deceive them, soon they shall know. 3 Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand. 4 No people can outstrip the term for its destruction nor can it delay it. 5 And they say: O thou unto whom the admonition hath been sent down! verily thou art possessed. 6 Why dost thou not bring the angels unto us, if thou speakest truly?' 7 [Yet] We never send down angels otherwise than in accordance with the [demands of] truth; and [were the angels to appear now,] lo! they [who reject this divine writ] would have no 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 have sent forth before you Messengers among the factions of the ancients. 10 and never yet came an apostle to them without their deriding him. 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 do not believe in the Truth and they exactly follow the tradition of the ancient (unbelievers) 13 And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending thereto, 14 They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic." 15