Jonah (Younus)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
Alif-Lam-Ra*; these are verses of the Book of wisdom. (*alphabets of the Arabic language; Allah and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 Does it seem strange to people that We should have revealed to a man from among themselves, directing him to warn the people (who lie engrossed in heedlessness); and to give good news to the believers that they shall enjoy true honour and an exalted status with their Lord? (Is this so strange that) the deniers of the truth should say: 'This man is indeed an evident sorcerer'? 2 Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and He is firm in power, regulating the affair, there is no intercessor except after His permission; this is Allah, your Lord, therefore serve Him; will you not then mind? 3 To Him is your return all together. [It is] the promise of Allah [which is] truth. Indeed, He begins the [process of] creation and then repeats it that He may reward those who have believed and done righteous deeds, in justice. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment for what they used to deny. 4 It is He who made the sun radiate a brilliant light and the moon shed its lustre, and ordained for it stages so that you may learn to count out the years and [to make other such] reckoning of time. God has not created all these without a purpose. He makes plain His revelations to men of understanding. 5 Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allah 6 Indeed those who do not expect to meet Us and have preferred the worldly life and are content with it, and those who neglect Our signs, – 7 those -- their refuge is the Fire, for that they have been earning. 8 Verily those who believe and do righteous works, their Lord will guide them because of their faith. Beneath them will flow rivers in Gardens of Delight. 9 Their invocation will be: "All glory to you, O God," and "Peace" will be their salutation, and the end of their prayer (will be): "All praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds." 10