Hood (Hood)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
Alif Lam Ra (This is) a Book, whose verses are made decisive, then are they made plain, from the Wise, All-aware: 1 (It teacheth) that ye should worship none but Allah. (Say): "Verily I am (sent) unto you from Him to warn and to bring glad tidings: 2 “And ask forgiveness from your Lord and incline towards Him in repentance, He will provide you excellent sustenance until the appointed time and will bestow superiority to every one who excels; and if you turn away, I then fear the punishment of the Great Day upon you.” 3 “To Allah only you have to return, and He is Able to do all things.” 4 Behold! they fold up their hearts, that they may lie hid from Him! Ah even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knoweth what they conceal, and what they reveal: for He knoweth well the (inmost secrets) of the hearts. 5 ۞ And there is not a moving creature on the earth but upon Allah is the sustenance thereof, and He knoweth its habitation and its resting-place: everything is in a Book luminous. 6 And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life,] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water. [God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if thou sayest [unto men,] "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion" 7 If We defer their punishment for a certain time, they will say: "What is keeping it back?" And yet, the day it comes, they will not be able to avert it; and what they used to laugh at will encompass them. 8