The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Alif-Lam-Ra. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book, and a plain Quran. 1 The disbelievers will ardently wish that if only they had been Muslims! (At the time of death / in their graves / on the Day of Resurrection.) 2 Leave them that they may eat and enjoy themselves and (that) hope may beguile them, for they will soon know. 3 And never have We destroyed any community [for its wrongdoing] unless a divine writ had [previously] been made known to it; 4 No community precedeth the term thereof nor doth it fall behind. 5 They say, "You to whom the Reminder [the Quran] has been sent down, you are surely possessed. 6 "Why do you not bring angels to us if you are of the truthful ones?" 7 We send not down the angels save with the Fact, and in that case (the disbelievers) would not be tolerated. 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 And certainly We sent (apostles) before you among the nations of yore. 10 And not an apostle came unto them but at him they were wont to mock. 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 believe not therein, though the example of the men of old hath gone before. 13 And if We opened upon them a door of the heaven, and they passed the day mounting thereto. 14 They would certainly say: Only our eyes have been covered over, rather we are an enchanted people. 15