Jonah (Younus)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the 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 have sent revelation to a man from among themselves, saying, "Warn mankind and give glad tidings to the believers that they have a true rank [of honour] with their Lord?" Those who deny the truth say, "This man is clearly a 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 Towards Him only you all are to return; the promise of Allah; indeed He creates for the first time and then after its extinction creates it again, in order to give those who believe and do good deeds, the reward of justice; and for the disbelievers, boiling water to drink and a painful punishment – the recompense of their disbelief. 4 He it is Who made the sun a shining brightness and the moon a light, and ordained for it mansions that you might know the computation of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create it but with truth; He makes the signs manifest for a people who know. 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 Verily, as for those who do not believe that they are destined to meet Us, but content themselves with the life of this world and do not look beyond it, and are heedless of Our messages 7 will all have the Fire as their dwelling for that which they had done. 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 prayer shall be, "Glory be to you Lord," and their greeting, "Peace be with you," and the only other words (of worldly speech) they will speak will be, "It is God, Lord of the Universe, who deserves all praise." 10