Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
HaMeem. 1 By the Scripture which maketh plain, 2 That We made it a distinctly lucid Qur'an that you may understand. 3 and behold, it is in the Essence of the Book, with Us; sublime indeed, wise. 4 Should We have withdrawn the Reminder from you as you are a people who exceed the bounds? 5 And how many a Prophet have We sent amongst the men of old. 6 And never came there a Prophet to them but they used to mock at him. 7 and so, [in the end,] We destroyed them [even though they were] of greater might than these: and the [very] image of those people of old became a thing of the past. 8 And if you ask them, “Who has created the heavens and the earth?”, they will surely say, “They are created by the Most Honourable, the All Knowing.” 9 Who has made for you the earth like a bed, and has made for you roads therein, in order that you may find your way, 10 And Who sent down water from the sky with a proper measure, so We revived a dead city with it; this is how you will be taken out. 11 It is He who has created everything in pairs and the ships and cattle for you to ride, 12 That ye mount firmly on the backs thereof, and then may remember the favour of your Lord when ye mount thereon, and may say: hallowed be He Who hath subjected this unto us, and we for it were not fit. 13 It is to our Lord that we shall eventually return.” 14 And they allot to Him a portion of His bondmen! Lo! man is verily a mere ingrate. 15