Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ha. Mim. 1 By the Clear Book, 2 We verily, have made it a Quran in Arabic, that you may be able to understand (its meanings and its admonitions). 3 And verily, it is in the Mother of the Book, in Our Presence, high (in dignity), full of wisdom. 4 [O YOU who deny the truth!] Should We, perchance, withdraw this reminder from you altogether, seeing that you are people bent on wasting your own selves? 5 And how many a prophet have We sent among the ancients. 6 But there would not come to them a prophet except that they used to ridicule him. 7 We destroyed the strongest among them in power. The stories of the ancient people have already been mentioned. 8 And if you should ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? they would most certainly say: The Mighty, the Knowing One, has created them; 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 He Who sent down water from the sky in a determined measure, and thereby We revived a dead land: likewise will you be raised up (from the earth) -- 11 it is He who created all living things in pairs and gave you ships to sail in and beasts to ride upon 12 so that you may sit firmly on their backs. Then once you have mounted them, remember your Lord's favour and say, "Glory be to Him who has subjected these creatures to us; we would never on our own have subdued them. 13 And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return! 14 And they allot to Him a portion of His bondmen! Lo! man is verily a mere ingrate. 15