Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ha-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 I call to witness the lucent Book, 2 Verily We! We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that haply ye may reflect. 3 And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom. 4 Then should We turn the message away, disregarding you, because you are a transgressing people? 5 How many a Prophet did We send to the earlier peoples! 6 But never yet came a prophet to them without their deriding him 7 So We destroyed (them)- stronger in power than these;- and (thus) has passed on the Parable of the peoples of old. 8 (Muhammad), if you ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?" They will certainly say, "The Majestic and All-knowing God has created them". 9 Who has made the earth a cradle for you and made thereon paths for you so that, hopefully, you may find your way 10 It is He who sends water down from the sky in due measure, We revive dead land with it and likewise you will be resurrected from the grave, 11 And He it is who has created all opposites. And He [it is who] has provided for you all those ships and animals whereon you ride, 12 In order that ye may sit firm and square on their backs, and when so seated, ye may celebrate the (kind) favour of your Lord, and say, "Glory to Him Who has subjected these to our (use), for we could never have accomplished this (by ourselves), 13 And lo! unto our Lord we surely are returning. 14 And they allot to Him a portion of His bondmen! Lo! man is verily a mere ingrate. 15