Hood (Hood)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
Alif-Lam-Ra*; “This is a Book, the verses of which are full of wisdom – then explained in detail – from the Wise, the Well Aware.” (* Alphabets of the Arabic language; Allah and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 (Proclaiming) that you should worship none but God. Verily I bring to you from Him a message of warning and rejoicing, 2 that you may seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance whereupon He will grant you a fair enjoyment of life until an appointed term, and will bestow favour on everyone who merits favour. But should you turn away (from the truth), I fear for you the chastisement of an Awesome Day. 3 To God have you to go back, and He has power over everything. 4 Look, how they double up their breasts in order to hide from Him. But when they cover themselves up with their garments, He knows what they hide and what they expose. Indeed, He knows the secrets of the hearts. 5 ۞ And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit (in the uterous, grave, etc.). all is in a Clear Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz - the Book of Decrees with Allah). 6 And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life,] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water. [God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if thou sayest [unto men,] "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion" 7 And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule. 8