Jonah (Younus)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
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 Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things. There is no intercessor (with Him) save after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Oh, will ye not remind? 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 It is God who has made the sun radiant and the moon luminous and has appointed for the moon certain phases so that you may compute the number of years and other reckonings. God has created them for a genuine purpose. He explains the evidence (of His existence) to the people of knowledge. 5 Lo! in the difference of day and night and all that Allah hath created in the heavens and the earth are portents, verily, for folk who ward off (evil). 6 Indeed, those who do not expect the meeting with Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein and those who are heedless of Our signs 7 their abode shall be the Fire in return for their misdeeds, 8 Lo! those who believe and do good works, their Lord guideth them by their faith. Rivers will flow beneath them in the Gardens of Delight, 9 their cry therein, 'Glory to Thee, O God,' their greeting, 'Peace,' and their cry ends, 'Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.' 10