The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of a clear Book, the Quran. 1 The unbelievers would haply like to wish that they had submitted (and become Muslim). 2 (Muhammad), leave them alone to eat and enjoy themselves and let their desires deceive them; they will soon know (the Truth). 3 And We have not destroyed a town but there was therefor a decree known. 4 [but remember that] no community can ever forestall [the end of] its term - and neither can they delay [it]. 5 They say: 'You to whom the Remembrance is sent down, you are indeed mad. 6 Why do you not bring down angels upon us if you are indeed truthful?" 7 [Yet] We never send down angels otherwise than in accordance with the [demands of] truth; and [were the angels to appear now,] lo! they [who reject this divine writ] would have no further respite! 8 Indeed We have sent down the Qur’an, and indeed We Ourselves surely are its Guardians. (This is one of the miracles of the Qur’an – no one has been able to change even one letter of its text, despite every effort. It has remained in its original form since the 6th Century (A. D) and will remain so forever. Other Holy Books such as the Torah and the Bible have lost their originality.) 9 We had also sent apostles to people of earlier persuasions. 10 And there never came an apostle to them but they mocked him. 11 Even so do we let it creep into the hearts of the sinners - 12 That they should not believe in the (Message); but the ways of the ancients have passed away. 13 And if We open for them a gate in the heavens, to ascend it through the day – 14 they would have said, "Our eyes are bewildered and we have been affected by magic." 15