The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
۞ Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verses of the Scripture and a plain Reading. 1 Often will those who disbelieve wish that they had been Muslims. 2 Leave them to eat and enjoy life and let false hopes amuse them. They will soon come to know. 3 And We have not destroyed a town but there was therefor a decree known. 4 No people can hasten on their doom nor can they postpone (it). 5 They say: 'Thou, upon whom the Remembrance is sent down, thou art assuredly possessed! 6 Why do you not bring down the angels, if what you say is true' 7 We send not down the angels, save with truth; 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 AND, INDEED, [O Prophet,] even before thy time did We send [Our apostles] unto communities of old 10 and not a single Messenger came to them, but they mocked at him; 11 We place in the hearts of sinners (disbelief). 12 who do not believe in it, although the way which those [evildoers] of olden times had to go has long been within their ken. 13 Yet even had We opened to them a gateway to heaven and they had ascended, on and on, up to it, 14 They will say all the same: "Our eyes were dazed (and clouded over). We were a people ensorcelled." 15