The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an. 1 It could be that those who disbelieve will wish that they were Muslims. 2 so leave them to eat and enjoy themselves and let them be beguiled by vain hopes; for soon they will realise [the truth]. 3 And never did We destroy a township but there was a known decree for it. 4 No nation can anticipate its term, nor delay it. 5 And yet, they [who deny the truth] say: "O thou unto whom this reminder has [allegedly] been bestowed from on high: verily, thou art mad! 6 Why do you not bring us the angels, if you should be among the truthful?" 7 We do not send angels except with the truth. Then they shall have no 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 And We had certainly sent [messengers] before you, [O Muhammad], among the sects of the former peoples. 10 And there never came an apostle to them but they mocked him. 11 Even so we make a way for it in the hearts of the culprits. 12 They do not believe in him, and the tradition of earlier nations has passed. 13 And if We opened upon them a door of the heaven, and they passed the day mounting thereto. 14 they would still say, "Our eyes have been dazzled. We are bewitched." 15