Hood (Hood)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
Alif Lam Ra. A Book whose verses are set clear, and then distinguished, from One All-wise, All-aware: 1 Worship none except Allah. I am for you, a warner sent from Him and a bearer of glad tidings. 2 And you that ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him; He will provide you with a goodly provision to an appointed term and bestow His grace on every one endowed with grace, and if you turn back, then surely I fear for you the chastisement of a great day. 3 Unto Allah is your return, and He is Able to do all things. 4 Lo! They fold up their breasts that they may conceal themselves from Him. Surely when they cover themselves up with their garments Allah knows well what they cover and what they reveal. Indeed He even knows the secrets hidden in the breasts. 5 ۞ And there is none that walks upon the earth whose sustenance does not depend on the mercy of Allah – He knows where it shall stay and where it shall be deposited; everything is in a clearly explaining Book. 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 If We defer their punishment for a certain time, they will say: "What is keeping it back?" And yet, the day it comes, they will not be able to avert it; and what they used to laugh at will encompass them. 8