The Ant (Al-Naml)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ These are verses of the Qur'an,-a book that makes (things) clear; 1 a guidance and a glad tiding to the believers 2 who are constant in prayer and spend in charity: for it is they, they who in their innermost are certain of the life to come! 3 Indeed, for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have made pleasing to them their deeds, so they wander blindly. 4 It is they for whom a grievous chastisement lies in store; it is they who shall be the greatest losers in the Hereafter. 5 You have received this Quran from One who is all-wise, all-knowing. 6 Lo! [While lost in the desert,] Moses said to his family: "Behold, I perceive a fire [far away]; I may bring you from there some tiding [as to which way we are to pursue,] or bring you [at least] a burning brand so that you might warm yourselves." 7 When he came up to it, a voice called out, "Blessed be whoever is near this fire, and whoever is around it! Glory be to God, Lord of the Universe! 8 O Moses, I am that God, the mighty and all-wise. 9 Now cast your rod!" But when he saw the rod writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned his back in retreat and did not even look behind. "O Moses, have no fear. Messengers have no fear in My presence, 10 Neither he who has been unjust, then he does good instead after evil, for surely I am the Forgiving, the Merciful: 11 Thrust thy hand in thy bosom and it will come forth white without evil-among nine signs to Pharaoh and his people; they are an ungodly people.' 12 But when Our signs came to them visibly, they said, 'This is a manifest sorcery'; 13 They rejected the evidence because of their arrogance and injustice, although their souls knew it to be true. Think how terrible the end of the sinful ones was! 14