The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
The balance of justice and of nature; cf. verse 
27.
The Qur
an
42: 12
312

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decree concerning the 
final Decision, judgement would already
have been made between them. The evildoers will have a grievous
punishment –
–
22you will see them fearful because of what they have
done: punishment is bound to fall on them –
– but those who believe
and do good deeds will be in the 
flowering meadows of the Gardens.
They will have whatever they wish from their Lord: this is the great
bounty;
23it is of this that God gives good news to His servants who
believe and do good deeds.
Say [Prophet], ‘I ask no reward from you for this, only the a
ffec-
tion due to kin.’
a
If anyone does good, We shall increase it for him;
God is most forgiving and most appreciative. 
24How can they say,
‘He has invented a lie about God’? If God so willed, He could seal
your heart and blot out lies: God con
firms the Truth with His words.
He has full knowledge of what is in the heart –
–
25it is He who accepts
repentance from His servants and pardons bad deeds –
– He knows
everything you do. 
26He responds to those who believe and do good
deeds, and gives them more of His bounty; agonizing torment awaits
the disbelievers. 
27If God were to grant His plentiful provision to
[all] His creatures, they would act insolently on earth, but He sends
down in due measure whatever He will, for He is well aware of His
servants and watchful over them: 
28it is He who sends relief through
rain after they have lost hope, and spreads His mercy far and wide.
He is the Protector, Worthy of All Praise.
29Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and earth and all
the living creatures He has scattered throughout them: He has the
power to gather them all together whenever He will. 
30Whatever
misfortune befalls you [people], it is because of what your own hands
have done –
– God forgives much –
–
31you cannot escape Him anywhere
on earth: you have no protector or helper other than God. 
32Among
His signs are the ships, sailing like 
floating mountains: 33if He willed,
He could bring the wind to a standstill and they would lie motion-
less on the surface of the sea –
– there truly are signs in this for anyone
who is steadfast and thankful –
–
34or He could cause them to be
wrecked on account of what their passengers have done –
– God
pardons much –
–
35to let those who argue about Our messages know
that there is no escape for them.
36What you have been given is only the fleeting enjoyment of
a
Or ‘I only do this out of a
ffection for you as kin!’
Consultation
313
42: 36

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this world. Far better and more lasting is what God will give to
those who believe and trust in their Lord; 
37who shun great sins
and gross indecencies; who forgive when they are angry; 
38respond
to their Lord; keep up the prayer; conduct their a
ffairs by mutual
consultation; give to others out of what We have provided for
them;
39and defend themselves when they are oppressed. 40Let
harm be requited by an equal harm, though anyone who forgives
and puts things right will have his reward from God Himself –
– He
does not like those who do wrong. 
41There is no cause to act
against anyone who defends himself after being wronged, 
42but
there is cause to act against those who oppress people and trans-
gress in the land against all justice –
– they will have an agonizing
torment –
–
43though if a person is patient and forgives, this is one of
the greatest things.
44Anyone God allows to stray will have no one else to protect him:
you [Prophet] will see the wrongdoers, when they face the punish-
ment, exclaiming, ‘Is there any way of going back?’
45You will see
them exposed to the Fire, abject in humiliation, glancing furtively,
while those who believed exclaim, ‘The losers are the ones who have
lost themselves and their people on the Day of Resurrection.’ Truly
the evildoers will remain in lasting torment; 
46they will have no allies
to help them against God. There is no way [forward] for those God
allows to stray.
47So [people] respond to your Lord before there comes a Day that
cannot, against God’s will, be averted –
– you will have no refuge on
that Day, and no possibility of denying [your sins]. If they still turn
away [remember that] 
48We have not sent you [Prophet] to be their
guardian: your only duty is to deliver the message. When We give man
a taste of Our mercy, he rejoices in it, but if some harm befalls him
on account of what he has done with his own hands, then he is
ungrateful. 
49God has control of the heavens and the earth; He cre-
ates whatever He will –
– He grants female o
ffspring to whoever He
will,
50male to whoever He will, or both male and female, and He
makes whoever He will barren: He is all knowing and all powerful.
51It is not granted to any mortal that God should speak to him
except through revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a
messenger to reveal by His command what He will: He is exalted
and wise. 
52So We have revealed a spirit to you [Prophet] by Our
command: you knew neither the Scripture nor the faith, but We