The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

pervasiveness of God’s power, knowledge, control, and glory is a
ffirmed to
encourage the believers to right action, and the fate of the hypocrites is
described. Previous prophets are mentioned (verses 
26–7), especially Noah,
Abraham, and Jesus, showing the response they received. The sura closes with a
reference to the People of the Book.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God––He is the
Almighty, the Wise. 
2Control of the heavens and earth belongs to
Him; He gives life and death; He has power over all things. 
3He
is the First and the Last;
a
the Outer and the Inner; He has
knowledge of all things. 
4It was He who created the heavens and
earth in six Days and then established Himself on the throne. He
knows what enters the earth and what comes out of it; what descends
from the sky and what ascends to it. He is with you wherever you
are; He sees all that you do; 
5control of the heavens and earth
belongs to Him. Everything is brought back to God. 
6He makes
night merge into day and day into night. He knows what is in every
heart.
7Believe in God and His Messenger, and give out of what He has
made pass down to you: those of you who believe and give will have a
great reward. 
8Why should you not believe in God when the Mes-
senger calls you to believe in your Lord, and He has already made a
pledge
b
with you, if you have faith? 
9It is He who has sent down clear
revelations to His Servant, so that He may bring you from the
depths of darkness into light; God is truly kind and merciful to you.
10Why should you not give for God’s cause when God alone will
inherit what is in the heavens and earth? Those who gave and fought
before the triumph
c
are not like others: they are greater in rank than
a
Theologians add, ‘without a beginning and without an end’.
b
See
7: 172.
c
The surrender of Mecca.

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those who gave and fought afterwards. But God has promised a good
reward to all of them: God is fully aware of all that you do.
11Who will make God a good loan? He will double it for him and
reward him generously. 
12On the Day when you [Prophet] see the
believers, both men and women, with their light streaming out
ahead of them and to their right, [they will be told], ‘The good news
for you today is that there are Gardens graced with 
flowing streams
where you will stay: that is truly the supreme triumph!’
13On the
same Day, the hypocrites, both men and women, will say to the
believers, ‘Wait for us! Let us have some of your light!’ They will be
told, ‘Go back and look for a light.’ A wall with a door will be
erected between them: inside it lies mercy, outside lies torment.
14The hypocrites will call out to the believers, ‘Were we not with
you?’ They will reply, ‘Yes. But you allowed yourselves to be
tempted, you were hesitant, doubtful, deceived by false hopes
until God’s command came –
– the Deceiver tricked you about God.
15Today no ransom will be accepted from you or from the
disbelievers: your home is the Fire –
– that is where you belong –
– a
miserable destination!’
16Is it not time for believers to humble their hearts to the remem-
brance of God and the Truth that has been revealed, and not to be
like those who received the Scripture before them, whose time was
extended but whose hearts hardened and many of whom were law-
breakers? 
17Remember that God revives the earth after it dies; We
have made Our revelation clear to you so that you may use your
reason. 
18Charitable men and women who make a good loan to God
will have it doubled and have a generous reward. 
19Those who
believe in God and His messengers are the truthful ones who will
bear witness before their Lord: they will have their reward and their
light. But those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations are the
inhabitants of Hell. 
20Bear in mind that the present life is just a
game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of
rivalry in wealth and children. It is like plants that spring up after the
rain: their growth at 
first delights the sowers, but then you see them
wither away, turn yellow, and become stubble. There is terrible pun-
ishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from
God; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure. 
21So race for
your Lord’s forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and
earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers: