The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

The Heights
99
7: 75

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that Salih is a messenger from his Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes. We believe
in the message sent through him,’
76but the arrogant leaders said,
‘We reject what you believe in,’
77and then they hamstrung the
camel. They de
fied their Lord’s commandment and said, ‘Salih,
bring down the punishment you threaten, if you really are a messen-
ger!’
78An earthquake seized them: by the next morning they were
lying dead in their homes. 
79So he turned away from them, saying,
‘My people, I delivered my Lord’s messages to you and gave you
sincere advice, but you did not like those who gave sincere advice.’
80We sent Lot and he said to his people, ‘How can you practise this
outrage? No one in the world has outdone you in this. 
81You lust
after men rather than women! You transgress all bounds!’
82The only
response his people gave was to say [to one another], ‘Drive them
out of your town! These men want to keep themselves chaste!’
83We saved him and his kinsfolk–– apart from his wife who stayed
behind –
–
84and We showered upon [the rest of] them a rain [of
destruction]. See the fate of the evildoers.
85To the people of Midian We sent their brother, Shu ayb. He said,
‘My people, serve God: you have no god other than Him. A clear
sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and weight
and do not undervalue people’s goods; do not cause corruption in
the land after it has been set in order: this is better for you, if you are
believers. 
86Do not sit in every pathway, threatening and barring
those who believe in God from His way, trying to make it crooked.
Remember how you used to be few and He made you multiply.
Think about the fate of those who used to spread corruption. 
87If
some of you believe the message I bring and others do not, then be
patient till God judges between us. He is the best of all judges.’
88His people’s arrogant leaders said, ‘Shu ayb, we will expel you
and your fellow believers from our town unless you return to our
religion.’ He said, ‘What! Even if we detest it? 
89If we were to return
to your religion after God has saved us from it, we would be invent-
ing lies about Him: there is no way we could return to it –
– unless by
the will of God our Lord: in His knowledge He comprehends every-
thing. We put our trust in God. Our Lord, expose the truth [and
judge] between us and our people, for You are the best judge.’
90The
disbelieving leaders among his people said, ‘You will certainly be
losers if you follow Shu
 ayb’–– 91an earthquake seized them: by the
next morning they were lying dead in their homes; 
92it was as if those
The Qur
an
7: 76
100

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who had rejected Shu
 ayb had never lived there; it was those who
had rejected Shu
 ayb who were the losers–– 93so he turned away
from them, saying, ‘My people, I delivered my Lord’s messages to
you and gave you sincere advice, so why should I grieve for people
who refused to believe?’
94Whenever We sent a prophet to a town, We afflicted its [dis-
believing]
a
people with su
ffering and hardships, so that they might
humble themselves [before God], 
95and then We changed their
hardship into prosperity, until they multiplied. But then they said,
‘Hardship and a
ffluence also befell our forefathers,’ and so We took
them suddenly, unawares. 
96If the people of those towns had believed
and been mindful of God, We would have showered them with
blessings from the heavens and earth, but they rejected the truth and
so We punished them for their misdeeds.
97Do the people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment
will not come upon them by night, while they are asleep? 
98Do the
people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment will not come
upon them by day, while they are at play? 
99Do they feel secure
against God’s plan? Only the losers feel secure against God’s plan.
100Is it not clear to those who inherit the land from former gener-
ations that We can punish them too for their sins if We will? And
seal up their hearts so that they cannot hear? 
101We have told you
[Prophet] the stories of those towns: messengers came to them, and
clear signs, but they would not believe in what they had already
rejected –
– in this way God seals the hearts of disbelievers. 
102We
found that most of them did not honour their commitments; We
found that most of them were de
fiant.
103After these, We sent Moses to Pharaoh and his leading sup-
porters with Our signs, but they rejected them. See the fate of
those who used to spread corruption. 
104Moses said, ‘Pharaoh, I am a
messenger from the Lord of all the Worlds, 
105duty-bound to say
nothing about God but the truth, and I have brought you a clear sign
from your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go with me.’
106He said,
‘Produce this sign you have brought, if you are telling the truth.’
107So Moses threw his staff and–– lo and behold!–– it was a snake,
clear to all, 
108and then he pulled out his hand and–– lo and