The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
Cf. 
4: 25.
b
Literally ‘will be the heirs to “inherit” Paradise’, but they do not inherit from
anyone who dies.
c
Razi quotes Ibn 
 Abbas to explain ‘other forms’ as referring to all the various stages
of infancy, childhood, and maturity –– cf. 
22: 5; 40: 67.
d
Tara
iq: ‘levels (of heaven)’ or ‘highways’ (Razi).

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23We sent Noah to his people. He said, ‘My people, serve God, for
He is your only god. Will you not heed Him?’
24But the leading
disbelievers among his people said, ‘He is merely a mortal like
you, trying to gain some superiority over you. God would have
sent down angels if He had wished; besides, we never heard of
anything like this from our forefathers. 
25He is just a madman, so
let’s wait and see what happens to him.’
26Noah said, ‘My Lord, help
me! They call me a liar,’
27and so We revealed to him: ‘Build the
Ark under Our watchful eye and according to Our revelation.
When Our command comes and water gushes up out of the earth,
a
take pairs of every species on board, and your family, except for
those on whom the sentence has already been passed –
– do not plead
with me for the evildoers: they will be drowned –
–
28and when
you and your companions are settled on the Ark, say, “Praise be to
God, who delivered us from the wicked people,”
29and say, “My
Lord, let me land with Your blessing: it is You who provide the best
landings”.’
30There are signs in all this: We have always put [people]
to the test.
31Then We raised another generation after them, 32and sent one of
their own as a messenger: ‘Serve God, for He is your only god. Will
you not heed Him?’
33But the leading disbelievers among his
people, who denied the Meeting in the Hereafter, to whom We had
granted ease and plenty in this life, said, ‘He is just a mortal like
you –
– he eats what you eat and drinks what you drink –
–
34and you
will really be losers if you obey a mortal like yourselves. 
35How can
he promise you that after you die and become dust and bones you
will be brought out alive? 
36What you are promised is very far-
fetched. 
37There is only the life of this world: we die, we live,
b
but we
will never be resurrected. 
38He is just a man making lies up about
God. We will never believe in him.’
39The prophet said, ‘My Lord,
help me! They call me a liar,’
40and so God said, ‘Soon they will be
filled with regret.’ 41The blast justly struck them and We swept them
away like scum. Away with the evildoers! 
42We raised other gener-
ations after them –
–
43no community can advance or delay its time––
44and We sent Our messengers in succession: whenever a messenger
came to a community they invariably called him a liar, so We
a
Literally ‘the furnace boils over’.
b
Razi interprets this order to mean successive generations.
The Qur
an
23: 23
216

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destroyed them one after the other and made them into cautionary
tales. Away with the disbelievers!
45Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron, with Our signs and
clear authority, 
46to Pharaoh and his prominent leaders, but they
responded with arrogance: they were a haughty people. 
47They said,
‘Are we to believe in two mortals like us? And their people are our
servants?’
48and so they called them both liars: they became another
ruined people. 
49We gave Moses the Scripture, so that they
a
might
be rightly guided. 
50We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign;
We gave them shelter on a peaceful hillside with 
flowing water.
b
51Messengers, eat good things and do good deeds: I am well aware
of what you do. 
52This community of yours is one–– and I am your
Lord: be mindful of Me –
–
53but they have split their community into
sects, each rejoicing in their own. 
54So [Muhammad] leave them for a
while steeped [in their ignorance]. 
55Do they reckon that, by giving
them wealth and sons, 
56We race to give them good things? They
really have no idea! 
57Those who stand in awe of their Lord, 58who
believe in His messages, 
59who do not ascribe partners to Him, 60who
always give with hearts that tremble at the thought that they must
return to Him, 
61are the ones who race toward good things, and they
will be the 
first to get them. 62We do not burden any soul with more
than it can bear –
– We have a Record that tells the truth –
– they will
not be wronged. 
63But the disbelievers’ hearts are steeped [in ignor-
ance of ] all this; and there are other things besides this that they
do. 
64When We bring Our punishment on those corrupted with
wealth, they will cry for help: 
65‘Do not cry out today: you will get
no help from Us. 
66Time and time again My messages were recited
to you, but you turned arrogantly on your heels, 
67and spent the
evening making fun of [the Qur
an].’
68Have they not contemplated the Word of God? Has something
come to them that did not come to their forefathers? 
69Do they not
recognize their Messenger? So why do they reject him? 
70Why do
they say he is possessed? He has brought them the truth and most of
them hate it, 
71but if the truth were in accordance with their desires,
the heavens, the earth, and everyone in them would disintegrate.
We have brought them their Reminder and they turn away from it.
a
‘His people’ –– Moses was given the Scripture later, so ‘they’ only refers to the
children of Israel.
b
Where Mary gave birth; see 
19: 22–6.
The Believers
217
23: 71

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72Do you [Prophet] ask them for any payment? Your Lord’s is the best
payment: He is the Best of Providers. 
73You call them to a straight
path 
74and those who do not believe in the Hereafter turn away from
that path. 
75Even if We were to show them mercy and relieve them of
distress, they would blindly persist in their transgression. 
76We have
already a
fflicted them, yet they did not submit to their Lord: they
will not humble themselves 
77until We open a gate to severe torment
for them –
– then they will be plunged into utter despair.
78It is God who endowed you with hearing, sight, and hearts––
how seldom you are grateful! 
79It is He who made you multiply on
earth. It is to Him that you will be gathered: 
80it is He who gives life
and death; the alternation of night and day depends on Him; will
you not use your minds? 
81But, like others before them, 82they say,
‘What? When we die and turn to dust and bones, shall we really be
resurrected? 
83We have heard such promises before, and so did our
forefathers. These are just ancient fables.’
84Say [Prophet], ‘Who
owns the earth and all who live in it, if you know [so much]?’
85and
they will reply, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Will you not take heed?’
86Say, ‘Who is
the Lord of the seven heavens? Who is the Lord of the Mighty
Throne?’
87and they will reply, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Will you not be mindful?’
88Say, ‘Who holds control of everything in His hand? Who protects,
while there is no protection against Him, if you know [so much]?’
89and they will reply, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Then how can you be so deluded?’
90The fact is, We brought them the truth and they are lying. 91God
has never had a child. Nor is there any god beside Him –
– if there
were, each god would have taken his creation aside and tried to over-
come the others. May God be exalted above what they describe! 
92He
knows what is not seen as well as what is seen; He is far above any