The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
i.e. scriptural proof.
b
Literally ‘his face’.
The Qur
an
31: 14
262

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like creating or resurrecting a single soul: God is all hearing and all
seeing.
29[Prophet], do you not see that God causes the night to merge
into day and the day to merge into night; that He has subjected the
sun and the moon, each to run its course for a stated term; that He is
aware of everything you [people] do? 
30This is because God is the
Truth, and what they invoke beside Him is false. He is the Most
High, Most Great. 
31[Prophet], do you not see that ships sail
through the sea, by the grace of God, to show you [people] some of
His wonders? Truly there are signs in this for every steadfast, thank-
ful person. 
32When the waves loom over those on board like giant
shadows they call out to God, devoting their religion entirely to
Him. But, when He has delivered them safely to land, some of them
waver –
– only a treacherous, thankless person refuses to acknowledge
Our signs. 
33People, be mindful of your Lord and fear a day when no
parent will take the place of their child, nor a child take the place of
their parent, in any way. God’s promise is true, so do not let the
present life delude you, nor let the Deceiver delude you about God.
34Knowledge of the Hour [of Resurrection] belongs to God; it is He
who sends down the relieving rain and He who knows what is hidden
in the womb. No soul knows what it will reap tomorrow, and no soul
knows in what land it will die; it is God who is all knowing and
all aware.
Luqman
263
31: 34

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32. BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP
A Meccan sura which takes its title from the bowing down of true believers in
worship in verse 
15. The truth of the Quran is emphasized at the beginning of
the sura, and the Prophet is urged at the end of the sura to pay no attention to
the disbelievers who cannot see the signi
ficance of God’s signs.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1Alif Lam Mim
2This scripture, free from all doubt, has been sent down from the
Lord of the Worlds. 
3Yet they say, ‘Muhammad has made it up.’ No
indeed! It is the Truth from your Lord for you [Prophet], to warn a
people who have had no one to warn them before, so that they may
be guided. 
4It is God who created the heavens and the earth and
everything between them in six Days. Then He established Himself
on the Throne. You [people] have no one but Him to protect you and
no one to intercede for you, so why do you not take heed? 
5He runs
everything, from the heavens to the earth, and everything will ascend
to Him in the end, on a Day that will measure a thousand years in
your reckoning. 
6Such is He who knows all that is unseen as well as
what is seen, the Almighty, the Merciful, 
7who gave everything its
perfect form. He 
first created man from clay, 8then made his des-
cendants from an extract of underrated 
fluid.
a
9Then He moulded
him; He breathed from His Spirit into him; He gave you hearing,
sight, and minds. How seldom you are grateful! 
10They say, ‘What?
When we have disappeared into the earth, shall we really be created
anew?’ In fact, they deny the meeting with their Lord. 
11Say, ‘The
Angel of Death put in charge of you will reclaim you, and then you
will be brought back to your Lord.’
12[Prophet], if only you could see the wrongdoers hang their
heads before their Lord: ‘Our Lord, now that we have seen and
heard, send us back and we shall do good. [Now] we are convinced.’
13‘If it had been Our will, We could certainly have given every soul
its true guidance, but My words have come true. “I shall be sure to
a
Semen.

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fill Hell with jinn and men together.” 14So since you ignored the
meeting on this Day of yours, now We shall ignore you: taste the
lasting su
ffering for all you have done.’
15The only people who truly believe in Our messages are those
who, when they are reminded of them, bow down in worship, cele-
brate their Lord’s praises, and do not think themselves above this.
16Their sides shun their beds in order to pray to their Lord in fear
and hope; they give to others some of what We have given them.
17No soul knows what joy is kept hidden in store for them as a
reward for what they have done. 
18So, is someone who believes equal
to someone who de
fies God? No, they are not equal. 19Those who
believe and do good deeds will have Gardens awaiting them as their
home and as a reward for what they have done. 
20As for those who
defy God, their home will be the Fire. Whenever they try to escape
it, they will be driven back into it, and they will be told, ‘Taste the
torment of the Fire, which you persistently denied.’
21We shall cer-
tainly make them taste a nearer torment [in this life] prior to the
greater torment, so that perhaps they may return [to the right path].
22Who does more wrong than someone who, when messages from his
Lord are recited to him, turns away from them? We shall in
flict
retribution on the guilty.
23We gave Moses the Scripture–– so [Muhammad] do not doubt
that you are receiving it –
– and We made it a guide for the Children of
Israel. 
24When they became steadfast and believed firmly in Our
messages, We raised leaders among them, guiding them according to
Our command. 
25[Prophet], it is your Lord who will judge between
them on the Day of Resurrection concerning their di
fferences.
26Is it not a lesson for them [to see] how many generations We
destroyed before them, in whose homes they now walk? There truly
are signs in this –
– do they not hear? 
27Do they not consider how We
drive rain to the barren land, and with it produce vegetation from
which their cattle and they themselves eat? Do they not see? 
28And
they say, ‘When will this Decision be, if you are telling the truth?’
29Say, ‘On the Day of Decision it will be no use for the disbelievers
to believe; they will be granted no respite.’
30So [Prophet], turn away
from them and wait: they too are waiting.