The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
Literally ‘they pushed their hands into the prophets’ mouths’.
Abraham
159
14: 22

---

been decided, Satan will say, ‘God gave you a true promise. I too
made promises but they were false ones: I had no power over you
except to call you, and you responded to my call, so do not blame
me; blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I
reject the way you associated me with God before.’ A bitter torment
awaits such wrongdoers, 
23but those who believed and did good
deeds will be brought into Gardens graced with 
flowing streams,
there to remain with their Lord’s permission: their greeting there is
‘Peace’.
24[Prophet], do you not see how God makes comparisons? A good
word is like a good tree whose root is 
firm and whose branches are
high in the sky, 
25yielding constant fruit by its Lord’s leave–– God
makes such comparisons for people so that they may re
flect–– 26but
an evil word is like a rotten tree, uprooted from the surface of the
earth, with no power to endure. 
27God will give firmness to those
who believe in the 
firmly rooted word,
a
both in this world and the
Hereafter, but the evildoers He leaves to stray: God does whatever
He will.
28[Prophet], do you not see those who, in exchange for God’s
favour, o
ffer only ingratitude and make their people end up in the
home of ruin, Hell, 
29where they burn? What an evil place to stay!
30They set up [false deities] as God’s equals to lead people astray
from His path. Say, ‘Take your pleasure now, for your destination is
the Fire.’
31Tell My servants who have believed to keep up the
prayer and give, secretly and in public, out of what We have provided
them, before a Day comes when there will be no trading or
friendship.
32It is God who created the heavens and earth, who has sent down
water from the sky and with it brought forth produce to nourish you;
He has made ships useful to you, sailing the sea by His command,
and the rivers too; 
33He has made the sun and the moon useful to
you, steady on their paths; He has made the night and day useful to
you 
34and given you some of everything you asked Him for. If you
tried to count God’s favours you could never calculate them: man is
truly unjust and ungrateful.
35Remember when Abraham said, ‘Lord, make this town safe!
Preserve me and my o
ffspring from idolatry, 36Lord, the [idols] have
a
Possibly the Scripture, 
firmly rooted in knowledge from God.
The Qur
an
14: 23
160

---

led many people astray! Anyone who follows me is with me, but as
for anyone who disobeys me –
– You are surely forgiving and merciful.
37Our Lord, I have established some of my offspring in an
uncultivated valley, close to Your Sacred House, Lord, so that they
may keep up the prayer. Make people’s hearts turn to them, and
provide them with produce, so that they may be thankful. 
38Our
Lord, You know well what we conceal and what we reveal: nothing at
all is hidden from God, on earth or in heaven. 
39Praise be to God,
who has granted me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age: my Lord hears
all requests! 
40Lord, grant that I and my offspring may keep up the
prayer. Our Lord, accept my request. 
41Our Lord, forgive me, my
parents, and the believers on the Day of Reckoning.’
42Do not think [Prophet] that God is unaware of what the dis-
believers
a
do: He only gives them respite until a Day when their eyes
will stare in terror. 
43They will rush forward, craning their necks,
unable to divert their eyes, a gaping void in their hearts. 
44So warn
people of the Day when punishment will come to them, and when
the disbelievers will say, ‘Our Lord, give us a little more time: we
shall answer Your call and follow the messengers.’ Did you [dis-
believers] not swear in the past that your power would have no end?
45You lived in the same places as others who wronged themselves
before, and you were clearly shown how We dealt with them –
– We
gave you many examples. 
46They made their plots, but, even if their
plots had been able to move mountains, God had the answer.
47So do not think [Prophet] that God will break His promise to
His messengers: He is mighty, and capable of retribution. 
48One
Day –
– when the earth is turned into another earth, the heavens into
another heaven, and people all appear before God, the One, the
Overpowering –
–
49you [Prophet] will see the guilty on that Day,
bound together in fetters, 
50in garments of pitch, faces covered in
fire. 51[All will be judged] so that God may reward each soul as it
deserves: God is swift in His reckoning.
52This is a message to all people, so that they may be warned by it,
and know that He is the only God, and so that those who have minds
may take heed.