Alif Lam Mim

Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘We believe’ without being put to the test?

We tested those who went before them: God will certainly mark out which ones are truthful and which are lying.

Do the evildoers think they can escape us? How ill they judge!

But as for those who strive for their meeting with God, God’s appointed time is bound to come; He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

Those who exert themselves do so for their own benefit––God does not need His creatures––

We shall certainly blot out the misdeeds of those who believe and do good deeds, and We shall reward them according to the best of their actions.

الٓمٓ

أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَٰذِبِينَ

أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَاۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَـَٔاتࣲۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

وَمَن جَٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ ٱلَّذِي كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

We have commanded people to be good to their parents, but do not obey them if they strive to make you serve, beside Me, anything of which you have no knowledge: you will all return to Me, and I shall inform you of what you have done.

We shall be sure to admit those who believe and do good deeds to the ranks of the righteous.

There are some people who say, ‘We believe in God,’ but, when they suffer for His cause, they think that human persecution is as severe as God’s punishment––yet, if any help comes to you [Prophet] from your Lord, they will say, ‘We have always been with you’. Does God not know best what is in everyone’s hearts?

God will be sure to mark out which ones are the believers, and which the hypocrites.

Those who disbelieve say to the believers, ‘Follow our path and we shall bear [the consequences for] your sins,’ yet they will not do so––they are liars.

They will bear their own burdens and others besides: they will be questioned about their false assertions on the Day of Resurrection.

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حُسْنࣰاۖ وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمࣱ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَآۚ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَنُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ فِي ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ فَإِذَآ أُوذِيَ فِي ٱللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ ٱلنَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلَئِن جَآءَ نَصْرࣱ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْۚ أَوَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَٰيَٰكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَٰمِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَٰيَٰهُم مِّن شَيْءٍۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالࣰا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْۖ وَلَيُسْـَٔلُنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ

We sent Noah out to his people. He lived among them for fifty years short of a thousand but when the Flood overwhelmed them they were still doing evil.

We saved him and those with him on the Ark. We made this a sign for all people.

We also sent Abraham. He said to his people, ‘Serve God and be mindful of Him: that is better for you, if only you knew.

What you worship instead of God are mere idols; what you invent is nothing but falsehood. Those you serve instead of God have no power to give you provisions, so seek provisions from God, serve Him, and give Him thanks: you will all be returned to Him.

If you say this is a lie, [be warned that] other communities before you said the same. The messenger’s only duty is to give clear warning.’

Do they not see that God brings life into being and reproduces it? Truly this is easy for God.

Say, ‘Travel throughout the earth and see how He brings life into being: and He will bring the next life into being. God has power over all things.

He punishes whoever He will and shows mercy to whoever He will. You will all be returned to Him.

You cannot escape Him on earth or in the heavens; you will have no one to protect or help you besides God.’

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامࣰا فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱلطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ

فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَأَصْحَٰبَ ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَآ ءَايَةࣰ لِّلْعَٰلَمِينَ

وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُۖ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرࣱ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنࣰا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًاۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقࣰا فَٱبْتَغُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرِّزْقَ وَٱعْبُدُوهُ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لَهُۥٓۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

وَإِن تُكَذِّبُوا۟ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمࣱ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْۖ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ يُبْدِئُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرࣱ

قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ ٱلْخَلْقَۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءࣲ قَدِيرࣱ

يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْحَمُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَإِلَيْهِ تُقْلَبُونَ

وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيࣲّ وَلَا نَصِيرࣲ

Those who deny God’s Revelation and their meeting with Him have no hope of receiving My grace: they will have a grievous torment.

The only answer Abraham’s people gave was, ‘Kill him or burn him!’ but God saved him from the Fire: there truly are signs in this for people who believe.

Abraham said to them, ‘You have chosen idols instead of God but your love for them will only last for the present life: on the Day of Resurrection, you will disown and reject one another. Hell will be your home and no one will help you.’

Lot believed him, and said, ‘I will flee to my Lord: He is the Almighty, the All Wise.’

We gave Isaac and Jacob to Abraham, and placed prophethood and Scripture among his offspring. We gave him his rewards in this world, and in the life to come he will be among the righteous.

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَتِي وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمࣱ

فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوهُ أَوْ حَرِّقُوهُ فَأَنجَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَٰتࣲ لِّقَوْمࣲ يُؤْمِنُونَ

وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا ٱتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْثَٰنࣰا مَّوَدَّةَ بَيْنِكُمْ فِي ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاۖ ثُمَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُم بِبَعْضࣲ وَيَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضࣰا وَمَأْوَىٰكُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ

۞ فَـَٔامَنَ لَهُۥ لُوطࣱۘ وَقَالَ إِنِّي مُهَاجِرٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّيٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ ٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُ أَجْرَهُۥ فِي ٱلدُّنْيَاۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِي ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ