اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ ١

The time of reckoning for people has drawn near but, rapt in heedlessness, they are disinclined (to obedience).

مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلَّا اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ٢

Whenever some new admonition comes to them from their Lord, they listen to it (with such carelessness) as if they are engaged in sport.

لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا هَلْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ۖ أَفَتَأْتُونَ السِّحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ ٣

Their hearts have become neglectful and (these) wrongdoers whisper (against you) inaudibly: ‘He is but a human being like you. Do you (even then) submit to (his) magic whilst you can see?’

قَالَ رَبِّي يَعْلَمُ الْقَوْلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ٤

(The Esteemed Prophet) said: ‘My Lord knows (every) word uttered in the heavens and the earth and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.’

بَلْ قَالُوا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَامٍ بَلِ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِآيَةٍ كَمَا أُرْسِلَ الْأَوَّلُونَ ٥

But (the wrongdoers go so far as to) say: ‘This (Qur’an) comprises (things seen in) confused dreams. Nay! He has invented it (himself). Nay, he is (in fact) a poet. (If he is a true Prophet,) let him (also) bring us some sign as the former (Prophets) were sent (with signs).’

مَا آمَنَتْ قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا ۖ أَفَهُمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ ٦

Every community whom We destroyed before them disbelieved (in these signs). So, will these people believe?

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ٧

And, (O Esteemed Beloved,) We sent only men (as Prophets) before you (also). We used to send them Revelations. So, (O people,) if you do not know (yourselves), ask the people of remembrance.

وَمَا جَعَلْنَاهُمْ جَسَدًا لَّا يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُوا خَالِدِينَ ٨

And We did not create them (the Prophets) with such bodies as would not eat food, nor were they to live (their visible life in the world) forever.

ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَاهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَأَنجَيْنَاهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَاءُ وَأَهْلَكْنَا الْمُسْرِفِينَ ٩

Then We fulfilled Our promise to them. So We delivered them and those whom We liked and We destroyed the transgressors.

لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَابًا فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ١٠

Verily, We have revealed to you the Book, which contains (means and substance for) your admonition. So do you not have sense?

وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِينَ ١١

And how many communities, which were unjust, did We destroy and We raised up other communities after them!

فَلَمَّا أَحَسُّوا بَأْسَنَا إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ ١٢

Then, when they sensed Our punishment (approaching), they started fleeing fast from there.

لَا تَرْكُضُوا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَا أُتْرِفْتُمْ فِيهِ وَمَسَاكِنِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ ١٣

(It was said to them:) ‘Do not flee in haste, and return to the same place where you were given comforts, and (go back) to your (luxurious) dwellings. It is likely that you are interrogated.’

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ١٤

They said: ‘Woe to us! Surely, we were wrongdoers.’

فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَاهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَاهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَامِدِينَ ١٥

So this is what they always bewailed till We made them like a reaped field (and a heap) of extinguished fire.

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ ١٦

And We have not created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them (useless) as a sport.

لَوْ أَرَدْنَا أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّاتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا إِن كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ ١٧

If We intended to take up some sport, We would adopt it on Our own if at all We were to do (so).

بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقِّ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ ۚ وَلَكُمُ الْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ ١٨

Nay, We strike at falsehood with the truth with full force. So, the truth crushes it and it (i.e., the falsehood) gets destroyed. And you are bound to ruin yourselves owing to what you utter.

وَلَهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَنْ عِندَهُ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ ١٩

And whoever is in the heavens and in the earth (serves and) belongs to Him alone. And those (angels) who (remain) in His presence are not arrogant towards His worship, nor do they become weary (of carrying out His obedience).

يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ ٢٠

They glorify (Him) night and day ceaselessly, and do not observe even a momentary pause.