الم ١

Alif, Lam, Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.)

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ٢

Do people think that they will be released (just) on saying: ‘We have believed,’ and they will not be tried?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ ٣

And surely, We tried (also) those who were before them. Allah will certainly show up (through trial) those who are truthful (in claiming beliefs), and shall make the liars (as well) stand out.

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ٤

Do the evildoers think that they will slip away from Our (grip)? How evil is what they decide (in their minds)!

مَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ٥

Whoever hopes for meeting with Allah, then Allah’s appointed time is bound to come. And He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ ٦

And whoever strives hard (for the cause of truth) strives for his own (benefit). Surely, Allah is independent of (the obedience, submission and struggles) of all the worlds.

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ٧

And those who believe and do pious deeds, We shall remove all their misdeeds from their (record), and We shall certainly give them a reward better than the deeds which they will have (actually) accomplished.

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۚ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ٨

And We have enjoined upon man to behave benevolently with his parents. And if they contend with you that you should associate (others) with Me, of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them. To Me you (all) have to return. So I shall inform you of (the deeds) which you used to do (in the world).

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ فِي الصَّالِحِينَ ٩

And those who believe and do pious deeds, then We shall certainly admit them to the (group) of the most pious.

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَئِن جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ ۚ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ ١٠

And there are (also) those amongst the people who say: ‘We believe in Allah,’ but when they are put to (some) trouble in the way of Allah, they consider the trial of the people like punishment from Allah. And if some help comes from your Lord, then indeed they start saying: ‘We were with you.’ Is Allah not best aware of those (things) which are (hidden) in the breasts of all the people of the world?

وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ ١١

And surely, Allah will distinguish those who have believed (with true hearts) and will certainly expose the hypocrites (too).

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ ١٢

And the disbelievers say to the believers: ‘Follow our way and we shall bear (the burden of) your sins,’ whereas they will not bear any (burden) of their sins. Surely, they are liars.

وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ ۖ وَلَيُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ ١٣

And they will certainly carry their own burdens (of sins), and (will also have loaded) many (other) burdens (over themselves) along with their own burdens. And they will certainly be interrogated on the Day of Resurrection about those (false allegations) which they used to invent.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عَامًا فَأَخَذَهُمُ الطُّوفَانُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ ١٤

And indeed We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people. He lived amongst them for a millennium less fifty years. Then the Great Flood seized them whilst they were wrongdoers.

فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَأَصْحَابَ السَّفِينَةِ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا آيَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ١٥

Then We delivered Nuh (Noah) and those (with him) in the Ark, and made that (Ark and the incident) a sign for the people of the world.

وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ ۖ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ١٦

And (remember) Ibrahim (Abraham) when he said to his people: ‘Worship Allah and fear Him. That is better for you if you know (the reality).

إِنَّمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْثَانًا وَتَخْلُقُونَ إِفْكًا ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا فَابْتَغُوا عِندَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ وَاعْبُدُوهُ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ ۖ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ١٧

You worship idols besides Allah and fabricate mere lies. Surely, those you worship instead of Allah are not masters of your sustenance. So always seek sustenance from Allah, and worship Him alone, and give thanks to Him. You will be returned to Him alone.

وَإِن تُكَذِّبُوا فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ أُمَمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ۖ وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ ١٨

And if you reject (my words), then no doubt many generations have rejected (the truth) before as well. And nothing is (obligatory) upon the Messenger but to convey (the commandments) in a clear way.’

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا كَيْفَ يُبْدِئُ اللَّهُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ ١٩

Have they not seen (i.e., pondered) how Allah originates creation, then repeats it (the same way)? Surely, this is easy for Allah.

قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ بَدَأَ الْخَلْقَ ۚ ثُمَّ اللَّهُ يُنشِئُ النَّشْأَةَ الْآخِرَةَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ٢٠

Say: ‘Travel in the land (to study life in the universe), then observe (i.e., meditate and research) as to how He initiated (the life of) Creation and how He raises and nourishes the second life (passing it through evolutionary stages). Surely, Allah has perfect power over all things.