الم ١

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

ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٢

(This is) the Glorious Book in which there is no chance of doubt. (It is) a guide for those who guard against evil and fear Allah:

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ٣

Those who believe in the unseen, and establish Prayer (fulfilling all its requisites) and spend (in Our way) out of what We have given them;

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ٤

And those who believe in (all) that which has been revealed to you, and that which was revealed before you, and also have (perfect) faith in the Hereafter.

أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ٥

It is they who follow guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall achieve real success.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٦

Verily, those who have adopted disbelief, it is the same for them whether you warn them or you warn them not, they will not believe.

خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ٧

Allah (as a result of their own choice) has set a seal on their hearts and their ears, and there is a blindfold (set) over their eyes. And for them there is a severe torment.

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ٨

And amongst people there are (also) some who say: ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ whereas they are not (at all) believers.

يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ٩

They seek to deceive Allah (i.e., the Messenger) and the believers, but (in fact) they deceive only themselves and they are not aware of it.

فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ ١٠

In their hearts is a disease. So Allah has worsened their disease. And for them, there is painful punishment because they used to tell lies.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ ١١

When it is said to them: ‘Do not spread disorder in the land,’ they say: ‘It is we who reform.’

أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ ١٢

Beware! (Truly) it is they who spread disorder, but they do not have any sense (of it) at all.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ١٣

And when it is said to them: ‘Believe as (other) people have believed,’ they say: ‘Shall we also believe (as those) fools have believed?’ Beware! (Certainly) they are themselves fools, but they do not know (their foolishness and low level).

وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ ١٤

And when they (the hypocrites) meet the believers, they say: ‘We (too) have believed,’ and when they meet their devils in private, they assure them: ‘We are certainly with you. We only mock (the believers).’

اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ١٥

Allah punishes them for their mockery, and lets them loose (so that they meet their fate). So they are wandering blindly in their transgression.

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَارَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ ١٦

These are the people who have purchased misguidance for guidance; but their trade did not yield any gain, and they did not know the way to a (gainful and profitable) bargain.

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ ١٧

Their example is like a person who lit a fire (in surrounding darkness), and when it brightened the environment, Allah took away their light and left them in total darkness. Now they cannot see anything.

صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ ١٨

They are deaf, dumb and blind. So they will not return (to the right path).

أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِم مِّنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ ١٩

Or their example is like a rain pouring from the sky wherein there are layers of darkness and thunder and lightning (as well). They thrust their fingers into their ears, fearing death due to the thunder. And Allah has encompassed the disbelievers.

يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ٢٠

It seems as if the lightning would snatch away their sight. When their (surroundings) are lit with a flash, they start walking, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. And if Allah had willed, He would have completely deprived them of hearing and sight. Surely, Allah is All-Powerful to do everything.