الر ۚ تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ وَقُرْآنٍ مُّبِينٍ ١

Alif, Lam, Ra. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.) These are the Verses of the (Glorious) Book and the Enlightening Qur’an.

رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ كَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ ٢

(Watching the scenes of Allah’s mercy on the believers in the Hereafter,) the disbelievers will persistently aspire: would that they were Muslims!

ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا وَيُلْهِهِمُ الْأَمَلُ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ٣

(Feel not aggrieved.) Leave them. Let them eat (and drink) and make merry and let (their) false hopes keep them negligent (of the Hereafter). Then they will come to know (their end) soon.

وَمَا أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ إِلَّا وَلَهَا كِتَابٌ مَّعْلُومٌ ٤

And never have We destroyed any township, except that there was for them a known inscription (law, which they violated and met their fate).

مَّا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ ٥

No people can go beyond their appointed term, nor can they step back (under the law of rise and fall).

وَقَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ ٦

And (the disbelievers) say (insolently): ‘O man on whom this Qur’an has been revealed, indeed you are insane.

لَّوْ مَا تَأْتِينَا بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ ٧

Why do you not bring us angels if you are truthful?’

مَا نُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُوا إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ ٨

We do not send down angels but with the (judgment of) truth (i.e., We send them down to execute the torment when its time approaches), and they are not granted respite at that time.

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ ٩

Assuredly, We alone have revealed this Glorious Admonition (the Qur’an), and surely We alone will guard it.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِي شِيَعِ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٠

And We indeed sent Messengers before you as well amongst the earlier generations.

وَمَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ ١١

And there did not come to them any Messenger but they would mock him.

كَذَٰلِكَ نَسْلُكُهُ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ١٢

That is how We infuse this (mockery and ridicule) into the hearts of the sinners;

لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ١٣

These people will not believe in this (Qur’an), and (this) is what has been the practice of the bygone people.

وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّوا فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ ١٤

And if We open to them some gate in the heaven (and also make this possible for them that) they keep ascending through (it) the whole day,

لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ ١٥

(Even then) they will certainly say (this): ‘Our eyes have been hypnotized (through some magic trick and deceit), rather we are spellbound.’

وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا لِلنَّاظِرِينَ ١٦

And indeed, We brought into existence constellations in the heavens (in the form of galaxies to safeguard the planets), and adorned this (spatial universe) for the beholders.

وَحَفِظْنَاهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ رَّجِيمٍ ١٧

And We have ensured the protection of this (system of heavenly universe) from every outcast satan (i.e., from the destructive phenomenon of every rebellious force).

إِلَّا مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ مُّبِينٌ ١٨

But anyone who tries to eavesdrop, an illuminating (i.e., blazing) meteor follows it.

وَالْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَاهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مَّوْزُونٍ ١٩

And We have spread out the earth (despite its being round), and We brought about firm mountains in it (by allying different elements together), and in it We provided means of growth to all species in (requisite) proportion.

وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَايِشَ وَمَن لَّسْتُمْ لَهُ بِرَازِقِينَ ٢٠

And in it We generated for you means of subsistence and also for those (human beings, animals and birds) whom you do not provide for.