حم ١

Ha-Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.)

وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ ٢

By the illumined Book,

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ٣

Verily, We have made it, the Qur’an, in the Arabic (language) so that you may understand.

وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ٤

And verily, it is inscribed with Us in (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz [the Preserved Table]), the origin of all the Books. It is certainly exalted (over all the Books), full of wisdom.

أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا أَن كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا مُّسْرِفِينَ ٥

And should We withhold this Reminder from you because you are a people who exceed limits?

وَكَمْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن نَّبِيٍّ فِي الْأَوَّلِينَ ٦

And how many a Messenger We sent amongst the preceding communities!

وَمَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ ٧

And no Prophet came to them, but they used to make fun of him.

فَأَهْلَكْنَا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًا وَمَضَىٰ مَثَلُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ٨

And We destroyed the people who were more powerful than these (disbelievers of Mecca). And the annals of the bygone people have been cited (on many preceding occasions).

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ ٩

And if you ask them: ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth?’ they will certainly say: ‘The Almighty, All-Knowing (Lord) has created them.’

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ١٠

(He is) the One Who has made the earth a cradle for you, and has made for you pathways in it so that you may reach the destination;

وَالَّذِي نَزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً بِقَدَرٍ فَأَنشَرْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ تُخْرَجُونَ ١١

And He Who sent water from the sky according to a measure (of necessity). Then with that, We gave life to the dead city. You will also be brought forth (after death from the earth) in the same way;

وَالَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ ١٢

And He Who has brought into existence creatures of all kinds and made for you ships and vessels and the cattle you ride (on sea as well as on land),

لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ ١٣

So that you may sit on their backs (i.e., seats) firmly, then remember the favour of your Lord. When you sit firmly on it (the seat of your means of transport), say: ‘Glory be to Him Who has made it subservient to us, whereas we could not bring it under control.

وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ ١٤

And indeed, we are bound to return to our Lord.’

وَجَعَلُوا لَهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ جُزْءًا ۚ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَكَفُورٌ مُّبِينٌ ١٥

And those (polytheists) have made some of His servants His component (of divinity by declaring them His children). Verily, man is blatantly ungrateful.

أَمِ اتَّخَذَ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ بَنَاتٍ وَأَصْفَاكُم بِالْبَنِينَ ١٦

(O disbelievers! Reply according to your calibre of thinking:) ‘Has He chosen (for Himself) daughters out of His Creation and has specified sons for you?’

وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ ١٧

Whereas when the news is given to any one of them (of the birth of a daughter at his home) whom they have held as an image of the Most Kind (Lord), his face turns dark and he is filled with anger and grief.

أَوَمَن يُنَشَّأُ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْخِصَامِ غَيْرُ مُبِينٍ ١٨

And (will Allah make her His offspring for partnership and assistance in His affairs) who is raised in refinery and is not bold (in giving her opinion expressly) in a contention (owing to her mild, modest and feminine temperament)?

وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ إِنَاثًا ۚ أَشَهِدُوا خَلْقَهُمْ ۚ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ وَيُسْأَلُونَ ١٩

And they have declared the angels who are the servants of the Most Kind (Lord) to be women. Were they present at the time of their creation? (They were not, so) now their witness will be recorded, and they will be interrogated (on the Last Day).

وَقَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنَاهُم ۗ مَّا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ ٢٠

And they say: ‘If the Most Kind (Lord) had intended, we would not have worshipped these (idols).’ They do not know anything about this (as well). They only tell lies out of fancy.