Surah Al-A'raf Verses 51–100

Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded." So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses.

And We had certainly brought them a Book which We detailed by knowledge - as guidance and mercy to a people who believe.

Do they await except its result?³⁷⁷ The Day its result comes, those who had ignored it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth, so are there [now] any intercessors to intercede for us or could we be sent back to do other than what we used to do?" They will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.

Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne.³⁷⁸ He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.

Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.³⁷⁹

And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allāh is near to the doers of good.

And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy [i.e., rainfall] until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded.

And the good land - its vegetation emerges by permission of its Lord; but that which is bad - nothing emerges except sparsely, with difficulty. Thus do We diversify the signs for a people who are grateful.

We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day."

Said the eminent among his people, "Indeed, we see you in clear error."

[Noah] said, "O my people, there is not error in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

I convey to you the messages of my Lord and advise you; and I know from Allāh what you do not know.

Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may fear Allāh so you might receive mercy?"

But they denied him, so We saved him and those who were with him in the ship. And We drowned those who denied Our signs. Indeed, they were a blind people.³⁸⁰

And to the ʿAad [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. Then will you not fear Him?"

Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "Indeed, we see you in foolishness, and indeed, we think you are of the liars."

[Hūd] said, "O my people, there is not foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds.

I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser.

Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you? And remember when He made you successors after the people of Noah and increased you in stature extensively. So remember the favors of Allāh that you might succeed."

They said, "Have you come to us that we should worship Allāh alone and leave what our fathers have worshipped? Then bring us what you promise us,³⁸¹ if you should be of the truthful."

[Hūd] said, "Already have defilement and anger fallen upon you from your Lord. Do you dispute with me concerning [mere] names you have named them,³⁸² you and your fathers, for which Allāh has not sent down any authority? Then wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait."

So We saved him and those with him by mercy from Us. And We eliminated those who denied Our signs, and they were not [at all] believers.

And to the Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allāh [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allāh's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.

And remember when He made you successors after the ʿAad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allāh and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Ṣāliḥ is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."

Said those who were arrogant, "Indeed we, in that which you have believed, are disbelievers."

So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Ṣāliḥ, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers."

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

And he [i.e., Ṣāliḥ] turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the message of my Lord and advised you, but you do not like advisors."

And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds [i.e., peoples]?

Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."

But the answer of his people was only that they said, "Evict them from your city! Indeed, they are men who keep themselves pure."

So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; she was of those who remained [with the evildoers].

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones]. Then see how was the end of the criminals.

And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.

And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allāh those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.

And if there should be a group among you who has believed in that with which I have been sent and a group that has not believed, then be patient until Allāh judges between us. And He is the best of judges."

Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people, "We will surely evict you, O Shuʿayb, and those who have believed with you from our city, or you must return to our religion." He said, "Even if we were unwilling?

We would have invented against Allāh a lie if we returned to your religion after Allāh had saved us from it. And it is not for us to return to it except that Allāh, our Lord, should will. Our Lord has encompassed all things in knowledge. Upon Allāh we have relied. Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision."

Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "If you should follow Shuʿayb, indeed, you would then be losers."

So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.

Those who denied Shuʿayb - it was as though they had never resided there. Those who denied Shuʿayb - it was they who were the losers.

And he [i.e., Shuʿayb] turned away from them and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?"

And We sent to no city a prophet [who was denied] except that We seized its people with poverty and hardship that they might humble themselves [to Allāh].

Then We exchanged in place of the bad [condition], good, until they increased [and prospered] and said, "Our fathers [also] were touched with hardship and ease."³⁸³ So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive.³⁸⁴

And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allāh, We would have opened [i.e., bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.³⁸⁵

Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep?

Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play?³⁸⁶

Then, did they feel secure from the plan of Allāh? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allāh except the losing people.

Has it not become clear to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins? But We seal over their hearts so they do not hear.³⁸⁷