1Ḥā, Meem.¹²⁸⁵

2[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful –

3A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur'ān¹²⁸⁶ for a people who know,

4As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.

5And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings [i.e., screened] from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work;¹²⁸⁷ indeed, we are working."

6Say, [O Muḥammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allāh –

7Those who do not give zakāh, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.

8Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds – for them is a reward uninterrupted.

9Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds."

10And He placed on it [i.e., the earth] firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its

[creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction¹²⁸⁸ – for [the information of] those who ask.

11Then He directed Himself¹²⁸⁹ to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being],¹²⁹⁰ willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."

12And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired [i.e., made known] in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars, for beauty] and as protection.¹²⁹¹ That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.

13But if they turn away, then say, "I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] 'Aad and Thamūd.

14[That occurred] when the messengers had come to them before them and after them, [saying], "Worship not except Allāh." They said, "If our Lord had willed,¹²⁹² He would have sent down the angels, so indeed we, in that with which you have been sent, are disbelievers."

15As for 'Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, "Who is greater than us in strength?" Did they not consider that Allāh who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.

16So We sent upon them a screaming wind during days of misfortune to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the worldly life; but the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped.

17And as for Thamūd, We guided them, but they preferred blindness over guidance, so the thunderbolt of humiliating punishment seized them for what they used to earn.

18And We saved those who believed and used to fear Allāh.

19And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire while they are [driven], assembled in rows,

20Until, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes and their skins will testify against them of what they used to do.

21And they will say to their skins, "Why have you testified against us?" They will say, "We were made to speak by Allāh, who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned.

22And you were not covering [i.e., protecting] yourselves,¹²⁹³ lest your hearing testify against you or your sight or your skins, but you assumed that Allāh does not know much of what you do.

23And that was your assumption which you assumed about your Lord. It has brought you to ruin, and you have become among the losers."

24So [even] if they are patient, the Fire is a residence for them; and if they ask to appease [Allāh], they will not be of those who are allowed to appease.

25And We appointed for them companions¹²⁹⁴ who made attractive to them what was before them and what was behind them [of sin], and the word [i.e., decree] has come into effect upon them among nations which had passed on before them of jinn and men. Indeed, they [all] were losers.

26And those who disbelieve say, "Do not listen to this Qur'ān and speak noisily¹²⁹⁵ during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome."

27But We will surely cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them for the worst of what they had been doing.

28That is the recompense of the enemies of Allāh – the Fire. For them therein is the home of eternity as recompense for what they, of Our verses, were rejecting.

29And those who disbelieved will [then] say, "Our Lord, show us those who misled us of the jinn and men [so] we may put them under our feet¹²⁹⁶ that they will be among the lowest."

30Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allāh" and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.

31We [angels] were your allies in worldly life and [are so] in the Hereafter. And you will have therein whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish]

32As accommodation from a [Lord who is] Forgiving and Merciful."

33And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allāh and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims."

34And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become]