1. Alif Lam Ra. Allah knows best what these letters means. Those ayats are the Signs of the Wise – here meaning masterly and perfect – Book (the Qur’an).

2. Do people (the people of Makkah) – and this is a question demanding a negative response – find it surprising that We should reveal to a man among them – Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: ‘Warn mankind – make the unbelievers fear the punishment – and give good news to those who believe that they have an excellent reward for the actions which they have already done and that they are on a sure footing with their Lord’? The unbelievers say, ‘This is clearly a magician!’ (read as sahir and also sihr, in which case the meaning is, “This is downright magic!” implying that the Qur’an contains that).’

3. Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days: an indication of the time involved although it was before the creation of the sun or moon. If Allah had wished, He could have created them in an instant; but He did not do so, in order to teach His creation how to be firm – and then established Himself firmly on the Throne in a manner appropriate to Him. He directs the whole affair between His creatures. No one can intercede for someone else except with His permission. This refutes the idolaters’ statement that idols intercede. That Managing Creator is Allah your Lord, so worship Him and proclaim His unity. Will you not pay heed?

4. Each and every one of you will return to Him. Allah’s promise is true. He (read as innahu and annahu) brings creation out of nothing and originates it and then regenerates it at the Resurrection so that He may repay with justice and reward those who believed and did right actions. Those who disbelieved will have scalding water to drink and a painful punishment because of their unbelief.

5. It is He who appointed the sun to give radiance (light) and the moon to give light, assigning it phases: – twenty-eight phases, one for every night of the month. It is concealed for two nights if the month is thirty days or for one night if it is twenty-nine days, so that by that you would know the number of years and the reckoning of time. Allah did not create these things except with truth. These things were not created without a purpose. He makes (read as yufassilu and nufassilu, “We make clear”) the Signs clear for people who know and reflect.

6. In the alternation of night and day – the coming and going of night and day, and their shortening and lengthening – and what (angels, sun, moon, stars etc.) Allah has created in the heavens of and on the earth (animals, mountains, seas, rivers, trees etc.) there are Signs which indicate the power of Allah for people who are godfearing – who are fearful of Him and believe in Him. They are mentioned in particular because it is they who most benefit from these Signs.

7. As for those who do not expect to meet Us at the Resurrection and are content with the life of this world rather than the Next World – since they deny it – and at rest in it – relying on it – and those who are heedless of Our Signs which indicate Our Oneness, and fail to look at them,

8. their shelter will be the Fire because of what (the shirk and acts of disobedience they committed) they earned.

9. But as for those who believe and do right actions, their Lord will guide them by their faith in Him: He will appoint a light for them by which they are guided on the Day of Rising. Rivers will flow under them in Gardens of Delight.

10. Their call there is – all they want to do in the Garden is to say – ‘Glory be to You, O Allah!’ When they seek Him, they will find Him in front of them. Their greeting there to one another is: ‘Peace!’ The end of their call is: ‘Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds!’ Then the desire of the idolaters to hasten the punishment is commented on:

11. If Allah were to hasten evil for people the way they try to hasten good, their term (read as a jaluhum and ajalahum) would already have been completed (read as qudiya and qadaa ) for them and they would have been destroyed; but He grants them a delay. We abandon those who do not expect to meet Us to wander blindly in confusion in their excessive insolence.

12. When harm (illness or poverty) touches (an unbelieving) man, he calls on Us, lying on his side or sitting down or standing up: in other words, in every state. Then when We remove the harm from him he carries on with his unbelief as if he had never called on Us when the harm first touched him. So it seems good to him to make supplication to Allah when in difficulty and to turn away from Allah in times of ease. In that way We make what they have done appear good to the profligate (the idolaters).

13. We destroyed generations (nations) b e fore you, people of Makka, when they did wrong by committing shirk. Their Messengers brought them the Clear Signs – which demonstrate their truthfulness – but they were never going to believe. That – the way that We destroyed earlier generations – is how We repay evildoers.

14. Then We appointed you, people of Makka, after them to be deputies on the earth so We might observe how you would act – to see if you would take note of the Signs and confirm Our Messengers.

15. When Our Clear (manifest) Signs (the Qur’an) are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us – and therefore do not fear the Resurrection – say, ‘Bring a Qur’an other than this one which does not criticise our gods, or change it yourself.’ Say to them: ‘It is not appropriate for me to change it of my own accord. I follow nothing except what is revealed to me. I fear, were I to disobey my Lord by changing it, the punishment of a Dreadful Day (the Day of Rising).’

16. Say: ‘Had Allah so wished, I would not have recited it (the Qur’an) to you nor would He have made it known to you (read as la-adr kum and laadr kum) – He would have informed you of it on the tongue of someone other than me. I lived among you for many (forty) years before it came without telling you anything. Will you not use your intellect and understand that it does not come from me?’

17. Who could do greater wrong – no one could – than someone who invents lies against Allah by attributing a partner to Allah or denies His Signs (the Qur’an)? Evildoers ( idolaters) are certainly not successful.

18. They worship, instead of Allah, what can neither harm them if they do not worship them nor help them if they do worship them – saying about them, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say to them: ‘Would you inform Allah of something about which He does not know either in the heavens or on the earth?’ The question asked is one demanding a negative response. If Allah had had a partner, He would have known it since nothing is concealed from Him. May He be glorified and exalted above what they associate with Him!

19. Mankind was only one community with a single din, which was Islam, from Adam until Nuh, or from Ibrahim to ‘Amr ibn Luhayy, but then they differed when some remained firm and some disbelieved, and had it not been for a prior Word from your Lord to defer repayment for their actions until the Day of Rising they would already have been judged in this world in respect of the differences between them in the dın by the punishment of the unbelievers.

20. They (the people of Makka) say, ‘Why has a Sign not been sent down to him (Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace) from his Lord – like past Prophets, who had signs such as the She-camel and the Staff and the White Hand?’ Say to them: ‘The Unseen – the business of the Unseen which is invisible to human beings – belongs to Allah alone. This includes the Signs, and only He can bring them. My task is only to convey the Message. So wait for the punishment if you do not believe. I am waiting with you.’

21. When We let people (the unbelievers of Makka) taste mercy(rain and fertility) after hardship (difficulty and drought) has afflicted them, immediately they plot against Our Signs by mockery and denial. Say to them: ‘Allah is swifter at plotting as a repayment.’ Your plotting (read as tamkarüna and yamkarüna, “their plotting”) is recorded by Our Messengers (the recording angels).

22. It is He who conveys you (read as yusayyirukum, but in one reading as yanshurukum “distributes you”) on both land and sea so that when some of you are on a boat, running before a fair ( gentle) wind, rejoicing at it, (there is a change of person midway in this verse from second to third person) and then a violent (the word means so fiercely strong that it smashes everything) squall comes upon them and the waves come at them from every side and they realise there is no way of escape and that they are about to be destroyed they call on Allah, making their dın (supplication) sincerely His: ‘If You rescue us from this terror we will truly be among the thankful who affirm the Divine Unity.’

23. But then, when He does rescue them, they become rebellious and commit shirk in the earth without any right to do so. Mankind, your rebelliousness is only against yourselves, because its sin will rebound on you. There is the enjoyment (read as mata‘a and mata‘u) of the life of this world, – which you will enjoy for a short time only, and then you will return to Us after death and We will inform you about what you did and repay you for it.

24. The likeness of the life of this world is that of water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and which then mingles with the plants of the earth and they combine to provide food for both people and animals, such as wheat, barley and other crops for human consumption and fodder for animals. Then, when the earth is at its loveliest and takes on its fairest guise – when the plants are abundant on it – and its people think they have it under their control, and will be able to harvest its fruits, Our command (Our decree or punishment) comes upon it by night or day and We reduce it (the plant-life) to dried-out stubble – as if it had been mown down with scythes – as though it had not been flourishing just the day before! In this way We make Our Signs clear for people who reflect.

25. Allah calls to the Abode of Peace (the Garden) by calling people to faith, and He guides whom He wills to a straight path – the din of Islam.

26. Those who do good by believing will have the best (the Garden) and more – such as the vision of the Almighty, as mentoned in the hadith of Muslim. Neither dust nor debasement will darken their faces. They shall be the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever.

27. But as for those who have earned bad actions, a bad action such as shirk will be repaid with one the like of it. Debasement will darken them. They will have no one to protect them from Allah. It is as if their faces were covered by dark patches (pieces) (read as qita‘an and qit’aan) of the night. Those shall be the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever.

28. On (remember) the Day We gather them (the whole of creation) all together, We will say then to those who associated others with Allah, ‘To your place, you – the repetition of the pronoun “you” is to stress the pronoun built in to the verb – and your partner-gods (the idols)!’ Then We will sift them out – We will separate them from the believers, as in the ayat, “‘ Keep yourselves apart today, you evildoers!” (36:59) – and their partner-gods will say to those who worshipped them, ‘It was not us you worshipped.

29. Allah is a sufficient witness between us and you. We were unaware of your worship.’

30. Then and there (on that Day) e very self will be tried (read as tablu and tatlu) for what it did before – the actions it did in this world. They will be returned to Allah, their Master, the Real and what (the partner-gods) they invented will abandon them.

31. Say to them: ‘Who provides for you out of heaven – a reference to rain – and earth – a reference to plants? Who controls hearing and sight? This means that He created them. Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who directs the whole affair between creatures?’ They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say to them, ‘So will you not be godfearing and believe?’

32. That is Allah, your Lord, the firm Truth, and what is there after truth except misguidance? The expected answer is affirmative: there is nothing after it. Whoever fails to grasp the truth, which involves worshipping Allah, falls into misguidance. So how have you been distracted from believing, when the truth is clearly established?

33. In that way – in the way that those people are distracted from faith – the Word of your Lord is realised against those who are deviators ( unbelievers) – a reference to Allah’s words: “I will fill Hellfire…” (11:11) – in that they do not believe.

34. Say: ‘Can any of your partner-gods bring creation out of nothing and then regenerate it?’ Say: ‘Allah brings creation out of nothing and then regenerates it. So how have you been perverted?’ How have you been perverted against worshipping Allah when the proof has been established?

35. Say: ‘Can any of your partner-gods guide to the truth by establishing proofs and creating guidance?’ Say: ‘Allah guides to the truth. Who has more right to be fo l l owe d: He who guides to the truth – in other words Allah – or he who cannot guide unless he is guided? Whom is it better to follow? This question, which implies an affirmative response, is a rebuke, for it is clearly better to follow the former. What is the matter with you? How do you reach your judgement?’ Your judgement to follow what should not be followed is clearly fallacious.

36. Most of them fo l l ow nothing but conjecture. By worshipping idols, they are only imitating their fathers. Conjecture is of no use whatsoever against the truth. Conjecture is not real knowledge. Allah most certainly knows what they are doing and will repay them for what they did.

37. This Qur’an could never have been devised by any besides Allah. It could not have been forged. Rather it is confirmation of what came before it (the Divinely Revealed Books) and an elucidation of the Book – making clear what Allah has prescribed in terms of rulings and other matters – which contains no doubt, from the Lord of all the worlds.

38. Do they say, ‘He (Mu˛ammad) has invented it’? Say: ‘Then produce a süra like it – one with the same eloquence and purity of Arabic which is forged since you are eloquent Arabs – and call for help on anyone you can besides Allah if you are telling the truth about him having forged it. You will not be able to do so.’ Allah says:

39. No, the fact is that they have denied something (the Qur’an) which they do not reflect on and which their knowledge does not embrace and the meaning of which – the results of the threat in it – has not yet reached them. In the same way – referring to their denial – those before them also denied the truth – denied their Messengers. See the final fate of the wrongdoers! Their fate was destruction and that is what will befall to these people as well.

40. Among them (the people of Makka) there are some who believe in it – and Allah knows this about them – and some who do not and never will. Your Lord best knows the corrupters. This is a threat.

41. If they deny you, say to them, ‘I have my actions and you have your actions. Each will have the repayment of their actions. You are not responsible for what I do and I am not responsible for what you do.’ This yat was abrogated by the ◊yat of the Sword.

42. Among them there are some who listen to you when you recite the Qur’an; but can you make the deaf hear even though they cannot understand? They are likened to the deaf inasmuch as they do not benefit from what is recited to them, so it is as if they were deaf.

43. Among them there are some who look at you; but can you guide the blind, even though they cannot see? They are likened to the blind since they are not guided. In fact it is even worse for them because “It is not the eyes that are blind but the hearts in the breasts that are blind.” (22:46)

44. Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves.

45. On the day We gather them together – when it will seem as if they had tarried in this world or in their graves no more than an hour of a single day – owning to their terror at what they see they will recognise one another. They recognise each other when they are resurrected and then they will cease to do so because of the intensity of the situation. Those who denied the meeting with Allah (the Resurrection) will have lost. They were not guided.

46. Whether We show you something of what (the punishment) We have promised them during your lifetime or take you back to Us before punishing them, they will still return to Us. Then Allah sees and will be witness against what they are doing (their denial and disbelief) and will inflict the most terrible punishment on them.

47. Every nation has a Messenger, and when their Messenger comes to them and they deny him everything is decided between them justly. They will be punished, whereas the Messenger and those who believed him will be saved. They are not wronged by their punishment – punished for no crime. That is how Allah will treat them.

48. They say, ‘When will this promise of punishment be kept if you are telling the truth about it?’

49. Say: ‘I possess no power to harm – to inflict harm on – or help bring benefit to – myself except as Allah wills – according to what He decrees. So how could I possibly control the descent of the punishment on you? E very nation has an appointed time a known moment for its destruction. When their appointed time comes, they cannot delay it a single hour or bring it forward.’

50. Say: ‘What do you think? Tell me. If His (Allah’s) punishment came upon you by night or day, what part of it (the punishment) would the evildoers (idolaters) then try to hasten?’ What is intended by the question is to terrify them by stressing how terrible the fate is that they are trying to hasten!

51. And then, when it actually comes about and happens to you, it will be said: ‘Now do you believe in it? Will you believe in Allah or the punishment when it occurs? At that time your belief will not be accepted from you and this will be said to you. It was this that you were trying to hasten by your mockery!’

52. Then it will be said to those who did wrong, ‘Taste the punishment of eternity in which you will remain for ever. Have you been repaid for anything other than what you earned?’

53. They will ask you to tell them – asking you for information – if this is true – referring to what you have promised them by way of punishment and the Resurrection. Say: ‘Yes indeed, by my Lord, it certainly is true and you can do nothing to prevent it and so escape the punishment.’

54. If every self that did wrong through disbelieving possessed everything on earth – all the wealth it contains – it would offer it as a ransom from the punishment on the Day of Rising. They will conceal their remorse for not believing when they see the punishment. Their leaders concealed it from the weak, whom they misled, for fear of being blamed by them. Everything will be decided between them (creatures) justly. They will not be wronged in any way.

55. Yes, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Allah. Yes, Allah’s promise of Resurrection and repayment is true and firm but most of them (most people) do not know it.

56. He gives life and causes to die, and you will be returned to Him and He will repay you for your actions.

57. Mankind (people of Makka), admonition – a record which contains what you have and what you owe – has come to you from your Lord – referring to the Qur’an – and also healing for what is in the breasts – referring to false beliefs and doubts – and guidance from misguidance and mercy for the believers.

58. Say: ‘It is the favour of Allah ( Islam) and His mercy ( the Qur’an) that should be the cause of their rejoicing. That is better than anything they accumulate (read as yajma‘üna and tajma‘üna “you accumulate”) of this world.’

59. Say: ‘Tell me. What do you think about the things Allah has created and sent down to you as provision which you have then designated as lawful and unlawful – such as animals designated as bahira and s’iba1 and carrion?’ Say: ‘Has Allah given you authority to do this – to declare things unlawful and lawful – or are you inventing lies against Allah – disbelieving by attributing that to Him?’

60. What will those who invent lies against Allah think after reckoning that they will not be punished on the Day of Rising? No! Allah shows favour to mankind by deferring their punishment and granting them blessings, but most of them are not thankful.

61. You (Muhammad) do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur’an which has been sent down to you or do – addressed now to him and his community – any action without Our witnessing you– there are watchers observing you – while you are occupied with it. Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is not in a Clear Book which also makes things clear, meaning the Preserved Tablet.

62. Yes, the friends of Allah will feel no fear and will know no sorrow in the Next World:

63. those who believe and are godfearing, obeying Allah’s commands and prohibitions…

64. …there is good news for them in the life of this world –explained in a hadith, which al-Hakim considers to be sound, as referring to true dreams which a person sees or is shown – and in Next World – referring to the Garden and the reward. There is no changing the words of Allah. Allah does not break His promises. That is the great victory!

65. Do not be grieved by what they say, saying things like “You are not a Messenger.” All might belongs to Allah. He is the All-Hearing of words, the All-Knowing of actions, and He will repay you for them and help you.

66. Yes, indeed! Everyone in the heavens and everyone on the earth belongs to Allah as slaves, property and creatures of Allah. Those who call on and worship anything other than Allah – meaning idols – are not really following their partner-gods. They are not following partners in reality, because Allah is exalted above all of that. They are only following conjecture. It is only in their deluded opinion that these idols are gods which will intercede for them. They are only guessing and lying in that.

67. It is He who appointed the night for you, so that you could rest in it, and the day for seeing. “Seeing” is attributed to daytime since things become visible in it. There are certainly Signs in that – evidence of Allah’s Unity – for people who listen – who hear, reflect and pay heed to them.

68. They – the Jews and Christians and those who claim that the angels are the daughters of Allah – say, ‘Allah has a son.’ Allah says to them: Glory be to Him! – to free Himself of having any child attributed to Him. He is the Rich Beyond Need of any one. Only someone in need of a child seeks one. Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth belongs to Him – as His domain, creation and slaves. Have you authority or conclusive proof to say this which they say, or are you saying about Allah what you do not know? The question at the end is meant as a rebuke.

69. Say: ‘People who invent lies against Allah by attributing a child to Him will not be successful.’

70. There is the brief enjoyment of this world; which people can only enjoy during their lives in it. Then they will return to Us at death. Then We will make them taste the terrible punishment after death because they disbelieved.

71. Recite, Muhammad, to them (the unbelievers of Makka) the story of Nuh when he said to his people, ‘My people, if my standing here – remaining among you – and admonishing you and reminding you of Allah’s Signs has become too much and too difficult for you to bear, know that I have put my trust in Allah. So decide, you and your gods, and resolve on what you want to do to me and be open about it. Do not conceal what you want to do, but make it known. Do with me whatever you decide and do not keep me waiting. I do not care what you do.

72. If you turn your backs on my reminder, I have not asked you for any wage or reward for it. My wage and reward is the responsibility of Allah alone. I am commanded to be one of the Muslims.’

73. But they denied him and so We rescued him, and all those with him, in the Ark and We made them – him and his companions – the successors – the khalifs in the earth – and We drowned in the Flood the people who denied Our Signs. See the final fate of those who were warned about their destruction! That is how We will treat those who deny the truth.

74. Then after him (Nuh) We sent Messengers to their people such as Ibrahim, Hud and Salih – and they brought them the Clear Signs (miracles) but they were never going to believe in something which they had previously denied when the Messengers were sent to them. That is how We seal up the hearts of those who overstep the limits and do not believe.

75. Then after them We sent Musa and Harun with Our nine Signs to Pharaoh and his ruling circle; but they were too arrogant to believe in them and were a people of evildoers.

76. When the truth came to them from Us, they said, ‘This is downright (clear) magic!’

77. Musa said, ‘Do you say to the truth when it comes to you, “This is magic”? Do you say this when those who bring the truth prosper and the magic of the magicians comes to nothing? Magicians are not successful.’ Both questions demand a negative response.

78. They said, ‘Have you come to us to turn us from what we found our fathers doing, and to gain greatness (dominion) in the land of Egypt? We do not believe you.’

79. Pharaoh said, ‘Bring me every knowledgeable magician: those with great skill in magic.’

80. When the magicians came, Musa said to them, after they had asked him, “Will you throw or shall we throw?” ‘Throw whatever you have to throw!’

81. When they had thrown their staves and ropes, Musa said, ‘What you have brought is magic. Allah will certainly prove it false and obliterate it: Allah does not uphold the actions of corrupters.’

82. Allah confirms the Truth and makes it victorious by His words (His promises) even though the evildoers hate it.

83. No one believed in Musa except for a few (a small group) of his (Pharaoh’s) people out of fear that Pharaoh, and the elders, would persecute them and turn them from the din by torturing them. Pharaoh was high (arrogant) and mighty in the land of Egypt; He was one of the profligate – who exceeded the limits by laying claimto divinity.

84. Musa said, ‘My people! if you believe in Allah, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims.’

85. They said, ‘We have put our trust in Allah. Our Lord, do not make us a target for this wrongdoing people: do not let them conquer us so that they suppose that they have the truth and are tempted through us to believe that…

86. …but rescue us, by Your mercy, from this unbelieving people!’

87. We revealed to Musa and his brother: ‘Settle your people in houses in Egypt and make your houses places of worship, places in which to pray so that you will be safe from fear. Pharaoh had forbidden them to pray, and establish the prayer and perform it and give good news to the believers of victory and the Garden.’

88. Musa said, ‘Our Lord, You have given Pharaoh and his ruling circle finery and wealth in the life of this world, Our Lord, so that they may be misguided from Your Way (Your dın) in the end. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth – transform it into worthless stones – and harden (seal up) their hearts so that they do not believe until they see the painful punishment.’ This is a supplication against them. Harun said “Amin” to his supplication.

89. He (Allah) said, ‘Your request is answered,” so their wealth turned to stones and Pharaoh did not believe until he was on the point of drowning – so go straight by following the Message and supplicating until the punishment comes to them – and do not follow the way of those who have no knowledge demonstrated by the fact that they try to hasten My decree.’ It is related that Pharaoh remained for forty years after this.

90. We brought the tribe of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his troops pursued them out of tyranny and enmity. Then, when he was on the point of drowning, he said, ‘I believe that there is (read as annahu and innahu) no god but Him in whom the tribe of Israel believe. I am one of the Muslims.’ He added his statement, “I am one of the Muslims”, in the hope of ensuring that it would be accepted from him; but it was not accepted. Jibril put the mud of the sea in his mouth out of the fear that mercy would reach him. Then Allah continues:

91. ‘What, now believe! When previously you rebelled and were one of the corrupters: when you are misguided and have misguided others from believing?

92. Today We will preserve your body – We will bring your lifeless body out of the sea – so you can be a Sign (a lesson) for people who come after you in that they will recognise that you are merely a slave and will not dare to do the same as you did. Ibn ‘Abbas said that some of the Banu Isra’il were unsure about his death, and so he was produced for them so that they could see him. Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs and do not learn from them.

93. We settled the tribe of Israel in a noble place – a reference to Syria and Egypt – and gave them good things as provision. They did not differ – by some believing and some disbelieving – until knowledge came to them. Your Lord will decide between them on the Day of Rising regarding the things about which they differed in the din, by saving the believers and punishing the unbelievers.

94. If you, Muhammad, are in any doubt about what We have sent down to you – regarding some stories, for instance – then ask those who were reciting the Book (the Torah) before you – and they will tell you about its truthfulness. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I do not doubt and will not ask.” The truth has come to you from your Lord, so on no account be one of the doubters who have doubts about it.

95. And on no account be among those who deny Allah’s Signs and so become one of the lost.

96. Those against whom the words of your Lord (His punishment) are justly carried out – and for whom they are mandatory – will never believe –

97. …not even if every Sign were to come to them – until they see the painful punishment. Belief will not help them at that time.

98. How is it that there has never been a city – meaning its inhabitants that believed before the punishment alighted on it, whose belief then brought it benefit when they saw the first signs of punishment and who did not put off believing until it was too late, except the people of Yünus? When they had believed We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in the life of this world and We let them have enjoyment for a time until the end of their allotted term.

99. If your Lord had willed, all the people on the earth would have believed. Do you think you can force people to be believers if Allah has not willed that they shall be?

100. No self can believe except with Allah’s permission (by His will). He places a blight (punishment) on those who do not use their intellect – who do not ponder the Signs of Allah.

101. Say to the unbelievers of Makka: ‘Look at what there is in the heavens and on the earth – the signs in the heaven and the earth which indicate the oneness of Allah Almighty.’ But Signs and warnings are of no avail to people who do not believe: without knowledge of Allah they will be of no benefit to them.

102. What are they waiting for in their denial but the same fate as those nations who passed away before them – meaning a punishment like theirs? Say: ‘Wait for that, I will be among the people waiting with you.’

103. Then We will rescue Our Messengers and those who believe as well from the punishment. It is incumbent upon Us to rescue the believers – meaning the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions – when We punish the idolaters.

104. Say: ‘Mankind (people of Makka), if you are in any doubt about my din being true, I do not worship those you worship besides Allah (the idols) since you doubt in Him. Rather I worship Allah who will take you back to Him – in death, when He takes your souls – and I am commanded to be one of the believers:

105. It was said to him: Turn your face towards the din in pure natural faith, – inclining spontaneously towards it – and on no account be among the idolaters.

106. Do not call on and worship something besides Allah which can neither help – if you worship it – nor harm you – if you do not worship it. If you do – hypothetically – you will then be wrongdoers.’

107. If Allah afflicts you with harm, such as poverty and illness, no one can remove it except Him. If He desires good for you, no one can avert or prevent His favo u r if He wants you to have it. He bestows it (good) on whichever of His slaves He wills. He is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful.

108. Say: ‘Mankind (people of Makka), the truth has come to you from your Lord. Whoever is guided is only guided for his own good – because he will have the reward of his guidance. Whoever is misguided is only misguided to his detriment because the evil effects of his misguidance will come back on him. I have not been set over you as a guardian – enabling me to compel you to guidance.’

109. Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and be steadfast in calling people to Allah and enduring harm from them until Allah’s judgement about them comes. He is the Best of Judges. The Prophet was steadfast in the face of the idolaters by fighting, and with the People of the Book by taking jizya from them.