Hood (Hood)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
Alif. Lam. Ra. This is a Book from One who is All-wise and All-aware. Its verses are well composed and distinctly arranged (from one another) 1 [It teaches] that you should worship none but God. I am sent to you from Him to warn you and to give you good tidings. 2 "(And to preach thus), 'Seek ye the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance; that He may grant you enjoyment, good (and true), for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding grace on all who abound in merit! But if ye turn away, then I fear for you the penalty of a great day: 3 To God have you to go back, and He has power over everything. 4 See, they cover their chests to conceal from Him. But when they wrap themselves in their clothes He knows what they hide and what they reveal. Indeed, He knows every thought within the chest. 5 ۞ And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, and He knows its resting place and its depository all (things) are in a manifest book. 6 And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life,] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water. [God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if thou sayest [unto men,] "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion" 7 And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule. 8