The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ ALIF LAM RA. These are the verses of the Book and the perspicuous oration. 1 Perchance the unbelievers will wish that they had surrendered: 2 (Muhammad), leave them alone to eat and enjoy themselves and let their desires deceive them; they will soon know (the Truth). 3 Never a city have We destroyed, but it had a known decree, 4 no people can forestall their doom, nor can they delay it. 5 And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman! 6 Why do you not bring down the angels if what you say is true". 7 We do not send down angels without reason, and if the angels descend they would not get any respite! 8 Indeed We have sent down the Qur’an, and indeed We Ourselves surely are its Guardians. (This is one of the miracles of the Qur’an – no one has been able to change even one letter of its text, despite every effort. It has remained in its original form since the 6th Century (A. D) and will remain so forever. Other Holy Books such as the Torah and the Bible have lost their originality.) 9 And assuredly We have sent apostles before thee among the sects of the ancients. 10 And whenever a Messenger came to them, they never failed to mock him. 11 Even so We make a way for it (that is, the Admonition) in the hearts of the culprits (like a hot rod); 12 They do not believe in it even though the practice of the ancients has already gone. 13 If We were even to open for them a way to the heavens, and they could continually climb up to it in broad daylight, 14 they would surely have said, "It is only our eyes that are spellbound! Nay, we have been bewitched! 15