Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ha-Meem. (Alphabets of the Arabic language – Allah, and to whomever He reveals, know their precise meanings.) 1 By the Book that makes things clear, 2 Lo! We have appointed it a Lecture, in Arabic that haply ye may understand. 3 and behold, it is in the Essence of the Book, with Us; sublime indeed, wise. 4 Should We have withdrawn the Reminder from you as you are a people who exceed the bounds? 5 How many a Prophet did We send to the ancients, 6 And whenever any Prophet came to them, they only mocked at him. 7 Then We destroyed men stronger (in power) than these, and the example of the ancients has passed away (before them). 8 Yet if you were to ask them: “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they will certainly say: “The All-Mighty, the All-Knowing has created them.” 9 The One Who made the earth a bed for you, and made roads for you in it, so that you may be guided. 10 It is He who sends water down from the sky in due measure, We revive dead land with it and likewise you will be resurrected from the grave, 11 And the One Who created all pairs, and made the ships and cattle as rides for you. 12 That ye mount firmly on the backs thereof, and then may remember the favour of your Lord when ye mount thereon, and may say: hallowed be He Who hath subjected this unto us, and we for it were not fit. 13 And lo! unto our Lord we surely are returning. 14 The pagans have considered some of His servants as His children. There is no doubt that the human being is simply ungrateful. 15