Vanity (Al-Zukhruf)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
HA MIM. 1 By the clear Book, 2 We have made it an Arabic reading text so that perhaps you may understand. 3 Truly, it is inscribed in the Original Book, in Our keeping; it is sublime and full of wisdom. 4 Should We have withdrawn the Reminder from you as you are a people who exceed the bounds? 5 And how many a prophet did We send to people of olden times! 6 And whenever any Prophet came to them, they only mocked at him. 7 We destroyed the strongest among them in power. The stories of the ancient people have already been mentioned. 8 If thou wert to question them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' They would be sure to reply, 'they were created by (Him), the Exalted in Power, Full of Knowledge';- 9 Who hath made for you the earth a bed, and hath made for you paths therein that haply ye may be directed. 10 And He Who sends down water from the cloud according to a measure, then We raise to life thereby a dead country, even thus shall you be brought forth; 11 He Who created these pairs, all of them, and provided you ships and cattle on which you ride, 12 in order that you might gain mastery over them, and that, whenever you have mastered them, you might remember your Sustainer's blessings and say: "Limitless in His glory is He who has made [all] this subservient to our use - since [but for Him,] we would not have been able to attain to it. 13 surely unto our Lord we are turning.' 14 But they have attributed to Him from His servants a portion. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful. 15