The Hijjr Valley (Al-Hijjr)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
۞ Alif-Lam-Ra. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Book, and a plain Quran. 1 Perchance the unbelievers will wish that they had surrendered: 2 Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know! 3 And never did We destroy a town but it had a term made known. 4 No group may advance its appointed promise nor postpone it. 5 And yet they say: "You, to whom this Exposition has been sent are surely possessed of the Devil. 6 If you are a man of truth, why can't you bring the angels to us?" 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 Indeed, We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad SAW) amongst the sects (communities) of old. 10 And whenever a Messenger came to them, they never failed to mock him. 11 Thus do We insert denial into the hearts of the criminals. 12 So, they will not believe in it: The example of former people is there. 13 And even if We opened unto them a gate of heaven and they kept mounting through it, 14 They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic." 15