1. Blessed is He Who hath revealed unto His slave the Criterion of right and wrong, that he may be a warner to the peoples.

2. He unto Whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He hath chosen no son nor hath He any partner in the Sovereignty. He hath created everything and hath meted out for it a measure.

3. Yet they choose beside Him other gods who create naught but are themselves created, and possess not hurt nor profit for themselves, and possess not death nor life, nor power to raise the dead.

4. Those who disbelieve say: This is naught but a lie that he hath invented, and other folk have helped him with it, so that they have produced a slander and a lie.

5. And they say: Fables of the men of old which he hath had written down so that they are dictated to him morn and evening.

6. Say unto them, O Mohammed: He who knoweth the secret of the heavens and the earth hath revealed it. Lo! He ever is Forgiving, Merciful.

7. And they say: What aileth this messenger of God that he eateth food and walketh in the markets? Why is not an angel sent down unto him, to be a warner with him.

8. Or why is not treasure thrown down unto him, or why hath he not a paradise from whence to eat? And the evil-doers say: Ye are but following a man bewitched.

9. See how they coin similitudes for thee, so that they are all astray and cannot find a road!

10. Blessed is He Who, if He will, will assign thee better than all that - Gardens underneath which rivers flow - and will assign thee mansions.

11. Nay, but they deny the coming of the Hour, and for those who deny the coming of the Hour We have prepared a flame.

12. When it seeth them from afar, they hear the crackling and the roar thereof.

13. And when they are flung into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they pray for destruction there.

14. Pray not that day for one destruction, but pray for many destructions!

15. Say: Is that doom better or the Garden of Immortality which is promised unto those who ward off evil? It will be their reward and journey's end.

16. Therein abiding, they have all that they desire. It is for thy Lord a promise that must be fulfilled.

17. And on the day when He will assemble them and that which they worship instead of God and will say: Was it ye who misled these my slaves or did they themselves wander from the way?

18. They will say: Be Thou Glorified! it was not for us to choose any protecting friends beside thee; but Thou didst give them and their fathers ease till they forgot the warning and became lost folk.

19. Thus they will give you the lie regarding what ye say, then ye can neither avert the doom nor obtain help. And whoso among you doeth wrong, We shall make him taste great torment.

20. We never sent before thee any messengers but lo! they verily ate food and walked in the markets. And We have appointed some of you a test for others: Will ye be steadfast? And thy Lord is ever Seer.

21. And those who look not for a meeting with Us say: Why are angels not sent down unto us and Why do we not see our Lord! Assuredly they think too highly of themselves and are scornful with great pride.

22. On the day when they behold the angels, on that day there will be no good tidings for the guilty; and they will cry: A forbidding ban!

23. And We shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes.

24. Those who have earned the Garden on that day will be better in their home and happier in their place of noonday rest;

25. A day when the heaven with the clouds will be rent asunder and the angels will be sent down, a grand descent.

52 more verses…