۞قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكُمۡ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ
[Abraham] said, "Then what is your business [here], O messengers?"
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٖ مُّجۡرِمِينَ
They said, "Indeed, we have been sent to a people of criminals[1]
1- i.e., those who defied Lot (upon him be peace).
لِنُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حِجَارَةٗ مِّن طِينٖ
To send down upon them stones of clay,
مُّسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ
Marked in the presence of your Lord for the transgressors."
فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا مَن كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
So We brought out whoever was in them [i.e., the cities] of the believers.
فَمَا وَجَدۡنَا فِيهَا غَيۡرَ بَيۡتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ
And We found not within them other than a [single] house of Muslims.[1]
1- i.e., Lot and his family, excepting his wife.
وَتَرَكۡنَا فِيهَآ ءَايَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ
And We left therein a sign for those who fear the painful punishment.
وَفِي مُوسَىٰٓ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ
And in Moses [was a sign], when We sent him to Pharaoh with clear authority.[1]
1- i.e., evidences.
فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَٰحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٞ
But he turned away with his supporters and said, "A magician or a madman."
فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ وَجُنُودَهُۥ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ
So We took him and his soldiers and cast them into the sea, and he was blameworthy.
وَفِي عَادٍ إِذۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلرِّيحَ ٱلۡعَقِيمَ
And in ÔAad [was a sign], when We sent against them the barren wind.[1]
1- Barren of any benefit, i.e., evil.
مَا تَذَرُ مِن شَيۡءٍ أَتَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ إِلَّا جَعَلَتۡهُ كَٱلرَّمِيمِ
It left nothing of what it came upon but that it made it like disintegrated ruins.
وَفِي ثَمُودَ إِذۡ قِيلَ لَهُمۡ تَمَتَّعُواْ حَتَّىٰ حِينٖ
And in Tham´d, when it was said to them, "Enjoy yourselves for a time."
فَعَتَوۡاْ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِمۡ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ
But they were insolent toward the command of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on.
فَمَا ٱسۡتَطَٰعُواْ مِن قِيَامٖ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُنتَصِرِينَ
And they were unable to arise, nor could they defend themselves.
وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ
And [We destroyed] the people of Noah before; indeed, they were a people defiantly disobedient.
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٖ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ
And the heaven We constructed with strength,[1] and indeed, We are [its] expander.
1- Literally, "hands."
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَرَشۡنَٰهَا فَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡمَٰهِدُونَ
And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer.
وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ
And of all things We created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.
فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ
So flee to AllŒh.[1] Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.
1- i.e., turn to AllŒh and take refuge in Him from disbelief and sin, thereby escaping His punishment.
وَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۖ إِنِّي لَكُم مِّنۡهُ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٞ
And do not make [as equal] with AllŒh another deity. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.
كَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَتَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُواْ سَاحِرٌ أَوۡ مَجۡنُونٌ
Similarly, there came not to those before them any messenger except that they said, "A magician or a madman."
أَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِهِۦۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٞ طَاغُونَ
Did they suggest it to them?[1] Rather, they [themselves] are a transgressing people.
1- i.e., Did the former disbelievers pass on these words to the Makkans so that they repeat the same expressions?
فَتَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ فَمَآ أَنتَ بِمَلُومٖ
So leave them, [O Muúammad], for you are not to be blamed.
وَذَكِّرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
مَآ أُرِيدُ مِنۡهُم مِّن رِّزۡقٖ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَن يُطۡعِمُونِ
I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلۡقُوَّةِ ٱلۡمَتِينُ
Indeed, it is AllŒh who is the [continual] Provider,[1] the firm possessor of strength.
1- Providing everything required by His creations during their decreed existence. His provision includes guidance.
فَإِنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ ذَنُوبٗا مِّثۡلَ ذَنُوبِ أَصۡحَٰبِهِمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَعۡجِلُونِ
And indeed, for those who have wronged is a portion [of punishment] like the portion of their companions [i.e., predecessors], so let them not impatiently urge Me.
فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن يَوۡمِهِمُ ٱلَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ
And woe to those who have disbelieved from their Day which they are promised.