21:1Mankind’s reckoning has drawn near, but they turn away heedlessly.

21:2No fresh reminder comes to them from their Lord, but they listen to it playfully.

21:3Their hearts distracted, the wrongdoers confer secretly, “Is this anything but a mortal like you? Will you take to sorcery, with open-eyes?”

21:4He said, “My Lord knows what is said in the heaven and the earth; and He is the Hearer, the Knower.”

21:5And they said, “A jumble of dreams,” and, “He made it up,” and, “He is a poet,” “let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the ancients.”

21:6None of the towns We destroyed before them had believed. Will they, then, believe?

21:7We did not send before you except men, whom We inspired. Ask the people of knowledge, if you do not know.

21:8We did not make them mere bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal.

21:9Then We fulfilled Our promise to them, and We saved them together with whomever We willed, and We destroyed the extravagant.

21:10We have sent down to you a Book, containing your message. Do you not understand?

21:11How many a guilty town have We crushed, and established thereafter another people?

21:12Then, when they sensed Our might, they started running away from it.

21:13Do not run, but come back to your luxuries, and to your homes, that you may be questioned.

21:14They said, “Woe to us; we were unfair.”

21:15This continued to be their cry, until We made them silent ashes.

21:16We did not create the sky and the earth and what is between them for amusement.

21:17If We wanted amusement, We could have found it within Us, were We to do so.

21:18In fact, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes it, so it vanishes. Woe unto you, for what you describe.

21:19To Him belongs everyone in the heavens and the earth. Those near Him are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they waver.

21:20They praise night and day, without ever tiring.

21:22If there were in them gods other than God, they would have gone to ruin. So glory be to God, Lord of the Throne, beyond what they allege.

21:23He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

21:24Or have they taken, besides Him, other gods? Say, “Bring your proof. This is a message for those with me, and a message of those before me.” But most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away.

21:25We never sent a messenger before you without inspiring him that: “There is no god but I, so worship Me.”

21:26And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken to himself a son.” Be He glorified; they are but honored servants.

21:27They never speak before He has spoken, and they only act on His command.

21:28He knows what is before them, and what is behind them; and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves; and they tremble in awe of Him.

21:29And whoever of them says, “I am a god besides Him,” We will reward him with Hell. Thus We reward the wrongdoers.

21:30Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were one mass, and We tore them apart? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not believe?

21:31And We placed on earth stabilizers, lest it sways with them, and We placed therein signposts and passages, that they may be guided.

21:32And We made the sky a protected ceiling; yet they turn away from its wonders.

21:33It is He who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; each floating in an orbit.

21:34We did not grant immortality to any human being before you. Should you die, are they then the immortal?

21:35Every soul will taste death. We burden you with adversity and prosperity—a test. And to Us you will be returned.

21:36When those who disbelieve see you, they treat you only with ridicule: “Is this the one who mentions your gods?” And they reject the mention of the Merciful.

21:37The human being was created of haste. I will show you My signs, so do not seek to rush Me.

21:38And they say, “When will this promise come true, if you are truthful?”

21:39If those who disbelieve only knew, when they cannot keep the fire off their faces and off their backs, and they will not be helped.

21:40In fact, it will come upon them suddenly, and bewilder them. They will not be able to repel it, and they will not be reprieved.

21:41Messengers before you were also ridiculed, but those who jeered were surrounded by what they had ridiculed.

21:42Say, “Who guards you against the Merciful by night and by day?” But they turn away from the mention of their Lord.

21:43Or do they have gods who can defend them against Us? They cannot help themselves, nor will they be protected from Us.

21:44We have given these enjoyments, and their ancestors, until time grew long upon them. Do they not see how We gradually reduce the land from its extremities? Are they then the victors?

21:45Say, “I am warning you through inspiration.” But the deaf cannot hear the call when they are being warned.

21:46And when a breath of your Lord’s punishment touches them, they say, “Woe to us, we were truly wicked.”

21:47We will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul will suffer the least injustice. And even if it be the weight of a mustard-seed, We will bring it up. Sufficient are We as Reckoners.

21:48We gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion, and illumination, and a reminder for the righteous.

21:49Those who fear their Lord in private, and are apprehensive of the Hour.

21:50This too is a blessed message that We revealed. Are you going to deny it?

21:51We gave Abraham his integrity formerly, and We knew him well.

21:52When he said to his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are devoted?”

21:53They said, “We found our parents worshiping them.”

21:54He said, “You and your parents are in evident error.”

21:55They said, “Are you telling us the truth, or are you just playing?”

21:56He said, “Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the One who created them, and I bear witness to that.

21:57“By God, I will have a plan for your statues after you have gone away.”

21:58So he reduced them into pieces, except for their biggest, that they may return to it.

21:59They said, “Who did this to our gods? He is certainly one of the wrongdoers.”

21:60They said, “We heard a youth mentioning them. He is called Abraham.”

21:61They said, “Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness.”

21:62They said, “Are you the one who did this to our gods, O Abraham?”

21:63He said, “But it was this biggest of them that did it. Ask them, if they can speak.”

21:64Then they turned to one another, and said, “You yourselves are the wrongdoers.”

21:65But they reverted to their old ideas: “You certainly know that these do not speak.”

21:66He said, “Do you worship, instead of God, what can neither benefit you in anything, nor harm you?

21:67Fie on you, and on what you worship instead of God. Do you not understand?”

21:68They said, “Burn him and support your gods, if you are going to act.”

21:69We said, “O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.”

21:70They planned to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.

21:71And We delivered him, and Lot, to the land that We blessed for all people.

21:72And We granted him Isaac and Jacob as a gift; and each We made righteous.

21:73And We made them leaders, guiding by Our command; and We inspired them to do good works, and to observe the prayer, and to give out charity. They were devoted servants to Us.

21:74And Lot—We gave him judgment and knowledge, and We delivered him from the town that practiced the abominations. They were wicked and perverted people.

21:75And We admitted him into Our mercy; for He was one of the righteous.

21:76And Noah, when he called before. So We answered him, and delivered him and his family from the great disaster.

21:77And We supported him against the people who rejected Our signs. They were an evil people, so We drowned them all.

21:78And David and Solomon, when they gave judgment in the case of the field, when some people’s sheep wandered therein by night; and We were witnesses to their judgment.

21:79And so We made Solomon understand it, and to each We gave wisdom and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains along with David to sing Our praises, and the birds as well—surely We did.

21:80And We taught him the making of shields for you, to protect you from your violence. Are you, then, appreciative?

21:81And to Solomon the stormy wind, blowing at His command towards the land that We have blessed. We are aware of everything.

21:82And of the devils were some that dived for him, and performed other, lesser tasks. But We kept them restrained.

21:83And Job, when he cried out to his Lord: “Great harm has afflicted me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

21:84So We answered him, lifted his suffering, and restored his family to him, and their like with them—a mercy from Us, and a reminder for the worshipers.

21:85And Ishmael, and Enoch, and Ezekiel; each was one of the steadfast.

21:86And We admitted them into Our mercy. They were among the righteous.

21:87And Jonah, when he stormed out in fury, thinking We had no power over him. But then He cried out in the darkness, “There is no god but You! Glory to You! I was one of the wrongdoers!”

21:88So We answered him, and saved him from the affliction. Thus We save the faithful.

21:89And Zechariah, when he called out to his Lord, “My Lord, do not leave me alone, even though you are the Best of heirs.”

21:90So We answered him, and gave him John. And We cured his wife for him. They used to vie in doing righteous deeds, and used to call on Us in love and awe, and they used to humble themselves to Us.

21:91And she who guarded her virginity. We breathed into her of Our spirit, and made her and her son a sign to the world.

21:92This community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.

21:93But they splintered themselves into factions. They will all return to Us.

21:94Whoever does righteous deeds, and is a believer, his effort will not be denied. We are writing it down for him.

21:95There is a ban on the town that We had destroyed—that they will not return.

21:96Until, when Gog and Magog are let loose, and they swarm down from every mound.

21:97The promise of truth has drawn near. The eyes of those who disbelieved will stare in horror: “Woe to us. We were oblivious to this. In fact, we were wrongdoers.”

21:98You and what you worship besides God are fuel for Hell. You will descend into it.

21:99Had these been gods, they would not have descended into it. All will abide in it.

21:100In it they will wail. In it they will not hear.

21:101As for those who deserved goodness from Us—these will be kept away from it.

21:102They will not hear its hissing, and they will forever abide in what their hearts desire.

21:103The Supreme Fear will not worry them, and the angels will receive them: “This is your Day which you were promised.”

21:104On the Day when We fold the heaven, like the folding of a book. Just as We began the first creation, We will repeat it—a promise binding on Us. We will act.

21:105We have written in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth will be inherited by My righteous servants.

21:106Indeed, in this is a message for people who worship.

21:107We did not send you except as mercy to mankind.

21:108Say, “It is revealed to me that your God is One God. Are you going to submit?”

21:109But if they turn away, say, “I have informed you sufficiently. Although I do not know whether what you are promised is near or far.”

21:110He knows what is said openly, and He knows what you conceal.

21:111“And I do not know whether it is perhaps a trial for you, and an enjoyment for a while.”

21:112He said, “My Lord, judge with justice.” And, “Our Lord is the Gracious, Whose help is sought against what you allege.”