Read surah Al-Ahqaf

۞ حمۤ 

Ha. Mim.

تَنزِیلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِیزِ ٱلۡحَكِیمِ 

THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ I issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise.

مَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَاۤ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَجَلࣲ مُّسَمࣰّىۚ وَٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَمَّاۤ أُنذِرُوا۟ مُعۡرِضُونَ 

We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them otherwise than in accord­ance with [an inner] truth, and for a term set [by Us]: and yet, they who are bent on denying the truth turn aside from the warning which has been conveyed unto them.

قُلۡ أَرَءَیۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِی مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شِرۡكࣱ فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِۖ ٱئۡتُونِی بِكِتَـٰبࣲ مِّن قَبۡلِ هَـٰذَاۤ أَوۡ أَثَـٰرَةࣲ مِّنۡ عِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ 

Say: “Have you [really] given thought to what it is that you invoke instead of God? Show me what these [beings or forces] have created anywhere on earth! Or had they, perchance, a share in [creating] the heavens? [If so,] bring me any divine writ pre­ceding this one, or any [other] vestige of knowledge - if what you claim is true!”

وَمَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن یَدۡعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا یَسۡتَجِیبُ لَهُۥۤ إِلَىٰ یَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِیَـٰمَةِ وَهُمۡ عَن دُعَاۤئِهِمۡ غَـٰفِلُونَ 

And who could be more astray than one who invokes, instead of God, such as will not respond to him either now or on the Day of Resurrection, and are not even conscious of being invoked?

وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمۡ أَعۡدَاۤءࣰ وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمۡ كَـٰفِرِینَ 

such as, when all mankind is gathered [for judgment], will be enemies unto those [who worshipped them], and will utterly reject their worship?

وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتُنَا بَیِّنَـٰتࣲ قَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلۡحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاۤءَهُمۡ هَـٰذَا سِحۡرࣱ مُّبِینٌ 

But whenever Our messages are conveyed to them in all their clarity, they who are bent on denying the truth speak thus of the truth as soon as it is brought to them: “This is clearly nothing but spell­binding eloquence!”

أَمۡ یَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُۖ قُلۡ إِنِ ٱفۡتَرَیۡتُهُۥ فَلَا تَمۡلِكُونَ لِی مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَیۡءًاۖ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تُفِیضُونَ فِیهِۚ كَفَىٰ بِهِۦ شَهِیدَۢا بَیۡنِی وَبَیۡنَكُمۡۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ 

Or do they say, “He has invented all this”? Say [O Muhammad]: “Had I invented it, you would not be of the least help to me against God. He is fully aware of that [slander] into which you so reck­lessly plunge: enough is He as a witness between me and you! And [withal,] He alone is truly-forgiving, a true dispenser of grace.”

قُلۡ مَا كُنتُ بِدۡعࣰا مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَمَاۤ أَدۡرِی مَا یُفۡعَلُ بِی وَلَا بِكُمۡۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا یُوحَىٰۤ إِلَیَّ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِیرࣱ مُّبِینࣱ 

Say: “I am not the first of [God’s] apostles; and [like all of them,] I do not know what will be done with me or with you: for I am nothing but a plain warner.”

قُلۡ أَرَءَیۡتُمۡ إِن كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدࣱ مِّنۢ بَنِیۤ إِسۡرَ ٰۤءِیلَ عَلَىٰ مِثۡلِهِۦ فَءَامَنَ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا یَهۡدِی ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ 

Say: “Have you given thought [to how you will fare] if this be truly [a revelation] from God and yet you deny its truth? - even though a witness from among the children of Israel has already borne wit­ness to [the advent of] one like himself, and has believed [in him], the while you glory in your arro­gance [and reject his message]? Verily, God does not grace [such] evildoing folk with His guidance!”