Thunder (ar-Ra’d)

5 minutes • 949 words

⁴ On earth are adjacent terrains, and gardens of vines, and crops, and date-palms, from the same root or from distinct roots, irrigated with the same water.

We make some taste better than others. In that are proofs for people who reason. ⁵ Should you wonder—the real wonder is their saying: “When we have become dust, will we be in a new creation?”

Those are they who defied their Lord. Those are they who will have yokes around their necks. Those are the inhabitants of the Fire, where they will remain forever.

And they urge you to hasten evil before good, though examples have passed away be- fore them. Your Lord is full of forgiveness towards the people for their wrongdoings, yet your Lord is severe in retribution.
Those who disbelieve say, “Why was a miracle not sent down to him from his Lord?” You are only a warner, and to every community is a guide.
Allah knows what every female bears, and every increase and decrease of the wombs. With Him, everything is by measure.

⁹ The Knower of the Invisible and the Visible; the Grand, the Supreme. ¹⁰ It is the same; whether one of you conceals his speech, or declares it; whether he goes into hiding by night, or goes out by day.

¹¹ He has a succession; before him and behind him, protecting him by Allah’s command. Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.

And if Allah wills any hardship for a people, there is no turning it back; and apart from Him they have no protector.

It is He who shows you the lightening, causing fear and hope. And He produces the heavy clouds.
The thunder praises His glory, and so do the angels, in awe of Him. And He sends the thunderbolts, striking with them whomever He wills. Yet they argue about Allah, while He is Tremendous in might.
To Him belongs the call to truth. Those they call upon besides Him do not respond to them with anything—except as someone who stretches his hands towards water, so that it may reach his mouth, but it does not reach it. The prayers of the unbelievers are only in vain.

Those who fulfill the promise to Allah, and do not violate the agreement.
Those who join what Allah has commanded to be joined, and fear their Lord, and dread the dire reckoning.
Those who patiently seek the presence of their Lord, and pray regularly, and spend from Our provisions to them, secretly and openly, and repel evil with good.

Everlasting Gardens, which they will enter, along with the righteous among their parents, and their spouses, and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate.
“Peace be upon you, because you endured patiently. How excellent is the Final Home.”
As for those who violate the promise to Allah, after pledging to keep it, and sever what Allah has commanded to be joined, and spread corruption on earth—these, the curse will be upon them, and they will have the Worst Home.
Allah dispenses the provisions to whomever He wills, and restricts. And they delight in the worldly life; yet the worldly life, compared to the Hereafter, is only enjoyment.

Thus We sent you among a community before which other communities have passed away, that you may recite to them what We revealed to you. Yet they deny the Benevolent One.

Say, “He is my Lord; there is no god but He; in Him I trust, and to Him is my repentance.”

Even if there were a Quran, by which mountains could be set in motion, or by which the earth could be shattered, or by which the dead could be made to speak. In fact, every decision rests with Allah.

Did the believers not give up and realize that had Allah willed, He would have guided all human- ity? Disasters will continue to strike those who disbelieve, because of their deeds, or they fall near their homes, until Allah’s promise comes true. Allah never breaks a promise.

Messengers before you were ridiculed, but I granted the disbelievers respite, and then I seized them. What a punishment it was!
Is He who is watchful over the deeds of every soul? Yet they ascribe associates to Al- lah. Say, “Name them! Or are you informing Him of something on earth He does not know, or is it a show of words?”

In fact, the scheming of those who disbelieve is made to appear good to them, and they are averted from the path.

Those to whom We gave the Scripture rejoice in what was revealed to you, while some factions reject parts of it. Say, “I am commanded to worship Allah, and to never associate anything with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return.”
Thus We revealed it an Arabic code of law. Were you to follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have neither ally nor defender against Allah.
We sent messengers before you, and We assigned for them wives and offspring. No messenger could bring a sign except with the permission of Allah. For every era is a scripture.
Allah abolishes whatever He wills, and He affirms. With Him is the source of the Scripture.
Whether We show you some of what We have promised them, or We cause you to die—your duty is to inform, and Ours is the reckoning.

Do they not see how We deal with the earth, diminishing it at its edges? Allah judges; and nothing can hold back His judg- ment. And He is quick to settle accounts.