The Qur'an Sura XI — HOUD
1ELIF. LAM. RA. A book whose verses are stablished in wisdom and then set forth with clearness from the Wise, the All-informed–✦ Genesis 6:13
2That ye worship none other than God–Verily I come to you from Him charged with warnings, announcements;
3And that ye seek pardon of your Lord, and then be turned unto Him! Goodly enjoyments will He give you to enjoy until a destined time, and His favours will He bestow on every one who deserves his favours. But if ye turn away, then verily I fear for you the chastisement of the great day.
4Unto God shall ye return, and over all things is he Potent.
5Do they not doubly fold up their breasts, that they may hide themselves from Him?
6But when they enshroud themselves in their garments, doth He not know alike what they conceal and what they shew?
7For He knoweth the very inmost of their breast.
8There is no moving thing on earth whose nourishment dependeth not on God; he knoweth its haunts and final resting place: all is in the clear Book.
9And He it is who hath made the Heavens and the Earth in six days: His throne had stood ere this upon the waters, that He might make proof which of you would excel in works.
10And if thou say, "After death ye shall surely be raised again," the infidels will certainly exclaim, "This is nothing but pure sorcery."
11And if we defer their chastisement to some definite time, they will exclaim, "What keepeth it back?" What! will it not come upon them on a day when there shall be none to avert it from them? And that at which they scoffed shall enclose them in on every side.
12And if we cause man to taste our mercy, and then deprive him of it, verily, he is despairing, ungrateful.
13And if after trouble hath befallen him we cause him to taste our favour, he will surely exclaim, "The evils are passed away from me." Verily, he is joyous, boastful.
14Except those who endure with patience and do the things that are right: these doth pardon await and a great reward.
15Perhaps thou wilt suppress a part of what hath been revealed to thee, and wilt be distress at heart lest they say, "If a treasure be not sent down to him, or an angel come with him. . . ." But thou art only a warner, and God hath all things in his charge.
16If they shall say, "The Koran is his own device," SAY: Then bring ten Suras like it of your devising, and call whom ye can to your aid beside God, if ye are men of truth.
17But if they answer you not, then know that it hath been sent down to you in the wisdom of God only, and that there is no God but He. Are ye then Muslims?
18Those who choose this present life and its braveries, we will recompense for their works therein: they shall have nothing less therein than their deserts.
19These are they for whom there is nothing in the next world but the Fire: all that they have wrought in this life shall come to nought, and vain shall be all their doings.
20With such can they be compared who rest upon clear proofs from their Lord? to whom a witness from him reciteth the Koran, and who is preceded by the Book of Moses, a guide and mercy? These have faith in it: but the partisans of idolatry, who believe not in it, are menaced with the fire! Have thou no doubts about that Book, for it is the very truth from thy Lord. But most men will not believe.
21Who is guilty of a greater injustice than he who inventeth a lie concerning God? They shall be set before their Lord, and the witnesses shall say, "These are they who made their Lord a liar." Shall not the malison of God be on these unjust doers,
22Who pervert others from the way of God, and seek to make it crooked, and believe not in a life to come? God's power on earth they shall not weaken; and beside God they have no protector! Doubled shall be their punishment! They were not able to hearken, and they could not see.
23These are they who have lost their own souls, and the deities of their own devising have vanished from them:
24There is no doubt but that in the next world they shall be the lost ones.
25But they who shall have believed and done the things that are right, and humbled them before their Lord, shall be the inmates of Paradise; therein shall they abide for ever.
26These two sorts of persons resemble the blind and deaf, and the seeing and hearing: shall these be compared as alike? Ah! do ye not comprehend?
27We sent Noah of old unto his people:–"Verily I come to you a plain admonisher,
28That ye worship none but God. Verily I fear for you the punishment of a grievous day."
29Then said the chiefs of his people who believed not, "We see in thee but a man like ourselves; and we see not who have followed thee except our meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you liars."
30He said: "O my people! how think you? If I am upon a clear revelation from my Lord, who hath bestowed on me mercy from Himself to which ye are blind, can we force it on you, if ye are averse from it?
31And, O my people! I ask you not for riches: my reward is of God alone: and I will not drive away those who believe that they shall meet their Lord:–but I see that ye are an ignorant people.
32And, O my people! were I to drive them away, who shall help me against God? Will ye not therefore consider?
33And I tell you not that with me are the treasures of God: nor do I say, 'I know the things unseen;' nor do I say, 'I am an angel;' nor do I say of those whom you eye with scorn, No good thing will God bestow on them:–God best knoweth what is in their minds–for then should I be one of those who act unjustly."
34They said: "O Noah! already hast thou disputed with us, and multiplied disputes with us: Bring then upon us what thou hast threatened, if thou be of those who speak truth."
35He said, "God will bring it on you at His sole pleasure, and it is not you who can weaken him;
36Nor, if God desire to mislead you, shall my counsel profit you, though I fain would counsel you aright. He is your Lord, and unto Him shall ye be brought back.
37Do they say, "This Koran is of his own devising?" Say: On me be my own guilt, if I have devised it, but I am clear of that whereof ye are guilty.
38And it was revealed unto Noah. Verily, none of thy people shall believe, save they who have believed already; therefore be not thou grieved at their doings.
39But build the Ark under our eye and after our revelation: and plead not with me for the evil doers, for they are to be drowned.
40So he built the Ark; and whenever the chiefs of his people passed by they laughed him to scorn: said he, "Though ye laugh at us, we truly shall laugh at you, even as ye laugh at us; and in the end ye shall know
41On whom a punishment shall come that shall shame him, and on whom shall light a lasting punishment."
42Thus was it until our sentence came to pass, and the earth's surface boiled up. We said, "Carry into it one pair of every kind, and thy family, except him on whom sentence hath before been passed, and those who have believed." But there believed not with him except a few.
43And he said, "Embark ye therein. In the name of God be its course and its riding at anchor! Truly my Lord is right Gracious, Merciful."
44And the Ark moved on with them amid waves like mountains: and Noah called to his son–for he was apart–"Embark with us, O my child! and be not with the unbelievers."
45He said, "I will betake me to a mountain that shall secure me from the water." He said, "None shall be secure this day from the decree of God, save him on whom He shall have mercy." And a wave passed between them, and he was among the drowned.
46And it was said, "O Earth! swallow up thy water;" and "cease, O Heaven!" And the water abated, and the decree was fulfilled, and the Ark rested upon Al- Djoudi; and it was said, "Avaunt! ye tribe of the wicked!"
47And Noah called on his Lord and said, "O Lord! verily my son is of my family: and thy promise is true, and thou art the most just of judges."
48He said, "O Noah! verily, he is not of thy family: in this thou actest not aright. Ask not of me that whereof thou knowest nought: I warn thee that thou become not of the ignorant.
49He said, "To thee verily, O my Lord, do I repair lest I ask that of thee wherein I have no knowledge: unless thou forgive me and be merciful to me I shall be one of the lost.
50It was said to him, "O Noah! debark with peace from Us, and with blessings on thee and on peoples to be born from those who are with thee; but as for other and unbelieving peoples, we will give them their good things in this world, but hereafter shall a grievous punishment light on them from us.
51This is one of the secret Histories: we reveal it unto thee: neither thou nor thy people knew it ere this: be patient thou: verily, there is a prosperous issue to the God-fearing.
52And unto Ad we sent their Brother HOUD. He said, "O my people, worship God. You have no God beside Him. Ye only devise a lie.
53O my people! I ask of you no recompense for this: my recompense is with Him only who hath made me. Will ye not then understand?
54O my people! ask pardon of your Lord; then be turned unto Him: He will send down the heavens upon you with copious rains:
55And with strength on strength will He increase you: only turn not back with deeds of evil."
56They said, "O Houd, thou hast not brought us proofs of thy mission: we will not abandon our gods at thy word, and we believe thee not.
57We can only say that some of our gods have smitten thee with evil." Said he, "Now take I God to witness, and do ye also witness, that I am clear of your joining other gods
58To God. Conspire then against me all of you, and delay me not.
59For I trust in God, my Lord and yours. No single beast is there which he holdeth not by its forelock. Right, truly, is the way in which my Lord goeth.
60But if ye turn back, I have already declared to you my message. And my Lord will put another people in your place, nor shall ye at all hurt Him; verily, my Lord keepeth watch over all things."
61And when our doom came to be inflicted, we rescued Houd and those who had like faith with Him, by our special mercy: we rescued them from the rigorous chastisement.
62These men of Ad gainsaid the signs of their Lord, and rebelled against his messengers, and followed the bidding of every proud contumacious person.
63Followed therefore were they in this world by a curse; and in the day of the Resurrection it shall be said to them, "What! Did not Ad disbelieve their Lord?" Was not Ad, the people of Houd, cast far away?
64And unto Themoud we sent their Brother Saleh:–"O my people! said he, worship God: you have no other god than Him. He hath raised you up out of the earth, and hath given you to dwell therein. Ask pardon of him then, and be turned unto him; for thy Lord is nigh, ready to answer."
65They said, "O Saleh! our hopes were fixed on thee till now: forbiddest thou us to worship what our fathers worshipped? Truly we misdoubt the faith to which thou callest us, as suspicious."
66He said, "O my people! what think ye? If I have a revelation from my Lord to support me, and if He hath shewed his mercy on me, who could protect me from God if I rebel against him? Ye would only confer on me increase of ruin.
67O my people! this is the she-Camel of God, and a sign unto you. Let her go at large and feed in God's earth, and do her no harm, lest a speedy punishment overtake you."
68Yet they hamstrung her: then said he, "Yet three days more enjoy yourselves in your dwellings: this menace will not prove untrue."
69And when our sentence came to pass, we rescued Saleh and those who had a like faith with him, by our mercy, from ignominy on that day. Verily, thy Lord is the Strong, the Mighty!
70And a violent tempest overtook the wicked, and they were found in the morning prostrate in their dwellings,
71As though they had never abode in them. What! Did not Themoud disbelieve his Lord? Was not Themoud utterly cast off?
72And our messengers came formerly to Abraham with glad tidings. "Peace," said they. He said, "Peace," and he tarried not, but brought a roasted calf.
73And when he saw that their hands touched it not, he misliked them, and grew fearful of them. They said, "Fear not, for we are sent to the people of Lot."
74His wife was standing by and laughed; and we announced Isaac to her; and after Isacc, Jacob.
75She said, "Ah, woe is me! shall I bear a son when I am old, and when this my husband is an old man? This truly would be a marvellous thing."
76They said, "Marvellest thou at the command of God? God's mercy and blessing be upon you, O people of this house; praise and glory are His due!"
77And when Abraham's fear had passed away, and these glad tidings had reached him, he pleaded with us for the people of Lot. Verily, Abraham was right kind, pitiful, relenting.
78"O Abraham! desist from this; for already hath the command of thy God gone forth; as for them, a punishment not to be averted is coming on them."
79And when our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved for them; and he was too weak to protect them, and he said, "This is a day of difficulty."
80And his people came rushing on towards him, for aforetime had they wrought this wickedness. He said, "O my people! these my daughters will be purer for you: fear God, and put me not to shame in my guests. Is there no rightminded man among you?"
81They said, "Thou knowest now that we need not thy daughters; and thou well knowest what we require."
82He said, "Would that I had strength to resist you, or that I could find refuge with some powerful chieftain."
83The Angels said, "O Lot! verily, we are the messengers of thy Lord: they shall not touch thee: depart with thy family in the dead of night, and let not one of you turn back: as for thy wife, on her shall light what shall light on them. Verily, that with which they are threatened is for the morning. Is not the morning near?"
84And when our decree came to be executed we turned those cities upside down, and we rained down upon them blocks of claystone one after another, marked by thy Lord himself. Nor are they far distant from the wicked Meccans.
85And we sent to Madian their brother Shoaib. He said, "O my people! worship God: no other God have you than He: give not short weight and measure: I see indeed that ye revel in good things; but I fear for you the punishment of the all-encompassing day.
86O my people! give weight and measure with fairness; purloin not other men's goods; and perpetrate not injustice on the earth with corrupt practices:
87A residue, the gift of God, will be best for you if ye are believers:
88But I am not a guardian over you."
89They said to him, "O Shoaib! is it thy prayers which enjoin that we should leave what our fathers worshipped, or that we should not do with our substance as pleaseth us? Thou forsooth art the mild, the right director!"
90He said, "O my people! How think ye? If I have a clear revelation from my Lord, and if from Himself He hath supplied me with goodly supplies, and if I will not follow you in that which I myself forbid you, do I seek aught but your amendment so far as in me lieth? My sole help is in God. In Him do I trust, and to Him do I turn me.
91O my people! let not your opposition to me draw down upon you the like of that which befel the people of Noah, or the people of Houd, or the people of Saleh: and the abodes of the people of Lot are not far distant from you!
92Seek pardon of your Lord and be turned unto Him: verily, my Lord is Merciful, Loving.
93They said, "O Shoaib! we understand not much of what thou sayest, and we clearly see that thou art powerless among us: were it not for thy family we would have surely stoned thee, nor couldest thou have prevailed against us."
94He said, "O my people! think ye more highly of my family than of God? Cast ye Him behind your back, with neglect? Verily, my Lord is round about your actions.
95And, O my people! act with what power ye can for my hurt: I verily will act: and ye shall know
96On whom shall light a punishment that shall disgrace him, and who is the liar. Await ye; verily I will await with you."
97And when our decree came to pass, we delivered Shoaib and his companions in faith, by our mercy: And a violent tempest overtook the wicked, and in the morning they were found prostrate in their houses
98As if they had never dwelt in them. Was not Madian swept off even as Themoud had been swept off?
99Of old sent we Moses with our signs and with incontestable power to Pharaoh, and to his nobles–who followed the behests of Pharaoh, and, unrighteous were Pharaoh's behests.
100He shall head his people on the day of the Resurrection and cause them to descend into the fire: and wretched the descent by which they shall descend!
101They were followed by a curse in this world; and in the day of the Resurrection, wretched the gift that shall be given them!
102Such, the histories of the cities which we relate to thee. Some of them are standing, others mown down:
103We dealt not unfairly by them, but they dealt not fairly by themselves: and their gods on whom they called beside God availed them not at all when thy Lord's behest came to pass. They did but increase their ruin.
104Such was thy Lord's grasp when he laid that grasp on the cities that had been wicked. Verily his grasp is afflictive, terrible!
105Herein truly is a sign for him who feareth the punishment of the latter day. That shall be a day unto which mankind shall be gathered together; that shall be a day witnessed by all creatures.
106Nor do we delay it, but until a time appointed.
107When that day shall come no one shall speak a word but by His leave, and some shall be miserable and others blessed.
108And as for those who shall be consigned to misery–their place the Fire! therein shall they sigh and bemoan them–
109Therein shall they abide while the Heavens and the Earth shall last, unless thy Lord shall will it otherwise; verily thy Lord doth what He chooseth.
110And as for the blessed ones–their place the Garden! therein shall they abide while the Heavens and the Earth endure, with whatever imperishable boon thy Lord may please to add.
111Have thou no doubts therefore concerning that which they worship: they worship but what their fathers worshipped before them: we will surely assign them their portion with nothing lacking.
112Of old gave we Moses the Book, and they fell to variance about it. If a decree of respite had not gone forth from thy Lord, there had surely been a decision between them. Thy people also are in suspicious doubts about the Koran.
113And truly thy Lord will repay every one according to their works! for He is well aware of what they do.
114Go straight on then as thou hast been commanded, and he also who hath turned to God with thee, and let him transgress no more. He beholdeth what ye do.
115Lean not on the evil doers lest the Fire lay hold on you. Ye have no protector, save God, and ye shall not be helped against Him.
116And observe prayer at early morning, at the close of the day, and at the approach of night; for the good deeds drive away the evil deeds. This is a warning for those who reflect:
117And persevere steadfastly, for verily God will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.
118Were the generations before you, endued with virtue, and who forbad corrupt doings on the earth, more than a few of those whom we delivered? but the evil doers followed their selfish pleasures, and became transgressors.
119And thy Lord was not one who would destroy those cities unjustly, when its inhabitants were righteous.
120Had thy Lord pleased he would have made mankind of one religion: but those only to whom thy Lord hath granted his mercy will cease to differ. And unto this hath He created them; for the word of thy Lord shall be fulfilled, "I will wholly fill hell with Djinn and men."
121And all that we have related to thee of the histories of these Apostles, is to confirm thy heart thereby. By these hath the truth reached thee, and a monition and warning to those who believe.
122But say to those who believe not, "Act as ye may and can: we will act our part: and wait ye; we verily will wait."
123To God belong the secret things of the Heavens and of the Earth: all things return to him: worship him then and put thy trust in Him: thy Lord is not regardless of your doings.
Suras are in the standard order; verse divisions follow Rodwell's 1861 edition and do not always match the standard ayah numbering.