15. Al-Hijr/The Rocky Tract

I/We begin by the Blessed Name of Allah

The Immensely Merciful to all, The Infinitely Compassionate to everyone.

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Alif. Lam. Ra’.
These are Messages of the Divine Book - that is a Clear Qur’an.

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a. The time will come when those who disbelieve now will wish that they were Muslims.

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But leave them alone to feast and enjoy themselves as if it is the only aim of life, and let their wishful hopes distract them.
For they will soon realize the futility of their endeavors.

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a. And WE have never destroyed any settlement or a community for its wrongdoing without its having a known decree beforehand.

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a. No community can either precede its appointed time of doom nor delay it.

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And they say:
‘O you - Muhammad - upon whom this Reminder - the Qur’an – is being sent down as you claim!
We think you are certainly possessed’ and insane.

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a. So ‘why are you not bringing us the angels to testify your truthfulness, if you are of the truthful?’

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However, WE do not send down the angels except with demands of the truth,
and were the angels to appear now with the decision, then they will not be spared.

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Indeed, it is WE WHO are sending down this Reminder – The Qur’an, and
surely, WE will preserve it against any satanic change in its Sacred Arabic Text and its form.

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a. And, certainly, WE did assign the Messengers before you among the earlier communities,

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a. yet not one Messenger came to any of them whom they did not mock and ridicule.

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a. That is how WE allow it to seep into the hearts of the sinful.

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a. That they would not believe in it - the Qur’an - even though the example of those sinful of earlier times has passed.

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And even if WE were to open a gateway to the heaven for the disbelievers as a miracle to convince them of the truthfulness of The Qur’an, and
they were to keep climbing higher and higher up to it,

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they will still say:
‘Actually, our eyesight has been blurred!
No!
Instead, we are a people under some kind of a spell!’

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And, indeed, WE have set up great constellations and stellar formations as castles for security in the celestial realm,
and made them appear pleasing to the observers,

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a. and WE have made them secure against every accursed satanic force,

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except if any of them secretly tries to steal into eavesdrop,
then a clear flaming fire/shooting star chases him away.

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And the earth - WE have spread out wide, and
placed upon it mountains firmly, and
caused everything on earth to sprout in balance and due proportion.

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And WE have provided for you various resources of livelihood on it,
as well as for all living creatures for whom you do not provide.

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And there is not a thing but its treasures are with US,
and WE do not give of each except in a known and determined measure.

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And WE send the fertilizing winds,
then WE bring down the rain water to fall from the sky clouds for you to drink,

even though it is not you who are controllers of its reservoirs or water resources under the ground.

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And, truly, it is WE – WE alone WHO give life and death, and
it is WE alone WHO shall be the Inheritors of all things after they die.

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And, certainly, WE Know those of you who have lived before you – from Adam onwards,
and certainly, WE Know those who are living now and who are yet to come - until the Last Hour.

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And, truly your Rabb - The Lord HE will gather them all together.
Indeed, HE is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

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a. And, indeed, WE created the human being out of dried clinking clay, drawn from mere
molded dark mud.

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a. Whereas the jinn WE had created long before human beings of the permeated fire - a
smokeless fire that can escape through openings.

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And remember when your Rabb - The Lord said to the angels:
‘I am about to create the human being out of dry clinking clay, drawn from molded dark mud.’

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‘So when I have formed him in due proportions and breathed of MY Spirit into him so that he becomes a living human being,
then you are to fall down before him in prostration.’

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Once the process of perfection/creation was complete,
thereupon, the angels fell down in prostration, all of them together, as Commanded by Allah,
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- except Iblees/Satan.
He refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

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Allah then questioned:
‘O Iblees/Satan!
Why is it that you were not among those who prostrated themselves?’

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Iblees submitted:
‘I am not willing to recognize his superiority and prostrate myself before a human being,
whom YOU have created out of dry clinking clay, drawn from mere molded dark mud.’

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He said - Allah’s command came:
‘Then get out of here!
Surely you are rejected and accursed henceforth!
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a. Surely the curse is going to remain upon you till the Time of Resurrection.’
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Satan/Iblees submitted:
‘My Rabb - The Lord!
Grant me respite till the Time when they - the dead of mankind – are to be resurrected.’
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Allah said:
‘Then truly you are among those who are granted respite,
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a. till the appointed Time – the Resurrection and Judgment - The Time of which is well known.’
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Satan said:
‘My Rabb - The Lord!
As YOU have made me slip, I am going to make all that is evil appear enticing to them on the earth,
and I am definitely going to make them slip and go astray – all of them,
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a. – except, of course, for YOUR sincerely devoted servants among them.’
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Allah said:
‘This - the path of sincere devotion - is the Straight and direct Path leading to ME.’
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‘Truly as for MY sincerely devoted servants - you will have no power to prevail over any one of them,
except for whoever follows you of the ones in error’ as you are.
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a. ‘For all such people, Hell will definitely be the promised destination.’
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Hell will have seven gates -
for each gate, a specific class of the sinful is assigned.
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a. Now as for those who are sincerely devoted, they will be in the midst of gardens and water-
springs.’
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They will be received with the greeting:
‘Enter here in peace, perfectly secure’ and free from all fear!

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‘And WE would have removed from their hearts any feelings of grudge and animosity,
so they will truly be as brothers and sisters, facing each other on couches.

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No weariness will ever touch them there,
and they will never be asked to leave,
and never be deprived of the state of bliss.

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a. So tell MY servants that I – I alone - am indeed All-Forgiving, All-Merciful;

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a. and that MY Punishment for the disobedient and sinful will indeed be a terrible punishment.

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a. And narrate to them about the angelic-guests of Abraham.

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When they came before him, and greeted:
‘Salam!’
He answered back, saying:
‘Actually, we - my wife and I - are apprehensive of you.’

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They said:
‘Do not be apprehensive.
In fact we bring you the good news of the birth of a boy to you, named Isaac, who will be
knowledgeable.’

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Abraham was taken by surprise and asked:
‘Are you giving me this good news of the birth of a boy even though old age has overtaken me?
What exactly, then, is your good news?’

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They replied in reassurance:
That ‘good news we have given you is all truth.
So do not be of the despairing’ because of old age!

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Abraham said:
‘And who despairs from the Mercy of his Rabb - The Lord except for the ones who have lost their way?’

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Then Abraham asked:
‘What is then your mission after giving us the good news, O angelic-messengers?’

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They answered:
‘We are assigned to a people who are deeply sinful,

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all ‘except for the Family of Lot.
We are certainly rescuing them all together because of their faith,

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‘- except for his woman – wife,
for we have decided that she will be of those remaining behind’ and destroyed.

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a. And when the angelic-messengers came to the Family of Lot,

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Lot said:
‘Surely you appear to be an unfamiliar people’ to me.

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They answered:
‘Yes indeed.
We are unfamiliar to you but we have not come to harm you.
Instead, we have come to you concerning what they have always been in doubt’ - the inevitable consequence of their moral misconduct.

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‘And we are bringing you the truth of its fulfillment.
And certainly, we are honest’ in what we are saying.

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‘So depart with your family in a part of the night - in the dead of night - with yourself following them in the rear.
And let no one of you turn around and look back,
but keep going to where you are told’ to go.

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And so, WE decreed for him - Lot - the command, that
the very roots of these sinful people were going to be cut off by the morning.

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And – before it happened - the people of the city came to Lot excited and looking for pleasure at the news of the arrival of young good-looking males.

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Lot pleaded:
‘They are my guests,
so do not cause me embarrassment and put me to shame’ by scandalizing their visit.

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‘Rather fear Allah, and
do not disgrace me!’

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They shouted and said:
‘Have we not forbidden you from hiding any strangers’ from us?

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He - Lot in an attempt to divert their attention - pleaded:
‘Here are my daughters, if you must do what you intend doing.’

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The angelic-envoys whispered to Lot:
By your life!
Surely they are stumbling around in their wild drunkenness’ - madness of lust and perversion!

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a. Then the dreadful blast of OUR Punishment seized them by sunrise.

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So WE turned it - the five sinful cities - upside down, and
WE hailed down upon them a shower of stones of baked clay.

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a. Surely in this incident are lessons for those who can learn.

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a. And surely the traces of the destroyed cities are still there on a road - for all to see.

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a. Truly in all this are signs and lessons for the believers.

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a. And People of Ayka to whom Sho’ayb was assigned - were also unjust and sinful.

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And likewise, WE took vengeance upon them.
And both of these ruined civilizations still stand out as a manifest example and are on open
highway, plain to see.

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a. And the People of Hijr to whom Saleh was assigned likewise belied and denied the Messengers.

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And WE gave them OUR Signs – one was by way of the she-camel,
but they kept turning away in aversion and ignored them.

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a. And they used to hew out houses from the mountains feeling safe and secure against any calamity.

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a. Then one morning, the dreadful blast of OUR Punishment seized them.

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a. So whatever they had acquired of riches and security of houses in the mountains was of no
benefit to them.

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And WE have not created the celestial realm and the terrestrial world, and all that is in-between them, except in truth - with a definite purpose,
and the Last Hour is sure to come.
So forbear failings of others gracefully.

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a. Truly your Rabb - The Lord – HE is the Creator, All-Knowing.

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a. And certainly WE have brought you seven frequently repeated or the seven repetitions so you can gain inspiration and strength, and this Qur’an - the Glorious.

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Do not look longingly towards the riches of what WE have granted to some of them – the people in power and wealth - to enjoy in the life of this world.
And do not feel sorry for them as they refuse to listen to the Divine Message.
And, instead, you should spread your wings of kindness and passion over the believers.

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And say O The Prophet!
‘I am in truth a clear warner’ -
against a Divine Punishment for your continued aversion to the Divine Message.

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a. Likewise, WE had assigned Warners to those who make divisions - who apportioned the Scripture among themselves.

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They split their Recital into disjointed fragments,
by quoting parts of it out of context in order to falsify it.

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So by your Rabb - The Lord, O The Prophet!
WE are certainly going to question them all together -

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a. - for whatever they have been doing to frustrate OUR Plans.

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O The Prophet!
Your disbelieving detractors would not be able to thwart your mission, the instructions follow:
So proclaim publicly with what you are commanded to proclaim,
and ignore those who ascribe entities to Allah.

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a. Surely, WE are Sufficient for you against all who ridicule you and The Qur’an -

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- who ascribe other entities to Allah.
Soon they are going to know their falsehood and their fate.

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The Prophet is comforted against the relentless campaign of mockery and ridicule:
And WE certainly Know that you - your heart aches by what they allege.

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So glorify the Praise of your Rabb - The Lord,
and be among those who prostrate themselves before HIM in awe, humility, and worship.

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a. And continue to submit in worship and obedience of your Rabb - The Lord till the Certainty/
inevitable comes to you.