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By the stars when they fade away!
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Your fellow man1 is neither misguided nor astray.
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Nor does he speak of his own whims.
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It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺.
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He has been taught by one ˹angel˺ of mighty power1
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and great perfection, who once rose to ˹his˺ true form1
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while on the highest point above the horizon,
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then he approached ˹the Prophet˺, coming so close
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that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less.1
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Then Allah revealed to His servant what He revealed ˹through Gabriel˺.
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The ˹Prophet’s˺ heart did not doubt what he saw.
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How can you ˹O pagans˺ then dispute with him regarding what he saw?
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And he certainly saw that ˹angel descend˺ a second time
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at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit ˹in the seventh heaven˺—
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near which is the Garden of ˹Eternal˺ Residence—
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while the Lote Tree was overwhelmed with ˹heavenly˺ splendours!
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The ˹Prophet’s˺ sight never wandered, nor did it overreach.
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He certainly saw some of his Lord’s greatest signs.1
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Now, have you considered ˹the idols of˺ Lât and ’Uzza,
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and the third one, Manât, as well?
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Do you ˹prefer to˺ have sons while ˹you attribute˺ to Him daughters?1
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Then this is ˹truly˺ a biased distribution!
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These ˹idols˺ are mere names that you and your forefathers have made up1—a practice Allah has never authorized. They follow nothing but ˹inherited˺ assumptions and whatever ˹their˺ souls desire, although ˹true˺ guidance has already come to them from their Lord.
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Or should every person ˹simply˺ have whatever ˹intercessors˺ they desire?1
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In fact, to Allah ˹alone˺ belongs this world and the next.
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˹Imagine˺ how many ˹noble˺ angels are in the heavens! ˹Even˺ their intercession would be of no benefit whatsoever, until Allah gives permission to whoever He wills and ˹only for the people He˺ approves.
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Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter label angels as female,
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although they have no knowledge ˹in support˺ of this. They follow nothing but ˹inherited˺ assumptions. And surely assumptions can in no way replace the truth.
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So turn away ˹O Prophet˺ from whoever has shunned Our Reminder,1 only seeking the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world.
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This is the extent of their knowledge. Surely your Lord knows best who has strayed from His Way and who is ˹rightly˺ guided.
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To Allah ˹alone˺ belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth so that He may reward the evildoers according to what they did, and reward the good-doers with the finest reward1—
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those who avoid major sins and shameful deeds, despite ˹stumbling on˺ minor sins. Surely your Lord is infinite in forgiveness. He knew well what would become of you as He created you from the earth1 and while you were ˹still˺ fetuses in the wombs of your mothers.2 So do not ˹falsely˺ elevate yourselves. He knows best who is ˹truly˺ righteous.
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Have you seen the one who turned away ˹from Islam,˺
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and ˹initially˺ paid a little ˹for his salvation˺, and then stopped?
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Does he have the knowledge of the unseen so that he sees ˹the Hereafter˺?
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Or has he not been informed of what is in the Scripture of Moses,
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and ˹that of˺ Abraham, who ˹perfectly˺ fulfilled ˹his covenant˺?
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˹They state˺ that no soul burdened with sin will bear the burden of another,
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and that each person will only have what they endeavoured towards,
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and that ˹the outcome of˺ their endeavours will be seen ˹in their record˺,
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then they will be fully rewarded,
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and that to your Lord ˹alone˺ is the ultimate return ˹of all things˺.
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Moreover, He is the One Who brings about joy and sadness.1
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And He is the One Who gives life and causes death.
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And He created the pairs—males and females—
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from a sperm-drop when it is emitted.
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And it is upon Him to bring about re-creation.
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And He is the One Who enriches and impoverishes.
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And He alone is the Lord of Sirius.1
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And He destroyed the first ˹people of˺ ’Ȃd,
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and ˹then˺ Thamûd,1 sparing no one.
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And before ˹that He destroyed˺ the people of Noah, who were truly far worse in wrongdoing and transgression.
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And ˹it was˺ He ˹Who˺ turned the cities ˹of Sodom and Gomorrah˺ upside down.
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How overwhelming was what covered ˹them˺!1
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Now, which of your Lord’s favours will you dispute?
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This ˹Prophet˺ is a warner like earlier ones.
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The approaching ˹Hour˺ has drawn near.
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None but Allah can disclose it.
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Do you find this revelation astonishing,
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laughing ˹at it˺ and not weeping ˹in awe˺,
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while persisting in heedlessness?
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Instead, prostrate to Allah and worship ˹Him alone˺!
