21:1  Closer and closer to humanity the reckoning comes, yet they are oblivious and remain obstinate.

21:2  Every time a new reminder comes to them from their Lord, they listen to it in jest.

21:3  Their minds are frivolously distracted. In secret counsel, the unjust discuss, “Is this [the Prophet] not only a mortal like any of you? Will you wittingly yield to [his] magical charm?”

21:4  Say, “My Lord knows every word spoken throughout Heaven and Earth. He is the Listener and the Omniscient.”

21:5  “Bunk!” they say. “Medleys of dreams! Bunk! He forged it. Bunk! He is only a poet. He must produce a sign like those [miracles] of the past [by the earlier prophets].”

21:6  Before them were populations, none of which believed before We destroyed them. Will these [contemporary populations] believe?

21:7  Before you [Prophet Muhammed], messengers We sent were mere men to whom We granted inspiration. If you doubt that, ask those [Jews] who remember [the Word].

21:8  We did not give (the messengers) bodies with no need of food, and they were not exempt from death.

21:9  Eventually, We fulfilled Our promise to them, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We destroyed those who sinned without boundaries.

21:10  We have revealed for you a Book in which is a reminder for you. Will you not understand?

21:11  How many populations did We destroy because of their sins? [We] established other people in their places.

21:12  Yet, when they felt Our punishment, they tried to run from it.

21:13  Do not run. Instead, return to the good things given to you in this life. [Return to] your homes so that you may be questioned.

21:14  They said, “Oh, woe to us! We were sinners indeed.”

21:15  Their cry did not end until We made them like extinct crops.

21:16  We did not create the skies and Earth and all among them simply as a sport.

21:17  If it had been Our desire to indulge in fun, We would have done so on Our own, if We acted so.

21:18  Instead [of playing sport], We hurl truth against deceit in order to destroy (deceit), and then deception perishes. Beware of incurring misery because of your [false] descriptions [of God].

21:19  To Him belong all that is of the skies and Earth. Even those [angels] in His very presence are not too proud to serve Him, and neither do they tire.

21:20  They celebrate [His glory] night and day, without pause.

21:21  Have they chosen earthly gods that can resurrect?

21:22  If there were, in (the skies and the earth), gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion. Glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne! [He is] above what they attribute to Him.

21:23  He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned.

21:24  Have they accepted gods besides Him? Say, “Bring your evidence! This is a reminder for those with me and a reminder for those before me.” Most of them do not know the truth, so they avoid it.

21:25  We did not send a messenger before you [Muhammed] without Our revelation to him: “No god is there except Me, so worship Me.”

21:26  They say, “The Most Gracious has begotten a son.” Glory to Him! (Such “sons”) are only honored servants.

21:27  They do not speak before He speaks. They act by His command.

21:28  He knows what is before them and what is behind them. They cannot intercede except those who are approved. They stand in awe and reverence of Him.

21:29  If any of them said, “I am indeed a god besides Him,” We would reward that one with Hell. That is how We reward the sinners.

21:30  Do the unbelievers not understand that the skies and Earth were massed together before we split them apart? We made every living thing from water! Will they not believe?

21:31  We established, on the earth, mountains standing firmly to prevent (the earth) from trembling with them. We made mountain passes so that perhaps they will be guided.

21:32  We made the sky as a canopy, well-guarded. Still, they reject the signs of such things.

21:33  He created the night and the day and the sun and the moon. They all swim, each to its own path.

21:34  We did not allow any person before you to live forever. If you [Prophet Muhammed] die, would they live forever?

21:35  Every soul shall have a taste of death, and We test you by evil and by goodness as a trial [so you may have opportunities to prove yourselves deserving of Paradise]. To Us you must return.

21:36  When the unbelievers see you [Prophet Muhammed], they don’t show you anything but disrespect: “Is this the one who runs his mouth about your gods?” They scoff at the mention of the Most Gracious.

21:37  Humanity is a creature of haste. Soon I will show You My signs [of the end times], but don’t rush Me!

21:38  They say, “When will this promise come to pass, if you are telling the truth?”

21:39  If the unbelievers only knew when they will not be able to deflect the fire from their faces or from their backs, when no help can come to them!

21:40  It will come upon them suddenly and overwhelm them. They will have no power to avert it, and they will get no reprieve.

21:41  Messengers before (Prophet Muhammed) were mocked, but their scoffers were contained by their own contempt.

21:42  Say, “Who can protect you by night and by day from the Most Gracious?” Yet they turn away from the mention of their Lord.

21:43  Do they have gods that can guard them from Us? (False gods) cannot help themselves, and they cannot be protected from Us.

21:44  We provided for these people and their parents until their lives grew long. Do they not see that We are shrinking the land’s borders? Is it then they who will win?

21:45  Say, “I only warn you according to revelation.” But the unhearing will not hear the call when they are warned.

21:46  If only a breath of the wrath of your Lord touches them, they will then say, “Woe to us! We truly sinned!”

21:47  We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection so that not a soul will be treated with the least injustice. If there is the weight of a mustard seed, We will expose it. We are sufficient to take account.

21:48  Truly, We granted to Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous.

21:49  [They are] those who fear their Lord in the unseen and who fear the hour.

21:50  This is a blessed reminder that We have sent down. Will you then reject it?

21:51  We previously bestowed upon Abraham his integrity. We were well acquainted with him.

21:52  He said to his father and his people, “What are these images to which you are devoted?”

21:53  They said, “We found our parents worshiping them.”

21:54  He said, “You and your parents are truly in obvious sin.”

21:55  They said, “Have you brought us the truth or are you one of those who joke?”

21:56  He said, “No, your Lord is the Lord of skies and Earth. He created them, and I testify to this.

21:57  “By Allah, I have a plan for your idols after you go away and turn your backs.”

21:58  (Abraham) broke (the idols) to pieces except for the biggest one of them, so that (the idolaters) may address it.

21:59  They said, “Who has done this to our gods? He must truly be a man of irreverence!”

21:60  They said, “We heard a young man called Abraham speak about (these gods).”

21:61  They said, “Bring him before the eyes of the people so they may bear witness.”

21:62  They said, “Are you the one that did this to our gods, O Abraham?”

21:63  He said, “No, this was done by the biggest one. Ask them, if they can speak.”

21:64  They turned to themselves and said, “Surely, you are the ones in the wrong.”

21:65  They hung their heads [with shame]. “Certainly, you know that these [idols] do not speak.”

21:66  (Abraham) said, “Do you then worship, instead of Allah, things that can neither benefit you nor harm you?

21:67  “Shame on you and upon the things that you worship instead of Allah. Have you no sense?”

21:68  They said, “Burn him and support your gods if you will!”

21:69  We said, “O Fire, be cool and safe for Abraham.”

21:70  They sought a strategy against him, but We made them the biggest losers.

21:71  We delivered (Abraham) and Lot to the land that We blessed for the nations.

21:72  We bestowed Isaac on (Abraham), and, in addition, [We gave him] Jacob [his grandson]. We made righteous men of them all.

21:73  We made them leaders who guide by Our command. We inspired them to do good deeds, to establish ritual prayer, and to give required charity. They constantly served Us.

21:74  Also to Lot We gave judgment and knowledge. We saved him from the town that practiced abominations. They were certainly evil people, openly defiant.

21:75  We admitted him to Our mercy. Indeed, he was one of the righteous.

21:76  [Remember] Noah and when he cried previously. We listened to him and delivered him and his family from the disaster.

21:77  We helped him against people who rejected Our signs. Truly, they were a sinful people. We drowned all of them.

21:78  [Remember] David and Solomon. They gave judgment in the matter of the field into which the sheep of certain people had strayed. We witnessed their judgment.

21:79  To Solomon We inspired understanding of (the matter). To each We gave judgment and knowledge. We made the hills and the birds celebrate Our praises with David. We did it.

21:80  We taught (David) how to make coats of armor for you to protect you from your battle. Will you then be grateful?

21:81  For Solomon, the wind violently blew, by his command, to the land that We blessed. We know all things.

21:82  Some of the demons dived for him and did other work. We guarded them.

21:83  [Remember] Job. He called to his Lord, “Truly distress has seized me, but You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

21:84  So We listened to him, We removed the distress that was upon him. We restored his people to him and multiplied them. [This was] all a grace from Us and a tribute for the worshipers.

21:85  [Remember] Ishmael, Enoch, and Ezekiel. All were among the patient.

21:86  We admitted them into Our mercy, for they were among the righteous ones.

21:87  [Remember] the man of the fish [Jonah]! When he left angrily, he thought that We had no power over him. In depths of darkness, he cried, “No god is there but You! Glory to You! I was wrong.”

21:88  We listened to him and delivered him from distress. Thus do We deliver those of faith.

21:89  [Remember] Zechariah when he cried to his Lord, “My Lord, do not leave me without children, although You are the best of inheritors.”

21:90  We listened to him, and We granted him John [the Baptist]. We cured his wife [of her infertility]. (Ishmael, Enoch, Ezekiel, Jonah, and Zechariah) were quick to perform good deeds. They always called on Us with love and reverence and humbled themselves before Us.

21:91  [Remember] she who guarded her chastity [Mary mother of Jesus]. We breathed into her of Our Spirit. We made her and her son a sign for all people.

21:92  Truly, this faith family of yours is a single faith family. I am your Lord; therefore, serve Me.

21:93  Some people tore their affair [of religion] from one another. They will all return to Us.

21:94  As for whoever performs righteous deeds while a believer, his/her effort will not be rejected. We will indeed record it.

21:95  There is a ban, however, on any population that We have destroyed. They will not return…

21:96  …until Gog and Magog are let loose to descend from every hill.

21:97  The true promise will then draw near. Watch! The eyes of the unbelievers will stare. “Woe to us! We were certainly heedless of this. We certainly were sinners.”

21:98  Truly, you [unbelievers] and the gods you worship instead of Allah are fuel for Hell. You will come to it.

21:99  If these had really been gods, they would not have gotten there. All in it will abide continuously.

21:100  In it will be crying, and they will hear nothing else.

21:101  Surely those for whom goodness has come from Us will be far from (Hell).

21:102  They will not hear the slightest sound from it. They will live forever with what their souls desire.

21:103  The great terror will bring them no grief. The angels will meet them: “This is your day that you were promised.”

21:104  On that day We will roll up the skies like a scroll rolled up for manuscripts. As We produced the first creation, We will produce a new one. This is a promise that We have undertaken. Truly, We shall fulfill it.

21:105  Before this, We wrote in the Psalms, after the reminder [given to Moses], that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.

21:106  Truly, in this is a message for people who would worship.

21:107  We did not send you [Muhammed] except as a mercy for all creatures.

21:108  Say, “What has been revealed to me is only that your God is One God. Will you therefore submit?”

21:109  If they turn away, however, say, “I have proclaimed [the message] to you all equally. I do not know whether what you are promised is near or far.

21:110  Indeed, He knows what is public in speech, and He knows what you keep secret.

21:111  I do not know if it may be a trial for you and an enjoyment for a time.”

21:112  Say, “My Lord, judge in truth. Our Lord Most Gracious is the One whose assistance is sought against what you attribute.”