23:1  Prosperous are the believer

23:2  who in their prayers are humble

23:3  and who from vain talk turn aside

23:4  and who in almsgiving are active

23:5  And who guard their private parts

23:6  except for their wives or what their right hands possess for then, verily, they are not to be blamed;

23:7  but whoso craves aught beyond that, they are the transgressors

23:8  and who observe their trusts and covenants

23:9  and who guard well their prayers

23:10  these are the heir

23:11  who shall inherit Paradise; they shall dwell therein for aye

23:12  We have created man from an extract of clay

23:13  then we made him a clot in a sure depository

23:14  then we created the clot congealed blood, and we created the congealed blood a morsel; then we created the morsel bone, and we clothed the bone with flesh then we produced it another creation; and blessed be God, the best of creators

23:15  Then shall ye after that surely die

23:16  then shall ye on the day of resurrection be raised

23:17  And we have created above you seven roads; nor are we heedless of the creation

23:18  And we send down from the heaven water by measure, and we make it rest in the earth; but, verily, we are able to take it away

23:19  and we produce for you thereby gardens of palms and grapes wherein ye have many fruits, and whence ye eat

23:20  And a tree growing out of Mount Sinai which produces oil, and a condiment for those who eat

23:21  And, verily, ye have a lesson in the cattle; we give you to drink of what is in their bellies; and ye have therein many advantages, and of them ye eat

23:22  and on them and on ships ye are borne

23:23  We sent Noah unto his people, and he said, 'O my people! worship God, ye have no god but Him; do ye then not fear?

23:24  Said the chiefs of those who misbelieved among his people, 'This is nothing but a mortal like yourselves who wishes to have preference over you, and had God pleased He would have sent angels; we have not heard of this amongst our fathers of yore

23:25  he is nothing but a man possessed; let him bide then for a season.

23:26  Said he, 'Help me, for they call me liar!

23:27  And we inspired him, 'Make the ark under our eyes and inspiration; and when the oven boils over, conduct into it of every kind two, with thy family, except him of them against whom the word has passed; and do not address me for those who do wrong, verily, they are to be drowned

23:28  'But when thou art settled, thou and those with thee in the ark, say, "Praise belongs to God, who saved us from the unjust people!"

23:29  'And say, "My Lord! make me to alight in a blessed alighting-place, for Thou art the best of those who cause men to alight!"

23:30  Verily, in that is a sign, and, verily, we were trying them

23:31  Then we raised up after them another generation

23:32  and we sent amongst them a prophet of themselves (saying), 'Serve God, ye have no god but He; will ye then not fear?

23:33  Said the chiefs of his people who misbelieved, and called the meeting of the last day a lie, and to whom we gave enjoyment in the life of this world, 'This is only a mortal like yourselves, who eats of what ye eat

23:34  and drinks of what ye drink; and if ye obey a mortal like yourselves, verily, ye will then be surely losers

23:35  Does he promise you that when ye are dead, and have become dust and bones, that then ye will be brought forth

23:36  'Away, away with what ye are threatened,

23:37  there is only our life in the world! We die and we live, and we shall not be raised

23:38  He is only a man who forges against God a lie. And we believe not in him!

23:39  Said he, 'My Lord! help me, for they call me liar!

23:40  He said, 'Within a little they will surely awake repenting!

23:41  And the noise seized them deservedly; and we made them as rubbish borne by a torrent; so, away with the unjust people

23:42  Then we raised up after them other generations

23:43  No nation can anticipate its appointed time, nor keep it back

23:44  Then we sent our apostles one after another. Whenever its apostle came to any nation they called him a liar; and we made some to follow others; and we made them legends; away then with a people who do not believe

23:45  Then we sent Moses and his brother Aaron with our signs

23:46  and with plain authority to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they were too big with pride, and were a haughty people

23:47  And they said, 'Shall we believe two mortals like ourselves, when their people are servants of ours?

23:48  So they called them liars, and were of those who perished

23:49  And we gave Moses the Book, that haply they might be guided

23:50  And we made the son of Mary and his mother a sign; and we lodged them both on a high place, furnished with security and a spring

23:51  O ye apostles! eat of the good things and do right; verily, what ye do I know

23:52  And, verily, this nation of yours is one nation, and I am your Lord; so fear me

23:53  And they have become divided as to their affair amongst themselves into sects, each party rejoicing in what they have themselves

23:54  So leave them in their flood (of error) for a time

23:55  Do they reckon that that of which we grant them such an extent

23:56  of wealth and children, we hasten to them as good things - nay, but they do not perceive

23:57  Verily, those who shrink with terror at their Lord

23:58  and those who in the signs of their Lord believe

23:59  and those who with their Lord join none

23:60  and those who give what they do give while their hearts are afraid that they unto their Lord will return,

23:61  these hasten to good things and are first to gain the same

23:62  But we will not oblige a soul beyond its capacity; for with us is a book that utters the truth, and they shall not be wronged

23:63  Nay, their hearts are in a flood (of error) at this, and they have works beside this which they do

23:64  Until we catch the affluent ones amongst them with the torment; then lo! they cry for aid

23:65  Cry not for aid today! verily, against us ye will not be helped

23:66  My signs were recited to you, but upon your heels did ye turn back

23:67  big with pride at it, in vain discourse by night

23:68  Is it that they did not ponder over the words, whether that has come to them which came not to their fathers of yore

23:69  Or did they not know their apostle, that they thus deny him

23:70  Or do they say, 'He is possessed by a ginn?' Nay, he came to them with the truth, and most of them are averse from the truth

23:71  But if the truth were to follow their lusts, the heavens and the earth would be corrupted with all who in them are! - Nay, we brought them their reminder, but they from their reminder turn aside

23:72  Or dost thou ask them for a tribute? but the tribute of thy Lord is better, for He is the best of those who provide

23:73  And, verily, thou dost call them to a right way

23:74  but, verily, those who believe not in the hereafter from the way do veer

23:75  But if we had mercy on them, and removed the distress they have, they would persist in their rebellion, blindly wandering on

23:76  And we caught them with the torment, but they did not abase themselves before their Lord, nor did they humble themselves

23:77  until we opened for them a door with grievous torment, then lo! they are in despair

23:78  He it is who produced for you hearing, and sight, and minds, - little is it that ye thank

23:79  And He it is who created you in the earth, and unto Him shall ye be gathered

23:80  And He it is who gives you life and death; and His is the alternation of the night and the day; have ye then no sense

23:81  Nay, but they said like that which those of yore did say

23:82  They said, 'What! when we have become earth and bones, are we then going to be raised

23:83  We have been promised this, and our fathers too, before;- this is naught but old folks' tales!

23:84  Say, 'Whose is the earth and those who are therein, if ye but know?

23:85  They will say, 'God's.' Say, 'Do ye not then mind?

23:86  Say, 'Who is Lord of the seven heavens, and Lord of the mighty throne?

23:87  They will say, 'God.' Say, 'Do ye not then fear?

23:88  Say, 'In whose hand is the dominion of everything; He succours but is not succoured, - if ye did but know?

23:89  They will say, 'God's.' Say, 'Then how can ye be so infatuated?

23:90  Nay, we have brought them the truth, but, verily, they are liars

23:91  God never took a son, nor was there ever any god with Him;- then each god would have gone off with what he had created, and some would have exalted themselves over others,- celebrated be His praises above what they attribute (to Him)

23:92  He who knows the unseen and the visible, exalted be He above what they join with Him

23:93  Say, 'My Lord! if Thou shouldst show me what they are threatened,

23:94  my Lord! then place me not amongst the unjust people.

23:95  ???Missing?

23:96  Repel evil by what is better. We know best what they attribute (to thee)

23:97  And say, 'My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from the incitings of the devils

23:98  and I seek refuge in Thee from their presence!

23:99  Until when death comes to any one of them he says, 'My Lord! send ye me back

23:100  haply I may do right in that which I have left!' Not so! - a mere word he speaks! - but behind them is a bar until the day they shall be raised

23:101  And when, the trumpet shall be blown, and there shall be no relation between them on that day, nor shall they beg of each other then

23:102  And he whose scales are heavy,- they are the prosperous

23:103  But he whose scales are light,- these are they who lose themselves, in hell to dwell for aye

23:104  The fire shall scorch their faces, and they shall curl their lips therein

23:105  'Were not my signs recited to you? and ye said that they were lies!

23:106  They say, 'Our Lord! our misery overcame us, and we were a people who did err

23:107  Our Lord! take us out therefrom, and if we return, then shall we be unjust.

23:108  He will say, 'Go ye away into it and speak not to me!

23:109  Verily, there was a sect of my servants who said, Our Lord! we believe, so pardon us, and have mercy upon us, for Thou art the best of the merciful ones.

23:110  And ye took them for a jest until ye forgat my reminder and did laugh thereat

23:111  Verily, I have recompensed them this day for their patience; verily, they are happy now

23:112  He will say, 'How long a number of years did ye tarry on earth?

23:113  They will say, 'We tarried a day or part of a day, but ask the Numberers.

23:114  He will say, 'Ye have only tarried a little, were ye but to know it

23:115  Did ye then reckon that we created you for sport, and that to us ye would not return?

23:116  But exalted be God, the true; there is no god but He, the Lord of the noble throne

23:117  and whoso calls upon another god with God has no proof of it, but, verily, his account is with his Lord; verily, the misbelievers shall not prosper

23:118  And say, 'Lord, pardon and be merciful, for Thou art the best of the merciful ones!