1-4] Alif. Lam. Mim.¹ This is the Book of Allah: there is no doubt² about it. It is guidance to Godfearing people,³ who believe in the unseen,⁴ establish the Salats⁵ and expend (in Our way) out of what We have bestowed on them;⁶ who believe in the Book We have sent down to you (i.e. the Qur'an) and in the Books sent down before you,⁷ and firmly believe in the Hereafter.⁸

[5] Such people are on the right way from their Lord and such are truly successful.

[6-7] As for those who have rejected⁹ (these things), it is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them: they are not going to believe. Allah has sealed up their hearts and ears and a covering has fallen over their eyes,¹⁰ and they have incurred the severest punishment.

[8-16] Then there are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day", whereas they do not believe at all. They thus try to deceive Allah and the Believers, but they succeed in deceiving none except themselves and they realize it not.¹¹ In their hearts is a disease which Allah has increased all the more¹² and a painful doom is in store for them for the lie they utter. Whenever it is said to them, "Spread not disorder on the earth", their reply is, "We only seek to put things aright".Beware! they do spread disorder but they realize it not. And when it is said to them, "Believe sincerely as the other people have believed",¹³ they reply, "Should we believe as fools have believed?”¹⁴ Beware! they themselves are the fools, but they know it not. When they meet those who believe, they say, "We, too, are believers", but when they privily meet their evil geniuses,¹⁵ they say, "Indeed we are with you: we are only mocking at these people". (Little do they realize that) Allah is mocking at them. He gives them rope enough, and they wander on and on blindly in their mischief and rebellion. These are the people who have bartered away Guidance for error, but this is a profitless bargain that they have made, and they are not at all on the right way.

[17-20] Their condition may be described in a parable: a man kindled a fire and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away the light from their eyes and left them in utter darkness, where they could not see anything.¹⁶ They are deaf; they are dumb; they are blind¹⁷ so they will not return (to the right way). Or (still another parable may be cited to depict their condition): heavy rain is falling from the sky, accompanied by pitch darkness, thunder and lightning. When they hear the thunderclap, they thrust their fingers into their ears for fear of death, but Allah is encircling the disbelievers on all sides.¹⁸ The lightning terrifies them as if it were going to snatch away their eyesight from them. When they see light, they move on a little further and When it becomes dark for them, they stand still.¹⁹ Had Allah so willed, He could have deprived them totally of their hearing²⁰ and their sight. Most surely Allah has power over everything.

[21-22] O Mankind,²¹ submit to your Lord Who created you and those who were before you; in this way only you may expect to save yourselves.²² It is He Who has made the earth a bed for you and the sky a canopy; and it is He Who sends down rain from above for the growth of every kind of food products for your sustenance. So, when you know this, you should not set up equals to rank with Allah²³

[23-24] And if you be in doubt whether the Book We have sent down to Our Servant is from Us or not, then produce, at least, one Surah like this.²⁴ You may call all your associates to assist you and avail yourselves of the help of any one other than Allah. If you are genuine in your doubt, do this. But if you do not do this, and you can never do this, then fear the Fire which has been prepared for the disbelievers and which shall have men and stones for fuel²⁵

[25] And give good news (O Muhammad), to those who believe in this Book and do good deeds (in accordance with its teachings). For them there will be gardens underneath which canals flow. Their fruits will so resemble the fruits on the Earth that every time they will be provided with fruits, they will say, "Such fruits were provided to us before on the Earth.²⁶ " And there will be pure spouses²⁷ for them and therein they will live for ever.

[26-27] Well, Allah is not ashamed to cite the similitude of a gnat or of something even more insignificant than this.²⁸ As for those who believe, they come to know from the same similitude that it is the Revelation from their Lord; but those who disbelieve, say, "What does Allah mean by such similitudes?"²⁹ Allah leads astray many and guides many to the right way by the same thing.³⁰ And He leads astray only those who disobey Allah; who break Allah's covenant after ratifying it;³¹ who cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined,³² and who produce chaos on the Earth.³³ These are the people who are indeed the losers.

[28-29] How is it that you adopt the attitude of disbelief towards Allah when the fact is that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and He will take away life from you and wilt again restore you to life: then you shall ultimately return to Him. He it is Who created for you all that there is on the Earth; He then turned to the sky and ordered it into seven heavens.³⁴ And He has full knowledge of everything³⁵