The Believer

[LXXVIII.]

MECCA.—85 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

HA. MIM. The Revelation (sending down) of the Book is from God the Almighty, the All-knowing,¹

Forgiver of sin, and receiver of penitence,—vehement in chastisement,

Long-suffering! There is no God but He: to Him shall be the final gathering.

None but infidels gainsay the signs of God: but let not their prosperity in the land deceive thee.

The people of Noah, and the confederates after them, have brought the charge of imposture before these Meccans: each nation schemed against their apostle to lay violent hold on him, and disputed with vain words to refute the truth. Therefore did I lay violent hold on them; and how great was my chastisement!

Thus is it that thy Lord’s sentence, that inmates shall they be of the fire, was accomplished upon the infidels.

They who bear the throne² and they who encircle it, celebrate the praise of their Lord and believe in Him, and implore forgiveness for the believers:—“O our Lord! thou embracest all things in mercy and knowledge; forgive, therefore, those who turn to thee and follow thy path; keep them from the pains of hell:

O our Lord! and bring them into the Gardens of Eden which thou hast promised to them, and to the righteous ones of their fathers and their wives and their children; for thou art the All-mighty, the All-wise:

And keep them from evil: for on him hast thou mercy whom on that day thou shalt keep from evil;” and this will be the great felicity.

But to the infidels shall a voice cry, “Surely the hatred of God is more grievous than your hatred of yourselves, when ye were called to the faith, and remained unbelievers.”

They shall say, “Twice, O our Lord, hast thou given us death, and twice hast thou given us life:³ and we acknowledge our sins: is there no way to escape?”

“This hath befallen you, for that when One God was proclaimed to you, ye believed not: but when partners had been united with him, ye believed: But judgment belongeth unto God, the High, the Great.”

It is He who sheweth you his signs, and sendeth down supplies to you from Heaven: but none will receive warning save he who turneth to God.

Call then on God, offering him a pure worship, though the infidels abhor it.

Of exalted grade, of the throne possessed, He sendeth forth the Spirit at His own behest on whomsoever of His servants He pleaseth, that He may warn of the day of meeting,

The day when they shall come forth from their graves, when nought that concerneth them shall be hidden from God. With whom shall be the power supreme on that day? With God, the One, the Almighty.

On that day shall every soul be recompensed as it hath deserved: no injustice on that day! Verily, God will be swift to reckon.

Warn them, then, of the approaching day, when men’s hearts shall rise up, choking them, into their throats.