Quran — Page 264

Said He: "O Iblis! What is thy reason for not being among those who have prostrated themselves?"

[Iblis] replied: "It is not for me to prostrate myself before mortal man whom Thou hast created out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted!"

Said He: "Go forth, then, from this [angelic state]: for, behold, thou art [henceforth] accursed,

and [My] rejection shall be thy due until the Day of Judgment!"

Said [Iblis]: "Then, O my Sustainer, grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead!"

Answered He: "Verily, so be it: thou shalt be among those who are granted respite

till the Day the time whereof is known [to Me alone]."

[Whereupon Iblis] said: "O my Sustainer! Since Thou hast thwarted me, I shall indeed make [all that is evil] on earth seem goodly to them, and shall most certainly beguile them-into grievous error -

[all] save such of them as are truly Thy servants!"

Said He: "This is, with Me. a straight way:

verily, thou shalt have no power over My creatures- unless it be such as are [already] lost in grievous error and follow thee [of their own will]:

and for all such, behold, hell is the promised goal.

with seven gates leading into it, each gate receiving its allotted share of sinners. -

VERILY, those who are conscious of God [shall find themselves in the hereafter] amidst gardens and springs,

[having been received with the greeting,] "Enter here in peace, secure!"

And [by then] We shall have removed whatever unworthy thoughts or feelings may have been [lingering] in their breasts, [and they shall rest] as brethren, facing one another [in love] upon thrones of happiness.

No weariness shall ever touch them in this [state of bliss], and never shall they have to forgo it.

Tell My servants that I - I alone - am truly forgiving, a true dispenser of grace;

and [also,] that the suffering which I shall impose [on sinners] will indeed be a suffering most grievous.

AND TELL THEM [once again] about Abraham's guests -