Quran — Page 499

Ha. Mim.

THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the Wise.

Behold, in the heavens as well as on earth there are indeed messages for all who [are willing to] believe.

And in your own nature, and in [that of] all the animals which He scatters [over the earth] there are messages for people who are endowed with inner certainty.

And in the succession of night and day, and in the means of subsistence which God sends down from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and in the change of the winds: [in all this] there are messages for people who use their reason.

These messages of God do We convey unto thee, setting forth the truth. In what other tiding, if not in God’s messages, will they, then, believe?

Woe unto every sinful self-deceiver

who hears God’s messages when they are conveyed to him, and yet, as though he had not heard them, persists in his haughty disdain! Hence, announce unto him grievous suffering –

for when he does become aware of any of Our messages, he makes them a target of his mockery! For all such there is shameful suffering in store.

Hell is ahead of them; and all that they may have gained [in this world] shall be of no avail whatever to them, and neither shall any of those things which, instead of God, they have come to regard as their protectors: for, awesome suffering awaits them.

[To pay heed to God’s signs and messages:] this is [the meaning of] guidance; on the other hand, for those who are bent on denying the truth of their Sustainer’s messages there is grievous suffering in store as an outcome of [their] vileness.

IT IS GOD who has made the sea subservient [to His laws, so that it be of use] to you so that ships might sail through it at His behest, and that you might seek to obtain [what you need] of His bounty, and that you might have cause to be grateful.

And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!