Quran — Page 574

O THOU enwrapped one!

Keep awake [in prayer] at night, all but a small part

of one-half thereof - or make it a little less than that,

or add to it [at will]; and [during that time] recite the Qur’an calmly and distinctly, with thy mind attuned to its meaning.

Behold, We shall bestow upon thee a weighty message –

[and,] verily, the hours of night the mind most strongly and speak with the clearest voice,

whereas by day a long chain of doings is thy portion.

But [whether by night or by day,] remember thy Sustainer's name, and devote thyself unto Him with utter devotion.

The Sustainer of the east and the west [is He]: there is no deity save Him: hence, ascribe to Him alone the power to determine thy fate,

and endure with patience whatever people may say [against thee], and avoid them with a comely avoidance.

And leave Me alone [to deal] with those who give the lie to the truth - those who enjoy the blessings of life [without any thought of God] - and bear thou with them for a little while:

for, behold, heavy fetters [await them] with Us, and a blazing fire,

and food that chokes, and grievous suffering

on the Day when the earth and the mountains will be convulsed and the mountains will [crumble and] become like a sand-dune on the move!

BEHOLD, [O men,] We have sent unto you an apostle who shall bear witness to the truth before you, even as We sent an apostle unto Pharaoh:

and Pharaoh rebelled against the apostle, whereupon We took him to task with a crushing grip.

How, then, if you refuse to acknowledge the truth, will you protect yourselves on that Day which shall turn the hair of children grey,

[the Day] on which the skies shall be rent asunder, [and] His promise [of resurrection] fulfilled?

This, verily, is a reminder: let him who wills, then set out on a way to his Sustainer!