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servants: "O My Servants! then fear ye Me!"
039.017 Those who eschew Evil,- and fall not into its worship,- and turn to God (in repentance),- for them is Good
News: so announce the Good News to My Servants,-
039.018 Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it: those are the ones whom God has guided,
and those are the ones endued with understanding.
039.019 Is, then, one against whom the decree of Punishment is justly due (equal to one who eschews Evil)? Wouldst
thou, then, deliver one (who is) in the Fire?
039.020 But it is for those who fear their Lord. That lofty mansions, one above another, have been built: beneath them
flow rivers (of delight): (such is) the Promise of God: never doth God fail in (His) promise.
039.021 Seest thou not that God sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He
causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colours: then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it
dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding.
039.022 Is one whose heart God has opened to Islam, so that he has received Enlightenment from God, (no better than
one hard-hearted)? Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of God! they are manifestly
wandering (in error)!
039.023 God has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with
itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble thereat; then their
skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of God's praises. Such is the guidance of God: He guides therewith
whom He pleases, but such as God leaves to stray, can have none to guide.
039.024 Is, then, one who has to fear the brunt of the Penalty on the Day of Judgment (and receive it) on his face, (like
one guarded therefrom)? It will be said to the wrong- doers: "Taste ye (the fruits of) what ye earned!"
039.025 Those before them (also) rejected (revelation), and so the Punishment came to them from directions they
did not perceive.
039.026 So God gave them a taste of humiliation in the present life, but greater is the punishment of the Hereafter,
if they only knew!
039.027 We have put forth for men, in this Qur'an every kind of Parable, in order that they may receive admonition.
039.028 (It is) a Qur'an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against Evil.
039.029 God puts forth a Parable a man belonging to many partners at variance with each other, and a man belonging
entirely to one master: are those two equal in comparison? Praise be to God! but most of them have no knowledge.
039.030 Truly thou wilt die (one day), and truly they (too) will die (one day).
039.031 In the end will ye (all), on the Day of Judgment, settle your disputes in the presence of your Lord.
039.032 Who, then, doth more wrong than one who utters a lie concerning God, and rejects the Truth when it comes
to him; is there not in Hell an abode for blasphemers?
039.033 And he who brings the Truth and he who confirms (and supports) it - such are the men who do right.
039.034 They shall have all that they wish for, in the presence of their Lord: such is the reward of those who do good:
039.035 So that God will turn off from them (even) the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according to
the best of what they have done.
039.036 Is not God enough for his Servant? But they try to frighten thee with other (gods) besides Him! for such as
God leaves to stray, there can be no guide.
039.037 And such as God doth guide there can be none to lead astray. Is not God Exalted in Power, (Able to enforce
His Will), Lord of Retribution?
039.038 If indeed thou ask them who it is that created the heavens and the earth, they would be sure to say, "God". Say:
"See ye then? the things that ye invoke besides God,- can they, if God wills some Penalty for me, remove His Penalty?-
Or if He wills some Grace for me, can they keep back his Grace?" Say: "Sufficient is God for me! In Him trust those
who put their trust."
039.039 Say: "O my People! Do whatever ye can: I will do (my part): but soon will ye know-
039.040 "Who it is to whom comes a Penalty of ignominy, and on whom descends a Penalty that abides."
039.041 Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receives guidance
benefits his own soul: but he that strays injures his own soul. Nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs.