Quran — Page 371

and grant me the power to convey the truth unto those who will come after me,

and place me among those who shall inherit the garden of bliss!

“And forgive my father - for, verily, he is among those who have gone astray –

and do not put me to shame on the Day when all shall be raised from the dead:

the Day on which neither wealth will be of any use, nor children,

[and when] only he [will be happy] who comes before God with a heart free of evil!”

For, [on that Day,] paradise will be brought within sight of the God-conscious,

whereas the blazing fire will be laid open before those who had been lost in grievous error;

and they will be asked: “Where now is all that you were wont to worship

instead of God? Can these [things and beings] be of any help to you or to themselves?”

Thereupon they will be hurled into hell – they, as well as all [others] who had been lost in grievous error,

and the hosts of Iblis - all together.

And there and then, blaming one another, they [who had grievously sinned in life] will exclaim:

“By God, we were most obviously astray

when we deemed you [false deities] equal to the Sustainer of all the worlds –

yet they who have seduced us [into believing in you] are the truly guilty ones!

And now we have none to intercede for us,

nor any loving friend.

Would that we had a second chance [in life], so that we could be among the believers!”

In all this, behold, there is a message [unto men], even though most of them will not believe [in it].

But, verily, thy Sustainer - He alone - is almighty, a dispenser of grace!

The people of Noah [too] gave the lie to [one of God’s] message-bearers

when their brother Noah said unto them: “Will you not be conscious of God?

Behold, I am an apostle [sent by Him] to you, [and therefore] worthy of your trust:

be, then, conscious of God, and pay heed unto me!

“And no reward whatever do I ask of you for it: my reward rests with none but the Sustainer of all the worlds.

Hence, remain conscious of God, and pay heed unto me!”

They answered: “Shall we place our faith in thee, even though [only] the most abject [of people] follow thee?”