Quran — Page 492

and [silver] doors for their houses, and [silver] couches whereon to recline,

and gold [beyond count]. Yet all this would have been nothing but a [brief] enjoyment of life in this world - whereas [happiness in] the life to come awaits the God-conscious with thy Sustainer.

But as for anyone who chooses to remain blind to the remembrance of the Most Gracious, to him We assign an [enduring] evil impulse, to become his other self:

whereupon, behold, these [evil impulses] bar all such from the path [of truth], making them think that they are guided aright!

But in the end, when he [who has thus sinned] appears before us [on Judgment Day], he will say [to his other self], “Would that between me and thee there had been the distance of east and west!” for, evil indeed [has proved] that other self!

On that Day it will not profit you in the least [to know] that, since you have sinned [together], you are now to share your suffering [as well].

CANST THOU, perchance, [O Muhammad,] make the deaf hear, or show the right way to the blind or to such as are obviously lost in error?

But whether We do [or do not] take thee away [ere thy message prevails] - verily, We shall inflict Our retribution on them;

and whether We show thee [or do not show thee in this world] the fulfillment of what We have promised them - verily, We have full power over them!

So hold fast to all that has been revealed to thee: for, behold, thou art on a straight way;

and, verily, this [revelation] shall indeed become [a source of] eminence for thee and thy people: but in time you all will be called to account [for what you have done with it].

Yet [above all else,] ask any of Our apostles whom We sent forth before thy time whether We have ever allowed that deities other than the Most Gracious be worshipped!

THUS, INDEED, have We sent Moses with Our messages unto Pharaoh and his great ones; and he said: “Behold, I am an apostle of the Sustainer of all the worlds!”

But as soon as he came before them with Our [miraculous] signs, lo! they derided them,