Quran — Page 522

Said [Abraham]: “And what [else] may you have in view, O you [heavenly] messengers?”

They answered: “Behold, we have been sent unto a people lost in sin,

to let loose upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement,

marked out in thy Sustainer’s sight for [the punishment of] such as have wasted their own selves.”

And in the course of time We brought out [of Lot ’s city] such [few] believers as were there:

for apart from one [single] house We did not find there any who had surrendered themselves to Us.

And so We left therein a message for those who fear the grievous suffering [which awaits all evildoers].

AND IN [the story of Pharaoh and] Moses, too, [We left the same message: for] when We sent him unto Pharaoh with [Our] manifest authority,

and he turned away in [the pride of] his power and said, “A sorcerer [is this Moses], or a madman!” –

We seized him and his hosts, and cast them all into the sea: and [none but Pharaoh] himself was to blame [for what happened].

And [you have the same message] in [what happened to the tribe of] Ad, when We let loose against them that life-destroying wind

which spared nothing of what it came upon, but caused [all of] it to become like bones dead and decayed.

And in [the story of the tribe of] Thamud, too, when they were told, “You shall enjoy your life for [but] a little while,”

after they had turned with disdain from their Sustainer’s commandment - whereupon the thunderbolt of punishment overtook them while they were [helplessly] looking on:

for they were unable even to rise, and could not defend themselves.

And [thus, too, We destroyed] Noah’s people aforetime: for they were iniquitous folk.

AND IT IS We who have built the universe with [Our creative] power; and, verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it.

And the earth have We spread out wide - and how well have We ordered it!

And in everything have We created oppos­ites, so that you might bear in mind [that God alone is One].

And so, [O Muhammad, say unto them:] “Flee unto God [from all that is false and evil]! Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him!

And do not ascribe divinity to aught side by side with God: verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him!”