CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                                    SECTION 1.  PART  XVIII 

IN THE NAME OF GOD
THE MOST GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOD

1  BLESSED IS HE WHO SENT DOWN TO HIS SERVANT THE CRITERION 
THAT IT MAY BE TO ALL CREATURES AN ADMONITION 

2  HE TO WHOM BELONGS THE DOMINION 
OF THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS 
NO SON HAS HE BEGOTTEN 
NOR HAS HE A PARTNER IN HIS DOMINION 
HE CREATED ALL THINGS IN DUE PROPORTIONS

3  HAVE THEY TAKEN GODS THAT HAVE CREATED NOTHING THEMSELVES 
BUT IN FACT THEY ARE CREATED THEMSELVES 
AND HAVE NO CONTROL OF HURT OR GOOD TO THEMSELVES
NOR CAN THEY CONTROL LIFE OR DEATH FOR THEMSELVES
NOR RESURRECTION AFTER DEATH FOR THEMSELVES?

4  BUT SAY THE DISBELIEVERS 
THIS IS A LIE OF WHICH HE IS A FORGER
AND AT IT OTHERS HAVE BEEN HIS HELPERS 

BUT TRUTHFULLY IT IS THEY WHO HAVE SURELY
PUT FORWARD AN INIQUITY AND A FALSITY

5  THEY SAY, TALES OF THE ANCIENTS  
WHICH HE HAS CAUSED TO BE WRITTEN
THEY ARE DICTATED NIGHT AND DAY BEFORE HIM 

6  SAY, THE QURAN WAS SENT BY HE WHO KNOWS THE MYSTERY 
THAT IS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH ADDITIONALLY
AND MOST FORGIVING AND MOST MERCIFUL IS HE

7  AND THEY SAY WHAT SORT OF AN APOSTLE IS THIS WHO EATS 
PLAIN FOOD AND WALKS THROUGH THE STREETS?

WHY HAS NOT AN ANGEL BEEN SENT DOWN TO HIM 
IN ORDER TO GIVE ADMONITION WITH HIM?

8  OR WHY HAS NOT A TREASURE BEEN BESTOWED ON HIM 
OR WHY IS NOT A GARDEN FOR ENJOYMENT GIVEN TO HIM? 

THE WICKED SAY, YOU FOLLOW NONE 
OTHER THAN A BEWITCHED ONE 

9  SEE WHAT KINDS OF COMPARISONS THEY MAKE
BUT IT IS THEY WHO HAVE GONE ASTRAY
AND NEVER WILL THEY FIND THE WAY

10  BLESSED IS HE WHO COULD GIVE YOU THINGS BETTER 
GARDENS BENEATH WHICH FLOW PLEASANT RIVERS 
AND HE COULD GIVE YOU PALACES SECURE 

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CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                  SECTION 1 (CONT'D). PART  XVIII 

11  THEY DENY THE JUDGEMENT HOUR 
BUT WE HAVE PREPARED A BLAZING FIRE 
FOR THOSE WHO DENY THE JUDGMENT HOUR

12  WHEN IT SEES THEM 
FROM A PLACE FAR OFF FROM THEM
ITS FURY AND ITS RAGING WILL BE HEARD BY THEM

13  WHEN THEY ARE CAST BOUND TOGETHER WITHIN
A CONSTRICTED PLACE THEREIN
THEY WILL PLEAD FOR DESTRUCTION THERE AND THEN     

14  PRAY NOT THIS DAY FOR A SINGLE DESTRUCTION
BUT PRAY AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR DESTRUCTION

15  SAY, IS THIS BETTER OR THE GARDEN OF PERPETUITY 
WHICH IS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR DUTY?
THAT IS A REWARD AND A RESORT FOR THEM INDEED

16  FOR THEM THEREIN WILL BE ALL THAT THEY WISH FOR
THEY WILL DWELL THERE FOREVER MORE
A PROMISE FROM YOUR LORD TO BE PRAYED FOR

17  ON THE DAY WHEN HE WILL GATHER THEM TOGETHER
AND THAT WHICH THEY SERVE BESIDES GOD ALL TOGETHER

HE WILL SAY, WAS IT YOU WHO LED MY SERVANTS ASTRAY? 
OR DID THEY LEAD THEIR OWN SELVES ASTRAY? 

18  THEY WILL SAY, GLORY TO YOU 
IT WAS NOT FOR US THAT WE SHOULD TAKE BESIDES YOU
OTHERS AS PROTECTORS OTHER THAN YOU 

BUT GOD DID BESTOW ON THEM AND THEIR FATHERS 
GOOD THINGS IN LIFE UNTIL THEY FORGOT THE REMINDER
FOR THEY WERE PEOPLE LOST AND COMPLETELY IN ERROR

19  GOD WILL SAY, NOW THEY PROVED YOU TO BE LIARS TRULY
SO YOU CANNOT GET HELP OR AVERT YOUR PENALTY 
AND WHOEVER AMONG YOU ACTS WRONGFULLY
HIM WILL WE CAUSE TO TASTE A GRIEVOUS PENALTY

20  THE APOSTLES WERE ALL MEN WHOM WE SENT BEFORE YOU 
WHO ATE FOOD AND WALKED THROUGH THE STREETS TOO
SOME OF YOU WE MADE AS A TRIAL FOR OTHERS OF YOU
SO BEAR PATIENTLY FOR GOD SEES ALL THAT YOU DO

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CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                                       SECTION 2.  PART XIX

PART  XIX

21  THOSE WHO FEAR NOT THEIR MEETING WITH US 
SAY, WHY ARE NOT ANGELS SENT DOWN TO US ?

OR WHY DO WE NOT SEE GOD CLEARLY?
THEY ARE CONCEITED ARROGANTLY 
AND MIGHTY IS THEIR INSOLENCY

22  WHEN THEY SEE THE ANGELS THAT DAY
NO JOY WILL THERE BE TO THE SINNERS THAT DAY 
AND TO THEM THE ANGELS WILL SAY 
ALL GOOD THINGS ARE FORBIDDEN TO YOU THIS DAY

23  WE WILL TURN TO WHATEVER DEEDS 
THEY DID IN THIS LIFE AND MAKE SUCH DEEDS 
AS FLOATING DUST SCATTERED ABOUT WASTEFULLY

24  THE COMPANIONS OF THE GARDEN 
WILL BE WELL THAT DAY IN THEIR PLACE TO DWELL IN
AND THEY WILL HAVE THE FAIREST OF PLACES TO DWELL IN

25 THE DAY THE HEAVEN WILL BE RENT 
ASUNDER WITH CLOUDS AND ANGELS WILL BE SENT 

26  THE DOMINION OF RIGHT WILL BE FOR GOD ONLY 
AND IT WILL BE FOR THE DISBELIEVERS A DAY OF DIFFICULTY 

27  THE DAY THAT THE WRONG DOER 
WILL BITE AT HIS HANDS AND SAY, WOULD THAT I RATHER 
WOULD HAVE TAKEN A STRAIGHT PATH WITH THE MESSENGER

28  WOE IS ME I WISH I HAD NEVER 
TAKEN SUCH A ONE FOR A PROTECTOR

29  HE LEAD ME ASTRAY FROM THE MESSAGE OF THE CREATOR
AFTER IT HAD COME TO ME, THE DEVIL IS BUT A TRAITOR 

30  THEN WILL SAY THE MESSENGER, OH MY LORD, TRULY 
MY PEOPLE TREATED THIS QURAN FOOLISHLY

31  WE MADE FOR EVERY PROPHET AN ENEMY AMONG THE SINNERS 
BUT ENOUGH IS YOUR LORD AS A GUIDE AND A HELPER

32  THE REJECTERS SAY, WHY IS NOT THE QURAN REVEALED 
TO HIM ALL AT ONCE?  BUT IT IS REVEALED 

THAT WE MAY STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART AND WE SURELY 
HAVE REVEALED IT IN WELL ARRANGED STAGES GRADUALLY

33  AND THEY CANNOT BRING TO YOU A QUESTION 
BUT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU THE TRUTH AND THE BEST EXPLANATION

34  THOSE WHO WILL BE GATHERED TO HELL PRONE ON THEIR FACES 
WILL BE IN AN EVIL PLIGHT AND FURTHEST FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS

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CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                                          SECTION 3.  PART XIX

35  WE SENT MOSES THE BOOK AND APPOINTED HIS BROTHER
AARON WITH HIM AS A MINISTER

36  AND WE COMMANDED, GO BOTH OF YOU TO THE PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE REJECTED OUR SIGNS AND THOSE PEOPLE 
WE DESTROYED IN FULL FOR THEIR EVIL

37  AND NOAH'S PEOPLE 
WHEN THEY REJECTED THE APOSTLE 
WE DROWNED THEM AND WE MADE THEM A SIGN FOR PEOPLE
AND WE HAVE A GRIEVOUS PENALTY FOR ALL WRONG DOING PEOPLE 

38  AS ALSO AD AND THAMUD AND THE COMPANIONS 
OF THE RASS AND BETWEEN THEM MANY GENERATIONS 

39  WE SET FORTH PARABLES AND EXAMPLES TO EACH ONE
AND FOR THEIR SINS WE DESTROYED EACH ONE 
WITH A SEVERE AND UTTER ANNIHILATION 

40  THE DISBELIEVERS MUST HAVE PASSED BY THE TOWN 
ON WHICH A SHOWER OF EVIL WAS RAINED DOWN
THEY SAW IT CLEARLY WITH THEIR OWN VISION
BUT THEY FEAR NOT THE RESURRECTION 

41  WHEN THEY SEE YOU THEY TREAT YOU WITH MOCKERY 
THEY SAY, IS THIS THE ONE GOD HAS SENT AS A MESSENGER REALLY?

42  HE WOULD WELL NEAR HAVE INDEED
MISLEAD US FROM OUR GODS HAD IT NOT BEEN THAT WE 
WERE CONSTANT TO THEM BUT SOON THEY WILL CERTAINLY
KNOW WHEN THEY LOOK UP AND SEE THE PENALTY 
WHO IS MOST MISLED IN REALITY

43  SEE YOU SUCH A ONE WHO TAKES FOR HIS GOD HIS OWN DESIRES
COULD YOU BE A DISPOSER OF HIS AFFAIRS? 

44  OR DO YOU THINK THAT THEY LISTEN OR UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SAY?  
NO, BUT THEY ARE ONLY LIKE CATTLE ONLY FURTHER ASTRAY

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CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                                       SECTION 4.  PART XIX

45  HAVE YOU NOT TURNED YOUR VISION AS TO HOW
YOUR LORD DOES PROLONG THE SHADOW?

AND IF HE SO WILLED HE COULD MAKE IT STATIONARY
THEN DO WE MAKE THE SUN TO GUIDE IT CLEARLY

46  THEN WE WITHDRAW IT TO US CONCEALED GRADUALLY

47  HE IT IS WHO MAKES THE NIGHT AS A ROBE FOR YOU 
AND SLEEP AS REST AND THE DAY TO RESURRECT YOU

48  HE IT IS WHO SENDS THE WINDS AS HERALDS OF GOOD NEWS 
AND SENDS DOWN PURE WATER FROM THE SKY FOR YOU

49  THAT WITH IT WE MAY GIVE LIFE TO A LAND THAT IS DEAD 
AND QUENCH THE THIRST OF MEN AND CATTLE WE HAVE CREATED 

50  AND WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED THE WATER AMONG THE PEOPLE 
THAT THEY MAY CELEBRATE OUR PRAISES BUT MOST PEOPLE
ARE AVERSE TO ANYTHING BUT BEING UNGRATEFUL 

51  HAD IT BEEN OUR WILL WE COULD HAVE SENT A WARNER 
TO EVERY POPULATED CENTER 

52  SO LISTEN NOT BUT STRIVE AGAINST THE DISBELIEVERS 
BY PREACHING THE QURAN WITH THE UTMOST ENDEAVOR

53  AND HE HAS LET FREE BOTH THE TWO BODIES OF FLOWING WATER 
ONE PALATABLE AND SWEET AND THE OTHER SALTY AND BITTER 
YET HAS HE MADE BETWEEN THEM A SEPARATING BARRIER
AS A PARTITION THAT THEY CANNOT PASS OVER

54  IT IS HE WHO HAS CREATED 
MAN FROM WATER AND HAS ESTABLISHED 
THE RELATIONSHIPS OF LINEAGE AND MARRIAGE 
AND OVER ALL THINGS GOD HAS POWER AND KNOWLEDGE

55  YET THEY WORSHIP BESIDE GOD THINGS THAT CAN NEITHER 
PROFIT THEM NOR HARM THEM AND THE DISBELIEVER 
IS EVER AGAINST HIS OWN LORD AS A HELPER

56  BUT WE ONLY SENT YOU TO GIVE WARNINGS
AND ALSO TO GIVE TO PEOPLE GLAD TIDINGS 

57  SAY, I ASK OF YOU FOR IT, ONLY THIS AS A REWARD
THAT EACH ONE WHO WILL TAKE A STRAIGHT PATH TO HIS LORD

58  AND PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM 
WHO LIVES AND DIES NOT AND PRAISE HIM 

AND ENOUGH IS HE TO BE OBSERVANT 
WITH THE FAULTS OF HIS SERVANTS 

59  HE WHO CREATED EVERYTHING HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY
AND ALL THAT IS BETWEEN IN SIX DAYS AND IS FIRMLY 
ESTABLISHED ON THE THRONE OF AUTHORITY 

GOD MOST GRACIOUS, THEN ASK HIM ABOUT ANYTHING
FOR HE IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THINGS

60  WHEN IT IS SAID TO THEM, ADORE GOD MOST GRACIOUS 
THEY SAY, AND WHAT IS GOD MOST GRACIOUS?
SHALL WE ADORE THAT WHICH YOU COMMAND US? 
AND THEIR FLIGHT FROM THE TRUTH ONLY INCREASES

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CHAPTER 25.  THE CRITERION                                                       SECTION 5.  PART XIX

61  BLESSED IS HE WHO MADE THE CONSTELLATIONS IN THE SKY 
AND PLACED IN IT A LAMP AND A MOON GIVING LIGHT

62  AND IT IS HE WHO MADE THE DAY AND THE NIGHT
TO FOLLOW EACH OTHER FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT

HAVE THE WILL TO CELEBRATE HIS PRAISES 
OR TO SHOW GRATITUDE FOR HIS GRACES

63  THE SERVANTS OF GOD, FULL OF MERCY
ARE THOSE WHO WALK ON THE EARTH IN HUMILITY 
WHEN THE IGNORANT ADDRESS THEM THEY ANSWER PEACEFULLY

64  AND THEY WHO PASS THE NIGHT STANDING
BEFORE THEIR LORD AND PROSTRATING

65  THOSE WHO SAY, OUR LORD, AVERT FROM US HELL'S TORMENT 
FOR ITS TORMENT IS A GRIEVOUS PUNISHMENT

66  EVIL INDEED IS HELL
AS A PLACE TO DWELL

67  THOSE WHO WHEN THEY SPEND ARE NOT EXTRAVAGANT OR MISERLY
BUT HOLD A JUST BALANCE BETWEEN THESE

68  THOSE WHO INVOKE NOT WITH GOD ANY OTHER DIETY 
NOR TAKE LIFE GOD HAS CREATED SACREDLY
EXCEPT JUSTLY NOR COMMIT ADULTERY
ANY THAT DOES THIS WILL RECEIVE THE PENALTY 

69  THE PUNISHMENT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT WILL BE 
DOUBLED TO HIM AND HE WILL DWELL IN IGNOMINY

70  UNLESS HE REPENTS, BELIEVES AND DOES GOOD DEEDS  
GOD WILL CHANGE THEIR EVIL DEEDS TO GOOD DEEDS
AND GOD IS FULL OF FORGIVENESS AND MERCY

71  AND WHOEVER REPENTS AND DOES GOOD DEEDS
HE TURNS TO GOD A TURNING THAT IS GOODLY

72  THOSE WHO WITNESS NO FALSITY
AND IF THEY PASS BY FUTILITY 
THEY PASS BY IT AVOIDING IT HONORABLY

73  THOSE WHO WHEN THEY ARE ADMONISHED WITH GOD'S SIGNS 
DROOP NOT DOWN AT THEM AS IF THEY WERE DEAF OR BLIND

74  AND THOSE WHO PRAY, OUR LORD, GRANT TO US WIVES 
AND OFFSPRING WHO WILL BE THE COMFORT OF OUR EYES 

AND GIVE US THE GRACE TO BE LEADERS
OF THOSE WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS DOERS

75  THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE REWARDED HIGHLY
A PLACE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THEIR PATIENT CONSTANCY 
AND THEREIN WILL THEY BE MET WITH SALUTATIONS AND PEACE

76  HOW BEAUTIFUL THE DWELLING
AS AN ABODE AND PLACE OF RESTING

77  SAY TO THE REJECTERS, GOD IS NOT UNEASY BECAUSE OF YOU
IF YOU CALL NOT ON HIM BUT HE HAS BEEN REJECTED BY YOU
AND SOON WILL THE INEVITABLE PENALTY COME UPON YOU

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