We made
the children of Israel their heirs.
60But as the sun rose
Pharaoh’s forces pursued them.
61And when the two hosts
saw each other, Moses’ companions
exclaimed, “We’re about
to be overtaken.”
62Moses responded, “No!
My Lord is with me,
He will guide me.”
63We then inspired Moses—
“Strike the sea with your staff.”
So it parted, each side like
a mighty mountain.
64And We brought the others near,
65so We delivered Moses
and all who were with him,
66then We drowned the others.
67In this is a sign—
yet most of them won’t believe.
68And your Lord Alone
is Almighty, Ever Merciful.
69And recite to them
the story of Abraham.
SECTION 5
70When he said to his father
and his people,
“What do you worship?”
71They replied, “We worship idols,
and will remain devoted to them.”
72He asked, “Do they listen to you,
when you call on them?
73“Or do you any good or harm?”
74They responded, “No, but
this is what our forefathers did.”°
75He asked, “Have you reflected on
what you have been worshipping,
76“you, and those before you?
77“They are an enemy to me—
unlike the Lord of the universe
78“Who created me;
it is He Who guides me,
79“Who gives me food and drink,
80“and Who cures me when I am ill,
81“Who will cause me to die,
and then give me life,
82“and Who, I hope,
will forgive me my faults
on the day of reckoning.
83“My Lord, grant me wisdom
and unite me with the righteous,
84“and let later generations
speak honorably of me,
85“and let me be among those
who inherit the garden of bliss;
86“Forgive my father—he is
among those who are astray,
87“and let me not be disgraced
on the day when all are raised up,
88“the day when neither wealth
nor children° will avail,
89“but only those who bring
to God a pure heart.”
90And the garden will be
brought near, to those
who were mindful of God,
91while hellfire shall
appear plainly before those
who were misguided.
92And they shall be asked,
“Where are the gods
you used to worship,
93“besides God? Can they help you
—or themselves?”
94Then they will be thrown,
face-down, into hell, with those
who misguided them,
95and all the hosts of Iblis.
96There, they will say,
as they quarrel,
97“By God, we were
in clear error
98“when we held you as equals
with the Lord of the universe,
99“it was the sinners
who led us astray.
100“And now there is no
intercessor for us,
101“nor any loyal friend.
102“If only we could return,
we would be believers.”
103Surely, in this is a sign,
yet most of them won’t believe.
104And your Lord Alone
is Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 6
105The people of Noah
denied the messengers
106when their brother Noah
said to them, “Will you not
be mindful of God?
107“I am a trustworthy messenger
sent to you.
108“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
109“I ask of you no reward.
My only reward is with
the Lord of the universe.
110“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.”
111They said,
“Should we believe in you
when it’s only the lowest
who follow you?”
112He said, “What do I know
of what they do?
113“Their reckoning is only
with my Lord—if only
you could perceive.
114“I am not one to drive away
the believers.
115“I am merely one
who gives clear warning.”
116They said, “Noah,
if you don’t desist,
you will be stoned.”
117He said, “My Lord,
my people have denied me.
118“So judge decisively
between me and them,
and deliver me and those
with me who believe.”
119So we delivered him
and those with him,
in the laden ark.
120Then We drowned the rest.
121Surely in this is a sign,
yet most of them won’t believe.
122And your Lord Alone
is the Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 7
123The people of ʿAd denied
the messengers
124when their brother Hud
said to them, “Will you not
be mindful of God?
125“I am a trustworthy messenger
sent to you.
126“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
127“I ask of you no reward.
My only reward is with
the Lord of the universe.
128“You build an altar°
on every high hill, out of vanity?
129“And establish
fortresses, thinking you
will live in them forever?
130“And when you seize [someone]
by force, you seize them like tyrants?
131“Be mindful of God,
and obey me.
132“Be mindful of Him,
Who has provided you
with all that you know.
133“He has provided you
with livestock and children,
134“gardens and springs.
135“I fear for you the punishment
of a momentous day.”
136They said, “It’s the same to us
whether you warn us or not.
137“It’s only the custom
of our forefathers
[that we follow].
138“And we are not
going to be punished.”°
139They denied him,
and so We destroyed them.
Surely, in this is a sign,
but most of them won’t believe.
140And your Lord Alone
is the Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 8
141The people of Thamud denied
the messengers
142when their brother Salih
said to them, “Will you not
be mindful of God?
143“I am a trusted messenger
sent to you.
144“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
145“I ask of you no reward.
My only reward is with
the Lord of the universe.
146“Do you imagine that you
will be left secure
with all that you have here—
147“gardens and springs
148“cornfields and date palms,
soft in their clusters,
149“and carving houses out of
mountains, with such skill?
150“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
151“And do not follow the bidding
of transgressors
152“who spread corruption in the land
and will not pursue the common good.”°
153They said, “You’re just bewitched.
154“You are a mere mortal
like us. Bring a sign
if you are being truthful.”
155He said, “Here is a she-camel—
she has a right to drink,
and you have a right to drink,
each on an appointed day.
156“Do not harm her, or
the punishment of a momentous day
shall overtake you.”
157But they hamstrung her;
and were then regretful.
158So the punishment overtook them.°
Surely, in this is a sign;
but most of them won’t believe.
159And your Lord Alone
is the Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 9
160The people of Lot denied
the messengers
161when their brother Lot
said to them, “Will you not
be mindful of God?
162“I am a trustworthy messenger
sent to you.
163“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
164“I ask of you no reward.
My only reward is with
the Lord of the universe.
165“Must you, alone among creatures,
lust after males
166“forsaking the mates
that your Lord created for you?
You transgress all bounds.”
167They said,
“Lot, if you don’t stop,
you’ll be among those
who are thrown out.”
168He rejoined, “I am among those
who abhor what you do.
169“My Lord, save me and
my family from what they do.”
170So We saved him
and all his family,
171except an old woman
who lingered behind,
172then We destroyed the rest.
173We rained down
a hail of brimstone° on them,
a wicked rain on those forewarned.
174In this is a sign,
yet most of them won’t believe.
175And your Lord Alone
is the Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 10
176The forest dwellers also denied
the messengers
177when Shuʿayb said to them,
“Will you not be mindful of God?
178“I am a trustworthy messenger
sent to you.
179“So be mindful of God,
and obey me.
180“I ask of you no reward.
My only reward is with
the Lord of the universe.
181“Give just measure,
and do not sell short,
182“but weigh with an
even balance,
183“and don’t withhold from people
the things that are due to them,
nor work evil in the land,
spreading corruption,
184“and be mindful of the One
Who created you and
the generations before you.”
185They said, “You’re just bewitched.
186“You are a mere mortal like us.
In fact, we think you are a liar.
187“Cause fragments of the sky
to fall on us,
if you are telling the truth.”
188He said, “My Lord knows best
what you do.”
189But they denied him,
so the punishment of the day
of shadow overcame them,
the punishment of a momentous day.
190In this is a sign,
yet most of them won’t believe.
191And your Lord Alone
is the Almighty, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 11
192This is a revelation
from the Lord of the universe—
193The trustworthy spirit°
brought it down
194to your heart, Prophet,
that you might warn people
195in a clear Arabic tongue.
196And this was in the scriptures
of ancient peoples.
197Is it not a sign to them
that the learnèd people
of the children of Israel
know it?
198Had We revealed it
to any of the non-Arabs,
199and had he recited it to them,
they would not have believed in it.
200In this way, We have
made it pass into the hearts
of the sinners—
201they will not believe in it
until they see
the painful punishment,
202which shall fall upon them
suddenly, while they are unaware.
203Then they will say,
“Can’t we be granted respite?”
204Or, would they
hasten Our punishment?
205See, if We let them
enjoy a few years,
206and then they were struck
with the punishment promised them,
207what they enjoyed
would not help them.
208We never destroyed a town
without sending people to warn it,
209as a reminder—
for We are never unjust.
210It was not any devils
who brought down this revelation.
211It is not allowed them,
nor would they be able.
212In fact, they are prevented
from hearing it.
213So do not call on any
other god with God,
else you may be among
those who are punished;
214and warn your closest kin,
215and lower your wing°
over the believers who
follow you.
216If they disobey you, say,
“I am free [of the guilt]
of your actions.”
217And trust in the Almighty,
the Ever Merciful,
218Who sees you when you
stand [in prayer],
219and when you bow among
those who prostrate themselves.
220For He is the All Hearing,
All Knowing.
221Shall I inform you
on whom the devils descend?
222They descend on every sinful liar,
223they pass on whatever is heard,
and most of them are liars.
224And the poets are followed by
those who are astray.°
225Don’t you see them wandering
aimlessly through every valley?°
226Saying things
that they do not do?
227Except those of them who believe
and do good deeds, and remember God
often, defending themselves
only when wronged.
The wrongdoers shall soon know
their place of return.

SURA 27
The Ants (Al-Naml)
Like “The Bee” (Sura 16) and “The Spider” (Sura 29), this middle Meccan sura of 93 verses is named after lowly creatures of great industry and subtlety, also emblematic of God’s creative expanse. They were singled out as insects that even Solomon respected when he entered “the valley of the ants” (v. 18). The hoopoe, other birds, and also Sheba (described but not mentioned by name) figure prominently in the initial verses (vv. 16–44), while the stories of Thamud and Lot precede a long invocation—and warning—about God’s signs (vv. 59–93).
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1Ta Sin.°
These are verses
of the Quran,
a clear Book,
2a guide, and joyous news
for believers,
3those who are steadfast in prayer
give in charity, and are certain
of the hereafter.
4As for those who don’t believe
in the hereafter, We have made
their deeds seem fair to them—
so they wander blindly.
5They shall face severe torment,°
and in the hereafter
they shall bear the greatest loss.
6Prophet, you receive the Quran
from One Who is All Wise, All Knowing.
7Moses said to his family,
“I see a fire; I will bring you
word from it, or a lighted torch
to warm yourselves.”
8But when he came to the fire,
a voice called out, “Blessed is the One
who is at the fire and whoever is around it.°
And glory be to God,
Lord of the universe.
9“Moses, I am the One God,
the Almighty,