Sura 14: Abraham
(Ibrahim)
Number of verses: 52
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
1. A.L.R. (Alif Laam Raa)* A scripture that we revealed to you, in order to lead the people out of darkness into the light - in accordance with the will of their Lord - to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy.
2. (The path of) GOD; the One who possesses everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Woe to the disbelievers; they have incurred a terrible retribution.
What is Your
Priority?
3. They are the ones who give
priority to this life over the Hereafter, repel from the way of GOD,
and seek to make it crooked; they have gone far astray.
The Messenger's
Language
4. We did not send any
messenger except (to preach) in the tongue of his people, in
order to clarify things for them. GOD then
sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. He
is the Almighty, the Most Wise.
Moses
5. Thus, we sent Moses with our
miracles, saying, “Lead your people out of darkness into the
light, and remind them of the days of GOD.”
These are lessons for every steadfast, appreciative person.
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*14:1 These initials remained a
divinely guarded secret until the Quran's mathematical code was
discovered in 1974 AD See Appendix 1 for the significance of
these initials.
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The Importance
of Being Appreciative
6. Recall that Moses said to
his people, “Remember GOD's blessings
upon you. He saved you from Pharaoh's people who inflicted the
worst persecution upon you, slaughtering your sons and sparing
your daughters. That was an exacting trial from your Lord.”
Appreciative Vs
Unappreciative
7. Your Lord has decreed:
“The more you thank Me, the more I give you.” But if
you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe.
8. Moses said, “If you disbelieve, together with all the people on earth, GOD is in no need, Praiseworthy.”
Egotistic
Defiance: A Human Trait
9. Have you not heard about
those before you - the people of Noah, `Aad, Thamoud, and others
who came after them and known only to GOD?
Their messengers went to them with clear proofs, but they treated
them with contempt and said, “We disbelieve in what you are
sent with. We are skeptical about your message; full of
doubt.”
Following Our
Parents Blindly: A Great Human Tragedy
10. Their messengers said,
“Do you have doubts about GOD; the
Initiator of the heavens and the earth? He invites you only to
forgive your sins, and to give you another chance to redeem
yourselves.” They said, “You are no more than humans
like us, who want to repel us from the way our parents used to
worship. Show us some profound authority.”
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11. Their messengers said to them, “We are no more than humans like you, but GOD blesses whomever He chooses from among His servants. We could not possibly show you any kind of authorization, except in accordance with GOD's will. In GOD the believers shall trust.
12. “Why should we not trust in GOD, when He has guided us in our paths? We will steadfastly persevere in the face of your persecution. In GOD all the trusters shall trust.”
13. Those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “We will banish you from our land, unless you revert to our religion.” Their Lord inspired them: “We will inevitably annihilate the transgressors.
14. “And we will let you dwell in their land after them. This is (the reward) for those who reverence My majesty, and reverence My promise.”
15. They issued
a challenge, and consequently, every stubborn tyrant ended up
doomed.
16. Awaiting him is Hell,
wherein he will drink putrid water.
17. He will gulp it down, though he cannot stand it, as death comes to him from every direction, but he will never die. Awaiting him is a terrible retribution.*
18. The
allegory of those who disbelieve in their Lord: their works are
like ashes in a violent wind, on a stormy day. They gain nothing
from whatever they earn; such is the farthest straying.
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*14:17 When we rebelled against
God, and agreed with Satan during the great feud (38:69), the
angels suggested that we should be banished to Hell (Appendix 7).
But the Most Merciful decided to give us another chance to redeem
ourselves. He said to the angels, "I know what you do not
know" (2:30). God knew that many humans would have protested
that they had no idea how bad Hell was. The awesome description
of Hell in 14:17 and in 22:19-22, nullifies such a protest. Now
we have a pretty good idea how terrible Hell is.
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Worship Only
the Omnipotent One
19. Do you not realize that GOD
has created the heavens and the earth for a specific purpose? If
He wills, He can remove you, and substitute a new creation in
your place.
20. This is not too difficult for GOD.
On the Day of
Resurrection
21. When they all stand before GOD,*
the followers will say to the leaders, “We used to follow
you. Can you spare us even a little bit of GOD's
retribution?” They will say, “Had GOD
guided us, we would have guided you. Now it is too late,
whether we grieve or resort to patience, there is no exit for
us.”
Satan Disowns
His Followers
22. And the devil will say,
after the judgment had been issued, “GOD
has promised you the truthful promise, and I promised you, but I
broke my promise. I had no power over you; I simply invited you,
and you accepted my invitation. Therefore, do not blame me, and
blame only yourselves. My complaining cannot help you, nor can
your complaining help me. I have disbelieved in your idolizing
me. The transgressors have incurred a painful retribution.”
23. As for those who believe and lead a righteous life, they will be admitted into gardens with flowing streams. They abide therein forever, in accordance with the will of their Lord. Their greeting therein is: “Peace.”
Truth Vs
Falsehood
24. Do you not see that GOD
has cited the example of the good word as a good tree whose root
is firmly fixed, and its branches are high in the sky?
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*14:21 Frequently, the Quran talks
about the Hereafter in the past tense. This is because those are
future events already witnessed by God, and will surely come to
pass.
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25. It produces its crop every season, as designed by its Lord. GOD thus cites the examples for the people, that they may take heed.
26. And the example of the bad word is that of a bad tree chopped at the soil level; it has no roots to keep it standing.
27. GOD strengthens those who believe with the proven word, in this life and in the Hereafter. And GOD sends the transgressors astray. Everything is in accordance with GOD's will.
They Remove Their Families From God's Protection
28. Have you noted those who responded to GOD's blessings by disbelieving, and thus brought disaster upon their own families?
29. Hell is their destiny, wherein they burn; what a miserable end!
Idol Worship:
The Mother of All Evil
30. They set up rivals to rank
with GOD and to divert others from His path.
Say, “Enjoy for awhile; your final destiny is Hell.”
Crucial
Commandments
31. Exhort My servants who
believed to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and to give (to
charity) from our provisions to them, secretly and publicly,
before a day comes where there is neither trade, nor nepotism.
32. GOD is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and He sends down from the sky water to produce all kinds of fruit for your sustenance. He has committed the ships to serve you on the sea in accordance with His command. He has committed the rivers as well to serve you.
33. He has
committed the sun and the moon in your service, continuously. He
has committed the night and the day to serve you.
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34. And He gives you all kinds of things that you implore Him for. If you count GOD's blessings, you can never encompass them. Indeed, the human being is transgressing, unappreciative.
Abraham
35. Recall that Abraham said,
“My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and protect me and my
children from worshiping idols.
36. “My Lord, they have misled so many people. As for those who follow me, they belong with me. As for those who disobey me, You are Forgiver, Most Merciful.
37. “Our Lord, I have settled part of my family in this plantless valley, at Your Sacred House. Our Lord, they are to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), so let throngs of people converge upon them, and provide for them all kinds of fruits, that they may be appreciative.
38. “Our Lord, You know whatever we conceal and whatever we declare - nothing is hidden from GOD on earth, nor in the heavens.
39. “Praise be to GOD for granting me, despite my old age, Ismail and Isaac. My Lord answers the prayers.
The Contact
Prayers: Gift From God
40. “My Lord, make me one
who consistently observes the Contact Prayers (Salat), and also
my children. Our Lord, please answer my prayers.
41. “My Lord, forgive me and my parents, and the believers, on the day when the reckoning takes place.”
42. Do not ever
think that GOD is unaware of what the
transgressors are doing. He only respites them until a day where
the eyes stare in horror.
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43. As they rush (out of the graves), their faces will be looking upward, their eyes will not even blink, and their minds will be horrified.
God Sends His Commands Through His Messengers
44. You shall warn the people of the day when the retribution comes to them. Those who transgressed will say, “Our Lord, give us one more respite. We will then respond to Your call and follow the messengers.” Did you not swear in the past that you will last forever?
45. You dwelled in the homes of those before you, who wronged their souls, and you have seen clearly what we did to them. We have set many precedents for you.
46. They schemed their schemes, and GOD is fully aware of their schemes. Indeed, their schemes were sufficient to erase mountains.
Guaranteed Victory for God's Messengers
47. Do not think that GOD will ever break His promise to His messengers. GOD is Almighty, Avenger.
New Heavens and
New Earth*
48. The day will come when this
earth will be substituted with a new earth, and also the heavens,
and everyone will be brought before GOD, the
One, the Supreme.
49. And you
will see the guilty on that day chained in shackles.
50. Their garments will be made
of tar, and fire will overwhelm their faces.
51. For GOD
will pay each soul for whatever it earned; GOD
is the most efficient reckoner.
52. This is a
proclamation for the people, to be warned herewith, and to let
them know that He is only One god, and for those who possess
intelligence to take heed.
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*14:48 This prophecy is also found
in the Old Testament (Isaiah 65:17 & 66:22) and the New
Testament: "What we await are new heavens and a new earth
where, according to His promise, the justice of God will
reside." (2 Peter 3:13).
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