Now if they turn away, say to them: "I have given you warning ofa thunderbolt, like the thunderbolt which struck Ad and Thamud."

When their Rasools came to them from before and from behind,saying: "Worship none but Allah." They replied: "If our Rabbwanted to send us a message, He would certainly have sent downangels, so we categorically deny the message with which you aresent."

As for `Ad, they conducted themselves with arrogance in the landwithout any justification and said: "Who is stronger than us inmight?" Could they not see that Allah Who created them, wasmightier than them? Yet they continued to reject Our revelations.

So, over a few ill-omened days, We let loose on them a furioushurricane to make them taste a shameful scourge in this life, butmore shameful still will be the punishment of the hereafter, andthey shall have none to help them.

As for Thamud, We offer them Our guidance, but they preferred toremain blind rather than to receive guidance towards the RightWay; so the thunderbolt of humiliating scourge seized them fortheir misdeeds,

but We saved those who believed and had the fear of Allah.

The Thamud and the 'Ad people denied the striking calamity.

As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Thunderbolt.

As for 'Ad they were destroyed by a furious windstorm

- which He let loose on them for seven nights and eightsuccessive days. Had you been there, you would have seen themlying prostrate as though they were hollow trunks of thepalm-trees.

Now, do you see any of them alive?

Tell them the story of 'Ad's brethren, the Prophet Hud, when hewarned his people, the residents of Ahqaf - in fact Warners cameto them before him and after him - saying: "Worship none butAllah. Surely I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day."

They replied: "Have you come to turn us away from our gods? Bringus the torment that you threaten us with, if you are telling thetruth."

The Prophet Hud said: "The Knowledge of when it is going to comeis only with Allah. I am only conveying the Message with which Ihave been sent, however, I can see that you are ignorant people."

Then when they saw the torment in the shape of a cloud comingtowards their valleys, they said: "This cloud will bring usrain." - "Nay! It is what you were asking for, a fierce windbringing you a woeful torment.

It is going to destroy everything by the command of its Rabb.Consequently by the morning, there was nothing to be seen exceptthe ruins of their dwellings. Thus did We reward those guiltypeople.

We had established them much better than We have established you,O Qureysh of Makkah, and endowed them with the faculties ofhearing, seeing, and intellect. Yet their faculties of hearing,sight and intellect avail them nothing since they denied therevelations of Allah; and they were completely hemmed in by thesame thing that they used to mock at.

Likewise the people of 'Ad did not believe then how terrible wasMy scourge and how clear My Warning!

We let loose on them a tornado, on the day of their bittermisfortune,

which snatched them off like trunks of uprooted palm-trees.

How terrible was My scourge and how clear My warning!

Now if they turn away, say to them: "I have given you warning ofa thunderbolt, like the thunderbolt which struck Ad and Thamud."

When their Rasools came to them from before and from behind,saying: "Worship none but Allah." They replied: "If our Rabbwanted to send us a message, He would certainly have sent downangels, so we categorically deny the message with which you aresent."

As for `Ad, they conducted themselves with arrogance in the landwithout any justification and said: "Who is stronger than us inmight?" Could they not see that Allah Who created them, wasmightier than them? Yet they continued to reject Our revelations.

So, over a few ill-omened days, We let loose on them a furioushurricane to make them taste a shameful scourge in this life, butmore shameful still will be the punishment of the hereafter, andthey shall have none to help them.

As for Thamud, We offer them Our guidance, but they preferred toremain blind rather than to receive guidance towards the RightWay; so the thunderbolt of humiliating scourge seized them fortheir misdeeds,

but We saved those who believed and had the fear of Allah.

The Thamud and the 'Ad people denied the striking calamity.

As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Thunderbolt.

As for 'Ad they were destroyed by a furious windstorm

- which He let loose on them for seven nights and eightsuccessive days. Had you been there, you would have seen themlying prostrate as though they were hollow trunks of thepalm-trees.

Now, do you see any of them alive?

The nations of `Ad and Thamud were also destroyed, and so werethe dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations between them.

We admonished each of them by citing examples of those who weredestroyed before them, even then they rejected Our revelations,so We exterminated each one of them.

Then when they saw the torment in the shape of a cloud comingtowards their valleys, they said: "This cloud will bring usrain." - "Nay! It is what you were asking for, a fierce windbringing you a woeful torment.

It is going to destroy everything by the command of its Rabb.Consequently by the morning, there was nothing to be seen exceptthe ruins of their dwellings. Thus did We reward those guiltypeople.

For the people of 'Ad We selected their brother Hud, who said: "Omy people! Worship Allah! You have no god but Him. Will you notfear Him?"

To the people of 'Ad We sent their brother Hud. He said: "O mypeople! Worship Allah, you have no god but Him; otherwise you arejust making things up.

The nations of `Ad and Thamud were also destroyed, and so werethe dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations between them.

The people of 'Ad, too, disbelieved their Rasools.

Likewise We destroyed the people of 'Ad and the Thamud: you haveseen the traces of their dwellings. Shaitan had made their fouldeeds fair-seeming to them and diverted them from the Right Way,though they were intelligent people.

As for `Ad, they conducted themselves with arrogance in the landwithout any justification and said: "Who is stronger than us inmight?" Could they not see that Allah Who created them, wasmightier than them? Yet they continued to reject Our revelations.

Tell them the story of 'Ad's brethren, the Prophet Hud, when hewarned his people, the residents of Ahqaf - in fact Warners cameto them before him and after him - saying: "Worship none butAllah. Surely I fear for you the torment of a mighty Day."

There is also a sign in the story of 'Ad: when We let loose onthem a blighting wind

Likewise the people of 'Ad did not believe then how terrible wasMy scourge and how clear My Warning!

The Thamud and the 'Ad people denied the striking calamity.

Have you not seen how your Rabb dealt with 'Ad?

Those who accuse a chaste woman of fornication and do not producefour witnesses to support their allegation, shall be flogged witheighty lashes and their testimony shall not be accepted everafter, for they are the ones who are wicked transgressors

- except those who repent thereafter and mend their conduct; forAllah is surely Forgiving, Merciful.

As for the fornicatoress and the fornicator (a female and a maleguilty of rape), flog each female and a male guilty of rape onehundred lashes and do not take pity in enforcing the law ordainedby Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day, and let aparty of the believers witness their punishment.

A questioner asked you about the punishment which is bound tohappen.

It is for the disbelievers and there is none to avert it.

Allah has indeed helped you in many battlefields and (recently)on the day of Hunain: when you were proud of your great numbers(the Muslim army was 12,000 strong and the unbelievers were only4,000), but the numbers availed you nothing. The earth, with allits vastness, seemed to close in upon you, and you turned yourbacks and fled.

But Allah sent down His sakeenah (peace and tranquility) upon HisRasool and the believers and sent down to your aid those forceswhich you could not see, and punished the unbelievers. Thus wasthe recompense for the unbelievers.

while hell shall be spread open to the straying

and they will be asked: "Now, where are those whom you worshipped

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?"

Then they will be toppled into it, both they and those who misledthem,

together with all the armies of Iblees.

Wherein they will argue with one another

saying: " By Allah, we were indeed in manifest error,

when we made you equals with the Rabb of the Worlds.

It was the criminals who led us astray.

Now we have no intercessors,

and no loving friends.

If we could but once return to our worldly life, we would be ofthe true believers."

Surely in this narration there is a great lesson, but most ofthese people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

Guard yourselves against temptation. The wrongdoers among you arenot the only ones who will be tempted; and know that Allah isstrict in retribution.

We were not unjust to them, but they were unjust to themselves.The deities they invoked beside Allah did not avail them when thejudgement of your Rabb came to pass; they added nothing to theirlot but perdition.

Such is the scourge of your Rabb when He seizes a sinful town;indeed, His seizure is terrible and painful.

In fact, there is a sign in this for those who fear thepunishment of the hereafter; that is a Day in which mankind willbe gathered together and that will be a Day of Testimony.

But those who transgress shall be cast into the fire. Wheneverthey try to escape from it, they shall be pushed back into it,and it will be said to them: "Taste the punishment of the firewhich you used to deny."

We shall certainly make them taste the lighter torment in thislife before the greater punishment of the hereafter, so that theymay return to the Right Way.

So Allah made them taste humiliation in this worldly life, andthe punishment in the life to come shall be even more terrible,if they but knew it.

Such is the punishment in this life; but the punishment in theHereafter is even greater, if they but knew it.

for even now, when We have inflicted punishment on them, theyhave neither submitted to their Rabb nor humbled themselvestowards Him.

Until when We open upon them a gate of severe punishment, youwill see that they are plunged in utter despair.

If any of your women are guilty of fornication, ask for fourreliable witnesses from among yourselves against them; and ifthey testify and their guilt is proved, confine them to theirhouses until they die or Allah opens some other way out for them.

When Our judgement came to pass, We delivered Shu'aib and thosewho believed with him through Our special mercy. A mighty blastseized the wrongdoers and they lay dead with their faces down intheir homes by the morning,

as if they had never flourished there. Behold! Like Thamud, goneare the people of Median!

Guard yourselves against temptation. The wrongdoers among you arenot the only ones who will be tempted; and know that Allah isstrict in retribution.

Likewise, the people of Nuh (Noah) We drowned when they rejectedthe Rasools and made them an example for mankind; and We haveprepared a painful punishment for such wrongdoers.

So they disbelieved both of them and became among those who weredestroyed.

The nations of `Ad and Thamud were also destroyed, and so werethe dwellers of Ar-Rass, and many generations between them.

We admonished each of them by citing examples of those who weredestroyed before them, even then they rejected Our revelations,so We exterminated each one of them.

Guard yourselves against temptation. The wrongdoers among you arenot the only ones who will be tempted; and know that Allah isstrict in retribution.

while hell shall be spread open to the straying

and they will be asked: "Now, where are those whom you worshipped

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?"

Then they will be toppled into it, both they and those who misledthem,

together with all the armies of Iblees.

Wherein they will argue with one another

saying: " By Allah, we were indeed in manifest error,

when we made you equals with the Rabb of the Worlds.

It was the criminals who led us astray.

Now we have no intercessors,

and no loving friends.

If we could but once return to our worldly life, we would be ofthe true believers."

Surely in this narration there is a great lesson, but most ofthese people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

Surely We shall try them as We tried the owners of the gardenwhen they swore that they would pluck its fruit the next morning,

without adding any reservation ( such as God willing).

So a calamity from your Rabb came down upon it while they slept,

and by the morning it lay as if it had been already harvested.

At daybreak they called out to one another,

saying: "Go out early to your crop, if you want to pick itsfruit."

So they went, whispering to one another:

"Let no needy person enter upon you in the garden today."

Thus they went out, fixed in their stingy resolve (not to giveany fruit to the poor people, as if they had the full controlover harvesting the fruit).

But when they saw the garden, they cried: "Surely we must havelost our way!

Nay, we have become destitute."

The most upright among them said: "Did I not tell you to glorifyAllah? Why did you not glorify Him?"

Then they said: "Glory be to our Rabb! Surely we were unjust,"

and they started blaming one another.

Finally they said: "Woe to us! Surely we had become rebellious.

It may be that our Rabb will give us in exchange a better gardenthan this: surely to our Rabb do we make our humble petition."

Such is the punishment in this life; but the punishment in theHereafter is even greater, if they but knew it.

When Our Judgement came to pass, We saved Saleh and those whobelieved with him, through a special grace from Us, from thedisgrace of that Day. Indeed your Rabb is All-Strong, All-Mighty.

A terrible blast overtook the wrongdoers and by the morning theywere laying with their faces down in their homes,

as if they had never flourished there. Beware! Thamud deniedtheir Rabb. Gone are the people of Thamud.

Male or female, whoever is guilty of theft, cut off the hand(that was used in theft) of either of them as a punishment fortheir crime. This is exemplary punishment ordained by Allah.Allah is Mighty, Wise.

But whoever repents after committing the crime and reforms hisconduct, Allah will surely turn to him with forgiveness. Allah isForgiving, Merciful.

We shall create their wives of special creation

The flames of fire and molten brass will be unleashed on you both, jinns and men, and you will not be able to defend yourselves.

and make them virgins

Then, O jinns and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?

beloved by nature, equal in age,

When the heaven splits asunder and reddens like red-oil.

for those of the right hand.

Then, O jinns and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?

Many of them will be from the former

On that Day neither man nor jinn will need be asked about his sins.

and many from the later generations.

Then, O jinns and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?

As for those of the left hand - how unfortunate will be thepeople of the left hand!

Because the sinners will be recognized by their faces and they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet.

They will be in the midst of scorching winds and in boilingwater:

Then, O jinns and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?

in the shade of a pitch-black smoke,

It will be said to them: “This is the hell which the criminals had denied."

neither cool nor refreshing.

They shall wander to and fro between fire and hot boiling water.

For they lived in comfort before meeting this fate.

Then, O jinns and men, which of your Rabb’s favors will both of you deny?

So the Blast overtook them in all justice and We swept them awaylike the rubbish of dead leaves - so gone is the nation ofwrongdoers.

You shall not kill your children for fear of want, for it is WeWho provide sustenance for them as well as for you; surelykilling them is a great blunder.

So they disbelieved him, and the torment of the day of darkness(dark clouds carrying Allah's scourge) seized them, and indeed itwas the torment of an extremely dreadful day.

Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of thesepeople do not learn a lesson and become believers.

Have you not heard the story of the warriors

of Fir'on (Pharaoh) and of Thamud?

Yet the unbelievers persist in denying the truth,

although Allah has encircled them from all around.

How many townships have rebelled against the commandments oftheir Rabb and His Rasools! Stern was Our reckoning with them andexemplary was Our punishment.

So they tasted the fruit of their misdeeds, and the fruit oftheir misdeeds was perdition.

Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment in the Hereafter.Therefore, fear Allah! O men of understanding and faith. Allahhas indeed sent down to you an admonition;

How many cities which were mightier than your city which hasdriven you out, have We destroyed for their disbelief, and therewas none to save them?

So We delivered him and all his family

except an old woman who was left among those who remained behind.

Then We utterly destroyed the rest.

We rained down on them the rain of brimstones: and evil was therain which fell on those who were forewarned.

Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of thesepeople do not learn a lesson and become believers.

Then We saved all those who were believers in the town

- We found none but one household of true Muslims

- We left therein a sign for those who fear the painfulpunishment.

Have they not seen how many generations We have destroyed beforethem? We had made those nations more powerful in the land thanyourselves. We sent down for them abundant rain from the sky andmade the rivers to flow beneath their feet: yet for their sins Wedestroyed them all and raised up other generations in theirplaces.

Whenever We have intended to destroy a town, it was because Wesent Our commandments to its people who were leading easy livesbut they showed disobedience; as a result Our judgement waspassed, and We razed that city to the ground.

These are the stories of the nations which We relate to you; ofthem some have survived and some have ceased to exist.

We were not unjust to them, but they were unjust to themselves.The deities they invoked beside Allah did not avail them when thejudgement of your Rabb came to pass; they added nothing to theirlot but perdition.

Such is the scourge of your Rabb when He seizes a sinful town;indeed, His seizure is terrible and painful.

In fact, there is a sign in this for those who fear thepunishment of the hereafter; that is a Day in which mankind willbe gathered together and that will be a Day of Testimony.

Recite to them in all truth the story of Adam's two sons: Howeach offered a sacrifice, and how the offering of one wasaccepted while that of the other was not. The latter said: "Iwill kill you." The former replied: "Allah only accepts thesacrifice from the righteous.

Even if you stretch your hand to kill me, I shall not stretch myhand to slay you, for I fear Allah, the Rabb of the worlds.

I intend to let you bear the burden of my sins as well as yoursand thus become an inmate of the Fire which is the reward forwrongdoers."

The latter's soul prompted him to kill his brother; he killed himand thus became one of the losers.

(He carried around the dead body of his brother and did not knowwhat to do with it.) Then Allah sent a raven, which dug theground to show him how to bury the dead body of his brother."Alas!" He cried, "I failed even to be like this raven to findsome way to dispose of the dead body of my brother!" So he becamefull of regrets.

On account of that incident, We ordained for the Children ofIsrael that whoever kills a person, except as a punishment formurder or mischief in the land, it will be written in his book ofdeeds as if he had killed all the human beings on the surface ofthe Earth and whoever will save a life shall be regarded as if hegave life to all the human beings on the surface of the Earth.Yet, even though Our Rasools came to them one after the otherwith clear revelations, it was not long before, many of themcommitted excesses in the land.

O believers! When you rise up for Salah (prayer), wash your facesand your hands as far as the elbows, wipe your heads with wethands and wash your feet to the ankles. If you had an emission ofsemen, then take a full bath. However, if you are sick or on ajourney or you have used the toilet or you had intercourse withyour women (your wife) and you do not find any water then resortto Tayammum - find clean soil and rub your faces and hands withit. Allah does not wish to burden you; He only wishes to purifyyou and to perfect His favor upon you, so that you may bethankful.

To those who avoid the major sins and shameful deeds and areguilty of only small offence, surely for them your Rabb will haveabundant forgiveness. He knew you well when He created you fromearth and when you were just embryos in your mother's wombs,therefore, do not claim piety for yourselves. He knows best whois really Godfearing pious.

and make a proclamation of Hajj (Pilgrimage) to mankind: theywill come to you on foot and on lean camels from every distantquarter,

so that they may witness the benefits which are made availablehere for them, and pronounce the name of Allah over the cattlewhich We have provided as food for them, on the appointed days,then eat meat themselves and feed the indigent and needy.

Then they should accomplish their needful acts of shaving orcutting their hair and taking a bath, fulfill their vows and gofor Tawaf-e-Ziyarah to the Ancient House.

This was the object for which the Ka'bah was built, and whoeverhonors the sacred rites of Allah, it is good for him in the sightof his Rabb. The meat of cattle is lawful to you, except what hasalready been mentioned to you; therefore, shun the abomination ofidols and shun all false statements.

Have you not considered how your Rabb dealt with the Army of theElephant (reference is made to Abraha, a Christian king of Yaman,who attacked Makkah with the army of elephants in the year of theProphet Muhammad's birth)?

Did He not make their treacherous plan a flop?

And send against them flocks of birds,

which pelted them with stones of baked clay,

thus rendered them like the chewed-up chaff.

Remember when We made the House (the Ka'bah) a center andsanctuary for mankind saying, "Take the station of Ibrahim as aplace of prayer;" We entrusted Ibrahim and Isma`il to cleanse OurHouse for those who walk around it, who meditate in it, and whokneel and prostrate in prayers.

Undoubtedly the first House for the worship of Allah ever builtfor mankind is the one at Bakka (Makkah), a blessed site and aguidance for all the worlds.

Have you ever reflected upon the one (Namrud), to whom Allah hadgiven him kingdom, who argued with Ibrahim (Abraham) about hisRabb. When Ibrahim said: "My Rabb is He Who has power to givelife and to cause death." He replied: "I too have the power togive life and to cause death." Ibrahim said: "Well, Allah causesthe sun to rise from the east; just make it rise from the west."Thus the unbeliever was confounded; Allah does not guide theevildoers.

Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian but he was a Muslim,true in faith. He was not one of the mushrikin (who set uppartners with Allah).

Tell them about Ibrahim (Abraham), who said to Azer, his father:"Are you taking idols for gods? Surely, I see you and your peoplein manifest error."

Relate to them the story of Ibrahim from the Book (The Qur'an),he was a truthful Prophet.

When his people started arguing with him, he told them: "Will youargue with me about Allah, whereas He Himself has guided me? I donot fear those whom you take for gods besides Him, none can harmme unless my Rabb so wills, the knowledge of my Rabb encompasseseverything, why don't you get admonition?

Our Messengers came to Ibrahim (Abraham) with good news. Theysaid "Peace be upon you." He answered "Peace be upon you too,"and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf.

Tell them about the guests of Ibrahim (Abraham).

Have you heard the story of Ibrahim's honored guests?

Remember when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: "My Rabb! Make this city acity of peace and save me and my sons from the worship of idols.

After this, Ibrahim prayed: "O my Rabb! Bestow wisdom upon me andadmit me among the righteous,

Even before that We blessed Ibrahim (Abraham) with rectitude, forWe knew him well.

when he asked his father and his people: "What is that which youworship?"

Likewise Ibrahim (Abraham), when he said to his people: "WorshipAllah and fear Him, this is better for you if you understand.

The people of Ibrahim (Abraham) had no answer except to say:"Kill him!" Or "Burn him!" But Allah saved him from the fire whenthey tried to burn him. Surely in this incidence there are signsfor those who believe.

Surely Ibrahim belonged to the first group (who followed Nuh'sway),

Ibrahim said: "I am going to take refuge with my Rabb, He willsurely guide me.

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim (Abraham) and hiscompanions. They said to their people plainly: "We are clear ofyou and your gods, whom you worship besides Allah. We renounceyou. Enmity and hate shall reign between us forever until youbelieve in Allah, the One and Only God." But do not emulate whatIbrahim said to his father: "I will pray for your forgiveness,although I have no power to get anything for you from Allah."Their collective prayer was: "Our Rabb! In You we have put ourtrust, to You we turn in repentance and to You is our final goal.

If they deny you O Muhammad, remember that before them the peopleof Nuh (Noah), 'Ad and Thamud;

the people of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Lut (Lot);

as well as the residents of Madyan had denied their Prophets,likewise Musa (Moses) was also denied. Initially, I gave respiteto all those unbelievers and then I seized them: see how terriblewas My disapproval!

On the Day of Resurrection, neither your relatives nor yourchildren shall avail you. Allah will judge between you, and He isobserving all your actions.

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim (Abraham) and hiscompanions. They said to their people plainly: "We are clear ofyou and your gods, whom you worship besides Allah. We renounceyou. Enmity and hate shall reign between us forever until youbelieve in Allah, the One and Only God." But do not emulate whatIbrahim said to his father: "I will pray for your forgiveness,although I have no power to get anything for you from Allah."Their collective prayer was: "Our Rabb! In You we have put ourtrust, to You we turn in repentance and to You is our final goal.

Our Rabb! Do not expose us to the plots of the unbelievers.Forgive us, our Rabb! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."

Truly, in those there is an excellent example for everyone whoputs their hopes in Allah and the Last Day. He that gives no heedshould know that Allah is free of all wants, worthy of allpraise.

Tell them about the guests of Ibrahim (Abraham).

They entered upon them and said: "Peace be upon you!" But hereplied: "Surely we are afraid of you."

They answered: "Do not be afraid of us! We have come to you withgood news of a son endowed with knowledge."

He said: "Are you giving me the good news of a son when I havebecome old? What kind of good news you are giving?"

They replied: "We are giving you true good news; you should notbe of those who despair."

He said: "Who would despair of the mercy of his Rabb except onewho goes astray?"

Then he asked: "On what expedition you have been sent, Oemissaries of Allah?"

They replied: "We have been sent to punish a criminal nation,

with the exception of Lut's (Lot's) family; we will certainlyrescue them all

except his wife, who, Allah says, has been destined to remainwith those who will stay behind."

So when the emissaries came to the family of Lut,

he said: " You appear to be strangers."

They said: "We have come to you with that concerning which thesepeople had doubts.

We have come to you with the Truth of Allah's decree and we aretelling you the truth.

You should, therefore, depart with your family during the lasthours of the night and you yourself should follow them at theirrear; let no one of you look back, keep on going where you arecommanded to go."

We informed him about this decree of Ours that the roots of thesinners of his city would be cut off by the morning.

The people of the town came rejoicing to the house of Lut whenthey heard the news of those two young male visitors.

Lut said: "They are my guests, so do not disgrace me.

Have fear of Allah and do not put me to shame."

They said: "Have we not forbidden you to plead for the rest ofthe world?"

He said: "Here are my daughters, if you must act."

By your life, O Prophet Muhammad, they were madly blundering intheir intoxication of lust!

So the mighty blast overtook them at sunrise.

Thus We turned the town upside down and rained down on thembrimstones of baked clay.

Surely there are major lessons in this for those who investigate,

In fact Ibrahim (Abraham) was a nation in himself, an upright manobedient to Allah, and he was not of the mushrikin.

He was always grateful for the favors of Allah, Who chose him andguided him to a Right Way.

We gave him a good life in this world, and in the hereafter hewill be among the righteous.

And now We have revealed to you Our will, saying: "Follow thefaith of Ibrahim the upright, he was not of the mushrikin."

Say: "Allah has declared the truth. If you are sincere thenfollow the faith of Ibrahim (Abraham); he was upright and not amushrik."

The people of Ibrahim (Abraham) had no answer except to say:"Kill him!" Or "Burn him!" But Allah saved him from the fire whenthey tried to burn him. Surely in this incidence there are signsfor those who believe.

Narrate to them the story of Ibrahim,

Yet surely it is the absolute truth.

Shaitan desires to stir up enmity and hatred between you withintoxicants and gambling and to prevent you from the remembranceof Allah and from Salah (prayers). Will you not abstain?

Those who renounce conjugal relationship with their wives on oathhave a limitation of four months. If they reconcile and restoretheir relationship, surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

But if they decide to divorce them, they may do so, surely Allahhears and knows everything.

Shaitan desires to stir up enmity and hatred between you withintoxicants and gambling and to prevent you from the remembranceof Allah and from Salah (prayers). Will you not abstain?

and his wife, the carrier of crackling fire wood,

shall have a rope of palm-leaf fibre around her neck.