13. Ar-Ra'd

Allah is the One Who made the heavens high without any supports that you can see. Then He established Himself on the Throne and He subjugated the sun and the moon for the benefit of His creation. Both the sun and the moon run along for a specified period of time that is known only to Allah. He, may He be glorified, disposes of all matters in the heavens and the earth as He wills. He explains the signs that indicate His Power in the hope that you may be certain about meeting your Lord on the Day of Judgement and prepare for it by doing good actions.

He, may He be glorified, is the One Who spread out the earth and created on it firm mountains so that it does not cause the people to become unsettled. From all types of fruit He made two kinds, like the male and female in animals. He draws the veil of night over the day so that it becomes dark after being bright. In that which is mentioned, there are signs and proof for a people who reflect and ponder over Allah’s creation, for they are the ones who benefit from such signs and proof.

On Earth there are neighbouring plots, gardens of vineyards, crops, palm trees sharing one root and others with individual roots. All of these gardens and crops are watered with the same water, I make some of them better than others in taste and other benefits despite their being next to one another and being watered with the same water, there are signs and proof for those who reason, for they are the ones who pay heed to it.

If you are amazed, O Messenger, at anything, then you should surely be amazed at their denial of resurrection and their statement of proof for their denial: What, when we die and become dust and decayed and decomposed bones, shall we be resurrected and restored to life? Those who reject the resurrection after death are the ones who disbelieved in their Lord and as a result they disbelieved in His Power to resurrect the dead. They are the ones around whose necks chains of fire will be placed on the Day of Judgement. They will be the inhabitants of the Fire and they will remain there forever, without ever ceasing to exist and without their punishment coming to an end.

The idolaters ask you, O Messenger, to bring on the punishment and they enquire as to why it is taking so long to come on them before they completely enjoy the favours that Allah has decreed for them. Many such punishments have come before on people like them from the nations who disbelieved. Why do they not take a lesson from them? Your Lord, O Messenger, is one who pardons people despite their wrongdoing. He, therefore, does not rush to take retribution from them giving them a chance to repent to Allah. He is truly severe in punishing those who persist in their denial if they do not repent.

Those who disbelieved in Allah - persisting in their rejection and obstinance - say: Why has no sign been sent down to Muhammad from his Lord, just as was sent down to Moses and Jesus? You, O Messenger, are only a warner who warns people of Allah’s punishment. You only have signs that Allah has given you. Every community has a prophet who shows them and guides them to the path of truth.

Allah knows what every female bears in her womb. He knows everything about it. He knows about any shrinking, swelling, health or illness that occurs in the womb. By Him, may He be glorified, everything is determined with a measure that will neither decrease nor increase.

This is because He, may He be glorified, knows about everything that is not perceived by His creation as well as everything that is perceived by them. He is the Majestic in His attributes, names and actions. The Supreme over every creation of His in His self and attributes.

He knows what is secret and what is even more hidden. Whether you, O people, hide your statements or proclaim them, it is the same in His knowledge. A person who hides from the eyes of people under the darkness of the night and the one who acts openly in the light of day, are equally known by Him.