Surah Al-Hijr

فَلَمَّاجَآءَءَالَلُوطٍٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

AND WHEN the messengers [of God] came to the house of Lot,

قَالَإِنَّكُمْقَوْمٌۭمُّنكَرُونَ

he said: "Behold, you are people unknown [here]!"

قَالُوا۟بَلْجِئْنَٰكَبِمَاكَانُوا۟فِيهِيَمْتَرُونَ

They answered: "Nay, but we have come unto thee with [the announcement of] something that they [who are given to evil] have always been wont to call in question,

وَأَتَيْنَٰكَبِٱلْحَقِّوَإِنَّالَصَٰدِقُونَ

and we are bringing thee the certainty [of its fulfilment]: for, behold, we are speaking the truth indeed.

فَأَسْرِبِأَهْلِكَبِقِطْعٍۢمِّنَٱلَّيْلِوَٱتَّبِعْأَدْبَٰرَهُمْوَلَايَلْتَفِتْمِنكُمْأَحَدٌۭوَٱمْضُوا۟حَيْثُتُؤْمَرُونَ

Go, then., with thy household while it is yet night, with thyself following them in the rear; and let none of you look back, but proceed whither you are bidden."

وَقَضَيْنَآإِلَيْهِذَٰلِكَٱلْأَمْرَأَنَّدَابِرَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِمَقْطُوعٌۭمُّصْبِحِينَ

And [through Our messengers] We revealed unto him this decree: "The last remnant of those [sinners] shall be wiped out" in the morn."

وَجَآءَأَهْلُٱلْمَدِينَةِيَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

And the people of the city came [unto Lot], rejoicing at the glad tiding.

قَالَإِنَّهَٰٓؤُلَآءِضَيْفِىفَلَاتَفْضَحُونِ

Exclaimed [Lot]: "Behold, these are my guests: so put me not to shame,

وَٱتَّقُوا۟ٱللَّهَوَلَاتُخْزُونِ

but be conscious of God and disgrace me not!"

قَالُوٓا۟أَوَلَمْنَنْهَكَعَنِٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

They answered: "Have we not forbidden thee [to offer protection] to any kind of people?"

قَالَهَٰٓؤُلَآءِبَنَاتِىٓإِنكُنتُمْفَٰعِلِينَ

[Lot] said: "[Take instead] these daughters of mine, if you must do [whatever you intend to do]!"

لَعَمْرُكَإِنَّهُمْلَفِىسَكْرَتِهِمْيَعْمَهُونَ

[But the angels spoke thus:] "As thou livest, [O Lot, they will not listen to thee:] behold, in their delirium [of lust] they are but blindly stumbling to and fro!"

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُٱلصَّيْحَةُمُشْرِقِينَ

And thereupon the blast [of Our punishment] overtook them at the time of sunrise,

فَجَعَلْنَاعَٰلِيَهَاسَافِلَهَاوَأَمْطَرْنَاعَلَيْهِمْحِجَارَةًۭمِّنسِجِّيلٍ

and We turned those [sinful towns} upside down, and rained down upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained.

إِنَّفِىذَٰلِكَلَءَايَٰتٍۢلِّلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ

Verily, in all this there are messages indeed for those who can read the signs:

وَإِنَّهَالَبِسَبِيلٍۢمُّقِيمٍ

for, behold, those [towns] stood by a road that still exists.

إِنَّفِىذَٰلِكَلَءَايَةًۭلِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Verily, herein lies a message indeed for all who believe [in God].

وَإِنكَانَأَصْحَٰبُٱلْأَيْكَةِلَظَٰلِمِينَ

AND THE DWELLERS of the wooded dales [of Madyan, too,] were inveterate evildoers,

فَٱنتَقَمْنَامِنْهُمْوَإِنَّهُمَالَبِإِمَامٍۢمُّبِينٍۢ

and so We inflicted Our retribution on them. And, behold, both these [sinful communities] lived by a highway, [to this day] plain to see

وَلَقَدْكَذَّبَأَصْحَٰبُٱلْحِجْرِٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

AND, [likewise,] indeed, the people of Al-Hijr gave the lie to [Our] message-bearers: