The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

20: 127 Ta Ha
201
that Day, intercession will be useless except from those to whom
the Lord of Mercy has granted permission and whose words He
approves – 110 He knows what is before and behind them, though
they do not comprehend Him – 111 and [all] faces a will be humbled
before the Living, Ever Watchful One. Those burdened with evil
deeds will despair, 112 but whoever has done righteous deeds and
believed need have no fear of injustice or deprivation.’ 113 We have
sent the Quran down in the Arabic tongue and given all kinds of
warnings in it, so that they may beware or take heed – 114 exalted be
God, the one who is truly in control.
[Prophet], do not rush to recite before the revelation is fully
complete b but say, ‘Lord, increase me in knowledge!’ 115 We also
commanded Adam before you, but he forgot and We found him
lacking in constancy. 116 When We said to the angels, ‘Bow down
before Adam,’ they did. But Iblis refused, 117 so We said, ‘Adam, this
is your enemy, yours and your wife’s: do not let him drive you out of
the garden and make you miserable. 118 In the garden you will never
go hungry, feel naked, 119 be thirsty, or suffer the heat of the sun.’
120 But Satan whispered to Adam, saying, ‘Adam, shall I show you
the tree of immortality and power that never decays?’ 121 and they
both ate from it. They became conscious of their nakedness and
began to cover themselves with leaves from the garden. Adam disobeyed
his Lord and was led astray – 122 later his Lord brought him
close, accepted his repentance, and guided him – 123 God said, ‘Get
out of the garden as each other’s enemy.’ c
Whoever follows My guidance, when it comes to you [people],
will not go astray nor fall into misery, 124 but whoever turns away
from it will have a life of great hardship. We shall bring him blind to
the Assembly on the Day of Resurrection 125 and he will say, ‘Lord,
why did You bring me here blind? I was sighted before!’ 126 God will
say, ‘This is how it is: You ignored Our revelations when they came
to you, so today you will be ignored.’ 127 This is how We reward those
who go too far, and who do not believe in their Lord’s revelations.
The greatest and most enduring punishment is in the Hereafter.
a This can also mean ‘their faces’.
b Muhammad, when repeating to Gabriel each revelation, after the angel delivered it,
sometimes in his eagerness started repeating even before Gabriel had finished revealing.
See also 75: 16–19.
c Both parties, cf. 2: 36 and note.