The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

224
The Quran 24: 42
knowledge of what they do. 42 Control of the heavens and earth
belongs to God: and to God is the final return. 43 Do you not see
that God drives the clouds, then gathers them together and piles
them up until you see rain pour from their midst? He sends hail
down from [such] mountains in the sky, pouring it on whoever He
wishes and diverting it from whoever He wishes – the flash of its
lightning almost snatches sight away. 44 God alternates night and
day – there truly is a lesson in [all] this for those who have eyes to
see – 45 and God created each animal out of [its own] fluid: a some of
them crawl on their bellies, some walk on two legs, and some on four.
God creates whatever He will; God has power over everything.
46 We have sent verses that clarify the right path: God guides
whoever He will to a straight path. 47 They say, ‘We believe in God
and the Messenger; we obey,’ but then some of them turn away:
these people are not true believers 48 and when they are summoned to
God and His Messenger in order for him to judge between them,
some of them turn away. 49 If they were claiming their right, they
would come willingly [to the Prophet]. 50 Do they have sickness in
their hearts? Are they full of doubts? Do they fear that God and His
Messenger might deal with them unjustly? No, it is they who are the
unjust ones. 51 When the true believers are summoned to God and
His Messenger in order for him to judge between them, they say, ‘We
hear and we obey.’ These are the ones who will prosper: 52 whoever
obeys God and His Messenger, stands in awe of God, and keeps his
duty to Him will be triumphant. 53 [The others] solemnly swear by
God that if you [Prophet] commanded them, they would march out.
Tell them, ‘Do not swear: it is reasonable obedience that is required,
and God is aware of everything you do.’ 54 Say, ‘Obey God; obey the
Messenger. If you turn away, [know that] he is responsible for the
duty placed upon him, and you are responsible for the duty placed
upon you. If you obey him, you will be rightly guided, but the
Messenger’s duty is only to deliver the message clearly.’
55 God has made a promise to those among you who believe and
do good deeds: He will make them successors to the land, as He did
those who came before them; He will empower the religion He has
chosen for them; He will grant them security to replace their fear.
a This ma is not ‘water’, which would have the generic al- (cf. 21: 30), but is for each
animal a special, essential fluid, and so each creature is different, as is clear from what
follows.