The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

32. BOWING DOWN IN WORSHIP
A Meccan sura which takes its title from the bowing down of true believers in
worship in verse 15. The truth of the Quran is emphasized at the beginning of
the sura, and the Prophet is urged at the end of the sura to pay no attention to
the disbelievers who cannot see the significance of God’s signs.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1 Alif Lam Mim
2 This scripture, free from all doubt, has been sent down from the
Lord of the Worlds. 3 Yet they say, ‘Muhammad has made it up.’ No
indeed! It is the Truth from your Lord for you [Prophet], to warn a
people who have had no one to warn them before, so that they may
be guided. 4 It is God who created the heavens and the earth and
everything between them in six Days. Then He established Himself
on the Throne. You [people] have no one but Him to protect you and
no one to intercede for you, so why do you not take heed? 5 He runs
everything, from the heavens to the earth, and everything will ascend
to Him in the end, on a Day that will measure a thousand years in
your reckoning. 6 Such is He who knows all that is unseen as well as
what is seen, the Almighty, the Merciful, 7 who gave everything its
perfect form. He first created man from clay, 8 then made his descendants
from an extract of underrated fluid. a 9 Then He moulded
him; He breathed from His Spirit into him; He gave you hearing,
sight, and minds. How seldom you are grateful! 10 They say, ‘What?
When we have disappeared into the earth, shall we really be created
anew?’ In fact, they deny the meeting with their Lord. 11 Say, ‘The
Angel of Death put in charge of you will reclaim you, and then you
will be brought back to your Lord.’
12 [Prophet], if only you could see the wrongdoers hang their
heads before their Lord: ‘Our Lord, now that we have seen and
heard, send us back and we shall do good. [Now] we are convinced.’
13 ‘If it had been Our will, We could certainly have given every soul
its true guidance, but My words have come true. “I shall be sure to
a Semen.