The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

328
The Quran 46: 11
earlier scripture] and believes in it, and yet you are too proud to
[do the same]? God certainly does not guide evildoers.’
11 Those who disbelieve say of the believers, ‘If there were any good
in this Quran, they would not have believed in it before we did,’ a
and, since they refuse to be guided by it, they say, ‘This is an ancient
fabrication.’ 12 Yet the scripture of Moses was revealed before it as a
guide and a mercy, and this is a scripture confirming it in the Arabic
language to warn those who do evil and bring good news for those
who do good. 13 For those who say, ‘Our lord is God,’ and then follow
the straight path there is no fear, nor shall they grieve: 14 they are the
people of Paradise, there to remain as a reward for what they were
doing.
15 We have commanded man to be good to his parents: his mother
struggled to carry him and struggled to give birth to him – his bearing
and weaning took a full thirty months. When he has grown to
manhood and reached the age of forty he [may] say, ‘Lord, help me
to be truly grateful for Your favours to me and to my parents; help
me to do good work that pleases You; make my offspring good. I turn
to You; I am one of those who devote themselves to You.’ 16 We
accept from such people the best of what they do and We overlook
their bad deeds. They will be among the people of Paradise – the
true promise that has been given to them.
17 But some say to their parents, ‘What? Are you really warning me
that I shall be raised alive from my grave, when so many generations
have already passed and gone before me?’ His parents implore God
for help; they say, ‘Alas for you! Believe! God’s promise is true,’ but
still he replies, ‘These are nothing but ancient fables.’ 18 The verdict
has been passed on such people, along with all the communities that
went before them, jinn and human: they are lost. 19 Everyone will be
ranked according to their deeds and God will repay them in full for
what they have done: they will not be wronged. 20 On the Day when
those who deny the truth are brought before the Fire, it will be said
to them, ‘You squandered the good things you were given in your
earthly life, you took your fill of pleasure there, so on this Day a
punishment of shame is yours: you were arrogant on earth without
any right, and exceeded all limits.’
a The disbelievers had particular difficulty in accepting the fact that some of those
who believed in Islam were people they considered to be humble riff-raff.