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XLVI, 19-27. THE CHAPTER OF EL A'HQÂF.
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pride in the earth without the right, and for that ye did abomination.'
[20] Remember too the brother of 'Âd1 when he warned his people at El A'hqâf,-though warners have passed away before him and after him,-'Serve not other than God; verily, I fear for you the torment of a mighty day!'
They said,Hast thou come to us to turn us from our gods? then bring us what thou dost threaten us with, if thou art of those who speak the truth!' Said he, ' Knowledge is only with God: but I will preach to you that which I am sent with, though I see you are a people who are ignorant.' And when they saw a traversing cloud approaching their valleys they said, 'This is a cloud to give us rain.' 'Nay, but it is what ye sought to hasten on —a wind in which is grievous torment; it will destroy everything at the order of its Lord!' And in the morning naught was seen save their dwellings. Thus do we reward the sinful people!
[25] We had established them in what we have established you, and we made for them hearing and eyesight and hearts; but neither their hearing nor their eyesight nor their hearts availed them aught, since they did gainsay the signs of God, and that encompassed them whereat they had mocked.
And we destroyed the cities that are around you-and we turned about the signs that haply they might return.
Why did not those help them, whom beside God they took for gods that could draw nigh to Him? Nay! they strayed away from them; for that was their lie and what they had forged.
1 The prophet Hûd.
I. e. the Meccans.
Q 2
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