it would not befit God to have a child. He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it is.

‘God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him: that is a straight path.’

How sharp of hearing, how sharp of sight they will be when they come to Us, although now they are clearly off course! Warn them [Muhammad] of the Day of Remorse when the matter will be decided,

for they are heedless and do not believe.

It is We who will inherit the earth and all who are on it: they will all be returned to Us.

مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدࣲۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرࣰا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُوهُۚ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطࣱ مُّسْتَقِيمࣱ

أَسْمِعْ بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا لَٰكِنِ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ٱلْيَوْمَ فِي ضَلَٰلࣲ مُّبِينࣲ

وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَسْرَةِ إِذْ قُضِيَ ٱلْأَمْرُ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةࣲ وَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ

Mention too, in the Quran, the story of Abraham. He was a man of truth, a prophet.

He said to his father, ‘Father, why do you worship something that can neither hear nor see nor benefit you in any way?

Father, knowledge that has not reached you has come to me, so follow me: I will guide you to an even path.

Father, do not worship Satan- Satan has rebelled against the Lord of Mercy.

Father, I fear that a punishment from the Lord of Mercy may afflict you and that you may become Satan’s companion [in Hell].’

His father answered, ‘Abraham, do you reject my gods? I will stone you if you do not stop this. Keep out of my way!’

Abraham said, ‘Peace be with you: I will beg my Lord to forgive you- He is always gracious to me-

but for now I will leave you, and the idols you all pray to, and I will pray to my Lord and trust that my prayer will not be in vain.’

When he left his people and those they served beside God, We granted him Isaac and Jacob and made them both prophets:

We granted Our grace to all of them, and gave them a noble reputation.

وَٱذْكُرْ فِي ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقࣰا نَّبِيًّا

إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِي عَنكَ شَيْـࣰٔا

يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّي قَدْ جَآءَنِي مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِكَ فَٱتَّبِعْنِيٓ أَهْدِكَ صِرَٰطࣰا سَوِيࣰّا

يَٰٓأَبَتِ لَا تَعْبُدِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَۖ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ عَصِيࣰّا

يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ أَن يَمَسَّكَ عَذَابࣱ مِّنَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ فَتَكُونَ لِلشَّيْطَٰنِ وَلِيࣰّا

قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنْ ءَالِهَتِي يَٰٓإِبْرَٰهِيمُۖ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَۖ وَٱهْجُرْنِي مَلِيࣰّا

قَالَ سَلَٰمٌ عَلَيْكَۖ سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكَ رَبِّيٓۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِي حَفِيࣰّا

وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ وَمَا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَدْعُوا۟ رَبِّي عَسَىٰٓ أَلَّآ أَكُونَ بِدُعَآءِ رَبِّي شَقِيࣰّا

فَلَمَّا ٱعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَۖ وَكُلࣰّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيࣰّا

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيࣰّا

Mention too, in the Quran, the story of Moses. He was specially chosen, a messenger and a prophet:

We called to him from the right-hand side of the mountain and brought him close to Us in secret communion;

out of Our grace We granted him his brother Aaron as a prophet.

Mention too, in the Quran, the story of Ishmael. He was true to his promise, a messenger and a prophet.

He commanded his household to pray and give alms, and his Lord was well pleased with him.

Mention too, in the Quran, the story of Idris. He was a man of truth, a prophet.

We raised him to a high position.

وَٱذْكُرْ فِي ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مُوسَىٰٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مُخْلَصࣰا وَكَانَ رَسُولࣰا نَّبِيࣰّا

وَنَٰدَيْنَٰهُ مِن جَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ ٱلْأَيْمَنِ وَقَرَّبْنَٰهُ نَجِيࣰّا

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥ مِن رَّحْمَتِنَآ أَخَاهُ هَٰرُونَ نَبِيࣰّا

وَٱذْكُرْ فِي ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِسْمَٰعِيلَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صَادِقَ ٱلْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولࣰا نَّبِيࣰّا

وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُۥ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ مَرْضِيࣰّا

وَٱذْكُرْ فِي ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِدْرِيسَۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقࣰا نَّبِيࣰّا

وَرَفَعْنَٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا

These were the prophets God blessed- from the seed of Adam, of those We carried in the Ark with Noah, from the seed of Abraham and Israel- and those We guided and chose. When the revelations of the Lord of Mercy were recited to them, they fell to their knees and wept,

but there came after them generations who neglected prayer and were driven by their own desires. These will come face to face with their evil,

but those who repent, who believe, who do righteous deeds, will enter Paradise. They will not be wronged in the least:

they will enter the Gardens of Lasting Bliss, promised by the Lord of Mercy to His servants- it is not yet seen but truly His promise will be fulfilled.

There they will hear only peaceful talk, nothing bad; there they will be given provision morning and evening.

That is the Garden We shall give as their own to those of Our servants who were devout.

[Gabriel said],‘We only descend [with revelation] at your Lord’s command––everything before us, everything behind us, everything in between, all belongs to Him––your Lord is never forgetful.

He is Lord of the heavens and earth and everything in between so worship Him: be steadfast in worshipping Him. Do you know of anyone equal to Him?’

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءَادَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحࣲ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَٱجْتَبَيْنَآۚ إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ خَرُّوا۟ سُجَّدࣰا وَبُكِيࣰّا۩

۞ فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحࣰا فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْـࣰٔا

جَنَّٰتِ عَدْنٍ ٱلَّتِي وَعَدَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ عِبَادَهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ وَعْدُهُۥ مَأْتِيࣰّا

لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا إِلَّا سَلَٰمࣰاۖ وَلَهُمْ رِزْقُهُمْ فِيهَا بُكْرَةࣰ وَعَشِيࣰّا

تِلْكَ ٱلْجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِي نُورِثُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا مَن كَانَ تَقِيࣰّا

وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلَّا بِأَمْرِ رَبِّكَۖ لَهُۥ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَمَا خَلْفَنَا وَمَا بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَۚ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيࣰّا

رَّبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَٱعْبُدْهُ وَٱصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَٰدَتِهِۦۚ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُۥ سَمِيࣰّا