And in Moses:  when we sent him to Pharaoh with manifest power: 

But relying on his forces6 he turned his back and said, “Sorcerer, or
Possessed.”

So we seized him and his hosts and cast them into the sea; for of all blame was he worthy.

And in Ad:  when we sent against them the desolating blast: 

It touched not aught over which it came, but it turned it to dust.

And in Themoud:7 when it was said to them, “Enjoy yourselves for yet a while.”

But they rebelled against their Lord’s command:  so the tempest took them as they watched its coming.8

They were not able to stand upright, and could not help themselves.

And we destroyed the people of Noah, before them; for an impious people were they.

And the Heaven-with our hands have we built it up, and given it its expanse;

And the Earth-we have stretched it out like a carpet; and how

smoothly have we spread it forth!

And of everything have we created pairs:  that haply ye may reflect.

Fly then to God:  I come to you from him a plain warner.

And set not up another god with God:  I come to you from him a plain warner.

Even thus came there no apostle to those who flourished before them, but they exclaimed, “Sorcerer, or Possessed.”

Have they made a legacy to one another of this scoff?  Yes, they are a rebel people.

Turn away, then, from them, and thou shalt not incur reproach: 

Yet warn them, for, in truth, warning will profit the believers.

I have not created Djinn and men, but that they should worship me: 

I require not sustenance from them, neither require I that they feed me: 

Verily, God is the sole sustainer:  possessed of might:  the unshaken!

Therefore to those who injure thee shall be a fate like the fate of

their fellows of old.  Let them not challenge me to hasten it.

Woe then to the infidels, because of their threatened day.

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1 Lit. (I swear) by those which scatter (i.e., the rain) with a scattering, (2) and by those which carry a burden, (3) and by those which run lightly, (4) and by those which divide a matter, or by command.  The participles are all in the feminine:  hence some interpret verse 1 of winds; verse 2 of clouds; verse 3 of ships; verse 4 of angels.

2 Comp. note at Sura lvi. 1, p. 65.

3 That is, this oath is for the confirmation of the truth, as ye are wont to confirm things one among another by an oath.

4 Comp.  Sura xi. 72, and xv. 51.  From the want of connection with what precedes, it is highly probable that the whole passage from verse 24 60 did not originally form a part of this Sura, but was added at a later period, perhaps in the recension of the text under Othman.

5 Lit. marked, with the names of the individuals to be slain, say the commentators.