وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُم لا تُفسِدوا فِي الأَرضِ قالوا إِنَّما نَحنُ مُصلِحونَ
When they’re told, “Don’t sow corruption on earth,” they reply, “We are only reformers.”
أَلا إِنَّهُم هُمُ المُفسِدونَ وَلـٰكِن لا يَشعُرونَ
In truth, it is they who are the corrupters, but they don’t feel it.
وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُم آمِنوا كَما آمَنَ النّاسُ قالوا أَنُؤمِنُ كَما آمَنَ السُّفَهاءُ ۗ أَلا إِنَّهُم هُمُ السُّفَهاءُ وَلـٰكِن لا يَعلَمونَ
When they’re told, “Believe as others have believed,” they reply, “Should we believe as the irrational have believed?” In fact, it is they who are irrational, yet they are unaware.
وَإِذا لَقُوا الَّذينَ آمَنوا قالوا آمَنّا وَإِذا خَلَوا إِلىٰ شَياطينِهِم قالوا إِنّا مَعَكُم إِنَّما نَحنُ مُستَهزِئونَ
When they encounter those who believe, they say, “We believe.” But when alone with their devils, they say, “We are really with you; we were only mocking.”
اللَّهُ يَستَهزِئُ بِهِم وَيَمُدُّهُم في طُغيانِهِم يَعمَهونَ
God mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression, wandering blindly.
أُولـٰئِكَ الَّذينَ اشتَرَوُا الضَّلالَةَ بِالهُدىٰ فَما رَبِحَت تِجارَتُهُم وَما كانوا مُهتَدينَ
These are the ones who purchased misguidance in exchange for guidance, but their trade didn’t profit them, nor are they guided.
مَثَلُهُم كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي استَوقَدَ نارًا فَلَمّا أَضاءَت ما حَولَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنورِهِم وَتَرَكَهُم في ظُلُماتٍ لا يُبصِرونَ
Their situation is like that of a person who kindles a fire; when it illuminates all around him, God takes away their light, leaving them in utter darkness, unable to see.
صُمٌّ بُكمٌ عُميٌ فَهُم لا يَرجِعونَ
Deaf, dumb, blind—they won’t return.
أَو كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ فيهِ ظُلُماتٌ وَرَعدٌ وَبَرقٌ يَجعَلونَ أَصابِعَهُم في آذانِهِم مِنَ الصَّواعِقِ حَذَرَ المَوتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحيطٌ بِالكافِرينَ
Or like a thunderstorm from the sky, within which are darkness, thunder, and lightning. They press their fingers into their ears against the thunderclaps, terrified of death. God surrounds the unbelievers.
يَكادُ البَرقُ يَخطَفُ أَبصارَهُم ۖ كُلَّما أَضاءَ لَهُم مَشَوا فيهِ وَإِذا أَظلَمَ عَلَيهِم قاموا ۚ وَلَو شاءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمعِهِم وَأَبصارِهِم ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ قَديرٌ
The lightning almost takes away their sight. Whenever it illuminates for them, they walk in it; but when darkness covers them, they stand still. If God wills, He could take away their hearing and sight. God is capable of everything.
يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ اعبُدوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذي خَلَقَكُم وَالَّذينَ مِن قَبلِكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ
O people, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, so that you may become righteous.