وَمِنَ النّاسِ مَن يُعجِبُكَ قَولُهُ فِي الحَياةِ الدُّنيا وَيُشهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلىٰ ما في قَلبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الخِصامِ

There is a type of person whose speech in this worldly life may impress you, and he calls God to witness what’s in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents.

وَإِذا تَوَلّىٰ سَعىٰ فِي الأَرضِ لِيُفسِدَ فيها وَيُهلِكَ الحَرثَ وَالنَّسلَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الفَسادَ

Once he gains power, he aims to wreak havoc on earth and ruin its crops and lineage. God doesn’t like corruption.

وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ أَخَذَتهُ العِزَّةُ بِالإِثمِ ۚ فَحَسبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَلَبِئسَ المِهادُ

When told, “Fear God,” pride leads him to further sin. Hell will suffice him—and what a wretched destination.

وَمِنَ النّاسِ مَن يَشري نَفسَهُ ابتِغاءَ مَرضاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ رَءوفٌ بِالعِبادِ

And there are those who sell themselves seeking approval of God; God is Kind to the servants.

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا ادخُلوا فِي السِّلمِ كافَّةً وَلا تَتَّبِعوا خُطُواتِ الشَّيطانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُم عَدُوٌّ مُبينٌ

O you who have believed, enter into submission completely, and don’t follow Satan’s footsteps; he is a clear enemy to you.

هَل يَنظُرونَ إِلّا أَن يَأتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ في ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الغَمامِ وَالمَلائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الأَمرُ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرجَعُ الأُمورُ

Are they awaiting the arrival of God Himself amidst the clouds, escorted by the angels? The matter would have already been resolved by then. All matters ultimately return to God.

سَل بَني إِسرائيلَ كَم آتَيناهُم مِن آيَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ وَمَن يُبَدِّل نِعمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَتهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَديدُ العِقابِ

Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We’ve given them. Anyone who substitutes a blessing he has from God—God is stern in retribution.

زُيِّنَ لِلَّذينَ كَفَرُوا الحَياةُ الدُّنيا وَيَسخَرونَ مِنَ الَّذينَ آمَنوا ۘ وَالَّذينَ اتَّقَوا فَوقَهُم يَومَ القِيامَةِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَرزُقُ مَن يَشاءُ بِغَيرِ حِسابٍ

The worldly life is made alluring to those who disbelieve, and they ridicule those who believe. but the righteous will be above them on Resurrection Day. God provides for whom He wills, without measure.

كانَ النّاسُ أُمَّةً واحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ النَّبِيّينَ مُبَشِّرينَ وَمُنذِرينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الكِتابَ بِالحَقِّ لِيَحكُمَ بَينَ النّاسِ فيمَا اختَلَفوا فيهِ ۚ وَمَا اختَلَفَ فيهِ إِلَّا الَّذينَ أوتوهُ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَتهُمُ البَيِّناتُ بَغيًا بَينَهُم ۖ فَهَدَى اللَّهُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا لِمَا اختَلَفوا فيهِ مِنَ الحَقِّ بِإِذنِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَهدي مَن يَشاءُ إِلىٰ صِراطٍ مُستَقيمٍ

Mankind was a single community, then God sent Messengers with good news and warnings. Alongside them, He revealed the Scripture with the truth, to judge between people in their disputes. It was only after receiving clear proofs that they began to differ, due to mutual envy. By His will, God guided the believers to the truth about which they had disputed. God guides whom He wills onto a straight path.

أَم حَسِبتُم أَن تَدخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ وَلَمّا يَأتِكُم مَثَلُ الَّذينَ خَلَوا مِن قَبلِكُم ۖ مَسَّتهُمُ البَأساءُ وَالضَّرّاءُ وَزُلزِلوا حَتّىٰ يَقولَ الرَّسولُ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا مَعَهُ مَتىٰ نَصرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلا إِنَّ نَصرَ اللَّهِ قَريبٌ

Or do you think you will enter Paradise, without undergoing the trials faced by those before you? They were afflicted with hardship and adversity, and were so shaken up, that the Messenger and those who believed with him said, “When will God’s help come?” Surely, God’s help is near.