Verses 41–51

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِى هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لِيَذَّكَّرُوا۟ وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًۭا﴿٤١﴾

17:41Certainly We have variously paraphrased [the principles of guidance] in this Quran so that they may take admonition, but it increases them only in aversion.

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ مَعَهُۥٓ ءَالِهَةٌۭ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذًۭا لَّٱبْتَغَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ ذِى ٱلْعَرْشِ سَبِيلًۭا﴿٤٢﴾

17:42Say, ‘Were there [other] gods besides Him, as they say, they would surely have encroached on the Lord of the Throne.¹

سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا﴿٤٣﴾

17:43Immaculate is He, and greatly exalted above what they say!’

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ ٱلسَّبْعُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًۭا﴿٤٤﴾

17:44The seven heavens glorify Him, and the earth [too], and whoever is in them. There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you do not understand their glorification. Indeed, He is all-forbearing, all-forgiving.

وَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ جَعَلْنَا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حِجَابًۭا مَّسْتُورًۭا﴿٤٥﴾

17:45When you recite the Quran, We draw a hidden curtain between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter,²

وَجَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۚ وَإِذَا ذَكَرْتَ رَبَّكَ فِى ٱلْقُرْءَانِ وَحْدَهُۥ وَلَّوْا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَٰرِهِمْ نُفُورًۭا﴿٤٦﴾

17:46and We cast veils on their hearts, lest they should understand it, and a deafness into their ears. When you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion.

نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَىٰٓ إِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًۭا مَّسْحُورًا﴿٤٧﴾

17:47We know best what they listen for, when they listen to you, and when they hold their secret talks, when the wrongdoers say, ‘[If you follow him] You will be following just a bewitched man.’

ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُوا۟ لَكَ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ فَضَلُّوا۟ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلًۭا﴿٤٨﴾

17:48Look, how they coin epithets for you; so they go astray, and cannot find a way.

وَقَالُوٓا۟ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَٰمًۭا وَرُفَٰتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبْعُوثُونَ خَلْقًۭا جَدِيدًۭا﴿٤٩﴾

17:49They say, ‘What, when we have become bones and dust, shall we really be raised in a new creation?’³

۞ قُلْ كُونُوا۟ حِجَارَةً أَوْ حَدِيدًا﴿٥٠﴾

17:50Say, ‘[That is bound to happen] even if you should become stones, or iron,

أَوْ خَلْقًۭا مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ فِى صُدُورِكُمْ ۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا ۖ قُلِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۢ ۚ فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَ ۖ قُلْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًۭا﴿٥١﴾

17:51or a creature more fantastic to your minds!’ They will say, ‘Who will bring us back?’ Say, ‘He who originated you the first time.’ They will nod their heads at you, and say, ‘When will that be?’ Say, ‘Maybe it is near!⁴