Verses 6–15

وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا﴿٦﴾

91:6by the earth and Him who spread it,¹

وَنَفْسٍۢ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا﴿٧﴾

91:7by the soul and Him who fashioned it,

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَىٰهَا﴿٨﴾

91:8and inspired it with [discernment between] its virtues and vices:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا﴿٩﴾

91:9one who purifies it is felicitous,

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا﴿١٠﴾

91:10and one who betrays it fails.²

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَىٰهَآ﴿١١﴾

91:11The [people of] Thamud denied [Allah’s signs] out of their rebellion,³

إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشْقَىٰهَا﴿١٢﴾

91:12when the most wretched of them rose up.⁴

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقْيَٰهَا﴿١٣﴾

91:13The apostle of Allah had told them, ‘This is Allah’s she-camel, let her drink!’

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسَوَّىٰهَا﴿١٤﴾

91:14But they impugned him and hamstrung her. So their Lord took them unawares by night because of their sin, and levelled it.⁵

وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَٰهَا﴿١٥﴾

91:15And He does not fear its outcome.⁶