Talal Itani - Quran: Must-Read Passages. For Everyone. In Clear English.

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds.

The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Master of the Day of Judgment.

It is You we worship, and upon You we call for help.

Guide us to the straight path.

The path of those You have blessed, not of those against whom there is anger, nor of those who are misguided.

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.

Alif, Lam, Meem.

This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the righteous.

Those who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayers, and give from what We have provided for them.

And those who believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter.

These are upon guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

As for those who disbelieve-it is the same for them, whether you have warned them, or have not warned them-they do not believe.

God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. They will have a severe torment.

Among the people are those who say, "We believe in God and in the Last Day," but they are not believers.

They seek to deceive God and those who believe, but they deceive none but themselves, though they are not aware.

In their hearts is sickness, and God has increased their sickness. They will have a painful punishment because of their denial.

And when it is said to them, "Do not make trouble on earth," they say, "We are only reformers."

In fact, they are the troublemakers, but they are not aware.

And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Shall we believe as the fools have believed?" In fact, it is they who are the fools, but they do not know.

And when they come across those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, "We are with you; we were only ridiculing."

It is God who ridicules them, and leaves them bewildered in their transgression.

Those are they who have bartered error for guidance; but their trade does not profit them, and they are not guided.

Their likeness is that of a person who kindled a fire; when it illuminated all around him, God took away their light, and left them in darkness, unable to see.

Deaf, dumb, blind. They will not return.

Or like a cloudburst from the sky, in which is darkness, and thunder, and lightning. They press their fingers into their ears from the thunderbolts, in fear of death. But God surrounds the disbelievers.

The lightning almost snatches their sight away. Whenever it illuminates for them, they walk in it; but when it grows dark over them, they stand still. Had God willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. God is capable of everything.

O people! Worship your Lord who created you and those before you, that you may attain piety.

He who made the earth a habitat for you, and the sky a structure, and sends water down from the sky, and brings out fruits thereby, as a sustenance for you. Therefore, do not assign rivals to God while you know.

And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like these, and call your witnesses apart from God, if you are truthful.

But if you do not-and you will not-then beware the Fire whose fuel is people and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.

And give good news to those who believe and do righteous deeds; that they will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with fruit therefrom as sustenance, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before," and they will be given the like of it. And they will have pure spouses therein, and they will abide therein forever.

God does not shy away from making an example of a gnat, or something above it. As for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did God intend by this example?" He leads astray many thereby, and He guides many thereby; but He misleads thereby only the evildoers.

Those who violate God's covenant after its confirmation, and sever what God has commanded to be joined, and commit evil on earth. These are the losers.

How can you deny God, when you were dead and He gave you life, then He will put you to death, then He will bring you to life, then to Him you will be returned?

It is He who created for you everything on earth, then turned to the heaven, and made them seven heavens. And He is aware of all things.

When your Lord said to the angels, "I am placing a successor on earth." They said, "Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?" He said, "I know what you do not know."

And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to the angels, and said, "Tell Me the names of these, if you are sincere."

They said, "Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. It is you who are the Knowledgeable, the Wise."

He said, "O Adam, tell them their names." And when he told them their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?"

And We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam." They bowed down, except for Satan. He refused, was arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers.

We said, "O Adam, inhabit the Garden, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become wrongdoers."

But Satan caused them to slip from it, and caused them to depart the state they were in. We said, "Go down, some of you enemies of one another. And you will have residence on earth, and enjoyment for a while."

Then Adam received words from his Lord, so He relented towards him. He is the Relenting, the Merciful.

We said, "Go down from it, all of you. Yet whenever guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance-they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve.

But as for those who disbelieve and reject Our signs-these are the inmates of the Fire-wherein they will remain forever."

O Children of Israel! Remember My blessings which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your pledge to Me, and I will fulfill My pledge to you, and fear Me.

And believe in what I revealed, confirming what is with you; and do not be the first to deny it; and do not exchange My revelations for a small price; and be conscious of Me.

And do not mix truth with falsehood, and do not conceal the truth while you know.

And attend to your prayers, and practice regular charity, and kneel with those who kneel.

Do you command people to virtuous conduct, and forget yourselves, even though you read the Scripture? Do you not understand?

And seek help through patience and prayer. But it is difficult, except for the devout.

Those who know that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they will return.

O Children of Israel! Remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and I that favored you over all nations.

And beware of a Day when no soul will avail another in the least, nor will any intercession be accepted on its behalf, nor will any ransom be taken from it, nor will they be helped.

And recall that We delivered you from the people of Pharaoh. They inflicted on you terrible persecution, killing your sons and sparing your women. Therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.

And recall that We parted the sea for you, so We saved you, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh as you looked on.

And recall that We appointed for Moses forty nights. Then you took to worshiping the calf after him, and you turned wicked.