˹It will be said,˺ “Were My revelations not recited to you, but you used to deny them?”
23:105
They will cry, “Our Lord! Our ill-fate took hold of us, so we became a misguided people.
23:106
Our Lord! Take us out of this ˹Fire˺. Then if we ever return ˹to denial˺, we will truly be wrongdoers.”
23:107
Allah will respond, “Be despised in there! Do not ˹ever˺ plead with Me ˹again˺!
23:108
Indeed, there was a group of My servants who used to pray, ‘Our Lord! We have believed, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who show mercy,’
23:109
but you were ˹so busy˺ making fun of them that it made you forget My remembrance. And you used to laugh at them.
23:110
Today I have indeed rewarded them for their perseverance: they are certainly the triumphant.”
23:111
He will ask ˹them˺, “How many years did you remain on earth?”
23:112
They will reply, “We remained ˹only˺ a day or part of a day.1 But ask those who kept count.”
23:113
He will say, “You only remained for a little while, if only you knew.
23:114
Did you then think that We had created you without purpose, and that you would never be returned to Us?”
23:115
Exalted is Allah, the True King! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Lord of the Honourable Throne.
23:116
Whoever invokes, besides Allah, another god—for which they can have no proof—they will surely find their penalty with their Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will never succeed.
23:117
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the best of those who show mercy.”
23:118