Ha-Mim. By this lucid Book. We have sent it down in a highly blessed night, for We intended to warn the people.1 This was a night in which every matter is decided wisely2 by Our Command.3 We had to send a Messenger, as a mercy from your Lord.4 Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing,5 Lord of the heavens and the earth, and Lord of all that lies between them, if you would really believe.6 There is no god but He.7 It is He Who gives life and death.8 He is your Lord and Lord of your ancestors who have gone before.9 (But, in fact, they have no faith) Nay, they play about in doubt.10 Well, wait for the Day when the sky shall appear with a visible smoke, which shall envelope mankind: this is a painful punishment. (Now they say: ) "Our Lord, remove this torment from us: we do now believe." How can they rid themselves of their heedlessness? Even when a manifest Messenger11 came to them, they paid no heed to him, and said, "He is a madman taught by others."12 Were We to remove the torment a little, you would revert to the same that you were doing before. The Day We inflict the severest stroke shall be the Day when We shall take Our vengeance.13 Before them We put the people of Pharaoh to the same test. A noble Messenger14 came to them, and said,15 "Deliver to me the servants of Allah.16 I am a trustworthy Messenger to you.17 Do not rebel against Allah: I present before you a clear authority18 (of my appointment), and I have taken refuge in my Lord and your Lord lest you should assault me. If you do not believe in me, do not harm me."19 At last, he called to his Lord, saying, "These are criminals."20 (The reply came:) "Set forth with My servants by night21 for you will be pursued.22 Leave the sea as it is. The whole host shall be drowned."23 How many were the gardens and fountains and cornfields and grand palaces that they left behind, and how many means of luxury and comfort, which they used to enjoy! This was their end, and We made others to inherit those things.24 Then neither did the heaven weep on them nor the earth,25 and they were not given the least respite. Even so We delivered the children of Israel from an abasing scourge, from Pharaoh,26 who was indeed a most prominent man among the transgressors,27 and We exalted them, knowing them to be so, above the other nations of the world,28 and showed them such Signs as were clearly a trial (for them).29