[35-41] Recall the time, when Abraham prayed,46 saying, "Lord! make this city47 a city of peace, and protect me and my descendants from the worship of idols. Lord! these have turned away48 many people from the Right Way (and they might turn away my descendants as well. Therefore, only those of them) who follow my way, belong to me, but (I leave to Thee) those who follow a different way from mine, for Thou art very Forgiving and Merciful.49 Lord! I have settled some of my descendants in a barren valley near Thy Sacred House. Lord! I have done this in the hope that they would establish Salat there. So turn the hearts of the people towards them, and provide fruits for their food.50 It is expected that they will become grateful. Lord! Thou hast full knowledge of all that we hide and disclose."51 And52 the fact is that nothing in the earth and heavens is hidden from Allah. "All praise be to Allah Who has given me sons like Ismail and Isaac in my old age. Indeed, my Lord hears all prayers. Lord! help make me establish Salat and from among my descendants (raise those who should do this work). Lord! grant my prayer. Lord! forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when reckoning will take place."53
[42-46] Do not think that Allah is unaware of what these unjust people are doing; He is only deferring their case to the Day when all eyes shall stare with consternation. They shall be running in terror with heads uplifted and eyes fixed upwards54 and hearts becoming void. O Muhammad, fore-warn them of the Day when Our scourge will overtake them: then these wrong-doers will say, "Our Lord! give us a little more respite: we will respond to Thy Message and follow the Messengers." (But it will be said to them decisively,) "Are you not the same people who swore before this that you will never meet with a decline, whereas you had lived in the habitations of those who had wronged their souls and seen how We had dealt with them; and We held them up to you as examples? They had tried all their cunning devices to outwit Us but Allah had the remedy to counteract their devices, even though these were so powerful as to move mountains."55
[47-51] So, O Prophet. Never imagine that Allah will ever go against the promises made to His Messengers.56 Allah is All Powerful and capable of revenge. Warn them of the Day when the Earth and the Heavens shall be totally transformed,57 and all of them shall stand exposed before Allah, the One, the Almighty. On that Day you will see the criminals with their hands and feet in fetters. They shall be in garments of tar58 and the flames of fire shall be covering their faces. This will happen so that Allah may recompense everyone for what one earned: Allah is prompt at reckoning.
[52] This is a Message for mankind so that they may be warned by it and realize that in fact there is but One God, and that men of understanding may learn a lesson from it.
