189 It is He who created you all from one soul, and from it made its mate so that he might find comfort in her: when one [of them] lies with his wife and she conceives a light burden, going about freely, then grows heavy, they both pray to God, their Lord, ‘If You give us a good child we shall certainly be grateful,’ 190 and yet when He gives them a good child they ascribe some of what He has granted them to others. 191 God is far above the partners they set up alongside Him! How can they set up with Him these partners that create nothing and are themselves created, 192 that cannot help them at all, or even help themselves?
193 If you [believers] call such people to guidance, they do not follow you: it makes no difference whether you call them or remain silent. 194 Those you [idolaters] call upon instead of God are created beings like you. Call upon them, then, and let them respond to you if what you say is true. 195 Do they have feet to walk, hands to strike, eyes to see, or ears to hear? Say [Prophet], ‘Call on your “partners”! Scheme against me! Do not spare me! 196 My protector is God: He has revealed the Scripture, and it is He who protects the righteous, 197 but those you call on instead of Him cannot help you or even help themselves.’ 198 If you [believers] call such people to guidance, they do not hear. You [Prophet] may observe them looking at you, but they cannot see. 199 Be tolerant and command what is right: pay no attention to foolish people. 200 If Satan should prompt you to do something, seek refuge with God– He is all hearing, all knowing– 201 those who are aware of God think of Him when Satan prompts them to do something and immediately they can see [straight]; 202 the followers of devils [a] are led relentlessly into error by them and cannot stop.
203 When you do not bring them a fresh revelation, they say, ‘But can you not just ask for one?’ Say, ‘I merely repeat [b] what is revealed to me from my Lord: this revelation brings you insights from your Lord, and guidance and mercy for those who believe, 204 so pay attention and listen quietly when the Quran is recited, so that you may be given mercy.’ 205 [Prophet], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings– do not be one of the heedless– 206 [even] those who live in the presence of your Lord are not too proud to worship Him: they glorify Him and bow down before Him.
Footnotes
a. Ikhwan ‘brothers’––cf. 17: 27, where the devils’ followers are described as their ikhwan.
b. Cf. 75: 18
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
The Qur'an / a new translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem, copyright © 2004 Oxford World's Classics (Oxford University Press). Used by permission. All rights reserved.