Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

(Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"

(Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape."

(Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed.

"And the curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgment."

(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."

(Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee

"Till the Day of the Time appointed."

(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,-

"Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)."

(Allah) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me.

"For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."

And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all!

To it are seven gates: for each of those gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned.

The righteous (will be) amid gardens and fountains (of clear-flowing water).

(Their greeting will be): "Enter ye here in peace and security."

And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity).

There no sense of fatigue shall touch them, nor shall they (ever) be asked to leave.

Tell My servants that I am indeed the Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful;

And that My Penalty will be indeed the most grievous Penalty.

Tell them about the guests of Abraham.

When they entered his presence and said, "Peace!" He said, "We feel afraid of you!"

They said: "Fear not! We give thee glad tidings of a son endowed with wisdom."

He said: "Do ye give me glad tidings that old age has seized me? Of what, then, is your good news?"

They said: "We give thee glad tidings in truth: be not then in despair!"

He said: "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, but such as go astray?"

Abraham said: "What then is the business on which ye (have come), O ye messengers (of Allah)?"

They said: "We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin,

"Excepting the adherents of Lut: them we are certainly (charged) to save (from harm),- All -

"Except his wife, who, We have ascertained, will be among those who will lag behind."