2 Preface قَيِّمًا لِيُنذِرَ بَأسًا شَديدًا مِن لَدُنهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ المُؤمِنينَ الَّذينَ يَعمَلونَ الصّالِحاتِ أَنَّ لَهُم أَجرًا حَسَنًاYusuf Ali(He hath made it) Straight1 (and Clear) in order that He may warn (the godless) of a terrible Punishment from Him, and that He may give Glad Tidings to the Believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a goodly Reward,Qayyim: straight, that which has no bends and no corners to mystify people, that which speaks dearly and unambiguously, that which guides to the right path. Cf. 9:36. where the adjective is used for a straight usage, in contrast to usages, which tend to mystify and deceive people. The Qur-ān is above all things straight, clear, and perspicuous. Its directions are plain for everyone to understand. Any book that deals with the highest mysteries of spiritual life must necessarily have portions whose full meaning is clearer to some minds than to others not so well prepared. But here there is nowhere any mystification, any desire to wrap up things in dark sayings repugnant to human reason. God’s purpose is to give clear warnings of spiritual dangers and lead up to the highest bliss.