THE KORAN, Translated by E.H. Palmer
Chapter 1 - 10
Chapter 11 - 20
Chapter 21 - 30
Chapter 31 - 40
Chapter 41 - 50
Chapter 51 - 60
Chapter 61 - 70
Chapter 71 - 80
Chapter 81 - 90
Chapter 91 - 104
THE OPENING CHAPTER
(I. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
Praise belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds, the merciful, the
compassionate, the ruler of the day of judgment! Thee we serve and
Thee we ask for aid. Guide us in the right path, the path of those
Thou art gracious to; not of those Thou art wroth with; nor of those
who err.
THE CHAPTER OF THE HEIFER
(II. Medina.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
ALIF LAM MIM. That is the book! there is no doubt therein; a guide
to the pious, who believe in the unseen, and are steadfast in
prayer, and of what we have given them expend in alms; who believe
in what is revealed to thee, and what was revealed before thee, and of
the hereafter they are sure. These are in guidance from their Lord,
and these are the prosperous. Verily, those who misbelieve, it is
the same to them if ye warn them or if ye warn them not, they will not
believe. God has set a seal upon their hearts and on their hearing;
and on their eyes is dimness, and for them is grievous woe. And
there are those among men who say, 'We believe in God and in the
last day;' but they do not believe. They would deceive God and those
who do believe; but they deceive only themselves and they do not
perceive. In their hearts is a sickness, and God has made them still
more sick, and for them is grievous woe because they lied. And when it
is said to them, 'Do not evil in the earth,' they say, 'We do but what
is right.' Are not they the evildoers? and yet they do not perceive.
And when it is said to them, 'Believe as other men believe,' they say,
'Shall we believe as fools believe?' Are not they themselves the
fools? and yet they do not know. And when they meet those who believe,
they say, 'We do believe;' but when they go aside with their devils,
they say, 'We are with you; we were but mocking!' God shall mock at
them and let them go on in their rebellion, blindly wandering on.
Those who buy error for guidance, their traffic profits not, and
they are not guided. Their likeness is as the likeness of one who
kindles a fire; and when it lights up all around, God goes off with
their light, and leaves them in darkness that they cannot see.
Deafness, dumbness, blindness, and they shall not return! Or like a
storm cloud from the sky, wherein is darkness and thunder and
lightning; they put their fingers in their ears at the thunder clap,
for fear of death, for God encompasses the misbelievers. The lightning
well nigh snatches off their sight, whenever it shines for them they
walk therein; but when it is dark for them they halt; and if God
willed He would go off with their hearing and their sight; verily, God
is mighty over all.
O ye folk! serve your Lord who created you and those before you;
haply ye may fear! who made the earth for you a bed and the heaven a
dome; and sent down from heaven water, and brought forth therewith
fruits as a sustenance for you; so make no peers for God, the while ye
know!
And if ye are in doubt of what we have revealed unto our servant,
then bring a chapter like it, and call your witnesses other than God
if ye tell truth. But if ye do it not, and ye shall surely do it
not, then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for
misbelievers. But bear the glad tidings to those who believe and
work righteousness, that for them are gardens beneath which rivers
flow; whenever they are provided with fruit therefrom they say,
'This is what we were provided with before,' and they shall be
provided with the like; and there are pure wives for them therein, and
they shall dwell therein for aye.
Why, God is not ashamed to set forth a parable of a gnat, or
anything beyond; and as for those who believe, they know that it is
truth from the Lord; but as for those who disbelieve, they say,
'What is it that God means by this as a parable? He leads astray
many and He guides many;' but He leads astray only the evildoers; who
break God's covenant after the fixing thereof, and cut asunder what
God has ordered to be joined, and do evil in the earth; these it is
who lose.
How can ye disbelieve in God, when ye were dead and He made you
alive, and then He will kill you and then make you alive again, and
then to Him will ye return? It is He who created for you all that is
in the earth, then he made for the heavens and fashioned them seven
heavens; and He knows all things.
And when thy Lord said unto the angels, 'I am about to place a
vicegerent in the earth,' they said, 'Wilt Thou place therein one
who will do evil therein and shed blood? we celebrate Thy praise and
hallow Thee.' Said (the Lord), 'I know what ye know not.' And He
taught Adam the names, all of them; then He propounded them to the
angels and said, 'Declare to me the names of these, if ye are
truthful.' They said, 'Glory be to Thee! no knowledge is ours but what
Thou thyself hast taught us, verily, Thou art the knowing, the
wise.' Said the Lord, 'O Adam declare to them their names;' and when
he had declared to them their names He said, 'Did I not say to you,
I know the secrets of the heavens and of the earth, and I know what ye
show and what ye were hiding?' And when we said to the angels,
'Adore Adam,' they adored him save only Iblis, who refused and was too
proud and became one of the misbelievers. And we said, 'O Adam
dwell, thou and thy wife, in Paradise, and eat therefrom amply as
you wish; but do not draw near this tree or ye will be of the
transgressors. And Satan made them backslide therefrom and drove
them out from what they were in, and we said, 'Go down, one of you the
enemy of the other, and in the earth there is an abode and a provision
for a time.' And Adam caught certain words from 'his Lord, and He
turned towards him, for He is the compassionate one easily turned.
We said, 'Go down therefrom altogether and haply there may come from
me a guidance, and whoso follows my guidance, no fear is theirs, nor
shall they grieve. But those who misbelieve, and call our signs
lies, they are the fellows of the Fire, they shall dwell therein for
aye.'
O ye children of Israel! remember my favours which I have favoured
you with; fulfil my covenant and I will fulfil your covenant; me
therefore dread. Believe in what I have revealed, verifying what ye
have got, and be not the first to disbelieve in it, and do not
barter my signs for a little price, and me do ye fear. Clothe not
truth with vanity, nor hide the truth the while ye know. Be
steadfast in prayer, give the alms, and bow down with those who bow.
Will ye order men to do piety and forget yourselves? ye read the Book,
do ye not then understand? Seek aid with patience and prayer, though
it is a hard thing save for the humble, who think that they will
meet their Lord, and that to Him will they return.
O ye children of Israel! remember my favours which I have favoured
you with, and that I have preferred you above the worlds. Fear the day
wherein no soul shall pay any recompense for another soul, nor shall
intercession be accepted for it, nor shall compensation be taken
from it, nor shall they be helped.
When we saved you from Pharaoh's people who sought to wreak you evil
and woe, slaughtering your sons and letting your women live; in that
was a great trial for you from your Lord. When we divided for you
the sea and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people while ye looked on.
When we treated with Moses forty nights, then ye took the calf after
he had gone and ye did wrong. Yet then we forgave you after that;
perhaps ye may be grateful. And when we gave Moses the Scriptures
and the Discrimination; perhaps ye will be guided. When Moses said
to his people, 'O my people! Ye have wronged yourselves in taking this
calf; repent unto your Creator and kill each other; that will be
better for you in your Creator's eyes; and He turned unto you, for
He is the compassionate one easily turned.' And when ye said to Moses,
'O Moses! we will not believe in thee until we see God manifestly,'
and the thunderbolt caught you while ye yet looked on. Then we
raised you up after your death; perhaps ye may be grateful. And we
overshadowed you with the cloud, and sent down the manna and the
quails; 'Eat of the good things we have given you.' They not wrong us,
but it was themselves they were wronging. And when we said, 'Enter
this city and eat therefrom as plentifully as ye wish; and enter the
gate worshipping and say 'hittatun. So will we pardon you your sins
and give increase unto those who do well.'
But those who did wrong changed it for another word than that
which was said to them: and we sent down upon those who did wrong,
wrath from heaven for that they had so sinned.
When Moses, too, asked drink for his people and we said, 'Strike
with thy staff the rock,' and from it burst forth twelve springs; each
man among them knew his drinking place. 'Eat and drink of what God has
provided, and transgress not on the earth as evildoers.'
And when they said, Moses, we cannot always bear one kind of food;
pray then thy Lord to bring forth for us of what the earth grows,
its green herbs, its cucumbers, its garlic, its lentils, and its
onions.' Said he, 'Do ye ask what is meaner instead of what is best?
Go down to Egypt, there is what ye ask.' Then were they smitten
with abasement and poverty, and met with wrath from God. That was
because they had misbelieved in God's signs and killed the prophets
undeservedly; that was for that they were rebellious and had
transgressed.
Verily, whether it be of those who believe, or those who are Jews or
Christians or Sabaeans, whosoever believe in God and the last day
and act aright, they have their reward at their Lord's hand, and there
is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
And when we took a covenant with you and held the mountain over you;
'Accept what we have brought you with strong will, and bear in mind
what is therein, haply ye yet may fear.'
Then did ye turn aside after this, and were it not for God's grace
towards you and His mercy, ye would have been of those who lose. Ye
know too of those among you who transgressed upon the Sabbath, and
we said, 'I Become ye apes, despised and spurned.'
Thus we made them an example unto those who stood before them, and
those who should come after them, and a warning unto those who fear.
And when Moses said to his people, 'God bids you slaughter a cow,'
they said, 'Art thou making a jest of us?' Said he, 'I seek refuge
with God from being one of the unwise.' They said, 'Then pray thy Lord
for us to show us what she is to be.' He answered, 'He saith it is a
cow, nor old, nor young, of middle age between the two; so do as ye
are bid.' They said, 'Pray now thy Lord to show us what her colour
is to be.' He answered, 'He saith it is a dun cow, intensely dun,
her colour delighting those who look upon her.'
Again they said, 'Pray thy Lord to show us what she is to be; for
cows appear the same to us; then we, if God will, shall be guided.' He
answered, He saith, it is a cow, not broken in to plough the earth
or irrigate the tilth, a sound one with no blemish on her.' They said,
'Now hast thou brought the truth.' And they slaughtered her, though
they came near leaving it undone.
When too ye slew a soul and disputed thereupon, and God brought
forth that which ye had hidden, then we said, 'Strike him with part of
her.' Thus God brings the dead to life and shows you His signs, that
haply ye may understand.
Yet were your hearts hardened even after that, till they were as
stones or harder still, for verily of stones are some from which
streams burst forth, and of them there are some that burst asunder and
the water issues out, and of them there are some that fall down for
fear of God; but God is never careless of what ye do.
Do ye crave that they should believe you when already a sect of them
have heard the word of God and then perverted it after they had
understood it, though they knew?
And when they meet those who believe they say, 'We believe,' but
when one goes aside with another they say, 'Will ye talk to them of
what God has opened up to you, that they may argue with you upon it
before your Lord? Do ye not therefore understand?' Do they not then
know that God knoweth what they keep secret and what they make known
abroad?
And some of them there are, illiterate folk, that know not the Book,
but only idle tales; for they do but fancy. But woe to those who write
out the Book with their hands and say 'this is from' God; to buy
therewith a little price! and woe to them for what their hands have
written, and woe to them for what they gain!
And then they say, 'Hell fire shall not touch us save for a number
of days.' Say, 'Have ye taken a covenant with God?' but God breaks not
His covenant. Or do ye say of God that which ye do not know?
Yea! whoso gains an evil gain, and is encompassed by his sins, those
are the fellows of the Fire, and they shall dwell therein for aye! But
such as act aright, those are the fellows of Paradise, and they
shall dwell therein for aye!
And when we took from the children of Israel a covenant, saying,
'Serve ye none but God, and to your two parents show kindness, and
to your kindred and the orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly,
and be steadfast in prayer, and give alms;' and then ye turned back,
save a few of you, and swerved aside.
And when we took covenant from you, 'shed ye not your kinsman's
blood, nor turn your kinsmen out of their homes:' then did ye
confirm it and were witnesses thereto. Yet ye were those who slay your
kinsmen and turn a party out of their homes, and back each other up
against them with sin and enmity. But if they come to you as
captives ye ransom them! and yet it is as unlawful for you to turn
them out. Do ye then believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in
part? But the reward of such among you as do that shall be. nought
else but disgrace in this worldly life, and on the day of the
resurrection shall they be driven to the most grievous torment, for
God is not unmindful of what ye do.
Those who have bought this worldly life with the Future, the torment
shall not be lightened from them nor shall they be helped.
We gave Moses the Book and we followed him up with other apostles,
and we gave Jesus the son of Mary manifest signs and aided him with
the Holy Spirit. Do ye then, every time an apostle comes to you with
what your souls love not, proudly scorn him, and charge a part with
lying and slay a part?
They say, 'Our hearts are uncircumcised;' nay, God has cursed them
in their unbelief, and few it is who do believe. And when a book
came down from God confirming what they had with them, though they had
before prayed for victory over those who misbelieve, yet when that
came to them which they knew, then they disbelieved it, God's curse
be on the misbelievers.
For a bad bargain have they sold their souls, not to believe in what
God has revealed, grudging because God sends down of His grace on
whomsoever of His servants He will; and they have brought on
themselves wrath after wrath and for the misbelievers is there
shameful woe.
And when they are told to believe in what God has revealed, they
say, 'We believe in what has been revealed to us;' but they disbelieve
in all beside, although it is the truth confirming what they have.
Say, 'Wherefore did ye kill God's prophets of yore if ye were true
believers?
Moses came to you with manifest signs, then ye took up with the calf
when he had gone and did so wrong. And when we took a covenant with
you and raised the mountain over you, 'Take what we have given you
with resolution and hear;' they said, 'We hear but disobey;' and
they were made to drink the calf down into their hearts for their
unbelief. Say, 'An evil thing is it which your belief bids you do,
if ye be true believers.' Say, 'If the abode of the future with God is
yours alone and not mankind's: long for death then if ye speak the
truth.' But they will never long for it because of what their hands
have sent on before; but God is knowing as to the wrong doers.
Why, thou wilt find them the greediest of men for life; and of those
who associate others with God one would fain live for a thousand
years, but he will not be reprieved from punishment by being let
live, for God seeth what they do.
Say, 'Who is an enemy to Gabriel? for he hath revealed to thy heart,
with God's permission, confirmation of what had been before, and a
guidance and glad tidings to believers. Who is an enemy to God and His
angels and His apostles and Gabriel and Michael? Verily, God is an
enemy to the unbelievers. We have sent down to thee conspicuous signs,
and none will disbelieve therein except the evildoers. Or every time
they make a covenant, will a part of them repudiate it? Nay, most of
them do not believe.
And when there comes to them an apostle confirming what they have, a
part of those who have received the Book repudiate God's book, casting
it behind their backs as though they did not know. And they follow
that which the devils recited against Solomon's kingdom; it was not
Solomon who misbelieved, but the devils who misbelieved, teaching
men sorcery, and what has been revealed to the two angels at Babylon,
Harut and Marut; yet these taught no one until they said, 'We are
but a temptation, so do not misbelieve.' Men learn from them only that
by which they may part man and wife; but they can harm no one
therewith, unless with the permission of God, and they learn what
hurts them and profits them not. And yet they knew that he who
purchased it would have no portion in the future; but sad is the price
at which they have sold their souls, had they but known. But had
they believed and feared, a reward from God were better, had they
but known.
O ye who believe! say not 'rahina,' but say 'unthurna,' hearken; for
unto misbelievers shall be grievous woe.
They who misbelieve, whether of those who have the Book or of the
idolaters, would fain that no good were sent down to you from your
Lord; but God specially favours with His mercy whom He will, for God
is Lord of mighty grace.
Whatever verse we may annul or cause thee to forget, we will bring a
better one than it, or one like it; dost thou not know that God is
mighty over all? Dost thou not know that God's is the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth? nor have ye besides God a patron or a help.
Do ye wish to question your apostle as Moses was questioned
aforetime? but whoso takes misbelief in exchange for faith has erred
from the level road.
Many of those who have the Book would fain turn you back into
misbelievers after ye have once believed, through envy from
themselves, after the truth has been made manifest to them; but pardon
and shun them till God brings His command; verily, God is mighty
over all.
Be ye steadfast in prayer, and give alms; and whatsoever good ye
send before for your own souls, ye shall find it with God, for God
in all ye do doth see.
They say, 'None shall enter Paradise save such as be Jews or
Christians;' that is their faith. Say thou, 'Bring your proofs, if
ye be speaking truth.'
Aye, he who resigns his face to God, and who is kind, he shall
have his reward from his Lord, and no fear shall be on them, and
they shall not grieve.
The Jews say, 'The Christians rest on nought;' and the Christians
say, 'The Jews rest on nought; and yet they read the Book. So, too,
say those who know not, like to what these say; but God shall judge
between them' on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they
do dispute.
But who is more unjust than he who prohibits God's mosques, that His
name should not be mentioned there, and who strives to ruin them? 'Tis
not for such to enter into them except in fear, for them is disgrace
in this world, and in the future mighty woe.
God's is the east and the west, and wherever ye turn there is
God's face; verily, God comprehends and knows.
They say, 'God takes unto Himself a son.' Celebrated be His
praise! Nay, His is what is in the heavens and the earth, and Him
all things obey. The Originator of the heavens and the earth, when
He decrees a matter He doth but say unto it, 'BE,' and it is.
And those who do not know (the Scriptures) say, Unless God speak
to us, or there comes a sign. So spake those before them like unto
their speech. Their hearts are all alike. We have made manifest the
signs unto a people that are sure.
We have sent thee with the truth, a bearer of good tidings and of
warning, and thou shalt not be questioned as to the fellows of hell.
The Jews will not be satisfied with thee, nor yet the Christians,
until thou followest their creed. Say, 'God's guidance is the
guidance;' and if thou followest their lusts after the knowledge
that has come to thee, thou hast not then from God a patron or a help.
They to whom we have brought the Book and who read it as it should
be read, believe therein; and whoso disbelieve therein, 'tis they
who lose thereby.
O children of Israel! remember my favours with which I favoured you,
and that I have preferred you over the worlds. And fear the day when
no soul shall pay a recompense for a soul, nor shall an equivalent
be received therefrom, nor any intercession avail; and they shall
not be helped.
And when his Lord tried Abraham with words, and he fulfilled them,
He said, 'Verily, I will set thee as a high priest for men.' Said
he, 'And of my seed?' God said, 'My covenant touches not the
evildoers.'
And when we made the House a place of resort unto men, and a
sanctuary, and (said) take the station of Abraham for a place of
prayer; and covenanted with Abraham and Ishmael, saying, 'Do ye two
cleanse my house for those who make the circuit, for those who pay
devotions there, for those who bow down, and for those too who adore.'
When Abraham said, 'Lord, make this a town of safety, and provide
the dwellers there with fruits, such as believe in God and the last
day!' (God) said, 'And he who misbelieves, I will give him but
little to enjoy, then will drive him to the torment of the fire, an
evil journey will it be.'
And when Abraham raised up the foundations of the House with
Ishmael, 'Lord! receive it from us, verily, thou art hearing and
dost know. Lord! and make us too resigned unto Thee, and of our seed
also a nation resigned unto Thee, and show us our rites, and turn
towards us, verily, Thou art easy to be turned and merciful. Lord! and
send them an apostle from amongst themselves, to read to them Thy
signs and teach them the Book and wisdom, and to purify them;
verily, Thou art the mighty and the wise.'
Who is averse from the faith of Abraham save one who is foolish of
soul? for we have chosen him in this world, and in the future he is
surely of the righteous.
When his Lord said to him, 'Be resigned,' he said, 'I am resigned
unto the Lord of the worlds.'
And Abraham instructed his sons therein, and Jacob (saying), 'O my
sons! verily, God has chosen for you a religion, do not therefore
die unless ye be resigned.'
Were ye then witnesses when Jacob was facing death, when he said
to his sons, 'What will ye serve when I am gone?' They said, 'We
will serve thy God, the God of thy fathers Abraham, and Ishmael, and
Isaac, one God; and we are unto Him resigned.'
That is a nation that has passed away, theirs is what they gained;
and yours shall be what ye have gained; ye shall not be questioned
as to that which they have done.
They say, 'Be ye Jews or Christians so shall ye of Abraham be
guided.' Say, 'Not so! but the faith of Abraham he was not of the
idolaters.'
Say ye, 'We believe in God, and what has been revealed to us, and
what has been revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and
Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was brought to Moses and Jesus, and
what was brought unto the Prophets from their Lord; we will not
distinguish between any one of them, and unto Him are we resigned.'
If they believe in that in which ye believe, then are they guided;
but if they turn back, then are they only in a schism, and God will
suffice thee against them, for He both hears and knows.
The dye of God! and who is better than God at dyeing? and we are
worshippers of Him.
Say, 'Do ye dispute with us concerning God, and He is our Lord and
your Lord? Ye have your works and we have ours, and unto Him are we
sincere.'
Do ye say that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the
Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, 'Are ye more knowing than God?
Who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony that he has
from God? But God is not careless of what ye do.
That is a nation that has passed away; theirs is what they gained,
and yours shall be what ye have gained; ye shall not be questioned
as to that which they have done.
The fools among men will say, 'What has turned them from their
qiblah, on which they were agreed?'
Say, 'God's is the east and the west, He guides whom He will unto
the right path.' Thus have we made you a middle nation, to be
witnesses against men, and that the Apostle may be a witness against
you.
We have not appointed the qiblah on which thou wert agreed, save
that we might know who follows the Apostle from him who turns upon his
heels although it is a great thing save to those whom God doth
guide. But God will not waste your faith, for verily, God with men
is kind and merciful.
We see thee often turn about thy face in the heavens, but we will
surely turn thee to a qiblah thou shalt like. Turn then thy face
towards the Sacred Mosque; wherever ye be, turn your faces towards it;
for verily, those who have the Book know that it is the truth from
their Lord; God is not careless of that which ye do.
And if thou shouldst bring to those who have been given the Book
every sign, they would not follow your qiblah; and thou art not to
follow their qiblah; nor do some of them follow the qiblah of the
others: and if thou followest their lusts after the knowledge that has
come to thee then art thou of the evildoers.
Those whom we have given the Book know him as they know their
sons, although a sect of them do surely hide the truth, the while they
know.
The truth (is) from thy Lord; be not therefore one of those who
doubt thereof.
Every sect has some one side to which they turn (in prayer); but
do ye hasten onwards to good works; wherever ye are God will bring you
all together; verily, God is mighty over all.
From whencesoever thou comest forth, there turn thy face towards the
Sacred Mosque, for it is surely truth from thy Lord; God is not
careless about what ye do. And from whencesoever thou comest forth,
there turn thy face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wheresoever ye are,
turn your faces towards it, that men may have no argument against you,
save only those of them who are unjust; and fear them not, but fear me
and I will fulfil my favours to you, perchance ye may be guided yet.
Thus have we sent amongst you an apostle of yourselves, to recite to
you our signs, to purify you and teach you the Book and wisdom, and to
teach you what ye did not know; remember me, then, and I will remember
you; thank me, and do not misbelieve.
O ye who do believe! seek aid from patience and from prayer, verily,
God is with the patient. And say not of those who are slain in God's
way (that they are) dead, but rather living; but ye do not perceive.
We will try you with something of fear, and hunger and loss of
wealth, and souls and fruit; but give good tidings to the patient, who
when there falls on them a calamity say, 'Verily, we are God's and,
verily, to Him do we return.' These, on them are blessings from
their Lord and mercy, and they it is who are guided.
Verily, Zafa and Merwah are of the beacons of God, and he who
makes the pilgrimage unto the House, or visits it, it is no crime
for him to compass them both about; and he who obeys his own impulse
to a good work, God is grateful and doth know.
Verily, those who hide what we have revealed of manifest signs and
of guidance after we have manifested it to men in the Book, them God
shall curse, and those who curse shall curse them too. Save those
who turn and do right and make (the signs) manifest; these will I turn
to again, for I am easy to be turned and merciful.
Verily, those who misbelieve and die while still in misbelief, on
them is the curse of God, and of the angels, and of mankind
altogether; to dwell therein for aye; the torment shall not be
lightened for them, nor shall they be looked upon.
Your God is one God; there is no God but He, the merciful, the
compassionate.
Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
alternation of night and day, and in the ship that runneth in the
sea with that which profits man, and in what water God sends down from
heaven and quickens therewith the earth after its death, and spreads
abroad therein all kinds of cattle, and in the shifting of the
winds, and in the clouds that are pressed into service betwixt
heaven and earth, are signs to people who can understand.
Yet are there some amongst mankind who take to themselves peers
other than God; they love them as they should love God while those who
believe love God more. O that those who are unjust could only see,
when they see the torment, that power is altogether God's! Verily, God
is keen to torment.
When those who are followed clear themselves of those who followed
them, and see the torment, and the cords are cut asunder, those who
followed shall say, 'Had we but another turn, then would we clear
ourselves of them as they have cleared themselves of us.' So will
God show them their works; for them are sighs, and they shall not come
forth from out the fire.
O ye folk! eat of what is in the earth, things lawful and things
good, and follow not the footsteps of Satan, verily, to you he is an
open foe. He does but bid you evil and sin, and that ye should speak
against God what ye do not know.
When it is said to them, 'Follow what God has revealed,' they say,
'Nay, we will follow what we found our fathers agreed upon.' What! and
though their fathers had no sense at all or guidance ?
The likeness of those who misbelieve is as the likeness of him who
shouts to that which hears him not, save only a call and a cry;
deafness, dumbness, blindness, and they shall not understand.
O ye who do believe! eat of the good things wherewith we have
provided you, and give thanks unto God if it be Him ye serve. He has
only forbidden for you what is dead, and blood, and flesh of swine,
and whatsoever has been consecrated to other than God; but he who is
forced, neither revolting nor transgressing, it is in no sin for
him; verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
Verily, those who hide what God has revealed of the Book, and sell
it for a little price, they shall eat nothing in their bellies save
fire; and God will not speak to them on the day of resurrection, nor
will He purify them, but for them is grievous woe.
They who sell guidance for error, and pardon for torment, how
patient must they be of fire!
That (is), because God has revealed the Book with truth, and
verily those who disagree about the Book are in a wide schism.
Righteousness is not that ye turn your faces towards the east or the
west, but righteousness is, one who believes in God, and the last day,
and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and who gives wealth
for His love to kindred, and orphans, and the poor, and the son of the
road, beggars, and those in captivity; and who is steadfast in prayer,
and gives alms; and those who are sure of their covenant when they
make a covenant; and the patient in poverty, and distress, and in time
of violence; these are they who are true, and these are those who
fear.
O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you for the slain:
the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the
female; yet he who is pardoned at all by his brother, must be
prosecuted in reason, and made to pay with kindness.
That is an alleviation from your Lord, and a mercy; and he who
transgresses after that for him is grievous woe.
For you in retaliation is there life, O ye possessors of minds! it
may be ye will fear.
It is prescribed for you that when one of you is face to face with
death, if he leave (any) goods, the legacy is to his parents, and to
his kinsmen, in reason. A duty this upon all those that fear.
But he who alters it after that he has heard it, the sin thereof
is only upon those who alter it; verily, God doth hear and know.
And he who fears from the testator a wrong intention, or a crime,
and doth make up the matter between the parties, it is no sin to
him; verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
O ye who believe! There is prescribed for you the fast as it was
prescribed for those before you; haply ye may fear. A certain number
of days, but he amongst you who is ill or on a journey, then (let
him fast) another number of days. And those who are fit to fast may
redeem it by feeding a poor man; but he who follows an impulse to a
good work it is better for him; and if ye fast it is better for you,
if ye did but know.
The month of Ramadhan, wherein was revealed the Koran, for a
guidance to men, and for manifestations of guidance, and for a
Discrimination. And he amongst you who beholds this month then let him
fast it; but he who is sick or on a journey, then another number of
days; God desires for you what is easy, and desires not for you
what is difficult, that ye may complete the number, and say, 'Great
is God,' for that He has guided you; haply ye may give thanks.
When my servants ask thee concerning me, then, verily, I am near;
I answer the prayer's prayer whene'er he prays to me. So let them
ask me for an answer, and let them believe in me; haply they may be
directed aright.
Lawful for you on the night of the fast is commerce with your wives;
they are a garment unto you, and ye a garment unto them. God knows
that ye did defraud yourselves, wherefore He has turned towards you
and forgiven you; so now go in unto them and crave what God has
prescribed for you, and eat and drink until a white thread can be
distinguished by you from a black one at the dawn. Then fulfil the
fast until the night, and go not in unto them, and ye at your
devotions in the mosques the while. These are the bounds that God
has set, so draw not near thereto. Thus does God make manifest His
signs to men, that haply they may fear.
Devour not your wealth among yourselves vainly, nor present it to
the judges that ye may devour a part of the wealth of men sinfully,
the while ye know.
They will ask thee about the phases of the moon; say, 'They are
indications of time for men and for the pilgrimage.' And it is not
righteousness that ye should enter into your houses from behind
them, but righteousness is he who fears; so enter into your houses
by the doors thereof and fear God; haply ye may prosper yet.
Fight in God's way with those who fight with you, but transgress
not; verily, God loves not those who do transgress.
Kill them wherever ye find them, and drive them out from whence they
drive you out; for sedition is worse than slaughter; but fight them
not by the Sacred Mosque until they fight you there; then kill them,
for such is the recompense of those that misbelieve.
But if they desist, then, verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
But fight them that there be no sedition and that the religion may
be God's; but, if they desist, then let there be no hostility save
against the unjust.
The sacred month for the sacred month; for all sacred things
demand retaliation; and whoso transgresses against you, transgress
against him like as he transgressed against you; but fear ye God,
and know that God is with those who fear.
Expend in alms in God's way and be not cast by your own hands into
perdition; but do good, for God loves those who do good.
And fulfil the pilgrimage and the visitation to God; but if ye be
besieged, then what is easiest for you by way of gift. But shave not
your heads until your gift shall reach its destination; and he amongst
you who is sick or has a hurt upon his head, then the redemption is by
fasting or by alms or by an offering. But when ye are safe again, then
let him who would enjoy the visitation until the pilgrimage (bring)
what is easiest as a gift. And he who cannot find (anything to bring),
then let him fast three days on the pilgrimage and seven when ye
return; these make ten days complete. That is, for him whose family
are not present in the Sacred Mosque; and fear God and know that God
is keen to punish.
The pilgrimage is (in) well known months: whosoever then makes it
incumbent on himself (let him have neither) commerce with women, nor
fornication, nor a quarrel on the pilgrimage; and whatsoever of good
ye do, God knoweth it; then provide yourself for your journey; but the
best provision is piety. Fear ye me ye who possess minds.
It is no crime to you that ye seek good from your Lord; but when
ye pour forth from 'Arafat, remember God by the sacred beacon.
Remember Him how He guided you, although ye were surely before of
those who err.
Then pour ye forth from whence men do pour forth and ask pardon of
God; verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
And when ye have performed your rites, remember God as ye remember
your fathers, or with a keener memory still.
There is among men such as says, 'Our Lord! give us in this
world;' but of the future life no portion shall he have.
And some there be who say, 'Our Lord! give us in this world good and
in the future good; and keep us from the torment of the fire!'
These, they have their portion from what they have earned; for
God is swift at reckoning up.
Remember God for a certain number of days; but whoso hastens off
in two days, it is no sin to him, and he who lingers on it is no sin
to him, for him who fears. So fear ye God and know that unto Him
shall ye be gathered.
There is among men one whose speech about the life of this world
pleases thee, and he calls on God to witness what is in his heart; yet
is he most fierce in opposition unto thee. And when he turns away,
he strives upon the earth to do evil therein, and to destroy the tilth
and the stock; verily, God loves not evil doing. And when it is said
to him, 'Fear God,' then pride takes hold upon him in sin; but hell is
enough for him! surely an evil couch is that.
And there is among men one who selleth his soul craving, those
things that are pleasing unto God and God is kind unto His servants.
O ye who believe! enter ye into the peace, one and all, and follow
not the footsteps of Satan; verily, to you he is an open foe. And if
ye slip after that the manifest signs have come to you, then know that
God is the mighty, the wise.
What can they expect but that God should come unto them in the
shadow of a cloud, and the angels too? But the thing is decreed, and
unto God do things return.
Ask the children of Israel how many a manifest sign we gave to them;
and whoso alters God's favours after that they have come to him,
then God is keen at following up.
Made fair to those who misbelieve is this world's life; they jest at
those who do believe. But those who fear shall be above them on the
resurrection day. God gives provision unto whom He will without
account.
Men were one nation once, and God sent prophets with good tidings
and with warnings, and sent down with them the Book in truth, to judge
between men in that wherein they disagreed; but none did disagree
therein save those who had been given it after that manifest signs had
come to them, through greed amongst themselves; and God guided those
who did believe to that truth concerning which they disagreed by His
permission, for God guides whom He will unto the right path.
Did ye count to enter Paradise, while there had nothing come to
you like those who passed away before you; there touched them violence
and harm, and they were made to quake, until the Apostle and those who
believed with him said, 'When (comes) God's help? Is not God's help
then surely nigh?'
They will ask thee what they are to expend in alms: say, 'Whatsoever
good ye expend it should be for parents and kinsmen, and the orphan
and the poor, and the son of the road; and whatsoever good ye do,
verily, of it God knows.'
Prescribed for you is fighting, but it is hateful to you. Yet
peradventure that ye hate a thing while it is good for you, and
peradventure that ye love a thing while it is bad for you; God
knows, and ye, ye do not know!
They will ask thee of the sacred month, of fighting therein. Say,
'Fighting therein is a great sin; but turning folks off God's way, and
misbelief in Him and in the Sacred Mosque, and turning His people
out therefrom, is a greater in God's sight; and sedition is a
greater sin than slaughter.'
They will not cease from fighting you until they turn you from
your religion if they can; but whosoever of you is turned from his
religion and dies while still a misbeliever; these are those whose
works are vain in this world and the next; they are the fellows of the
Fire, and they shall dwell therein for aye.
Verily, those who believe, and those who flee, and those who wage
war in God's way; these may hope for God's mercy, for God is forgiving
and merciful.
They will ask thee about wine and el maisar, say, 'In them both is
sin and profit to men; but the sin of both is greater than the
profit of the same.'
They will ask thee what they shall expend in alms: say, 'The
surplus.' Thus does God manifest to you His signs; haply ye may
reflect on this world and the next! They will ask thee about
orphans: say, 'To do good to them is best.' But if ye interfere with
them they are your brethren, and God knows the evildoer from the well
doer; and if God will He will surely trouble you. Verily, God is
mighty, wise.
Wed not with idolatrous women until they believe, for surely a
believing handmaid is better than an idolatrous woman, even though she
please you. And wed not to idolatrous men until they believe, for a
believing slave is better than an idolater, even though he please you.
Those invite you to the fire, but God invites you to paradise and
pardon by His permission, and makes clear His signs to men; haply they
may remember.
They will ask thee about menstruation: say, 'It is a hurt.' So
keep apart from women in their menstruation, and go not near them till
they be cleansed; but when they are cleansed come in to them by
where God has ordered you verily, God loves those who turn to Him, and
those who keep themselves clean.
Your women are your tilth, so come into your tillage how you choose;
but do a previous good act for yourselves, and fear God, and know that
ye are going to meet Him; and give good tidings unto those who do
believe.
Make not God the butt of your oaths, that ye will keep clear and
fear and make peace amongst men, for God both hears and knows.
He will not catch you up for a casual word in your oaths, but He
will catch you up for what your hearts have earned; but God is
forgiving and clement.
Those who swear off from their women, they must wait four months;
but if they break their vow God is forgiving and merciful.
And if they intend to divorce them, verily, God hears and knows.
Divorced women must wait for themselves three courses; and it is not
lawful to them that they hide what God has created in their wombs,
if they believe in God and in the last day. Their husbands will do
better to take them back in that (case) if they wish for
reconciliation; for, the same is due to them as from them; but the men
should have precedence over them. God is mighty and wise.
Divorce (may happen) twice; then keep them in reason, or let them go
with kindness. It is not lawful for you to take from them anything
of what you have given them, unless both fear that they cannot keep
within God's bounds. So if ye fear that ye cannot keep within God's
bounds there is no crime in you both about what she ransoms herself
with. These are God's bounds, do not transgress them; and whoso
transgresses God's bounds, they it is who are unjust.
But if he divorce her (a third time) she shall not be lawful to
him after that, until she marry another husband; but, if he divorce
her too, it is no crime in them both to come together again, if they
think that they can keep within God's bounds. These are God's bounds
which He explains to a people who know.
When ye divorce women, and they have reached the prescribed time,
then keep them kindly, or let them go in reason, but do not keep
them by force to transgress; for whoso does that, he is unjust to
his own soul: and do not take God's signs in jest; and remember
God's favours to you, and what He has sent down to you of the Book and
wisdom, to admonish you thereby; and fear God, and know that God
doth all things know.
When ye divorce women, and they have reached their prescribed
term, do not prevent them from marrying their (fresh) husbands, when
they have agreed with each other reasonably. That is what he is
admonished with who amongst you believes in God and in the last day.
That is more pure for you and cleaner. But God knows, and ye know not.
Mothers must suckle their children two whole years for one who
wishes to complete the time of suckling; and on him to whom it is born
its sustenance and clothing are incumbent; but in reason, for no
soul shall be obliged beyond its capacity. A mother shall not be
forced for her child; nor he to whom it is born for his child. And the
same (is incumbent) on the heir (of the father). But if both parties
wish to wean, by mutual consent and counsel, then it is no crime in
them. And if ye wish to provide a wet nurse for your children, it is
no crime in you when you pay what you have promised her, in reason.
Fear God, and know that God on what ye do doth look.
Those of you who die and leave wives behind, let these wait by
themselves for four months and ten days; and when they have reached
their prescribed time, there is no crime in them for what they do with
themselves in reason; for God of what ye do is well aware.
Nor is there any crime in you for that ye make them an offer of
marriage, or that ye keep it secret, in your minds. God knows that
ye will remember them; but do not propose to them in secret, unless ye
speak a reasonable speech; and resolve not on marriage tie until the
Book shall reach its time; but know that God knows what is in your
souls; so beware! and know that God is forgiving and clement.
It is no crime in you if ye divorce your women ere you have yet
touched them, or settled for them a settlement. But provide
maintenance for them; the wealthy according to his power, and the
straitened in circumstances according to his power, must provide, in
reason; a duty this upon the kind.
And if ye divorce them before ye have touched them, but have already
settled for them a settlement; the half of what ye have settled,
unless they remit it, or he in whose hand is the marriage tie remits
it; and that ye should remit is nearer to piety, and forget not
liberality between you. Verily, God on what ye do doth look.
Observe the prayers, and the middle prayer, and stand ye attent
before God.
And if ye fear, then afoot or on horseback; but when ye are in
safety remember God, how He taught you while yet ye did not know.
Those of you who die and leave wives, should bequeath to their wives
maintenance for a year, without expulsion (from their home); but if
they go out, there is no crime in you for what they do of
themselves, in reason; but God is mighty and wise.
And divorced women should have a maintenance in reason, a duty this
on those that fear. Thus does God explain to you His signs; haply ye
may understand.
Dost thou not look at those who left their homes by thousands, for
fear of death; and God said to them 'Die,' and then He quickened
them again? Verily God is Lord of grace to men, but most men give no
thanks.
Fight then in God's way, and know that God both hears and knows.
Who is there that will lend to God a good loan? He will redouble
it many a double; God closes His hand and holds it out, and unto Him
shall ye return.
Dost thou not look at the crowd of the children of Israel after
Moses' time, when they said to a prophet of theirs, 'Raise up for us a
king, and we will fight in God's way?' He said, 'Will ye perhaps, if
it be written down for you to fight, refuse to fight?' They said, 'And
why should we not fight in God's way, now that we are dispossessed
of our homes and sons? But when it was written down for them to
fight they turned back, save a few of them, and God knows who are
evildoers. Then their prophet said to them, 'Verily, God has raised up
for you Talut as a king;' they said, How can the kingdom be his over
us; we have more right to the kingdom than he, for he has not an
amplitude of wealth?' He said, 'Verily, God has chosen him over you,
and has provided him with an extent of knowledge and of form. God
gives the kingdom unto whom He will; God comprehends and knows.'
Then said to them their prophet, 'The sign of his kingdom is that
there shall come to you the ark with the shechina in it from your
Lord, and the relics of what the family of Moses and the family of
Aaron left; the angels shall bear it.' In that is surely a sign to you
if ye believe.
And when Talut set out with his soldiery, he said, 'God will try you
with a river, and he who drinks therefrom, he is not of mine; but
whoso tastes it not, he is of mine, save he who laps it lapping with
his hand.'
And they drank from it save a few of them, and when he crossed it,
he and those who believed with him, they said, 'We have no power
this day against Galut and his soldiery, 'those who thought that
they should meet their Lord said, 'How many a small division of men
have conquered a numerous division, by the permission of God, for
God is with the patient.'
And when they went out against a Galut and his soldiery, they
said, 'Lord, pour out patience over us, and make firm our steps, and
help us against the misbelieving people!'
And they put them to flight by the permission of God, and David
killed Galut, and God gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught
him of what He willed. And were it not for God's repelling men one
with another the earth would become spoiled; but God is Lord of
grace over the worlds.
These are the signs of God, we recite them to thee in truth, for,
verily, thou art of those who are sent.
These apostles have we preferred one of them above another. Of
them is one to whom God spake; and we have raised some of them
degrees; and we have given Jesus the son of Mary manifest signs, and
strengthened him by the Holy Spirit. And, did God please, those who
came after them would not have fought after there came to them
manifest signs. But they did disagree, and of them are some who
believe, and of them some who misbelieve, but, did God please, they
would not have fought, for God does what He will.
O ye who believe! expend in alms of what we have bestowed upon
you, before the day comes in which is no barter, and no friendship,
and no intercession; and the misbelievers, they are the unjust.
God, there is no god but He, the living, the self subsistent.
Slumber takes Him not, nor sleep. His is what is in the heavens and
what is in the earth. Who is it that intercedes with Him save by His
permission? He knows what is before them and what behind them, and
they comprehend not aught of His knowledge but of what He pleases. His
throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and it tires Him not to
guard them both, for He is high and grand.
There is no compulsion in religion; the right way has been
distinguished from the wrong, and whoso disbelieves in Taghut and
believes in God, he has got hold of the firm handle in which is no
breaking off; but God both hears and knows.
God is the patron of those who believe, He brings them forth from
darkness into light. But those who misbelieve, their patrons are
Taghut, these bring them forth from light to darkness, fellows of the
Fire, they dwell therein for aye.
Do you not look at him who disputed with Abraham about his Lord,
that God had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said, 'My Lord is
He who giveth life and death,' he said, 'I give life and death.'
Abraham said, 'But verily, God brings the sun from the east, do thou
then bring it from the west? And he who misbelieved was dumbfounded,
for God does not guide unjust folk.
Or like him who passed by a village, when it was desolate and turned
over on its roofs, and said, 'How will God revive this after its
death?' And God made him die for a hundred years, then He raised
him, and said, 'How long hast thou tarried?' Said he, 'I have
tarried a day, or some part of a day.' He said, 'Nay, thou hast
tarried a hundred years; look at thy food and drink, they are not
spoiled, and look at thine ass; for we will make thee a sign to men.
And look at the bones how we scatter them and then clothe them with
flesh.' And when it was made manifest to him, he said, 'I know that
God is mighty over all.'
And when Abraham said, 'Lord, show me how thou wilt revive the
dead,' He said, 'What, dost thou not yet believe?' Said he, 'Yea,
but that my heart may be quieted.' He said, 'Then take four birds, and
take them close to thyself; then put a part of them on every mountain;
then call them, and they will come to thee in haste; and know that God
is mighty, wise.'
The likeness of those who expend their wealth in God's way is as the
likeness of a grain that grows to seven ears, in every ear a hundred
grains, for God will double unto whom He pleases; for God both
embraces and knows.
Those who expend their wealth in God's way, then do not follow up
what they expend by taunting with it and by annoyance, these have
their hire with their Lord, and no fear is on them, neither shall they
grieve.
Kind speech and pardon are better than almsgiving followed by
annoyance, and God is rich and clement.
O ye who believe! make not your almsgiving vain by taunts and
annoyance, like him who expends what he has for the sake of
appearances before men, and believes not in God and the last day;
for his likeness is as the likeness of a flint with soil upon it,
and a heavy shower falls on it and leaves it bare rock; they can do
nought with what they earn, for God guides not the misbelieving folk.
But the likeness of those who expend their wealth craving the
goodwill of God, and as an insurance for their souls, is as the
likeness of a garden on a hill. A heavy shower falls on it, and it
brings forth its eatables twofold; and if no heavy shower falls on it,
the dew does; and God on what ye do doth look.
Would one of you fain have a garden of palms and vines, with
rivers flowing beneath it, in which is every fruit; and when old age
shall reach him, have weak seed, and there fall on it a storm wind
with fire therein, and it gets burnt?
Thus does God manifest to you His signs, mayhap ye will reflect.
O ye who believe! expend in alms of the good things that ye have
earned, and of what we have brought forth for you out of the earth,
and do not take the vile thereof to spend in alms, what you would not
take yourselves save by connivance at it; but know that God is rich
and to be praised.
The devil promises you poverty and bids you sin, but God promises
you pardon from Him and grace, for God both embraces and knows. He
bringeth wisdom unto whom He will, and he who is brought wisdom is
brought much good; but none will remember save those endowed with
minds.
Whatever expense ye expend, or vow ye vow, God knows it; but the
unjust have no helpers. If ye display your almsgiving, then well is
it; but if ye hide it and bring it to the poor, then is it better
for you, and will expiate for you your evil deeds; for God of what
ye do is well aware.
Thou art not bound to guide them; but God guides whom He will; and
whatever good ye expend it is for yourselves, and do not expend save
craving for God's face.
And what ye expend of good, it shall be repaid you, and ye shall not
be wronged, unto the poor who are straitened in God's way, and cannot
knock about in the earth. The ignorant think them to be rich because
of their modesty; you will know them by their mark, they do not beg
from men importunately; but what ye spend of good God knows.
Those who expend their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly,
they shall have their hire with their Lord. No fear shall come on
them, nor shall they grieve.
Those who devour usury shall not rise again, save as he riseth
whom Satan hath paralysed with a touch; and that is because they say
'selling is only like usury,' but God has made selling lawful and
usury unlawful; and he to whom the admonition from his Lord has
come, if he desists, what has gone before is his: his matter is in
God's hands. But whosoever returns (to usury) these are the fellows of
the Fire, and they shall dwell therein for aye. God shall blot out
usury, but shall make almsgiving profitable, for God loves not any
sinful misbeliever.
Verily, those who believe, and act righteously, and are steadfast in
prayer, and give alms, theirs is their hire with their Lord; there
is no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.
O ye who believe! fear God, and remit the balance of usury, if ye be
believers; and if ye will not do it, then hearken to the
proclamation of war from God and His Apostle; but if ye repent, your
capital is yours. Ye shall not wrong, nor shall ye be wronged.
And if it be one in difficulties, then wait for easy
circumstances; but that ye remit it as alms is better for you, if ye
did but know.
Fear the day wherein ye shall return to God; then shall each soul be
paid what it has earned, and they shall not be wronged.
O ye who believe! if ye engage to one another in a debt for a stated
time, then write it down, and let a scribe write it down between you
faithfully; nor let a scribe refuse to write as God taught him, but
let him write, and let him who owes dictate; but let him fear God
his Lord, and not diminish therefrom aught; but if he who owes be a
fool, or weak, or cannot dictate himself, then let his agent dictate
faithfully, and let them call two witnesses out from amongst their
men; or if there be not two men, then a man and two women, from
those whom he chooses for witnesses, so that if one of the two
should err, the second of the two may remind the other; and let not
the witnesses refuse when they are summoned; and let them not tire
of writing it, be it small or great, with its time of payment. That is
more just in the sight of God, and more upright for testimony, and
brings you nearer to not doubting. Unless, indeed, it be a ready money
transaction between you, which ye arrange between yourselves, then
it is no crime against you that ye do not write it down; but bring
witnesses to what ye sell one to another, and let not either scribe or
witness come to harm, for if ye do it will be abomination in you;
but fear God, for God teaches you, and God knows all things. But if ye
be upon a journey, and ye cannot find a scribe, then let a pledge be
taken. But if one of you trust another, then let him who is trusted
surrender his trust, and let him fear God his Lord, and conceal not
testimony, for he who conceals it, verily, sinful is his heart: God
knows what ye do.
God's is what is in heaven and in the earth, and if ye show what
is in your souls, or hide it, God will call you to account; and He
forgives whom He will, and punishes whom He will, for God is mighty
over all.
The Apostle believes in what is sent down to him from his Lord,
and the believers all believe on God, and His angels, and His Books,
and His apostles, we make no difference between any of His apostles,
they say, 'We hear and obey, Thy pardon, O Lord! for to Thee our
journey tends. God will not require of the soul save its capacity.
It shall have what it has earned, and it shall owe what has been
earned from it. Lord, catch us not up, if we forget or make mistake;
Lord, load us not with a burden, as Thou hast loaded those who were
before us. Lord, make us not to carry what we have not strength for,
but forgive us, and pardon us, and have mercy on us. Thou art our
Sovereign, then help us against the people who do not believe!'
THE CHAPTER OF IMRAN'S FAMILY
(III. Medina.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
ALIF LAM MIM. God, there is no god but He, the living, the
self subsistent. He has sent down to thee the Book, in truth,
confirming what was before it, and has revealed the law, and the
gospel before for the guidance of men, and has revealed the
Discrimination.
Verily, those who disbelieve in the signs of God, for them is severe
torment, for God is mighty and avenging.
Verily, God, there is nothing hidden from Him in the earth, nor in
the heaven; He it is who fashions you in the womb as He pleases. There
is no God but He, the mighty, the wise.
He it is who has revealed to thee the Book, of which there are
some verses that are decisive, they are the mother of the Book; and
others ambiguous; but as for those in whose hearts is perversity, they
follow what is ambiguous, and do crave for sedition, craving for
(their own) interpretation of it; but none know the interpretation
of it except God. But those who are well grounded in knowledge say,
'We believe in it; it is all from our Lord; but none will remember
save those who possess minds.
'O Lord! pervert not our hearts again when Thou hast guided them,
and grant us mercy from Thee, for Thou art He who grants. O Lord! Thou
shalt gather together men unto the day wherein is no doubt. Verily,
God will not depart from His promise.'
Verily, those who misbelieve, their wealth shall not help them,
nor their children, against God at all; and they it is who are the
fuel of the fire.
As was the wont of Pharaoh's people, and those before them, they
said our signs were lies, and God caught them up in their sins, for
God is severe to punish.
Say to those who misbelieve, 'Ye shall be overcome and driven
together to hell, an ill couch will it be.
'Ye have had a sign in the two parties who met; one party fighting
in the way of God, the other misbelieving; these saw twice the same
number as themselves to the eye sight, for God aids with His help
those whom He pleases.' Verily, in that is a lesson for those who have
perception. Seemly unto men is a life of lusts, of women, and
children, and hoarded talents of gold and silver, and of horses
well bred, and cattle, and tilth; that is the provision for the
life of this world; but God, with Him is the best resort.
Say, 'But shall we tell you of a better thing than this?' For
those who fear are gardens with their Lord, beneath which rivers flow;
they shall dwell therein for aye, and pure wives and grace from God;
the Lord looks on His servants, who say, 'Lord, we believe, pardon
Thou our sins and keep us from the torment of the fire,' the
patient, the truthful, the devout, and those who ask for pardon at the
dawn.
God bears witness that there is no god but He, and the angels, and
those possessed of knowledge standing up for justice. There is no
God but He, the mighty, the wise.
Verily, (the true) religion in God's sight is Islam, and those to
whom the Book was given disagreed not until after that there was given
to them knowledge, through mutual envy. But whoso disbelieves in God's
signs, truly God is quick at reckoning up.
And if they would dispute with thee, then say, 'I turn my face
with resignation unto God, and whoso follows me.'
And say to those who have been given the Book, unto the Gentiles,
'Are ye, too, resigned' and if they are resigned, then are they
guided. But if they turn their backs, then thou hast only to preach,
and God looks on his servants.
Verily, those who disbelieve in God's signs, and kill the prophets
without right, and kill those from among men, who bid what is just,
to them give the glad tidings of grievous woe! These are they whose
works are void in this world and the next, and helpers have they none.
Did ye not see those who have been given a portion of the Book? they
were called unto the Book of God to decide between them; and then a
sect of them turned their backs and turned away; that is because they
say the fire shall not touch us save for a certain number of days. But
that deceived them in their religion which they had invented. How will
it be when we have gathered them together for a day whereof there is
no doubt, when each soul shall be paid what it has earned, and they
shall not be wronged?
Say, 'O God, Lord of the kingdom! Thou givest the kingdom to
whomsoever Thou pleasest, and strippest the kingdom from whomsoever
Thou pleasest; Thou honourest whom Thou pleasest, and abasest whom
Thou pleasest; in Thy hand is good. Verily, Thou art mighty over
all. Thou dost turn night to day, and dost turn day to night, and dost
bring forth the living from the dead, and dost provide for whom Thou
pleasest without taking count.'
Those who believe shall not take misbelievers for their patrons,
rather than believers, and he who does this has no part with God at
all, unless, indeed, ye fear some danger from them. But God bids you
beware of Himself, for unto Him your journey is.
Say, 'If ye hide that which is in your breasts, or if ye show it,
God knows it: He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the
earth, for God is mighty over all.'
The day that every soul shall find what it has done of good
present before it; and what it has done of evil, it would fain that
there were between itself and that a wide interval. 'God bids you
beware of Himself, but God is gentle with His servants.'
Say, 'If ye would love God then follow me, and God will love you and
forgive you your sins, for God is forgiving and merciful.'
Say, 'Obey God and the Apostle; but if ye turn your backs God
loves not misbelievers.'
Verily, God has chosen Adam, and Noah, and Abraham's people, and
Imran's people above the world, a seed, of which one succeeds the
other, but God both hears and knows.
When Imran's wife said, 'Lord! I have vowed to Thee what is within
my womb, to be dedicated unto Thee, receive it then from me. Verily,
Thou dost hear and know.' And when she brought it forth she said,
'Verily, I have brought it forth a female' but God knew best what she
brought forth; and a male is not like a female 'I have called her
Mary, and I seek a refuge in Thee for her and for her seed from
Satan the pelted.'
And her Lord received her with a good reception, and made her grow
up with a good growth, and Zachariah took care of her. Whenever
Zachariah entered the chamber to her he found beside her a
provision, and said, 'O Mary, how hast thou this?' She said, 'It is
from God, for God provides for whom He pleases without count.'
Therefore prayed Zachariah to his Lord, and said, 'Lord, grant me from
Thee a good seed. Verily, Thou hearest prayer.' And an angel cried out
to him as he was standing praying in the chamber (and said) that
'God gives thee the glad tidings of John, to confirm the Word from
God, of a chief and a chaste one, and a prophet from amongst the
righteous.'
He said, 'My Lord, how can there be to me a boy when old age has
reached me, and my wife is barren?' Said he, 'Thus God does what He
pleaseth.' He said, 'My Lord, make for me a sign.' He said, 'Thy
sign is that thou shalt not speak to men for three days, save by
gesture; but remember thy Lord much, and celebrate His praises in
the evening and the morning.'
And when the angels said, 'O Mary! verily, God has chosen thee,
and has purified thee, and has chosen thee above the women of the
world. O Mary! be devout unto thy Lord, and adore and bow down with
those who bow. That is (one) of the declarations of the unseen world
which we reveal to thee, though thou wert not by them when they
threw their lots which of them should take care of Mary, nor were ye
by them when they did dispute.'
When the angel said, 'O Mary! verily, God gives thee the glad
tidings of a Word from Him; his name shall be the Messiah Jesus the
son of Mary, regarded in this world and the next and of those whose
place is nigh to God. And he shall speak to people in his cradle,
and when grown up, and shall be among the righteous.' She said, 'Lord!
how can have a son, when man has not yet touched me?' He said, 'Thus
God creates what He pleaseth. When He decrees a matter He only says BE
and it is; and He will teach him the Book, and wisdom, and the law,
and the gospel, and he shall be a prophet to the people of Israel
(saying), that I have come to you, with a sign from God, namely,
that I will create for you out of clay as though it were the form of a
bird, and I will blow thereon and it shall become a bird by God's
permission; and I will heal the blind from birth, and lepers; and I
will bring the dead to life by God's permission; and I will tell you
what you eat and what ye store up in your houses. Verily, in that is a
sign for you if ye be believers. And I will confirm what is before you
of the law, and will surely make lawful for you some of that which was
prohibited from you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so
fear God and follow me, for God is my Lord, and your Lord, so
worship Him: this is the right path.'
And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, He said, 'Who are my
helpers for God?' Said the apostles, 'We are God's helpers. We believe
in God, so bear witness that we are resigned. Lord, we have believed
in what Thou hast revealed, and we have followed the Apostle, so write
us down with those which bear witness.' But they (the Jews) were
crafty, and God was crafty, for God is the best of crafty ones!
When God said, 'O Jesus! I will make Thee die and take Thee up again
to me and will clear thee of those who misbelieve, and will make those
who follow thee above those who misbelieve, at the day of judgment,
then to me is your return. I will decide between you concerning that
wherein ye disagree. And as for those who misbelieve, I will punish
them with grievous punishment in this world and the next, and they
shall have none to help them.' But as for those who believe and do
what is right, He will pay them their reward, for God loves not the
unjust.
That is what we recite to thee of the signs and of the wise
reminder. Verily the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness
of Adam. He created him from earth, then He said to him BE, and he
was; the truth from thy Lord, so be thou not of those who are in
doubt. And whoso disputeth with thee after what has come to thee of
knowledge, say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, and our
women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves: then we will
imprecate and put God's curse on those who lie.'
Verily, those are the true stories, and there is no god but God,
and, verily, God He is the mighty, the wise; but if they turn back,
God knows the evildoers.
Say, 'O ye people of the Book, come to a word laid down plainly
between us and you, that we will not serve other than God, nor
associate aught with him, nor take each other for lords rather than
God.' But if they turn back then say, 'Bear witness that we are
resigned.'
O people of the Book, why do ye dispute about Abraham, when the
law and the gospel were not revealed until after him? What! do ye
not understand? Here ye are, disputing about what ye have some
knowledge of; why then do ye dispute about what ye have no knowledge
of? God knows and ye know not.
Abraham was not a Jew, nor yet a Christian, but he was a 'Hanif
resigned, and not of the idolaters. Verily, the people most worthy
of Abraham are those who follow him and his prophets, and those who
believe; God is the patron of the believers.
A sect of the people of the Book would fain they could lead you
astray, but they only lead themselves astray, and they do not
perceive.
O people of the Book! why do ye disbelieve in the signs of God,
the while ye witness them? O people of the Book! why do ye clothe
the truth with falsehood and hide the truth the while ye know? A
sect of the people of the Book say, 'Believe in what was revealed to
those who believed at the first appearance of the day, and
disbelieve it at the end thereof,' that (others) may perchance go
back (from their faith) 'do not believe save one who followeth your
religion.'
Say, 'Verily, the (true) guidance is the guidance of God, that one
should be given like what ye are given.' Or would they dispute with
you before your Lord, say, 'Grace is in the hand of God, He gives it
to whom he pleases, for God both comprehends and knows. He specially
favours with his mercy whom he pleases, for God is Lord of mighty
grace.
And of the people of the Book, there are some of them who, if thou
entrust them with a talent give it back to you; and some of them, if
thou entrust them with a dinar, he will not give it back to thee
except so long as thou dost stand over him. That is because they
say, We owe no duty to the Gentiles;' but they tell a lie against God,
the while they know.
Yea, whoso fulfils his covenant and fears, verily, God loves
those who fear. Those who sell God's covenant and their oaths for a
little price, these have no portion in the future life. God will not
speak to them, and will not look upon them on the resurrection day,
and will not purify them; but for them is grievous woe.
And, verily, amongst them is a sect who twist their tongues
concerning the Book, that ye may reckon it to be from the Book, but it
is not from the Book. They say, 'It is from God, 'but it is not from
God, and they tell a lie against God, the while they know.
It is not right for a man that God should give him a Book, and
judgment, and prophecy, and that then he should say to men, 'Be ye
servants of mine rather than of God;' but be ye rather masters of
teaching the Book and of what ye learn.
He does not bid you take the angels and the prophets for your lords;
shall He bid you misbelieve again when you are once resigned?
And when God took the compact from the prophets '(this is) surely
what we have given you of the Book and wisdom. Then shall come to
you the Apostle confirming what is with you. Ye must believe in him
and help him.' He said, moreover, 'Are ye resolved and have ye taken
my compact on that (condition) They say, 'We are resolved.' He said,
'Then bear witness, for I am witness with you; but he who turns back
after that, these are sinners.'
What is it other than God's religion that they crave? when to Him is
resigned whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, will he or nill
he, and to him shall they return!
Say, 'We believe in God, and what has been revealed to thee, and
what was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and
the tribes, and what was given to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets
from their Lord, we will make no distinction between any of them,
and we are unto Him resigned. Whosoever craves other than Islam for
a religion, it shall surely not be accepted from him, and he shall, in
the next world, be of those who lose.'
How shall God guide people who have disbelieved after believing
and bearing witness that the Apostle is true, and after there come
to them manifest signs? God guides the unjust folk.
These, their reward is, that on them is the curse of God, and of the
angels, and of men together; they shall dwell therein for aye the
torment shall not be alleviated from them, nor shall they be respited;
save those who repent after that, and act aright, for verily, God is
forgiving and merciful.
Verily, those who misbelieve after believing, and then increase in
misbelief, their repentance shall not be accepted; these are those who
err.
Verily, those who misbelieve and die in misbelief, there shall not
be accepted from any one of them the earth full of gold, though he
should give it as a ransom. For them is grievous woe, and helpers have
they none.
Ye cannot attain to righteousness until ye expend in alms of what ye
love. But what ye expend in alms, that God knows.
All food was lawful to the children of Israel save what Israel
made unlawful to himself before that the law was revealed. Say, 'Bring
the law and recite it, if ye speak the truth.' But whoso forges
against God a lie, after that, they are the unjust. Say, 'God speaks
the truth, then follow the faith of Abraham, a 'hanif, who was not
of the idolaters.'
Verily, the first House founded for men was surely that at Bekkah,
for a blessing and a guidance to the worlds. Therein are manifest
signs, Abraham's station, and whosoever enters in is safe. There is
due to God from man a pilgrimage unto the House, for whosoever can
find his way there. But whoso misbelieves God is independent of the
worlds.
Say, 'O people of the Book! why do ye misbelieve in God's signs,
while God is witness of what ye do?'
Say, 'O people of the Book! why do ye turn from the way of God him
who believes, craving to make it crooked, while ye are witnesses?
But God is not careless of what ye do.'
O ye who believe! if ye obey the sect of those to whom the Book
was brought, they will turn you, after your faith, to unbelievers
again. How can ye misbelieve while unto you are recited the signs of
God, and among you is His Apostle? But whoso takes tight hold on
God, he is guided into the right way.
O ye who believe! fear God with the fear that He deserves, and die
not save ye be resigned.
Take tight hold of God's rope altogether, and do not part in
sects; but remember the favours of God towards you, when ye were
enemies and He made friendship between your hearts, and on the
morrow ye were, by His favour, brothers. Ye were on the edge of a
pit of fire, but he rescued you therefrom. Thus does God show to you
His signs, perchance ye may be guided; and that there may be of you
a nation who shall invite to good, and bid what is reasonable, and
forbid what is wrong; these are the prosperous.
Be not like those who parted in sects and disagreed after there came
to them manifest signs; for them is mighty woe, on the day when
faces shall be whitened and faces shall be blackened. As for those
whose faces are blackened, 'Did ye misbelieve after your faith,
then taste the torment for your misbelief But as for those whose faces
are whitened, they are in God's mercy, and they shall dwell therein
for aye.
These are the signs of God. We recite them to you in truth, for
God desires not wrong unto the worlds.
God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and unto
God affairs return.
Ye were the best of nations brought forth unto man. Ye bid what is
reasonable, and forbid what is wrong, believing in God. Had the people
of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. There are
believers among them, though most of them are sinners.
They shall surely not harm you save a hurt; and if they fight you,
they shall show you their backs, then they shall not be helped.
They are smitten with abasement wherever they be found, save for the
rope of God and the rope of man; and they draw on themselves wrath
from God. They are smitten, too, with poverty; that is because they
did disbelieve in God's signs, and kill the prophets undeservedly.
That is because they did rebel and did transgress.
They are not all alike. Of the people of the Book there is a
nation upright, reciting God's signs throughout the night, as they
adore the while. They believe in God, and in the last day, and bid
what is reasonable, and forbid what is wrong, and vie in charity;
these are among the righteous.
What ye do of good surely God will not deny, for God knows those who
fear.
Verily, those who misbelieve, their wealth is of no service to them,
nor their children either, against God; they are the fellows of the
Fire, and they shall dwell therein for aye.
The likeness of what they expend in this life of the world, is as
the likeness of wind wherein is a cold blast that falls upon a
people's tilth who have wronged themselves and destroys it. It is
not God who wrongs them, but it is themselves they wrong.
O ye who believe! take not to intimacy with others than
yourselves; they will not fail to spoil you; they would fain ye came
to trouble, hatred is shown by their mouths; but what their breasts
conceal is greater still. We have made manifest to you our signs,
did ye but understand.
Ye it is who love them, but they love not you; and ye believe in the
Book, all of it. But when they meet you they say, 'We believe;' and
when they go aside they bite their finger tips at you through rage.
Say, 'Die in your rage, for God doth know the nature of men's
breasts.'
If good luck touch you it is bad for them, but if bad luck befal you
they rejoice therein; yet if ye are patient and fear, their tricks
shall not harm you, for what they do God comprehends.
When thou didst set forth early from thy people to settle for the
believers a camp to fight; but God both hears and knows; when two
companies of you were on the point of showing cowardice; but God was
their guardian, for on God surely the believers do rely. Why! God gave
you victory at Bedr when ye were in a poor way; fear God, then,
haply ye may give thanks. When thou didst say unto the believers,
'Is it not enough for you that your Lord assists you with three
thousand of the angels sent down from on high? Yea, if ye are
patient and fear God, and they come upon you on a sudden, now, your
Lord will assist you with five thousand of His angels, (angels) of
mark. God only made this as glad tidings for you to comfort your
hearts withal, for victory is but from God, the mighty, the wise; to
cut off the flank of those who misbelieve, or make them downcast, that
they may retire disappointed.'
Thou hast nothing to do with the affair at all, whether He turn
towards them again or punish them; for, verily, they are unjust.
God's is what is in the heavens and in the earth. He forgives whom
He pleases, and punishes whom He pleases; for God is forgiving and
merciful.
O ye who believe! devour not usury doubly doubled, but fear God,
perchance ye may be prosperous; fear the fire which is prepared for
the unbelievers, and obey God and His Apostle, perchance ye may get
mercy. And vie with one another for pardon from your Lord, and for
Paradise, the breadth of which is as the heaven and the earth,
prepared for those who fear; for those who expend in alms, in
prosperity and adversity, for those who repress their rage, and
those who pardon men; God loves the kind. Those who when they do a
crime, or wrong themselves, remember God, and ask forgiveness for
their sins, and who forgives sins save God? and do not persevere
in what they did, the while they know; these have their reward:
pardon from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow,
dwelling therein for aye; for pleasant is the hire of those who act
like this.
Incidents have passed before your time, go on then in the earth, and
see what was the end of those who called (the prophets) liars.
This is an explanation unto men, and a guidance and a warning unto
those who fear. Do not give way nor grieve, for ye shall have the
upper hand if ye but be believers.
If a sore touch you, a sore like it has touched people: these are
days which we make to alternate amongst mankind that God may know
who it is that believe, and may take from you witnesses, for God loves
not the unjust; and that God may assay those who believe, and blot out
the misbelievers. Do ye think that ye can enter Paradise and God not
know those of you who have fought well, or know the patient? Why, ye
longed for death before ye met it! Now ye have looked upon it and ye
halt!
Mohammed is but an apostle; apostles have passed away before his
time; what if he die or is killed, will ye retreat upon your heels? He
who retreats upon his heels does no harm to God at all; but God will
recompense the thankful. It is not for any soul to die, save by
God's permission written down for an appointed time; but he who wishes
for the reward of this world we will give him of it, and he who wishes
for the reward of the future we will give him of it, and we will
recompense the grateful.
How many prophets have myriads fought against! yet they did not give
way at what befel them in God's way Nor were they weak, nor did they
demean themselves: God loves the patient. And their word was only
to say, 'Lord, forgive us our sins and our extravagance in our
affairs; and make firm our footing, and help us against the
misbelieving folk!' and God gave them the reward of this world, and
good reward for the future too, for God doth love the kind.
O ye who believe! if ye obey those who misbelieve, they will turn
you back upon your heels, and ye will retreat the losers. Nay, God
is your Lord, He is the best of helpers. We will throw dread into
the hearts of those who misbelieve, for that they associate that
with God which He has sent down no power for; but their resort is
fire, and evil is the resort of the unjust.
God has truly kept His promise, when ye knocked them senseless by
His permission, until ye showed cowardice, and wrangled, and rebelled,
after he had shown you what ye loved. Amongst you are those who love
this world, and amongst you are those who love the next. Then He
turned you away from them to try you; but He has pardoned you, for God
is Lord of grace unto believers, when ye went up and looked not round
upon any one, although the Apostle was calling you from your rear.
Therefore did God reward you with trouble on trouble that ye should
not grieve after what ye had missed, nor for what befel you, for God
is well aware of what ye do. Then He sent down upon you after
trouble safety, drowsiness creeping over one company of you, and
one company of you getting anxious about themselves, suspecting
about God other than the truth, with the suspicion of the ignorant,
and saying, 'Have we any chance in the affair?' Say, 'Verily, the
affair is God's.' They conceal in themselves what they will not show
to thee, and say, 'If we had any chance in the affair we should not be
killed here.' Say, 'If ye were in your houses, surely those against
whom slaughter was written down, would have gone forth to fight even
to where they are lying now; that God may try what is in your
breasts and assay what is in your hearts, for God doth know the nature
of men's breasts.'
Verily, those of you who turned your backs on that day when the
two armies met, it was but Satan who made them slip for something they
had earned. But God has now pardoned them; verily, God is forgiving
and clement.
O ye who believe! be not like those who misbelieve, and say unto
their brethren when they knock about in the earth, or are upon a raid,
'Had they but been at home, they had not died and had not been
killed.' It was that God might make a sighing in their hearts, for God
gives life and death; and God on what ye do doth look.
And if, indeed, ye be killed in God's way or die, surely forgiveness
from God and mercy is better than what ye gather; and if ye die or
be killed it is to God ye shall be assembled. It was by a sort of
mercy from God thou didst deal gently with them, for hadst thou been
rough and rude of heart they had dispersed from around thee. But
pardon them, and ask forgiveness for them, and take counsel with
them in the affair. As for what thou hast resolved, rely upon God;
verily, God loves those who do rely. If God help you, there is none
can overcome you; but if He leave you in the lurch, who is there can
help you after Him? Upon God then let believers rely.
It is not for the prophet to cheat; and he who cheats shall bring
what he has cheated on the resurrection day. Then shall each soul be
paid what it has earned, and they shall not be wronged. Is he who
follows the pleasure of God, like him who has drawn on himself anger
from God, whose resort is hell? An evil journey shall it be! These are
degrees with God, and God sees what ye do.
God was surely very gracious to the believers, when He sent
amongst them an apostle from themselves, to recite to them His
signs, and purify them, and teach them the Book and wisdom, although
they surely were before his time in manifest error. Or when an
accident befals you, and ye have fallen on twice as much, ye say, 'How
is this?' Say, 'It is from yourselves. Verily, God is mighty over
all.'
And what befel you the day when the two armies met, it was by
God's permission; that He might know the believers, and might know
those who behaved hypocritically; for it was said to them, 'Come,
fight in God's way,' or 'repel (the foe);' they said, 'If we knew
how to fight we would surely follow you.' They were that day far
nigher unto misbelief than they were to faith. They say with their
mouths what is not in their hearts, but God doth know best what they
hid. Those who said of their brethren, whilst they themselves stayed
at home, 'Had they obeyed us they would not have been killed.' Say,
'Ward off from yourselves death, if ye do speak the truth.'
Count not those who are killed in the way of God as dead, but living
with their Lord; provided for, rejoicing in what God has brought them
of His grace, and being glad for those who have not reached them yet,
those left behind them; there is no fear for them, and they shall
not be grieved; glad at favour from God and grace, and that God
wasteth not the hire of the believers. Whoso answered to the call of
God and of His prophet after sorrow had befallen them, for those, if
they do good and fear God, is a mighty hire. To whom when men said,
'Verily, men have gathered round you, fear then them,' it only
increased their faith, and they said, 'God is enough for us, a good
guardian is He.' Then they retired in favour from God and grace; no
evil touched them; they followed the pleasure of God, and God is
Lord of mighty grace.
It is only that Satan who frightens his friends. Do not ye fear
them, but fear me, if ye be believers.
Let them not grieve thee who vie with each other in misbelief
Verily, they cannot hurt God at all. God wills not to make for them
a portion in the future life; but for them is mighty woe.
Verily, those who purchase misbelief for faith, they do not hurt God
at all, and for them is grievous woe.
Let not those who misbelieve reckon that our letting them range is
good for themselves. We only let them have their range that they may
increase in sin. And for them is shameful woe. God would not leave
believers in the state which ye are in, until He discerns the vile
from the good. And God would not inform you of the unseen, but God
chooses of His apostles whom He pleases. Wherefore believe ye in God
and His Apostle; and if ye believe and fear, for you is mighty hire.
And let not those who are niggard of what God has given them of
His grace, count that it is best for them; nay, it is worse for them.
What they have been niggard of shall be a collar round their necks
upon the resurrection day. And God's is the heritage of the heavens
and the earth, and God of what ye do is well aware.
God heard the speech of those who said, 'Verily, God is poor and
we are rich.' We will write down what they said, and how they killed
the prophets undeservedly, and say, 'Taste ye the torment of burning;'
this shall they suffer for what their hands have sent on before; for,
verily, God is no unjust one to His servants, who say, 'Verily, God
has covenanted with us that we should not believe in an apostle
until he gives us a sacrifice which fire devours.'
Say, 'There have come to you apostles before me with manifest signs,
and with what ye talk about; why then did ye kill them, if ye speak
the truth?
And if they did call thee a liar, apostles before thee have been
called liars too, who came with manifest signs, and with scriptures,
and with the illuminating Book.
Every soul must taste of death; and ye shall only be paid your
hire upon the resurrection day. But he who is forced away from the
fire and brought into Paradise is indeed happy; but the life of this
world is but a possession of deceit. Ye shall surely be tried in
your wealth, and in your persons, and ye shall surely hear from
those who have had the Book brought them before you, and from those
who associate others with God, much harm. But if ye be patient and
fear, verily, that is one of the determined affairs.
When God took the compact from those who have had the Book brought
them that 'Ye shall of a surety manifest it unto men, and not hide
it,' they cast it behind their backs, and bought therewith a little
price, but evil is what they buy.
Count not that those who rejoice in what they have produced, and
love to be praised for what they have not done, think not that they
are in safety from woe, for them is grievous woe!
God's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and God is mighty
over all.
Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the
succession of night and day, are signs to those possessed of minds;
who remember God standing and sitting or lying on their sides, and
reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth. 'O Lord! thou
hast not created this in vain. We celebrate Thy praise; then keep us
from the torment of the fire! Lord! verily, whomsoever Thou hast
made to enter the fire, Thou hast disgraced him; and the unjust
shall have none to help them.
'Lord! verily, we heard a crier calling to the faith, "Believe in
your Lord," and we did believe. Lord! forgive us our sins and cover
our offences, and let us die with the righteous. Lord! and bring us
what Thou hast promised us by Thy apostles, and disgrace us not upon
the resurrection day; for, verily, Thou dost not break Thy
promises!' And the Lord shall answer them, 'I waste not the works of a
worker amongst you, be it male or female, one of you is from the
other.
'Those who fled, and were turned out of their houses, and were
harmed in my way, and who fought and were killed, I will cover their
offences, and I will make them enter into gardens beneath which rivers
flow.' A reward from God; for God, with Him are the best of rewards.
Let it not deceive you that those who misbelieve go to and fro in
the earth. It is a slight possession, and then their resort is Hell;
an evil couch shall it be. But those who fear their Lord, for them are
gardens beneath which rivers flow, and they shall dwell therein for
aye, an entertainment from God; and that which is with God is best
for the righteous.
Verily, of the people of the Book are some who do believe in God,
and in what has been revealed to you, and what was revealed to them,
humbling themselves before God, and selling not the signs of God for a
little price. These shall have their reward with their Lord; verily,
God is quick at reckoning up.
O ye who believe! be patient and vie in being patient, and be on the
alert, and fear God, that haply ye may prosper.
THE CHAPTER OF WOMEN
(IV. Medinah.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
O ye folk! fear your Lord, who created you from one soul, and
created therefrom its mate, and diffused from them twain many men
and women. And fear God, in whose name ye beg of one another, and
the wombs; verily, God over you doth watch.
And give unto the orphans their property, and give them not the vile
in exchange for the good, and devour not their property to your own
property; verily, that were a great sin. But if ye fear that ye cannot
do justice between orphans, then marry what seems good to you of
women, by twos, or threes, or fours; and if ye fear that ye cannot
be equitable, then only one, or what your right hands possess. That
keeps you nearer to not being partial.
And give women their dowries freely; and if they are good enough
to remit any of it of themselves, then devour it with good digestion
and appetite.
But do not give up to fools their property which God has made you to
stand by; but maintain them from it, and clothe them, and speak to
them with a reasonable speech. Prove orphans until they reach a
marriageable age, and if ye perceive in them right management, then
hand over to them their property, and do not devour it extravagantly
in anticipation of their growing up. And he who is rich, let him
abstain; but he who is poor, let him devour in reason, and when ye
hand over to them their property, then take witnesses against them;
but God sufficeth for taking account.
Men should have a portion of what their parents and kindred leave,
and women should have a portion of what their parents and kindred
leave, whether it be little or much, a determined portion. And when
the next of kin and the orphans and the poor are present at the
division, then maintain them out of it, and speak to them a reasonable
speech And let these fear lest they leave behind them a weak seed, for
whom they would be afraid; and let them fear God, and speak a
straightforward speech. Verily, those who devour the property of
orphans unjustly, only devour into their bellies fire, and they
shall broil in flames.
God instructs you concerning your children; for a male the like of
the portion of two females, and if there be women above two, then
let them have two thirds of what (the deceased) leaves; and if there
be but one, then let her have a half; and as to the parents, to each
of them a sixth of what he leaves, if he has a son; but if he have
no son, and his parents inherit, then let his mother have a third, and
if he have brethren, let his mother have a sixth after payment of
the bequest he bequeaths and of his debt.
Your parents or your children, ye know not which of them is
nearest to you in usefulness: an ordinance this from God; verily, God
is knowing and wise! And ye shall have half of what your wives
leave, if they have no son; but if they have a son, then ye shall have
a fourth of what they leave, after payment of the bequests they
bequeath or of their debts. And they shall have a fourth of what ye
leave, if ye have no son; but if ye have a son, then let them have
an eighth of what ye leave, after payment of the bequest ye bequeath
and of your debts.
And if the man's or the woman's (property) be inherited by a kinsman
who is neither parent nor child, and he have a brother or sister, then
let each of these two have a sixth; but if they are more than that,
let them share in a third after payment of the bequest he bequeaths
and of his debts, without predjudice, an ordinance this from God, and
God is knowing and clement!
These be God's bounds, and whoso obeys God and the Apostle He will
make him enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and they
shall dwell therein for aye; that is the mighty happiness.
But whoso rebels against God and His Apostle, and transgresses His
bounds, He will make him enter into fire, and dwell therein for aye;
and for him is shameful woe.
Against those of your women who commit adultery, call witnesses four
in number from among yourselves; and if these bear witness, then
keep the women in houses until death release them, or God shall make
for them a way.
And if two of you commit it, then hurt them both; but if they turn
again and amend, leave them alone, verily, God is easily turned,
compassionate.
God is only bound to turn again towards those who do evil through
ignorance and then turn again. Surely, these will God turn again to,
for God is knowing, wise. His turning again is not for those who do
evil, until, when death comes before one of them, he says, 'Now I turn
again;' nor yet for those who die in misbelief. For such as these have
we prepared a grievous woe.
O ye who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women's
estates against their will; nor to hinder them, that ye may go off
with part of what ye brought them, unless they commit fornication
manifestly; but associate with them in reason, for if ye are averse
from them, it may be that ye are averse from something wherein God has
put much good for you.
But if ye wish to exchange one wife for another, and have given
one of them a talent, then take not from it anything. What! would
you take it for a calumny and a manifest crime?
How can ye take it when one of you has gone in unto the other, and
they have taken from you a rigid compact?
And do not marry women your fathers married, except bygones, for
it is abominable and hateful, and an evil way; unlawful for you are
your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your
paternal aunts and maternal aunts, and your brother's daughters, and
your sister's daughters, and your foster mothers, and your foster
sisters, and your wives' mothers, and your step daughters who are your
wards, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in; but if ye have
not gone in unto them, then it is no crime in you; and the lawful
spouses of your sons from your own loins, and that ye form a connexion
between two sisters, except bygones, verily, God is forgiving,
merciful; and married women, save such as your right hands possess,
God's Book against you! but lawful for you is all besides this, for
you to seek them with your wealth, marrying them and not
fornicating; but such of them as ye have enjoyed, give them their hire
as a lawful due; for there is no crime in you about what ye agree
between you after such lawful due, verily, God is knowing and wise.
But whosoever of you cannot go the length of marrying marriageable
women who believe, then take of what your right hands possess, of your
maidens who believe; though God knows best about your faith. Ye
come one from the other; then marry them with the permission of
their people, and give them their hire in reason, they being chaste
and not fornicating, and not receivers of paramours.
But when they are married, if they commit fornication, then
inflict upon them half the penalty for married women; that is for
whomsoever of you fears wrong; but that ye should have patience is
better for you, and God is forgiving and merciful.
God wishes to explain to you and to guide you into the ordinances of
those who were before you, and to turn towards you, for God is
knowing, wise. God wishes to turn towards you, but those who follow
their lusts wish that ye should swerve with a mighty swerving! God
wishes to make it light for you, for man was created weak.
O ye who believe! devour not your property amongst yourselves
vainly, unless it be a merchandise by mutual consent. And do not
kill yourselves; verily, God is compassionate unto you.
But whoso does that maliciously and unjustly, we will broil him with
fire; for that is easy with God.
If ye avoid great sins from which ye are forbidden, we will cover
your offences and make you enter with a noble entrance.
And do not covet that by which God has preferred one of you over
another. The men shall have a portion of what they earn, and the women
a portion of what they earn; ask God for His grace, verily, God
knows all.
To every one have we appointed kinsfolk as heirs of what parents and
relatives and those with whom ye have joined right hands leave; so
give them their portion, for, verily, God is over all a witness.
Men stand superior to women in that God hath preferred some of
them over others, and in that they expend of their wealth: and the
virtuous women, devoted, careful (in their husbands) absence, as God
has cared for them. But those whose perverseness ye fear, admonish
them and remove them into bedchambers and beat them; but if they
submit to you, then do not seek a way against them; verily, God is
high and great.
And if ye fear a breach between the two, then send a judge from
his people and a judge from her people. If they wish for
reconciliation, God will arrange between them; verily, God is
knowing and aware.
And serve God, and do not associate aught with Him; and to your
parents show kindness, and to kindred, and orphans, and the poor, and'
the neighbour who is akin, and the neighbour who is a stranger, and
the companion who is strange, and the son of the road, and what your
right hands possess, verily, God loves not him who is proud and
boastful; who are miserly and bid men be miserly too, and who hide
what God has given them of His grace; but we have prepared for the
misbelievers shameful woe.
And those who expend their wealth in alms for appearance sake before
men, and who believe not in God nor in the last day; but whosoever
has Satan for his mate, an evil mate has he.
What harm would it do them if they believed in God and in the last
day, and expended in alms of what God has provided them with? but
God knows about them.
Verily, God would not wrong by the weight of an atom; and if it's
a good work, He will double it and bring from Himself a mighty hire.
How then when we bring from every nation a witness, and bring thee
as a witness against these on the day when those who misbelieve and
rebel against the Apostle would fain that the earth were levelled with
them? but they cannot hide the news from God.
O ye who believe! approach not prayer while ye are drunk, until ye
well know what ye say; nor yet while polluted, unless ye be passing
by the way, until ye have washed yourselves. But if ye are sick, or
on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or if ye have touched
a woman, and ye cannot find water, then use good surface sand and wipe
your faces and your hands therewith; verily, God pardons and forgives.
Do ye not see those who have been given a portion of the Book?
they buy error, and they wish that ye may err from the way! But God
knows best who your enemies are, and God suffices as a patron, and
sufficient is God as a help.
And those who are Jews, and those who pervert the words from their
places, and say, 'We hear but we rebel, and do thou listen without
hearing,' and (who say) 'ra'hina,' distorting it with their tongues
and taunting about religion. But had they said, 'We hear and we
obey, so listen and look upon us,' it would have been better for
them and more upright; but may God curse them in their misbelief, for
they will not believe except a few.
O ye who have been given the Book! believe in what we have revealed,
confirming what ye had before; ere we deface your faces and turn
them into hinder parts, or curse you as we cursed the fellows of the
Sabbath when God's command was done.
Verily, God pardons not associating aught with Him, but He pardons
anything short of that to whomsoever He pleases; but he who associates
aught with God, he hath devised a mighty sin.
Do ye not see those who purify themselves? nay, God purifies whom He
will, and they shall not be wronged a straw.
Behold, how they devise against God a lie, and that is manifest
sin enough.
Do ye not see those to whom a portion of the Book has been given?
They believe in Gibt and Taghut, and they say of those who misbelieve,
'These are better guided in the way than those who believe.' These are
those whom God has cursed, and whom God has cursed no helper shall
he find.
Shall they have a portion of the kingdom? Why even then they would
not give to men a jot.
Do they envy man for what God has given of His grace? We have
given to Abraham's people the Book and wisdom, and we have given
them a mighty kingdom. And of them are some who believe therein, and
of them are some who turn from it, but Hell is flaming enough for
them.
Verily, those who disbelieve in our signs, we will broil them with
fire; whenever their skins are well done, then we will change them for
other skins, that they may taste the torment. Verily, God is
glorious and wise.
But those who believe and do aright, we will make them enter gardens
beneath which rivers flow, and they shall dwell therein for ever and
aye, for them therein are pure wives, and we will make them enter into
a shady shade. Verily, God bids you pay your trusts to their owners,
and when ye judge between men to judge with justice. Verily, God,
excellent is what He admonishes you with; verily, God both hears and
sees.
O ye who believe! obey God, and obey the Apostle and those in
authority amongst you; and if ye quarrel about anything, refer to
God and the Apostle, if ye believe in God and the last day; that is
better and fairer as a settlement.
Do ye not see those who pretend that they believe in what has been
revealed to them, and what was revealed before thee; they wish to
refer their judgment to Taghut, but they are bidden to disbelieve
therein, and Satan wishes to lead them into a remote error. And when
it is said to them, 'Come round to what God has sent down and unto the
Apostle,' thou seest the hypocrites turning from thee, turning away.
How then when there befalls them a mischance through what their
hands have sent on before? then will they come to you, and swear by
God, 'We meant naught but good and concord.' These, God knows what
is in their hearts. Turn thou away from them and admonish them, and
speak to them into their souls with a searching word.
We have never sent an apostle save that he should be obeyed by the
permission of God; and if they, when they have wronged themselves,
come to thee and ask pardon of God, and the Apostle asks pardon for
them, then they will find God easy to be turned, compassionate.
But no! by thy Lord! they will not believe, until they have made
thee judge of what they differ on; then they will not find in
themselves aught to hinder what thou hast decreed, and they will
submit with submission. But had we prescribed for them, 'Kill
yourselves, or go ye forth out of your houses,' they would not have
done it, save only a few of them; but had they done what they are
admonished, then it would have been better for them, and a more firm
assurance.
And then we would surely have brought them from ourselves a mighty
hire, and would have guided them into a right path.
Whoso obeys God and the Apostle, these are with those God has been
pleased with, of prophets and confessors and martyrs and the
righteous; a fair company are they.
That is grace from God, and God knows well enough.
O ye who believe! take your precautions and sally in detachments
or altogether. Verily, there is of you who tarries behind, and, if a
mischance befalls you, says, 'God has been gracious to me, since I
am not with them a martyr.'
But if there befalls you grace from God, he would say as though
there were no friendship between you and him 'O would that I had been
with thee to attain this mighty happiness!' Let those then fight in
God's way who sell this life of the world for the next; and whoso
fights in God's way, then, be he killed or be he victorious, we will
give him a mighty hire.
What ails you that ye do not fight in God's way, and for the weak
men and women and children, who say, 'Lord, bring us out of this
town of oppressive folk, and make for us from Thee a patron, and
make for us from Thee a help?'
Those who believe fight in the way of God; and those who
disbelieve fight in the way of Taghut; fight ye then against the
friends of Satan, verily, Satan's tricks are weak.
Do ye not see those to whom it is said, 'Restrain your hands, and be
steadfast in prayer and give alms;' and when it is prescribed for them
to fight then a band of them fear men, as though it were the fear of
God or a still stronger fear, and they say, 'O our Lord! why hast thou
prescribed for us to fight, couldst thou not let us abide till our
near appointed time?' Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is but slight,
and the next is better for him who fears;' but they shall not be
wronged a straw.
Wheresoe'er ye be death will overtake you, though ye were in lofty
towers. And if a good thing befall them, they say, 'This is from God,'
but if a bad thing, they say, 'This is from thee.' Say, 'It is all
from God.' What ails these people? they can hardly understand a tale.
What befalls thee of good it is from God; and what befalls thee of
bad it is from thyself. We have sent thee to mankind as an apostle,
and God sufficeth for a witness.
Whoso obeys the prophet he has obeyed God; and he who turns back we
have not sent thee to watch over them.
They say, 'Obedience!' but when they sally forth from you, a company
of them brood by night over something else than that which thou hast
said; but God writes down that over which they brood. Turn then from
them and rely on God, for God sufficeth for a guardian. Do they not
meditate on the Koran? if it were from other than God they would
find in it many a discrepancy.
And when there comes to them a matter of security or fear they
publish it; but if they were to report it to the Apostle and to
those in authority amongst them, then those of them who would elicit
it from them would know it; but were it not for God's grace upon you
and His mercy ye had followed Satan, save a few.
Fight, then, in the way of God; impose not aught on any but thyself,
and urge on the believers; it may be that God will restrain the
violence of those who misbelieve, for God is more violent and more
severe to punish.
Whoso intercedes with a good intercession shall have a portion
therefrom; but he who intercedes with a bad intercession shall have
the like thereof, for God keeps watch over all things.
And when ye are saluted with a salutation, salute with a better than
it, or return it; verily, God of all things takes account.
God, there is no God but He! He will surely assemble you on the
resurrection day, there is no doubt therein; who is truer than God
in his discourse?
Why are ye two parties about the hypocrites, when God hath
overturned them for what they earned? Do ye wish to guide those whom
God hath led astray? Whoso God hath led astray ye shall not surely
find for him a path. They would fain that ye misbelieve as they
misbelieve, that ye might be alike; take ye not patrons from among
them until they too flee in God's way; but if they turn their backs,
then seize them and kill them wheresoever ye find them, and take
from them neither patron nor help, save those who reach a people
betwixt whom and you is an alliance or who come to you while their
bosoms prevent them from fighting you or fighting their own people.
But had God pleased He would have given you dominion over them, and
they would surely have fought you. But if they retire from you and
do not fight you, and offer you peace, then God hath given you no way
against them.
Ye will find others who seek for quarter from you, and quarter
from their own people; whenever they return to sedition they shall
be overturned therein: but if they retire not from you, nor offer
you peace, nor restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them
wheresoever ye find them; over these we have made for you manifest
power.
It is not for a believer to kill a believer save by mistake; and
whosoever kills a believer by mistake then let him free a believing
neck; and the blood money must be paid to his people save what they
shall remit as alms. But if he be from a tribe hostile to you and
yet a believer, then let him free a believing neck. And if it be a
tribe betwixt whom and you there is an alliance, then let the
blood money be paid to his friends, and let him free a believing neck;
but he who cannot find the means, then let him fast for two
consecutive months a penance this from God, for God is knowing, wise.
And whoso kills a believer purposely, his reward is hell, to dwell
therein for aye; and God will be wrath with him, and curse him, and
prepare for him a mighty woe.
O ye who believe! when ye are knocking about in the way of God be
discerning, and do not say to him who offers you a salutation, 'Thou
art no believer,' craving after the chances of this world's life,
for with God are many spoils! So were ye aforetime, but God was
gracious to you, be ye then discerning; verily, God of what ye do is
well aware.
Not alike are those of the believers who sit at home without harm,
and those who are strenuous in God's way with their wealth and their
persons. God hath preferred those who are strenuous with their
wealth and their persons to those who sit still, by many degrees,
and to each hath God promised good, but God hath preferred the
strenuous for a mighty hire over those who sit still, degrees from
him, and pardon and mercy, for God is forgiving and merciful.
Verily, the angels when they took the souls of those who had wronged
themselves, said, What state were ye in? they say, 'We were but weak
in the earth;' they said, 'Was not God's earth wide enough for you
to flee away therein?' These are those whose resort is hell, and a bad
journey shall it be!
Save for the weak men, and women, and children, who could not
compass any stratagem, and were not guided to a way; these it may be
God will pardon, for God both pardons and forgives.
Whosoever flees in the way of God shall find in the earth many a
spacious refuge; and he who goes forth from his house, fleeing unto
God and His prophet, and then death catches him up, his hire devolves
on God, and God is forgiving and merciful.
And when ye knock about in the earth, it is no crime to you that
ye come short in prayer, if ye fear that those who disbelieve will set
upon you verily, the misbelievers are your obvious foes.
When thou art amongst them, and standest up to pray with them,
then let a, party of them stand up with thee, and let them take
their arms; and when they adore, let them go behind you, and let
another party who have not yet prayed come forward and pray with thee;
and let them take their precautions and their arms.
Fain would those who misbelieve that ye were careless of your arms
and your baggage, that they might turn upon you with a single turning.
And it is no crime to you if ye be annoyed with rain or be sick,
that ye lay down your arms; but take your precautions, verily, God
has prepared for those who misbelieve a shameful woe.
But when ye have fulfilled your prayer, remember God standing and
sitting and lying on your sides; and when ye are in safety then be
steadfast in prayer; verily, prayer is for the believers prescribed
and timed!
And do not give way in pursuit of the people; if ye suffer they
shall surely suffer too, even. as ye suffer; and ye hope from God, but
they hope not! and God is knowing, wise.
Verily, we have revealed to thee the Book in truth that thou
mayest judge between men of what God has shown thee; so be not with
the treacherous a disputant; but ask God's pardon: verily, God is
forgiving, merciful.
And wrangle not for those who defraud themselves; for God loves
not him who is a fraudulent sinner. They hide themselves from men; but
they cannot hide themselves from God, for He is with them while they
brood at night over speeches that please Him not; but God doth
compass what they do!
Here are ye, wrangling for them about this world's life; but who
shall wrangle with God for them on the day of judgment, or who shall
be a guardian over them?
Yet whoso does evil and wrongs himself, and then asks pardon of God,
shall find God forgiving and merciful; and whoso commits a crime, he
only commits it against himself, for God is knowing, wise.
And whoso commits a fault or a sin and throws it on the innocent, he
hath to bear a calumny and a manifest sin.
Were it not for God's grace upon thee, and His mercy, a party of
them would have tried to lead thee astray; but they only lead
themselves astray; they shall not hurt you in aught: for God hath sent
down upon thee the Book and the wisdom, and taught thee what thou
didst not know, for God's grace was mighty on thee.
There is no good in most of what they talk in private; save in his
who bids almsgiving, or kindness, or reconciliation between men; and
whoso does this, craving the good pleasure of God, we will give to him
a mighty hire.
But he who severs himself from the prophet after that we have made
manifest to him the guidance, and follows other than the way of the
believers, we will turn our backs on him as he hath turned his back;
and we will make him reach hell, and a bad journey shall it be.
Verily, God forgives not associating aught with Him, but He
pardons anything short of that, to whomsoever He will; but whoso
associates aught with God, he hath erred a wide error.
Verily, they call not beside Him on aught save females; and they
do not call on aught save a rebellious devil.
God curse him! for he said, 'I will take from thy servants a portion
due to me and I will lead them astray; and I will stir up vain desires
within them; and I will order them and they shall surely crop the ears
of cattle; and I will order them and they shall surely alter God's
creation;' but he who takes the devil for his patron instead of God,
he loses with a manifest loss. He promises them, and stirs up vain
desires within them; but the devil promises only to deceive.
These, their resort is hell; they shall not find an escape
therefrom! But those who believe, and do what is right, we will make
them enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein
for aye, God's promise in truth; and who is truer than God in speech?
Not for your vain desires, nor the vain desires of the people of the
Book. He who doeth evil shall be recompensed therewith, and shall
not find for him beside God a patron, or a help. But he who doeth good
works, be it male or female, and believes, they shall enter into
Paradise, and they shall not be wronged a jot.
Who has a better religion than he who resigns his face to God, and
does good, and follows the faith of Abraham, as a 'Hanif? for God
took Abraham as a friend.
And God's is what is in the heavens and in the earth, and God
encompasses all things!
They will ask thee a decision about women; say, 'God decides for you
about them, and that which is rehearsed to you in the Book; about
orphan women to whom ye do not give what is prescribed for them, and
whom ye are averse from marrying; and about weak children; and that ye
stand fairly by orphans; and what ye do of good, verily, that God
knows.'
And if a woman fears from her husband perverseness or aversion, it
is no crime in them both that they should be reconciled to each other,
for reconciliation is best. For souls are prone to avarice; but if
ye act kindly and fear God, of what ye do He is aware.
Ye are not able, it may be, to act equitably to your wives, even
though ye covet it; do not however be quite partial, and leave one
as it were in suspense; but if ye be reconciled and fear, then God
is forgiving and merciful; but if they separate, God can make both
independent out of His abundance; for God is abundant, wise.
God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth! We have
ordained to those who have been given the Book before you, and to
you too that ye fear God; but if ye misbelieve, verily, God's is what
is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and God is rich and to
be praised!
God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth! and God
sufficeth for a guardian!
If He will He can make ye pass away, O men! and can bring others;
God is able to do all that.
He who wishes for a reward in this world, with God is the reward of
this world and of the next, and God both hears and sees.
O ye who believe! be ye steadfast in justice, witnessing before
God though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kindred,
be it rich or poor, for God is nearer akin than either.
Follow not, then, lusts, so as to act partially; but if ye swerve or
turn aside, God of what ye do is well aware.
O ye who believe! believe in God and His apostles, and the Book
which He hath revealed to His Apostle, and the Book which He sent down
before; for whoso disbelieves in God, and His angels, and His Apostle,
and the last day, has erred a wide error.
Verily, those who believe and then misbelieve, and then believe
and then misbelieve, and then increase in misbelief, God will never
pardon them, nor will He guide them in the path.
Give to the hypocrites the glad tidings that for them is grievous
woe!
Those who take the misbelievers for their patron rather than
believers, do they crave honour from them? Verily, honour is
altogether God's!
He hath revealed this to you in the Book, that when ye hear the
signs of God disbelieved in and mocked at, then sit ye not down with
them until they plunge into another discourse, for verily, then ye
would be like them. Verily, God will gather the hypocrites and
misbelievers into hell together.
Those who lie in wait for you, and if the victory be yours from God,
say, 'Were we not with you?' and if the misbelievers have a chance,
they say, 'Did we not get the mastery over you, and defend you from
the believers?' But God shall judge between you on the resurrection
day; for God will not give the misbelievers a way against believers.
Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive God, but He deceives them;
and when they rise up to pray, they rise up lazily to be seen of
men, and do not remember God, except a few; wavering between the
two, neither to these nor yet to those! but whomsoever God doth lead
astray thou shall not find for him a way.
O ye who believe! take not misbelievers for patrons rather than
believers; do ye wish to make for God a power against you?
Verily, the hypocrites are in the lowest depths of hell fire, and
thou shalt not find for them a help.
Save those who turn again, and do right, and take tight hold on God,
and are sincere in religion to God; these are with the believers,
and God will give to the believers mighty hire.
Why should God punish you, if ye are grateful and believe? for God
is grateful and knowing.
God loves not publicity of evil speech, unless one has been wronged;
for God both hears and knows.
If ye display good or hide it, or pardon evil, verily, God is
pardoning and powerful!
Verily, those who disbelieve in God and His apostles desire to
make a distinction between God and His apostles, and say, 'We
believe in part and disbelieve in part, and desire to take a midway
course between the two:' these are the misbelievers, and we have
prepared for misbelievers shameful woe! But those who believe in God
and His apostles, and who do not make a distinction between any one of
them, to these we will give their hire, for God is forgiving and
merciful!
The people of the Book will ask thee to bring down for them a book
from heaven; but they asked Moses a greater thing than that, for
they said, 'Show us God openly;' but the thunderbolt caught them in
their injustice. Then they took the calf, after what had come to
them of manifest signs; but we pardoned that, and gave Moses obvious
authority. And we held over them the mountain at their compact, and
said to them, 'Enter ye the door adoring;' and we said to them,
'Transgress not on the Sabbath day, and we took from them a rigid
compact.
But for that they broke their compact, and for their misbelief in
God's signs, and for their killing the prophets undeservedly, and
for their saying, 'Our hearts are uncircumcised,' nay, God hath
stamped on them their misbelief, so that they cannot believe except
a few, and for their misbelief, and for their saying about Mary a
mighty calumny, and for their saying, 'Verily, we have killed the
Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the apostle of God,'...but they did
not kill him, and they did not crucify him, but a similitude was
made for them. And verily, those who differ about him are in doubt
concerning him; they have no knowledge concerning him, but only follow
an opinion. They did not kill him, for sure! nay, God raised him up
unto Himself; for God is mighty and wise!
And there shall not be one of the people of the Book but shall
believe in him before his death; and on the day of judgment he shall
be a witness against them.
And for the injustice of those who are Jews have we forbidden them
good things which we had made lawful for them, and for their
obstructing so much the way of God, and for their taking usury when we
had forbidden it, and for their devouring the wealth of people in
vain, but we have prepared for those of them who misbelieve a
grievous woe.
But those amongst them who are firm in knowledge, and the
believers who believe in what is revealed to thee, let what is
revealed before thee, and the steadfast in prayer, and the givers of
alms, and the believers in God and the last day, unto these we will
give a mighty hire.
Verily, we have inspired thee as we inspired Noah and the prophets
after him, and as we inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Jacob, and the
tribes, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonas, and Aaron, and Solomon; and
to David did we give Psalms.
Of apostles we have already told thee of some before; and of
apostles some we have not told thee of;
But Moses did God speak to, speaking; apostles giving glad
tidings and warning, that men should have no argument against God,
after the apostles, for God is mighty, wise!
But God bears witness to what He has revealed to thee: He revealed
it in His knowledge, and the angels bear witness too; though God is
witness enough.
Verily, those who misbelieve and obstruct the way of God, have erred
a wide error.
Verily, those who misbelieve and are unjust, God will not pardon
them, nor will He guide them on the road save the road to hell, to
dwell therein for aye; that is easy enough to God!
O ye folk! the Apostle has come to you with truth from your Lord:
believe then, for it is better for you. But if ye misbelieve, then
God's is what is in the heavens and the earth, and God is knowing,
wise.
O ye people of the Book! do not exceed in your religion, nor say
against God aught save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of
Mary, is but the apostle of God and His Word, which He cast into
Mary and a spirit from Him; believe then in God and His apostles,
and say not 'Three.' Have done! it were better for you. God is only
one God, celebrated be His praise that He should beget a Son! His is
what is in the heavens and what is in the earth and God sufficeth
for a guardian.
The Messiah doth surely not disdain to be a servant of God, nor do
the angels who are nigh to Him; and whosoever disdains His service and
is too proud, He will gather them altogether to Himself.
But as for those who believe and do what is right, He will pay their
hire and will give increase to them of His grace. But as for those who
disdain and are too proud, He will punish them with a grievous woe,
and they shall not find for them other than God a patron or a help.
O ye folk! proof has come to you from your Lord, and we have sent
down to you manifest light. As for those who believe in God, and
take tight hold of Him, He will make them enter into mercy from Him
and grace; and He will guide them to Himself by a right way.
They will ask thee for a decision; say, 'God will give you a
decision concerning remote kinship.'
If a man perish and have no child, but have a sister, let her have
half of what he leaves; and he shall be her heir, if she have no
son. But if there be two sisters, let them both have two thirds of
what he leaves; and if there be brethren, both men and women, let
the male have like the portion of two females. God makes this manifest
to you lest ye err; for God all things doth know.
THE CHAPTER OF THE TABLE
(V. Medinah.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
O ye who believe! fulfil your compacts. Lawful for you are brute
beasts, save what is here recited to you, not allowing you the chase
while ye are on pilgrimage; verily, God ordaineth what He will.
O ye who believe! do not deem the monuments of God to be lawful, nor
the sacred month, nor the offering, nor its neck garlands, nor those
who sojourn at the sacred house, craving grace from their Lord and His
pleasure.
But when ye are in lawful state again, then chase; and let not
ill will against the people who turned you from the Sacred Mosque make
you transgress; but help one another in righteousness and piety, and
do not help one another to sin and enmity; but fear God, verily,
God is keen to punish.
Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and the
flesh of swine, and that which is devoted to other than God, and the
strangled and the knocked down, and that which falls down, and the
gored, and what wild beasts have eaten except what ye slaughter in
time and what is sacrificed to idols, and dividing carcases by
arrows.
To day shall those who disbelieve in your religion despair; do ye
not then fear them, but fear me To day is perfected for you your
religion, and fulfilled upon you is my favour, and I am pleased for
you to have Islam for a religion. But he who is forced by hunger,
not inclined wilfully to sin, verily, God is forgiving, compassionate.
They will ask thee what is lawful for them? say, 'Lawful for you are
good things and what ye have taught beasts of prey (to catch),
training them like dogs; ye teach them as God taught you; so eat
of what they catch for you, and mention the name of God over it, and
fear God, for verily, God is swift in reckoning up.'
Lawful for you to day are good things, and the food of those to whom
the Book has been given is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for
them; and chaste women of those who believe, and chaste women of those
to whom the Book has been given before you, when you have given
them their hire, living chastely and not fornicating, and not taking
paramours. But whoso disbelieves in the faith, of a truth his work
is vain, and he shall be in the next life of those who lose.
O ye who believe! when ye rise up to prayer wash your faces, and
your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads, and your feet
down to the ankles. And if ye are polluted, then purify yourselves.
But if ye are sick, or on a journey, or if one of you comes from the
privy, or if ye have touched women and cannot find water, then take
fine surface sand and wipe your faces and your hands therewith. God
does not wish to make any hindrance for you; but He wishes. to
purify you and to fulfil his favour upon you; haply ye may give
thanks.
Remember the favour of God to you and His covenant which He
covenanted with you, when ye said, 'We hear and we obey;' and fear
God, verily, God knows the nature of men's breasts.
O ye who believe! stand steadfast to God as witnesses with
justice; and let not ill will towards people make you sin by not
acting with equity. Act with equity, that is nearer to piety, and fear
God; for God is aware of what ye do.
God has promised to those who believe and work righteousness, that
for them is pardon and a mighty hire. But those who disbelieve and
call our signs lies, these are the fellows of hell.
O ye who believe! remember God's favour towards you, when a people
intended to stretch their hands against you, but He withheld their
hands from you; and upon God let believers rely.
God did take a compact from the children of Israel, and raised up of
them twelve wardens; and God said, 'Verily, I am with you, if ye be
steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and believe in my apostles, and
assist them, and lend to God a goodly loan; then will I cover your
offences and make you enter gardens beneath which rivers flow: and
whoso disbelieves after that, he hath erred from the level way.
And for that they broke their compact, we cursed them, and placed in
their hearts hardness, so that they perverted the words from their
places, and forgot a portion of what they were reminded of.
But thou wilt not cease to light upon treachery amongst them, save a
few of them; but pardon them and shun them; verily, God loves the
kind.
And of those who say, 'Verily we are Christians,' we have taken a
compact; but they have forgotten a portion of what they were
reminded of; wherefore have we excited amongst them enmity and
hatred till the resurrection day; but God will tell them of what
they have done.
O ye people of the Book! our Apostle has come to you to explain to
you much of what ye had hidden of the Book, and to pardon much.
There has come to you from God a light, and a perspicuous Book; God
guides thereby those who follow His pleasure to the way of peace,
and brings them into a right way.
They misbelieve who say, 'Verily, God is the Messiah the son of
Mary;' say, 'Who has any hold on God, if he wished to destroy the
Messiah the son of Mary, and his mother, and those who are on earth
altogether?'
God's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is
between the two; He createth what He will, for God is mighty over all!
But the Jews and the Christians say, 'We are the sons of God and His
beloved.' Say, 'Why then does He punish you for your sins? nay, ye are
mortals of those whom He has created! He pardons whom He pleases,
and punishes whom He pleases; for God's is the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth, and what is between the two, and unto Him the
journey is.
O people of the Book! our Apostle has come to you, explaining to you
the interval of apostles; lest ye say, 'There came not to us a
herald of glad tidings nor a warner.' But there has come to you now
a herald of glad tidings and a warner, and God is mighty over all!
When Moses said to his people, 'O my people! remember the favour
of God towards you when He made amongst you prophets, and made for you
kings, and brought you what never was brought to anybody in the
worlds. O my people! enter the Holy Land which God has prescribed
for you; and be ye not thrust back upon your hinder parts and
retreat losers. They said, 'O Moses! verily, therein is a people,
giants; and we will surely not enter therein until they go out from
thence; but if they go out then we will enter in.' Then said two men
of those who fear, God had been gracious to them both, 'Enter ye
upon them by the door, and when ye have entered it, verily, ye shall
be victorious; and upon God do ye rely if ye be believers.' They said,
'O Moses! we shall never enter it so long as they are therein; so,
go thou and thy Lord and fight ye twain; verily, we will sit down
here.' Said he, 'My Lord, verily, I can control only myself and my
brother; therefore part us from these sinful people.' He said,
'Then, verily, it is forbidden them; for forty years shall they wander
about in the earth; so vex not thyself for the sinful people.'
Recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam; truly when they
offered an offering and it was accepted from one of them, and was
not accepted from the other, that one said, 'I will surely kill thee
he said, 'God only accepts from those who fear. If thou dost stretch
forth to me thine hand to kill me, I will not stretch forth mine
hand to kill thee; verily, I fear God the Lord of the worlds;
verily, I wish that thou mayest draw upon thee my sin and thy sin, and
be of the fellows of the Fire, for that is the reward of the
unjust.' But his soul allowed him to slay his brother, and he slew
him, and in the morning he was of those who lose. And God sent a
crow to scratch in the earth and show him how he might hide his
brother's shame, he said, 'Alas, for me! Am I too helpless to become
like this crow and hide my brother's shame?' and in the morning he was
of those who did repent.
For this cause have we prescribed to the children of Israel that
whoso kills a soul, unless it be for another soul or for violence in
the land, it is as though he had killed men altogether; but whoso
saves one, it is as though he saved men altogether.
Our apostles came to them with manifest signs; then, verily, many of
them did after that commit excesses in the earth.
The reward of those who make war against God and His Apostle, and
strive after violence in the earth, is only that they shall be
slaughtered or crucified, or their hands cut off and their feet on
alternate sides, or that they shall be banished from the land; that
is a disgrace for them in this world, and for them in the next is
mighty woe; save for those who repent before ye have them in your
power, for know ye that God is forgiving, merciful.
O ye who believe! fear God and crave the means to approach Him,
and be strenuous in His way, haply ye will prosper then.
Verily, those who disbelieve, even though they had what is in the
earth, all of it, and the like thereof with it, to offer as a ransom
from the punishment of the resurrection day, it would not be
accepted from them; but for them is grievous woe. They may wish to
go forth from the Fire, but they shall not go forth therefrom, for
them is lasting woe.
The man thief and the woman thief, cut off the hands of both as a
punishment, for that they have erred; an example from God, for God is
mighty, wise.
But whoso turns again after his injustice and acts aright, verily,
God will turn to him, for, verily, God is forgiving, merciful.
Do ye not know that God, His is the kingdom of the heavens and the
earth; He punishes whom He pleases, and forgives whom He pleases,
for God is mighty over all?
O thou Apostle! let not those grieve thee who vie in misbelief; or
those who say with their mouths 'We believe,' but their hearts do
not believe; or of those who are Jews, listeners to a lie,
listeners to other people, but who come not to thee. They pervert
the words from their places and say, 'If this is what ye are given,
take it; but if ye are not given it, then beware!' but he whom God
wishes to mislead, thou canst do nothing with God for him; these are
those whose hearts God wishes not to purify, for them in this world is
disgrace, and for them in the next is mighty woe, listeners to a lie,
eaters of unlawful things!
But if they come to thee, then judge between them or turn aside from
them; but if thou turnest aside from them they shall not harm thee
at all, but if thou judgest, then judge between them with justice,
verily, God loves the just. But how should they make thee their judge,
when they have the law wherein is God's judgment? Yet they turn back
after that, for they do not believe.
Verily, we have revealed the law in which is guidance and light; the
prophets who were resigned did judge thereby those who were Jews, as
did the masters and doctors by what they remembered of the Book of God
and by what they were witnesses of. Fear not men, but fear me, and
sell not my signs for a little price; for whoso will not judge by what
God has revealed, these be the misbelievers. We have prescribed for
thee therein 'a life for a life, and an eye for an eye, and a nose for
a nose, and an ear for an ear, and a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds
retaliation;' but whoso remits it, it is an expiation for him, but
he whoso will not judge by what God has revealed, these be the unjust.
And we followed up the footsteps of these (prophets) with Jesus
the son of Mary, confirming that which was before him and the law, and
we brought him the gospel, wherein is guidance and light, verifying
what was before it of the law, and a guidance and an admonition unto
those who fear.
Then let the people of the gospel judge by that which is revealed
therein, for whoso will not judge by what God has revealed, these be
the evildoers.
We have revealed to thee the Book in truth verifying what was before
it, and preserving it; judge then between them by what God has
revealed, and follow not their lusts, turning away from what is
given to thee of the truth.
For each one of you have we made a law and a pathway; and had God
pleased He would have made you one nation, but He will surely try
you concerning that which He has brought you. Be ye therefore
emulous in good deeds; to God is your return altogether, and He will
let you know concerning that wherein ye do dispute.
Wherefore judge thou between them by what God has revealed, and
follow not their lusts; but beware lest they mislead thee from part of
what God has revealed to thee; yet if they turn back, then know that
God wishes to fall on them for some sins of theirs, verily, many
men are evildoers.
Is it the judgment of the Ignorance they crave? but who is better
than God to judge for people who are sure?
O ye who believe! take not the Jews and Christians for your patrons:
they are patrons of each other; but whoso amongst you takes them for
patrons, verily, he is of them, and, verily, God guides not an
unjust people.
Thou wilt see those in whose hearts is a sickness vieing with
them; they say, 'We fear lest there befall us a reverse.' It may be
God will give the victory, or an order from Himself, and they may
awake repenting of what they thought in secret to themselves.
Those who believe say, 'Are these they who swore by God with their
most strenuous oath that they were surely with you?' their works
are in vain and they shall wake the losers.
O ye who believe! whoso is turned away from his religion God will
bring (instead) a people whom He loves and who love Him, lowly to
believers, lofty to unbelievers, strenuous in the way of God,
fearing not the blame of him who blames. That is God's grace! He gives
it unto whom He pleases, for God both comprehends and knows.
God only is your patron, and His Apostle and those who believe,
who are steadfast in prayer and give alms, bowing down. Whoso taketh
as patrons God and His apostles and those who believe; verily,
God's crew, they are victorious!
O ye who believe! take not for patrons those who take your
religion for a jest or a sport, from amongst those who have been given
the Book before and the misbelievers; but fear God if ye be believers.
Nor those who, when ye call to prayer, take it for a jest and a sport;
that is because they are a people who do not understand.
Say, 'O people of the Book! do ye disavow us, for aught but that
we believe in God, and what was revealed to us before, and for that
most of you are evildoers?'
Say, 'Can I declare unto you something worse than retribution from
God?' Whomsoever God has cursed and been wroth with and he has made
of them apes and swine and who worship Taghut, they are in a worse
plight and are more erring from the level path. When they come to
you they say, 'We believe;' but they entered in with unbelief, and
they went out therewith, and God knows best what they did hide.
Thou wilt see many of them vieing in sin and enmity, and in eating
unlawful things, evil is it that they have done. The masters and
their doctors prohibit them from speaking sin and eating unlawful
things, evil is what they have performed.
The Jews say, 'God's hand is fettered;' their hands are fettered and
they are cursed for what they said; nay! His hands are outspread, He
expends how He pleases! and that which has been sent down to thee from
thy Lord will surely increase many of them in their rebellion and
misbelief, for we have cast amongst them enmity and hatred till the
resurrection day. Whenever they light a fire for war, God puts it out;
they strive for corruption in the earth, but God loves not the
corrupt.
But did the people of the Book believe and fear, we would cover
their offences, and we would make them enter into gardens of pleasure;
and were they steadfast in the law and the gospel, and what has been
sent down to them from their Lord, they should eat from above them and
below them. Amongst them are a nation who are moderate, but many of
them bad is what they do.
O thou Apostle! preach what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord;
if thou do it not thou hast not preached His message, and God will not
hold thee free from men; for God guides not people who misbelieve.
Say, 'O people of the Book! ye rest on naught until ye stand fast by
the law and the gospel, and what is revealed to you from your Lord.'
But what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord will of a surety
increase many of them in rebellion and misbelief, vex not thyself then
for a people who misbelieve.
Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews, and the
Sabaeans, and the Christians, whosoever believes in God and the last
day, and does what is right, there is no fear for them, nor shall they
grieve.
We took a compact of the children of Israel, and we sent to them
apostles; every time there. came to them an apostle with what their
souls loved not, a part of them they did call liars and a part of them
they slew.
And they reckoned that there would be no disturbance; but they
were blind and deaf! and then God turned again towards them: and
then many amongst them were blind and deaf! but God saw what they did.
They misbelieve who say, 'Verily, God is the Messiah the son of
Mary;' but the Messiah said, 'O children of Israel! worship God, my
Lord and your Lord;' verily, he who associates aught with God, God
hath forbidden him Paradise, and his resort is the Fire, and the
unjust shall have none to help them.
They misbelieve who say, 'Verily, God is the third of three;' for
there is no God but one, and if they do not desist from what they say,
there shall touch those who misbelieve amongst them grievous woe.
Will they not turn again towards God and ask pardon of Him? for
God is forgiving and merciful.
The Messiah the son of Mary is only a prophet: prophets before him
have passed away; and his mother was a confessor; they used both to
eat food. See how we explain to them the signs, yet see how they turn
aside!
Say, 'Will ye serve, other than God, what can neither hurt you nor
profit you?' but God, He both hears and knows.
Say, 'O people of the Book! exceed not the truth in your religion,
and follow not the lusts of a people who have erred before, and who
lead many astray, and who go away from the level path.'
Those of the children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the
tongue of David and Jesus the son of Mary; that is because they
rebelled and did transgress; they would not desist from the wrong they
did; evil is that which they did. Thou wilt see many of them taking
those who disbelieve for their patrons; evil is that which their souls
have sent before them, for God's wrath is on them, and in the
torment shall they dwell for aye. But had they believed in God and the
prophet, and what was revealed to him, they had not taken these for
their patrons; but many of them are evildoers.
Thou wilt surely find that the strongest in enmity against those who
believe are the Jews and the idolaters; and thou wilt find the nearest
in love to those who believe to be those who say, 'We are Christians;'
that is because there are amongst them priests and monks, and
because they are not proud.
And when they hear what has been revealed to the prophet, you will
see their eyes gush with tears at what they recognise as truth
therein; and they will say, 'O our Lord! we believe, so write us
down amongst the witnesses. Why should we not believe in God and the
truth that is given to us, nor desire that our Lord should make us
enter with the upright people?'
Therefore has God rewarded them, for what they said, with gardens
beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye; that is the
reward of those who do good; but those who disbelieve and say our
signs are lies, they are the fellows of hell.
O ye who believe! forbid not the good things which God has made
lawful for you, nor transgress; verily, God loves not the
transgressors.
But eat of what God has provided you lawfully of good things; and
fear God, in whom ye believe.
God will not catch you up for a casual word in your oaths, but He
will catch you up for having what ye make deliberate oaths about;
and the expiation thereof is to feed ten poor men with the middling
food ye feed your families withal, or to clothe them, or to free a
neck; but he who has not the means, then let him fast three days. That
is the expiation of your oaths, when ye have sworn to keep your oaths;
thus does God explain to you His signs, haply ye may be grateful.
O ye who believe! verily, wine, and el maisar, and statues, and
divining (arrows) are only an abomination of Satan's work; avoid
them then that haply ye may prosper. Satan only desires to place
enmity and hatred between you by wine and maisar, and to turn you from
the remembrance of God and from prayer; but will ye not desist, and
obey God, and obey the apostles, and beware, for if ye turn back
then know that our Apostle has only his message to preach?
There is no crime in those who believe and do right, for having
tasted food, when they fear God, and believe, and do what is right,
and then fear Him, and believe, and then fear, and do good, for God
loves those who do good.
O ye who believe! God will try you with something of the game that
your hands and your lances take, that God may know who fears Him in
secret; and whoso transgresses after that, for him is grievous woe.
O ye who believe! kill not game while ye are on pilgrimage. But he
amongst you who kills it purposely, his compensation is the like of
that which he has killed, in sheep of which two equitable persons
amongst you shall be judge an offering brought to the Kaabah; or as
an expiation, the food of poor persons, or an equivalent thereof in
fasting, that he may taste the evil result of his deed. God pardons
bygones; but whoso returns, God will take vengeance on him, for God is
mighty and the avenger.
Lawful for you is the game of the sea, and to eat thereof; a
provision for you and for travellers; but forbidden you is the game of
the land while ye are on pilgrimage; so fear God to whom ye shall be
gathered.
God has made the Kaabah, the sacred House, to be a station for
men, and the sacred month, and the offering and its neck garland; this
is that ye may know that God knows what is in the heavens and what
is in the earth, and that God knows all things. Know that God is
keen to punish, but that God is forgiving, merciful.
The Apostle has only to preach his message, but God knows what ye
show and what ye hide.
Say, 'The vile shall not be deemed equal with the good, although the
abundance of the vile please thee.' Fear God then, O ye who have
minds! haply ye may prosper.
O ye who believe! ask not about things which if they be shown to you
will pain you; but if ye ask about them when the (whole) Koran is
revealed, they shall be shown to you. God pardons that, for God is
forgiving and clement. People before you have asked about that, yet on
the morrow did they disbelieve therein.
And God has not ordained any Bahirah or Saibah, nor Wazilah nor
'Hami, but those who misbelieve invent a lie against God, for most
of them do not understand.
And when it is said to them, 'Come round to what God has revealed
unto His Apostle,' they say, 'Enough for us is what we found our
fathers agreed upon.' What! though their fathers knew nothing and were
not guided.
O ye who believe! mind yourselves; he who errs can do you no hurt
when ye are guided: unto God is your return altogether, and He will
declare to you that which ye do not know.
O ye who believe! let there be a testimony between you when any
one of you is on the point of death at the time he makes his willtwo
equitable persons from amongst you; or two others from some
other folk, if ye be knocking about in the land, and the calamity of
death befall you; ye shall shut them both up after prayer, and they
shall both swear by God, if ye doubt them, (saying), 'We will not sell
(our testimony) for a price, though it were to a relative, nor will we
hide God's testimony, verily, then, we should be among sinners.' But
if it shall be lit upon that they too have deserved the imputation
of sin, then let two others stand up in their place with those who
think them deserving of the imputation, the nearest two in kin, and
they shall both swear by God, 'Indeed, our testimony is truer than the
testimony of those two, and we have not transgressed, for then we
should surely be of the unjust: thus is it easier for men to bear
testimony according to the purport thereof, else must they fear lest
an oath be given to rebut their own oath; but let them fear God and
listen, for God guides not the people who do ill.
On the day when God shall assemble the apostles and shall say,
'How were ye answered?' they will say, 'We have no knowledge;
verily, thou art He who knoweth the unseen.'
When God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary! remember my favours towards
thee and towards thy mother, when I aided thee with the Holy Ghost,
till thou didst speak to men in the cradle and when grown up.
'And when I taught thee the Book and wisdom and the law and the
gospel; when thou didst create of clay, as it were, the likeness of
a bird, by my power, and didst blow thereon, it became a bird; and
thou didst heal the blind from birth, and the leprous by my
permission; and when thou didst bring forth the dead by my permission;
and when I did ward off the children of Israel from thee, when thou
didst come to them with manifest signs, and those who misbelieved
amongst them said, "This is naught but obvious magic."
'And when I inspired the apostles that they should believe in him
and in my Apostle, they said, "We believe; do thou bear witness that
we are resigned."'
When the apostles said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary! is thy Lord able to
send down to us a table from heaven?' he said, 'Fear God, if ye be
believers and they said, 'We desire to eat therefrom that our hearts
may be at rest, and that we may know that what thou hast told us is
the truth, and that we may be thereby amongst the witnesses.' Said
Jesus the son of Mary, 'O God, our Lord! send down to us a table
from heaven to be to us as a festival, to the first of us and to
the last, and a sign from Thee, and grant us provision, for Thou
art the best of providers.'
God said, 'Verily, I am about to send it down to you; but whoso
disbelieves amongst you after that, verily, I will torment him with
the torment which I have not tormented any one with in all the
worlds.'
And when God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary! is it thou who didst say
to men, take me and my mother for two gods, beside God?' He said, 'I
celebrate Thy praise! what ails me that I should say what I have no
right to? If I had said it, Thou wouldst have known it; Thou knowest
what is in my soul, but I know not what is in Thy soul; verily, Thou
art one who knoweth the unseen. I never told them save what Thou didst
bid me, "Worship God, my Lord and your Lord," and I was a witness
against them so long as I was amongst them; but when Thou didst take
me away to thyself Thou wert the watcher over them, for Thou art
witness over all. If Thou shouldst punish them, verily, they are Thy
servants; if Thou shouldst forgive them, verily, Thou art the mighty
and the wise.' God said, 'This is the day when their confession
shall profit the confessors, for them are gardens beneath which rivers
flow, to dwell therein for ever and for aye.'
God is well pleased with them, and they well pleased with Him;
that is the mighty happiness.
God's is the kingdom of the heavens, and the earth, and all that
is therein, and He is mighty over all.
THE CHAPTER OF CATTLE
(VI. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate, God!
Praise belongs to God who created the heavens and the earth, and
brought into being the darkness and the light. Yet do those who
misbelieve hold Him to have peers.
He it is who created you from clay; then He decreed a term, a
term ordained with Him. And yet ye doubt thereof.
He is God in the heavens and the earth. He knows your secret conduct
and your plain, and He knows what ye earn.
There came not to them any sign of the signs of their Lord, but they
turned away; and they have called the truth a lie now that it has come
to them, but there shall come to them the message of that at which
they mocked.
Do not they see how many a generation we have destroyed before them,
whom we had settled in the earth as we have not settled for you, and
sent the rain of heaven upon them in copious showers, and made the
waters flow beneath them? Then we destroyed them in their sins, and
raised up other generations after them.
Had we sent down to thee a book on paper, and they had touched it
with their hands, still those who misbelieve would have said, 'This is
naught but obvious magic.' They say, 'Why has not an angel been sent
down to him?' but if we had sent down an angel, the affair would
have been decided, and then they would have had no respite.
And had we made him an angel, we should have made him as a man
too; and we would have made perplexing for them that which they deem
perplexing now.
There have been prophets before thee mocked at, but that encompassed
them which the scoffers among them mocked at.
Say, 'Go about in the earth, then wilt thou see how has been the end
of those who called them liars.'
Say, 'Whose is what is in the heavens and the earth?
Say, 'God's, who has imposed mercy on himself.' He will surely
gather you together for the resurrection day. There is no doubt in
that, but those who waste their souls will not believe.
His is whatsoever dwells in the night or in the day, He both hears
and knows.
Say, 'Other than God shall I take for a patron, the Originator of
the heavens and the earth? He feedeth men, but is not fed.' Say, 'I am
bidden to be the first of those resigned;' and it was said to me,
'Be not thou of the idolaters.' Say, 'I fear, if I rebel against my
Lord, the torment of the mighty day.'
Whomsoever it is averted from on that day, God will have had mercy
on; and that is obvious happiness.
And if God touch thee with harm, there is none to take it off but
He; and if He touch thee with good, He is mighty over all. He is
sovereign over His servants, He is the wise, the aware!
Say, 'What is the greatest witness?' Say, 'God is witness between
you and me.' This Koran was inspired to me to warn you and those it
reaches. Do ye really bear witness that with God are other gods?
Say, 'I bear not witness thereto:' say, 'He is but one God, and I am
clear of your associating (gods with him).'
Those to whom we have brought the Book know him as they know their
sons; those who lose their souls do not believe.
Who is more unjust than he who forges against God a lie, or says His
signs are lies? verily, the unjust shall not prosper.
On the day when we shall gather them all together, then shall we say
to those who have associated others with ourself, 'Where are your
associates whom ye did pretend?' Then they will have no excuse but
to say, 'By God our Lord, we did not associate (others with thee)!'
See how they lie against themselves, and how what they did forge
deserts them! And they are some who listen unto thee, but we have
placed a veil upon their hearts lest they should understand it, and in
their ears is dulness of hearing; and though they saw each sign they
would not believe therein; until when they come to thee to wrangle
with thee, the unbelievers say, 'These are but old folks' tales.'
They forbid it and they avoid it; but they destroy none but
themselves; yet they do not perceive.
But couldst thou see when they are set over the fire and say, 'Would
that we were sent back! we would not call our Lord's signs lies, but
we would be of the believers?' Nay! now is shown to them what they did
hide before; and could they be sent back, they would return to that
they were forbidden, for they are very liars.
They say there is naught but this life of ours in the world and we
shall not be raised. But couldst thou see when they are set before
their Lord; he says, 'Is not this the truth?' They say, Yea, by our
Lord!' he says, 'Then taste the torment, for that ye did misbelieve!'
Losers are they who disbelieved in meeting God, until when the
hour comes suddenly upon them they say, 'Woe is us for our neglect
thereof!' for they shall bear their burdens on their backs, evil is
what they bear.
The life of this world is nothing but a game and a sport, and surely
the next abode were better for those who fear. What! do they not
understand?
Full well we know that verily that which they say grieves thee;
but they do not call thee only a liar, for the unjust gainsay the
signs of God. Called liars too were apostles before thee; but they
were patient of being called liars and of being hurt until our help
came to them; for there is none to change the words of God now has
there come to thee the story of those He sent.
And if their turning from thee be hard for thee, and if thou canst
seek for a shaft down into the earth, or a ladder up into the sky,
to bring them a sign but if God pleased He would bring them all to
guidance, be thou not then of the ignorant.
He only answers the prayer of those who listen; but the dead will
God raise up, then unto Him shall they return. They say, 'Unless there
be sent down some sign from his Lord' say, 'Verily, God is able to
send down a sign, but most of them do not know.'
There is not a beast upon the earth nor a bird that flies with
both its wings, but is a nation like to you; we have omitted nothing
from the Book; then to their Lord shall they be gathered. Those who
say our signs are lies deafness, dumbness, in the dark! whom He
pleases does God lead astray, and whom He pleases He places on the
right way.
Say, 'Look you now! if there should come God's torment, or there
should come to you the hour, on other than God would ye call, if ye do
tell the truth?' Nay, it is on Him that ye would call, and He will
avert that which ye call upon Him for if He but please; and ye shall
forget that which ye did associate with Him.
Ere this we sent unto nations before thee, and we caught them in
distress and trouble that haply they might humble themselves. And do
they not, when our violence falls upon them, humble themselves? but
their hearts were hard, and Satan made seemly to them that which
they had done.
And when they forgot what they were reminded of, we opened for
them the gates of everything, until when they rejoiced at what they
had, we caught them up suddenly, and lo! they were in despair.
And the uttermost part of the people who did wrong were cut off;
praise be to God, Lord of the worlds!
Say, 'Look you now! if God should catch your hearing and your sight,
and should set a seal upon your hearts who is god but God to bring
you it again?'
Say, 'Look you now! if God's torment should come you suddenly or
openly, would any perish save the people who do wrong?'
We do not send our messengers save as heralds of glad tidings and of
warning, and whoso believes and acts aright, there is no fear for
them, and they shall not be grieved, but those who say our signs are
lies, torment shall touch them, for that they have done so wrong.
Say, 'I do not say to you, mine are the treasuries of God, nor
that I know the unseen; I do not say to you, I am an angel if I follow
aught but what I am inspired with :' say, 'Is the blind equal to him
who sees ?' what! do ye not reflect?
Admonish therewith those who fear that they shall be gathered unto
their Lord; there is no patron for them but Him, and no intercessor;
haply they may fear.
Repulse not those who call upon their Lord in the morning and in the
evening, desiring His face; they have no reckoning against thee at
all, and thou hast no reckoning against them at all; repulse them and
thou wilt be of the unjust.
So have we tried some of them by others, that they may say, 'Are
these those unto whom God has been gracious amongst ourselves?' Does
not God know those who give thanks?
And when those who believe in our signs come to thee, say, 'Peace be
on you! God hath prescribed for Himself mercy; verily, he of you who
does evil in ignorance, and then turns again and does right,
verily, He is forgiving and merciful.'
Thus do we detail our signs, that the way of the sinners may be made
plain.
Say, 'I am forbidden to worship those ye call upon beside God;' say,
'I will not follow your lusts, for then should I err and not be of the
guided.'
Say, 'I stand on a manifestation from my Lord, which ye call a
lie. I have not with me what ye fain would hasten on, that the
matter might be settled between me and you; but God knows best who are
the unjust.'
With Him are the keys of the unseen. None knows them save He; He
knows what is in the land and in the sea; and there falls not a leaf
save that He knows it; nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor
aught that is moist, nor aught that is dry, save that is in His
perspicuous Book.
He it is who takes you to Himself at night, and knows what ye have
gained in the day; then He raises you up again, that your appointed
time may be fulfilled; then unto Him is your return, and then will
He inform you of what ye have done.
He triumphs over His servants; He sends to them guardian angels,
until, when death comes to any one of you, our messengers take him
away; they pass not over any one, and then are they returned to God,
their true sovereign.
Is not His the rule? but He is very quick at reckoning up.
Say, 'Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and of the sea?'
ye call upon Him in humility and in secret, 'Indeed, if He would
rescue us from this, we will surely be of those who give Him
thanks.' Say, 'God rescues from the darkness thereof, and from every
trouble, yet ye associate others with Him.'
Say, 'He is able to send torment on you from above you and from
beneath your feet, and to confuse you in sects, and to make some of
you taste the violence of others.'
See how we turn about the signs, that haply they may discriminate.
Thy people called it a lie, and yet it is the truth. Say, 'I have
not charge over you; to every prophecy is a set time, and in the end
ye shall know.'
When thou dost see those who plunge deeply into the discussion of
our signs, turn from them until they plunge deeply into some other
discourse; for it may be that Satan may make thee forget; but sit not,
after thou hast remembered, with the unjust people.
Those who fear are not bound to take account of them at all, but
mind! haply they may fear.
Leave those who have taken their religion for a play and a sport,
whom this world's life hath deceived, and remind them thereby that a
soul shall be given up for what it has earned; nor has it, beside God,
patron or intercessor; and though it should compensate with the
fullest compensation, it would not be accepted. Those who are given up
for what they have gained, for them is a drink of boiling water, and
grievous woe for that they have misbelieved.
Say, 'Shall we call on what neither profits us nor harms us, and
be thrown back upon our heels after God has guided us, like him whom
Satan hath led away bewildered in the earth, who has companions who
call him to guidance, "Come to us? "' Say, 'Verily, God's guidance
is the guidance, and we are bidden to resign ourselves unto the Lord
of the worlds, and be ye steadfast in prayer and fear Him, for He it
is to whom we shall be gathered.'
He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in truth; and
on the day when He says, 'BE,' then it is. His word is truth; to Him
is the kingdom on the day when the trumpets shall be blown; the knower
of the unseen and of the evident; He is wise and well aware.
When Abraham said to his father Azar, 'Dost thou take idols for
gods? verily, I see thee and thy people in obvious error.' Thus did we
show Abraham the kingdom of heaven and of the earth, that he should be
of those who are sure. And when the night overshadowed him he saw a
star and said, 'This is my Lord;' but when it set he said, 'I love not
those that set.' And when he saw the moon beginning to rise he said,
'This is my Lord;' but when it set he said, 'If God my Lord guides
me not I shall surely be of the people who err.' And when he saw the
sun beginning to rise he said, 'This is my Lord, this is greatest of
all;' but when it set he said, 'O my people! verily, I am clear of
what ye associate with God; verily, I have turned my face to him who
originated the heaven and the earth, as a 'Hanif, and I am not of
the idolaters.' And his people disputed with him; he said, 'Do ye
dispute with me concerning God, when He has guided me? but I fear
not what ye associate with Him unless my Lord should wish for
anything. My Lord doth comprehend all things in His knowledge, will ye
not then remember? How should I fear what ye associate with Him,
when ye yourselves fear not to associate with God what He has sent
down to you no power to do? Which then of the two sects is worthier of
belief, if indeed ye know?'
Those who believe and do not obscure their faith with wrong, they
are those who shall have security, and they are guided.
These are our arguments which we gave to Abraham against his
people; we raise the rank of whom we will; verily, thy Lord is wise
and knowing. And we gave to him Isaac and Jacob, each did we guide.
And Noah we guided before and all his seed, David and Solomon and Job
and Joseph and Moses and Aaron, for thus do we reward those who do
good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias, all righteous
ones; and Ishmael and Elisha and Jonas and Lot, each one have we
preferred above the worlds; and of their fathers and their seed and
brethren; we have chosen them and guided them into a right way.
That is God's guidance; He guides those whom He will of His
servants; and if they associate aught with Him, vain is that which
they have worked.
It is to these we give the Book and judgment and prophecy; and if
these disbelieve therein we have given them in charge to a people
who shall not disbelieve.
It is these that God hath guided, and by their guidance be thou led.
Say, 'I will not ask you for it a hire: it is naught save a reminder
to the worlds.'
They do not prize God at His true worth when they say, 'God has
never revealed to mortal anything.' Say, 'Who revealed the Book
wherewith Moses came, a light and a guidance unto men? Ye put it on
papers which ye show, though ye hide much; and ye are taught what ye
knew not, neither you nor your fathers.' Say, 'God,' then leave them
in their discussion to play.
This is the Book which we have revealed, a blessing and a
confirmation to those which were before it, and that the mother of
cities may be warned, with those who are round about her. Those who
believe in the last day believe therein, and they unto their prayers
will keep.
Who is more unjust than he who devises against God a lie, or says,
'I am inspired,' when he was not inspired at all? and who says, 'I
will bring down the like of what God has sent down;' but didst thou
see when the unjust are in the floods of death, and the angels stretch
forth their hands, 'Give ye forth your souls; to day shall ye be
recompensed with the torment of disgrace, for that ye did say
against God what was not true, and were too proud to hear His signs
And ye come now single handed as we created you at first, and ye
have left behind your backs that which we granted you; and we see
not with you your intercessors whom ye pretended were partners amongst
you; betwixt you have the ties been cut asunder; and strayed away from
you is what ye did pretend.'
Verily, God it is who cleaves out the grain and the date stone; He
brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He who brings the
dead from the living. There is God! how then can ye be beguiled?
He it is who cleaves out the morning, and makes night a repose,
and the sun and the moon two reckonings that is the decree of the
mighty, the wise!
He it is who made for you stars that ye might be guided thereby in
the darkness of the land and of the sea. Now have we detailed the
signs unto a people who do know.
He it is who made you spring from one soul, and gave you a
settlement and a depository. Now have we detailed the signs unto a
people who discern.
He it is who sends down from the heavens water; and we bring forth
therewith growths of everything; and we bring forth therefrom green
things, wherefrom we bring forth grain in full ear; and the palm, from
its spathe come clusters within reach; and gardens of grapes and
olives and pomegranates, alike and unlike; behold its fruit when it
fruits and ripens! verily, in that ye have a sign for the people who
believe.
Yet they made the ginn partners with God, though He created them!
and they ascribed to Him sons and daughters, though they have no
knowledge; celebrated be His praise! and exalted be He above what they
attribute to Him! The inventor of the heavens and the earth! how can
He have a son, when He has no female companion, and when He has
created everything, and everything He knows?
There is God for you, your Lord! There is no god but He, the
Creator of everything; then worship Him, for He o'er everything
keeps guard!
Sight perceives Him not, but He perceives men's sights; for He is
the subtle, the aware.
Now has an insight from your Lord come unto you, and he who looks
therewith it is for himself; but he who is blind thereto, it is
against his soul and I am not your keeper.
Thus do we turn about the signs, that they may say, 'Thou hast
studied,' and that we may explain to those who know.
Follow what is revealed to thee from thy Lord; there is no god but
He, and shun the idolaters.
But had God pleased, they would not have associated aught with
Him; but we have not made thee a keeper over them, nor art thou for
them a warder.
Do not abuse those who call on other than God, for then they may
abuse God openly in their ignorance. So do we make seemly to every
nation their work, then unto their Lord is their return, and He will
inform them of what they have done.
They swore by God with their most strenuous oath, that if there come
to them a sign they will indeed believe therein. Say, 'Signs are
only in God's hands; but what will make you understand that even when
one has come, they will not believe?'
We will overturn their hearts and their eyesights, even as they
believed not at first; and we will leave them, in their rebellion,
blindly wandering on.
And had we sent down unto them the angels, or the dead had spoken to
them, or we had gathered everything unto them in hosts, they would not
have believed unless that God pleased but most of them are ignorant.
So have we made for every prophet an enemy, devils of men and
ginns; some of them inspire others with specious speech to lead
astray; but had thy Lord pleased they would not have done it; so leave
them with what they do devise.
And let the hearts of those who believe not in the hereafter
listen to it; and let them be well pleased with it; and let them
gain what they may gain!
Of other than God shall I crave a decree, when it is He who has sent
down to you the Book in detail, and those to whom we gave the Book
know that it is sent down from thy Lord, in truth? be thou not then of
those who doubt.
The words of thy Lord are fulfilled in truth and justice; there is
none to change His words, for He both hears and knows.
But if thou followest most of those who are in the land, they will
lead thee astray from the path of God; they only follow suspicion
and they only (rest on) conjecture.
Thy Lord, He knows best who errs from His path, and He knows best
the guided.
Eat then of what God's name has been pronounced over, if ye
believe in His signs. What ails you that ye do not eat from what God's
name is pronounced over, when He has detailed to you what is
unlawful for you? Save what ye are forced to; but, verily, many will
lead you astray by their fancies, without knowledge. Verily, thy
Lord knows best the transgressors.
Leave alone the outside of sin and the inside thereof; verily, those
who earn sin shall be recompensed for what they have gained.
But eat not of what the name of God has not been pronounced over,
for, verily, it is an abomination. Verily, the devils inspire their
friends that they may wrangle with you; but if ye obey them, verily,
ye are idolaters.
Is he who was dead and we have quickened him, and made for him a
light, that he might walk therein amongst men, like him whose likeness
is in the darkness whence he cannot come forth? Thus is made seemly to
the misbelievers what they have done.
And thus have we placed in every town the great sinners thereof,
that they may use craft therein; but they use not craft except against
themselves, although they do not understand.
And when there comes to them a sign, they say, 'We will not
believe until we are brought like what the apostles were brought;' God
knows best where to put His message. There shall befall those who sin,
meanness in God's eyes, and grievous torment for the craft they used.
Whomsoever God wishes to guide, He expands His breast to Islam;
but whomsoever wishes to lead astray, He makes his breast tight and
straight, as though he would mount up into heaven; thus does God set
His horror on those who do not believe.
This is the way of thy Lord straight. We have detailed the signs
unto a mindful people; for them is an abode of peace; and their
Lord, He is their patron for what they have done.
And on the day when He shall gather them all together, 'O assembly
of the ginns! ye have got much out of mankind.' And their clients from
among mankind shall say, 'O our Lord! much advantage had we one from
another;' but we reached our appointed time which thou hadst appointed
for us. Says He, 'The fire is your resort, to dwell therein for aye!
save what God pleases; verily, thy Lord is wise and knowing.'
Thus do we make some of the unjust patrons of the others, for that
which they have earned.
O assembly of ginns and men! did there not come to you apostles from
among yourselves, relating to you our signs, and warning you of the
meeting of this very day of yours? They say, 'We bear witness
against ourselves.' The life of this world deceived them, and they
bear witness against themselves that they were unbelievers.
That is because thy Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while
their people are careless; but for every one are degrees of what
they have done; and thy Lord is not careless of that which they do.
Thy Lord is rich, merciful; if He pleases He will take you off,
and will cause what He pleases to succeed you; even as He raised you
up from the seed of other people.
Verily, what ye are promised will surely come, nor can ye
frustrate it.
Say, 'O my people! act according to your power, verily, I am
acting too; and soon shall ye know whose is the future of the
abode!' verily, the unjust shall not prosper.
They set apart for God, from what He raises of tilth and of
cattle, a portion, and they say, 'This is God's;' as they pretend
'and this is for our associates;' but that which is for their
associates reaches not to God, and that which was for God does reach
to their associates; evil is it what they judge.
Thus too have their associates made seemly to many of the
idolaters the killing of their children, to destroy them, and to
obscure for them their religion; but had God pleased they would not
have done it, leave them alone and that which they have forged.
And they say, 'These cattle and tilth are inviolable; none shall
taste thereof, save such as we please' as they pretend and there are
cattle whose backs are prohibited, and cattle over whom God's name
is not pronounced, forging a lie against Him! He shall reward them
for what they have forged.
And they say, 'What is in the wombs of these cattle is unlawful
for our wives, but if it be (born) dead, then are they partners
therein.' He will reward them for their attribution; verily, He is
wise and knowing.
Losers are they who kill their children foolishly, without
knowledge, and who prohibit what God has bestowed upon them, forging a
lie against God; they have erred and are not guided.
He it is who brought forth gardens with trailed and untrailed vines,
and the palms and corn land, with various food, and olives, and
pomegranates, alike and unlike. Eat from the fruit thereof whene'er it
fruits, and bring the dues thereof on the day of harvest, and be not
extravagant; verily, He loves not the extravagant.
Of cattle are there some to ride on and to spread. Eat of what God
has bestowed upon you, and follow not the footsteps of Satan;
verily, he is to you an open foe.
Eight pairs, of sheep two, and of goats two; say, 'Are the two
males unlawful, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two
females contain? inform me with knowledge if ye tell the truth.' And
of camels two, and cows two; say, 'Are the two males unlawful, or
the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Were ye
witnesses when God ordained for you these? Then who is more unjust
than he who devises a lie against God, to lead men astray without
knowledge? verily, God guides not the unjust people.'
Say, 'I cannot find in what I am inspired with anything unlawful for
the taster to taste; unless it be dead (of itself), or blood that
has been shed, or the flesh of swine, for that is a horror or an
abomination that is consecrated to other than God. But he who is
forced, not wilfully nor transgressing, then, verily, thy Lord is
forgiving and merciful.'
To those who were Jews did we prohibit everything that hath a
solid hoof; and of oxen and sheep did we prohibit to them the fat,
save what the backs of both do bear, or the inwards, or what is
mixed with bone; with that did we recompense them for their rebellion,
for, verily, we are true.
And if they give thee the lie, say, 'Your Lord is of ample mercy,
nor shall His violence be turned back from the sinful people.'
Those who associate others with God will say, 'Had God pleased, we
had not so associated, nor our fathers; nor should we have forbidden
aught.' Thus did they give the lie to those who came before them,
until they tasted of our violence! Say, 'Have ye any knowledge? if so,
bring it forth to us: ye only follow suspicion, and ye do but
conjecture.'
Say, 'God's is the searching argument; and had He pleased He would
have guided you all.'
Say, 'Come on then with your witnesses, who bear witness that God
has prohibited these!' but if they do bear witness, bear thou not
witness with them; nor follow the lust of those who say our signs
are lies, and those who do not believe in the last day, or those who
for their Lord make peers.
Say, 'Come! I will recite what your Lord has forbidden you, that
ye may not associate aught with Him, and (may show) kindness to your
parents, and not kill your children through poverty; we will
provide for you and them; and draw not nigh to flagrant sins,
either apparent or concealed, and kill not the soul, which God hath
forbidden save by right; that is what God ordains you, haply ye may
understand.'
And draw not nigh unto the wealth of the orphan, save so as to
better it, until he reaches full age; and give weight and measure with
justice. We do not compel the soul save what it can compass; and
when ye pronounce, then be just, though it be in the case of a
relative.
And God's compact fulfil ye; that is what He ordained you, haply
ye may be mindful. Verily, this is my right way; follow it then, and
follow not various paths, to separate yourselves from His way; that is
what He has ordained you, haply ye may fear!
Then we gave Moses the Book, complete for him who acts aright, and a
decision and a guidance and a mercy; haply in the meeting of their
Lord they will believe.
This is the Book which we have sent down; it is a blessing; follow
it then and fear; haply ye may obtain mercy. Lest ye say, 'The Book
was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we, for what they
read, care naught.' Or, lest ye should say, 'Had we had a book
revealed to us we should surely have been more guided than they;'
but there is come to them a manifest sign from their Lord, and a
guidance and a mercy; who then is more unjust than he who calls
God's signs lies, and turns from them? we will reward those who turn
from our signs with an evil punishment for that they turned away.
What do they expect but that the angels should come for them, or
that thy Lord should come, or that some signs of thy Lord should come?
On the day when some signs do come, its faith shall profit no soul
which did not believe before, unless it has earned some good by its
faith. Say, 'Wait ye expectant, then we wait expectant too.'
Verily, those who divided their religion and became sects, thou hast
not to do with them, their matter is in God's hands, He will yet
inform them of that which they have done.
He who brings a good work shall have ten like it; but he who
brings a bad work shall be recompensed only with the like thereof, for
they shall not be wronged.
Say, 'As for me, my Lord has guided me to the right way, a right
religion, the faith of Abraham the 'Hanif, for he was not of the
idolaters.'
Say, 'Verily, my prayers and my devotion and my life and my death
belong to God, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner; that is what
I am bidden; for I am first of those who are resigned.'
Say, Other than God shall I crave for a Lord when He is Lord of
all?' but no soul shall earn aught save against itself; nor shall
one bearing a burden bear the burden of another; and then unto your
Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that whereon ye
do dispute.
He it is who made you vicegerents, and raised some of you above
others in degree, to try you by that which he has brought you;
verily, thy Lord is swift to punish, but, verily, He is forgiving
and merciful.
THE CHAPTER OF AL AARAF
(VII. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
ALIF LAM MIM SAD. A book revealed to thee, so let there be no
straitness in thy breast, that thou mayest warn thereby, and a
reminder to the believers.
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and follow
not beside Him patrons; little is it that ye mind.
Yet how many a town have we destroyed, and our violence came upon it
by night, or while they slept at noon; and their cry, when our
violence came upon them, was only to say, 'Verily, we were unjust!'
But we will of a surety question those to whom the prophets were sent,
and we will narrate to them with knowledge, for we were not absent.
The balance on that day is true, and whosesoever scales are heavy,
they are prosperous; but whosesoever scales are light, they it is
who lose themselves, for that they did act unjustly by our signs.
We have established you in the earth, and we have made for you
therein livelihoods; little is it that ye thank; and we created you,
then we fashioned you, then we said unto the angels, 'Adore Adam,' and
they adored, save Iblis, who was not of those who did adore.
Said He, 'What hinders thee from adoring when I order thee?' he
said, 'I am better than he; Thou hast created me from fire, and him
Thou hast created out of clay.'
Said He, 'Then go down therefrom; what ails thee that thou
shouldst be big with pride therein? go forth! verily, thou art of
the little ones.'
He said, 'Respite me until the day when they shall be raised.' He
said 'Verily, thou art of the respited;' said he, 'For that Thou
hast led me into error, I will lie in wait for them in Thy straight
path; then I will surely come to them, from before them and from
behind them; and most of them Thou shalt not find thankful.' He
said, 'Go forth therefrom, despised, expelled; whoso follows thee, I
will surely fill hell with you altogether. But, O Adam, dwell thou and
thy wife in Paradise and eat from whence ye will, but draw not nigh
unto this tree or ye will be of the unjust.'
But Satan whispered to them to display to them what was kept back
from them of their shame, and he said, 'Your Lord has only forbidden
you this tree lest ye should be twain angels, or should become of
the immortals;' and he swore to them both, 'Verily, I am unto you a
sincere adviser;' and he beguiled them by deceit, and when they
twain tasted of the tree, their shame was shown them, and they began
to stitch upon themselves the leaves of the garden. And their Lord
called unto them, 'Did I not forbid you from that tree there, and
say to you, Verily, Satan is to you an open foe?' They said, 'O our
Lord! we have wronged ourselves and if Thou dost not forgive us and
have mercy on us, we shall surely be of those who are lost!' He
said, 'Go ye down, one of you to the other a foe; but for you in the
earth there is an abode, and a provision for a season.' He said,
'Therein shall ye live and therein shall ye die, from it shall ye be
brought forth.'
O sons of Adam! we have sent down to you garments wherewith to cover
your shame, and plumage; but the garment of piety, that is better.
That is one of the signs of God, haply ye may remember.
O sons of Adam! let not Satan infatuate you as he drove your parents
out of Paradise, stripping from them their garments, and showing
them their shame; verily, he sees you he and his tribe, from whence
ye cannot see them. Verily, we have made the devils patrons of those
who do not believe, and when they commit an abomination they say,
'We found our fathers at this, and God bade us do it.'
Say, 'God bids you not to do abomination; do ye say against God that
which ye do not know?'
Say, 'My Lord bids only justice: set steadfastly you faces at every
mosque and pray to Him, being sincere in your religion. As He
brought you forth in the beginning, shall ye return. A sect He guides,
and for a sect of them was error due; verily, they did take the devils
for their patrons instead of God, and they did count that they were
guided.'
O sons of Adam! take your ornaments to every mosque and eat and
drink, but do not be extravagant, for He loves not the extravagant.
Say, 'Who has prohibited the ornaments of God which He brought forth
for His servants, and good things of His providing?' say, 'On the
day of judgment they shall only be for those who believed when in
the life of this world.' Thus do we detail the signs unto a people
that do know.
Say, 'My Lord has only prohibited abominable deeds, the apparent
thereof and the concealed thereof, and sin, and greed for that which
is not right, and associating with God what He has sent down no
power for, and saying against God that which ye do not know.'
Every nation has its appointed time, and when their appointed time
comes they cannot keep it back an hour, nor can they bring it on.
O sons of Adam! verily, there will come to you apostles from amongst
you, narrating unto you my signs; then whoso fears God and does what
is right, there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. But
those who say my signs are lies, and who are too big with pride for
them, these are the fellows of the Fire, they shall dwell therein
for aye!
Who is more unjust than he who devises against God a lie, or says
His signs are lies? These, their portion of the Book shall reach
them until when our messengers come to take their souls away, and say,
'Where is what ye used to call upon instead of God?' they say, 'They
have strayed away from us;' and they shall bear witness against
themselves that they have been misbelievers.
He will say, 'Enter ye amongst the nations who have passed away
before you, both of ginns and men into the fire;' whenever a nation
enters therein, it curses its mate; until, when they have all
reached it, the last of them will say unto the first, 'O our Lord!
these it was who led us astray, give them double torment of the fire!'
He will say, 'To each of you double! but ye do not know.' And the
first of them will say unto the last, 'Ye have no preference over
us, so taste ye the torment for that which ye have earned!'
Verily, those who say our signs are lies and are too big with
pride for them; for these the doors of heaven shall not be opened, and
they shall not enter into Paradise until a camel shall pass into a
needle's eye.
It is thus that we reward the sinners; for them is a couch of
hell fire, with an awning above them! thus do we reward the unjust!
But those who believe and do what is right we will not oblige a
soul more than its capacity they are the fellows of Paradise, they
shall dwell therein for aye.
We will strip away what ill feeling is in their breasts there shall
flow beneath them rivers, and they shall say, 'Praise belongs to God
who guided us to this! for we should not have been guided had not
God guided us! the apostles of our Lord did come to us with truth!'
And it shall be cried out to them, 'This is Paradise which ye have
as an inheritance for that which ye have done!' And the fellows of
Paradise will call out to the fellows of the Fire, 'We have now
found that what our Lord promised us is true; have ye found that
what your Lord promised you is true?' They will say, 'Yea!' And a
crier from amongst them will cry out, 'The curse of God is on the
unjust who turn from the way of God and crave to make it crooked,
while in the hereafter they do disbelieve!'
And betwixt the two there is a veil, and on al Aaraf are men who
know each by marks; and they shall cry out to the fellows of Paradise,
'Peace] be upon you!' they cannot enter it although they so desire.
But when their sight is turned towards the fellows of the Fire, they
say, 'O our Lord! place us not with the unjust people.' And the
fellows on al Aaraf will cry out to the men whom they know by their
marks, and say, 'Of no avail to you were your collections, and what ye
were so big with pride about; are these those ye swore that God
would not extend mercy to? Enter ye Paradise; there is no fear for
you, nor shall ye be grieved.'
But the fellows of the Fire shall cry out to the fellows of
Paradise, 'Pour out upon us water, or something of what God has
provided you with.' They will say, 'God has prohibited them both to
those who misbelieve; who took their religion for a sport and a
play; whom the life of the world beguiled.' To day do we forget
them as they forgot the meeting of this day, and for that they did
deny our signs!
Now we have brought them a book explaining it in knowledge, a
guidance and a mercy to a people who believe.
Do they wait now for aught but its interpretation? on the day
when its interpretation shall come, those who forgot it before will
say, 'There did come to us the apostles of our Lord in truth, have
we intercessors to intercede for us? or, could we return, we would
do otherwise than we did.' They have lost themselves, and that which
they devised has strayed away from them.
Verily, your Lord is God who created the heavens and the earth in
six days; then He made for the Throne. He covers night with the dayit
pursues it incessantly and the sun and the moon and the stars
are subject to His bidding. Aye! His is the creation and the
bidding, blessed be God the Lord of the worlds!
Call on your Lord humbly and secretly, verily, He loves not the
transgressors. And do not evil in the earth after it has been righted;
and call upon Him with fear and earnestness; verily, the mercy of
God is nigh unto those who do well.
He it is who sends forth the winds as heralds before His mercy;
until when they lift the heavy cloud which we drive to a dead land,
and send down thereon water, and bring forth therewith every kind of
fruit; thus do we bring forth the dead; haply ye may remember.
And the good land brings forth its vegetation by the permission of
its Lord; and that which is vile brings forth naught but scarcity.
Thus do we turn about our signs for a people who are grateful.
We did send Noah unto his people, and he said, 'O my people I
serve God, ye have no god but Him; verily, I fear for you the
torment of the mighty day.' Said the chiefs of his people, 'Verily, we
do surely see you in obvious error.' Said he, 'O my people! there is
no error in me; but I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds. I
preach to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you sincere
advice; and I know from God what ye know not. What! do ye wonder
that there came to you a reminder from your Lord by a man from amongst
yourselves, to warn you, and that ye may fear? but haply ye may
receive mercy.'
But they called him a liar, and we rescued him and those who were
with him in the ark; and we drowned those who said our signs were
lies, verily, they were a blind people.
And unto 'Ad (we sent) their brother Hud, who said, 'O my people!
serve God, ye have no god save Him; what! will ye not then fear?' Said
the chiefs of those who misbelieved amongst his people, 'Verily, we
see thee in folly, and, verily, we certainly think thou art of the
liars.' He said, 'O my people! there is no folly in me; but I am an
apostle from the Lord the worlds; I preach to you the messages of your
Lord; and, verily, I am to you a faithful adviser. What! do ye then
wonder that there comes to you a reminder from your Lord by a man from
amongst yourselves, to warn you? remember when He made you vicegerents
after Noah's people and increased you in length of stature;
remember, then, the benefits of God, haply ye may prosper!' They
said, 'Hast thou come to us that we may worship God alone, and leave
what our fathers used to worship? then bring us what thou dost
threaten us with, if thou art of those who tell the truth!' He said,
'There shall fall upon you from your Lord horror and wrath; do ye
wrangle with me about names, which ye and your fathers have named
yourselves, for which God sent down no power; wait then expectant, and
I with you will wait expectant too! But we rescued him and those
with him, by mercy from ourselves, and we cut off the hindermost parts
of those who said our signs were lies and who were not believers.'
Unto Thamud (we sent) their brother Zali'h, who said, 'O my
people! worship God; ye have no god but Him: there has come to you a
manifest sign from your Lord. This she camel of God's is a sign for
you; leave her then to eat in the land of God, and touch her not
with evil, or there will overtake you grievous woe. And remember how
he made you vicegerents after 'Ad and stablished you in the earth so
that ye took for yourselves castles on its plains and hewed out
mountains into houses; and remember the benefits of God, and waste not
the land, despoiling it.' Said the chiefs of those who were big with
pride from amongst his people to those who were weak, to those
amongst them who believed, 'Do ye know that Zali'h is sent from his
Lord? They said, 'We do believe in that with which he is sent.' Said
those who were big with pride, 'Verily, in what ye do believe we
disbelieve.' Then they did hamstring the camel, and rebelled against
the bidding of their Lord and said, 'O Zali'h! bring us what thou
didst threaten us with, if thou art of those who are sent.' Then the
earthquake took them, and in the morning they lay prone in their
dwellings; and he turned away from them and said, 'O my people! I
did preach to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good
advice; but ye love not sincere advisers.'
And Lot, when he said to his people, 'Do ye approach an
abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in?
verily, ye approach men with lust rather than women nay, ye are a
people who exceed.' But his people's answer only was to say, 'Turn
them out of your village, verily, they are a people who pretend to
purity.' But we saved him and his people, except his wife, who was
of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them a rain; see
then how was the end of the sinners!
And unto Midian did we send their brother Sho'haib, who said, 'O
my people! serve God, ye have no god save Him. There has come to you a
manifest sign from your Lord; then give good weight and measure, and
be not niggardly of your gifts to men, and do not evil in the earth
after it has been righted. That is better for you if ye are believers;
and sit not down in every path, threatening and turning from the
path of God those who believe in Him, and craving to make it
crooked. Remember when ye were few and He multiplied you; and see what
was the end of thee evildoers! And if there be a party of you who
believe in what I am sent with, and a party who believe not, then wait
patiently until God judges between us, for He is the best of
judges.' Said the crowd of those who were big with pride amongst His
people, 'We will of a surety turn thee out, O Sho'haib! and those
who believe with thee, from our village; or else thou shalt return
unto our faith.' Said he, 'What even if we be averse therefrom? We
shall have devised a lie against God if we return unto your faith,
after God has saved us from it; and what should ail us that we
should return thereto, unless that God our Lord should please? our
Lord embraces everything in His knowledge; on God do we rely. O our
Lord! open between us and between our people in truth, for Thou art
the best of those who open. And the chiefs of those who disbelieved
amongst his people said, 'If ye follow Sho'haib, verily, ye shall be
the losers;' then there took them the earthquake, and in the morning
they lay in their dwellings prone. Those who called Sho'haib a liar,
(were) as though they had not dwelt therein! Those who called
Sho'haib a liar, they were the losers then! And he turned away from
them and said, 'O my people! I preached to you the messages of my
Lord, and I gave you 'good advice; how should I be vexed for a
people who do misbelieve?
We have not sent unto a city any prophet except we overtook the
people thereof with trouble and distress, that haply they might humble
themselves; and then did we give them, in exchange for evil, good,
until they increased and said, 'Distress and joy both touched our
fathers;' then we overtook them suddenly ere they could perceive. Had
the people of the town but believed and feared, we would have opened
up for them blessings from the heavens and from the earth; but they
said it was a lie, so we overtook them for that which they had earned.
Were the people of these cities then secure that our violence
would not come on them by night, while they slept? were the people
of these cities secure that our violence would not come on them in the
morning whilst they played? were they secure from the craft of God.?
none feel secure from the craft of God except a people that shall
lose.
Is it not shown to those who inherit the earth after its (former)
people, that, did we please, we would smite them in their sins, and
would set a stamp upon their hearts, and then they should not hear?
These cities, we do relate to thee their stories. There came to them
our apostles with manifest signs; but they did not at all believe in
what they called a lie before. Thus doth God set a stamp upon the
hearts of those who misbelieve.
Nor did we find in most of them a covenant; but we did find most
of them workers of abomination.
Then we raised up after them Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his
chiefs; but they dealt unjustly therewith, and see what was the end of
the evildoers!
Moses said, 'O Pharaoh! verily, I am an apostle from the Lord of the
worlds; it is not right for me to speak against God aught but the
truth. I have come to you with a manifest sign from my Lord; send then
the children of Israel with me.' Said he, 'If thou hast come with a
sign, then bring it, if thou art of those who speak the truth.' Then
he threw his rod down, and lo! it was an obvious snake; and he drew
out his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders. Said the chiefs
of Pharaoh's people, 'Verily, this is surely a knowing magician; he
desires to turn you out of your land; What is it then ye bid? They
said, 'Give him and his brother some hope; and send into the cities to
collect and bring you every knowing magician.' And the magician came
to Pharaoh and said, 'Is there indeed a reward for us if we are
conquerors? He said, 'Yea! and ye shall be of those who draw nigh unto
me.' They said, 'O Moses! wilt thou cast down (thy rod) or shall we be
(first) to throw?' Said he, 'Throw down;' and when they threw down,
they did enchant the people's eyes, and made them dread, and brought a
mighty magic. But we inspired Moses (saying), 'Throw down thy rod, and
it will gulp down that which they devise;' and the truth stood fast,
and vain was that which they had done; and they were conquered
there, and turned back feeling small! and the magicians threw
themselves down adoring. Said. they, 'We believe in the Lord of the
worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron! Said Pharaoh, 'Do ye believe in
him ere I give you leave? This is craft which ye have devised in the
land, to turn its people out therefrom, but soon shall ye know! I will
cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, then I will
crucify you altogether!' They said, 'Verily, we unto our Lord
return! nor dost thou take vengeance on us, save for that we believe
in the signs of our Lord, when they come to us.
'O our Lord! pour out upon us patience, and take us to Thyself
resigned.' And the chiefs of Pharaoh's people said, 'Will ye leave
Moses and his people to do evil in the land, and to leave thee and thy
gods?' Said he, 'We will have their sons slain and their women we will
let live, for, verily, we are triumphant over them.'
Said Moses unto his people, 'Ask for aid from God and be patient;
verily, the earth is God's! He gives it for an inheritance to whom
He pleases of His servants, and the future is for those who fear.'
They said, 'We have been hurt before thou didst come to us, and
since thou hast come to us.' Said he, 'It may be that your Lord will
destroy your foe, and will make you succeed him in the earth; and He
will see how ye act.'
We had overtaken Pharaoh's people with the years (of dearth) and
scarcity of fruits, that haply they might remember; but when there
came to them a 'good thing they said, 'This is ours;' and if there
befel them an evil, they took the augury from Moses and those with
him; is not their augury only in God's hands? but most of them
know not.
And they said, 'Whatever thou dost bring us as a sign to enchant
us therewith, yet will we not believe in thee.'
Then we sent upon them the flood and the locusts and the lice and
the frogs and the blood, signs detailed; but they were big with pride
and were a people who did sin.
And when there fell upon them the plague, they said, 'O Moses!
call upon thy Lord for us, as He has covenanted with thee; verily,
if thou dost remove the plague from us, we will believe in thee; and
we will assuredly send with thee the children of Israel.' But when
we removed from them the plague until the appointed time which they
should reach, lo! then they broke their promise. But we took vengeance
on them, and we drowned them in the sea, for that they said our
signs were lies and were careless thereof. And we gave as an
inheritance unto the people who had been weak, the eastern quarters of
the earth and the western quarters thereof, which we had blest; and
the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled on the children of Israel, for
that they were patient; and we destroyed that which Pharaoh and his
people had made and that which they had piled. And with the children
of Israel we passed across the sea; and they came unto a people
devoted to their idols, and said, 'O Moses! make for us a god as
they have gods.' Said he, 'Verily, ye are ignorant people.' Verily,
these destroyed shall be that which they are given to; and vain is
that which they have done.
He said, 'Other than God then do ye crave for a god, when He has
preferred you above the worlds?'
And when we saved you from Pharaoh's people who wrought you evil
woe, killing your sons, and letting your women live; and in that was a
mighty trial from your Lord.
And we appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed them with
ten (more), so that the time appointed by his Lord was completed to
forty nights. And Moses said unto his brother Aaron, 'Be thou my
vicegerent amongst my people, and do what is right, and follow not the
path of the evildoers.'
And when Moses came to our appointment, and his Lord spake unto him,
he said, 'O my Lord! show me, that I may look on thee!' He said,
'Thou canst not see me; but look upon the mountain, and if it remain
steady in its place, thou shalt see me;' but when his Lord appeared
unto the mountain He made it dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon!
And when he came to himself, he said, 'Celebrated be thy praise! I
turn repentant unto Thee, and I am the first of those who are
resigned.'
He said, 'O Moses! verily, I have chosen thee over the people with
my messages and my words, take then what I have brought thee, and be
of those who thank.' And we wrote for him upon tablets an admonition
concerning everything, and a detailing of everything: 'Take them
then with firmness, and bid thy people take them for what is best
thereof. I will show you the abode of those who work abominations; I
will turn from my signs those who are big with pride in the earth
without right; and if they see every sign they shall not believe
therein, and if they see the path of rectitude they shall not take
it for a path; but if they see the path of error they shall take it
for a path; that is because they have said our signs are lies and
have been careless of them.'
But those who say our signs and the meeting of the last day are
lies, vain are their works: shall they be rewarded save for that
which they have done?
And Moses' people after him took to themselves of their ornaments
a corporeal calf that lowed; did they not see that it could not
speak with them, nor could it guide them in the path? They took it and
they were unjust; but when they bit their hands with fruitless rage
and saw that they had gone astray, they said, 'Verily, if our Lord
have not compassion on us and forgive us we shall surely be of those
who lose!'
And when Moses returned unto his people angry and grieved, he
said, Evil is it that ye have done after me! Would ye hasten on the
bidding of your Lord?' and he threw down the tablets and took his
brother by the head to drag him towards him, but he said, 'O son of my
mother! verily, the people weakened me and well nigh killed me; make
not then mine enemies glad about me, and put me not with the unjust
people.' He said, 'O Lord! pardon me and my brother, and let us
enter into Thy mercy; for Thou art the most merciful of the
merciful. Verily, these have taken to themselves a calf; there shall
reach them wrath from their Lord, and abasement in the life of this
world; for thus do we reward those who forge a lie. But those who have
done bad works, and then turn again after them and believe, verily,
thy Lord, after that, is forgiving and merciful.'
And when Moses' wrath calmed down he took the tables, in the
inscription of which was guidance and mercy for those who dread
their Lord.
And Moses chose from his people seventy men for our appointment; and
when the earthquake took them he said, 'O my Lord! hadst Thou
willed, Thou hadst destroyed them before and me. Wilt Thou destroy
us for what the fools amongst us have done? This is naught but Thy
trial, wherewith Thou dost lead astray whom Thou pleasest and
guidest whom Thou pleasest; Thou art our patron! forgive us and have
mercy on us, for Thou art the best of those who do forgive!
And write down for us in this world good, and in the future too;
verily, we are guided unto Thee.' He said, 'My punishment with it I
fall on whom I will; and my mercy embraceth everything; and I will
write it down for those who fear, and who give alms, and those who
in our signs believe, who follow the Apostle the illiterate prophet,
whom they find written down with them in the law and the gospel,
bidding them what is reasonable and forbidding them what is wrong, and
making lawful for them what is good, and making unlawful evil
things; and setting down for them their burdens and the yokes which
were upon them; to those who believe in him and aid him and help
him and follow the law which has been sent down with him they shall
be the prosperous.'
Say, 'O ye folk! verily, I am the Apostle of God unto you all,'
of Him whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, there is
no god but He! He quickens and He kills! believe then in God and His
Apostle, the illiterate prophet, who believes in God and in His
words then follow him that haply ye may be guided.
Amongst Moses' people is a nation guided in truth, and thereby act
they justly.
And we cut them up into twelve tribes, each a nation; and we
revealed unto Moses, when his people asked him for drink, 'Strike with
thy staff the rock!' and there gushed forth from it twelve springs,
each folk knew their drinking place. And we overshadowed them with the
cloud; and sent down upon them the manna and the quails, 'Eat of the
good things we have provided you with!' Yet they did not wrong us,
but it was themselves they wronged.
And when it was said unto them, 'Dwell in this city and eat
therefrom as ye will, and say 'hittatun and enter the gate adoring; so
will we pardon you your sins; we will increase those who do well.'
But those amongst them who did wrong changed it for another word
than which was said to them; and we sent upon them a plague from
heaven for that they were unjust.
Ask them too about the city which stood by the sea, when they
transgressed upon the Sabbath; when their fish came to them on the
Sabbath day sailing straight up to them; but on the days when they
kept not the Sabbath, they came not to them, thus did we try them
for the abominations that they wrought.
And when a nation from amongst them said, 'Why do ye warn a people
whom God would destroy, or punish with severe torment?' they said, 'As
an excuse to your Lord, that haply they may fear.' But when they
forgot what they had been reminded of, we saved those who forbade
evil, but we overtook those who did wrong with punishment; evil was
the abomination that they did, but when they rebelled against what
they were forbidden, we said to them, 'Become ye apes, despised and
spurned!' and then thy Lord proclaimed that He would surely send
against them till the resurrection day, those who should wreak them
evil torment; verily, thy Lord is quick at following up, but,
verily, He is forgiving, merciful.
We cut them up in the earth into nations. Of them are the righteous,
and of them are the reverse of that; we have tried them with good
things and with bad things; haply they may return.
But there succeeded them successors who inherited the Book! They
take the goods of this lower world and say, 'It will be forgiven
us.' But if the like goods came to them they would take them too!
Was there not taken from them a covenant by the Book, that they should
not say against God aught but the truth? Yet they study therein! But
the abode of the future life is better for those who fear do ye not
then understand? But those who hold fast by the Book and are steadfast
in prayer verily, we will not waste the hire of those who do right.
And when we shook the mountain over them, as though it were a
shadow, and they thought it would fall upon them (saying), 'Take ye
what we have given you with firmness, and remember what is therein;
haply ye may fear.'
And when thy Lord took from the children of Adam out of their
loins their seed, and made them bear witness against themselves, 'Am I
not your Lord?' They said, 'Yea! we do bear witness' lest ye should
say on the day of resurrection, 'Verily, for this we did not care;' or
say, Verily, our fathers associated others with God before us, and
we were but their seed after them: wilt Thou then destroy us for
what vaindoers did?' Thus do we detail the signs; haply they may
return.
Read to them the declaration of him to whom we brought our signs,
and who stepped away therefrom, and Satan followed him, and he was
of those who were beguiled. Had we pleased we would have exalted him
thereby, but he crouched upon the earth and followed his lust, and his
likeness was as the likeness of a dog, whom if thou shouldst attack he
hangs out his tongue, or if thou should leave him, hangs out his
tongue too. That is the likeness of the people who say our signs are
lies. Tell them then these tales haply they may reflect.
Evil is the likeness of a people who say our signs are lies;
themselves it is they wrong!
We have created for hell many of the ginn and of mankind; they
have hearts and they discern not therewith; they have eyes and they
see not therewith; they have ears and they hear not therewith; they
are like cattle, nay, they go more astray! these it is who care not.
But God's are the good names; call on Him then thereby, and leave
those who pervert His names; they shall be rewarded for that which
they have done.
And of those whom we have created is a nation who are guided in
truth and thereby act with equity; but they who say our signs are
lies, we will bring them down by degrees from whence they know not.
I will let them range; verily, my stratagem is efficacious!
Do they not then reflect that their companion is not possessed? he
is but an obvious warner! Do they not behold the kingdoms of the
heavens and of the earth, and what things God has created, and (see
that), it may be, their time is already drawing nigh? in what relation
then will they believe? He whom God leads astray there is no guide for
him! He leaves them in their rebellion, blindly wandering on.
They will ask you about the Hour, for what time it is fixed? say,
'The knowledge thereof is only with my Lord; none shall manifest it at
its time but He; it is heavy in the heavens and the earth, it will not
come to you save on a sudden.'
They will ask as though thou wert privy to it, say,' knowledge
thereof is only with God,' but most folk do not know.
Say, 'I cannot control profit or harm for myself, save what God
will. If I knew the unseen I should surely have much that is good, nor
would evil touch me; I am but a warner and a herald of good tidings
unto a people who believe.'
He it is who created you from one soul, and made therefrom its
mate to dwell therewith; and when he covered her she bore a light
burden and went about therewith; but when it grew heavy they called on
God, Lord of them both, 'Surely if thou givest us a rightly shaped
child we shall of a surety be of those who thank.' And when He gave
them both a rightly shaped child they joined partners with Him for
that which He had given them, but exalted be God above that which they
associate with Him. Will they associate with Him those cannot create
aught, but are themselves created, which have no power to help them,
and cannot even help themselves?
But if ye call them unto guidance they will not follow you. It is
the same to them if Thou dost call them or if Thou dost hold thy
tongue.
Those whom ye call on other than God are servants like yourselves.
Call on them then, and let them answer you, if so be ye tell the
truth! Have they feet to walk with? or have they hands to hold with?
or have they eyes to see with? or have they ears to hear with? Call
upon your partners; then plot against me, and do not wait.
Verily, my patron is God, who hath sent down the Book, and He is the
patron of the righteous. But those whom ye call on beside Him cannot
help you, nor can they even help themselves. But if ye call them
unto the guidance they will not hear, thou mayest see them looking
towards thee, yet they do not see. Take to pardon, and order what is
kind, and shun the ignorant; and if an incitement from the devil
incites you, then seek refuge in God: verily, He both hears and knows.
Verily, those who fear God, if a wraith from the devil touch,
mention Him, and lo! they see.
And their brethren he shall increase in error, then they shall not
desist.
Shouldst Thou not bring them a sign they say, 'Hast Thou not yet
made choice of one? Say, 'I only follow what is inspired to me by my
Lord. These are perceptions from my Lord, and a guidance and a mercy
to a people who believe.'
And when the Koran is read, then listen thereto and keep silence;
haply ye may obtain mercy.
And remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with fear, not
openly in words, in the morning and in the evening; and be not of
those who do not care. Verily, they who are with my Lord are not too
big with pride for His service, but they do celebrate His praise,
and Him they do adore.
THE CHAPTER OF THE SPOILS
(VIII. Medinah.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
They will ask thee about the spoils. Say, 'The spoils are God's
and the Apostle's; fear God and settle it amongst yourselves; obey God
and the Apostle if ye do believe.'
Verily, the believers are those who, when God's name is mentioned,
their hearts sink with fear; and when His signs are rehearsed to
them they increase them in faith; and on their Lord do they rely;
who are steadfast in prayer, and of what we have bestowed upon them
give in alms; these are in truth believers; to them are degrees with
their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.
As thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house with the truth,
although a sect of the believers were averse therefrom. They
wrangled with thee about the truth after it was made plain, as
though they were being driven on to death and looked thereon; and when
God promised you that one of the two troops should be yours, and ye
would fain have had those who had no arms. God wished to prove the
truth true by His words, and to cut off the hindermost parts of
those who misbelieve to prove the truth true, and to make vain the
vain, although the sinners are averse.
When ye asked for succour from your Lord, and He answered you, I
will assist you with a thousand angels, with others in reserve.'
God made it only glad tidings to quiet your hearts therewith; for
victory is only from God! verily, God is mighty and wise.
When drowsiness covered you as a security from Him, and He sent down
upon you from the heavens water to purify you withal, and to take away
from you the plague of Satan, and to tie up your hearts and to make
firm your footsteps.
When your Lord inspired the angels 'Verily, I am with you; make
ye firm then those who believe; I will cast dread into the hearts of
those who misbelieve, strike off their necks then, and strike off
from them every finger tip.'
That is, because they went into opposition against God and His
Apostle; for he who goes into opposition against God and His
Apostle verily, God is keen to punish.
There, taste it! since for the misbelievers is the torment of the
Fire.
O ye who believe! when ye meet those who misbelieve in swarms,
turn not to them your hinder parts; for he who turns to them that
day his hinder parts, save turning to fight or rallying to a troop,
brings down upon himself wrath from God, and his resort is hell, and
an ill journey shall it be!
Ye did not slay them, but it was God who slew them; nor didst thou
shoot when thou didst shoot, but God did shoot to try the believers
from Himself with a goodly trial; verily, God both hears and knows.
There! verily, God weakens the stratagem of the misbelievers.
If ye wish the matter to be decided, a decision has now come to you;
but if ye desist, it is better for you; and if ye turn back we will
turn too, and your troop shall avail nothing, great in number though
it be, since God is with the believers!
O ye who believe! obey God and His Apostle, and turn not from Him
while ye hear, and be not like those who say, 'We hear,' and yet
they hear not.
Verily, the worst of beasts in God's sight are the deaf, the dumb
who do not understand. Had God known any good in them, He would have
made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned back
and have swerved aside.
O ye who believe! answer God and His Apostle when He calls you to
that which quickens you; and know that God steps in between man and
his heart; and that to Him ye shall be gathered. And fear
temptation, which will not light especially on those of you who have
done wrong; but know that God is keen to punish.
Remember when ye were few in number and weak in the land, fearing
lest people should snatch you away; then He sheltered you and aided
you with victory, and provided you with good things; haply ye may give
thanks.
O ye who believe! be not treacherous to God and His Apostle; nor
be treacherous to your engagement while ye know!
Know that your wealth and your children are but a temptation, and
that God with Him is mighty hire!
O ye who believe! if ye fear God He will make for you a
discrimination, and will cover for you your offences, and will forgive
you; for God is Lord of mighty grace.
And when those who misbelieve were crafty with thee to detain thee a
prisoner, or kill thee, or drive thee forth; they were crafty, but God
was crafty too, for God is best of crafty ones!
But when our verses were rehearsed to them they said, 'We have
already heard. If we pleased we could speak like this; verily, this
is nothing but tales of those of yore.'
When they said, 'O God! if this be truth, and from Thee, then rain
upon us stones from heaven or bring us grievous woe!'
But God would not torment them while thou art amongst them; nor
was God going to torment them while they asked Him to forgive. But
what ails them that God should not torment them while they turn folk
away from the Holy Mosque, though they are not the guardians
thereof its guardians are only the pious? but most of them know not.
Their prayer at the House was naught but whistling and clapping
hands! taste then the torment for that ye misbelieved!
Verily, those who misbelieve expend their wealth to turn folk from
the path of God; but they shall spend it, and then it shall be for
them sighing, and then they shall be overcome! Those who misbelieve,
into hell shall they be gathered! that God may distinguish the vile
from the good, and may put the vile, some on the top of the other, and
heap all up together, and put it into hell! These are those who lose!
Say to those who misbelieve, if they desist they will be forgiven
what is past; but if they return, the course of those of former
days has passed away.
Fight them then that there should be no sedition, and that the
religion may be wholly God's; but if they desist, then God on what
they do doth look. But if they turn their backs, then know that God is
your Lord; a good Lord is He, and a good help; and know that
whenever ye seize anything as a spoil, to God belongs a fifth thereof,
and to His Apostle, and to kindred and orphans, and the poor and the
wayfarer; if ye believe in God and what we have revealed unto our
servants on the day of the discrimination, the day when the two
parties met; and God is mighty over all. When ye were on the near side
of the valley, and they were on the far side, and the camels were
below you; had ye made an appointment then ye would have failed to
keep your appointment but it was that God might accomplish a thing
that was as good as done! that he who was to. perish might perish with
a manifest sign; and that he who was to live might live with a
manifest sign; for, verily, God hears and knows!
When God showed thee them in thy dream as though they were but
few; but had He shown thee them as though they were many, ye would
have been timid, and ye would have quarrelled about the matter; but
God preserved you; verily, He knows the nature of men's breasts!
And when He showed them to you, as ye encountered them, as few in
your eyes; and made you seem few in their eyes; that God might
accomplish a thing that was as good as done; for unto God do things
return!
O ye who believe! when ye encounter a troop, then stand firm and
remember God; and haply ye may prosper! and fear God and His
Apostle, and do not quarrel or be timid, so that your turn of luck
go from you; but be ye patient, verily, God is with the patient. And
be not like those who went forth from their homes with insolence,
and for appearance sake before men, and to turn folks off God's way;
for all they do God comprehends.
And when Satan made their works appear seemly to them, and said,
'There is none amongst mankind to conquer you to day, for, verily, I
am your neighbour!' and when the two troops came in sight of each
other, he turned upon his heels and said, 'Verily, I am clear of
you! verily, I see what you see not! verily, I fear God, for God is
keen to punish!
And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was sickness said,
'Their religion hath beguiled these men, but he who relies upon God,
verily, God is mighty and wise.'
Couldst thou see when the angels take away the souls of those who
misbelieve; they smite them on their faces and hinder parts. 'Taste
ye the torment of burning! that is for what your hands have sent on
before; and for that God is no unjust one towards his servants.'
As was the wont of Pharaoh's people and those before them! they
disbelieved in the signs of God, and God overtook them in their
sins; verily, God is strong and keen to punish.
That is because God is not one to change a favour He has favoured
a people with, until they change what they have in themselves, and for
that God both hears and knows.
As was the wont of Pharaoh's people and those before them! they said
our signs were lies, and we destroyed them in their sins, and
drowned Pharaoh's people; and all of them were evildoers.
Verily, the worst of beasts in God's eyes are those who misbelieve
and will not believe; with whom if thou dost make a league, they break
their league each time, for they fear not God; but shouldst thou
ever catch them in war, then make those who come after them run by
their example, haply they may remember then.
And shouldst thou ever fear from any people treachery, then throw it
back to them in like manner; verily, God loves not the treacherous.
Deem not that those who misbelieve can win; verily, they cannot make
(God) powerless!
Prepare ye against them what force and companies of horse ye can, to
make the enemies of God, and your enemies, and others beside them,
in dread thereof. Ye do not know them, but God knows them! and
whatever ye expend in God's way He will repay you; and ye shall not be
wronged. But if they incline to peace, incline thou to it too, and
rely upon God; verily, He both hears and knows.
But if they wish to betray thee, then God is enough for thee! He
it is who supports thee with His help and with the believers; and
reconciles their hearts! Didst thou expend all that is in the earth
thou couldst not reconcile their hearts, but God reconciled them,
verily, He is mighty and wise!
O thou prophet! God is sufficient for thee, with those of the
believers who follow thee! O thou prophet! urge on the believers to
fight. If there be of you twenty patient men, they shall conquer two
hundred; if there be of you a hundred, they shall conquer a thousand
of those who misbelieve, because they are a people who did not
discern. Now has God made it light for you; He knows that there is
a weakness amongst you: but if there be amongst you but a patient
hundred, they will conquer two hundred; and if there be of you a
thousand, they will conquer two thousand, by the permission of God,
for God is with the patient!
It has not been for any prophet to take captives until he hath
slaughtered in the land! Ye wish to have the goods of this world,
but God wishes for the next, for God is mighty, wise! Were it not
for a book from God that had gone before, there would have touched
you, for that which ye took, a mighty punishment.
Eat of what spoils ye have taken, what is lawful and good; and
fear God, verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
O thou prophet! say to such of the captives as are in your hands,
'If God knows of any good in your hearts, he will give you better than
that which is taken from you, and will forgive you; for God is
forgiving and merciful.
But if they desire to betray thee, they have betrayed God before!
but He hath given you power over them; for God is knowing, wise!
Verily, those who believe and have fled and fought strenuously
with their wealth and persons in God's way, and those who have given
refuge and help, these shall be next of kin to each other. But those
who believe, but have not fled, ye have naught to do with their claims
of kindred, until they flee as well. But if they ask you for aid for
religion's sake, then help is due from you, except against a people
between whom and you there is an alliance; for God on what ye do
doth look.
And those who misbelieve, some of them are next of kin to othersunless
ye act the same there will be sedition in the land, and great
corruption.
Those who believe and have fled and fought strenuously in. God's
cause, and those who have given a refuge and a help, those it is who
believe; to them is forgiveness and generous provision due. And
those who have believed afterwards and have fled and fought
strenuously with you; these too are of you, but blood relations are
nearer in kin by the Book of God. Verily, God all things doth know.
THE CHAPTER OF REPENTANCE OR IMMUNITY
(IX. Medinah.)
AN immunity from God and His Apostle to those idolaters with whom ye
have made a league.
Roam ye at large in the land for four months, but know that ye
cannot make God helpless, and that God disgraces the misbelievers.
A proclamation from God and His Apostle to the people on the day
of the greater pilgrimage, that God is clear of the idolaters as is
His Apostle! If then ye repent it is better for you; but if ye turn
your backs, then know that ye cannot make God helpless. Give to
those who misbelieve glad tidings of grievous woe! Except to those of
the idolaters with whom ye have made a league, and who then have not
failed you at all, and have not back ed up any one against you. Fulfil
for them then your covenant until the time agreed upon with them;
verily, God loves those who fear.
But when the sacred months are passed away, kill the idolaters
wherever ye may find them; and take them, and besiege them, and lie in
wait for them in every place of observation; but if they repent, and
are steadfast in prayer, and give alms, then let them go their way;
verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
And if any one of the idolaters ask thee for aid, then aid him, in
order that he may hear the word of God; then let him reach his place
of safety, that is, because they are a folk who do not know.
How can there be for the idolaters a treaty with God and with His
Apostle, save those with whom ye have made a league at the Sacred
Mosque! Then while they stand by you, stand ye by them; verily, God
loves those who fear.
How! if they prevail against you, they will not observe either ties
of blood or ties of clientship; they please you with their mouths, but
their hearts refuse; and most of them do work abomination. They barter
God's signs for a little price, and they turn folk from His way;
verily, they evil is that which they have done.
They will not observe in a believer ties of kindred nor ties of
clientship; but they it is are the transgressors.
But if they repent and are steadfast in prayer and give alms, then
they are your brethren in religion we detail the signs unto a
people that do know.
But if they break faith with you after their treaty, and taunt
your religion, then fight the leaders of misbelief; verily, they
have no faith, haply they may desist.
Will ye not fight a people who broke their oaths, and intended to
expel the Apostle? They began with you at first, are ye afraid of
them? God is more deserving that ye should fear Him! If ye be
believers, kill them! God will torment them by your hands, and
disgrace them, and aid you against them, and heal the breasts of a
people who believe; and will remove rage from their hearts; for God
turns unto Him whomsoever He pleases, and God is knowing, wise!
Did ye reckon that ye would be left, when God knows not as yet those
of you who fought strenuously, and who did not take other than God and
His Apostle, and the believers for an intimate friend? for God is well
aware of what ye do. It is not for idolaters to repair to the
mosques of God, bearing witness against themselves to unbelief; they
it is whose works are vain, and in the Fire shall they dwell for aye!
He only shall repair to the mosques of God who believes in God and
the last day, and is steadfast in prayer, and gives the alms, and
fears only God; it may be that these will be of those who are guided.
Have ye made out the giving drink to the pilgrims and the
repairing to the Sacred Mosque to be like being one who believes in
God and in the last day, and is strenuous in the way of God? they are
not equal in God's sight, and God guides not an unjust people.
Those who believe and who have fled and been strenuous in the way of
God, with their wealth and with their persons, are highest in rank
with God, and these it is who are happy. Their Lord gives them glad
tidings of mercy from Himself, and goodwill; and gardens shall they
have therein and lasting pleasure, to dwell therein for aye! Verily,
God, with Him is mighty here.
O ye who believe! take not your fathers and your brothers for
patrons if they love misbelief rather than faith; for whosoever
amongst you takes them for patrons these are the unjust.
Say, 'If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your
wives, and your clansmen, and the wealth which ye have gained, and the
merchandise which ye fear may be slack, and the dwellings which ye
love are dearer to you than God and His Apostle, and than fighting
strenuously in His way, then wait awhile, until God brings His
bidding, for God guides not a people who work abomination!'
God has helped you in many a place, and on the day of 'Honein when
ye were so pleased with your numbers; but it did not serve you at all,
and the road grew too strait for you, where it had been broad; and
then ye turned your backs retreating; then God sent down His
shechina upon His Apostle and upon the believers; and sent down armies
which ye could not see, and punished those who misbelieved; for that
is the reward of the misbelievers, then God turns after that to whom
He will, for God is forgiving and merciful!
O ye who believe! it is 'Only the idolaters who are unclean; they
shall not then approach the Sacred Mosque after this year. But if ye
fear want then God will enrich you from His grace if He will;
verily, God is knowing, wise!
Fight those who believe not in God and in the last day, and who
forbid not what God and His Apostle have forbidden, and who do not
practice the religion of truth from amongst those to whom the Book has
been brought, until they pay the tribute by their hands and be as
little ones.
The Jews say Ezra is the son of God; and the Christians say that the
Messiah is the son of God; that is what they say with their mouths,
imitating the sayings of those who misbelieved before. God fight
them! how they lie!
They take their doctors and their monks for lords rather than God,
and the Messiah the son of Mary; but they are bidden to worship but
one God, there is no god but He; celebrated be His praise, from what
they join with Him!
They desire to put out the light of 'God with their mouths, but
God will not have it but that we should perfect His light, averse
although the misbelievers be!
He it is who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of
truth, to make it prevail over every other religion, averse although
idolaters may be!
O ye who believe! verily, many of the doctors and the monks devour
the wealth of men openly, and turn folk from God's way; but those
who store up gold and silver and expend it not in God's way, give
them glad tidings of grievous woe! On the day when it shall be
heated in the fire of hell, and their brows shall be branded
therewith, and their sides and their backs! 'This is what ye stored
up for yourselves, taste then what ye stored up!'
Verily, the number of months with God is twelve months in God's
Book, on the day when He created the heavens and the earth; of these
are four that are sacred; that is the subsisting religion. Then do not
wrong yourselves therein, but fight the idolaters one and all, as they
fight you one and all, and know that God is with those who fear.
Verily, putting off is but an increase in misbelief to lead astray
therewith those who misbelieve. They make it lawful one year, but they
make it unlawful another year, that they may come to an
understanding as to the number which God has made sacred, and make
lawful what God has prohibited. Seemly to them are their evil works,
but God guides not a misbelieving people.
O ye who believe! what ailed you when ye were told to march forth in
God's way, that ye sank down heavily upon the earth? were ye content
with the life of this world instead of the next? but the provision
of this world's life is but a little to the next. Unless ye march
forth He will punish you with grievous woe, and will put in. your
stead a people other than you! ye cannot hurt Him at all, for God is
mighty over all!
Unless ye help him and God did help him, when those who misbelieved
drove him forth the second of two. When they twain were in the cave;
when he said to his comrade, 'Grieve not, verily, God is with us;' and
God sent down His shechina upon him, and aided him with hosts ye could
not see, and made the word of those who misbelieved inferior, and
the word of God superior; for God is mighty and wise. March ye then,
light and heavy, and fight strenuously with your wealth and persons in
God's way; that is better for you if ye did but know!
Were there goods nigh at hand, and a moderate journey, they would
have followed you; but the distance was too far for them; they will
swear by God, 'If we could, we would have gone forth with you.' They
destroy themselves, but God knows that they lie!
God forgive thee; why didst thou give them leave (to stay) until
it was made manifest to thee who spake the truth until thou
mightest know the liars?
Those who believe in God and in the last day will not beg off from
fighting strenuously with their wealth and their persons; but God
knows those who fear.
It is only those who believe not in God and in the last day who
beg off from thee, and those whose hearts are in doubt, and in their
doubt do hesitate.
Had they wished to go forth, they would have prepared for it a
preparation; but God was averse from their starting off, and made them
halt, and they were told to sit with those who sit. Had they gone
forth with you they would but have made you more trouble, and they
would have hurried about amongst you craving a sedition; amongst you
are some who would have listened to them; but God knows those who
are unjust! They used to crave sedition before and upset thy
affairs; until the truth came, and God's bidding was made manifest,
averse although they were.
Of them are some who say, 'Permit me, and do not try me!' Have
they not fallen into the trial already, but hell shall encompass the
misbelievers.
If good befall thee it seems ill to them; but if a calamity befall
thee they say, 'We had taken care for our affair before;' and they
turn their backs and they are glad.
Say, 'Nought shall befall us save what God has written down for
us; He is our Lord, and upon God believers do rely!'
Say, 'Do ye await for us aught but one of the two best things?' we
too await for you that God will inflict on you torment from Himself,
or by our hands. Wait then; and we with you are waiting too!
Say, 'Expend ye in alms, whether ye will or no, it shall not be
accepted from you; verily, ye are a people who do work abomination.'
But nought hinders their alms giving from being accepted save that
they misbelieve in God and His Apostle, and perform not prayer save
lazily, and expend not in alms save reluctantly.
Let not their wealth please you nor their children, God only
wishes to torment them therewith in the life of this world, and that
their souls may pass away while still they misbelieve.
They swear by God that, verily, they are of you; but they are not of
you, and they are a people who do stand aside in fear. Could they
but have found a refuge, or some caves, or a place in which to
creep, they would have turned round in haste thereto.
Of them are some who defame thee, with respect to alms; though if
they are given a part thereof, they are content; and if they are not
given a part thereof, then are they in a rage. Would that they were
content with what God and His Apostle had brought them, and would say,
'God is enough for us! God will bring us of His grace, and so will His
Apostle; verily, unto God is our desire!'
Alms are only for the poor and needy, and those who work for them,
and those whose hearts are reconciled, and those in captivity, and
those in debt, and those who are on God's path, and for the wayfarer;
an ordinance this from God, for God is knowing, wise.
And of them are some who are by the ears with the prophet, and
say, 'He is all ear.' Say, 'An ear of good for you!' he believes in
God, and believes in those who do believe, and is a mercy unto such of
you as believe; but those who are by the ears with the Apostle of God,
for them is grievous woe!
They swear by God to please you; but God and His Apostle are more
worthy for them to please if they be believers. Do they not know
that whoso setteth himself against God and His Apostle, for him is the
fire of hell, to dwell therein for aye? and that is mighty shame!
The hypocrites are cautious lest there be revealed against them a
surah to inform them of what is in their hearts; say, 'Mock ye!
verily, God will bring forth that of which ye are so cautious!' But if
thou shouldst ask them, they will say, 'We did but discuss and
jest;' say, 'Was it at God and His signs, and His Apostle, that ye
mocked?'
Make no excuse! Ye have misbelieved after your faith; if we
forgive one sect of you, we will torment another sect, for that they
sinned!
The hypocrites, men and women, some of them follow others, bidding
what is wrong and forbidding what is right, and they clench their
hands. They forget God and He forgets them! Verily, the hypocrites,
they are the doers of abomination!
God has promised unto the hypocrites, men and women, and unto the
misbelievers, hell fire, to dwell therein for aye; it is enough for
them! God shall curse them, and theirs shall be enduring woe.
Ye are like those who were before you. They were stronger than you
and more abundant in wealth and children; they enjoyed their portion
then, and ye enjoy your portion, as they enjoyed their portion
before you; and ye discuss as they discussed. Their works are vain
in this world and the next, and they it is who lose.
Did there not come to them the declaration of those who were
before them? of the people of Noah and 'Ad and Thamud, and of the
people of Abraham, and the people of Midian? and of the overturned
(cities)? Their apostles came to them with manifest signs; for God
would not wrong them, but it was themselves they wronged.
And the believers, men and women, are some the patrons of others;
they bid what is reasonable, and forbid what is wrong, and are
steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and obey God and His Apostle. On
these will God have mercy; verily, God is mighty, wise!
God has promised to believers, men and women, gardens beneath
which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye; and goodly places in
the garden of Eden, But good will from God is the greatest of all!
that is the mighty happiness!
O thou prophet! strive strenuously against the misbelievers and
the hypocrites, and be stern against them; for their resort is hell,
and an ill journey shall it be.
They swear by God they did not speak it, but they did speak the word
of misbelief; and they disbelieved after they had embraced Islam,
and they designed what they could not attain; and they only
disapproved it because God and His Apostle had enriched them of His
grace. If they turn again 'tis better for them; but if they turn their
backs, God will torment them with mighty woe in this world and in
the next, nor shall they have upon the earth a patron or protector.
And of them are some who make a treaty with God, that 'If He bring
us of His grace, we will give alms and we will surely be among the
righteous.' But when He gave them of His grace they were niggardly
thereof, and turned their backs and swerved aside. So He caused
hypocrisy to pursue them in their hearts unto the day when they
shall meet Him, for that they did fail God in what they promised Him,
and for that they were liars!
Do they not know that God knows their secrets and their whisperings,
and that God knows the unseen things?
Those who defame such of the believers as willingly give their alms,
and such as can find nothing to give but their exertions, and who mock
at them, God will mock at them, and for them is grievous woe!
Ask forgiveness for them or ask not forgiveness for them! if they
shouldst ask forgiveness for them seventy times, yet would not God
forgive them; that is because they disbelieved in God and His Apostle,
for God guides not a people who work abomination.
Those who were left behind rejoiced in staying behind the Apostle of
God, and were averse from fighting strenuously with their wealth and
their persons in God's way, and said, 'March not forth in the heat.'
Say, 'The fire of hell is hotter still, if ye could but discern!'
Let them then laugh little, and let them weep much, as a recompense
for that which they have earned!
But if God bring thee back to a sect of them, and they ask thee then
for leave to sally forth; say, 'Ye shall by no means ever sally
forth with me, nor shall ye ever fight a foe with me! verily, ye
were content to sit at home the first time, sit ye then now with those
who stay behind.'
Pray not for any one of them who dies, and stand not by his tomb;
verily, they disbelieved in God and His Apostle and died workers of
abomination!
Let not their wealth and their children please you, God only
wishes to torment them therewith in this world, and that their souls
may pass away the while they misbelieve.
Whenever a surah is sent down to them, 'Believe ye in God, and fight
strenuously together with His Apostle,' those of them who have the
means will ask thee for leave to stay at home and say, 'Let us be
amongst those who stay behind.' They are content to be with those
who are left behind. A stamp is set upon their hearts that they should
not discern.
But the Apostle and those who believe with him are strenuous with
their wealth and with their persons; these shall have good things, and
these it is shall prosper.
God has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, to
dwell therein for aye; that is the mighty happiness!
There came certain desert Arabs that they might be excused; and
those stayed behind who had called God and His Apostle liars. There
shall befall those of them who misbelieved, a mighty woe. For the
weak, and the sick, and those who cannot find wherewith to expend in
alms there is no hindrance, so they be only sincere towards God and
His Apostle. There is no way against those who do well; for God is
forgiving and merciful. Nor against those to whom, when they came to
thee that thou shouldst mount them, thou didst say, 'I cannot find
wherewith to mount you,' turned their backs while their eyes poured
forth with tears, for grief that they could not find wherewith to
expend. Only is there a way against those who ask thee for leave to
stay at home while they are rich; content to be with those who are
left behind; on whose hearts God has set a stamp, so that they
should not know.
They make excuses to you when ye return to them: say, 'Make no
excuse, we believe you not; God has informed us concerning you. God
sees your works and His Apostle too!' Then shall ye be brought back
unto Him who knows the unseen and the seen; and He shall inform you of
that which ye have done.
They will adjure you by God when ye have come back to them, to
turn aside from them; turn ye aside then from them; verily, they are a
plague, and their resort is hell! a recompense for that which they
have earned!
They will adjure you to be pleased with them; but if ye are
pleased with them, God will not be pleased with a people who work
abomination.
The Arabs of the desert are keener in misbelief and hypocrisy, and
are more likely not to know the bounds which God has sent down to
His Apostle; but God is knowing and wise.
And of the Arabs of the desert are some who take what they expend to
be a forced loan, and they wait a turn of fortune against you; against
them shall a turn of evil fortune be; for God both hears and knows.
And of the Arabs of the desert are some who believe in God and
the last day, and who take what they expend in alms to be a means of
approach to God and to the Apostle's prayers, is it not a means of
approach for them? God will make them enter into His mercy; verily,
God is forgiving and merciful.
As for the foremost in the race, the first of those who fled, and
the helpers, and those who followed them in their kindness, God is
well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him; He has
prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell
therein for aye; that is the mighty happiness.
And of those who are round about you of the Arabs of the desert,
some are hypocrites, and of the people of Medinah, some are stubborn
in hypocrisy; thou dost not know them we know them; we will torment
them twice over; then shall they be sent off into mighty woe.
And others have confessed their sins, that they have mixed with a
righteous action another evil action; haply it may be God will turn
again to them; verily, God is forgiving and merciful.
Take from their wealth alms to cleanse and purify them thereby;
and pray for them; verily, thy prayer is a repose for them; for God
both hears and knows.
Do they not know that God accepts repentance from His servants,
and takes alms; and that God is He who is easily turned and merciful.
And say, 'Act ye;' and God and His Apostle and the believers shall
see your acts, and ye shall be brought back to Him who knows the
seen and 'the unseen, and He shall inform you of that which ye have
done.
And others are in hopes of God's bidding; whether He will torment
them, or whether He turn again towards them; for God is knowing, wise.
And there are those who have taken to a mosque for mischief, and for
misbelief, and to make a breach amongst the believers, and for an
ambush for him who made war against God and His Apostle before; they
surely swear, 'We only wished for what was good;' but God bears
witness that they are liars.
Never stand up therein! there is a mosque founded on piety from the
first day: it is more right that thou shouldst stand therein; therein
are men who love to be clean; for God doth love the clean.
Is he who has laid his foundation upon the fear of God and of His
good will better, or he who has laid his foundation upon a crumbling
wall of sand, which crumbles away with him into the fire of hell? but
God guides not a people who do wrong.
The building which they have built will not cease to be a source
of doubt in their hearts until their hearts are cut asunder; but God
is knowing, wise.
Verily, God hath bought of the believers their persons and their
wealth, for the paradise they are to have; they shall fight in the way
of God, and they shall slay and be slain: promised in truth, in the
law and the gospel and the Koran; and who is more faithful to His
covenant than God?
Be ye glad then in the covenant which ye have made with Him, for
that is the mighty happiness! Those who repent, those who worship,
those who praise, those who fast, those who bow down, those who adore,
those who bid what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who
keep the bounds of God, glad tidings to those who believe!
It is not for the prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness
for the idolaters, even though they be their kindred, after it has
been made manifest to them that they are the fellows of hell.
Nor was Abraham's asking pardon for his father aught else but
through a promise he had promised him; but when it was made manifest
to him that he wa's an enemy to God, he cleansed himself of him;
verily, Abraham was pitiful and clement.
Nor will God lead astray a people after He has guided them until
that is made manifest to them which they have to fear; verily, God all
things doth know.
Verily, God's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth! He
quickens and He kills! Nor have ye beside God a patron or protector.
God has now turned towards the prophet and those who fled with
him, and towards the helpers who followed him in the hour of
difficulty, after that the hearts of a part of them had well nigh gone
amiss.
Then He turned unto them; verily, to them He is kind and
merciful: unto the three who were left behind, so that the earth with
all its ample space was too strait for them, and their souls were
straitened for them, and they thought that there was no refuge for
them from God save unto Him.
Then He turned again towards them that they might also turn; verily,
God, He is easily turned and merciful!
O ye who believe! fear God and be with those who speak the truth.
It was not for the people of Medinah, and those around about them of
the Arabs of the desert, to stay behind the Apostle of God and not
to prefer their souls to his: that is because neither thirst, nor
toil, nor heat, nor hunger befel them on God's way. Nor do they stop
to anger the misbelievers, nor do they get any (harm) from the enemy
without a good work being written down to them; verily, God wastes not
the hire of those who do well.
Nor do they expend in alms a small or great expense, nor do they
cross a wady without it being written down to them; that God may
reward them with better than that which they have done.
The believers should not march forth altogether; and if a troop of
every division of them march not forth, it is only that they may study
their religion and warn their people when they return to them, that
haply they may beware.
O ye who believe! fight those who are near to you of the
misbelievers, and let them find in you sternness; and know that God is
with those who fear.
And whenever a surah is sent down, there are some of them who say,
'Which of you has this increased in faith?' But as for those who
believe, it does increase them in faith, and they shall rejoice: but
as for those in whose hearts is sickness, it only adds a plague to
their plague, and they die misbelievers.
Do they not see that they are tried in every year once or twice? Yet
they do not turn again, nor do they mind!
And whenever a surah is: sent down, some of them look at the others
'Does any one see you?' Then they turn away! God has turned their
hearts, for that they are a people who do not discern.
There has come to you an apostle from amongst yourselves; hard for
him to bear is it that ye commit iniquity; he is anxious over you
after the believers, pitiful, compassionate.
But if they turn their backs, then say, God is enough for me!
there is no god but He! upon Him do I rely, for He is Lord of the
mighty throne!'
THE CHAPTER OF JONAH, (PEACE BE ON HIM!)
(X. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
ALIF LAM RA. Those are the signs of the wise Book! was it a wonder
to the folk that we inspired a man from amongst themselves, 'Warn thou
the folk; and give glad tidings to those who believe, that for them
there is an advance of sincerity gone before them with their Lord?'
The misbelievers say, 'Verily, this is an obvious sorcerer!'
Verily, your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in
six days; then He made for the throne, to govern the affair; there
is no intercessor, except after His permission. That is God for youyour
Lord! Then worship Him do ye not mind?
To Him is your return all of you God's promise in truth; verily, He
produces the creature, then He makes it return again, that He may
recompense those who believe and do what is right with justice; but
those who misbelieve, for them is a drink of boiling water, and
grievous woe, for that they did misbelieve.
He it is who made the sun for a brightness, and the moon for a
light, and decreed for it mansions, that ye may know the number of the
years and the reckoning. God only created that in truth. He details
the signs unto a people who do know.
Verily, in the alternation of night and day, and in what God has
created of the heavens and the earth, are signs unto a people who do
fear.
Verily, those who hope not for our meeting, and are content with the
life of this world, and are comforted thereby, and those who are
neglectful of our signs, these, their resort is fire for that which
they have earned!
Verily, those Who believe and do what is right, their Lord guides
them by their faith; beneath them shall rivers flow in the gardens
of pleasure.
Their cry therein shall be, 'Celebrated be Thy praises, O God!'
and their salutation therein shall be, 'Peace!' and the end of their
cry shall be, 'Praise (belongs) to God, the Lord of the worlds!'
And if God should hasten on the bad to men as they would hasten on
the good, their appointed time would surely be fulfilled. But we
will let those who hope not for our meeting go on in their
rebellion, blindly wandering on.
When distress touches man, he calls us to his side, whether
sitting or standing; but when we have removed from him his distress,
he passes on as though he had not called on us in a distress that
touched him. Thus unto the extravagant is made seemly that which
they have done.
We have already destroyed generations before you when they did
wrong, and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs,
but they would not believe. Thus do we reward the sinful people.
Then we made you their successors in the earth after them, that we
may see how ye will act.
But when our evident signs are recited to them, those who hope not
for our meeting say, 'Bring a Koran other than this; or change it.'
Say, 'It is not for me to, change it of my own accord; I do not follow
aught but what I am inspired with; verily, I fear, if I rebel
against my Lord, the torment of a mighty day!'
Say, 'Had God pleased, should not have recited it to you, nor taught
you therewith. I have tarried a lifetime amongst you before it;
have ye not then any sense?'
Who is more unjust than he who forges against God a lie, or says His
signs are lies? verily, the sinners shall not prosper.
They worship beside God what can neither harm them nor profit
them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God!' Say,
'Will ye inform God of aught in the heavens or the earth, that He
knows not of?' Celebrated be His praise! and exalted be He, above what
they associate with Him!
People were but one nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not
been for thy Lord's word already passed, there would have been decided
between them that concerning which they disagreed.
They say, 'Why is not a sign sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say,
'The unseen is only God's; but wait ye for a while, verily, I with you
am one of those who wait!'
When we have let men taste of mercy after distress which has touched
them, lo! they use a stratagem against our signs! Say, 'God is quicker
at stratagem.' Verily, our messengers write down what stratagem ye
use.'
He it is who makes you travel in the land and sea, until when ye are
in the ships and these carry them afloat with a favouring wind, and
they rejoice therein, there comes to them a violent wind, and there
comes to them the wave from every place, and they think that they
are encompassed about; then they call on God, sincere in religion
towards Him, 'If thou dost save from this we will surely be of those
who thank.' But when He has saved them, lo! they are wilful in the
earth unjustly; O ye folk! your wilfulness against yourselves is
but a provision of this world's life; then unto us is your return, and
we will inform you of that which ye have done!
Verily, the likeness of this world's life is like water which we
send down from the sky, and the plants of the earth, from which men
and cattle eat, are mingled therewith; until when the earth puts on
its gilding and is adorned, the people thereof think that they have
power over it. Our order comes to it by night or day, and we make it
as it were mown down as though it had not yesterday been rich!
Thus do we detail the signs unto a people who reflect.
God calls unto the abode of peace, and guides whom He will into
the right path.
To those who do what is good, goodness and increase! nor shall
blackness or abasement cover their faces! these are the fellows of
Paradise, they shall dwell therein for aye.
But, as for those who have earned ill, the reward of evil is the
like thereof; abasement shall cover them! they shall have none to
defend them against God; as though their faces were veiled with the
deep darkness of the night; these are the fellows of the Fire, and
they shall dwell therein for aye.
And on the day we gather them all together then we will say to those
who associated other gods (with us), your places, ye and your
associates!' and we will part them; and their associates will say, 'It
was not us ye worshipped. But God is witness enough between us and
you, that we were heedless of your worshipping us.' There shall
every soul prove what it has sent on before; and they shall be
returned unto God, their God, their true sovereign, and that which
they devised shall stray away from them.
Say, 'Who provides you from the heaven and the earth? who has
dominion over hearing and sight? and who brings forth the living
from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? and who
governs the affair?' And they will say, 'God.' Say, 'Do ye not then
fear?'
That is God, your true Lord! and what is there after the truth but
error? how then can ye turn away?
Thus is the word of thy Lord verified against those who commit
abomination; verily, they will not believe. Say, 'Is there any of your
associates who can produce a creature and then turn it back again?'
Say, 'God produces a creature, then turns it back again; how then
can ye lie?' Say, 'Is there any of your associates who guides unto the
truth?' Say, 'God guides unto the truth.' Is then He who guides unto
the truth more worthy to be followed, or he that guides not except
he be himself guided? What ails you then, how ye judge?
But most of them follow only suspicion; verily, suspicion does not
avail against the truth. at all verily, God knows what they do.
This Koran could not have been devised by any beside God; but it
verifies that which was before it, and details the Book there is no
doubt therein from the Lord of the worlds.
Do they say, 'He hath devised it?' say then, 'Bring a surah like
it, and call, if ye can, on other than God, if ye do tell the truth!'
Yet they call that a lie, the knowledge of which they cannot
compass, while its interpretation has not yet come to them; so did
those before them charge with lying, and see what was the end of the
unjust!
Of them are some who believe therein; and of them are some who do
not believe therein; but thy Lord knows best who are corrupters.
But if they call thee liar, say, 'I have my work, and ye have your
work; ye are clear of what I work, and I am clear of what ye work.'
There are some of them who listen to thee canst thou make the
deaf to hear, although they have no sense? And of them are some who
look at thee canst thou guide the blind, although they cannot see?
Verily, God wrongs not man at all, but men do wrong themselves.
And on the day when we will gather them together it will be as
though they had not tarried save an hour of the day, they shall know
each other. Lost are those who called the meeting with God a lie,
and were not guided!
Either we will show thee something of that with which we
threatened them, or we will take thee to ourself, for unto us is their
return; then is God a witness to what they do.
Every nation has its apostle; and when their apostle comes to
them, it is decided between them with justice, and they are not
wronged.
But they say, 'When is this threat (to come), if ye tell the truth?'
Say, 'I have no power over myself for harm or for profit, save
what God will. Every nation has its appointed time; when their
appointed time comes to them they cannot delay it for an hour or bring
it on.'
Say, 'Let us see now when the torment comes to you, by night or day,
what will the sinners fain bring on thereof? And when it has fallenwill
ye believe in it now! And yet ye wish to bring it on! Then shall
it be said to those who have done wrong, Taste ye the torment of
eternity! shall ye be recompensed except for that which ye have
earned? They will ask thee to inform them whether it be true. Say,
'Aye, by my Lord! verily, it is the truth, nor can ye weaken him.'
And if every soul that hath done wrong had whatever is in the earth,
it would give it as a ransom. They will utter their repentance when
they see the torment; and it shall be decided between them with
justice, nor shall they be wronged.
Is not indeed what is in the heavens and what is in the earth God's?
is not indeed the promise of God true? Though most of them know not.
He quickens and He kills, and unto Him are ye returned!
O ye folk! there has come to you a warning from your Lord, and a
balm for what is in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy to
believers.
Say, 'By the grace of God and by His mercy, and in that let them
rejoice! It is better than that which they collect!'
Let us see now what God has sent down to you of provision! and yet
ye have made of it unlawful and lawful. Say, 'Does God permit you,
or against God do ye forge lies?
What will those who forge lies against God think on the resurrection
day? Verily, God is Lord of grace towards men, but most of them do not
give thanks!
Nor shalt thou be in any affair, nor shalt thou recite concerning it
a Koran nor shall ye do a work, without our being witness against
you, when ye are engaged therein: nor does the weight of an atom
escape thy Lord in earth or in heaven; nor is there less than that
or greater, but it is in the perspicuous Book.
Are not, verily, the friends of God those on whom there is no
fear, neither shall they be grieved? They who believed and who did
fear for them are good tidings in the life of this world, and in
the future too; there is no changing the words of God! That is the
mighty happiness!
Let not their speech grieve thee; verily, power is wholly God's!
He both hears and knows.
Is not, verily, whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the
earth God's? What then do they follow who call on associates other
than God?
Verily, they follow nothing but suspicion, and verily, they are
telling naught but lies.
He it is who made for you the night, that ye might rest therein, and
the day to see therein verily, in that are signs unto a people who can
hear.
They say, 'God has taken to Himself a son.' Celebrated be His
praises! He is the rich one! His is whatever is in the heavens, and
whatever is in the earth. Ye have no authority for this! will ye say
against God, that which ye do not know?
Say, 'Verily, those who forge against God a lie shall not prosper!'
A provision in this world then unto us is their return! then we
will make them taste keen torment for that they misbelieved.
Recite to them the story of Noah, when he said to his people, 'O
my people! if my stay with you be grievous to you, and my reminding
you of the signs of God, yet upon God do I rely! Collect then your
affairs and your associates; nor let your affair (be ordered) for
you in the dark; then decide respecting me, and do not wait; and if ye
turn your backs, I ask you not for hire; my hire is only due from God,
and I am bidden to be of those resigned.' But they called him a
liar; and we saved him, and those with him, in the ark; and we made
these successors, and drowned those who had said our signs were
lies; see then how was the end of those who had been warned!
Then we raised up after him apostles unto their people, and they
came to them with manifest signs; but they would not believe in what
they had called a lie before. Thus do we set a stamp upon the hearts
of the transgressors.
Then we raised up after them Moses and Aaron, unto Pharaoh and his
chiefs with our signs; but they were too big with pride, and were a
sinful people; and when the truth came to them from us they said,
verily, 'This is obvious sorcery.'
Moses said, 'Will ye say of the truth when it comes to you, Is
this sorcery? But sorcerers shall not prosper.'
They said, 'Hast thou come to turn us away from what we found our
fathers at, that there may be for you twain grandeur in the earth? but
we will not believe you.'
And Pharaoh said, 'Bring me every knowing sorcerer;' and when the
sorcerers came, Moses said to them, 'Throw down what ye have to
throw!' and when they threw down, Moses said, 'What ye have brought is
sorcery! verily, God will make it vain; verily, God rights not the
work of evildoers!'
But God verifies the truth by His words, although the sinners are
averse therefrom.
But none believed in Moses, save a race of his own people, through
fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs; lest he should afflict them, for
verily, Pharaoh was lofty in the earth, and verily, he was
extravagant.
And Moses said, 'O my people! if ye did believe in God, then on
Him rely, if ye be resigned.' They said, 'Upon God do we rely. O our
Lord! make us not a cause of trial for a people who do wrong, but save
us by Thy mercy from the people who misbelieve!'
And we inspired Moses and his brother thus, 'Establish, ye twain,
houses for your people in Egypt; and make ye your houses a qiblah; and
be ye steadfast in prayer, and give glad tidings to those who
believe.'
Moses said, 'O our Lord! verily, Thou hast brought to Pharaoh and
his chiefs ornaments and wealth in the life of this world; O our Lord!
that they may err from Thy way! O our Lord! confound their wealth
and harden their hearts that they may not believe until they see
grievous woe!' He said, 'Your prayer is answered; be upright then,
ye two, and follow not the path of those who do not know!'
And we brought the children of Israel across the sea; and Pharaoh
and his hosts followed them eager and hostile, until when drowning
overtook him, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but He in
whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of those who are
resigned!' 'Now! but thou didst rebel aforetime, and wert of those
who do evil; but to day we will save thee in thy body, that thou
mayest be to those who come after thee a sign, for verily, many men
are careless of our signs!'
And we established the people of Israel with a sure establishment,
and we provided them with good things; nor did they disagree until
there came to them the knowledge. Verily, thy Lord shall decide
between them on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they
did dispute.
And if thou art in doubt of that which we have sent down unto
thee, ask those who read the Book before thee; verily, the truth is
come to thee from thy Lord, be not then of those who are in doubt. And
be not of those who say the signs of God are lies, or thou wilt be
of those who lose! Verily, those against whom God's word is pronounced
will not believe, even though there come to them every sign, until
they see the grievous woe. Were it not so, a city would have
believed and its faith would have profited it. But (none did) except
the people of Jonas; when they believed we removed from them the
torment of disgrace in this world, and we gave them provision for a
while. But had thy Lord pleased, all who are in the earth would have
believed altogether; as for thee, wilt thou force men to become
believers?
It is not for any person to believe save by the permission of God;
He puts horror on those who have no sense.
Say, 'Behold what is in the heavens and in the earth! but signs
and warners avail not a people who do not believe. Do they await aught
but the like of the days of those who passed away before them?' Say,
'Wait ye then! verily, I am with you one of those who wait.' Then we
will save our apostles and those who believe; thus is it due from us
to save believers.
Say, 'O ye folk! if ye are in doubt concerning my religion, I will
not worship those ye worship other than God; but I worship God, who
takes you to Himself, and I am bidden to be of the believers!' And,
'Make steadfast thy face to the religion as a 'Hanif; and be not of
the idolaters; and call not besides God on what can neither profit
thee nor harm thee; for if thou dost, verily, thou art then of the
unjust!'
And should God touch thee with harm, there is none to remove it save
He; and if He wish thee well, there is none to repel His grace; He
makes it fall on whom He will of His servants; for He is pardoning and
merciful!
Say, 'O ye people! there has come to you the truth from your Lord,
and he who is guided, his guidance is only for his soul; and he who
errs, errs only against it; and I am not a guardian over you.'
Follow what is revealed to thee, and be patient until God judges,
for He is the best of judges.