 Surah 1 of the Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment, the alone we worship, the alone we ask for help. Show us the straight path, the path of those whom thou hast favored, not the path of those who earn thine anger, nor of those who go astray. End of Surah 1. Surah 2 of the Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an. Revealed at Medina, in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. This is the scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off evil, who believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that we have bestowed upon them, and who believe in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad, and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the hereafter. These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. As for the disbelievers, whether thou warn them or warn them not, it is all one for them. They believe not. Allah hath sealed their hearing in their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. There is will be an awful doom. And of mankind are some who will say, We believe in Allah and the last day, when they believe not. They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves, but they perceive not. In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increases their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie. Make not mischief in the earth, they say, We are peacemakers only. Are not they indeed mischief-makers? But they perceive not. And when it is said unto them, Believe as the people believe, they say, Shall we believe as the foolish believe? Are not they indeed the foolish? But they know not. And when they fall in with those who believe, they say, We believe. But when they go apart to their devils, they declare, Low, we are with you. Fairly we did but mock. Allah himself doth mock them, leaving them to wander blindly in their contumacy. These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided. Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it shedeth its light around him, Allah takeeth away their light and leaveeth them in darkness where they cannot see. Death dumb and blind, and they return not. Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers and their ears by reason of the thunderclaps for fear of death. Allah encompasses the disbelievers in his guidance, his omniscience and his omnipotence. The lightning almost snatcheth away their sight from them. As often as it flashes forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Allah willed he could destroy their hearing and their sight. Low, Allah is able to do all things. O mankind, worship your Lord who hath created you and those before you, so that you may ward off evil. Who hath appointed the earth a resting place for you, and the sky a canopy, and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you, and do not set up rivals to Allah when you know better. And if ye are in doubt concerning that which we reveal unto our slave Muhammad, then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful. And if ye do it not, and ye can never do it, then guard yourselves against the fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones. And give glad tidings, O Muhammad, unto those who believe and do good works, that there is our gardens underneath which rivers flow. As often as they are regaled with food of the fruit thereof they say, this is what was given to us a foretime, and it is given to them in resemblance. There for them are pure companions, there for ever they abide. Low, Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of anat. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord, but those who disbelieve it say, What doth Allah wish to teach by such a similitude? He misledeth many thereby, and he guided many thereby, and he misledeth thereby only miscreants. Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and who make mischief in the earth, those are they who are the losers. How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead, and he gave life to you. Then he will give you death, then life again, and then unto him ye will return. He it is who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned he to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And he is knower of all things. And when thy Lord said unto the angels, Low, I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said, Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed While we, we him thy praise and sanctify thee. He said, Surely I know that which ye know not. And he taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying, Inform me of the names of these, if ye are truthful. They said, Be glorified, we have no knowledge, saving that which thou hast taught us. Low, thou, only thou art the knower, the wise. He said, O Adam, inform them of their names, and when he had informed them of their names he said, Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and that which ye hide. And when we said unto the angels, Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever. And we said, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat ye freely of the fruits, thereof where ye will, but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong doers. But Satan caused them to deflect therefrom, and expelled them from the happy state in which they were. And we said, Fall down, one of you, a foe unto the other. There shall be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a time. Then Adam received from his Lord words of revelation, and he relented toward him. Low, he is the relenting, the merciful. We said, Go down, all of you, from hence, but verily there cometh unto you from me a guidance, and whoso followeth, my guidance, there shall no fear come upon him. Neither shall they grieve. But they who disbelieve and deny our revelations, such are rightful peoples of the fire. They will abide therein. O children of Israel, remember my favor, wherewith I favored you, and fulfill your part of the covenant. I shall fulfill my part of the covenant, and fear me. And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already of the scripture, and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with my revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto me. Confound not truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth. Establish worship, pay the poor due, and bow your heads with those who bow in worship. Enjoy ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget, to practice it? And are ye readers of the scripture? Have ye then no sense? Seek help in patience and prayer, and truly it is hard, save for the humble minded. Who know that they will have to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are returning. O children of Israel, remember my favor, wherewith I favored you, and how I preferred you to all creatures, and guard yourselves against a day when no so will an ought avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it, nor will they be helped. And remember when we did deliver you from Pharaoh's folk, who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaying your sons and sparing your women. That was a tremendous trial from your Lord. And when we brought you through the sea and rescued you, and drowned the folk of Pharaoh in your sight. And when we did appoint for Moses forty nights of solitude, and then ye chose the calf when he had gone from you, and were wrong doers, then even after that we pardoned you in order that you might give thanks. And when we gave unto Moses the scripture and the criterion of right and wrong, that ye might be led a right, and when Moses said unto his people, O my people, ye have wronged yourselves by your choosing of the calf for worship, so turn in penitence to your Creator, and kill the guilty yourselves. That will be best for you with your Creator, and he will relent toward you. Lo, he is the relenting, the merciful. And when ye said, O Moses, we will not believe in thee till we see Allah plainly, and even while ye gaze the lightning seized you. Then we revived you after your extinction that ye might give thanks. And we caused the white cloud to overshadow you, and sent down on you manna and quails, saying, eat of the good things wherewith we have provided you. They wronged us not, but they did wrong themselves. And when we said, Go into this township and eat freely of that which is therein, and enter the gate prostrate and say, Repentance, we will forgive you your sins and will increase reward for the right doers. But those who did wrong changed the word which had been told them for another, saying, We sent down upon the evil doers wrath from heaven for their evil doing. And when Moses asked for water for his people we said, Smite with thy staff the rock. And there gushed out there from twelve springs so that each tribe knew their drinking place. Eat and drink of that which Allah hath provided, and do not act corruptly, making mischief in the earth. And when ye said, O Moses, we are weary of one kind of food, so call upon thy Lord for us that he may bring forth for us of that which the earth groweth, of its herbs and its cucumbers and its corn and its lentils and its onions. He said, Would ye exchange that which is higher for that which is lower? Go down to settled country, thus ye shall get that of which ye demand. And humiliation and wretchedness were stamped upon them, and they were visited with wrath from Allah. That was because they disbelieved in Allah's revelation and slew the prophets wrongfully. That was for their disobedience and transgression. Lo, those who believe in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad, and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believeth in Allah on the last day and doeth right, surely their reward is with the Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. And remember, O children of Israel, when we made a covenant with you and caused the mount to tower above you, saying, Hold fast that which we have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off evil. Then even after that you turned away, and if it had not been for the grace of Allah and his mercy, ye had been among the losers. And ye know of those of you who broke the Sabbath how we said unto them, Be ye apes, despised and hated. And we made it an example to their own into succeeding generations and an admonition to the God-fearing. And when Moses said unto his people, Lo, Allah commandeth you that ye sacrifice a cow. They said, Does thou make game of us? He answered, Allah forbid that I should be among the foolish. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he make clear to us what cow she is. Moses answered, Lo, he sayeth verily she is a cow neither with calf nor immature. She is between the two conditions. So do that which ye are commanded. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he make clear to us of what color she is. Moses answered, Lo, he sayeth verily she is a yellow cow. Bright is her color, gladdening beholders. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he make clear to us what cow she is. Lo, cows are much alike to us. And lo, if Allah wills, we may be led a right. Moses answered, Lo, he sayeth verily she is a cow unyogued. She plougheth not the soil nor watereth the tilth, whole and without mark. They said, Now thou bringest the truth. So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not. And remember when ye slew a man and disagreed concerning it, and Allah brought forth that which ye were hiding. And we said, Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life, and showeth you his portent so that ye may understand. Then even after that your hearts were hardened and became as rocks, or worse than rocks, for hardness. For indeed there are rocks from out which rivers gush, and indeed there are rocks which split asunder so that water floweth from them. And indeed there are rocks which fall down for the fear of Allah. Allah is not unaware of what she do. Have ye any hope that they will be true to you when a party of them used to listen to the word of Allah, then used to change it, after they had understood it knowingly? And when they fall in with those who believe, they say, But when they go apart, one with another, they say, Pray ye to them of which Allah hath disclosed to you, that they may contend with you before your Lord concerning it. Have ye then no sense? Are they then unaware that Allah knoweth that which they keep hidden, and that which they proclaim? Among them are unlettered folk who know the scripture not, except from hearsay, they but guess. Therefore woe be unto those who write the scripture with their hands, and then say, this is from Allah, that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them, for that their hands have written, and woe unto them, for that they earn thereby. And they say, the fire of punishment will not touch us, save for a certain number of days. Say, Have ye received a covenant from Allah? Truly Allah will not break his covenant. Or tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not? Nay, but whosoever hath done evil, and his sins surrounded him, such are rightful owners of the fire, they will abide therein. And those who believe and do good works, such are rightful owners of the garden, they will abide therein. And remember, when we made a covenant with the children of Israel, saying, Worship none, save Allah only, and be good to parents, and kindred, and to orphans, and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind, and establish worship, and pay the poor due. Then after that ye slid back, save a few of you, being averse. And when we made with you a covenant, saying, shed not the blood of your people, nor turn a party of your people out of your dwellings. Then you ratified our covenant, and ye were witnesses there too. Yet ye it is who slay each other, and drive out a party of your people from their homes, supporting one another against them by sin and transgression. And if they came to you as captives, ye would ransom them, whereas their expulsion was itself unlawful for you. Believe ye in part of the Scripture, and disbelieve ye in part thereof. And what is the reward of those who do save ignomy in the life of the world, and on the day of resurrection they will be consigned to the most grievous doom, for Allah is not unaware of what ye do. Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the hereafter. Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support. And verily we gave unto Moses the Scripture, and we caused a train of messengers to follow after him. And we gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty, and we supported him with the Holy Spirit. Is it ever so that when there cometh unto you a messenger from Allah, with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve, and some ye slay? And they say our hearts are hardened, nay, but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief. Little is that which they believe. And when there cometh unto them a Scripture from Allah, confirming that in their possession, though before they were asking for a signal triumph over those who disbelieved, and when there cometh unto them that which they know to be the truth they disbelieve therein. The curse of Allah is on disbelievers. Evil is that for which they sell their souls, that they should disbelieve in that which Allah hath revealed, grudging that Allah should reveal of his bounty unto whom he will of his slaves. They have incurred anger upon anger. For disbelievers is a shameful doom. And when it is said unto them, believe in that which Allah hath revealed, they say, we believe in that which was revealed unto us, and they disbelieve in that which cometh after it, though it is the truth confirming that which they possess. Say unto them, O Muhammad, why, then, slew ye the prophets of Allah a foretime, if ye are indeed believers? And Moses came unto you with clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty, yet while he was away ye chose the calf for worship, and ye were wrong doers. And when we made with you a covenant, and caused them out to tower above you, saying, hold fast by that which we have given you, and hear our word, they said, we hear and we rebel. And worship of the calf was made to sink into their hearts because of their rejection of a covenant. Say unto them, Evil is that which your belief enjoineth on you, if ye are believers. Say unto them, If the evoked of the hereafter and the providence of Allah is indeed for you alone and not for others of mankind, as ye pretend, then long for death, for ye must long for death, if ye are truthful. But they will never long for it, because of that which their own hands have set before them. Allah is aware of evil doers. And thou wilt find them greedyest of mankind for life and greedier than the idolaters. Each one of them would like to be allowed to live a thousand years, and to live a thousand years would by no means remove him from the doom. Allah is a seer of what they do. Say, O Muhammad, to mankind, who is an enemy to Gabriel? For he it is who hath revealed the Scripture to thy heart by Allah's leave, confirming that which was revealed before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers. Who is an enemy to Allah and his angels and his messengers, and Gabriel and Michael? Then lo, Allah himself is an enemy to disbelievers. Barely, we have revealed unto thee clear tokens, and only miscreants will disbelieve in them. Is it ever so that when they make a covenant, a party of them set it aside? The truth is, most of them believe not. And when there cometh unto them a messenger from Allah, confirming that which they possess, a party of those who hath received the Scripture, fling the Scripture of Allah behind their backs, as if they knew not. And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not, but the devils disbelieved, teaching, mankind, magic, and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they, the two angels, teach it to any one till they had said, We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not in the guidance of Allah. And from these two angels people learn that by that which they cause division between man and wife, but they injure thereby no one, save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficeth therein will have no happy portion in the Hereafter, and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew. And if they had believed and kept from evil, a recompense from Allah would be better, if they only knew. O ye who believed, say not unto the prophet, listen to us, say, Look upon us, and be ye listeners, for disbelievers is a painful doom. Neither those who disbelieve among the people of the Scripture, nor the idolaters, love that there should be sent down unto you any good thing from your Lord, but Allah chooseseth for his mercy whom he will, and Allah is of infinite bounty. Nothing of your revelation, even a single verse, do we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but we bring in place one better or the like thereof. Knoweth thou not that Allah is able to do all things? Knoweth thou not that it is Allah unto whom belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and ye have not beside Allah any guardian or helper? Or would ye question your messenger, as Moses was questioned a four-time? He who chooseseth disbelief instead of faith, fairly he hath gone astray from a plain road. Many of the people of the Scripture long to make you disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the truth hath become manifest unto them. Live and be indulgent toward them until Allah give command. Lo, Allah is able to do all things. Establish worship, and pay the poor due, and whatever of good ye send before ye for your souls, ye will find it with Allah. Lo, Allah is the seer of what ye do. And they say, None entereth Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. These are their own desires. Say, Bring your proof of what ye state, if ye are truthful. Nay, but whosoever surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good, his reward is with his Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. And the Jews say the Christians follow nothing true, and the Christians say the Jews follow nothing true, yet both are readers of the Scripture. Even thus speak those who know not. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differ. And who doth greater wrong than he who forbiddeth the approach to the sanctuaries of Allah lest his name should be mentioned therein, and striveeth for their ruin. As for such it was never meant that they should enter them except in fear. There's in the world is ignomy, and there's in the hereafter is an awful doom. Unto Allah belong the East and the West. And whithersoever thou turn, there is Allah's countenance. Lo, Allah is all-embracing, all-knowing. And they say, Allah hath taken unto himself a Son. Be he glorified. Nay, but whosoever is in the heavens and the earth is his. All are subservient unto him. The originator of the heavens and the earth, when he decreeeth a thing he sayeth unto it only, Be, and it is. And those who have no knowledge say, Why doth not Allah speak unto us, or some sign come unto us? Even thus as they now speak, Spake those who were before them. Their hearts are all alike. We have made clear the revelations for people who are sure. Lo, we have sent thee, O Muhammad, with the truth, a bringer of glad tidings, and a warner. And thou wilt not be asked about the owners of Hellfire. And the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. Say, Lo, the guidance of Allah himself is guidance. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then whatst thou have from Allah no protecting guardian nor helper? Those unto whom we have given the Scripture, who read it with the right reading, those believe in it. And whoso doth believe in it, those are they who are the losers. O children of Israel, remember my favour, wherewith I favoured you, and how I preferred you to all creatures. And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will in awe avail another, nor will compensation be accepted from it, nor will intercession be of use to it, nor will they be helped. And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with his commands, and he fulfilled them, he said, Lo, I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. And Abraham said, and of my offspring, will there be leaders? He said, my covenant includeeth not wrongdoers. And when we made the house at Mecca a resort for mankind and sanctuary, saying, take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood to pray. And we imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, saying, Purify my house for those who go around and those who meditate therein, and those who bow down and prostrate themselves in worship. And when Abraham prayed, my Lord, make this a region of security, and bestow upon its people fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the last day, he answered, As for him who disbelieveeth, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the doom of fire, a hapless journey's end. And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the house, Abraham prayed, Our Lord, accept from us this duty, lo, thou only thou art the hearer, the knower. Our Lord, and make us submissive unto thee, and of our seed and nation submissive unto thee, and show us our ways of worship, and relent toward us, lo, thou only thou art the relenting, the merciful. Our Lord, and raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom, and shall make them grow. Lo, thou only thou art the mighty, wise. And who forsakeeth the religion of Abraham save him who befooleth himself? Verily, we chose him in the world, and lo, in the Hereafter he is among the righteous. When his Lord said unto him, Surrender, he said, I have surrendered to the Lord of the worlds. The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob saying, O my sons, lo, Allah hath chosen for you the true religion, therefore die not, save as men who have surrendered unto him. Or were ye present when death came to Jacob, when he said unto his sons, What will ye worship after me? They said, We shall worship thy God, the God of thy fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, one God, and unto him we have surrendered. Those are our people who have passed away. There's is that which they earned, and yours is that which ye earn. And ye will not be asked of what they used to do. And they say, Be Jews or Christians, then ye will be rightly guided. Say unto them, O Muhammad, Nay, but we follow the religion of Abraham, the upright, and he was not of the idolaters. Say, O Muslims, we believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us, and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto him we have surrendered. And if they believe in the like of that which ye believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in schism, and Allah will suffice thee for defense against them. He is the hearer, the knower. We take our color from Allah, and who is better than Allah at coloring? We are his worshipers. Say unto the people of the Scripture, Dispute ye with us concerning Allah when he is our Lord and your Lord. Yours are our works, and yours are your works. We look to him alone. Or say ye that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth the testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do. Those are people who have passed away, theirs is that which they earned, and yours is that which ye earned, and ye will not be asked of what they used to do. The foolish of the people will say, What hath turned them from the quibla which they formerly observed? Say unto Allah belong the East and the West, he guideeth whom he will unto a straight path. Thus we have appointed ye a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against ye. And we appointed the quibla which ye formerly observed, only that we might know him who followeth the messenger, from him who turneth on his heels. Truth it was a hard test, save for those whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's purpose that your face should be in vain, for Allah is full of pity, merciful toward mankind. We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven, for guidance, O Muhammad, and now verily we shall make thee turn in prayer toward a quibla which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the invaluable place of worship, and ye, O Muslims, wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces when ye pray toward it. Lo, those who have received this scripture know that this revelation is the truth from their Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what they do. And even if thou broughtest into those who have received this scripture all kinds of portents, they would not follow thy quibla, nor canst thou be a follower of their quibla, nor are some of them followers of the quibla of others. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then surely wort thou of the evil doers. Those unto whom we gave this scripture recognize this revelation as they recognize their sons. But lo, a party of them knowingly conceal the truth. It is the truth from thy Lord, O Muhammad, so be not thou of those who waver. And each one hath a goal toward which he turneth, so vie with one another in good works. Wheresoever ye may be, Allah will bring you all together. Lo, Allah is able to do all things. And once soever thou comest forth for prayer, O Muhammad, turn thy face toward the invaluable place of worship. Lo, it is the truth from thy Lord. Allah is not unaware of what ye do. Once soever thou comest forth, turn thy face toward the invaluable place of worship. And wheresoever ye may be, O Muslims, turn your faces toward it when ye pray, so that men may have no argument against you, save such of them as do injustice. Fear them not, but fear me, and so that I may complete my grace upon ye, and that ye may be guided. Even as we have sent unto you a messenger from among you, who recideth unto you our revelation, and causeth you to grow, and teaches you the scripture and wisdom, and teaches you that which ye knew not. Therefore remember me, I will remember you. Give thanks to me, and reject not me. O ye who believe, seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Lo, Allah is with the steadfast. And call not those who are slain in the way of Allah dead. Nay, they are living, only ye perceive not. And surely we shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops, but give glad tidings to the steadfast, who say, when a misfortune strikeeth them, lo, we are Allah's, and lo, unto him we are returning. Such are they on whom our blessings from their Lord and mercy. Such are the rightly guided. Lo, the mountains, As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the indications of Allah. It is therefore no sin for him who is on pilgrimage to the house of God or visitedeth to go around them, as the pagan custom is. And he who doeth good of his own accord, for him, lo, Allah is responsive, aware. Lo, those who hide the proofs and the guidance, which we revealed, after we had made it clear to mankind in the scripture, such are a curse to Allah, and a curse of those who have the power to curse. Except those who repent, and amend, and manifest the truth, it is toward whom I relent. I am the relenting, the merciful. Lo, those who disbelieve, and die while they are disbelievers, on them is the curse of Allah, and of angels, and of men combined. They ever dwell therein. The doom will not be lightened for them, neither will they be reprieved. Your God is one God. There is no God save him, the beneficent, the merciful. Lo, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea, with that which is of used to men, and the water which Allah sendeth down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and in the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds, obedient between heaven and earth, are signs of Allah's sovereignty for people who have sense. Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves objects of worship which they set as rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like that which is the dew of Allah only. Those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah. Oh, that those who do evil had but known on the day when they behold their doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment. On the day when those who were followed disowned those who followed them, and they behold the doom, and all their aims collapse with them. And those who were but followers were say, if a return were possible for us, we would disown them even as they have disowned us. Thus will Allah show them their own deeds as anguish for them, and they will not emerge from the fire. O mankind, eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not in the footsteps of the devil. Lo, he is an open enemy for you. He enjoineth upon you only the evil and the fowl, and that you should tell concerning Allah that which ye know not. And when it is said unto them, follow that which Allah hath revealed, they say, We follow that wherein we found our fathers. And even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance, the likeness of those who disbelieve in relation to the messenger is as the likeness of one who calleth unto that which here hath not, except to shout and cry, deaf, dumb, blind. Therefore they have no sense. O ye who believe, eat of the good things wherewith we have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is indeed he whom ye worship. He hath forbidden you only carrion and blood and wine-flesh, and that which hath been emulated in the name of any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. Lo, those who hide out of the scripture which Allah hath revealed and purchase a small gain therewith, they eat into their bellies nothing else than fire. Allah will not speak to them on the day of resurrection, nor will he make them grow. Theirs will be a painful doom. Those are they who purchase error at the price of guidance and torment at the price of pardon. How constant are they in their strife to reach the fire. That is because Allah hath revealed the scripture with the truth. Lo, those who find a cause of disagreement in the scripture are in open schism. It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the east and the west, but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the last day and the angels and the scripture and the prophets, and giveeth wealth for love of him, to kinsfolk and to orphans, and the needy and the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free and observe proper worship and payeth the poor due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient and tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God-fearing. O ye who believe, retaliation is prescribed for you in the manner of the murdered, the freemen for the freemen, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. And for him who is forgiven somewhat by his injured brother, prosecution according to usage and payment unto him, kindness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. He who transgresseth after this will have a painful doom. And there is life for you in retaliation, O men of understanding that you may ward off evil. It is prescribed for you, when death approacheth one of you, if he leave wealth, that he bequeath unto parents and near relatives and kindness. This is a duty for all those who ward off evil. And whoso changeeth the will after he hath heard it, the sin thereof is only upon those who change it. Lo, Allah is hearer, knower. But he who feareth from a testator some unjust or sinful clause, and maketh peace between the parties, it shall be no sin for him. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. O ye who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may ward off evil. Fast a certain number of days, and for him who is sick among you or on a journey, the same number of other days, and for those who can afford it there is a ransom, the feeding of a man in need. But whoso doeth good of his own accord it is better for him, and that ye fast is better for you, if he did but know. The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion of right and wrong. And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month. And whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, let him fast the same number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease. He desireth not hardship for you, and he desireth that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that paraventure ye may be thankful. And when my servants question thee concerning me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he cryeth unto me. So let them hear my call, and let them trust in me, in order that they may be led aright. It is made lawful for you to go in unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you, and ye are raiment for them. Allah is aware that ye were deceiving yourselves in this respect, and he hath turned mercy toward you and relieved you. So hold intercourse with them, and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread become distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosque. These are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth his revelation to mankind that they may ward off evil. And eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity, nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that ye may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully. They ask thee, O Muhammad, of new moons. Say, they are fixed seasons for mankind and for the pilgrimage. It is not righteousness that ye go to houses by the backs thereof, as do the idolaters at certain seasons, but the righteous man is he who wardeth off evil. So go to houses by the gates thereof, and observe your duty to Allah that ye may be successful. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo, Allah loveth not aggressors. Inslay them wherever ye find them, and derive them out of the places once they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the invaluable place of worship until they first attack you there. But if they attack you there, then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. But if they desist, then lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrongdoers. The forbidden month for the forbidden month, and forbidden things in retaliation, and one who attacketh you, attack him in the like manner as he attacked you. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is with those who ward off evil. Spend your wealth for the cause of Allah, and be not cast by your own hands to ruin, and do good. Lo, Allah loveth the beneficent. Perform the pilgrimage, and visit to Mecca for Allah. And if ye are prevented, then send such gifts as can be obtained with ease, and shave not your heads until the gifts have reached their destination. And whoever among you is sick, or hath an ailment of the head, must pay a ransom of fasting, or almsgiving, or offering. And if ye are in safety, then whosoever contenteth himself with the visit for the pilgrimage shall give such gifts as can be had with ease. And whosoever cannot find such gifts, then a fast of three days while on the pilgrimage, and of seven days when ye have returned, that is, ten and all. That is for him whosoever folk are not present at the invaluable place of worship. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is severe in punishment. The pilgrimage is in the well-known months, and whoever is minded to reform the pilgrimage therein, let him remember that there is to be no lewdness, nor abuse, nor angry conversation on the pilgrimage. And whosoever good ye do, Allah loveth it. So make provision for yourself, hereafter, for the best provision is to ward off evil. Or keep your duty unto me, O men of understanding. It is no sin for you that ye seek the bounty of your Lord by trading. But when ye press on in the multitude from Arafat, remember Allah by the sacred monument. Remember him as he hath guided you, although before you were aware of those astray. Then hasten onward from the place once the multitude hasteneth onward, and ask forgiveness of Allah. Lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers, or with a more lively remembrance. But of mankind is he who sayeth, Our Lord, give unto us in the world, and he hath no portion in the hereafter. And of them also is he who sayeth, Our Lord, give unto us in the world that which is good, and in the hereafter that which is good, and guard us from the doom of fire. For them there is in store a goodly portion out of that which they have earned. Allah is swift at reckoning. Remember Allah through the appointed days. Then whoso hasteneth his departure by two days, it is no sin for him. And whoso delayeth it is no sin for him. That is, for him who wardeth off evil. Be careful of your duty to Allah, and know that unto him ye will be gathered. And of mankind there is he who sow conversation on the life of this world pleaseth thee, Muhammad, and he calleth Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most rigid of opponents. And when he turneth away from thee, his effort in the land is to make mischief therein, and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah loveth not mischief. And when it is said unto him, Be careful of thy duty to Allah, pride taketh him to sin. Hell will settle his account, and evil resting place. And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah, and Allah hath compassion on his bondmen. O ye who believe, come all of you into submission unto him, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo, he is an open enemy for you. And if ye slide back, after the clear proofs have come unto you, then know that Allah is mighty, wise. Wait they for not else, then that Allah should come unto them in the shadow of the clouds with the angels, then the case would already be judged. All cases go back to Allah for judgment. Ask of the children of Israel how many a clear revelation we gave them. He who altereth the grace of Allah after it hath come unto him, for him, lo, Allah is severe in punishment. Beautified is the life of the world for those who disbelieve. They make a jest of the believers. But those who keep their duty to Allah will be above them on the day of resurrection, Allah giveth without stint to whom he will. Mankind were one community, and Allah sent unto them prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the scripture with the truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom the scripture was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by his will guided those who believe unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah giveth whom he will unto a straight path. Or think ye that ye will enter paradise, while yet there hath not come unto you the like of that which came to those who passed away before you? Affliction and adversity befell them. They were shaken as with earthquake, till the messenger of Allah and those who believed along with him said, When cometh Allah's help? Now surely Allah's help is nigh. They asked thee, O Muhammad, what they shall spend. Say, that which ye spend for good must go to parents and near kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatsoever good ye do, lo, Allah is aware of it. There is ordained for you, though it is hateful unto you, but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not. They questioned thee, O Muhammad, with regard to warfare in the sacred month. Say warfare therein is a great transgression, but to turn men from the way of Allah and to disbelieve in him and in the invaluable place of worship and to expel his people thence is a greater warfare with Allah, for persecution is worse than killing. And they will not cease from fighting against you till they have made you renegades with your religion, if they can. And who so becomeeth the renegade and dithe in his disbelief, such are they whose works have fallen both in the world and the hereafter. Such are rightful owners of the fire they will abide therein. Lo, those who believe and those who emigrate to escape the persecution and strive in the way of Allah, these have hope of Allah's mercy. Allah is forgiving, merciful. They questioned thee about strong drink in games of chance. Say in both there is great sin and some utility for men, but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they asked thee what they ought to spend. Say that which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you his revelations that happily ye may reflect. Upon the world and the hereafter. And they questioned thee concerning orphans. Say to improve their lot is best. And if ye mingle your affairs with theirs, then they are your brothers. Allah knoweth him who spoileth from him who improveeth. Had Allah willed he could have overburdened you. Allah is mighty, wise. Wed not idolatresses till they believe. For Lo, a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you, and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe. For Lo, a believing slave is better than an idolater though he please you. Please invite unto the fire, and Allah inviteeth unto the garden, and unto forgiveness by his grace, and expoundeth his revelations to mankind that happily they may remember. They questioned thee, O Muhammad, concerning mensuration. Say, It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they impurified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you. Truly, Allah loveth those who turn unto him, and loveth those who have a care for cleanliness. Your women are a tilth for you to cultivate, so go to your tilth as you will, and send good deeds before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that you will one day meet him. Give glad tidings to believers, O Muhammad. And make not Allah by your oaths a hindrance to your being righteous and observing your duty unto him, and making peace among mankind. Allah is hearer, knower. Allah will not take you to task for that which is unintentional in your oaths. But He will take you to task for that which your hearts have garnered. Allah is forgiving, Clement. Those who forswear their wives must wait four months, then if they change their mind, lo, Allah is forgiving, merciful. And if they decide upon divorce, let them remember that Allah is hearer, knower. Women who are divorced shall wait, keeping themselves apart, three monthly courses. And it is not lawful for them that they should conceal that which Allah hath created in their wombs, if they are believers in Allah in the last day. And their husbands would do better to take them back in that case if they desire a reconciliation. And they, women, have rights similar to those of men over them in kindness, and men are a degree above them. Allah is mighty, wise. Divorce must be pronounced twice, and then a woman must be retained in honor or released in kindness. And it is not lawful for you that she take from women ought of that which ye have given them, except in the case when both fear that they may not be able to keep within the limits imposed by Allah. And if ye fear that they may not be able to keep the limits of Allah, in that case it is no sin for either of them if the woman ransom herself. These are the limits imposed by Allah. Transgress them not. For whoso transgresses Allah's limits? Such are wrongdoers. And if he hath divorced her the third time, then she is not lawful unto him thereafter until she hath wedded another husband. And if he, the other husband, divorce her, it is no sin for both of them that they come together again if they consider that they are able to observe the limits of Allah. These are the limits of Allah. He manifesteth them for people who have knowledge. When ye have divorced women, and they have reached their term, then retain them in kindness or release them in kindness. Retain them not to their hurt so that ye transgress the limits. He who doeth that hath wronged his soul. Take not the revelations of Allah a laughing stock by your behavior, but remember Allah's grace upon you, and that which he hath revealed unto you of the scriptures and of wisdom, whereby he doth exhort you. Observe your duty to Allah and know that Allah is aware of all things. And when ye have divorced women, and they reach their term, place not difficulties in the way of their marrying their husbands if it is agreed between them in kindness. This is an admonition for him among you who believeth in Allah and the last day. That is more virtuous for you and cleaner. Allah knoweth ye know not. Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years, that is, for those who wish to complete the suckling. The duty of feeding and clothing nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No one should be charged beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child, nor should he to whom the child is born be made to suffer because of his child. And on the father's air is incumbent the like of which was incumbent on the father. If they desire to wean the child by mutual consent and after consultation it is no sin for them, and if ye wish to give your children out to nurse it is no sin for you, provided that ye pay what is due from you in kindness. Observe your duty to Allah and know that Allah is seer of what ye do. Such of you as die and leave behind them wives, they, the wives, shall wait, keeping themselves apart four months and ten days. And when they reach the term prescribed for them, then there is no sin for you in ought that they may do with themselves in decency. Allah is informed of what ye do. There is no sin for you in that which ye proclaim or hide in your minds concerning your truth with women. Allah knoweth that ye will remember them. But plight not your truth with women except by uttering a recognized form of words. And do not consummate the marriage until the term prescribed is run. Know that Allah knoweth what is in your minds, so be aware of him, and know that Allah is forgiving, clement. It is no sin for you, if ye divorce women, while yet ye have not touched them, nor appointed unto them a portion. Provide for them the rich according to his means, and the straightened according to his means, of fair provision. This is abound in duty for those who do good. If ye divorce them before ye have touched them, and ye have appointed unto them a portion, then pay the half of that which ye appointed, unless they, the women, agree to forego it, or he agreeeth to forego it in whose hands is the marriage tie. To forego is nearer to piety, and forget not kindness among yourselves. Allah is seer of what ye do. Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allah. And if ye go in fear, then pray standing or on horseback. And when ye are again in safety, remember Allah, as he hath taught you, that which heretofore ye knew not. In the case of those of you who are about to die and leave behind them wives, they should bequeath unto their wives a provision for the year without turning them out. But if they go out of their own accord, there is no sin for you, and that which they do of themselves within their rights. Allah is mighty, wise. For divorced women a provision in kindness, a duty for those who ward off evil. Thus Allah expoundeth unto you his revelations, so that ye may understand. Bethink thee, O Muhammad, of those of old, who went forth from their habitations in their thousands, fearing death, and Allah said unto them, Die, and then he brought them back to life. Lo, Allah is a Lord of kindness to mankind, but most of mankind give not thanks. Fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is here, or knower. Who is it that will lend unto Allah a goodly loan, so that he may give it increased manifold? Allah straighteneth and enlargeeth. Unto him ye will return. Bethink thee of the leaders of the children of Israel after Moses, how they said unto a prophet whom they had, set up for us a king and we will fight in Allah's way. He said, Would ye then refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you? They said, Why should we not fight in Allah's way when we have been driven from our dwellings with our children? Yet when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away. All save a few of them. Allah is aware of evil doers. Their prophet said unto them, Lo, Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said, How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said, Lo, Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. Allah bestoweth his sovereignty on whom he will. Allah is all-embracing, all-knowing. And their prophet said unto them, Lo, the token of his kingdom is that there shall come unto you the ark wherein is peace of reassurance from your Lord, and a remnant of that which the house of Moses and the house of Aaron left behind, the angels bearing it. Lo, herein shall be a token for you, if in truth ye are believers. And when Saul set out with the army, he said, Lo, Allah will try you by the ordeal of a river. Whosoever therefore drinketh thereof, he is not of me. And whosoever tasteeth it, he is not of me. Save him who taketh thereof in the hollow of his hand. But they drank thereof, all save a few of them. And after he had crossed the river, he and those who believed with him, they said, We have no power to stay against Goliath and his hosts. But those who knew that they would meet Allah exclaimed, How many a little company hath overcome a mighty host by Allah's leave? Allah is with the steadfast. And when they went into the field against Goliath and his host, they said, Our Lord, bestow on us endurance, make our foothold sure, and give us help against the disbelieving folk. So they routed them by Allah's leave, and David slew Goliath, and Allah gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him of that which he willeth. And if Allah had not repelled some men by others, the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah is the Lord of kindness to his creatures. These are the portents of Allah which we recite unto thee, Muhammad, with truth, and lo, thou art of the number of our messengers. Of these messengers, some whom we have caused to excel others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake, while some of them he exalted above others in degree. And we gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty, and we supported him with the Holy Spirit. And if Allah had so willed it, those who followed after them would not have fought one with another after the clear proofs had come unto them. But they differed, some of them believing and some disbelieving. And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought with one another, but Allah doeth what he will. O ye who believe, spend of that wherewith we have provided you ere a day come when there will be no trafficking, nor friendship, nor intercession. The disbelievers, they are among the wrongdoers. Allah, there is no God save him, the alive, the eternal, neither slumber nor sleep overtakeeth him. Unto him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with him saved by his leave? He knoweth that which is in the front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of his knowledge save what he will. His throne included the heavens and the earth, and he is never weary of preserving them. He is the sublime, the tremendous. There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believe in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is hearer, knower. Allah is the protecting guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the fire. They will abide therein. Bethink thee of him who had an argument with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom. How, when Abraham said, My Lord is he who giveth life and causeth death, he answered, I give life and cause death. Abraham said, Lo, Allah causeth the sun to rise in the east, and so do thou cause it to come up from the west. Thus was the disbeliever abashed, and Allah guideeth not wrongdoing folk. Or Bethink thee of the like of him who, passing by a township which had fallen into utter ruin, exclaimed, How shall Allah give this township life after its death? And Allah made him die a hundred years, then brought him back to life. He said, How long hast thou tarried? The man said, I have tarried a day, or part of a day. He said, Nay, but thou hast tarried for a hundred years. Just look at thy food and thy drink which have not rotted. Look at thine ass, and that we may make thee a token unto mankind. Look at the bones, how we adjust them, and then cover them with flesh. And when the matter became clear unto him, he said, I know now that Allah is able to do all things. And when Abraham said unto his Lord, My Lord, show me how thou giveth life to the dead. He said, Thus thou not believe? Abraham said, Yea, but I ask in order that my heart may be at ease. His Lord said, Take four of the birds, and cause them to incline unto thee, then place a part of them on each hill. Then call them, they will come to thee in haste, and know that Allah is mighty, wise. The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah's way is as the likeness of a grain which groweth seven ears, and every ear a hundred grains. Allah giveth increase manifold to whom he will. Allah is all-embracing, all-knowing. Those who spend their wealth for the cause of Allah and afterward make not reproach an injury to follow that which they have spent, their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. A kind word with absolute forgiveness is better than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is absolute, clement. O ye who believe, render not vain your almsgiving by reproach an injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in Allah in the last day. His likeness is as the likeness of a rock wherein is dust of the earth, a rainstorm smideth it, leaving it smooth and bare. They have no control of ought of that which they have gained. Allah guideeth not the disbelieving folk. And the likeness of those who spend their wealth in search of Allah's pleasure, and for the strengthening of their souls, is the likeness of a garden on a height. The rainstorm smideth it, and it bringeth forth its fruit twofold. And if the rainstorm smideth not, then the shower. Allah is seer of what ye do. Would any of you like to have a garden of palm trees and vines, with rivers flowing underneath it, with all kinds of fruit for him therein, and old age hath dricken him, and he hath feeble offspring, and a fiery whirlwind striketh it, and it is all consumed by fire? Thus Allah maketh plain his revelations unto you, in order that ye may give thought. O ye who believe, spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which we bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad with intent to spend thereof in charity, when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain, and know that Allah is absolute, owner of praise. The devil promiseseth you destitution and enjoineth on you lewdness, but Allah promiseseth you forgiveness from himself with bounty. Allah is all-embracing, all-knowing. He giveth wisdom unto whom he will, and he unto whom wisdom is given, he truly hath received abundant good, but none would remember except men of understanding. Whatever alms ye spend, or val ye val lo, Allah knoweth it, wrong doers have no helpers. If ye publish your almsgiving it is well, but if ye hide it and give it to the poor it will be better for you, and will atone for some of your ill deeds. Allah is informed of what ye do. The guiding of them is not thy duty, O Muhammad, but Allah guideeth whom he will. And whatsoever good thing ye spend it is for yourselves, when ye spend not in search of Allah's countenance, and whatsoever good things ye spend it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged. Alms are for the poor who are straightened for the cause of Allah, who cannot travel in the land for trade. The unthinking man accounted them wealthy because of their restraint. Thou shalt know them by their mark, they do not beg of men with importunity. And whatsoever good thing ye spend lo, Allah knoweth it. Those who spend their wealth by night and day, by stealth and openly, verily their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. Those who swallow usury cannot rise up, save as he arises, whom the devil hath prostrated by his touch. That is because they say, trade is just like usury, whereas Allah permiteth trade and forbideth usury. He unto whom an admonition from his Lord cometh, and he refraineth, in obedience thereto, he shall keep the profits of that which is past, and his affair henceforth is with Allah. As for him who returneth to usury, such are rightful owners of the fire. They will abide therein. Allah hath blighted usury, and made almsgiving fruitful. Allah loveth not the impious and guilty. Lo, those who believe and do good works and establish worship and pay the poor due, their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. O ye who believe, observe your duty to Allah, and give up what remaineth due to you from usury, if ye are in truth believers. And if ye do not, then be warned of war against you from Allah and his messenger, and if ye repent, then have ye your principle without interest, wrong not, and ye shall not be wronged. And if the debtor is in straightened circumstances, then let there be postponement at the time of ease, and that ye remit the debt as an almsgiving would be better for you if you did but know. And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full, that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. O ye who believe, when ye contract a debt for a fixed term, record it in writing. Let a scribe record it in writing between you in terms of equity. No scribe should refuse to write as Allah hath taught him, so let him write, and he who incureth the debt dictate, and let him observe its duty to Allah his Lord, and diminish not thereof. But if he who oeth the debt is of low understanding or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the guardian of his interest dictate in terms of equity. And call to witness, from among your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not at hand, then a man and two women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so that if the one ereth through forgetfulness the other will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse when they are summoned. Be not adverse to writing down the contract, whether it be small or great, with record of the term thereof. That is more equitable in the sight of Allah, and more sure for testimony, and the best way of avoiding doubt between you. Save only in the case when it is actual merchandise which ye transfer among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it is no sin for you if ye write it not. And have witnesses, when ye sell one to another, and let no harm be done to scribe or witness. If ye do harm to them lo, it is a sin in you. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is teaching you, and Allah is knower of all things. If ye be on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a pledge in hand shall suffice. And if one of you entrusteth to another, let him who is trusted deliver up that which is entrusted to him, according to the pact between them, and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord. Hide not testimony. He who hideeth it, verily his heart is sinful. Allah is aware of what ye do. Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and whether ye make known what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will bring you to account for it. He will forgive whom he will, and he will punish whom he will. Allah is able to do all things. The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord, and so do believers. Each one believeth in Allah and his angels, and his scriptures, and his messengers. We make no distinction between any of his messengers. And they say, We hear and we obey. Grant us thy forgiveness. Our Lord unto thee is the journeying. Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it is only that which it hath earned, and against it only that which it hath deserved. Our Lord, condemn us not if we forget or miss the mark. Our Lord, lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us. Our Lord, impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear. Pardon us, absolve us, and have mercy on us, thou our protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Meaning of the Glorious Quran, translated by Mohamed Marmadouk Pikthal. Surah 3 The Family of Imran Revealed at Medina. In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Alim Lamim Allah, there is no God save him, the Alive, the Eternal. He hath revealed unto thee, Mohamed, the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was revealed before it, even as he revealed the Torah and the Gospel of foretime for guidance to mankind, and hath revealed the criterion of right and wrong. Lo, those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a heavy doom. Allah is mighty, able to re-quite the wrong. Lo, nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah. He it is who fashioneth you in the wombs as pleaseth him. There is no God save him, the Almighty and the Wise. He it is who hath revealed unto thee, Mohamed, the Scripture wherein are clear revelations. They are the substance of the Book, and others which are allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursued for sooth, that which is allegorical, seeking to cause dissension, by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation, save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say, We believe therein. The whole is from our Lord, but only men of understanding really heed. Our Lord, cause not our hearts to stray after thou hast guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from thy presence. Lo, thou only thou art the bestower. Our Lord, lo, it is thou who gatherest mankind together to a day of which there is no doubt. Lo, Allah faileth not to heap the trist. On that day neither the riches nor the progeny of those who disbelieve will ought avail them with Allah. They will be fuel for the fire. Like Pharaoh's folk and those who were before them, they disbelieved our revelations, and so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in punishment. Say, O Mohamed, unto those who disbelieve ye shall be overcome and gathered into hell, and evil resting place. There was a token for you and two hosts which met, one army fighting in the way of Allah, and another disbelieving, whom they saw as twice their number, clearly with their very eyes. Thus Allah strengtheneth with his sucker whom he will. Lo, herein verily is a lesson for those who have eyes. Beautified for mankind is love of the joys that come from women and offspring, and stored up heaps of gold and silver and horses branded with their mark, and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah with him is a more excellent abode. Say shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who keep from evil with their Lord are gardens underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide, and pure companions, and contentment from Allah. Allah is seer of his bond men. Those who say, Our Lord, lo, we believe. So forgive us our sins and guard us from the punishment of fire. The steadfast and the truthful, and the obedient. Those who spend and hoard not. Those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night. Allah himself is witness that there is no God save him. And the angels and the men of learning, too, are witness. Maintaining his creation and justice, there is no God save him, the Almighty, the Wise. Lo, religion with Allah is the surrender to his will and guidance. Those who formerly received the scripture differed only after knowledge came unto them through transgression among themselves. Who so disbelieveeth the revelations of Allah will find that, lo, Allah is swift at reckoning. And if they argue with thee, O Muhammad, say, I have surrendered my purpose to Allah, and so have those who follow me. And say unto those who have received the scripture, and those who read not, have ye, too, surrendered? If they surrender, then truly they are rightly guided. And if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to convey the message unto them. Allah is seer of his bond men. Lo, those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah and slay the prophets wrongfully, and slay those of mankind who enjoin equity, promise them a painful doom. Those are they whose works have failed in the world and the Hereafter, and they have no helpers. Has thou not seen how those who have received a portion of the scripture invoke the scripture of Allah in their disputes, that it may judge between them, then a faction of them turn away, being opposed to it? That is because they say, the fire will not touch us save for a certain number of days, that which they used to invent hath deceived them regarding their religion. How will it be with them when we have brought them all together to a day of which there is no doubt, when every soul will be paid in full what it hath earned, and they will not be wronged? Say, O Allah, owner of sovereignty, thou givest sovereignty under whom thou wilt, and thou withdraws sovereignty from whom thou wilt, thou exaltest whom thou wilt, and thou abasest whom thou wilt. In thy hand is the good, lo, thou art able to do all things. Thou causest the night to pass into the day, and thou causest the day to pass into the night, and thou bringest forth the living from the dead, and thou bringest forth the dead from the living, and thou givest sustenance to whom thou choosest, without stint. But not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah, unless it be that you but guard yourselves against them, taking, as it were, security. Allah bideth you beware only of himself, unto Allah is the journeying. Say, O Muhammad, whether ye hide that which is in your breasts, or reveal it, Allah knoweth it. He knoweth that which is in the heavens, and that which is in the earth, and Allah is able to do all things. On the day when every soul will find itself confronted with all that it hath done of good and all that it hath done of evil, every soul will long that there might be a mighty space of distance between it and that evil. Allah bideth you beware of him, and Allah is full of pity for his bond men. Say, O Muhammad, to mankind, if ye love Allah, follow me. Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Allah is forgiving, merciful. Say, O Bae Allah and the messenger, that if they turn away, lo, Allah loveth not the disbelievers in his guidance. Lo, Allah preferred Adam and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran above all his creatures. They were descendants one of another. Allah is hearer, knower. Remember when the wife of Imran said, My Lord, I have vowed unto thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated offering. Accept it from me. Lo, thou only thou art the hearer, the knower. And when she was delivered she said, My Lord, lo, I am delivered of a female. Allah knew best if what she was delivered. The male is not as the female, and lo, I have named her Mary, and lo, I crave thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast. And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance, and vouchsafed her to a goodly growth, and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said, O Mary, whence cometh unto thee this food? She answered, It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom he will. Then Zachariah prayed unto his Lord and said, My Lord, bestow upon me of thy bounty goodly offspring. Lo, thou art the hearer of prayer. And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary. Allah giveth the glad tidings of a son whose name is John, who cometh to confirm a word from Allah, lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous. He said, My Lord, how can I have a son when age hath overtaken me already and my wife is barren? The angel answered, So it will be. Allah doeth what he will. He said, My Lord, appoint a token for me. The angel said, The token unto thee shall be that thou shalt not speak unto mankind three days except by signs. Remember thy Lord much and praise him in the early hours of night and morning. And when the angel said, O Mary, lo, Allah hath chosen thee and made thee purer, and hath perverted thee above all the women of creation, O Mary, be obedient to thy Lord, prostrate thyself and bow with these who bow in worship. This is the tidings of things hidden. We reveal it unto thee, Muhammad, thou wast not present with them when they threw their pens to know which of them would be the guardian of Mary, nor was thou present with them when they quarreled thereupon. And remember when the angel said, O Mary, lo, Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near unto Allah. He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. She said, My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said, So it will be. Allah createeth what he will. If he decreeeth a thing, he sayeth unto it only, Be, and it is. And he will teach him the scripture and wisdom and the Torah and the gospel, and will make him a messenger unto the children of Israel, saying, Lo, I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo, I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who is born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat, and what ye store up in your houses. Lo, herein verily is important for you, if ye are to be believers. And I come confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Lo, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship him. That is a straight path. But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he said, Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said, We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we have surrendered unto him. Our Lord, we believe in that which thou hast revealed, and we follow him whom thou hast sent. Enroll us among those who witness to the truth. And they, the disbelievers, schemed, and Allah schemed against them, and Allah is the best of schemers. And remember when Allah said, O Jesus, Lo, I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto me, and I am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve, and I am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the day of resurrection. Then unto me ye will all return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein he used to differ. As for those who disbelieve, I shall chastise them with a heavy chastisement in the world and thereafter, and they will have no helpers. And as for those who believe and do good works, he will pay them their wages in full. Allah loveth not wrongdoers. This which we recite unto thee is a revelation and a wise reminder. Lo, the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then he said unto him, Be, and he is. This is the truth from thy Lord, O Muhammad, so be not thou of those who waver. And whoso disputeth with thee concerning him, after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, say unto him, Come, we will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly to our Lord, and solemnly invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie. Lo, this fairly is the true narrative. There is no God save Allah and lo, Allah, he verily is, is the mighty, the wise. And if they turn away, then lo, Allah is aware of who are the corruptors. Say, O people of the Scripture, come to an agreement between us and you, that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto him, and that none of us shall take for others lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say, Bear witness, that we are they who have surrendered unto him. O people of the Scripture, why will ye argue about Abraham when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have ye then no sense? Lo, ye are those who argue about that whereof you have some knowledge. Why then argue ye concerning that whereof you have no knowledge? Allah knowseth. You know not. Abraham was not a Jew, nor yet a Christian, but he was an upright man who had surrendered to Allah, and he was not of the idolaters. Lo, those of mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this prophet and those who believe with him, and Allah is the protecting guardian of the believers. A party of the people of the Scripture long to make you go astray, and they make none to go astray except themselves, but they perceive not. O people of the Scripture, why disbelieve ye in the revelations of Allah when ye yourselves bear witness to their truth? O people of the Scripture, why confound ye truth with falsehood and knowingly conceal the truth? And a party of the people of the Scripture say, believe in that which hath been revealed unto those who believe at the opening of the day, and disbelieve at the end thereof, in order that they may return. And believe not, save in one who followeth your religion. Say, O Muhammad, lo, the guidance is Allah's guidance, that any one is given the like that of which was given unto you, or that they may argue with you in the presence of their Lord. Say, O Muhammad, lo, the bounty is in Allah's hand. He bestowseth it on whom he will. Allah is all-embracing, all-knowing. He selecteth for his mercy whom he will. Allah is of infinite bounty. Among the people of the Scripture there is he who, if thou trust him with a weight of treasure, will return it to thee. And among them there is he who, if thou trust him with a piece of gold, will not return it to thee unless thou keep standing over him. That is because they say, we have no duty to the gentiles. They speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly. Nay, but the chosen of Allah is he who fulfileth his pledge and wardeth off evil, for lo, Allah loveth those who ward off evil. Lo, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths, they have no portion in the hereafter. Allah will neither speak to them, nor look upon them on the day of resurrection, nor will he make them grow. There's will be a painful doom. And lo, there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture when it is not from the Scripture. And they say, it is from Allah when it is not from Allah, and they speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly. It is not possible for any human being unto whom Allah had given the Scripture in wisdom and the Prophethood, that he should afterwards have said unto mankind, Be slaves to me instead of of Allah. But what he said was, Be ye faithful servants of the Lord by virtue of your constant teaching of the Scripture and of your constant study thereof. And he commanded you not that ye should take the angels and the Prophets for Lords. Would he command you to disbelieve after ye had surrendered to Allah? When Allah made his covenant with the Prophets he said, Behold, that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge, and afterward there will come unto you a messenger confirming that which he possessed. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said, Do ye agree, and will ye take up my burden which I lay upon you in this matter? They answered, We agree, and he said, Then bear ye witness, I will be a witness with you. Then whosoever after this shall turn away, they will be miscreants. Seek they other than the religion of Allah, when unto him submitteth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and unto him they will be returned. Say, O Muhammad, we believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us, and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto him we have surrendered. And whoso seeketh as religion other than the surrender to Allah it will not be accepted from him, and he will be a loser in the hereafter. How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their prophets and after they bore witness that the messenger is true, and after clear proofs of Allah's sovereignty had come unto them? And Allah guideeth not wrongdoing folk. As for such their girdon is that on them rest the curse of Allah and of angels and of men combined. They will abide therein. Their doom will not be lightened, neither will they be reprieved. Save those who afterward repent and do right. Low, Allah is forgiving, merciful. Low, those who disbelieve after their profession of belief, and afterward grow violent in disbelief, their repentance will not be accepted, and such are those who go astray. Low, those who disbelieve and die in disbelief, the whole earth full of gold would not be accepted from such a one if it were offered as ransom for his soul. There's will be a painful doom and they will have no helpers. Ye will not attain unto piety until ye spend of that which ye love, and whatsoever ye spend Allah is aware thereof. All food was lawful unto the children of Israel, save that which Israel forbade himself in days before the Torah was revealed. Say produce the Torah and read it unto us if ye are truthful, and whoever shall invent a falsehood after that concerning Allah such will be wrongdoers. Say Allah speaketh truth, so follow the religion of Abraham, the upright, he was not of the idolaters. Low, the first sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Beka, a blessed place, a guidance to the people. Wherein are plain memorials of Allah's guidance, the place where Abraham stood up to pray, and whosoever entereth it is safe, and pilgrimage to the house is a duty unto Allah for mankind, for him who can find a way thither. As for him who disbeliveth, let him know that, Low, Allah is independent of all creatures. Say, O people of the scripture, why disbelieve ye in the revelations of Allah, when Allah himself is witness of what ye do? Say, O people of the scripture, why drive ye back believers from the way of Allah, seeking to make it crooked when ye are witnesses to Allah's guidance? Allah is not unaware of what ye do. O ye who believe, if ye obey a party of those who have received the scripture, they will make you disbelievers after your belief. How can ye disbelieve when it is ye unto whom Allah's revelations are recited, and his messenger is in your midst? He who holdeth fast to Allah, he indeed is guided unto a right path. O ye who believe, observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not, save as those who have surrendered unto him. And hold fast all of you together to the cable of Allah, and do not separate. And remember Allah's favour unto you, how ye were enemies, and he made friendship between your hearts so that you became his brothers by his grace, and how ye were upon the brink of an abyss of fire. And he did save you from it. Thus Allah maketh clear his revelations unto you, that happily ye may be guided. And there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency. Such are they who are successful. And be ye not as those who separated and disputed after the clear proofs had come unto them, for such there is an awful doom. And on the day when some faces will be whitened and some faces will be blackened, and as for those whose faces have been blackened, it will be said unto them, disbelieve ye after your profession of belief, then taste the punishment for that ye disbelieved. And as for those whose faces have been whitened, in the mercy of Allah they dwell for ever. These are revelations of Allah. We recite them unto thee in truth. Allah willeth no injustice to his creatures. Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and unto Allah all things are returned. Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and ye believe in Allah. And if the people of the Scripture had believed it had been better for them. Some of them are believers, but most of them are evil livers. They will not harm you save a trifling hurt, and if they fight against you they will turn and flee, and afterward they will not be helped. They shall be their portion, wheresoever they are found, save where they grasp a rope from Allah and a hammer from men. They have incurred anger from their Lord, and wretchedness is laid upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve the revelations of Allah, and slew the prophets wrongfully. That is because they were rebellious and used to transgress. They are not all alike. Of the people of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate before him. They believe in Allah and the last day in enjoying right conduct and forbidden decency, and vie with one another in good works. These are of the righteous. And whatever good they do they will not be denied the mead thereof. Allah is aware of those who ward off evil. Lo! The riches and the progeny of those who disbelieve will not avail them ought against Allah, and such are rightful owners of the fire. They will abide therein. The likeness of that which they spend in this life of the world is as the likeness of a biting, icy wind which smited the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves and devastated it. Allah wronged them not, but they do wrong themselves. O ye who believe, take not for intimates others than your own folk, who would spare no pains to ruin you, they love to hamper you. Hatred is revealed by the utterance of their mouths, but that which their breasts hide is greater. We have made plain for you the revelations, if you will understand. Lo! Those who love them, though they love you not, and you believe in all the scripture. When they fall in with you they say, we believe, but when they go apart they bite their fingertips at you for rage. Say perish in your rage. Lo! Allah is aware of what is hidden in your breasts. If a lucky chance befall you it is evil unto them, and if disaster strike you they rejoice there at. But if you persevere and keep from evil their guile will never harm you. Lo! Allah is surrounding what they do. And when thou settest forth at daybreak from thy housefolk to assign to the believers their positions for battle, Allah was hearer, knower. When two parties of you almost fell away, and Allah was their protecting friend, in Allah let believers put their trust. Allah had already given you the victory at Badr when you were contemptible, so observe your duty to Allah in order that you may be thankful. When thou didst say unto the believers, is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should support you with three thousand angels sent down to your help? Nay, but if you persevere and keep from evil, and the enemy attack you suddenly, your Lord will help you with five thousand angels sweeping on. Allah ordained this only as a message of good cheer for you, and that thereby your hearts might be at rest. Victory cometh only from Allah, the mighty, the wise. That he may cut off a part of those who disbelieve, or overwhelm them so that they retire frustrated. It is no concern at all of thee, Muhammad, whether he relent toward them or punish them, for they are evildoers. Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. He forgiveth whom he will, and punisheth whom he will. Allah is forgiving, merciful. O ye who believe, devour not usury, doubling and quadrupling the sum lent. Observe your duty to Allah that you may be successful. And ward off from yourselves the fire prepared for disbelievers, and obey Allah and the messenger that you may find mercy. And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off evil. Those who spend of that which Allah hath given them in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind, Allah loveth the good. And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins, who forgiveth sins save Allah only, and will not knowingly repeat the wrong they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, a bountiful reward for workers. Systems have passed away before you, do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for those who do deny the messengers. This is a declaration for mankind, a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off evil. For ye will overcome them if ye are indeed believers. If ye have received a blow, the disbelieving people have received a blow the like thereof. These are only the vicissitudes which we cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you, and Allah loveth not wrongdoers, and that Allah may prove those who believe and may blight the disbelievers, or deem ye that ye would enter paradise while yet Allah knoweth not those of you who really strive, nor knoweth those of you who are steadfast. And verily ye used to wish for death before ye met it in the field. Now ye have seen it with your eyes. Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers the like of whom have passed away before him. Will it be that when he dyeth or is slain ye will turn back on your heels? He who turneth back on his heels doth no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful. No soul can ever die except by Allah's leave, and at a term appointed, whoso desireth the reward of the world we bestow on him thereof, and whoso desireth the reward of the hereafter we bestow on him thereof, we shall reward the thankful. And with how many a prophet have there been a number of devoted men who fought beside him? They quailed not for ought that befell them in the way of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor were they brought low. Allah loveth the steadfast. Their cry was only that they said, Our Lord, forgive us for our sins and wasted efforts, make our foothold sure, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. So Allah gave them the reward of the world and the good reward of the hereafter. Allah loveth those whose deeds are good. O ye who believe, if ye obey those who disbelieve, they will make you turn back on your heels, and ye turn back as losers. But Allah is your protector, and he is the best of helpers. We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they ascribe unto Allah partners for which no warrant hath been revealed. Their habitation is the fire, the hapless abode of the wrongdoers. Allah verily made good his promise unto you when ye routed them by his leave, until the moment when your courage failed you, and you disagreed about the order and ye disobeyed, after he had shown you that for which ye long. Some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the hereafter. Therefore he made you flee from them, that he might try you. Yet now he hath forgiven you. Allah is a Lord of kindness to disbelievers. When ye climbed the hill and paid no heed to any one, while the messenger in your rear was calling you to fight. Therefore he rewarded you grief for his grief, that he might teach you not to sorrow, either for that which you missed, or for that which befell you. Allah is informed of what ye do. Then after grief he sent down security for you. As slumber did it overcome a party of you, while the other party, who were anxious on their own account, thought wrongly of Allah, the thought of ignorance. They said, Have we any part in the cause? Say, O Muhammad, the cause belongeth holy to Allah. They hide within themselves a thought which they reveal not unto thee, saying, Had we any part in the cause, we should not have been slain here. Say, even though ye had been in your houses, those appointed to be slain would have gone forth to the places where they were to lie. All this hath been in order that Allah might try what is in your breasts, and prove what is in your hearts. Allah is aware of what is hidden in the breasts of men. Lo! Those of you who turned back on the day when the two hosts met, Satan alone it was who caused them to backslide, because of some of that which they have earned. Now Allah hath forgiven them. Lo! Allah is forgiving. Clement. O ye who believe, be not as those who disbelieved, and said of their brethren who went abroad in the land, or were fighting in the field, if they had been here with us they would not have died or been killed, that Allah may make it anguish in their hearts. Allah giveth life and causeth death, and Allah is seer of what ye do. And what though ye be slain in Allah's way or die therein, surely pardon from Allah and mercy are better than all that they amass. What though ye be slain or die, when unto Allah ye are gathered. It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them, O Muhammad, for if thou hath been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them, and ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust in him. If Allah is your helper none can overcome you, and if he withdraw his help from you, who is there who can help you after him? And Allah let believers put their trust. It is not for any prophet to embezzle, who so embezzaleth will bring what he embezzled with him on the day of Resurrection. Then every soul will be paid in full for what it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. Is one who followeth the pleasure of Allah as one who hath earned condemnation from Allah, whose habitation is the fire, a hapless journey's end? There are degrees of grace in reprobation with Allah, and Allah is seer of what they do. Allah hath fairly shown grace to the believers by sending unto them a messenger of their own, who recideth unto them his revelations, and causeth them to grow, and teaches them the scripture and wisdom, although before he came to them they were inflegrent error. And was it so when a disaster smote you, though ye had smitten them with a disaster twice as great, that ye said, How is this? Say unto them, O Muhammad, it is from yourselves, lo, Allah is able to do all things. That which befell you on the day when the two armies met was by permission of Allah that he might know the true believers. And that he might know the hypocrites, unto whom it was said, Come, fight in the way of Allah or defend yourselves. They answered, If we knew ought of fighting we would follow you. On that day they were nearer disbelief than faith. They utter with their mouths a thing which is not in their hearts. That is best aware of what they hide. Those who, while they sat at home, said of their brethren, who were fighting for the cause of Allah, if they had been guided by us they would not have been slain. Say unto them, O Muhammad, then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful. Think not of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant are they because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of his great bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not joined them but are left behind. There shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteeth not the wage of the believers. As for those who heard the call of Allah and his messenger after the harm befell them in the fight, for such of them as do right and ward off evil, there is great reward. Those unto whom men said, Lo, the people have gathered against you, therefore fear them, the threat of danger, but increase the faith of them, and they cried, Allah is sufficient for us. Most excellent is he in whom we trust. So they returned with grace and favour from Allah, and no harm touched them. They followed the good pleasure of Allah, and Allah is of infinite bounty. It is only the devil who would make men fear his partisans. Fear them not. Fear me if ye are true believers. Let not their conduct grieve thee, who run easily to disbelief, for lo, they injure Allah not at all. It is Allah's will to assign them no portion in the hereafter, and theirs will be an awful doom. Those who purchased disbelief at the price of faith harm Allah not at all, but theirs will be a painful doom. And let not those who disbelieve imagine that the rain we give them bodeeth good unto their souls. We only give them rain that they may grow in sinfulness, and theirs will be a shameful doom. Is it not the purpose of Allah to leave you in your present state till he shall separate the wicked from the good? And is it not the purpose of Allah to let you know the unseen? But Allah chewseth of his messengers whom he will to receive knowledge thereof. So believe in Allah and his messengers. If ye believe in ward off evil, yours will be a vast reward. And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of his bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the day of resurrection. Allah is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is informed of what ye do. Verily, Allah heard the saying of those who said, When asked for contributions for the war, Allah forsooth is poor and we are rich. We shall record their saying with their slaying of the prophets wrongfully, and we shall say, Taste ye the punishment of burning. This is on account of that which your own hands have sent before you, to the judgment. Allah is no oppressor of his bondmen. The same are those who say, Lo, Allah hath charged us that we believe not in any messenger until he bring us an offering which fire from heaven shall devour. Say unto them, O Muhammad, Messengers came unto you before me with miracles, and with that very miracle which ye describe. Why then did ye slay them? Answer that if ye are truthful. And if they deny thee, even so did they deny messengers who were before thee, who came with miracles, and with the Psalms, and with the Scripture giving light. Every soul will taste of death, and ye will be paid on the day of resurrection, only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the fire, and is made to enter paradise, he is indeed triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion. Assuredly, ye will be tried in your property and in your persons, and ye will hear much wrong from those who were given the Scripture before you and from the idolaters. But if ye persevere and ward off evil, then that is of the steadfast heart of things. And remember when Allah laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture, he said, ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it, but they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain. Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby. Think not that those who exult in what they have been given, and love to be praised for what they have not done. Think not they are in safety from the doom. A painful doom is theirs. Unto Allah belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, Allah is able to do all things. Lo, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the difference of night and day are tokens of His sovereignty for men of understanding. Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, and say, Our Lord, Thou created not this in vain, glory be to Thee, preserve us from the doom of fire. Our Lord, whom Thou causes to enter the fire, him indeed Thou has confounded. For evildoers there will be no helpers. Our Lord, lo, we have heard a crier calling unto faith, Believe ye in your Lord, so we believed. Our Lord, therefore forgive us our sins, and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die the death of the righteous. Our Lord, and give us that which Thou has promised to us by Thy messengers, confound us not upon the day of resurrection. Lo, Thou breakest not the trist. And their Lord hath heard them, and he saith, Lo, I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost. Ye precede one from another. So those who fled and were driven forth from their homes, and suffered damage for my cause, and fought and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them, and verily I shall bring them unto the gardens, underneath which rivers flow, a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the fairest of rewards. But not the vicissitudes of the success of those who disbelieve in the land, deceive thee, O Muhammad. It is but a brief comfort, and afterward their habitation will be hell and ill-abode. But those who keep their duty to their Lord, for them are gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be saved forever. A gift of welcome from their Lord. That which Allah hath in store is better for the righteous. And lo, of the people of the Scripture, there are some who believe in Allah, and that which is revealed unto you, and that which was revealed unto them, humbling themselves before Allah. They purchase not a trifling gain at the price of the revelations of Allah. Verily their reward is with their Lord. Lo, Allah is swift to take account. O ye who believe, endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah in order that you may succeed. End of Surah 3