In The name of God, the Compassionate, The Merciful All praise is for God, the
Lord of all domains of existence,
Alif Lam Mim This is the Scripture wherein there is no doubt, a guidance to the God-fearing who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayer and spend on the needy out of what We have given them who believe in this Book and in the Scriptures sent before and in the Hereafter. They are the guided ones and they shall prosper. As for the unbelievers, God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing and on their eyes is a covering and there awaits them a severe chastisement. And some men say 'We believe in God and the Last Day' but in truth they believe not. They seek to deceive God and the believers but actually they are deceiving themselves. There is a disease in their hearts and they spread disorder in the land. When they are restrained they make out that they are reformers though they are promoters of disorder. When invited to the faith they say 'Shall we believe in the manner of fools?' Truly they are the fools but they realize not. When they meet the believers, they say 'we hold to the faith' but amongst themselves they say that they were only mocking at the believers. God will throw back at them their mockery and He is only giving themrespite. They are like the man whose light has been taken away and who has been left in darkness. 'O you men, serve your Lord who created you and those before you, who has made the earth a dwelling place for you and the sky a covering, who sends down rain and brings forth all varieties of fruits. Do not then set up peers for God.' If you have any doubt in the Divine character of this Book, then bring forth a chapter like it and invite for your help whomsoever you will. Assuredly, you cannot do so. Then fear the Fire of Day of Judgment. Those who believe and do righteous deeds, give them glad tidings of Paradise where there shall he every kind of comfort. How can you deny the existence of God when you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He shall cause you to die and quicken you to life once again, and eventually shall you be brought back to Him. 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 has knowledge of everything. And when thy Lord addressed the angels, "Verily, I am about to place on earth a viceregent," they said, 'Wilt Thou place thereon one who will cause disorder and shed blood, while verily we hymn Thy praise and extol Thy holiness.' He said, 'Surely, 1 know that which ye know not.' God bestowed knowledge on Adam, the angels acknowledged his superiority and bowed down to him under God's command. Only Iblis demurred through pride and became a disbeliever. God directed Adam and his wife, Eve, to dwell in Paradise but Satan caused the twain to fall into a lapse. As a result, all of them were sent to earth. Adam repented and was forgiven and told that there shall come guidance from the Lord and whosoever will follow it, no fear shall come on him, neither shall he grieve. O children of Israel! believe in this Book which confirms your Scripture, do not part with revelations for a trifling price and do not confound truth with falsehood nor knowingly conceal the truth and establish worship and pay the poor due. "Will you enjoin righteousness upon others and neglect to practice it yourself? And yet ye profess to follow the Book. And seek help in patience and prayer--a hard task indeed it is, but not to the devout. O children of Israel! Call to mind the blessing with which I blessed ye and chose ye before all others. So beware of the Day when no soul shall avail another in anything nor shall any intercession profit. And call to mind the occasion when we rescued ye from the people of Pharaoh who used to slay your male children and let your females only live and in this lay for you a mighty trial from your Lord. We parted the sea and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people." The people of Israel were ungrateful and took to the worship of a calf when Moses had gone from their midst for prayers for forty nights. On return Moses remonstrated with them and on their repentance God relented towards them. Even so, they said, 'O Moses! We will not believe thee until we behold God openly.' Thereupon a thunderbolt seized them but God revived them and sent down 'manna and quails' to eat. When Moses asked water for his people, he was told to smite the rock with his staff from which gushed forth twelve fountains. His people did not rest content with 'manna and quails' and asked for herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions. They were told to get these things from any city. Ultimately they came to be afflicted with abasement and privation, and drew on themselves the displeasure of God because they disregarded the directions of God and slew the prophets for no reason and they disobeyed and indulged in excesses. Some of them committed excesses on Sabbath day and to them God had said, 'Ye be despised as apes' to serve as a warning to those of their time and also those who came after them and as a caution even to the righteous. Moses told his people that God desireth them to sacrifice an oxen in His name. They repeatedly asked for detailed description and sacrificed it half-heartedly. They had slain a man and were foisting the deed on one another and God disclosed what they were trying to conceal by directing them to smite the dead with a part of the slaughtered animal. God revived the dead man and manifested His sign. Yet their hearts hardened as a rock thereafter and they were impervious to guidance. When they met the believers they would say there were among them but when they would meet apart they would reveal their true character. Knew they not that God knoweth what they hide as well as what they speak out. God had taken a promise from the Israelites that they would serve none but God and be good to parents and kindred and to orphans and to the needy, and to speak to others in a gentle manner and to observe prayer and pay the poor-due. Barring a few, all backed out. They were directed not to shed the blood of people nor to expel them from their homes, yet they refrained not and would make people captives to secure ransom. They followed certain portions of the Book and neglected the other. What shall be the return of any one who does this except disgrace in this world and a severe chastisement on the Day of Resurrection. These are they who have bartered away the life of this world at the cost of the life to follow. So their chastisement shall not be lightened, neither shall they be helped. So oft as apostles came to them, they grew arrogant and some they called imposters and some they killed. They know it is a Divine Book but they would not acknowledge it. They feel aggrieved that God should send His grace not on themselves but on whomsoever He pleaseth. They say they would not believe in any other book except their own. Say 'If the abode of the Hereafter is meant by God exclusively for you and none else, yearn for death if you speak the truth.' Say 'Whosoever is hostile to God and His angels and His apostles, and to Gabriel and Michael, God verily will prove hostile to the disbelievers. Assuredly, they alone deny these clear signs who are rebellious.' There are some who learn the art of sorcery and that, which was supposed to cause division between man and wife. Whoever cultivates such black art has no share in the comforts of life to come. Verily, for a vile price they have sold themselves. Had they believed and acted righteously they would have received from God a good recompense. Neither the unbelievers among the people of the Book nor the polytheists like that anything good should come down to you from your Lord but God selecteth for His grace whomsoever He will, and unbounded is the grace of God. Knowest thou not that it is to God that the dominion of the heavens and of the earth belongeth and that for you there is no friend or helper save Him? Many of the people of the book desire you Muslims to return to unbelief after you have believed out of envy in their hearts. So forgive and forbear till God giveth His direction. Truly, God hath power over everything. And they say, 'None shall enter Paradise unless one is a Jew or a Christian.' Such is their wishful thinking. Say 'Cite your authority if you speak the truth.' Nay! He who sets his face Godward with resignation and does what is right--his reward is with his Lord; on such no fear shall come, neither shall they grieve.' The Jews say, 'The Christians have not anything to lean on,' and 'on nothing lean the Jews,' say the Christians and yet both are readers of the Scripture. God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. And who commits a greater wrong than he who hinders God's name from being taken in His places of worship and attempts to ruin them. Theirs is disgrace in this world and a severe chastisement in the next. God's is the East and the West; therefore whichever side you turn, ye will face the countenance of God; Verily God is Omnipresent, Omniscient! And they say, 'God hath taken to Himself a Son.' Transcendent in purity is He! His is whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All submit to Him. The Bringer into being of the heavens and the earth! Whenever He intendeth a thing, He but sayeth, 'Be' and there it is. And they say, "Why is it that God speaketh not (directly) to us, or why is it that no token (of His) cometh to us?" Even in like-manner, asked those who went before them. "Undoubtedly we have sent thee Muhammad with the Truth, a bearer of good tidings and a warner." Never will the Jews or the Christians be pleased with thee until thou follow their creed. Say 'Verily, the guidance of God-that is the Guidance.' And call to mind the occasion when his Lord tested Abraham and he stood the test. God said, 'Verily, I am going to make thee a guide for mankind.' And recall when God declared the Kaaba at Mecca to be a place of assemblage for mankind and a sanctuary, and commanded Abraham and his son Ishmael to keep the house clean for those who go the rounds, and those who sequester themselves for quiet devotion and those who bow down in prayer. Abraham prayed, 'Lord! make this a city of peace and provide its people with fruits . . . Also make us resigned to Thee and raise amongst our progeny a body of people truly devoted to Thee, and instruct us in the ways of devotion and turn to us . . . And raise up from their midst an apostle who may recite to them the Revelations, and instruct them in the Book, and the purpose underlying it and reform them.' God chose Abraham for distinction in this world and indeed he will be among the righteous in the world to come. Abraham chose Islam (the way of resignation) for himself and instructed his children to follow likewise and so did Jacob, 'O my children! Truly hath God chosen for you a way of life. So do not pass away ere ye be resigned to God.' Say ye, "We believe in God and that which hath been sent down to us and that which was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael and Jacob and his progeny from their Lord and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets, and we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him are we resigned! So if they believe even as ye believe, then surely are they rightly guided; but if they turn away, then they are clearly in schism. Say, 'we have adopted the colour (manner) of God and what colour is better than God's and it is Him alone do we Serve.' Say, 'Dispute ye with us concerning God when He is our Lord even as He is your Lord? To us the result of our deeds and to you the result of your deeds; and we are sincerely His.' And who is more wicked than he who suppresseth evidence that hath been received from God.' And note that God is not unaware of what ye do! And likewise, have We molded you into a model society that ye might be a pattern unto others, even as the Prophet hath been a pattern unto you.' Verily, We have noticed thee raise up thy face repeatedly to the heavens. Now will We have thee turn to a Qibla which thou wilt like. (Till now it was towards Baitul-muqaddas, the Sacred Mosque of Jerusalem). Turn then thy face towards the Holy Mosque (of Mecca). And wherever ye be, turn your faces towards it.' Wherever you be, God will respond to the prayer of you all. Verily, God hath power over all things. The erratic and deviators will question but 'do not mind them but mind Me, so that I may complete my favour on you, and that you may pursue the right path. Likewise, We have appointed an Apostle for you among yourselves who announces to you Our directions and reforms you and instructs you in the Book and its purpose and teaches you what hitherto you knew not. So, remember Me, and I shall remember you, and give Me thanks, and be not ungrateful.' O you believe! Seek help in patience and prayer. Truly God is with those who are steadfast in patience. And say not of those who are slain in the way of God: "They are dead." They are alive although you discern it not. And surely will We test you With somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and crops, but give good tidings to the steadfast in patience, who when a trouble befalleth them, say, 'We are resigned so God and to Him we are to return. "These are they on whom will be bestowed blessings from their Lord and His mercy, and these are they who adhere to the right path." Let those who conceal aught from out of what God has sent down in the form of guidance and direction know that God condemns them and they are also condemned by those entitled to do so, unless they repent and speak the truth, then God is the Relenting and Merciful. But those who disbelieve and die in disbelief on them be the malison [curse] of God and of angels and of all mankind. Their chastisement shall not be lightened. And your god is God, the One! There is none worthy of worship except He, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Assuredly, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day and in the sailing of ships through the ocean and the rain which gives life to dead earth and in the movement of the winds and the clouds are signs for the thoughtful. Yet there are some people who choose compeers for Him and love them with the love due to God, while with the faithful, their most intense love is for God alone. Would but the transgressors realize the severe chastisement that will overtake them on the Day when the leaders will disown the led and the latter will yearn to be given a chance to live over again, will regret over their deeds but they shall not come forth from out of the Fire. O people! Eat of the things of the earth which are permissible and wholesome, and do not follow the ways of Satan, for, he is your avowed enemy. He prompts you only to evil and indecency and makes you aver of God that which you know not. But these people want to follow the way of their forefathers even if they were not able to understand anything and were not on the right path. O ye who believe! Eat of the wholesome things God has provided you with and be grateful. God hath forbidden you carrion and blood and swine's flesh and also that over which any name other than that of God has been invoked. But if anyone is of sheer necessity driven to partake them neither inordinately nor willfully no sin shall be upon him. Those who hide what God hath revealed and exchange it for a mean price ale putting fire in their stomachs; God will neither speak to them on the Day of Resurrection nor absolve them. They have bartered guidance for error and pardon for chastisement. Piety does not lie in merely turning your faces in prayer towards the East or the West; but true piety is this, that one believeth in God, in the Day Hereafter, in the angels, in the Scriptures, and in the prophets, and, despite his love of it, giveth of his wealth to his kindred and to the orphans and to the needy and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and for the redemption of slaves, and who observeth prayer and payeth the poor-due, and is faithful in fulfilling engagements and endures with fortitude poverty, distress and moments of peril. O believers, prescribed for you is penalty for man-slaughter. (If the slayer is) a free man that very free man (shall pay the penalty), if a slave that very slave, if a woman that very woman. But if any remission is made by the heir of the slain, let the customary consideration be observed and let that be shown with due liberality. O men of understandingly mark! the principle of penalty assures for you security of life, for it prevents you from all evil. Prescribed for you, when death approaches anyone of you and he has goods to leave, is bequeathing equitably to his parents and kindred. Should anyone change the bequest after hearing it, the sin shall rest on him. But if any partiality or wrong on the part of the testator is apprehended and he arranges a settlement between the parties, no sin shall rest upon him. O believers! prescribed for you is the Fast, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you--haply you will be God-fearing--for specific number of days. Fast in the month of Ramadan in which the first revelation of the Qur'an was delivered--a guidance for man, presenting clear signs of guidance and a criterion to distinguish between right and wrong, and if any of you be sick or on a journey, he shall fast for a like number of other days and as for those who find it hard to fast let them feed an indigent person. God wisheth you ease and no discomfort, so that you may complete the course and extol God that He has guided you and feel grateful. You are permitted to approach your wives during the night of the fast but not when you have sequestered yourselves in mosque and consume not each other's property by false pretense, nor present a part of it to judges as bribe. When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am ever present with them. I respond to the call of him that calleth, when he calleth unto Me; so let them hearken unto Me and put faith in Me that they may conduct themselves aright. "And fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, and do not commit excesses. Surely, God does not like those who are aggressive. And slay them where so ever you find them and eject them from where so ever they have ejected you; for disorder is worse than bloodshed. But attack them not in the vicinity of the Sacred Mosque unless you are attacked. And fight against them until there be no more persecution and until the way of life prescribed by God prevails. But if they desist, then let there be no more hostility save against those who continue to be aggressive. If they treat a sacred month as sacred, then ye also treat it as such; even in matters sacred, like for like. If any be overbearing, then do ye behave as they behaved, and be mindful of God and know that God is with those who guard themselves against evil. And spend in the way of God and do not with your own hands work for your own ruin and do good, for God verily loveth those who do good. Perform the Hajj and Umra for the sake of God. But if ye be hindered in your way, then send forth whatsoever offering is easily available but he who finds nothing to offer, he shall fast three days during the Hajj itself and seven days on return. There are certain months fixed for pilgrimage. Whoever undertakes the pilgrimage, let him not yield to sex promptings, nor employ the language of abuse nor wrangle in that period. And equip yourselves for the journey properly and the best of equipment is righteousness. When you hasten back from Arafat, then remember God near the Holy Monument; then pass on quickly from the place where people are to pass quickly and seek Divine forgiveness and when you have finished your rites, remember God even as you remembered your own fathers--indeed even more fervently. Some there are who say, 'O our Lord! Give us (prosperity) in this world.' But for such there shall be no portion in the life to follow. And some say, 'Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the world to follow, and protect us from the chastisement of Fire.' These shall have the meed of what they have earned, and God is quick in requiting. Among men there are some who beguile thee by their talk on the life of this world and take God to bear witness on their sincerity. Yet they are the most zealous in opposition. And whenever they get power, they engage themselves in creating disorder in the land and laying waste the fields and flocks. And God does not like such disorder. And when it is said to them, 'Fear God' their pride drives them to sin. Then Hell is a fit place for them--and right wretched this place of rest. Among men there are also some who sacrifice their personal interests to seek the pleasure of God: and God is ever gracious to those who are devoted to Him. O ye who believe! take to the path of peace and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan; for he indeed is your avowed enemy. But if ye waiver, after these clear instructions have come to you, know then God is Mighty, Wise. The life of this world may seem pleasant to those who disbelieve and they may mock at those who believe; but the righteous shall rank higher than those on the Day of Resurrection. Mankind (at first)) were but one Community; and God raised prophets - bearers of glad tidings and warners - and He sent down with them the Book to decide matters in which men might dispute. But the people unto whom the Scripture was delivered differed therein through hatred of one another. And God directed the believers to the truth about which they had differed. Do you fancy that you will enter the Garden though yow have yet to pass through the mill through which those gone before you had passed? They ask thee what they should spend on others; say what ever of your wealth you can give away, let it be for your parents, and kindred and orphans and the indigent and wayfarer; and whatever good you do, God knoweth it. Fighting is ordained for you, though it be hateful to you. Perchance you may dislike a thing which is good for you and like a thing which is bad for you: War in the sacred month is bad but to turn away people from the cause of God and go against Him and deny entry to the Sacred Mosque and drive out its inmates is worse in the sight of God. They will not cease to fight with you, till they turn you from your religion if they can, and whosoever of you turns from his faith, and dies disbelieving, their works shall be fruitless in this world and in the next, and they shall be the inmates of the Fire to abide therein. People question thee about wine and games of chance. Say, 'in both is great harm as well as some advantage to men] but the harm is greater than the usefulness.' They ask thee concerning orphans. Say: 'To set their affairs aright is good. And if you wish to manage their affairs conjointly with your, own, you may do so--they are your brothers and God knows full well, the foul dealer from the fair.' Do not wed women who associate others with God until they believe in one God and give not in wedlock believing women to polytheists. Do not in your oaths swear by God just to absolve yourselves from doing a good thing and abstain from evil and promote peace among men. God will not take you to task for your nonsensical oaths but he will call you to account for oaths resolutely taken. Those who forswear their wives must wait four months, then if they change their mind, God is Forgiving, Merciful. And if they resolve on a divorce, then verily, God heareth, knoweth. The divorced women shall not be free to marry again for the period of three monthly courses and it is not lawful for them to conceal what has been created in their wombs. And their husbands would do better to take them back in that case if they desire reconciliation. Women have rights over men even as men have rights over women, albeit men rank a degree above them. (A return to each other is permissible even after) the divorce (has been pronounced) twice; then an honourable retention or a graceful parting may be effected. And it is not lawful for you that ye take from women aught of that which ye have given them unless both fear that they cannot keep within the bounds set by God. Then no blame shall attach to either for what the woman shall herself give away for her redemption. But if he divorces her finally, it is not lawful for him to take her again until she shall have married another and this another also divorces her. Make not the Commandments of God a jest, and remember the favour of God shown to you. And when you have divorced your women, and they have thereafter completed the prescribed period of waiting, let them not be hindered from remarrying their husbands when they are agreed on it among themselves in all propriety. Mothers when divorced shall give suck to their children two full years and this devolves on the father her maintenance and clothing in an appropriate manner. And if they choose to wean the child by mutual consultation and consent, no blame shall rest on them. A widowed woman shall wait for four months and ten days and then she can remarry. Do not hold out any promise to them in private except in conventional terms and resolve not on marriage until the prescribed period is completed. Strictly observe the prayers, especially the middle prayer, and stand up reverently before God. If you are in a state of dangers then pray afoot or mounted. But when you feel safe, then pray to God in the usual manner. Fight in the way of God and know that God heareth and knoweth. Who is it that will lend to God a goodly loan? He will double it to him over and over again: And it is He who lesseneth and increaseth and to Him will ye return. A group of Israelites had asked their prophet to appoint a king over them so that they could fight in the way of God. But when fighting was ordained, they turned hack save a few of them. God appointed Talut (Saul) as their king but they questioned the appointment on the ground that he did not possess abundant wealth and they were themselves more worthy to rule. The prophet said, 'God hath chosen him to be over you, and hath increased him in knowledge and stature and God delegates His authority to whom He pleaseth and God is Liberal, Knowing.' And their prophet had said, 'Verily, an ark will come to you borne by angels as a token of His authority; there is inward peace therein from your Lord and sacred relics left I by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron.'And When Talut (Saul) marched forth with his forces he said, 'God will test you by means of a river. He who drinketh of it except a handful is not of me.' Yet, barring a few, all drank of it. The weak in faith among them sail that they had no strength that day to fight Goliath and his hosts but those of firm faith said, "How often hath a small host prevailed against a large host by Divine dispensation? And they prayed 'Our Lord! Invest us with due steadfastness and set our feet firm and help us against this race of unbelievers.' They routed them by the will of God and David slew Goliath and God gave him kingship and wisdom and taught him what He desired him to know. Should God cause not some men to keep some others in check, truly, the earth would fall in a state of disorder; but God is gracious to all His creatures. These apostles! God bestowed on some a higher distinction than on others. To some God spoke, some he raised in rank and Jesus, son of Mary, was granted clear proofs. And if God had so willed, the later generations would not have wrangled among themselves. But despite clear proofs they differed among themselves: some believed and some believed not. O ye who believe! Spend in the way of God before there comes the Day when there shall be no give and take and no friendship or intercession shall avail. God! None is worthy of devotion but He, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting! Neither slumber seizeth Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Who can intercede with Him save by His leave? He knoweth what is before them and what is behind, and naught of His knowledge shall they comprehend except what He willeth. His throne (authority) spreadeth over the heavens and the earth and the upholding of both burdeneth Him not. He is the All-high, the All-glorious. There shall be no compulsion in Religion, for, the right way is clearly distinguishable from the wrong way. Whoever denies forces of evil and believes in God has laid hold of the most firm handle, unbreaking. God is the Protector of this believers; He brings them out of darkness into light. And the unbelievers--their patrons are false deities who bring them out of light into darkness. These are the inmates of the Fire: therein will they dwell. Bethink of Nimrod who disputed about his lord with Abraham. When Abraham said, "My Lord is He who giveth life and taketh it away," he replied, 'I too give life and take it away!' Abraham said, 'God maketh the Sun rise in the East, wilt thou then make it rise in the West?' Then the disbeliever was confounded, for God guideth not the perverted. Bethink thee likewise of him who had passed by a town which had fallen in utter ruin. 'How shall God,' said he, 'give it life after its death?' And God made him to lie dead for one hundred years and then raised him to life and asked him, 'How long did you lie in this state?' He replied, 'A day or a part of a day.' God rejoined, 'Nay! Thou didst lie a hundred years. Now look at thy food and thy drink; they have not petrified despite the passage of time and look on thine ass! We make of thee an example to men. And ponder on the bones in a body: how we set them together, We then clothe them with flesh.' And when this became clear to him he said, 'I acknowledge God hath power over all things.' And when Abraham said, "O Lord! Show me how thou giveth life to the dead." He said, "Hast thou no faith?" He said, "Yes! but my heart needs some sign of assurance." He said, "Catch four birds and make them familiar with thee; then place a part of them on each hill, then call them and they will come swiftly to thee; and mark that God is Mighty, Wise!" The likeness of those who spend their wealth in God's way is as the likeness of a grain which groweth seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. God multiplieth for whom He pleaseth. And God is Liberal, Cognizant. Those who spend their wealth in the way of God and do not brag about it, nor taunt anyone, shall have their reward from their Lord, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. A kindly word and forbearance is better than alms accompanied by taunts. God is above all needs, the Forbearing. O ye who believe! make not your alms void by bragging of it, and inflicting taunts like him who giveth to others out of his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in God and in the Last Day. No profit shall they derive from their effort; for God doth not guide the unbelieving people. The likeness of those who spend to seek God's pleasure is as the likeness of a garden on a high ground; on it falleth a heavy rain and the garden yieldeth two-fold its fruit. Give good things in charity and not useless stuff such as you would not yourself accept with closed eyes. Satan frightens you of poverty and inveigles you into indecency and God promiseth you pardon from Himself and affluence; God is Liberal, Knowing. He giveth wisdom unto whom He will, and he unto whom wisdom is given, he truly hath received abundant bounty but none will bear it in mind except men of insight. If ye give charity publicly, it is well, but to give it without publicity to the poor is decidedly better; it will atone for some of your ill-deeds. God is aware of what ye do. And whatever you give to others in charity will eventually redound to your own credit, and it will not be a charitable act if it is not really meant to seek the pleasure of God. Give in charity to the poor that are engaged in the cause of God and are hindered thereby from going about the world. He who knoweth them not taketh them for well-to-do folk because of their bearing of self-respect; thou wouldst know by their visage; they ask not of men with importunity. The reward of those who give in charity is with their Lord. God has made usury unlawful. Those who take to it shall rise wildly excited as if bewitched by Satan. They say trade is just like usury even though God has made trade lawful and usury unlawful. Forego all balances of usury if you are indeed believers otherwise be prepared for war with God and His apostle. If ye repent, you can have your principal amounts. Wrong not and ye shall not be wronged. If the debtor is in straitened circumstances give him respite and if you remit the debt as almsgiving it will be better for you. Beware of the day ye shall return to God; then everyone shall receive full what he hath worked for, and no injustice shall be done to any. When you contract a debt for a fixed period, commit it to writing. Let not a scribe refuse to write. The man incurring the debt will dictate but if he be witless or infirm let his guardian dictate in fairness. Let there be two witnesses to the writing. Writing can be omitted if it is a matter of give and take on the spot. And have witnesses when you have any trade dealings; and let no harm be done to the scribe or witnesses. If ye be on a journey and no scribe is available, let pledges be taken. One who is trusted shall fulfill the trust and hide not anything. To God belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens or the earth. He will call you to account for whatever you disclose or conceal. He will forgive or chastise, as He will please. The Apostle and the faithful believe in this Book. They all believe in God and His angels and His books and apostles making no distinction between them. And they say, "We have heard and we have obeyed; we seek Thy protection, our Lord! For, unto Thee must we return." God doth not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity to bear. He will enjoy the good he has earned and shall bear the consequences of the evil he has acquired. God! There is none worthy of worship except He; the Living, the Self-subsisting Sustainer. He hath sent down this Book of Truth confirming scriptures, which have preceded even as Torah and Evangel were sent down for man's guidance. Some verses of it are definite in meaning forming the mother of the Book (the basic content) and the rest are figurative. Those inclined to deviate take the figurative in literal sense craving discord and interpreting them in their own way, though none but God knoweth their real meaning. The knowledgeable say it is from their Lord and they pray, "Allow not our hearts to stray after Thou hast guided us, and bestow on us mercy from Thy Presence. Lo! Thou, only Thou, are the Bestower. Our Lord! Lo! it is Thou who gatherest mankind together on a Day of which there is no doubt." On that day neither the riches nor the progeny of the unbelievers will aught avail them. Say to them, "Anon shall ye be overcome and gathered unto hell - a wretched abode indeed." There was assuredly a meaning for you in the encounter between two hosts, one fighting in the cause of God and the other fighting against it. They saw them as twice their number and God lends His help to strengthen whom He will. Fair-seeming to men is the love of joys from women, sons, hoarded treasures of gold and silver, horses of mark, cattle and corn-fields. That is the enjoyment of the present-life; but God - with Him lies a goodly home to return to! The righteous shall have from their Lord gardens in which streams flow. Therein they shall dwell and have companions of stainless purity and the good pleasure of God. They are the steadfast and the truthful, the obedient and charitable and they pray for forgiveness in the watches of the night. God makes it known that there is none worthy of worship except Himself and the angels admit this, and so do men of learning with mental equipoise. The way of life (Religion) acceptable to God is Al-Islam. Those who earlier received the Scripture differed through transgression among themselves. Whosoever disbelieveth the revelations, God is swift at the reckoning. If they accept Islam, they would be rightly guided but if they decline, thy function is only to preach. God is Cognizant of what His servants do. Those who disbelieve the revelations and kill the prophets and slay those who enjoin equity, promise them a painful doom. These are they whose works shall come to naught in this world and in the next and they shall have none to help them. On the Day of Judgment everyone shall be paid what one had worked for, and none shall be wronged. Say, "O God! Lord of Authority! Thou givest authority to whom Thou wilt and Thou takest away authority from whom Thou wilt! Thou exalted whom Thou wilt, and whom Thou wilt, Thou doth abase. In Thy hand is all good! Verily, Thou hath power over everything. Thou causeth the night to replace the day and causeth the day to replace the night. Thou bringeth the living out of the dead, and Thou bringeth the dead out of the living, and thou giveth sustenance to whom Thou wilt without measure." God would have you beware of Him; and God is kindly towards His servants. Say 'if you truly love God; then follow me: God will love you, and forgive you your sins; and God is Forgiving, Merciful.' Say, 'Obey God and the Apostle.' Bu if they turn away, then God liketh not those who turn away. Verily, God chose Adam, and Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imran for high distinction among mankind. Call to mind the occasion when the wife of Imran prayed, "O my Lord, I vow to dedicate to Thee what is in womb for exclusive service to Thee. Accept it from me, for, Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing." When she gave birth to a girl, she exclaimed, "My Lord! I have brought forth a female and a female is not the same as male, and I have named her Mary and I commit her and her offspring to Thee for protection from Satan, the accursed." So with gracious acceptance did her Lord accept her and in good form did He make her grow and committed her to the care of Zacharias. When Zacharias visited Mary at the sanctuary, he found food beside her. He asked, "O Mary! Whence comes this to thee?" She said, "It is from God, for God giveth Sustenance to whomsoever He willeth without measure." Forthwith did Zacharias pray to his Lord, "O my Lord! grant me from Thee a goodly offspring: indeed Thou hearkeneth to prayer." Angels gave him the glad tiding of birth of a son John (Yahya) who will be a leader, a man of purity and a prophet. He said, "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when old age hath crept over me and my wife is barren?" God said, "Even so God doth what He pleaseth." And call to mind the occasion when the angels said to Mary, "O Mary, God hath selected thee and sanctified thee and chosen thee above all the women of the world. O Mary! Be devout towards thy Lord and bow down and also bow with those who bow in prayer." The angels said, "Verily! O Mary! God giveth thee the good tiding (of the birth of a son to thee) by a word (of Command) from Him; his name shall be Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in this world and in the next and one of those whom God draweth to Himself. And he will preach to men from the cradle, even as he will preach when grown-up and be of the righteous." She said, "Lord! How shall there be a son to me when no man hath touched me?" He said, "Even so, doth God create what He will: when He desireth a thing, He only saith to it, 'Be' and there it is." Jesus went as an apostle to the Israelites with clear signs from his Lord. He could fashion out of clay the likeness of a bird and on his breathing into it, it used to become a bird by leave of God. He could heal a born-blind and a leper and could bring the dead to life by God's leave and could tell what people had eaten and what they had stored in their houses. He said, "Verily God is my Lord, and your Lord, so serve Him. This is the straight path." And when Jesus perceived their unbelief he said, "Who will be my helpers in the cause of God?" The disciples answered, "We will be helpers in the cause of God. We have believed in God and bear thou witness that we are those who are resigned to God." The disbelievers devised in secret and God also devised likewise and God is the best of devisers. God said, "O Jesus! Verily I will let thee fulfill thy mission and exalt thee in My esteem, and I will place thy followers above those who have rejected thee till the Day of Resurrection." Verily, for God, the creation of Jesus is just the same as that of Adam. He created him of dust. He then said to him "Be" and there he was. Should they dispute with thee even after knowledge has come, say, "Come! Let us gather our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and pray and invoke the malison of God on those who lie." If they turn away, God knoweth well the mischief-makers. Say, "O people of the Book! Come to a word fair between us and you, that we serve God only and associate nothing with Him and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are those 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? Abraham was not a Jew or a Christian. He was an upright man who had surrendered to God and was not of the idolaters. Nearest to him were his followers and the followers of this Prophet. A section of the people of the Book would fain mislead you but, in fact, themselves do they mislead and this they do not realize. "O people of Book! Why confound ye truth with falsehood and knowingly suppress the truth." A section of them says, "Believe at day-break in what has been sent down to the believers and deny it at the close of the day that perchance they may retract." Say, "Verily, the true way is the way of God - and bestowal of excellence is in the hand of God. He bestoweth it on whomsoever He pleaseth." He singleth out for His Grace whomsoever He liketh, and God is undoubtedly great in His liberality. Among the people of the Book are some who will restore even a large treasure placed in their trust and there are some who will not restore a single dinar unless greatly pressed. This because they say they are under no obligation to keep faith with the Gentiles and thus they knowingly foist a lie on God. God loveth those who are mindful of Him and fulfill their covenants. Those who barter covenants with God and their oaths for some paltry price - for them there shall be no portion in the Hereafter, nor shall God speak to them or even look at them or absolve them; for theirs is a painful chastisement. It beseemeth not a man that God should give him the Book, direction and prophethood and he should say to people, "Worship me instead of God." Nor will he bid you to take angels and prophets for your Lord. Those who turn away shall surely be regarded as disobedient. Do they desire to follow ways other than the way laid down by God (Religion) when everything in the heavens and the earth submits to Him and has to return to Him. Say, "We believe in God and the revelation sent to us and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and his descendants and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the prophets, no distinction do we make between any of them and to Him do we submit." No way of life other than the religion of Islam shall be acceptable and he who follows any other way shall be loser in the next world. The recompense of such as these is that malison [curse] of God, of angels, and of all men shall rest on them; their torment shall not be lightened nor shall they have any respite save such as repent thereafter and amend, for God is indeed Forgiving, Merciful. As for those who have refused to believe and died in unbelief, from not one of them shall be accepted even the entire gold that the earth containeth if he was to offer it in redemption. They shall have a painful chastisement and shall have no helpers. O believers, you shall never attain goodness till you share with others (the poor or the needy) what you cherish (particularly your wealth). And whatsoever you give away, God surely will know it. The first House of Prayer that was ever appointed for men was the one at Mecca - the blessed and a source of inspiration for all mankind. Therein are signposts including the Station of Abraham, and he who enters it has entered the abode peace. And pilgrimage to this House is a homage due to God from those who have the facility to journey thither. And anyone should decline to offer it; God is above the homage His entire creation. Say, "O People of the Book! Why do you ignore the commandments of God when God Himself is witness of what do? And why do you hinder the believers from taking to the way of God by frightening them of fancied obstacles. God is not unaware of what ye do." O believers! Were ye to obey some of those who has received the Scripture, they would turn you unbelievers after you have believed. And how can you retract from your faith when the messages of God are recited to you and His Apostle is still in your midst. He who holdeth fast to God, he indeed is guided unto a right path. Be regardful of God as He deserveth to be regarded and die not except as those who have surrendered unto Him. And hold fast to the cable of God, all ye together, and be not divided, and remember God's goodness towards you, in that when ye were enemies of one another, He united your hearts in affection, and by His favour, ye became brethren; and when ye were on the brink of fire, He drew ye back from it. Let there be a band of people among you who shall call men to goodness, and enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil. And they will be a force for progress. And be ye not like those who fell into factions, and differed among themselves after clear signs had come to them. And for these awaiteth a severe chastisement. On the Day (of Resurrection) the faces of some shall turn bright and of some shall turn black. Those with bright face will live reposed in Divine Graciousness and those with black faces will get severe chastisement. Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is God's! And to God shall all affairs be referred back. Ye (the immediate followers of the Prophet) are a band of good people raised up to be a model for mankind. Ye enjoin the right and forbid the wrong and ye repose faith in God. And if the people of the Book had believed, it would surely have been better for them. And of them, some are no doubt believers but most of them are perverse. They cannot inflict on you anything save a trifling harm, and if they do battle with you they will do only to turn their backs on you. They shall then receive no help from anywhere. They shall be covered with infamy wherever they are, except when they are promised the protection of God and men. They have incurred the displeasure of God and are covered with disgrace, and this, because they had not believed in the Commandments of God and had slain the prophets because of their rebellion and transgression. Yet they are not all alike. Among the people of the Book, there is an upright section who recite the Word of God during night hours and bend in adoration. They believe in God and the Day after and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong and are eager to do good. These are of the righteous and their work shall not go unacknowledged. As for those who have not believed, neither their possession nor their children shall avail them against God and whatever they spend in this life is like that freezing wind, which bloweth upon and destroyeth the cornfields. God hath not done an injustice to them; on the other hand, they have been unjust to themselves O ye who believe! Do not repose confidence in anyone outside your own circle. They will not miss any opportunity to harm you; indeed, they will gloat over your sufferings Hatred is clearly manifest in what they say. But what they conceal in their breasts is something more vile. And when they met you they say, "We believe;" but when they are by themselves they swear at you in their rage. Say, "Perish in your rage." If anything good happens to you, it grieveth them, and when anything untoward befalleth you, they rejoice over it. But if ye be steadfast and cautious, their guile will in no way harm you. God encompasses the things they do. O ye who believe! Do not practice usury, doubling the interest over and over again. But be mindful of God that ye may prosper. And obey God and the Apostle that ye may be blessed. And hasten for forgiveness from your Lord and for a Paradise vast as the heavens and the earth prepared for those who a mindful of God - for those who give to others, alike in affluent and straitened circumstances, and who master their anger and forgive others - God indeed loveth those who do good; and those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves remember God and implore forgiveness for their sins and do not persist in doing the wrong thing. And goodly is the wage of those who labour. Many were the systems in force before you. Go about then in the land and see what hath been the end of those who disregarded them. This is a manifesto to mankind and a guidance and counsel to those mindful of God. And do not lose heart or grieve, for you will overcome them if indeed ye are believers. If ye have received a blow (at Uhad) the disbelieving people have received a blow the like thereof (at Badr). These are only vicissitudes, which God causes to follow one another for mankind so that God may distinguish those staunch in faith and make them examples for others - that God may (through hard trials) bring out the worth of those who believe, and subvert those who disbelieve. Think ye that ye will enter Paradise while ye have yet to prove before God which of you have struggled hard in His cause and have endured steadfastly. Muhammad is no more than an apostle. Apostles before him have passed away. If he dies or is slain, will ye then turn on your heels? And he who turneth on his heels shall not in the least injure God; and God will soon reward the grateful. No one dies save with God's leave. The hour is fixed. He who desireth his reward to be of this world that God will give him, and he who desireth his reward to be of the world to come, he will get it. Many were the prophets on whose side fought a large number of godly men and they lost not heart because of what befell them in the cause of God. Neither did they weaken nor did they give in. They only prayed to God for setting their feet firm and for help against unbelieving folk God gave them appropriate reward in both the worlds. And God loveth those who do good to others. God made good His promise to you when ye routed the disbelievers (in the battle of Uhad) so long you did not blench and had not begun to dispute about the order and disobeyed (by leaving your post) when the prospect of victory and gathering of booty was in sight. The tables were turned upon you and you had to flee. The Prophet was from the rear calling you but you were rushing up the heights taking no heed of anyone. Then you had to go through trial after trial that you might not hereafter rue the loss of anything or bemoan over anything that might befall you. Then after tribulation, God caused calmness to descend upon them and the sense of security seized a section of them while another section indulged, in sheer ignorance, in untenable suspicions against God. They said, 'Did we have any voice in this affair?' Say, 'Verily, every affair rests with God.' They say, 'Had we had any voice in this affair, none of us would have been slain here.' Say, 'Even were you in you homes, those who were destined to be slain would surely have gone forth to the places where they now lie. Should you be slain or die in the cause of God, the reward of Divine protection or mercy will surely be of greater value than what they hoard up. And whether you die or be slain, to God shall ye be gathered! It is part of Divine mercy that they are to deal with one so soft-hearted as thou art (O Muhammad!). Wert thou harsh in speech or hard-hearted, they would have broken away from thee. So pardon them and also ask for them Divine forgiveness and consult them in matters of importance; and when thou art resolved on any course, go ahead and trust in God, for God loveth those who lay their trust in Him If God helps you, none can overcome you. But, if He forsakes you, who is it then who can help you thereafter? In God then let the faithful trust. And do not regard those slain in the cause of God as dead. Nay! alive are they with their Lord, well provided with sustenance. They are filled with joy at the favors of God and that God doth not allow the wage of the faithful to go waste. When (next year) men said to them, "They (the enemy) have mustered strong against you, so beware of them, it only increased their faith and they said, "Sufficient unto us is God, the Excellent Protector." They returned with blessings and favours from God, untouched by any harm, and they abided by what was well pleasing to God. Those who purchase disbelief at the price of faith do not hurt God in the least. Let them not imagine that the respite God giveth them will prove profitable to them, for them is a painful chastisement. And let not those who are niggard of what God hath bestowed upon them think their wealth will bring them any good. Nay! it will augur ill for them. That which they have stinted shall turn into a halter round their necks on the Day of Resurrection. God's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth and He knows full well what ye do. God heard the words of those who said, "Allah, forsooth, is poor and we are rich!" Their deeds, particularly slaughter of prophets, and sayings shall be recorded and to them will be said, "Taste ye the chastisement of the Fire - for what your hands have sent in advance." For verily God doth not deal unjustly with His servants. Every one shall taste death and you shall receive your full recompense on the Day of Resurrection. He who is saved from Fire and is led into Paradise has attained success - And the life of this world is nothing but comfort of illusion. The believers will hear from the People of the Scripture and from the polytheists many a painful thing but to be steadfast and to go on acting righteously indeed is a matter of high resolve. Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth and in the alternation of night and day are signs for those gifted with understanding who standing, sitting or reclining bear God in mind and meditate on the creation of heavens and the earth and say, 'Our Lord! All this thou hast not created in vain. Transcendent in purity art Thou! Save us from the chastisement of Fire - O our Lord! we have heard the voice of a crier calling us. 'Believe ye in your Lord'- and we have believed. Forgive us our sins and prevent us from doing any evil and on death admit us to the ranks of the righteous. O our Lord! Give us all that Thou has promised us through Thine apostles and put us not to shame on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, Thou dost not go back upon Thy promises." Their Lord hearkened to them saying, "Certainly will I not suffer the labour of any one among you that laboureth, man or woman, to be lost" Let not the bustle in the land of the disbelievers deceive the - a brief enjoyment, then shall Hell be their final abode. O ye who believe! Exercise
patience and vie in patience and stand united and be mindful of God that
it may be well with you.
* The terms "Surah" and "ayat" are equivalent
to the terms "chapter" and "verse" that are used in the Christian Bible.
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