Part 1
Sura I
The Opening
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Praise
be to God, Lord of the worlds!
King
of the day of religion!
Thee
only do we worship, and to Thee do we cry for help.
Guide
Thou us on the straight path,
The
path of those to whom Thou hast been gracious; -- with whom thou art not angry,
and who go not astray.
Sura II
The Cow
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Elif.
Lam. Mim.
No
doubt is there about that Book: It is a
guidance to the God-fearing.
Who
believe in the unseen, who observe prayer, and out of what we have bestowed on
them, expend for God;
And who
believe in what hath been sent down to thee, and in what hath been sent down
before thee, and full faith have they in the life to come:
These
are guided by their Lord; and with these it shall be well.
As to
the infidels, alike is it to them whether thou warn them or warn them not --
they will not believe:
Their
hearts and their ears hath God sealed up; and over their eyes is a covering.
For them, a severe chastisement!
And
some there are who say, "We believe in God, and in the latter day:" Yet are they not believers!
Fain
would they deceive God and those who have believed; but they deceive themselves
only, and know it not.
Diseased
are their hearts! And that disease hath God increased to them. Their's a sore
chastisement, for that they treated their prophet as a liar!
2:10 And when it is said to them,
"Cause not disorders in the earth:"
they say, "Nay, rather do we set them right."
Is it
not that they are themselves the authors of disorder? But they perceive it not!
And
when it is said to them, "Believe as other men have believed;" they
say, "Shall we believe as the fools have believed?" Is it not that
they are themselves the fools? But they know it not!
And
when they meet the faithful they say, "We believe;" but when they are
apart with their Satans they say, "Verily we hold with you, and at them we
only mock."
God
shall mock at them, and keep them long in their rebellion, wandering in
perplexity.
These
are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance: but their traffic hath not been gainful, neither
are they guided at all.
They
are like one who kindleth a fire, and when it hath thrown its light on all
around him. . . . God taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness --
they cannot see! --
Deaf,
dumb, blind: therefore they shall not retrace
their steps from error!
Or
like those who, when there cometh a storm-cloud out of the Heaven, big with
darkness thunder and lightning, thrust their fingers into their ears because of
the thunder-clap, for fear of death! God is round about the infidels.
The
lightning almost snatcheth away their eyes! So oft as it gleameth on them they
walk on in it, but when darkness closeth upon them, they stop! And if God
pealed, of their ears and of their eyes would he surely deprive them: -- verily God is Almighty! O men of Mecca adore
your Lord, who hath created you and those who were before you: haply you will fear Him
2:20 Who had made the earth a bed for you,
and the heaven a covering, and hath caused water to come down from heaven, and
by it hath brought forth fruits for your sustenance! Do not then wittingly give
peers to God.
And if
you be in doubt as to that which we have sent down to our servant, then produce
a Sura like it, and summon your witnesses, beside God, if you are men of truth:
But if
you do it not, and never shall you do it, then fear the fire prepared for the
infidels, whose fuel is men and stones:
But
announce to those who believe and do the things that are right, that for them
are gardens 'neath which the rivers flow! So oft as they are fed therefrom with
fruit for sustenance, they say say, "This same was our sustenance of old:" And they shall have its like given to them.
Therein shall they have wives of perfect purity, and therein shall they abide
for ever.
Verily
God is not ashamed to set forth as well the instance of a gnat as of any nobler
object: for as to those who have believed,
they know it to be the truth from their Lord; but as to the unbelievers, they
will say, "What meaneth God by this comparison?" Many will He mislead
by such parables and many guide: but none will
He mislead thereby except the wicked,
Who,
after its establishment, violate the covenant of God, and but in sunder what
God hath bidden to be joined, and act disorderly on the Earth. These are they
who shall suffer loss!
How
can you withhold faith from God? You were dead and He gave you life; next He
will cause you to die; next He will restore you to life:
next shall you return to Him!
He it
is who created for you all that is on Earth, then proceeded to the Heaven, and
into seven Heavens did He fashion in: and He
knoweth all things.
When
thy Lord said to the angels, "Verily, I am about to place one in my stead
on earth," they said, "Wilt thou place there one who will do ill
therein and shed blood, when we celebrate thy praise and extol thy
holiness?" God said, "Verily, I know what you know not."
And he
taught Adam the names of all things, and then set them before the angels, and
said, "Tell me the names of these, if you are endued with wisdom."
2:30 They said, "Praise be to Thee! We
have no knowledge but what Thou hast given us to know. Thou! Thou art the
Knowing, 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 say to you that I know the hidden
things of the Heavens and of the Earth, and that I know what you bring to
light, and what you hide?"
And
when we said to the angels, "Bow down and worship Adam," then
worshipped they all, save Eblis. He refused and swelled with pride, and became
one of the unbelievers.
And we
said, "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat you
plentifully therefrom wherever you list; but to this tree come not nigh, lest
you become of the transgressors."
But
Satan made them slip from it, and caused their banishment from the place in
which they were. And we said, "Get you down, the one of you an enemy to
the other: and there shall be for you in the
earth a dwelling-place, and a provision for a time."
And
words of prayer learned Adam from his Lord:
and God turned to him; for He loveth to turn, the Merciful.
We
said, "Get you down from it, all together:
and if Guidance shall come to you from me, whoso shall follow my guidance, on
them shall come no fear, neither shall they be grieved:
But they
who shall not believe, and treat our signs as falsehoods, these shall be
inmates of the fires; in it shall they remain for ever."
O
children of
And
clothe not the truth with falsehood, and hide not the truth when you know it:
2:40 And observe prayer and pay the legal
impost, and bow down with those who bow.
Will
you enjoin what is right upon others, and forget yourselves? Yet you read the
Book: will you not understand?
And
seek help with patience and prayer: a hard
duty indeed is this, but not to the humble, Who bear in mind that they shall
meet their Lord, and that unto Him shall they return.
O
children of
And
fear you the day when soul shall not satisfy for soul at all, nor shall any
intercession be accepted from them, nor shall any ransom be taken, neither
shall they be helped.
And
remember when we rescued you for the people of Pharoah, who had laid on you a
cruel chastisement. They slew your male children, and let only your females
live: and in this was a great trial from your
Lord:
And
when we parted the sea for you, and saved you, and drowned the people of
Pharoah, while you were looking on:
And
when we were in treaty with Moses forty nights:
then during his absence took you the calf and acted wickedly:
Yet
after this we forgave you, that you might be grateful:
2:50 And when we gave Moses the Book and
the Illumination in order to your guidance:
And
remember when Moses said to his people, "O my people! verily you have
sinned to your own hurt, by your taking the calf to worship it: Be turned then to your creator, and slay the
guilty among you; this will be best for you with your creator:" Then turned He unto you, for He is the one
who turneth, the Merciful:
And
when you said, "O Moses! we will not believe thee until we see God
plainly;" the thunderbolt fell upon you while you were looking on:
Then
we raised you to life after you had been dead, that haply you might give thanks:
And we
caused the clouds to overshadow you, and we sent down manna and quails upon
you; -- "Eat of the good things we have give you for sustenance;" --
and they injured not us but they injured themselves.
And
when we said, "Enter this city, and eat therefrom plentifully at your
will, and enter the gate with prostrations, and say, 'Forgiveness;' and we will
pardon you your sins, and give an increase to the doers of good:" --
But
the evil-doers changed that word into another than that spoken to them, and we
sent down upon those evil-doers wrath from heaven, for that they had done amiss:
And
when Moses asked drink for his people, we said, "Strike the rock with thy
rod;" and from it there gushed twelve fountains" each tribe knew
their drinking-place; -- "Eat and drink," said we, "of what God
hath supplied, and do no wrong on the earth by licentious deeds:"
And
when you said, "O Moses! we will not put up with one sort of food: pray, therefore, thy Lord for us, that He would
bring forth for us of that which the earth groweth, its herbs and its cucumbers
and its garlic and its lentils and its onions:"
He said, "What! will you exchange that which is worse for what is better?
Get you down into Egypt; -- for you shall have what you have asked:" Vileness and poverty were stamped upon them,
and they returned with wrath from God: This,
for that they disbelieved the signs of God, and slew the Prophets unjustly: this, for that they rebelled and transgressed!
Verily,
they were believe (Muslims), and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the
Christians, and the Sabeites -- whoever of these believeth in God and the last
day, and doeth that which is right, shall have their reward with their Lord: fear shall not come upon them, neither shall they
be grieved.
2:60 Call to mind also when we entered into
a covenant with you, and lifted up the mountain over you: -- "Take hold," said we, "on what we have
revealed to you, with resolution, and remember what is therein, that you may
fear:"
But
after this you turned back, and but for God's grace and mercy toward you, you
had surely been of the lost! You know too those of you who transgressed on the
Sabbath and to whom we said, "Be changed into scouted apes;"
And we
made them a warning to those of their day, and to those who came after them,
and a caution to the God-fearing:
And
when Moses said to his people, "Verily, God bids you sacrifice a cow; they
said, "Makest thou a jest of us?" He said, "God keep me from
being one of the foolish." They said, "Call on thy Lord for us that
He would make plain to us what she is." He said, "God saith, 'She is
a cow neither old nor young, but of the middle age -- between the two:' do therefore what you are bidden."
They
said, "Call on your Lord for us, that he would make plain to us what is
her colour." He said, "God saith, 'She is a fawn-coloured cow; her
colour is very bright; she rejoiceth the beholders.'"
They
said, "Call on they [sic] Lord for us that He would make plain to us what
cow it is -- for to us are cows alike, -- and verily, if God please, we shall
be guided rightly;"
He
said, "God saith, 'She is a cow not worn by ploughing the earth or
watering the field, sound, no blemish in her.'" They said, "Now hast
thou brought the truth:" Then they
sacrificed her; Yet nearly had they done it not:
And
when you slew a man, and strove among yourselves about hiom, God brought to
light what he had hidden:
For we
said, "Strike the corpse with part of her." So God giveth life to the
dead, and sheweth you his signs, that haply you may understand.
Then
after that your hearts became hard like rocks, or harder still; for verily,
from rocks have rivers gushed; others, verily, have been cleft, and water hath
issued from them; and others, verily, have sunk down through fear of God: And God is not regardless of your actions.
2:70 Desire you then that for your sakes
the Jews should believe? Yet a part of them heard the word of God, and then,
after they had understood it; perverted, and knew that they did so.
And
when they fall in with the faithful, they say, "We believe;" but when
they are apart one with another, they say, "Will you acquaint them with
what God hath revealed to you, that they may dispute with you about it in the
presence of your Lord?" Understand you their aim?
Know
they not that God knoweth what they hide, as well as what they bring to light?
But
there are illiterates among them who are unacquainted with the Book, but with
lies only, and have but vague fancies. Woe to those who with their own hands
transcribe the Book corruptly, and then say, "This is from God," that
they may sell it for some mean price! Woe then to them for that which their hands
have written! and, Woe to them for the gains which they have made!
And
they said, "Hell fire shall not touch us, but for a few days:" Say: Have
you received such a promise from God? for God will not revoke his promise: or, Speak you of God that which you know not?
But
they whose only gains are evil works, and who are environed by their sins, --
they shall be inmates of the fire, therein to abide for ever:
But
they who have believed and done the things that be right, they shall be the
inmates of
And
when we entered into covenant with the children of
And
when we made a covenant with you that you should not shed your own blood, nor
expel one another from your abodes, then you ratified it and yourselves were
witnesses.
Then
were you the very persons who slew one another; and you drove out a part of
your own people from their abodes; you lent help against them with wrong and
hatred; but if they come captives to you, you redeem them!
-- Yet
it was forbidden you to drive them out. Believe you then part of the Book, and
deny part? But what shall be the meed of him among you who doth this, but shame
in this life? And on the day of the Resurrection they shall be sent to the most
cruel of torments, for God is not regardless of what you do.
2:80 These are they who purchase this
present life at the price of that which is to come; their torment shall not be
lightened, neither shall they be helped.
Moreover,
to Moses gave we "the Book," and we raised up apostles after him; and
to Jesus, son of Mary, gave we clear proofs of his mission, and strengthened
him by the Holy Spirit. So oft then as an apostle cometh to you with that which
your souls desire not, swell you with pride, and treat some as impostors, and
slay others?
And
they say, "Uncircumcised are our hearts." Nay! God hath cursed them
in their infideility: few are they who
believe!
And
when a Book had come to them from God, confirming that which they had received
already -- although they had before prayed for victory over those who believed
not -- yet when that Koran come to them, of which they had knowledge, they did
not recognise it. The curse of God on the infidels!
For a
vile price have they sold themselves, by not believing what God hath sent down,
envious of God's sending down his grace on such of his servants as he pleaseth: and they have brought on themselves wrath upon
wrath. And for the unbelievers is a disgraceful chastisement.
And
when it is said to them, "Believe in what God hath sent down," they
say, "In that which hath been sent down to us we believe:" but what hath since been sent down they
disbelieve, although it be the truth confirmatory of their own Scriptures. Say: Why then have you of old slain God's prophets, if
you are indeed believers?
Moreover,
Moses came unto you with proofs of his mission. Then in his absence you took
the calf for your God, and did wickedly.
And
when we accepted your covenant, and uplifted the mountain over you, we said,
"Take firm hold on what we have given you, and hearken." They said,
"We have hearkened and have rebelled:"
then were they made to drink down the calf into their hearts for their
ingratitude. Say: A bad thing hath your faith
commanded you, if you be indeed believers.
Say: If the future dwelling place with God be specially
for you, but not for the rest of mankind, then wish for death, if you are
sincere:
But
never can they wish it, because of that which their own hands have sent on
before them! And God knoweth the offenders.
2:90 And thou wilt surely find them of all
men most covetous of life, beyond even the polytheists. To be kept alive a
thousand years might one of them desire: but
that he may be preserved alive, shall no one reprieve himself from the
punishment! And God seeth what they do.
Say: Whoso is the enemy of Gabriel -- For he it is who
by God's leave hath caused the Koran to descend on thy heart, the confirmation
of previous revelations, and guidance, and good tidings to the faithful --
Whoso
is an enemy to God or his angels, or to Gabriel, or to Michael, shall have God
as his enemy: for verily God is an enemy to
the Infidels.
Moreover,
clear signs have we sent down to thee, and one will disbelieve them but the
perverse.
Oft as
they have formed an engagement with thee, will some of them set it aside? But
most of them believe not.
And
when there came to them an apostle from God, affirming the previous revelations
made to them, some of those to whom the Scriptures were given, threw the Book
of God behind their backs as if they knew it not:
And they
followed what the Satans read in the reign of Solomon:
not that Solomon was unbelieving, but the Satans were unbelieving. Sorcery did
they teach to men, and what had been revealed to the two angels, Harut and
Marut, at
But
had they believed and feared God, better surely would have been the reward from
God, -- if they had but known it!
O you
who believe! say not to our apostle, "Raina" (Look at us); but say,
"Ondhorna" (Regard us). And attend to this; for, the Infidels shall
suffer a grievous chastisement.
The
unbelievers among the people of the Book, and among the dilators, desire not
that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord:
but God will shew His special mercy to whom He will, for He is of great bounty.
2:100 Whatever verses we cancel, or cause
thee to forget, we bring a better or its like. Knowest thou not that God hath
power over all things?
Knowest
thou not that the dominion of the Heavens and of the Earth is God's? and that
you have neither patron nor helper, save God?
Would
you ask of your apostle what of old was asked of Moses? But he who exchangeth
faith for unbelief, hath already erred from the even way.
Many
of the people of the Book desire to bring you back to unbelief after you have
believed, out of selfish envy, even after the truth hath been clearly shown them.
But forgive them, and shun them till God shall come in with His working. Truly
God hath power over all things.
And
observe prayers and pay the legal impost: and
whatever good thing you have sent on before for your soul's sake, you shall
find it with God. Verily God seeth what you do.
And
they say, "None but Jews or Christians shall enter
But
they who set their race with resignation Godward, and do what is right, --
their reward is with their Lord; no fear shall come on them, neither shall they
be grieved.
Moveover,
the Jews say, "The Christians lean on nought:"
"On nought lean the Jews," say the Christians:
Yet both are readers of the Book. So with like words say they who have no
knowledge. But on the resurrection day, God shall judge between them as to that
in which they differ.
And
who committeth a greater wrong than he who hindereth God's name from being
remember in his temples, and who hasteth to ruin them? such men cannot enter
them but with fear. Their's is shame in this world, and a severe torment in the
next.
The
East and the West is God's: therefore,
whichever way you turn, there is the face of God:
Truly God is immense and knoweth all.
2:110 And they say, "God hath a son:" No! Praise be to Him! But -- His, whatever
is in the Heavens and the Earth! All obeyeth Him,
Sole
maker of the Heavens and the Earth! And when He decreeth a thing, He only saith
to it, "Be," and it is.
And
they who have no knowledge say, "Unless God speak to us, or thou shew us a
sign ...!" So, with like words, said those who were before them: their hearts are alike:
Clear signs have we already shewn for those who have firm faith:
Verily,
with the Truth have we sent thee, a bearer of good tidings and a warner: and of the people of Hell thou shalt not be
questioned.
But
until thou follow their religion, neither Jews nor Christians will be satisfied
with thee. Say: Verily, guidance of God, --
that is the guidance! And if, after "the Knowledge" which hath
reached thee, thou follow their desires, thou shalt find neither helper nor
protector against God.
They
to whom we have given the Book, and who read it as it ought to be read, --
these believe therein: but whoso believeth not
therein, shall meet with perdition.
O
children of
And
dread the day when not in aught shall soul satisfy for soul, nor shall any
ransom be taken from it, nor shall any intercession avail, and they shall not
be helped.
When
his Lord made trial of Abraham by commands which he fulfilled, He said, "I
am about to make thee an Imam to mankind:"
he said, "Of my offspring also:"
"My covenant," said God, "embraceth not the evil doers."
And
remember when we appointed the Holy House as man's resort and safe retreat, and
said, "Take you the station of Abraham for a place of prayer:" And we commanded Abraham and Ismael,
"Purify my house for those who shall go in procession round it, and those
who shall abide there for devotion, and those who shall bow down and prostrate
themselves."
120 And when Abraham said, "Lord!
make this secure land, and supply its people with fruits, such of them as
believe in God and in the last day:" He
said, "And whoso believeth not, for a little while will I bestow good
things on him; then will I drive him to the torment of the Fire!" An ill
passage!
And
when Abraham, with Ismael, raised the foundations of the House, they said,
"O our Lord! accept it from us; for thou art the Hearer, the Knower.
O our
Lord! make us also Muslims, and our posterity a Muslim people; and teach us our
holy rites, and be turned towards us, for thou art He who turneth, the
Merciful.
O our
Lord! raise up among them an apostle who may rehearse thy signs unto them, and
teach them the 'Book,' and Wisdom, and purify them:
for thou art the Mighty, the Wise."
And
who but he that hath debased his soul to folly will mislike the faith of
Abraham, when we have chosen him in this world, and in the the world to come he
shall be of the Just?
When
his Lord said to him, "Resign thyself to me," he said, "I resign
myself to the Lord of the Worlds."
And
this to this children did Abraham bequeath, and Jacob also, saying, "O my
children! truly God hath chosen a religion for you; so die not unless you be
also Muslims."
Were
you present when Jacob was at the point of death? when he said to his sons,
"Whom will you worship when I am gone?" They said, "We will
worship thy God and the God of thy fathers Abraham and Ismael and Isaac, one
God, and to Him are we surrendered (Muslims)."
That
people have now passed away; they have the reward of their deeds, and you shall
have the meed of yours: but of their doings
you shall not be questioned.
They
say, moreover, "Become Jews or Christians that you may have the true
guidance." Say: Nay! the religion of
Abraham, the sound in faith, and not one of those who join gods with God!
2:130 Say you:
"We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us, and that
which hath been sent down to Abraham and Ismael and Isaac and Jacob and the
tribes: and that which hath been given to
Moses and to Jesus, and that which was given to the prophets from their Lord.
No difference do we make between any of them:
and to God are we resigned (Muslims)."
If
therefore they believe even as you believe, then have they true guidance; but
if they turn back, then do they cut themselves off from you: and God will suffice to protect thee against them,
for He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Islam
is the Baptism of God, and who is better to baptise than God? And Him do we
serve.
Say: Will you dispute with us about God? when He is our
Lord and your Lord! We have our works and you have your works; and we are
sincerely His.
Will
you say, "Verily Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the
tribes, were Jews or Christians?" Say:
Who knoweth best, you, or God? And who is more in fault than he who concealeth
the witness which he hath from God? But God is not regardless of what you do.
That
people have now passed away: they have the
reward of their deeds, and for you is the meed of yours; but of their doings
you shall not be questioned.
The
foolish ones will say, "What hath turned them from the kebla which they
used?" Say: The East and the West are
God's He guided whom he will into the right path.
Thus
have we made you a middle kingdom, that you may be witnesses in regard to
mankind, and that the apostle may be a witness in regard to you.
We
appointed the kebla which thou formerly hadst, only that we might know him who
followeth the apostle, from him who turneth on his heels: The change is a difficulty, but not to those whom God hath
guided. But God will not let your faith be fruitless; for unto man is God
Merciful, Gracious.
We
have seen thee turning thy face towards every part of Heaven; but we will have
thee turn to a kebla which shall please thee. Turn then thy face towards the
sacred Mosque, and wherever you be, turn your faces towards that part. They,
verily, to whom "the Book" hath been given, know this to be the truth
from their Lord: and God is not regardless of
what you do.
2:140 Even thou thou shouldst bring every
kind of sign to those who have received the Scriptures, yet thy kebla they will
not adopt; nor shalt thou adopt their kebla; nor will one part of them adopt
the kebla of the other. And if, after the knowledge which hath come to thee,
thou follow their wishes, verily then will thou become of the unrighteous.
They
to whom we have given the Scriptures know him -- the apostle -- even as they
know their own children: but truly a part of
them do conceal the truth, though acquainted with it.