Part 3
Such
are the signs of God: with truth do we
rehearse them to thee, for one of the Sent Ones art Thou.
Some
of the apostles we have endowed more highly than others:
Those to whom God hath spoken, He hath raised to the
loftiest grade, and to Jesus the Son of Mary we gave manifest signs, and we
strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. And if God had pleased, they who came
after them would not have wrangled, after the clear signs had reached them. But
into disputes they fell: some of them
believed, and some were infidels; yet if God had pleased, they would not have thus
wrangled: but God doth what he will.
O
Believers! give alms of that with which we have
supplied you, before the day cometh when there shall be no trafficking, nor
friendship, nor intercession. And the infidels are the wrong-doers.
God!
There is no God but He; the Living, the Eternal; Nor
slumber seizeth Him, nor sleep; His, whatsoever is in the Heavens and
whatsoever is in the Earth! Who is he that can intercede with Him but by His
own permission? He knoweth what hath been before them and what shall be after
them; yet nought of His knowledge shall they grasp, save what He willeth,. His Throne reacheth over the Heavens and the Earth, and
the upholding of both burdeneth Him not; and He is the High, the Great!
Let
there be no compulsion in Religion. Now is the right way made distinct from error. Whoever therefore shall deny Thagout and believe in
God -- he will have taken hold on a strong handle that shall not be broken: and God is He who Heareth, Knoweth.
God is
the patron of believers: he shall bring them
out of darkness into light.
As to
those who believe not, their patrons are Thagout:
they shall bring them out of light into darkness:
they shall be given over to the fire: they
shall abide therein for ever.
2:260 Hast thou not thought on him who disputed
with Abraham about his Lord, because God had given him the kingdom? When
Abraham said, "My Lord is He who maketh alive and causeth to die:" He said, "It is I who make alive and
cause to die!" Abraham said, "since God
bringeth the sun from the East, do thou, then, bring it from the West."
The infidel was confounded; for God guideth not the evil doers.
Or how
he demeaned him who passed by a city which had been laid in ruins.
"How," said he, "shall God give life to this city, after she
hath been dead?" And God caused him to die for an hundred years, and then
raised him to life. And God said, "How long hast thou waited?" He
said, "I have waited a day or part of a day." He said, "Nay,
thou hast waited an hundred years. Look on thy food and thy drink; they are not
corrupted; and look on thine ass: we would
make thee a sign unto men: And look on the
bones of thine ass, how we will raise them, then clothe them with flesh."
And when this was shewn to him, he said, "I acknowledge that God hath
power to do all things."
When
Abraham said, "O Lord, shew me how thou wilt give life to the dead!: He said, "Hast thou
not believed?" He said, "Yes; but I have asked thee, that my heart
may be well assured." He said, "Take, then, four birds, and draw them
towards thee, and cut them in pieces; then place a part of them on every
mountain; then call them and they shall come swiftly to thee: and know thou that God is Mighty, Wise!"
The
likeness of those who expend their wealth for the cause of God, is that of a
grain of corn which produceth seven ears, and in each ear a hundred grains; and
God will multiply to whom He pleaseth: God is
Liberal, Knowing!
They
who expend their wealth for the cause of God, and never follow what they have
laid out with reproaches or harm, shall have their reward with their Lord; no
fear shall come upon them, neither shall they be put to grief.
A kind
speech and forgiveness is better than alms followed by injury. God is Rich,
Clement.
O you
who believe! make not your alms void by reproaches and injury, like him who
spendeth his substance to be seen of men, and believeth not in God and in the
latter day,. The likeness of such an one is that of a
rock with a thin soil upon it, on which a heavy rain falleth but leaveth it
hard: No profit from their works shall they be
able to gain; for God guideth not the unbelieving people.
And
the likeness of those who expend their substance from a desire to please God,
and for the stablishing of their souls, is as a garden on a hill, on which the heavy
rain falleth, and it yieldeth its fruits twofold; and even if a heavy rain fall
not on it, yet is there a dew: God beholdeth
your actions.
Desireth
any one of you a garden of palms and vines through which rivers flow, in which
he may have every fruit, and that old age should surprise him there, and that
his offspring should be weakly, and that then a fiery violent wind shall strike
it so that it shall be burned? Thus God maketh plain his signs to you that you
may reflect.
O you
who believe! bestow alms of the good things which you
have acquired, and of that which we have brought forth for you out of the
earth, and choose not the bad for almsgiving,
2:270 Such as you would accept yourselves
only by connivance: and know that God is Rich,
Praiseworthy.
Satan
menaceth you with poverty, and enjoineth base actions:
but God promiseth you pardon from himself and abundance:
God is All-bounteous, Knowing.
He
giveth wisdom to whom He will:
and he to whom wisdom is given, hath had much good given him; but none will
bear it is mind, except the wise of heart.
And
whatever alms you shall give, or whatever vow you shall vow, of a truth God
knoweth it: but they who act unjustly shall
have no helpers. Give you your alms openly? it is
well. Do you conceal them and give them to the poor? This, too, will be of
advantage to you, and will do away you sins:
and God is cognisant of your actions.
Their
guidance is not thine affair, O Muhammad; but God guideth whom he pleaseth. And
the good that you shall give in alms shall redound unto yourselves; and you
shall not give but as seeking the face of God; and whatever good thing you
shall have given in alms, shall be repaid you, and you shall not be wronged.
There are among you the poor, who being shut up to fighting for the cause of
God, have it not in their power to strike out into the earth for riches. Those
who know them not, think them rich because of their modesty. By this their
token thou shalt know them -- they ask not of men with importunity: and of whatever good thing you shall give them in
alms, of a truth God will take knowledge.
They
who give away their substance in alms, by night and day, in private and in
public, shall have their reward with their Lord:
no fear shall come on them, neither shall they be put
to grief.
They
who swallow down usury, shall arise in the resurrection only as he ariseth whom
Satan hath infected by his touch. This, for that they say, "Selling is
only the like of usury:" and yet God hath
allowed selling, and forbidden usury. He then who when this warning shall come
to him from his Lord, abstaineth, shall have pardon for the past, and his lot
shall be with God. But they who return to usury, shall
be given over to the fire; therein shall they abide for ever.
God
will bring usury to nought, but will increase alms with usury, and God loveth
no infidel, or evil person. But they who believe and do the
things that are right, and observe the prayers, and pay the legal impost, they
shall have their reward with their Lord: no
fear shall come on them, neither shall they be put to
grief.
O
believers! fear God and abandon your remaining usury,
if you are indeed believers.
But if
you do it not, then hearken for war on the part of God and his apostle: yet if you repent, you shall have the principal of
your money. Wrong not, and you shall not be wronged.
2:280 If any one
find difficulty in discharging a debt, then let there be a delay until it be
easy for him: but if you remit it as alms it
will be better for you, if you knew it.
Fear
the day wherein you shall return to God: then
shall every soul be rewarded according to its desert, and none shall have
injustice done to them.
O you
who believe! when you contract a debt (payable) at a fixed date, write it down,
and let the notary faithfully note between you:
and let not the notary refuse to note, even as God hath taught him; but let him
note it down, and let him who oweth the debt dictate, and let him fear God his
Lord, and not diminish aught thereof. But if he who oweth the debt be foolish
or weak, or be not able to dictate himself, let his friend dictate for him with
fairness; and call to witness two witnesses of your people: but if there be not two men, let there be a man,
and two women of those whom you shall judge fit for witnesses: if the one of them should mistake, the other may
cause her to recollect. And the witnesses shall not refuse, whenever they shall
be summoned. And disdain not to put the debt in writing, be it large or small,
with its time of payment: this will be more
just for you in the sight of God, better suited for witnessing, and the best
for avoiding doubt. But if the goods be there present,
and you pass them from hand to hand -- then it shall be no fault in you not to
write it down. And have witnesses when you sell, and harm not writer or witness: it will be a crime in you to do this. But fear God
and God will give you knowledge, for God hath knowledge of all things.
And if
you be on a journey and shall find no notary, let pledges be taken: but if one of you trust the other, let him who is
trusted, restore what he is trusted with, and fear God his Lord. And refuse not
to give evidence. He who refuseth is surely wicked at heart: and God knoweth your deeds.
Whatever
is in the Heavens and in the Earth is God's:
and whether you bring forth to light what is in your minds or conceal it, God
will reckon with you for it; and whom He pleaseth will He forgive, and whom He
pleaseth will He punish; for God is All-powerful.
The
apostle believeth in that which hath been sent down from his Lord, as do the
faithful also. Each one believeth in God, and His Angels, and His Books, and
His Apostles: we make no distinction between
any of His Apostles. And they say, "We have heard and we obey. Thy mercy,
Lord! for unto thee must we return."
God
will not burden any soul beyond its power. It shall enjoy the good which it
hath acquired, and shall bear the evil for the acquirement of which it
laboured. O our Lord! punish us not if we forget, or
fall into sin; O our Lord! and lay not on us a load
like that which thou has laid on those who have been before us; O our Lord! and lay not on us that for which we have not strength: but blot out our sins and forgive us, and have
pity on us. Thou art our protector: give us
victory therefore over the infidel nations.
Sura III (3)
The Family of Iman
(
________________________________________
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Elif.
Lam. Mim.
God!
there is no god but He, the Living, the Merciful!
In truth
hath He sent down to thee "the Book," which confirmeth those which
precede it: For He had sent down the Law, and
the Evangel aforetime, as man's Guidance; and now hath He sent down the
"Illumination." (Furkan.)
Verily
for those who believe not in the signs of God, is a severe chastisement! And
God is Mighty, the Avenger!
God!
nought that is in Earth or that is in Heaven, is hidden unto Him. He it is who
formeth you in your mothers' wombs. There is no god but He; the Mighty, the
Wise!
He it
is who hath sent down to thee "the Book." Some of its signs are of
themselves perspicuous; -- these are the basis of the Book -- and others are
figurative. But they whose hearts are given to err, follow its figures, craving
discord, craving an interpretation; yet none knoweth its interpretation but
God. And the stable in knowledge say, "We believe in it: it is all from our Lord." But none will bear
this in mind, save men endued with understanding.
O our
Lord! suffer not our hearts to go astray after that thou hast once guided us,
and give us mercy from before thee; for verily thou art He who giveth.
O our
Lord! For the day of whose coming there is not a doubt, thou wilt surely gather
mankind together. Verily, God will not fail the promise.
As for
the infidels, their wealth, and their children, shall avail them nothing
against God. They shall be fuel for the fire.
After
the wont of the people of Pharaoh, and of those who went before them, they
treated our signs as falsehoods. Therefore God laid hold of them in their sins;
and God is severe in punishing!
3:10 Say to the infidels: you shall be worsted, and to Hell shall you be
gathered together; and wretched the couch!
You
have already had a sign in the meeting of the two hosts. The one host fought in
the cause of God, and the other was infidel. To their own eyesight, the
infidels saw you twice as many as themselves:
And God aided with his succour whom He would:
And in this truly was a lesson for men endued with discernment.
Fair-seeming
to men is the love of pleasures from women and children, and the treasured
treasures of God and silver, and horses of mark, and flocks, and cornfields!
Such the enjoyment of this world's life. But God! goodly the home with Him.
Say: Shall I tell you of better things than these, prepared
for those who fear God, in His presence? Theirs shall be gardens, beneath whose
pavilions the rivers flow, and in which shall they abide for aye: and wives of stainless purity, and acceptance with
God: for God regardeth his servants --
Who
say, "O our Lord! we have indeed believed; pardon us our sins, and keep us
from the torment of the fire;" --
The
patient, and the truthful, the lowly, and the charitable, and they who seek
pardon at each daybreak.
God
witnesseth that there is no god but He: and the
angels, and mean endued with knowledge, stablished in righteousness, proclaim
"There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise!"
The
true religion with God is Islam: and they to
whom the Scriptures had been given, differed not till after "the
knowledge" had come to them, and through mutual jealousy. But as for him
who shall not believe in the signs of God -- God will be prompt to reckon with
him!
If
they shall dispute with thee, then Say: I have
surrendered myself to God, as have they who follow me.
Say to
those who have received the Book, and to the common folk, Do you surrender
yourselves unto God? If they become Muslims, then are they guided aright: but if they turn away -- thy duty is only
preaching; and God's eye is on His servants.
3:20 But to those who believe not in the
signs of God, and unjustly slay the prophets, and slay those men who enjoin
uprightness, -- announce an afflictive chastisement.
These
are they whose works come to nought in this world, and in the next; and none
shall they have to help them!
Hast
thou not marked those who have received a portion of the Scriptures, when they
are summoned to the Book of God, that it may settle their differences? Then did
a part of them turn back, and withdrew far off.
This
-- because they said, "The fire shall by no means touch us, but for
certain days:" -- Their own devices have
deceived them in their religion.
But
how, when we shall assemble them together for the day of (which) whose coming
there is no doubt, and when every soul shall be paid what it hath earned, and
they shall not be wronged?
Say: O God, possessor of all power, thou givest power
to whom thou wilt, and whom thou wilt thou dost abase! In thy hand is good; for
thou art over all thing potent.
Thou causest
the night to pass into the day, and thou causest the day to pass into the
night. Thou bringest the living out of the dead, and thou bringest the dead out
of the living; and thou givest sustenance to whom thou wilt, without measure.
Let
not believers take infidels for their friends rather than believers: whoso shall do this hath nothing to hope from God
-- unless, indeed, you fear a fear from them:
But God would have you beware of Himself: for
to God you return. Say: Whether you hide what
is in your breasts, or whether you publish it abroad, God knoweth it: He knoweth what is in the heavens and what is in
the earth; and over all things is God potent.
On
that day shall every soul find present to it, whatever it hath wrought of good: and as to what it hath wrought of evil, it will
wish that wide were the space between itself and it! But God would have you
beware of Himself; for God is kind to His servants.
Say: If you love God, then follow me: God will love you, and forgive your sins, for God
is Forgiving, Merciful. Say: Obey God and the
Apostle; but if you turn away, then verily, God loveth not the unbelievers.
3:30 Verily above all human beings did God
choose Adam, and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran, the
one the posterity of the other: And God
Heareth, Knoweth.
Remember
when the wife of Imran said, "O my Lord! I vow to thee what is in my womb,
for thy special service. Accept it from me, for thou Hearest, Knowest!"
And when she had given birth to it, she said, "O my Lord! Verily I have
brought forth a female," -- God knew what she had brought forth; a male is
not as a female -- "and I have named her Mary, and I take refuge with thee
for her and for her offspring, from Satan the stoned."
So
with goodly acceptance did her Lord accept her, and with goodly growth did he
make her grow. Zacharias reared her. So oft as Zacharias went in to Mary at the
sanctuary, he found her supplied with food. "Oh, Mary!" said he,
"whence hast thou this?" She said, "It is from God; for God
supplieth whom He will, without reckoning!"
There
did Zacharias call upon his Lord: "O my
Lord!" said he, "vouchsafe me from thyself good descendants, for thou
art the hearer of prayer." Then did the angels call to him, as he stood
praying in the sanctuary.:
"God
announceth John (Yahia) to thee, who shall be a verifier of the word from God,
and a greater one, chaste, and a prophet of the number of the just."
He
said, "O my Lord! how shall I have a son, now that old age hath come upon
me, and my wife is barren?" He said, "Thus will God do His
pleasure."
He
said, "Lord! give me a token." He said, "Thy token shall be,
that for three days thou shalt speak to no man but by signs: But remember thy Lord often, and praise him at
even and at morn:"
And
remember when the angels said, "O Mary! verily hath God chosen thee, and
purified thee, and chosen thee above the women of the worlds!
O
Mary! be devout towards thy Lord, and prostrate thyself, and bow down with
those who bow."
This
is one of the announcements of things unseen by thee:
To thee, O Muhammad! do we reveal it; for thou wast not with them when they
cast lots with reeds which of them should rear Mary; nor wast thou with them
when they disputed about it.
3:40 Remember when the angel said, "O
Mary! Verily God announceth to thee the Word from Him:
His name shall be, Messiah Jesus the son of Mary, illustrious in this world,
and in the next, and one of those who have near access to God;
And He
shall speak to men alike when in the cradle and when grown up; And he shall be
one of the just."
She
said, "How, O my Lord! shall I have a son, when man hath not touched
me?" He said, "Thus: God will create
why He will; When He decreeth a thing, He only saith, 'Be,' and it is."
And he
will teach him the Book, and the Wisdom, and the Law, and the Evangel; and he
shall be an apostle to the children of
And I
have come to attest the law which was before me; and to allow you part of that
which had been forbidden you; and I come to you with a sign from your Lord: Fear God, then, and obey me; of a truth God is my
Lord, and your Lord; Therefore worship Him. This is a right way."
And
when Jesus perceived unbelief on their part, He said, "Who my helpers with
God?" The apostles said, "We will be God's helpers! We believe in
God, and bear thou witness that we are Muslims.
O our
Lord! we believe in what thou hast sent down, and we follow the apostle; write
us up, then, with those who bear witness to him."
And
the Jews plotted, and God plotted: But of
those who plot is God the best.
Remember
when God said, "O Jesus! verily I will cause thee to die, and will take
thee up to myself and deliver thee from those who believe not; and I will place
those who follow thee above those who believe not, until the day of
resurrection. Then, to me is your return, and wherein you differ will I decide
between you.
And as
to those who believe not, I will chastise them with a terrible chastisement in
this world and in the next; and none shall they have to help them."
3:50 But as to those who believe, and do
the things that are right, He will pay them their recompense. God loveth not
the doers of evil.
These
signs, and this wise warning do we rehearse to thee.
Verily,
Jesus is as Adam in the sight of God. He created him of dust: He then said to him, "Be" -- and he was.
The truth
from thy Lord! Be not thou, therefore, of those who doubt.
As for
those who dispute with thee about Him, after "the knowledge" hath
come to thee, Say: Come, let us summon our
sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, and ourselves and yourselves.
Then will we invoke and lay the malison of God on those that lie!
This
recital is very truth, and there is no god but God; and verily God is the
Mighty, the Wise.
But if
they turn away, then verily God hath knowledge of the corrupt doers.
Say: O people of the Book! come you to a just judgment
between us and you -- That we worship not aught but God, and that we join no
other god with Him, and that the one of us take not the other for lords, beside
God. Then if they turn their backs, Say: Bear
you witness that we are Muslims.
O
people of the Book! Why dispute about Abraham, when the Law and the Evangel
were not sent down till after him? Do you not then understand?
Lo!
you are they who dispute about that in which you have knowledge; but why
dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? God hath knowledge, but you
know nothing.
3:60 Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian;
but he was sound in the faith, a Muslim; and not of those who add gods to God.
They
among men, who are nearest of kin to Abraham, are surely those who follow him,
and this prophet Muhammad, and they who believe on him. And God is the
protector of the faithful.
A
party among the people of the Book would fain mislead you: but they only mislead themselves, and perceive it
not.
O
people of the Book! why clothe you the truth with falsehood? Why wittingly hide
the truth?
Others
of the people of the Book say: "Believe
in what hath been sent down to the believers, at daybreak, and deny it at its
close" -- Thus do they go back --
"And
believe in those only who follow your Religion" Say: True guidance is guidance from God -- that to others may be
imparted the like of what hath been imparted to you. Will they wrangle then
with you in the presence of their Lord? Say:
Plenteous gifts are in the hands of God: He
imparteth them unto whom He will, and God is Bounteous, Wise.
He
will vouchsafe His mercy to whom He will, for God is of great bounteousness.
Among
the people of the Book are some, to one of whom if thou entrust a thousand
dinars, he will restore them to thee: And
there is of them to whom if thou entrust a dinar, he will not restore it to
thee, unless thou be ever instant with him.
This
-- because they say, "We are not bound to keep faith with the ignorant
(Pagan) folk, and they utter a lie against God, and know they do so;"
3:70 But whoso is true to his engagement,
and feareth God, -- verily God loveth those that fear Him.
Verily
they who barter their engagement with God, and their oaths, for some paltry
price -- These! no portion for them in the world to come! and God will not
speak to them, and will not look on them, on the day of resurrection, and will
not assoil them! for them, a grievous chastisement!
And
some truly are there among them who torture the Scriptures with their tongues,
in order that you may suppose it to be from the Scripture, yet it is not from
the Scripture. And they say, "This is from God;" yet it is not from
God: and they utter a lie against God, and
they know they do so.
It
beseemeth not a man, that God should give him the Scriptures and the Wisdom,
and the gift of prophecy, and that then he should say to his followers,
"Be you worshippers of me, as well as of God;" but rather, "Be
you perfect in things pertaining to God, since you know the Scriptures, and
have studied deep."
God
doth not command you to take the angels or the prophets as lord. What! would he
command you to become infidels after you have been Muslims?
When
God entered into covenant with the prophets, he said, "This is the Book
and the Wisdom which I give you. Hereafter shall a prophet come unto you to
confirm the Scriptures already with you. You shall surely believe on him, and
you shall surely aid him. Are you resolved?" said he, "and do you
accept the covenant on these terms?" They said, "We are
resolved;" "Be you then the witnesses," said he, "and I
will be a witness as well as you.
And
whoever turneth back after this, these are surely the perverse."
Other
religion than that of God desire they? To him doth everything that is in the
Heavens and in the Earth submit, in willing or forced obedience! and to Him do
they return.
Say: We believe in God, and in what hath been sent down
to us, and what hath been sent down to Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and
Jacob, and the tribes, and in what was given to Moses, and Jesus, and the
Prophets, from their Lord. We make no difference between them. And to Him are
we resigned (Muslims).
Whoso
desireth any other religion than Islam, that religion shall never be accepted
from him, and in the next world he shall be among the lost.
3:80 How shall God guide a people who,
after they had believed and bore witness that the apostle was true, and after
that clear proofs of his mission had reached them, disbelieved? God guideth not
the people who transgress.
These!
their recompense, that the curse of God, and of angels, and of all men, is on
them!
Under
it shall they abide for ever; their torment shall not be assuaged! nor shall
God even look upon them! --
Save those
who after this repent and amend; for verily God is Gracious, Merciful!
As for
those who become infidels, after having believed, and then increase their
infidelity -- their repentance shall never be accepted. These! they are the
erring ones.
As for
those who are infidels, and die infidels, from no one of them shall as much
gold as the earth could contain be accepted, though he should offer it in
ransom. These! a grievous punishment awaiteth them; and they shall have none to
help them.
You
shall never attain to goodness till you give alms of that which you love; and
whatever you give, of a truth God knoweth.
All
food was allowed to the children of Israel, except what Jacob forbad himself,
ere the law was sent down; Say: Bring you then
the law and read it, if you be men of truth.
And
whoso after this inventeth the lie about God:
-- These are evil doers.
Say: God speaketh truth. Follow, therefore, the
religion of Abraham, the sound in faith, who was not one of those who joined
other gods to God.
3:90 The first temple that was founded for
mankind, was that in Becca, -- Blessed, and guidance to human beings.
In it
are evident signs, even the standing-place of Abraham:
and he who entereth it is safe. And the pilgrimage to the temple, is a service
due to God from those who are able to journey thither.
And as
to them who believeth not -- verily God can afford to dispense with all
creatures!