Last Edict

7/25/2019 Last Edict

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II THE COW

Alif Lam Mim

That is the Book, wherein is no doubt,a guidance to the godfearing who be-lieve in the Unseen, and perform theprayer, and expend of that We haveprovided them; who believe in whathas been sent down to thee and whathas been sent down before thee, andhave faith in the Hereafter; those areupon guidance from their Lord, thoseare the ones who prosper.

As for the unbelievers, alike it is tothem whether thou hast warned themor hast not warned them, they do notbelieve. God has set a seal on theirhearts and on their hearing, and ontheir eyes is a covering, and thereawaits them a mighty chastisement.

And some men there are who say, Webelieve in God and the Last Day; butthey are not believers.

They would trick God and the belie-vers, and only themselves they dece-ive, and they are not aware. In theirhearts is a sickness, and God hasincreased their sickness, and thereawaits them a painful chastisement

for that they have cried lies.

When it is said to them, Do not cor-ruption in the land, they say, We areonly ones that put things right. Truly,they are the workers of corruption butthey are not aware.

When it is said to them, Believe asthe people believe, they say, Shall we

believe, as fools believe?

Truly, they are the foolish ones, butthey do not know. When they meet

those who believe, they say, We belie-ve; but when they go privily to theirSatans, they say, We are with you; wewere only mocking. God shall mockthem, and shall lead them on blindlywandering in their insolence.

Those are they that have bought errorat the price of guidance, and theircommerce has not proted them, andthey are not right-guided. The like-ness of them is as the likeness of aman who kindled a re, and when itlit all about him God took away the-ir light, and left them in darknessunseeing, deaf, dumb, blind -- so theyshall not return; or as a cloudburstout of heaven in which is darkness,and thunder, and lightning -- they puttheir ngers in their ears against thethunderclaps, fearful of death; andGod encompasses the unbelievers;the lightning wellnigh snatches awaytheir sight; whensoever it gives them

light, they walk in it, and when thedarkness is over them, they halt; hadGod willed, He would have taken awaytheir hearing and their sight. Truly,God is powerful over everything.

O you men, serve your Lord Who cre-ated you, and those that were beforeyou; haply so you will be godfearing;

who assigned to you the earth for acouch, and heaven or an edice, andsent down out of heaven water, whe-rewith He brought forth fruits for yourprovision; so set not up compeers toGod wittingly. And if you are in doubtconcerning that We have sent downon Our servant, then bring a sura likeit, and call your witnesses, apart from

God, if you are truthful. And if you donot -- and you will not -- then fear theFire, whose fuel is men and stones,prepared for unbelievers.


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Give thou good tidings to those whobelieve and do deeds of righteous-ness, that for them await gardensunderneath which rivers ow; when-soever they are provided with fruitstherefrom they shall say, This is that

wherewithal we were provided befo-re; that they shall be given in perfectsemblance; and there for them shallbe spouses puried; therein they shalldwell forever.

God is not ashamed to strike a simi-litude even of a gnat, or aught aboveit. As for the believers, they know itis the truth from their Lord; but as for

unbelievers, they say, What did Goddesire by this for a similitude? The-reby He leads many astray, and the-reby He guides many; and thereby Heleads none astray save the ungodly

such as break the covenant of Godafter its solemn binding, and such ascut what God has commanded should

be joined, and such as do corruptionin the land -- they shall be the losers.

How do you disbelieve in God, seeingyou were dead and He gave you life,then He shall make you dead, then Heshall give you life, then unto Him youshall be returned?

It is He who created for you all that isin the earth, then He lifted Himselfto heaven and levelled them sevenheavens; and He has knowledge ofeverything.

And when thy Lord said to the angels,I am setting in the earth a viceroy.They said, What, wilt Thou set thereinone who will do corruption there, andshed blood, while we proclaim Thypraise and call Thee Holy? He said,Assuredly I know that you know not.

And He taught Adam the names, all ofthem; then He presented them unto

the angels and said, Now tell Me thenames of these, if you speak truly.

They said, Glory be to Thee! We knownot save what Thou hast taught us.

Surely Thou art the All-knowing, theAll-wise.

He said, Adam, tell them their names.And when he had told them their na-mes He said, Did I not tell you I knowthe unseen things of the heavens andearth? And I know what things youreveal, and what you were hiding.

And when We said to the angels, Bow

yourselves to Adam; so they bowedthemselves, save Iblis; he refused, andwaxed proud, and so he became oneof the unbelievers.

And We said, Adam, dwell thou, andthy wife, in the Garden, and eat the-reof easefully where you desire; butdraw not nigh this tree, lest you beevildoers. Then Satan caused them to

slip therefrom and brought them outof that they were in; and We said, Getyou all down, each of you an enemy ofeach; and in the earth a sojourn shallbe yours, and enjoyment for a time.

Thereafter Adam received certainwords from his Lord, and He turnedtowards him; truly He turns, and is

All-compassionate. We said, Get youdown out of it, all together; yet thereshall come to you guidance from Me,and whosoever follows My guidance,no fear shall be on them, neither shallthey sorrow. As for the unbelieverswho cry lies to Our signs, those shallbe the inhabitants of the Fire, thereindwelling forever.

Children of Israel, remember Myblessing wherewith I blessed you, andull My covenant and I shall ull your


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covenant; and have awe of Me. Andbelieve in that I have sent down, con-rming that which is with you, and benot the rst to disbelieve in it. And sellnot My signs for a little price; and fearyou Me. And do not confound the truth

with vanity, and do not conceal thetruth wittingly.

And perform the prayer, and pay thealms, and bow with those that bow.Will you bid others to piety, and forgetyourselves while you recite the Book?Do you not understand? Seek you helpin patience and prayer, for grievousit is, save to the humble who reckonthat they shall meet their Lord andthat unto Him they are returning.

Children of Israel, remember Myblessing wherewith I blessed you, andthat I have preferred you above allbeings; and beware of a day when nosoul for another

shall give satisfaction, and no inter-cession shall be accepted from it, norany counterpoise be taken, neithershall they be helped.

And when We delivered you from thefolk of Pharaoh who were visiting youwith evil chastisement, slaughteringyour sons, and sparing your women;

and in that was a grievous trial fromyour Lord. And when We divided foryou the sea and delivered you, anddrowned Pharaohs folk while youwere beholding.

And when We appointed with Mosesforty nights then you took to yoursel-ves the Calf after him and you wereevildoers; then We pardoned you after

that, that haply you should be thankful.

And when We gave to Moses the

Book and the Salvation, that haply youshould be guided. And when Mosessaid to his people, My people, youhave done wrong against yourselvesby your taking the Calf; now turn toyour Creator and slay one another (the

transgressors). That will be betterfor you in your Creators sight, andHe will turn to you; truly He turns,and is All-compassionate. And whenyou said, Moses, we will not believethee till we see God openly; and thethunderbolt took you while you werebeholding.

Then We raised you up after you

were dead, that haply you should bethankful. And We outspread the cloudto overshadow you, and We sent downmanna and quails upon you: Eat ofthe good things wherewith We haveprovided you. And they worked nowrong upon Us, but themselves theywronged.

And when We said, Enter this towns-hip, and eat easefully of it whereveryou will, and enter in at the gate,prostrating, and say, Unburdening;We will forgive you your transgres-sions, and increase the good-doers.Then the evildoers substituted a sa-ying other than that which had beensaid to them; so We sent down upon

the evildoers wrath out of heaven fortheir ungodliness. And when Mosessought water for his people, so Wesaid, Strike with thy staf the rock;and there gushed forth from it twelvefountains; all the people knew nowtheir drinking-place. Eat and drinkof Gods providing, and mischief notin the earth, doing corruption. Andwhen you said, Moses, we will not

endure one sort of food; pray to thyLord for us, that He may bring forthfor us of that the earth produces --


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green herbs, cucumbers, corn, lentils,onions.

He said, Would you have in exchangewhat is meaner for what is better?Get you down to Egypt; you shall havethere that you demanded. And abase-ment and poverty were pitched uponthem, and they were laden with theburden of Gods anger; that, becausethey had disbelieved the signs ofGod and slain the Prophets unrigh-tfully; that, because they disobeyed,and were transgressors. Surely theythat believe, and those of Jewry, andthe Christians, and those Sabaeans,

whoso believes in God and the LastDay, and works righteousness -- theirwage awaits them with their Lord,and no fear shall be on them; neithershall they sorrow.

And when We took compact with you,and raised above you the Mount: Takeforcefully what We have given you,

and remember what is in it; haply youshall be godfearing. Then you tur-ned away thereafter, and but for thebounty and mercy of God towards you,you had been of the losers. And wellyou know there were those amongyou that transgressed the Sabbath,and We said to them, Be you apes,miserably slinking!

And We made it a punishmentexemplary for all the former timesand for the latter, and an admonitionto such as are godfearing. And whenMoses said to his people, God com-mands you to sacrice a cow. Theysaid, Dost thou take us in mockery?He said, I take refuge with God, lest Ishould be one of the ignorant. They

said, Pray to thy Lord for us, that Hemay make clear to us what she maybe. He said, He says she is a cow ne-ither old, nor virgin, middling betwe-

en the two; so do that you are bidden.

They said, Pray to thy Lord for us, thatHe make clear to us what her colourmay be. He said, He says she shall be

a golden cow, bright her colour, glad-dening the beholders. They

said, Pray to thy Lord for us, that Hemake clear to us what she may be;cows are much alike to us; and, if Godwill, we shall then be guided. He said,He says she shall be a cow not brokento plough the earth or to water the til-lage, one kept secure, with no blemish

on her.They said, Now thou hast brought thetruth; and thereore they sacricedher, a thing they had scarcely done.And when you killed a living soul, anddisputed thereon -- and God disclo-sed what you were hiding -- so Wesaid, Smite him with part of it; evenso God brings to life the dead, and He

shows you His signs, that haply youmay have understanding. Then yourhearts became hardened thereafterand are like stones, or even yet har-der; for there are stones from whichrivers come gushing, and others split,so that water issues from them, andothers crash down in the fear of God.And God is not heedless of the thingsyou do.

Are you then so eager that theyshould believe you, seeing there is aparty of them that heard Gods word,and then tampered with it, and thatafter they had comprehended it,wittingly? And when they meet thosewho believe, they say We believe; andwhen they go privily one to another,they say, Do you speak to them ofwhat God has revealed to you, thatthey may thereby dispute with you


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before your Lord? Have you no un-derstanding?

Know they not that God knows whatthey keep secret and what they pub-lish?

And some there are of them that arecommon folk not knowing the Book,but only fancies and mere conjectu-res. So woe to those who write theBook with their hands, then say, Thisis from God, that they may sell it fora little price; so woe to them for whattheir hands have written, and woe tothem for their earnings.

And they say, The Fire shall not touchus save a number of days. Say: Haveyou taken with God a covenant? Godwill not fail in His covenant; or say youthings against God of which you knownothing?

Not so; whoso earns evil, and isencompassed by his transgression

-- those are the inhabitants of theFire; there they shall dwell forever.And those that believe, and do deedsof righteousness -- those are the in-habitants of Paradise; there they shalldwell forever.

And when We took compact withthe Children of Israel: You shall notserve any save God; and to be good to

parents, and the near kinsman, and toorphans, and to the needy; and speak

good to men, and perform the prayer,and pay the alms. Then you turnedaway, all but a few of you, swervingaside.

And when We took compact with you:You shall not shed your own blood,neither expel your own from your

habitations; then you conrmed itand yourselves bore witness. Thenthere you are killing one another, and

expelling a party of you from theirhabitations, conspiring against themin sin and enmity; and if they come toyou as captives, you ransom them; yettheir expulsion was forbidden you.What, do you believe in part of the

Book, and disbelieve in part?What shall be the recompense of tho-se of you who do that, but degradationin the present life, and on the Day ofResurrection to be returned unto themost terrible of chastisement? AndGod is not heedless of the things youdo.

Those who have purchased the pre-sent life at the price of the world tocome -- for them

the chastisement shall not be lighte-ned, neither shall they be helped.

And We gave to Moses the Book, andafter him sent succeeding Messen-gers; and We gave Jesus son of Mary

the clear signs, and conrmed himwith the Holy Spirit; and whensoever

there came to you a Messenger withthat your souls had not desire for, didyou become arrogant, and some crylies to, and some slay?

And they say, Our hearts are uncir-cumcised. Nay, but God has cursedthem for their unbelief; little will they

believe. When there came to them aBook rom God, conrming what waswith them -- and they aforetimes pra-yed for victory over the unbelievers-- when there came to them that theyrecognized, they disbelieved in it; andthe curse of God is on the unbelievers.Evil is the thing they have sold them-selves for, disbelieving in that which

God sent down, grudging that Godshould send down of His bounty onwhomsoever He will of His servants,and they were laden with anger upon


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anger; and for unbelievers awaits ahumbling chastisement.

And when they were told, Believe inthat God has sent down, they said, We

believe in what was sent down on us;and they disbelieve in what is beyondthat, yet it is the truth conrmingwhat is with them. Say: Why thenwere you slaying the Prophets of Godin former time, if you were believers?

And Moses came to you with the clearsigns, then you took to yourselves theCalf after him and you were evildoers.

And when We took compact with you,and raised over you the Mount: Takeforcefully what We have given youand give ear. They said, We hear, andrebel; and they were made to drinkthe Calf in their hearts for their un-belief. Say: Evil is the thing your faithbids you to, if you are believers.

Say: If the Last Abode with God is

yours exclusively, and not for otherpeople, then long for death -- if youspeak truly. But they will never longfor it, because of that their hands haveforwarded; God knows the evildoers;

and thou shalt nd them the eagerestof men for life. And of the idolaters;there is one of them wishes if he

might be spared a thousand years,yet his being spared alive shall notremove him from the chastisement.God sees the things they do.

Say: Whosoever is an enemy toGabriel -- he it was that brought itdown upon thy heart by the leave ofGod, conrming what was beore it,

and for a guidance and good tidingsto the believers. Whosoever is anenemy to God and His angels and His

Messengers, and Gabriel, and Mic-hael -- surely God is an enemy to theunbelievers.

And We have sent down unto theesigns, clear signs, and none disbe-lieves in them except the ungodly.Why, whensoever they have made acovenant, does a party of them rejectit? Nay, but the most of them are un-believers.

When there has come to them aMessenger rom God conrming whatwas with them, a party of them that

were given the Book reject the Bookof God behind their backs, as thoughthey knew not, and they follow whatthe Satans recited over Solomonskingdom. Solomon disbelieved not, butthe Satans disbelieved, teaching thepeople sorcery, and that which wassent down upon Babylons two angels,Harut and Marut; they taught not anyman, without they said, We are but a

temptation; do not disbelieve.From them they learned how theymight divide a man and his wife, yetthey did not hurt any man thereby,save by the leave of God, and theylearned what hurt them, and did notprot them, knowing well that whosobuys it shall have no share in the wor-ld to come; evil then was that they sold

themselves for, if they had but known.Yet had they believed, and been god-fearing, a recompense from God hadbeen better, if they had but known.

O believers, do not say, Observe us,but say, Regard us; and give ear; forunbelievers awaits a painful chasti-sement.

Those unbelievers of the People of theBook and the idolaters wish not thatany good should be sent down uponyou from your Lord; but God singles


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out for His mercy whom He will; Godis of bounty abounding.

And for whatever verse We abrogateor cast into oblivion, We bring a better

or the like of it; knowest thou not thatGod is powerful over everything?Knowest thou not that to God belongsthe kingdom of the heavens and theearth, and that you have none, apartfrom God, neither protector nor hel-per? Or do you desire to question yourMessenger as Moses was questionedin former time? Whoso exchangesbelief for unbelief has surely strayedfrom the right way.

Many of the People of the Book wishthey might restore you as unbelie-vers, after you have believed, in thejealousy of their souls, after the truthhas become clear to them; yet do youpardon and be forgiving, till God brin-gs His command; truly God is power-ful over everything. And perform the

prayer, and pay the alms; whatevergood you shall forward to your soulsaccount, you shall nd it with God; as-suredly God sees the things you do.

And they say, None shall enter Pa-radise except that they be Jews orChristians. Such are their fancies.Say: Produce your proof, if you speaktruly.

Nay, but whosoever submits his willto God, being a good-doer, his wage iswith his Lord, and no fear shall be onthem, neither shall they sorrow.

The Jews say, The Christians standnot on anything; the Christians say,The Jews stand not on anything;

yet they recite the Book. So too theignorant say the like of them. God shalldecide between them on the Day ofResurrection touching their diferen-

ces. And who does greater evil thanhe who bars Gods places of worship,so that His Name be not rehearsedin them, and strives to destroy them?Such men might never enter them,save in fear; for them is degradation

in the present world, and in the worldto come a mighty chastisement.

To God belong the East and the West;whithersoever you turn, there is theFace of God; God is All-embracing, All-knowing.

And they say, God has taken to Him

a son. Glory be to Him! Nay, to Himbelongs all that is in the heavens andthe earth; all obey His will -- the Crea-tor of the heavens and the earth; andwhen He decrees a thing, He but saysto it Be, and it is.

And they that know not say, Whydoes God not speak to us? Why does asign not come to us? So spoke those

before them as these men say; theirhearts are much alike. Yet We havemade clear the signs unto a peoplewho are sure We have sent thee withthe truth, good tidings to bear, andwarning. Thou shalt not be questio-ned touching the inhabitants of Hell.Never will the Jews be satised withthee, neither the Christians, not tillthou followest their religion.

Say: Gods guidance is the true gui-dance. If thou followest their caprices,after the knowledge that has cometo thee, thou shalt have against Godneither protector nor helper.

Those to whom We have given theBook and who recite it with true re-

citation, they believe in it; and whosodisbelieves in it, they shall be thelosers.


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Children of Israel, remember Myblessing wherewith I blessed you,and that I have preferred you aboveall beings; and beware a day when nosoul for another shall give satisfaction,and no counterpoise shall be accepted

from it, nor any intercession shall beprotable to it, neither shall they behelped.

And when his Lord tested Abrahamwith certain words, and he ullledthem. He said, Behold, I make you aleader for the people. Said he, And ofmy seed? He said My covenant shallnot reach the evildoers.

And when We appointed the House tobe a place of visitation for the people,and a sanctuary, and: Take to your-selves Abrahams station for a placeof prayer. And We made covenantwith Abraham and Ishmael: PurifyMy House for those that shall go aboutit and those that cleave to it, to thosewho bow and prostrate themselves.

And when Abraham said, My Lord,make this a land secure, and provideits people with fruits, such of them asbelieve in God and the Last Day.

He said, And whoso disbelieves, tohim I shall give enjoyment a little, thenI shall compel him to the chastisementof the Fire -- how evil a homecoming!

And when Abraham, and Ishmaelwith him, raised up the foundationsof the House: Our Lord, receive thisfrom us; Thou art the All-hearing, theAll-knowing; and, our Lord, make ussubmissive to Thee, and of our seed anation submissive to Thee; and showus our holy rites, and turn towards us;surely Thou turnest, and art All-com-passionate; and, our Lord, do Thousend among them a Messenger, oneof them, who shall recite to them Thy

signs, and teach them the Book andthe Wisdom, and purify them; Thouart the All-mighty, the All-wise.

Who therefore shrinks from thereligion of Abraham, except he befoolish-minded? Indeed, We chosehim in the present world, and in theworld to come he shall be among therighteous.

When his Lord said to him, Surren-der, he said, I have surrendered meto the Lord of all Being. And Abrahamcharged his sons with this and Jacob

likewise: My sons, God has chosen foryou the religion; see that you die notsave in surrender.

Why, were you witnesses, whendeath came to Jacob? When he saidto his sons, What will you serve afterme? They said, We will serve thy Godand the God of thy fathers Abraham,Ishmael and Isaac, One God; to Him we

surrender. That is a nation that haspassed away; there awaits them thatthey have earned, and there awaitsyou that you have earned; you shallnot be questioned concerning thethings they did.

And they say, Be Jews or Christiansand you shall be guided. Say thou:Nay, rather the creed of Abraham, aman of pure faith; he was no idolater.

Say you: We believe in God, and inthat which has been sent down on usand sent down on Abraham, Ishmael,Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, andthat which was given to Moses andJesus and the Prophets, of their Lord;we make no division between any of

them, and to Him we surrender.And if they believe in the like of thatyou believe in, then they are truly gu-


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ided; but if they turn away, then theyare clearly in schism; God will suceyou for them; He is the All- hearing,the All-knowing; the baptism of God;and who is there that baptizes fairerthan God? Him we are serving.

Say: Would you then dispute with usconcerning God, who is our Lord andyour Lord? Our deeds belong to us,and to you belong your deeds; Himwe serve sincerely. Or do you say,Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob,and the Tribes -- they were Jews, orthey were Christians? Say: Have youthen greater knowledge, or God? And

who does greater evil than he whoconceals a testimony received fromGod? And God is not heedless of thethings you do.

That is a nation that has passed away;there awaits them that they haveearned, and there awaits you that youhave earned; you shall not be questio-

ned concerning the things they did.The fools among the people will say,What has turned them from thedirection they were facing in theirprayers aforetime?

Say: To God belong the East and theWest; He guides whomsoever He willto a straight path.

Thus We appointed you a midmostnation that you might be witnesses tothe people, and that the Messengermight be a witness to you; and Wedid not appoint the direction thouwast facing, except that We mightknow who followed the Messengerfrom him who turned on his heels --though it were a grave thing save forthose whom God has guided; but Godwould never leave your faith to waste-- truly, God is All -- gentle with thepeople, Allcompassionate.

We have seen thee turning thy faceabout in the heaven; now We will su-rely turn thee to a direction that shallsatisfy thee. Turn thy face towards theHoly Mosque; and wherever you are,turn your faces towards it. Those who

have been given the Book know it isthe truth from their Lord; God is notheedless of the things they do.

Yet if thou shouldst bring to those thathave been given the Book every sign,they will not follow thy direction; thouart not a follower of their direction,neither are they followers of one ano-thers direction. If thou followest theircaprices, after the knowledge that hascome to thee, then thou wilt surely beamong the evildoers whom We havegiven the Book, and they recognize asthey recognize their sons, even thou-gh there is a party of them conceal thetruth and that wittingly.

The truth comes from thy Lord; then

be not among the doubters. Everyman has his direction to which heturns; so be you forward in goodworks. Wherever you may be, God willbring you all together; surely God ispowerful over everything. From what-soever place thouissuest, turn thy face towards the HolyMosque; it is the truth from thy Lord.

God is not heedless of the things youdo.

From whatsoever place thou issu-est, turn thy face towards the HolyMosque; and wherever you may be,turn your faces towards it, that thepeople may not have any argumentagainst you, excepting the evildoers

of them; and fear you them not, butfear you Me; and that I may perfectMy blessing upon you, and that haplyso you may be guided; as also We


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have sent among you, of yourselves, aMessenger, to recite Our signs to youand to purify you, and to teach you theBook and the Wisdom, and to teachyou that you knew not.

So remember Me, and I will remem-ber you; and be thankful to Me; and beyou not ungrateful towards Me.

O all you who believe, seek you helpin patience and prayer; surely God iswith the patient. And say not of thoseslain in Gods way, They are dead;rather they are living, but you are notaware.

Surely We will try you with somethingof fear and hunger, and diminutionof goods and lives and fruits; yet givethou good tidings unto the patientwho, when they are visited by anaiction, say, Surely we belong to God,and to Him we return; upon thoserest blessings and mercy from their

Lord, and those -- they are the trulyguided.

Safa and Marwa are among thewaymarks of God; so whosoevermakes the Pilgrimage to the House,or the Visitation, it is no fault in himto circumambulate them; and whosovolunteers good, God is All-grateful,All-knowing

Those who conceal the clear signsand the guidance that We have sentdown, after We have shown themclearly in the Book -- they shall becursed by God and the cursers,

save such as repent and make amen-ds, and show clearly -- towards themI shall turn; I turn, All-compassionate.

But those who disbelieve, and diedisbelieving -- upon them shall restthe curse of God and the angels, and

of men altogether, therein dwellingforever; the chastisement shall not belightened for them; no respite shall begiven them.

Your God is One God; there is no godbut He, the All-merciful, the All-com-passionate.

Surely in the creation of the heavensand the earth and the alternation ofnight and day and the ship that runsin the sea with prot to men, and thewater God sends down from heaventherewith reviving the earth after itis dead and His scattering abroad init all manner of crawling thing, andthe turning about of the winds andthe clouds compelled between heavenand earth -- surely there are signs fora people having understanding.

Yet there be men who take to them-selves compeers apart from God,loving them as God is loved; but those

that believe love God more ardently. Oif the evildoers might see, when theysee the chastisement, that the poweraltogether belongs to God, and thatGod is terrible in chastisement, whenthose that were followed disown theirfollowers, and they see the chastise-ment, and their cords are cut asunder,and those that followed say, O if onlywe might return again and disown

them, as they have disowned us!Even so God shall show them theirworks. O bitter regrets for them! Ne-ver shall they issue from the Fire.

O men, eat of what is in the earthlawful and good; and follow not thesteps of Satan; he is a manifest foe toyou. He only commands you to evil andindecency, and that you should speak

against God such things as you knownot.


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And when it is said to them, Followwhat God has sent down, they say, No;but we will follow such things as wefound our fathers doing.

What? And if their fathers had no un-derstanding of anything, and if theywere not guided? The likeness of tho-se who disbelieve is as the likenessof one who shouts to that which hearsnothing, save a call and a cry; deaf,dumb, blind -- they do not understand.

O believers, eat of the good thingswherewith We have provided you,and give thanks to God, if it be Himthat you serve. These things only hasHe forbidden you: carrion, blood, theesh o swine, what has been hol-lowed to other than God. Yet who so isconstrained, not desiring nor transg-ressing, no sin shall be on him; God isAll-forgiving, All-compassionate.

Those who conceal what of the BookGod has sent down on them, and sell itfor a little price --they shall eat naught

but the Fire in their bellies; God shallnot speak to them on the Day of Re-surrection neither purify them; thereawaits them a painful chastisement.

Those are they that have bought errorat the price of guidance, and chasti-sement at the price of pardon; howpatiently they shall endure the Fire!That, because God has sent down theBook with the truth; and those that areat variance regarding the Book are inwide schism.

It is not piety, that you turn your facesto the East and to the West. True pietyis this: to believe in God, and the LastDay, the angels, the Book, and theProphets, to give of ones substance,however cherished, to kinsmen, andorphans, the needy, the traveller, beg-gars, and to ransom the slave, to per-

form the prayer, to pay the alms. Andthey who ull their covenant whenthey have engaged in a covenant, andendure with fortitude misfortune, har-dship and peril, these are they whoare true in their faith, these are the

truly godfearing.O believers, prescribed for you is re-taliation, touching the slain; freemanfor freeman, slave for slave, femalefor female. But if aught is pardoned aman by his brother, let the pursuingbe honourable, and let the payment bewith kindliness. That is a lighteninggranted you by your Lord, and a mer-

cy; and for him who commits aggres-sion after that -- for him there awaitsa painful chastisement.

In retaliation there is life for you, menpossessed of minds; haply you will begodfearing.

Prescribed for you, when any of you is

visited by death, and he leaves behindsome goods, is to make testament infavour of his parents and kinsmenhonourably -- an obligation on thegodfearing. Then if any man changesit after hearing it, the sin shall restupon those who change it; surely Godis All-hearing, All-knowing. But ifany man fears injustice or sin fromone making testament, and so makes

things right between them, then sinshall not rest upon him; surely God isAll-forgiving, All-compassionate.

O believers, prescribed for you is theFast, even as it was prescribed forthose that were before you -- haplyyou will be godfearing --

for days numbered; and if any of yoube sick, or if he be on a journey, thena number of other days; and for thosewho are able to fast, a redemption


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by feeding a poor man. Yet better. itis for him who volunteers good, andthat you should fast is better for you, ifyou but know; the month of Ramadan,wherein the Koran was sent down tobe a guidance to the people, and as

clear signs of the Guidance and theSalvation.

So let those of you, who are presentat the month, fast it; and if any of yoube sick, or if he be on a journey, thena number of other days; God desiresease for you, and desires not hardshipor you; and that you ull the number,and magnify God that He has guided

you, and haply you will be thankful.And when My servants question theeconcerning Me -- I am near to answerthe call of the caller, when he calls toMe; so let them respond to Me, and letthem believe in Me; haply so they willgo aright.

Permitted to you, upon the night of theFast, is to go in to your wives; -- they

are a vestment for you, and you area vestment for them. God knows thatyou have been betraying yourselves,and has turned to you and pardonedyou. So now lie with them, and seekwhat God has prescribed for you. Andeat and drink, until the white threadshows clearly to you from the blackthread at the dawn; then complete the

Fast unto the night, and do not lie withthem while you cleave to the mosques.Those are Gods bounds; keep wellwithin them. So God makes clear Hissigns to men; haply they will be god-fearing.

Consume not your goods betweenyou in vanity; neither profer it to thejudges, that you may sinfully consume

a portion of other mens goods, andthat wittingly.

They will question thee concerningthe new moons. Say: They are appo-inted times for the people, and thePilgrimage.

It is; not piety to come to the housesfrom the backs of them; but piety is tobe godfearing; so come to the housesby their doors, and fear God; haplyso you will prosper. And ght in theway o God with those; who ght withyou, but aggress not: God loves not theaggressors. And slay them whereveryou come upon them, and expel themfrom where they expelled you; perse-cution is more grievous than slaying.

But ght them not by the Holy Mosqueuntil they should ght you there; then,i they ght you, slay them -- such isthe recompense of unbelievers -- butif they give over, surely God is All-for-giving, Allcompassionate.

Fight them, till there is no persecutionand the religion is Gods; then if they

give over, there shall be no enmitysave for evildoers.

The holy month for the holy month;holy things demand retaliation. Whosocommits aggression against you, doyou commit aggression against himlike as he has committed against you,and fear you God, and know that Godis with the godfearing.

And expend in the way of God; andcast not yourselves by your own han-ds into destruction, but be good-doers;God loves the good-doers.

Full the Pilgrimage and the Visitati-on unto God; but if you are prevented,then such ofering as may be easible.

And shave not your heads, till theofering reaches its place o sacrice.If any of you is sick, or injured in hishead, then redemption by fast, or fre-


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ewill ofering, or ritual sacrice. Whenyou are secure, then whosoeverenjoys the Visitation until the Pilgri-mage, let his ofering be such as maybe easible; or i he nds none, thena fast of three days in the Pilgrimage,

and of seven when you return, that isten completely; that is for him who-se family are not present at the HolyMosque. And fear God, and know thatGod is terrible in retribution.

The Pilgrimage is in months well-known; whoso undertakes the dutyof Pilgrimage in them shall not goin to his womenfolk nor indulge in

ungodliness and disputing in thePilgrimage. Whatever good you do,God knows it. And take provision; butthe best provision is godfearing, sofear you Me, men possessed of minds!It is no fault in you, that you shouldseek bounty from your Lord; butwhen you press on from Arafat, thenremember God at the Holy Waymark,and remember Him as He has guidedyou, though formerly you were goneastray.

Then press on from where the peoplepress on, and pray for Gods forgive-ness; God is All-forgiving, All-compas-sionate. And when you have perfor-med your holy rites remember

God, as you remember your fathersor yet more devoutly. Now some menthere are who say, Our Lord, give tous in this world; such men shall haveno part in the world to come.

And others there are who say, OurLord, give to us in this world good, andgood in the world to come, and guardus against the chastisement of the

re; those -- they shall have a portionfrom what they have earned; and Godis swift at the reckoning.

And remember God during certaindays numbered. If any man hastenson in two days, that is no sin in him;and if any delays, it is not a sin in him,if he be godfearing. And fear you God,and know that unto Him you shall be

mustered.

And some men there are whose sa-ying upon the present world pleasesthee, and such a one calls on God towitness what is in his heart, yet heis most stubborn in altercation, andwhen he turns his back, he hastensabout the earth, to do corruption thereand to destroy the tillage and thestock; and God loves not corruption;and when it is said to him, Fear God,vainglory seizes him in his sin. So Ge-henna shall be enough for him -- howevil a cradling!

But other men there are that sellthemselves desiring Gods goodpleasure; and God is gentle with His

servants. O believers, enter the peace,all of you, and follow not the steps ofSatan;

he is a manifest foe to you. But if youslip, after the clear signs have come toyou, know then that God is All-mighty,All-wise.

What do they look for, but that Godshall come to them in the cloud -- sha-dows, and the angels? The matter isdetermined, and unto God all mattersare returned. Ask the Children ofIsrael how many a clear sign We gavethem. Whoso changes Gods blessingafter it has come to him, God is terrib-le in retribution. Decked out fair to theunbelievers is the present life, andthey deride the believers; but thosewho were godfearing shall be abovethem on the Resurrection Day; and


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God provides whomsoever He willwithout reckoning.

The people were one nation; then Godsent forth the Prophets, good tidingsto bear and warning, and He sentdown with them the Book with thetruth, that He might decide betweenthe people touching their diferences;and only those who had been givenit were at variance upon it, after theclear signs had come to them, beinginsolent one to another; then God gu-ided those who believed to the truth,touching which they were at variance,by His leave; and God guides whomso-

ever He will to a straight path.

Or did you suppose you should enterParadise without there had comeupon you the like of those who passedaway beore you? They were aictedby misery and hardship and were soconvulsed, that the Messenger andthose who believed with him said,

When comes Gods help? Ah, butsurely Gods help is nigh.

They will question thee concerningwhat they should expend. Say: What-soever good you expend is for parentsand kinsmen, orphans, the needy,and the traveller; and whatever goodyou may do, God has knowledge of it.Prescribed or you is ghting, thoughit be hateful to you. Yet it may happenthat you will hate a thing which isbetter for you; and it may happen thatyou will love a thing which is worsefor you; God knows, and you know not.They will question thee concerningthe holy month, and ghting in it. Say:Fighting in it is a heinous thing, but

to bar from Gods way, and disbeliefin Him, and the Holy Mosque, and toexpel its people from it -- that is moreheinous in Gods sight; and persecuti-

on is more heinous than slaying. Theywill not cease to ght with you, till theyturn you from your religion, if they areable; and whosoever of you turns fromhis religion, and dies disbelieving --their works have failed in this world

and the next; those are the inhabi-tants of the Fire; therein they shalldwell forever.

But the believers, and those whoemigrate and struggle in Gods way --those have hope of Gods compassion;and God is All-forgiving, All-compas-sionate.

They will question thee concerningwine, and arrow-shuing. Say: Inboth is heinous sin; and uses for men,but the sin in them is more heinousthan the usefulness.

They will question thee concerningwhat they should expend. Say: Theabundance. So God makes clear His

signs to you; haply you will reect; inthis world, and the world to come.

They will question thee concerningthe orphans. Say: To set their afairsaright is good. And if you intermixwith them, they are your brothers. Godknows well him who works corrupti-on from him who sets aright; and hadHe willed He would have harassedyou. Surely God is All-mighty, All-wise.

Do not marry idolatresses, until theybelieve; a believing slavegirl is betterthan an idolatress, though you mayadmire her. And do not marry idola-ters, until they believe. A believingslave is better than an idolater, thoughyou may admire him.

Those call unto the Fire; and God callsunto Paradise, and pardon, by His le-ave, and He makes clear His signs to


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the people; haply they will remember.

They will question thee concerningthe monthly course. Say: It is hurt;so go apart from women during themonthly course, and do not approachthem till they are clean. When theyhave cleansed themselves, then comeunto them as God has commandedyou. Truly, God loves those who re-pent, and He loves those who cleansethemselves.

Your women are a tillage for you; socome unto your tillage as you wish,and forward for your souls; and fearGod, and know that you shall meetHim. Give thou good tidings to thebelievers.

Do not make God a hindrance, throughyour oaths, to being pious and godfea-ring, and putting things right betwe-en men. Surely God is All-hearing,All-knowing.

God will not take you to task for a slipin your oaths; but He will take you totask for what your hearts have ear-ned; and God is All-forgiving, All-cle-ment.

For those who forswear their womena wait of four months; if they revert,God is Allforgiving, All-compassionate;but if they resolve on divorce, surely

God is All-hearing, Allknowing.Divorced women shall wait by them-selves for three periods; and it is notlawful for them to hide what God hascreated in their wombs; if they believein God and the Last Day. In such timetheir mates have better right to res-tore them, if they desire to set thingsright. Women have such honourable

rights as obligations, but their menhave a degree above them; God isAll-mighty, All-wise.

Divorce is twice; then honourable re-tention or setting free kindly. It is notlawful for you to take of what you havegiven them unless the couple fearthey may not maintain Gods boun-ds; if you fear they may not maintain

Gods bounds, it is no fault in themfor her to redeem herself. Those areGods bounds; do not transgress them.Whosoever transgresses the boundsof God -- those are the evildoers.

I he divorces her nally, she shall notbe lawful to him after that, until shemarries another husband. If he divor-ces her, then it is no fault in them toreturn to each other, if they supposethat they will maintain Gods bounds.Those are Gods bounds; He makesthem clear unto a people that haveknowledge.

When you divorce women, and theyhave reached their term, then retainthem honourably or set them free

honourably; do not retain them by for-ce, to transgress; whoever does thathas wronged himself. Take not Godssigns in mockery, and rememberGods blessing upon you, and the Bookand the Wisdom He has sent downon you, to admonish you. And fear God,and know that God has knowledge ofeverything.

When you divorce women, and theyhave reached their term, do not debarthem from marrying their husban-ds, when they have agreed togetherhonourably. That is an admonition forwhoso of you believes in God and theLast Day; that is cleaner and purer foryou; God knows, and you know not.

Mothers shall suckle their children

two years completely, for such asdesire to ull the suckling. It is orthe father to provide them and clothethem honourably. No soul is charged


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save to its capacity; a mother shall notbe pressed for her child, neither afather for his child.

The heir has a like duty. But if thecouple desire by mutual consentand consultation to wean, then it isno fault in them. And if you desire toseek nursing for your children, it isno fault in you provide you hand overwhat you have given honourably; andfear God, and know that God sees thethings you do.

And those of you who die, leavingwives, they shall wait by themselvesfor four months and ten nights; whenthey have reached their term thenit is no fault in you what they may dowith themselves honourably. God isaware of the things you do.

There is no fault in you touching theproposal to women you ofer, or hidein your hearts; God knows that youwill be mindful of them; but do notmake troth with them secretly without

you speak honourable words. And donot resolve on the knot of marriageuntil the book has reached its term;and know that God knows what is inyour hearts, so be fearful of Him; andknow that God is All-forgiving, All-c-lement.

There is no fault in you, if you di-vorce women while as yet you havenot touched them nor appointed anymarriage-portion for them; yet makeprovision or them, the auent manaccording to his means, and accor-ding to his means the needy man,honourably -- an obligation on thegood-doers. And if you divorce thembefore you have touched them, and

you have already appointed for thema marriage-portion, then one-half ofwhat you have appointed, unless it bethey make remission, or he makes re-

mission in whose hand is the knot ofmarriage; yet that you should remit isnearer to godfearing. Forget not to bebountiful one towards another. SurelyGod sees the things you do.

Be you watchful over the prayers, andthe middle prayer; and do you standobedient to God.

And if you are in fear, then afoot ormounted; but when you are secure,then remember God, as He taught youthe things that you knew not.

And those of you who die, leaving wi-

ves, let them make testament for theirwives, provision for a year withoutexpulsion; but if they go forth, thereis no fault in you what they may dowith themselves honourably; God isAll-mighty, All-wise. There shall be fordivorced women provision honourab-le -- an obligation on the godfearing.

So God makes clear His signs for you;

haply you will understand.Hast thou not regarded those whowent forth from their habitations intheir thousands fearful of death? Godsaid to them, Die!

Then He gave them life. Truly God isbounteous to the people, but most ofthe people are not thankful.

So ght in Gods way, and know thatGod is All-hearing, All-knowing. Whois he that will lend God a good loan,and He will multiply it for him mani-fold? God grasps, and outspreads; andunto Him you shall be returned.

Hast thou not regarded the Councilof the Children of Israel, after Moses,

when they said to a Prophet of theirs,Raise up for us a king, and we willght in Gods way. He said, Might it bethat, i ghting is prescribed or you,


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you will not ght? They said, Whyshould we not ght in Gods way, whohave been expelled from our habi-tations and our children? Yet whenghting was prescribed or them,they turned their backs except a few

of them; and God has knowledge of theevildoers.

Then their Prophet said to them,Verily God has raised up Saul for youas king. They said, How should he beking over us who have better rightthan he to kingship, seeing he has notbeen given amplitude of wealth?

He said, God has chosen him overyou, and has increased him broadlyin knowledge and body. God gives thekingship to whom He will; and God isAll-embracing, All-knowing.

And their Prophet said to them, Thesign of his kingship is that the Arkwill come to you, in it a Shechina fromyour Lord, and a remnant of what thefolk of Moses and Aarons folk left

behind, the angels bearing it. Surelyin that shall be a sign for you, if youare believers.

And when Saul went forth with thehosts he said, God will try you with ariver; whosoever drinks of it is not ofme, and whoso tastes it not, he is ofme, saving him who scoops up withhis hand. But they drank of it, excepta few of them; and when he crossed it,and those who believed with him, theysaid, We have no power today againstGoliath and his hosts. Said those whoreckoned they should meet God, Howoften a little company has overcomea numerous company, by Gods leave!And God is with the patient.

So, when they went forth against Goli-ath And his hosts, they said, Our Lord,pour out upon us patience, and make

rm our eet, and give us aid againstthe people of the unbelievers!

And they routed them, by the leave ofGod, and David slew Goliath; and Godgave him the kingship, and Wisdom,and He taught him such as He willed.Had God not driven back the peop-le, some by the means of others, theearth had surely corrupted; but God isbounteous unto all beings.

These are the signs of God We reciteto thee in truth, and assuredly thouart of the number of the Envoys. Andthose Messengers, some We havepreferred above others; some thereare to whom God spoke, and some Heraised in rank.

And We gave Jesus son of Mary theclear signs, and conrmed him withthe Holy Spirit. And had God willed,those who came after him would nothave fought one against the other af-ter the clear signs had come to them;but they fell into variance, and some of

them believed, and some disbelieved;and had God willed they would nothave fought one against the other; butGod does whatsoever He desires.

O believers, expend of that wherewithWe have provided you, before therecomes a day wherein shall be neithertrack, nor riendship, nor interces-sion; and the unbelievers -- they arethe evildoers.

God there is no god but He, the Living,the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Himnot, neither sleep; to Him belongs allthat is in the heavens and the earth.Who is there that shall intercede

with Him save by His leave? He

knows what lies before them andwhat is after them, and they compre-hend not anything of His knowledgesave such as He wills.


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His Throne comprises the heavensand earth; the preserving of themoppresses Him not; He is the All-high,the All-glorious.

No compulsion is there in religion.Rectitude has become clear from er-ror. So whosoever disbelieves in idolsand believes in God, has laid hold ofthe most rm handle, unbreaking; Godis All-hearing, All-knowing.

God is the Protector of the believers;He brings them forth from the sha-dows into the light.

And the unbelievers -- their protec-

tors are idols, that bring them forthfrom the light into the shadows; thoseare the inhabitants of the Fire, thereindwelling forever.

Hast thou not regarded him whodisputed with Abraham, concerninghis Lord, that God had given him thekingship? When Abraham said, My

Lord is He who gives life, and makesto die, he said, I give life, and maketo die. Said Abraham, God brings thesun from the east; so bring thou itfrom the west. Then the unbelieverwas confounded. God guides not thepeople of the evildoers.

Or such as he who passed by a citythat was fallen down upon its turrets;

he said, How shall God give life to thisnow it is dead? So God made him diea hundred years, then He raised himup, saying, How long hast thou tar-ried? He said, I have tarried a day, orpart of a day. Said He, Nay; thou hasttarried a hundred years. Look at thyfood and drink -- it has not spoiled;and look at thy ass. So We would makethee a sign for the people. And lookat the bones; how We shall set themup, and then clothe them with esh.So, when it was made clear to him, he

said, I know that God is powerful overeverything.

And when Abraham said, My Lord,show me how Thou wilt give life tothe dead, He said, Why, dost thou notbelieve? Yes, he said, but that my he-art may be at rest. Said He, Take fourbirds, and twist them to thee, thenset a part of them on every hill, thensummon them, and they will come tothee running. And do thou know thatGod is All-mighty, All-wise.

The likeness of those who expendtheir wealth in the way of God is asthe likeness of a grain of corn thatsprouts seven ears, in every ear ahundred grains. So God multipliesunto whom He will; God is All-embra-cing, All-knowing.

Those who expend their wealth in theway of God then follow not up whatthey have expended with reproachand injury, their wage is with theirLord, and no fear shall be on them,

neither shall they sorrow.

Honourable words, and forgiveness,are better than a reewill oferingollowed by injury; and God is All-su-cient, All-clement.

O believers, void not your freewilloferings with reproach and injury,

as one who expends of his substanceto show of to men and believes notin God and the Last Day. The likenessof him is as the likeness of a smoothrock on which is soil, and a torrentsmites it, and leaves it barren. Theyhave no power over anything thatthey have earned. God guides not thepeople of the unbelievers.

But the likeness of those who expendtheir wealth, seeking Gods goodpleasure, and to conrm themselves,is as the likeness of a garden upon a


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hill; a torrent smites it and it yields itsproduce twofold; if no torrent smitesit, yet dew; and God sees the thingsyou do.

Would any of you wish to have a gar-den of palms and vines, with riversowing beneath it, and all manner ofruit there for him, then old age smi-tes him, and he has seed, but weaklin-gs, then a whirlwind with re smitesit, and it is consumed? So God makesclear the signs to you; haply you willreect.

O believers, expend of the good thingsyou have earned, and of that We haveproduced for you from the earth, andintend not the corrupt of it for yourexpending;

for you would never take it yoursel-ves, except you closed an eye on it;and know that God is All-sucient,All-laudable. Satan promises you

poverty, and bids you unto indecency;but God promises you His pardon andHis bounty; and God is All-embracing,Allknowing.

He gives the Wisdom to whomsoeverHe will, and whoso is given the Wis-dom, has been given much good; yetnone remembers but men possessedof minds.

And whatever expenditure youexpend, and whatever vow you vow,surely God knows it. No helpers havethe evildoers. If you publish yourreewill oferings, it is excellent; butif you conceal them, and give them tothe poor, that is better for you, and willacquit you of your evil deeds; God isaware of the things you do.

Thou art not responsible for guidingthem; but God guides whomsoever Hewill.

And whatever good you expend is foryourselves, for then you are expen-ding, being desirous only of GodsFace; and whatever good you expendshall be repaid to you in full, and youwill not be wronged, it being for the

poor who are restrained in the way ofGod, and are unable to journey in theland; the ignorant man supposes themrich because of their abstinence, butthou shalt know them by their mark-- they do not beg of men importuna-tely. And whatever good you expend,surely God has knowledge of it.

Those who expend their wealth nightand day, secretly and in public, theirwage awaits them with their Lord,and no fear shall be on them, neithershall they sorrow.

Those who devour usury shall notrise again except as he rises, whomSatan of the touch prostrates; that isbecause they say, Tracking (trade)

is like usury. God has permitted traf-cking, and orbidden usury. Whoso-ever receives an admonition from hisLord and gives over, he shall have hispast gains, and his afair is committedto God; but whosoever reverts thoseare the inhabitants of the Fire, thereindwelling forever. God blots out usury,but reewill oferings He augments

with interest. God loves not any guiltyingrate.

Those who believe and do deeds of ri-ghteousness, and perform the prayer,and pay the alms their wage awaitsthem with their Lord, and no fear shallbe on them, neither shall they sorrow.

O believers, fear you God; and give upthe usury that is outstanding, if you

are believers. But if you do not, thentake notice that God shall war withyou, and His Messenger; yet if yourepent, you shall have your principal,


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unwronging and unwronged.

And i any man should be in dicul-ties, let him have respite till thingsare easier; but that you should give

reewill oferings is better or you, didyou but know.

And fear a day wherein you shall bereturned to God, and every soul shallbe paid in full what it has earned; andthey shall not be wronged.

O believers, when you contract a debtone upon another for a stated term,write it down, and let a writer write it

down between you justly, and let notany writer refuse to write it down, asGod has taught him; so let him write,and let the debtor dictate, and let himfear God his Lord and not diminishaught of it. And if the debtor be a fool,or weak, or unable to dictate himself,then let his guardian dictate justly.And call in to witness two witnesses,

men; or if the two be not men, thenone man and two women, such wit-nesses as you approve of, that if oneof the two women errs the other willremind her; and let the witnesses notrefuse, whenever they are summo-ned. And be not loth to write it down,whether it be small or great, with itsterm; that is more equitable in Godssight, more upright for testimony, and

likelier that you will not be in doubt.Unless it be merchandise presentthat you give and take between you;then it shall be no fault in you if you donot write it down. And take witnesseswhen you are tracking one withanother. And let not either writer orwitness be pressed; or if you do, thatis ungodliness in you. And fear God;

God teaches you, and God has knowle-dge of everything. And if you are upona journey, and you do not nd a writer,then a pledge in hand. But if one of

you trusts another, let him who istrusted deliver his trust, and let himfear God his Lord. And do not concealthe testimony; whoso conceals it, hisheart is sinful; and God has knowled-ge of the things you do.

To God belongs all that is in the hea-vers and earth. Whether you publishwhat is in your hearts or hide it, Godshall make reckoning with you forit. He will forgive whom He will, andchastise whom He will; God is power-ful over everything.

The Messenger believes in what wassent down to him from his Lord, andthe believers; each one believes inGod and His angels, and in His Booksand His Messengers; we make nodivision between any one of His Mes-sengers. They say, We hear, and obey.

Our Lord, grant us Thy forgiveness;unto Thee is the homecoming.

God charges no soul save to its capa-city; standing to its account is what ithas earned, and

against its account what it has meri-ted.

Our Lord, take us not to task if we for-get, or make mistake. Our Lord; chargeus not with a load such as Thou didstlay upon those before us. Our Lord, do

Thou not burden us beyond what wehave the strength to bear. And pardonus, and forgive us, and have mercy onus; Thou art our Protector. And help usagainst the people of the unbelievers.

III THE HOUSE OF IMRAN

Alif Lam Mim

God, there is no god but He, the Living,the Everlasting.

He has sent down upon thee the Book


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with the truth, conrming what wasbefore it, and He sent down the Torahand the Gospel aforetime, as guidanceto the people, and He sent down theSalvation.

As for those who disbelieve in Godssigns, for them awaits a terrible chas-tisement; God is All-mighty, Vengeful.

From God nothing whatever is hiddenin heaven and earth. It is He who for-ms you in the womb as He will. Thereis no god but He, the All-mighty, theAll-wise.

It is He who sent down upon thee theBook, wherein are verses clear thatare the Essence of the Book, and ot-hers ambiguous. As for those in who-se hearts is swerving, they follow theambiguous part, desiring dissension,and desiring its interpretation; andnone knows its interpretation, saveonly God. And those rmly rooted in

knowledge say, We believe in it; all isfrom our Lord; yet none remembers,but men possessed of minds.

Our Lord, make not our hearts toswerve after that Thou hast guidedus; and give us mercy from Thee;Thou art the Giver.

Our Lord, it is Thou that shall gathermankind for a day whereon is no dou-

bt; verily God will not fail the tryst.As for the unbelievers, their richeswill not avail them, neither their child-ren, aught against God; those -- theyshall be fuel for the Fire like Pharaohsfolk, and the people before them, whocried lies to Our signs; God seizedthem because of their sins; God isterrible in retribution.

Say to the unbelievers: You shall beoverthrown, and mustered into Ge-

henna -- an evil cradling!

There has already been a sign for youin the two companies that encounte-red, one company ghting in the wayof God and another unbelieving; theysaw them twice the like of them, asthe eye sees, but God conrms withHis help whom He will. Surely in thatis a lesson for men possessed of eyes.

Decked out fair to men is the love oflusts -- women, children, heaped-upheaps of gold and silver, horses ofmark, cattle and tillage. That is theenjoyment of the present life; but God-- with Him is the fairest resort.

Say: Shall I tell you of a better thanthat? For those that are godfearing,with their Lord are gardens underne-ath which rivers ow, therein dwel-ling orever, and spouses puried,and Gods good pleasure. And Godsees His servants who say, Our Lord,we believe; forgive us our sins, andguard us against the chastisement of

the Fire --

men who are patient, truthful, obe-dient, expenders in alms, imploringGods pardon at the daybreak.

God bears witness that there is nogod but He -- and the angels, and menpossessed of knowledge -- upholding

justice; there is no god but He, theAll-mighty, the All-wise.

The true religion with God is Islam.

Those who were given the Book werenot at variance except after the know-ledge came to them, being insolentone to another. And whoso disbelie-ves in Gods signs. God is swift at thereckoning.

So if they dispute with thee, say: Ihave surrendered my will to God, andwhosoever follows me. And say to


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those who have been given the Bookand to the common folk: Have yousurrendered? If they have surren-dered, they are right guided; but ifthey turn their backs, thine it is onlyto deliver the Message; and God sees

His servants.

Those who disbelieve in the signsof God and slay the Prophets withoutright, and slay such men as bid tojustice -- do thou give them the goodtidings of a painful chastisement; the-ir works have failed in this world andthe next; they have no helpers.

Hast thou not regarded those whowere given a portion of the Book,being called to the Book of God, that itmight decide between them, and thena party of them turned away, swer-ving aside?

That, because they said, The Fireshall not touch us, except for a num-

ber of days; and the lies they forgedhas deluded them in their religion.

But how will it be, when We gatherthem for a day whereon is no doubt,and every soul shall be paid in fullwhat it has earned, and they shall notbe wronged?

Say: O God, Master of the Kingdom,

Thou givest the Kingdom to whomThou wilt, and seizest the Kingdomfrom whom Thou wilt, Thou exaltestwhom Thou wilt, and Thou abasestwhom Thou wilt; in Thy hand is thegood; Thou art powerful over everyt-hing.

Thou makest the night to enter intothe day and Thou makest the day to

enter into the night, Thou bringestforth the living from the dead andThou bringest forth the dead from the

living, and Thou providest whomsoe-ver Thou wilt without reckoning.

Let not the believers take the unbe-lievers for friends, rather than thebelievers -- for whoso does that be-longs not to God in anything -- unlessyou have a fear of them. God warnsyou that you beware of Him, and untoGod is the homecoming. Say: Whetheryou hide what is in your breasts orpublish it, God knows it. God knowswhat is in the heavens and what isin the earth; and God is powerful overeverything.

The day every soul shall nd whatit has done of good brought forward,and what it has done of evil; it willwish if there were only a far spacebetween it and that day. God warnsyou that you beware of Him; and Godis gentle with His servants.

Say: If you love God, follow me, andGod will love you, and forgive you yoursins; God is

All-forgiving, All-compassionate. Say:Obey God, and the Messenger. But ifthey turn their backs, God loves notthe unbelievers.

God chose Adam and Noah and theHouse of Abraham and the House ofImran above all beings, the seed of

one another; God hears, and knows.When the wife of Imran said, Lord,I have vowed to Thee, in dedication,what is within my womb. ReceiveThou this from me; Thou hearest, andknowest. And when she gave birthto her she said, Lord, I have givenbirth to her, a female. (And God knewvery well what she had given birth to;

the male is not as the female.) And Ihave named her Mary, and commendher to Thee with her seed, to protectthem from the accursed Satan. Her


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Lord received the child with graciousfavour, and by His goodness she grewup comely, Zachariah taking chargeof her. Whenever Zachariah went into her in the Sanctuary, he found herprovisioned. Mary, he said, how co-

mes this to thee? From God, she said.Truly God provisions whomsoever Hewill without reckoning.

Then Zachariah prayed to his Lordsaying, Lord, give me of Thy goodnessa goodly ofspring. Yea, Thou hearestprayer. And the angels called to him,standing in the Sanctuary at worship,Lo, God gives thee good tidings of

John, who shall conrm a Word o God,a chief, and chaste, a Prophet, righte-ous.

Lord, said Zachariah, how shall I havea son, seeing I am an old man and mywife is barren?

Even so, God said, God does what He

will. Lord, said Zachariah, appoint tome a sign. Thy sign, God said, is thatthou shalt not speak, save by tokens,to men for three days. And mentionthy Lord oft, and give glory at eveningand dawn.

And when the angels said, Mary, Godhas chosen thee, and puried thee;

He has chosen thee above all women.Mary; be obedient to thy Lord, prostra-ting and bowing before Him. (That isof the tidings of the Unseen, that Wereveal to thee; for thou wast not withthem, when they were casting quillswhich of them should have charge ofMary; thou wast not with them, whenthey were disputing.) When the an-gels said, Mary, God gives thee goodtidings of a Word from Him whosename is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary;high honoured shall he be in this

world and the next, near stationedto God. He shall speak to men in thecradle, and of age, and righteous heshall be.

Lord, said Mary, how shall I have ason seeing no mortal has touchedme? Even so, God said, God createswhat He will. When He decrees athing He does but say to it Be, andit is. And He will teach him the Book,the Wisdom, the Torah, the Gospel,to be a Messenger to the Children ofIsrael saying, I have come to you witha sign from your Lord. I will createfor you out of clay as the likeness of a

bird; then I will breathe into it, and itwill be a bird, by the leave of God. I willalso heal the blind and the leper, andbring to life the dead, by the leave ofGod. I will inform you too of what thin-gs you eat, and what you treasure upin your houses. Surely in that is a signfor you, if you are believers. Likewiseconrming the truth o the Torah thatis before me, and to make lawful toyou certain things that before wereforbidden unto you. I have come to youwith a sign from your Lord; so fearyou God, and obey you me. Surely Godis my Lord and your Lord; so serveHim. This is a straight path.

And when Jesus perceived their

unbelief, he said, Who will be myhelpers unto God? The Apostles said,We will be helpers of God; we believein God; witness thou our submission.Lord, we believe in that Thou hastsent down, and we follow the Messen-ger. Inscribe us therefore with thosewho bear witness.

And they devised, and God devised,

and God is the best of devisers.When God said, Jesus, I will take theeto Me and will raise thee to Me andI will purify thee of those who belie-


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ve not. I will set thy followers abovethe unbelievers till the ResurrectionDay. Then unto Me shall you return,and I will decide between you, as towhat you were at variance on. As forthe unbelievers, I will chastise them

with a terrible chastisement in thisworld and the next; they shall have nohelpers.

But as for the believers, who do deedsof righteousness, He will pay them infull their wages: and God loves not theevildoers.

This We recite to thee of signs andwise remembrance. Truly, the like-ness of Jesus, in Gods sight, is asAdams likeness; He created him ofdust, then said He unto him, Be, andhe was. The truth is of God; be not ofthe doubters. And whoso disputeswith thee concerning him, after theknowledge that has come to thee, say:Come now, let us call our sons and

your sons, our wives and your wives,our selves and your selves, then letus humbly pray and so lay Gods curseupon the ones who lie.

This is the true story. There is nogod but God, and assuredly God isthe All-mighty, the All-wise. And ifthey turn their backs, assuredly Godknows the workers of corruption.

Say: People of the Book! Come now toa word common between us and you,that we serve none but God, and thatwe associate not aught with Him, anddo not some of us take others as Lor-ds, apart from God. And if they turntheir backs, say: Bear witness that weare Muslims.

People of the Book! Why do youdispute concerning Abraham? TheTorah was not sent down, neither the

Gospel, but after him. What, have youno reason?

Ha, you are the ones who dispute onwhat you know; why then dispute youtouching a matter of which you knownot anything? God knows, and youknow not.

No; Abraham in truth was not a Jew,neither a Christian; but he was a Mus-lim and one pure of faith; certainly hewas never of the idolaters.

Surely the people standing closestto Abraham are those who followed

him, and this Prophet, and those whobelieve; and God is the Protector of thebelievers.

There is a party of the People of theBook yearn to make you go astray; yetnone they make to stray, except them-selves, but they are not aware.

People of the Book! Why do youdisbelieve in Gods signs, which youyourselves witness? People of theBook! Why do you confound the truthwith vanity, and conceal the truth andthat wittingly?

There is a party of the People of theBook say, Believe in what has beensent down upon those who believe at

the beginning of the day, and disbe-lieve at the end of it; haply they willthen return; and believe not any buthim who follows your religion.

Say: The true guidance is Gods gui-dance -- that anyone should be giventhe like of what you

have been given, or dispute with youbefore your Lord. Say: Surely bounty

is in the hand of God; He gives itunto whomsoever He will; and God isAll-embracing, All-knowing.


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He singles out for His mercy whomHe will; God is of bounty abounding.And of the People of the Book is hewho, if thou trust him with a hund-redweight, will restore it thee; and ofthem is he who, if thou trust him with

one pound, will not restore it thee,unless ever thou standest over him.

That, because they say, There is noway over us as to the common people.They speak falsehood against God andthat wittingly.

Nay, but whoso ulls his covenant

and fears God, God loves the godfea-ring. Those that sell Gods covenant,and their oaths, for a little price, thereshall be no share for them in theworld to come; God shall not speak tothem neither look on them on the Re-surrection Day, neither will He purifythem; and for them awaits a painfulchastisement.

And there is a sect of them twist theirtongues with the Book, that you maysuppose it part of the Book, yet it isnot part of the Book; and they say, Itis from God, yet it is not from God, andthey speak falsehood against God, andthat wittingly.

It belongs not to any mortal that Godshould give him the Book, the Ju-dgment, the Prophethood, then heshould say to men, Be you servantsto me apart from God. Rather, Be youmasters in that you know the Book,and in that you study. He would neverorder you to take the angels and theProphets as Lords; what, would Heorder you to disbelieve, after you havesurrendered?

And when God took compact with theProphets: That I have given you ofBook and Wisdom; then there shall

come to you a Messenger conrmingwhat is with you -- you shall believein him and you shall help him; do youagree? He said. And do you take Myload on you on that condition? Theysaid, We do agree. God said, Bear

witness so, and I shall be with youamong the witnesses. Then whoso-ever turns his back after that -- theyare the ungodly.

What, do they desire another religionthan Gods, and to Him has surrende-red whoso is in the heavens and theearth, willingly or unwillingly, and toHim they shall be returned?

Say: We believe in God, and thatwhich has been sent down on us, andsent down on Abraham and Ishmael,Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, andin that which was given to Moses andJesus, and the Prophets, of their Lord;we make no division between any ofthem, and to Him we surrender.

Whoso desires another religion than

Islam, it shall not be accepted of him;in the next world he shall be amongthe losers.

How shall God guide a people whohave disbelieved after they believed,and bore witness that the Messengeris true, and the clear signs came tothem? God guides not thepeople of the evildoers. Those -- the-ir recompense is that there shallrest on them the curse of God andof the angels and of men, altogether,therein dwelling forever; the chas-tisement shall not be lightened forthem; no respite shall be given them.But those who repent thereafter, andmake amends -- God is All-forgiving,

All-compassionate.Surely those who disbelieve after theyhave believed and then increase in


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unbelief -- their repentance shall notbe accepted; those are the ones whostray.

Surely those who disbelieve, and diedisbelieving, there shall not be accep-ted from any one of them the wholeearth full of gold, if he would ransomhimself thereby; for them awaits apainful chastisement, and they shallhave no helpers.

You will not attain piety until you ex-pend of what you love; and whateverthing you expend, God knows of it.

All food was lawful to the Children of

Israel save what Israel forbade forhimself before the Torah was sentdown. Say: Bring you the Torah now,and recite it, if you are truthful. Who-so forges falsehood against God afterthat, those are the evildoers.

Say: God has spoken the truth; the-refore follow the creed of Abraham, aman of pure faith and no idolater.

The rst House established or thepeople was that at Bekka, a place holy,and a guidance to all beings. The-rein are clear signs -- the station ofAbraham, and whosoever enters it isin security.

It is the duty of all men towards God tocome to the House a pilgrim, if he is

able to make his way there. As for theunbeliever, God is All-sucient norneeds any being.

Say: People of the Book, why do youdisbelieve in the signs of God? SurelyGod is witness of the things you do.

Say: People of the Book, why do youbar from Gods way the believer, de-siring to make it crooked, yourselvesbeing witnesses? God is not heedlessof the things you do.

O believers, if you obey a sect of thosewho have been given the Book, theywill turn you, after you have believed,into unbelievers.

How can you disbelieve, seeing youhave Gods signs recited to you, andHis Messenger among you? Whosoe-ver holds fast to God, he is guided to astraight path.

O believers, fear God as He should befeared, and see you do not die, save insurrender. And hold you fast to Godsbond, together, and do not scatter;remember Gods blessing upon youwhen you were enemies, and Hebrought your hearts together, so thatby His blessing you became brothers.

You were upon the brink of a pit ofFire, and He delivered you from it;even so God makes clear to you Hissigns; so haply you will be guided.

Let there be one nation of you, calling

to good, and bidding to honour, andforbidding dishonour; those are theprosperers. Be not as those who scat-tered and fell into variance after theclear signs came to them; those thereawaits a mighty chastisement, the daywhen some faces are blackened, andsome faces whitened.

As for those whose faces are blacke-

ned --Did you disbelieve after you hadbelieved? Then taste the chastise-ment for that you disbelieved! But asfor those whose faces are whitened,they shall be in Gods mercy, thereindwelling forever.

These are the signs of God We reciteto thee in truth, and God desires notany injustice to living beings.

To God belongs all that is in the hea-vens and in the earth, and unto Him


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all matters are returned.

You are the best nation ever broughtforth to men, bidding to honour, andforbidding dishonour, and believingin God. Had the People of the Bookbelieved, it were better for them; someof them are believers, but the most ofthem are ungodly.

They will not harm you, except a littlehurt; and i they ght with you, theywill turn on you their backs; then theywill not be helped.

Abasement shall be pitched on them,wherever they are come upon, except

they be in a bond of God, and a bond ofthe people; they will be laden with theburden of Gods anger, and povertyshall be pitched on them; that, beca-use they disbelieved in Gods signs,and slew the Prophets without right;that, for that they acted rebelliouslyand were transgressors.

Yet they are not all alike; some of

the People of the Book are a nationupstanding, that recite Gods signsin the watches of the night, bowingthemselves,

believing in God and in the Last Day,bidding to honour and forbiddingdishonour, vying one with the other ingood works; those are of the righteo-

us.And whatsoever good you do, youshall not be denied the just reward ofit; and God knows the godfearing.

As for the unbelievers, their richesshall not avail them, neither theirchildren, against God; those are theinhabitants of the Fire, therein dwel-ling forever.

The likeness of that they expend inthis present life is as the likeness ofa freezing blast that smites the tillage

of a people who wronged themselves,and it destroyed that; God wrongedthem not, but themselves they wron-ged.

O believers, take not for your inti-mates outside yourselves such menspare nothing to ruin you; they yearnor you to sufer. Hatred has alreadyshown itself of their mouths, and whattheir breasts conceal is yet greater.Now We have made clear to you thesigns, if you understand.

Ha, there you are; you love them, and

they love you not; you believe in theBook, all of it, and when they meetyou they say, We believe, but whenthey go privily, they bite at you theirngers, enraged. Say: Die in yourrage; God knows the thoughts in thebreasts.

If you are visited by good fortune, itvexes them; but if you are smitten by

evil, they rejoice at it. Yet if you arepatient and godfearing, their guile willhurt you nothing; God encompassesthe things they do.

When thou wentest forth at dawnfrom thy people to lodge the believersin their pitches for the battle -- God isAll-hearing, All-knowing -- when twoparties of you were about to lose heart,though God was their Protector -- andin God let the believers put all theirtrust -- and God most surely helpedyou at Badr, when you were utterlyabject. So fear God, and haply you willbe thankful.

When thou saidst to the believers, Isit not enough for you that your Lord

should reinforce you with three thou-sand angels sent down upon you?Yea; if you are patient and godfearing,and the foe come against you instant-


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ly, your Lord will reinforce you withve thousand swooping angels. Godwrought this not, save as good tidingto you, and that your hearts might beat rest; help comes only from God theAll-mighty, the All-wise; and that He

might cut of a part o the unbelieversor frustrate them, so that they turnedin their tracks, disappointed.

No part of the matter is thine, whet-her He turns towards them again, orchastises them; for they are evildoers.

To God belongs all that is in the hea-vens and earth; He forgives whom Hewill, and chastises whom He will; Godis All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

O believers, devour not usury, doub-led and redoubled, and fear you God;haply so you will prosper.

And fear the Fire prepared for theunbelievers, and obey God and theMessenger; haply so you will nd

mercy.And vie with one another, hasteningto forgiveness from your Lord, andto a garden whose breadth is as theheavens and earth, prepared for thegodfearing who expend in pros-perity and adversity in almsgiving,and restrain their rage, and pardonthe ofences o their ellowmen; and

God loves the good-doers; who, whenthey commit an indecency or wrongthemselves, remember God, and prayforgiveness for their sins -- and whoshall forgive sins but God? -- and donot persevere in the things they didand that wittingly.

Those -- their recompense is forgi-

veness from their Lord, and gardensbeneath which rivers ow, thereindwelling forever; and how excellent is

the wage of those who labour!

Divers institutions have passed awaybefore you; journey in the land, andbehold how was the end of those thatcried lies.

This is an exposition for mankind,and a guidance, and an admonitionfor such as are godfearing. Faint not,neither sorrow; you shall be the upperones if you are believers.

If a wound touches you, a like woundalready has touched the heathen;such days We deal out in turn amongmen, and that God may know who are

the believers, and that He may takewitnesses from among you; and Godloves not the evildoers;

and that God may prove the believers,and blot out the unbelievers. Or didyou suppose you should enter Paradi-se without God know who of you havestruggled and who are patient?

You were longing for death before youmet it; now you have seen it, while youwere beholding.

Muhammad is naught but a Messen-ger; Messengers have passed awaybefore him. Why, if he should die oris slain, will you turn about on yourheels? If any man should turn abouton his heels, he will not harm God in

any way; and God will recompense thethankful.

It is not given to any soul to die, saveby the leave of God, at an appointedtime. Whoso desires the reward ofthis world, We will give him of this;and whoso desires the reward of theother world, We will give him of that;and We will recompense the thankful.

Many a Prophet there has been, withwhom thousands manifold have


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fought, and they fainted not for whatsmote them in Gods way, neither we-akened, nor did they humble themsel-ves; and God loves the patient.

Nothing else they said but, Lord, forgi-ve us our sins, and that we exceededin our afair, and make rm our eet,and help us against the people of theunbelievers. And God gave them thereward of this world and the fairestreward of the world to come; and Godloves the gooddoers.

O believers, if you obey the unbelie-vers they will turn you upon yourheels, and you will turn about, losers.

No; but God is your Protector, and Heis the best of helpers. We will cast intothe hearts of the unbelievers terror,for that they have associated with Godthat for which He sent down neverauthority; their lodging shall be theFire; evil is the lodging of the evildo-ers.

God has been true in His promisetowards you when you blasted themby His leave; until you lost heart, andquarrelled about the matter, and wererebellious, after He had shown youthat you longed for.

Some of you there are that desire thisworld, and some of you there are de-

sire the next world. Then He turnedyou from them, that He might try you;and He has pardoned you; and God isbounteous to the believers.

When you were going up, not twistingabout for anyone, and the Messengerwas calling you in your rear; so Herewarded you with grief on grief thatyou might not sorrow for what esca-

ped you neither for what smote you;and God is aware of the things you do.

Then He sent down upon you, after

grief, security -- a slumber overco-ming a party of you; and a party them-selves had grieved, thinking of Godthoughts that were not true such asthe pagans thought, saying, Have weany part whatever in the afair?

Say: The afair belongs to God enti-rely. They were concealing in theirhearts that they show not to thee,saying, Ah, if we had had a part in theafair, never would we have been sla-in here. Say: Even if you had been inyour houses, those for whom slayingwas appointed would have salliedforth unto their last couches; and

that God might try what was in yourbreasts, and that He might prove whatwas in your hearts; and God knowsthe thoughts in the breasts.

Those of you who turned away the daythe two hosts encountered -- Satanmade them slip for somewhat theyhad earned; but God has pardonedthem; God is All-forgiving, All-clement.

O believers, be not as the unbelie-vers who say to their brothers, whenthey journey in the land, or are uponexpeditions, If they had been withus, they would not have died and notbeen slain -- that God may make thatan anguish in their hearts. For Godgives life, and He makes to die; and

God sees the things you do.If you are slain or die in Gods way,forgiveness and mercy from God area better thing than that you amass;surely if you die or are slain, it is untoGod you shall be mustered.

It was by some mercy of God that thouwast gentle to them; hadst thou beenharsh and hard of heart, they wouldhave scattered from

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