3. THE FAMILY OF ‘IMRAN

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

¹ Alif Lam Mim

² God! There is no deity save Him, the Living, the Sustainer. ³ He has sent down the Book to you with truth, which fulfils [the predictions] in the Scriptures that preceded it: He sent down the Torah and the Gospel ⁴ in the past as guidance for mankind; He has [also] sent down the Standard by which to discern the true from the false. Surely those who deny God’s signs will suffer severe punishment. God is mighty and capable of retribution. ⁵ Nothing on earth or in the heavens is hidden from God: ⁶ it is He who shapes you in the womb as He will. There is no deity save Him, the Mighty, the Wise One.

⁷ It is He who has sent down the Book to you. Some of its verses are clear and precise in meaning—they are the basis of the Book—while others are allegorical. Those with deviation in their hearts pursue the allegorical, so as to create dissension by seeking to explain it: but no one knows its meaning except God. Those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say, ‘We believe in it: it is all from our Lord.’ But only the wise take heed. ⁸ ‘Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us. Bestow upon us Your mercy. Surely You are a Munificent Giver. ⁹ Our Lord, You will surely gather all mankind on the Day of whose coming there is no doubt.

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God never fails to fulfill His promise.’

¹⁰ As for those who deny the truth, their wealth and children will not help them against God. They will be fuel for the Fire. ¹¹ Their end will be like Pharaoh’s people and those before them; they denied Our signs, so God seized them in their sinfulness: God is stern in punishment. ¹² Say to those who deny the truth, ‘You shall be overcome and driven into Hell—an evil resting place!’ ¹³ There was a sign for you in the two groups which met face to face [at Badr], one party fighting for the cause of God and the other made up of those who deny the truth. The faithful saw with their own eyes that the others were twice their number: but God strengthens with His succour whom He wills. In this, there is indeed a lesson for all who have eyes to see.

¹⁴ The satisfaction of worldly desires through women, and children, and heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, and pedigreed horses, and cattle and lands is attractive to people. All this is the provision of the worldly life; but the most excellent abode is with God. ¹⁵ Say, ‘Shall I tell you of something better than all of these? For the God-fearing, there are Gardens in nearness to their God with rivers flowing through them where they shall live forever with pure spouses and the goodwill of God. God is watching His servants —¹⁶ those who say, “Lord, we believe in You, forgive us our sins and keep us from the punishment of the Fire,” ¹⁷ those who are steadfast, truthful, obedient, and those who spend [for God’s cause] and who pray before dawn for forgiveness.’

¹⁸ God bears witness that there is no deity save Him, as do the angels and those who possess knowledge. He is the upholder of justice. There is no diety save Him, the Mighty, the Wise One. ¹⁹ The only true religion in God’s sight is complete submission to God. And those who were given the Book disagreed only out of rivalry, after knowledge had been given to them—he who denies God’s signs should know that God is swift in His reckoning. ²⁰ If they dispute with you, say, ‘I have submitted my whole being to God and so have those who follow me.’ And ask those who have been given the Book, as well as the unlettered, ‘Do you submit yourselves to God in the same way?’ If they submit themselves to Him, they are on the right path; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the message. God is observant of all His servants. ²¹ Those who deny God’s signs and kill the prophets unjustly and kill those who enjoin justice—give them warning of a woeful punishment— ²² their deeds will come to nothing in this world as well as in the hereafter; they will have no supporters.

²³ Have you not seen those who received a portion of the Book? When they are invited to accept the judgement of God’s Book, a group of them turns away in aversion. ²⁴ That is because they say, ‘The Fire will touch us only for a limited number of days.’ Thus the false beliefs which they have invented have deluded them in the matter of their religion. ²⁵ How will it be when We gather them all together upon a Day which is sure to come, when every human being shall be repaid in full for what he has done? They will not be wronged. ²⁶ Say, ‘Lord, sovereign of all sovereignty. You bestow sovereignty on whom you will and take it away from whom You please; You exalt whoever You will and abase whoever You will. All that is good lies in Your hands. You have the power to will anything. ²⁷ You cause the night to pass into the day, and the day into the night; You bring forth the living from the lifeless and the lifeless from the living. You give without measure to whom You will.’

²⁸ Let not the believers take those who deny the truth for their allies in preference to the believers—anyone who does that will isolate himself completely from God—unless it be to protect

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yourselves against them in this way.^a God admonishes you to fear Him: for, to God shall all return. ²⁹ Say, ‘God knows everything that is in your heart, whether you conceal it or reveal it; He knows everything that the heavens and earth contain; God has power over all things.’ ³⁰ On the Day when every human being will find himself faced with all the good that he has done, and with all the evil that he has done, many will wish that there were a long space of time between himself and that [Day]. God admonishes you to fear Him, but God is compassionate towards His servants. ³¹ Say, ‘If you love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive you your sins. God is most forgiving, and most merciful.’ ³² Say, ‘Obey God and the Messenger,’ and if they turn away, God does not love those who deny the truth.

³³ God chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran above all His creatures. ³⁴ They are the offspring of one another. God hears all and knows all. ³⁵ Remember when the wife of ‘Imran said, ‘My Lord, I have dedicated what is in my womb entirely to Your service. So accept this from me. You are the One who hears and knows all.’ ³⁶ When she gave birth, she said, ‘My Lord, I have given birth to a girl’—God knew very well what she had given birth to: a male is not like a female—‘I have named her Mary and placed her and her children in Your protection from the rejected Satan.’ ³⁷ Her Lord graciously accepted her and made her grow in goodness and entrusted her to the care of Zachariah. Every time Zachariah visited her in her chamber he found some provision with her. He asked, ‘Mary, where did this provision come from?’ She replied,

^a A believer treats all human beings with justice and fairness, without differentiating between Muslims and non-Muslims. But friendship with non-Muslims who are at war with Islam is not lawful.

‘This is from God. God provides for whoever He wills without measure.’ ³⁸ Thereupon Zachariah prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘Lord, grant me by Your own grace virtuous offspring. You are the hearer of all prayers.’ ³⁹ As he stood praying in the chamber, the angels called out to him, saying, ‘God gives you the good news of John, who shall confirm the Word from God, and [shall be] outstanding among men, and utterly chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous.’ ⁴⁰ ‘Lord,’ said Zachariah, ‘how shall I have a son when I am now overtaken by old age and my wife is barren?’ ‘Such is the will of God,’ replied [the angel], ‘He does what He pleases.’ ⁴¹ He said, ‘My Lord, grant me a sign.’ [The angel] said, ‘Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three days except by signs. Remember your Lord much and glorify Him morning and evening.’ ⁴² The angels said, ‘Mary, God has selected you and purified you. He has selected you over [all] the women of your time. ⁴³ O Mary! Remain truly devout to your Sustainer, and prostrate yourself in worship, and bow down with those who bow down [before Him].’ ⁴⁴ This is an account of the unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they drew lots as to which of them should be Mary’s guardian and you were not with them when they disputed with one another.

⁴⁵ When the angels said, ‘O Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honoured in this world and in the next and one of those who are granted nearness to God. ⁴⁶ And he shall speak to men in his cradle, and as a grown man, and shall be one of the righteous.’ ⁴⁷ ‘Lord,’ she said, ‘how can I have a child when no man has touched me?’ [The angel] replied, ‘Thus it is: God creates what He wills: when He wills a thing He need only say, “Be,” and it is. ⁴⁸ God will instruct him in the Book and in wisdom and in the

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Torah and in the Gospel. ⁴⁹ He will make him a messenger to the Children of Israel. He will say: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will make the shape of a bird out of clay for you and then breathe into it and, by God’s leave, it will become a living bird. And by God’s leave I will heal the blind and the leper and bring the dead to life. I will tell you what you may eat and what to store up in your homes. Surely in this there is a sign for you, if you are believers. ⁵⁰ I come to fulfill [the prediction] of the Torah which preceded me and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you and I come to you with a sign from your Lord. So fear God and obey me. ⁵¹ God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.”’

⁵² When Jesus perceived their denial, he said, ‘Who will be my helpers in God’s cause?’ The disciples said, ‘We are God’s helpers, we believe in God. Bear witness that we have surrendered ourselves. ⁵³ Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down and we follow the messenger, so count us among those who bear witness.’ ⁵⁴ And they schemed but God also schemed and God is the Best of Schemers. ⁵⁵ God said, ‘O Jesus, I shall cause you to die and will raise you up to Me and shall clear you [of the calumnies] of the disbelievers, and shall place those who follow you above those who deny the truth, until the Day of Judgement; then to Me shall all return and I will judge between you regarding your disputes. ⁵⁶ Those who deny the truth shall be sternly punished in this world and in the world to come: there shall be none to help them.’ ⁵⁷ As for those who have believed and do good works, they shall be given their reward in full. God does not love evildoers. ⁵⁸ This which We recite to you is a revelation and a wise reminder.

⁵⁹ Jesus in the sight of God is like Adam. He created him from dust; then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was. ⁶⁰ This is the truth from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. ⁶¹ And if anyone should argue with you about this [truth] after the knowledge you have received, say to them, ‘Come! Let us gather our sons and your sons, our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves; and then let us pray earnestly and invoke the curse of God upon the liars. ⁶² This is the true account. There is no deity save Him. God is Mighty and Wise.’ ⁶³ And if they turn away, God knows well the evil-doers.

⁶⁴ Say, ‘People of the Book, let us come to a word common to us that we shall worship none but God and that we shall associate no partner with Him and that none of us shall take others, besides God, for lords.’ And if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God.’ ⁶⁵ People of the Book, why do you dispute about Abraham when the Torah and Gospel were only sent down after him. Do you not use your reason? ⁶⁶ You are those who disputed about things of which you had some knowledge. Must you now argue about things of which you have no knowledge? God knows, but you do not know. ⁶⁷ Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was an upright man, one who had surrendered himself to God. He was not one of those who associate partners with God. ⁶⁸ Surely, the people who are closest to Abraham are those who followed him and this Prophet [Muhammad], and those who believe in him. God is the guardian of the believers. ⁶⁹ Some of the People of the Book wish to lead you astray but they only lead themselves astray, though they do not realise it. ⁷⁰ People of the Book! Why do you deny God’s signs, having been witnesses thereof ? ⁷¹ People of the Book! Why do you mix truth with falsehood and knowingly conceal the truth?

⁷² Some of the People of the Book say to one another, ‘Believe in what is revealed to the faithful in the morning and deny it in the evening, so that they [the

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Muslims] may themselves abandon their faith [in confusion]. ⁷³ Believe only in those who follow your own religion.’ Say to them, ‘Surely, the true guidance is the guidance from God.’ [But you think it is impossible that] someone else may be granted [revelation] such as you were granted—or else that they should contend against you before your Lord. Say, ‘All grace is in the hands of God; He grants it to whom He wills: for God is boundless, and all knowing, ⁷⁴ He singles out for His mercy whoever He pleases. God is the Lord of exceeding bounty.’ ⁷⁵ Among the people of the Book there are some who, if you entrust them with a heap of gold, will return it to you. But there are others of them who, if you entrust them with a single dinar, will not return it to you, unless you keep demanding it from them. That is because they say, ‘We are under no obligation towards the gentiles.’ They deliberately tell lies about God. ⁷⁶ Indeed God loves those who honour their covenants and fear Him. God loves the righteous.

⁷⁷ Those who sell out God’s covenant and their oaths for a paltry price will have no share in the life to come on the Day of Resurrection. God will neither speak to them nor cast a look upon them on the Day of Judgement, nor will He purify them. For them there shall be a grievous punishment. ⁷⁸ There are some among them who distort the Book by the way they speak to make you think that what they say is from the Book, whereas it is not. They say it is from God whereas it is not. Thus they tell a lie about God and they know it. ⁷⁹ No one to whom God has given the Scriptures and on whom He has bestowed wisdom and prophethood would say to men, ‘Worship me instead of God.’ [He would say rather], ‘Be devoted servants of God, for you have taught and studied the Scriptures.’ ⁸⁰ Nor would he enjoin you to take the angels and the prophets as your lords; how could he command you to be disbelievers after you have submitted to God.

⁸¹ When God made a covenant with the prophets, He said, ‘Here is the Book and the wisdom which I have given you. When there comes to you a messenger fulfilling that [predictions about him in their Scripture] which is with you, you must believe in him and help him. Do you then affirm this and accept the responsibility I have laid upon you in these terms?’ They said, ‘We will affirm it.’ God said, ‘Then bear witness, and I will bear witness with you.’ ⁸² Now whoever turns away after this, are surely transgressors. ⁸³ Do they seek a religion other than the religion of God, when everything in the heavens and the earth has submitted to Him, willingly or unwillingly? To Him they shall all return. ⁸⁴ Say, ‘We believe in God and in what has been sent down to us and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes. We believe in what has been given to Moses, Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them. It is to Him that we have surrendered ourselves.’ ⁸⁵ If anyone seeks a religion other than Islam [submission to God], it will not be accepted from him; he will be among the losers in the Hereafter. ⁸⁶ How would God bestow His guidance upon people who have opted for unbelief after having embraced the faith and having borne witness that this Messenger is true and [after] all evidence of the truth has come to them? For, God does not guide such wrongdoers: ⁸⁷ such people will be rewarded with rejection by God, by the angels, by all mankind. ⁸⁸ In this state they shall abide forever; their punishment shall not be lightened nor shall they be granted respite. ⁸⁹ Except for those who afterwards repent and reform. God is forgiving and merciful; ⁹⁰ but as for those who are bent on denying the truth after accepting the true faith and grow in their refusal to acknowledge the truth, their repentance will not be accepted. They are the ones who have gone far astray. ⁹¹ Those who reject faith and die in the state of rejection will not be saved, even if they offer as ransom enough gold to fill the entire earth. Painful punishment is in store for them and they will have no supporters.

⁹² Never will you attain to righteousness unless you spend for the cause of God out of what you cherish; and whatever you spend is known to God. ⁹³ All food was lawful for the Children of Israel, except whatever Israel had made unlawful for himself before the Torah was sent down. Say to them, ‘Bring the Torah then and read it, if you are truthful. ⁹⁴ Those who, after this, persist in making up lies and attributing them to God are transgressors.’ ⁹⁵ Say, ‘God speaks the Truth, so follow the faith of Abraham. He was an upright man and he was not one of the polytheists.’ ⁹⁶ The first House to be built for mankind was the one at Bakkah [Makkah].

It is a blessed place; a source of guidance for the whole world. ⁹⁷ There are clear signs in it; it is the place where Abraham stood. Anyone who enters it will be secure. Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for anyone who is able to undertake it. Anyone who disbelieves should remember that God is independent of all creatures. ⁹⁸ Say, ‘People of the Book, why do you reject God’s revelations when God is witness to all that you do?’ ⁹⁹ Say, ‘People of the Book, why do you turn the believers away from the path of God, seeking to make it crooked, while you are witnesses thereof? God is not unaware of what you do.’

¹⁰⁰ O believers, if you yield to some of those who were given the Scripture, they will cause you to renounce the truth after you have believed. ¹⁰¹ But how can you deny the truth when God’s revelations are being conveyed to you and His own Messenger is in your midst? He who holds fast to God is indeed guided to the straight path. ¹⁰² Believers, fear God as is His due, and when death comes, be in a state of complete submission to Him. ¹⁰³ Hold fast to the cord of God and let nothing divide you. Remember the blessings He has bestowed upon you; you were enemies and then He united your hearts and by His grace you became brothers; you were on the brink of an abyss of Fire and He rescued you from it. Thus God makes His signs clear to you, so that you may find guidance.

¹⁰⁴ Let there be a group among you who call others to good, and enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong: those who do this shall be successful. ¹⁰⁵ Do not be like those who, after they had been given clear evidence, split into factions and differed among themselves: a terrible punishment awaits such people. ¹⁰⁶ On the Day when some faces are bright and some faces are dark, it will be said to those with darkened faces, ‘Did you reject faith after accepting it? Taste, then, this punishment for having denied the truth!’ ¹⁰⁷ But as for those with shining faces, they shall abide forever in God’s grace. ¹⁰⁸ These are God’s revelations; We recite them to you in all truth. God desires no injustice to mankind. ¹⁰⁹ His is all that the heavens and the earth contain. To God shall all things return.

¹¹⁰ You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind. You enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil, and you believe in God. If the People of the Book had also believed, it would have surely been better for them. Some of them are true believers, but most of them are disobedient. ¹¹¹ They can do you very little harm; if they come out to fight you, they will show you their backs; then they shall not be helped— ¹¹² abasement shall attend them wherever they are found, unless they make a covenant with God or with man. They have incurred God’s wrath and have been utterly humbled, because they have persistently disbelieved in God’s signs and killed prophets unjustly. This resulted from their disobedience and their habit of transgression.

¹¹³ Yet they are not all alike. Of the People of the Book there are some who stand by their covenant; they recite the word of God during the night and prostrate themselves before Him, ¹¹⁴ who believe in God and the Last Day, who enjoin justice and forbid evil and vie with each other in good works. These are righteous men ¹¹⁵ and they will not be denied [the reward] for whatever good deeds they do: God knows the righteous. ¹¹⁶ As for those who deny the truth, neither their possessions nor their children shall avail them in the least against God. They will be inmates of the Fire. They will remain there for ever; ¹¹⁷ that which they spend in pursuit of the life of this world is like a biting frosty blast which smites the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves, and destroys it. God is not unjust to them; they are unjust to their own souls.

¹¹⁸ Believers, do not take outsiders as your intimate friends, they will spare no effort to harm you. They love to see you suffer; their hatred is evident from the words which fall from their mouths. But what their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made Our signs clear to you; will you not understand? ¹¹⁹ It is you who love them, but they do not love you; you believe in all the revealed Books. When they meet you, they say, ‘We believe,’ but when they are alone, they bite their fingertips with rage. Say, ‘Die of rage!’ God is aware of what your hearts contain. ¹²⁰ Whenever something good happens to you, it grieves them; but when evil befalls you, they rejoice. If you persevere and fear God, their designs will never harm you in the least: God encompasses all that they do.

¹²¹ When you set out at dawn from your home to assign battle positions to the believers—God hears all and knows all. ¹²² When two groups from among you were about to lose heart, God was their protector. In God let the faithful put their trust. ¹²³ God had already helped you at Badr, when you were weak. Fear God, so that you may be grateful. ¹²⁴ [And remember] when you said to the believers, ‘Does it not suffice that your Lord helps you by sending down three thousand angels? ¹²⁵ If you remain patient and God-fearing, and the enemy should fall upon you all of a sudden, Your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels clearly marked!’ ¹²⁶ and God ordained this only as good news for you so that your hearts might be comforted—help comes only from God, the Powerful, the Wise One—¹²⁷ and so that He might cut off a portion of those who are bent on denying the truth or abase them so that they might be turned back frustrated. ¹²⁸ You have no say in this affair to decide whether He will relent towards them or He will punish them: they are wrongdoers. ¹²⁹ Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth belong to God. He forgives whoever He pleases and punishes whoever He pleases. God is most forgiving and ever merciful.

¹³⁰ Believers, do not devour usury multiplied many times over. Fear God, so that you may prosper—¹³¹ guard yourself against the Fire prepared for those who deny the truth— ¹³² and obey God and the Messenger, so that you may be given mercy. ¹³³ And vie with one another for your Lord’s forgiveness and for a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for the God-fearing, ¹³⁴ for those who spend, both in prosperity and adversity, who restrain their anger and are forgiving towards their fellow men—God loves those who do good works. ¹³⁵ And who, when they have committed an indecency or have wronged their souls, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven— for who but God can forgive sins?—and do not knowingly persist in their misdeeds, ¹³⁶ their recompense is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing through them, where they will abide forever. How excellent will be the reward of those who do good works. ¹³⁷ There are many examples [of the communities] that have passed away before you: travel through the land, and see what was the end of those who rejected the Truth. ¹³⁸ This Quran is an exposition for the people and a guidance and admonition for those who fear God.

¹³⁹ And do not become faint of heart, nor grieve—you will have the upper hand, if you are believers—¹⁴⁰ if you have suffered a wound, they too have suffered a similar wound. We bring these days to men by turns, so that God may know those who believe, and choose witnesses from among you; and God does not love the unjust, ¹⁴¹ so that God may purge those who believe and wipe out those who deny the truth. ¹⁴² Do you suppose that you would enter the Garden, without God knowing those among you who would strive hard for His cause and endure with fortitude? ¹⁴³ You were longing for death, before you met it. Now you have seen it with your own eyes.

¹⁴⁴ Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm the Lord in the least. God will reward the grateful. ¹⁴⁵ No soul shall die except with God’s permission and at an appointed time. And if one desires the rewards of this world, We shall grant it to him; and if one desires the rewards of the life to come, We shall grant it to him. We will reward the grateful. ¹⁴⁶ How many a prophet has fought with many devout men alongside him! They did not lose heart, despite all that they had to suffer in God’s path. They neither weakened nor yielded. God loves the patient! ¹⁴⁷ All they said was, ‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses. Make our feet firm, and help us against those who deny the truth,’ ¹⁴⁸ and so God gave them both the rewards of this life and the excellent recompense of the life to come: God loves those who do good.

¹⁴⁹ Believers, if you yield to those who deny the truth, they will cause you to turn back on your heels and you will turn into losers. ¹⁵⁰ No, indeed! it is God who is your protector: He is the best supporter. ¹⁵¹ We will strike awe into the hearts of those who deny the truth, because they have associated partners with God, for which He has sent down no authority. Their abode shall be the Fire, and evil indeed is the abode of the wrongdoers. ¹⁵² And God made good His promise to you when by His leave you were about to destroy your foes, but then your courage failed you and you disagreed among yourselves [concerning the Prophet’s direction] and disobeyed it, after He had brought you within sight of what you wished for—some of you desired the goods of this world and some of you desired the Hereafter—then in order that He might put you to the test, He prevented you from defeating your foes. But now He has pardoned you: God is most gracious to the believers. ¹⁵³ When you were running away and did not look back at anyone, while the Messenger was calling to you from behind, He paid you back with one sorrow after another, so that you might not grieve for what you lost, nor for what befell you. God is aware of what you do.

¹⁵⁴ Then, after sorrow He sent down peace [of mind] upon you in the shape of drowsiness that overcame some of you, but there were others who were anxious only about themselves. They entertained false notions about God, like the notions of the days of ignorance. ‘Have we any say in the matter?’ they asked. Say to them, ‘All is in the hands of God.’They conceal in their hearts what they would not reveal to you. They say, ‘Had we had any say in the matter, none of us would have been killed here.’ Say to them, ‘Had you stayed in your homes, those whose death had been decreed would nevertheless have gone forth to the places where they were destined to die.’ And all this befell you so that God might test what is in your minds. And in order to purify what was in your hearts. For God is aware of your innermost thoughts. ¹⁵⁵ Those of you who turned away on the day the two hosts met [in battle] were made to slip by Satan on account of some of their deeds. But God has pardoned them: God is forgiving and forbearing.

¹⁵⁶ Believers, do not be like those who are bent on denying the truth and who say of their brothers, when they travel about the land or go forth to war, ‘Had they but remained with us, they would not have died, or been slain’—for God will cause such thoughts to become a source of bitter regret in their hearts, since it is God who gives life and causes death. And God sees all that you do. ¹⁵⁷ If you are killed or die in God’s cause, then surely forgiveness from God and His grace are better than all that one could amass. ¹⁵⁸ For, indeed, if you die or are killed, it is to God that you shall be gathered. ¹⁵⁹ It is by God’s grace that you were gentle with them—for if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have deserted you—so bear with them and pray for forgiveness for them. Take counsel with them in the conduct of affairs; then, when you have decided upon a course of action, place your trust in God: for God loves those who place their trust in Him. ¹⁶⁰ If God helps you, none can overcome you, but if He withdraws His help from you, who is there who can help you besides Him? In God, then, let the believers place their trust!

¹⁶¹ It is not for any Prophet to hold back anything; he who hides anything away shall bring it forth on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged. ¹⁶² Can one who seeks the pleasure of God, be like one who incurs the wrath of God and whose abode shall be Hell—an evil destination? ¹⁶³ All have a different standing in the eyes of God, and God is observant of all their actions. ¹⁶⁴ Indeed, God has conferred a great favour on the believers in sending a Messenger from among themselves, to recite His revelations to them, and purify them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, for, before that they were surely in manifest error.

¹⁶⁵ What! When a misfortune befalls you, after you had yourself inflicted twice as heavy losses, you say, ‘How has this come about?’ Say, ‘It was your own fault.’ Truly, God has the power to will anything: ¹⁶⁶ the misfortune which befell you on the day when the two armies met happened by God’s leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers ¹⁶⁷ and know those who acted hypocritically.’ When they were told, ‘Come, fight in God’s cause and defend yourselves,’ they replied, ‘If we knew that fighting would take place, we would surely follow you.’ They were that day nearer to unbelief than to belief. The words they utter bear no relation to what is in their hearts. God knows well what they conceal. ¹⁶⁸ Those who stayed behind, said of their brothers, ‘Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed.’ Say to them, ‘Ward off death from yourselves, then, if what you say be true!’

¹⁶⁹ Do not think of those who have been killed in God’s cause as dead. They are alive, and well provided for by their Lord; ¹⁷⁰ they are joyful because of what God has bestowed on them of His grace and they rejoice that those they left behind, who have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve; ¹⁷¹ rejoicing in God’s grace and bounty. [They know that] God will not fail to requite the believers. ¹⁷² Those who responded to the call of God and the Messenger, despite their having received an injury, and such of them as did good deeds and feared God, shall have a great reward. ¹⁷³ Those who, on being told that, ‘the enemy has gathered against you a great force, so fear them,’ only grew stronger in their faith and replied, ‘God is sufficient for us. He is the best guardian.’ ¹⁷⁴ They returned home with God’s favour and blessings, without having been touched by evil; for they pursued God’s pleasure. And God’s bounty is infinite. ¹⁷⁵ It is Satan who instills fear [into you] of his followers; do not fear them. But fear Me, if you are true believers.

¹⁷⁶ And let not those grieve you who vie with one another in denying the truth: they cannot harm God in the least; it is God’s will that they will have no share in the life to come—a severe punishment awaits them. ¹⁷⁷ Those who have bought a denial of truth at the price of faith can in no way harm God; painful punishment awaits them. ¹⁷⁸ Let not those who deny the truth think that Our granting them respite is good for them: Our granting them respite will only cause them to increase in disobedience—shameful punishment awaits them. ¹⁷⁹ On no account will God leave the believers in the condition in which they are now, until He separates the evil from the good. Nor will God reveal to you the unseen. But God chooses those of his messengers whom He will. Therefore, believe in God and His messengers, for if you have faith and guard yourselves against evil, you shall have a great reward.

¹⁸⁰ Let not those who are niggardly with what God has granted them out of His bounty think that it is good for them. Indeed, it is evil for them. What they are niggardly about shall be hung about their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. It is God who will inherit the heavens and the earth: God is aware of all that you do. ¹⁸¹ God has indeed heard the words of those who said, ‘Behold, God is poor while we are rich!’We shall record what they have said—and their slaying of the prophets unjustly—and We shall say, ‘Taste the torment of burning. ¹⁸² In return for what your own hands have wrought—for never does God do the least wrong to His creatures!’ ¹⁸³ To those who say, ‘God has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings down to us an offering to be consumed by fire,’ say, ‘Messengers before me have come to you with clear signs, including the one you demand. Why did you kill them, if you are telling the truth?’ ¹⁸⁴ If they deny you, so have other messengers been denied before you, who came with clear signs, scriptures and enlightening book. ¹⁸⁵ Every human being is bound to taste death: and you shall receive your rewards in full on the Day of Resurrection. He who is kept away from the Fire and is admitted to Paradise, will surely triumph; for the life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment.

¹⁸⁶ You will surely be tried and tested in your possessions and your persons, and you shall surely hear many hurtful things from those who were given the Book before you and from those who set up partners with God, but if you endure with fortitude and restrain yourselves, that indeed is a matter of strong determination. ¹⁸⁷ God made a covenant with those who were given the Book to make it known to people and not conceal it. But they cast it behind their backs and bartered it for a paltry price: what an evil bargain they made! ¹⁸⁸ Those who exult in their misdeeds and love to be praised for what they have not done should not suppose that they are secure from punishment; they shall suffer a grievous punishment. ¹⁸⁹ The kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs to God; God has power over all things.

¹⁹⁰ There are signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day for people of understanding; ¹⁹¹ who remember God while standing, sitting and [lying] on their sides, and who ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying, ‘Lord, You have not created all this without purpose. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the Fire. ¹⁹² Lord, those whom You condemn to enter the Fire You have surely brought to disgrace. Wrongdoers will have no supporters. ¹⁹³ Lord, we have heard a caller calling to the true faith saying, “Believe in your Lord,” and we believed. Lord, forgive us our sins and remove from us our bad deeds and make us die with the virtuous. ¹⁹⁴ Our Lord! Grant us what You have promised to us through Your messengers, and do not humiliate us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely, You never fail to fulfill Your promise.’

¹⁹⁵ Their Lord accepted their prayer, saying, ‘I will deny no man or woman among you the reward of their labours. You are members one of another. I will certainly forgive the sins of those who emigrated and were expelled from their homes, who suffered persecution in My cause, who fought and were killed. I will certainly admit them to Gardens through which rivers flow, as a reward from God: with God is the best reward.’ ¹⁹⁶ Do not be deceived by the actions of those who deny the truth in the land: ¹⁹⁷ this is only a brief enjoyment, after which Hell shall be their abode—what an evil resting place! ¹⁹⁸ Those who fear their Lord shall have gardens through which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever: and a goodly welcome from their Lord. God’s recompense is best for the virtuous. ¹⁹⁹ Some of the People of the Book believe in God, and in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed to them. They humble themselves before God and do not sell God’s revelations for a trifling price. These shall be rewarded by their Lord: God is swift in reckoning! ²⁰⁰ Believers, endure, vie with each other in endurance, stand firm in your faith and fear God, so that you may succeed.