The Koran


CHAPTER XXXIII.
ENTITLED, THE CONFEDERATES; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

O PROPHET, fear God, and obey not the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily God is knowing and wise. But follow that which is revealed unto thee from thy Lord; for God is well acquainted with that which ye do: and put thy trust in God; for God is a sufficient protector. God hath not given a man two hearts within him; neither hath he made your wives (some of whom ye divorce, regarding them thereafter as your mothers) your true mothers; nor hath he made your adopted sons your true sons. This is your saying in your mouths; but God speaketh the truth; and he directeth the right way. Call such as are adopted, the sons of their natural fathers: this will be more just in the sight of God. And if ye know not their fathers, let them be as your brethren in religion, and your companions: and it shall be no crime in you, that ye err in this manner; but that shall be criminal which your hearts purposely design; for God is gracious and merciful. The prophet is nigher unto the true believers than their own souls; and his wives are their mothers. Those who are related by consanguinity are nigher of kin the one of them unto the others, according to the book of God, than the other true believers, and the Mohajerun: unless that ye do what is fitting and reasonable to your relations in general. This is written in the book of God. Remember when we accepted their covenant from the prophets, and from thee, O Mohammed, and from Noah, and Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary, and received from them a firm covenant; that God may examine the speakers of truth concerning their veracity; and he hath prepared a painful torment for the unbelievers. O true believers, remember the favor of God towards you, when armies of infidels came against you, and we sent against them a wind, and hosts of angels which ye saw not: and God beheld that which ye did. When they came against you from above you, and from below you, and when your sight became troubled, and your hearts came even to your throats for fear, and ye imagined of God various imaginations. There were the faithful tried, and made to tremble with a violent trembling. And when the hypocrites, and those in whose heart was an infirmity, said, God and his apostle have made you no other than a fallacious promise. And when a party of them said, O inhabitants of Yathreb, there is no place of security for you here; wherefore return home. And a part of them asked leave of the Prophet to depart, saying, Verily our houses are defenseless and exposed to the enemy: but they were not defenseless and their intention was no other than to fly. If the city had been entered upon them by the enemy from the parts adjacent, and they had been asked to desert the true believers, and to fight against them; they had surely consented thereto: but they had not, in such case, remained in the same but a little while. They before made a covenant with God, that they would not turn their backs: and the performance of their covenant with God shall be examined into hereafter. Say, Flight shall not profit you, if ye fly from death or from slaughter: and if it would, yet shall ye not enjoy this world but a little. Say, Who is he who shall defend you against God, if he is pleased to bring evil on you, or is pleased to show mercy towards you? They shall find none to patronize or protect them, besides God. God already knoweth those among you who hinder others from following his apostle, and who say unto their brethren, Come hither unto us; and who come not to battle, except a little; being covetous towards you: but when fear cometh on them, thou seest them look unto thee for assistance, their eyes rolling about, like the eyes of him who fainteth by reason of the agonies of death: yet when their fear is past, they inveigh against you with sharp tongues, being covetous of the best and most valuable part of the spoils. These believe not sincerely; wherefore God hath rendered their works of no avail; and this is easy with God. They imagined that the confederates would not depart and raise the siege: and if the confederates should come another time, they would wish to live in the deserts among the Arabs who dwell in tents; and there to inquire of news concerning you; and although they were with you this time, yet they fought not, except a little. Ye have in the apostle of God an excellent example, unto him who hopeth in God and the last day, and remembereth God frequently. When the true believers saw the confederates, they said, This is what God and his apostle have foretold us; and God and his apostle have spoken the truth: and it only increased their faith and resignation. Of the true believers, some men justly performed what they had promised unto God; and some of them have finished their course, and some of them wait the same advantage; and they changed not their promise, by deviating therefrom in the least: that God may reward the just performers of their covenant for their fidelity; and may punish the hypocritical, if he pleaseth, or may be turned unto them; for God is ready to forgive, and merciful. God hath driven back the infidels in their wrath: they obtained no advantage; and God was a sufficient protector unto the faithful in battle; for God is strong and mighty. And he hath caused such of those who have received the scriptures, as assisted the confederates, to come down out of their fortresses, and he cast into their hearts terror and dismay: a part of them ye slew, and a part ye made captives; and God hath caused you to inherit their land, and their houses, and their wealth, and a land on which ye have not trodden; for God is almighty. O prophet, say unto thy wives, If ye seek this present life, and the pomp thereof, come, I will make a handsome provision for you, and I will dismiss you with an honorable dismission: but if ye seek God and his apostle, and the life to come, verily God hath prepared for such of you as work righteousness a great reward. O wives of the prophet, whosoever of you shall commit a manifest wickedness, the punishment thereof shall be doubled unto her two-fold; and this is easy with God: (XXII.) but whosoever of you shall be obedient unto God and his apostle, and shall do that which is right, we will give her her reward twice, and we have prepared for her an honorable provision in paradise. O wives of the prophet, ye are not as other women: if ye fear God, be not too complaisant in speech, lest he should covet, in whose heart is a disease of incontinence: but speak the speech which is convenient. And sit still in your houses; and set not out yourselves with the ostentation of the former time of ignorance: and observe the appointed times of prayer, and give alms; and obey God and his apostle; for God desireth only to remove from you the abomination of vanity, since ye are the household of the prophet, and to purify you by a perfect purification. And remember that which is read in your houses, of the signs of God, and of the wisdom revealed in the Koran; for God is clear-sighted, and well acquainted with your actions. Verily the Moslems of either sex, and the true believers of either sex, and the devout men, and the devout women, and the men of veracity, and the women of veracity, and the patient men, and the patient women, and the humble men, and the humble women, and the alms-givers of either sex, and the men who fast, and the women who fast, and the chaste men, and the chaste women, and those of either sex who remember God frequently; for them hath God prepared forgiveness and a great reward. It is not fit for a true believer of either sex, when God and his apostle have decreed a thing, that they should have the liberty of choosing a different matter of their own: and whoever is disobedient unto God and his apostle, surely erreth with a manifest error. And remember when thou saidst to him unto whom God had been gracious, and on whom thou also hadst conferred favors, Keep thy wife to thyself, and fear God: and thou didst conceal that in thy mind which God had determined to discover, and didst fear men; whereas it was more just that thou shouldst fear God. But when Zeid had determined the matter concerning her, and had resolved to divorce her, we joined her in marriage unto thee; lest a crime should be charged on the true believers, in marrying the wives of their adopted sons, when they have determined the matter concerning them: and the command of God is to be performed. No crime is to be charged on the prophet, as to what God hath allowed him, conformable to the ordinance of God with regard to those who preceded him (for the command of God is a determinate decree), who brought the messages of God, and feared him, and feared none besides God: and God is a sufficient accountant. Mohammed is not the father of any man among you; but the apostle of God, and the seal of the prophets: and God knoweth all things. O true believers, remember God with a frequent remembrance, and celebrate his praise morning and evening. It is he who is gracious unto you, and his angels intercede for you, that he may lead you forth from darkness into light; and he is merciful towards the true believers. Their salutation, on the day whereon they shalt meet him, shall be, Peace! and he hath prepared for them an honorable recompense. O prophet, verily we have sent thee to be a witness, and a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats, and an inviter unto God, through his good pleasure, and a shining light. Bear good tidings therefore unto the true believers, that they shall receive great abundance from God. And obey not the unbelievers and hypocrites, and mind not their evil treatment: but trust in God; and God is a sufficient protector. O true believers, when ye marry women who are believers, and afterwards put them away before ye have touched them, there is no term prescribed you to fulfill towards them after their divorce; but make them a present, and dismiss them freely, with an honorable dismission. O prophet, we have allowed thee thy wives unto whom thou hast given their dower, and also the slaves which thy right hand possesseth, of the booty which God hath granted thee; and the daughters of thy uncle, and the daughter of thy aunts, both on thy father’s side and on thy mother’s side, who have fled with thee from Mecca, and any other believing woman, if she give herself unto the prophet; in case the prophet desireth to take her to wife. This is a peculiar privilege granted unto thee, above the rest of the true believers. We know what we have ordained them concerning their wives, and the slaves whom their right hands possess: lest it should be deemed a crime in thee to make use of the privilege granted thee; for God is gracious and merciful. Thou mayest postpone the turn of such of thy wives as thou shalt please, in being called to thy bed; and thou mayest take unto thee her whom thou shalt please, and her whom thou shalt desire of those whom thou shalt have before rejected: and it shall be no crime in thee. This will be more easy, that they may be entirely content, and may not be grieved, but may be well pleased with what thou shalt give every of them: God knoweth whatever is in your hearts; and God is knowing and gracious. It shall not be lawful for thee to take other women to wife hereafter, nor to exchange any of thy wives for them, although their beauty please thee; except the slaves whom thy right hand shall possess: and God observeth all things. O true believers, enter not the houses of the prophet, unless it be permitted you to eat meat with him, without waiting his convenient time: but when ye are invited, then enter. And when ye shall have eaten, disperse yourselves; and stay not to enter into familiar discourse: for this incommodeth the prophet. He is ashamed to bid you depart; but God is not ashamed of the truth. And when ye ask of the prophet’s wives what ye may have occasion for, ask it of them from behind a curtain. This will be more pure for your hearts and their hearts. Neither is it fit for you to give any uneasiness to the apostle of God, or to marry his wives after him for ever: for this would be a grievous thing in the sight of God. Whether ye divulge a thing, or conceal it, verily God knoweth all things. It shall be no crime in them as to their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves which their right hands possess, if they speak to them unveiled: and fear ye God; for God is witness of all things. Verily God and his angels bless the prophet: O true believers, do ye also bless him, and salute him with a respectful salutation. As to those who offend God and his apostle, God shall curse them in this world and in the next; and he hath prepared for them a shameful punishment. And they who shall injure the true believers of either sex, without their deserving it, shall surely bear the guilt of calumny and a manifest injustice. O prophet, speak unto thy wives, and thy daughters, and the wives of the true believers, that they cast their outer garments over them when they walk abroad; this will be more proper, that they may be known to be matrons of reputation, and may not be affronted by unseemly words or actions. God is gracious and merciful. Verily if the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is an infirmity, and they who raise disturbances in Medina, do not desist; we will surely stir thee up against them, to chastise them: henceforth they shall not be suffered to dwell near thee therein, except for a little time, and being accursed; wherever they are found they shall be taken, and killed with a general slaughter, according to the sentence of God concerning those who have been before; and thou shalt not find any change in the sentence of God. Men will ask thee concerning the approach of the last hour: answer, Verily the knowledge thereof is with God alone; and he will not inform thee: peradventure the hour is nigh at hand. Verily God hath cursed the infidels, and hath prepared for them a fierce fire, wherein they shall remain for ever: they shall find no patron or defender. On the day whereon their faces shall be rolled in hell fire, they shall say, Oh that we had obeyed God, and had obeyed his apostle! And they shall say, O Lord, verily we have obeyed our lords and our great men; and they have seduced us from the right way. O Lord, give them the double of our punishment; and curse them with a heavy curse! O true believers, be not as those who injured Moses; but God cleared him from the scandal which they had spoken concerning him; and he was of great consideration in the sight of God. O true believers, fear God, and speak words well directed; that God may correct your works for you, and may forgive you your sins: and whoever shall obey God and his apostle, shall enjoy great felicity. We proposed the faith unto the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains: and they refused to undertake the same, and were afraid thereof; but man undertook it: verily he was unjust to himself, and foolish: that God may punish the hypocritical men, and the hypocritical women, and the idolaters, and the idolatresses; and that God may be turned unto the true believers, both men and women; for God is gracious and merciful.