The Koran
CHAPTER VI.
ENTITLED, CATTLE; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
PRAISE be unto God, who hath created the heavens and the earth, and hath
ordained the darkness and the light; nevertheless they who believe not
in the Lord, equalize other gods with him. It is he who hath created you
of clay; and then decreed the term of your lives; and the prefixed term
is with him: yet do we doubt thereof. He is God in heaven and in earth;
he knoweth what ye keep secret, and what ye publish, and knoweth what ye
deserve. There came not unto them any sign, of the signs of their Lord,
but they retired from the same; and they have gainsaid the truth, after
that it hath come unto them: but a message shall come unto them, concerning
that which they have mocked at. Do they not consider how many generations
we have destroyed before them? We had established them in the earth in
a manner wherein we have not established you; we sent the heaven to rain
abundantly upon them, and we gave them rivers which flowed under their
feet: yet we destroyed them in their sins, and raised up other generations
after them. Although we had caused to descend unto thee a book written
on paper, and they had handled it with their hands, the unbelievers had
surely said, This is no other than manifest sorcery. They said, Unless
an angel be sent down unto him, we will not believe. But if we had sent
down an angel, verily the matter had been decreed, and they should not
have been borne with, by having time granted them to repent. And if we
had appointed an angel for our messenger, we should have sent him in the
form of a man, and have clothed him before them, as they are clothed. Other
apostles have been laughed to scorn before thee; but the judgment which
they made a jest of, encompassed those who laughed them to scorn. Say,
Go through the earth, and behold what hath been the end of those who accused
our prophets of imposture. Say, Unto whom belongeth whatsoever is in heaven
and earth? Say, Unto God. He hath prescribed unto himself mercy. He will
surely gather you together on the day of resurrection; there is no doubt
of it. They who destroy their own souls are those who will not believe.
Unto him is owing whatsoever happeneth by night or by day; it is he who
heareth and knoweth. Say, Shall I take any other protector than God, the
creator of heaven and earth, who feedeth all and is not fed by any? Say,
Verily I am commanded to be the first who professeth Islam, and it was
said unto me, Thou shalt by no means be one of the idolaters. Say, Verily
I fear, if I should rebel against my Lord, the punishment of the great
day: from whomsoever it shall be averted on that day, God will have been
merciful unto him: this will be manifest salvation. If God afflict thee
with any hurt, there is none who can take it off from thee, except himself;
but if he cause good to befall thee, he is almighty; he is the supreme
Lord over his servants; and he is wise and knowing. Say, What thing is
the strongest in bearing testimony? Say, God; he is witness between me
and you. And this Koran was revealed unto me, that I should admonish you
thereby, and also those unto whom it shall reach. Do you really profess
that there are other gods together with God? Say, I do not profess this.
Say, Verily he is one God; and I am guiltless of what ye associate with
him. They unto whom we have given the scripture know our apostle, even
as they know their own children; but they who destroy their own souls,
will not believe. Who is more unjust than he who inventeth a lie against
God, or chargeth his signs with imposture? Surely the unjust shall not
prosper. And on the day of resurrection we will assemble them all; then
will we say unto those who associated others with God, Where are your companions,
whom ye imagined to be those of God? But they shall have no other excuse,
than that they shall say, By God our Lord, we have not been idolaters.
Behold, how they lie against themselves, and what they have blasphemously
imagined to be the companion of God flieth from them. There is of them
who hearkeneth unto thee when thou readest the Koran; but we have cast
veils over their hearts, that they should not understand it, and a deafness
in their ears: and though they should see all kinds of signs, they will
not believe therein; and their infidelity will arrive to that height that
they will even come unto thee, to dispute with thee. The unbelievers will
say, This is nothing but silly fables of ancient times. And they will forbid
others from believing therein, and will retire afar off from it; but they
will destroy their own souls only, and they are not sensible thereof. If
thou didst see, when they shall be set over the fire of hell! and they
shall say, Would to God we might be sent back into the world; we would
not charge the signs of our Lord with imposture, and we would become true
believers: nay, but that is become manifest unto them, which they formerly
concealed; and though they should be sent back into the world, they would
surely return to that which was forbidden them; and they are surely liars.
And they said, There is no other life than our present life; neither shall
we be raised again. But if thou couldst see, when they shall be set before
their Lord! He shall say unto them, Is not this in truth come to pass?
They shall answer, Yea, by our Lord. God shall say. Taste therefore the
punishment due unto you, for that ye have disbelieved. They are lost who
reject as falsehood the meeting of God in the next life, until the hour
cometh suddenly upon them. Then will they say, Alas! for that we have behaved
ourselves negligently in our lifetime; and they shall carry their burdens
on their backs; will it not be evil which they shall be loaden with? This
present life is no other than a play and a vain amusement; but surely the
future mansion shall be better for those who fear God: will they not therefore
understand? Now we know that what they speak grieveth thee: yet they do
not accuse thee of falsehood; but the ungodly contradict the signs of God.
And apostles before thee have been accounted liars: but they patiently
bore their being accounted liars, and their being vexed, until our help
came unto them; for there is none who can change the words of God: and
thou hast received some information concerning those who have been formerly
sent from him. If their aversion to thy admonitions be grievous unto thee,
if thou canst seek out a den whereby thou mayest penetrate into the inward
parts of the earth, or a ladder by which thou mayest ascend into heaven,
that thou mayest show them a sign, do so, but thy search will be fruitless;
for if God pleased he would bring them all to the true direction: be not
therefore one of the ignorant. He will give a favorable answer unto those
only who shall hearken with attention: and God will raise the dead; then
unto him shall they return. The infidels say, Unless some sign be sent
down unto him from his Lord, we will not believe: answer, Verily God is
able to send down a sign: but the greater part of them know it not. There
is no kind of beast on earth, nor fowl which flieth with its wings, but
the same is a people like unto you; we have not omitted anything in the
book of our decrees: then unto their Lord shall they return. They who accuse
our signs of falsehood, are deaf and dumb, walking in darkness: God will
lead into error whom he pleaseth, and whom he pleaseth he will put in the
right way. Say, What think ye? if the punishment of God come upon you,
or the hour of the resurrection come upon you, will ye call upon any other
than God, if ye speak truth? yea, him shall ye call upon, and he shall
free you from that which ye shall ask him to deliver you from, if he pleaseth;
and ye shall forget that which ye associated with him. We have already
sent messengers unto sundry nations before thee, and we afflicted them
with trouble and adversity that they might humble themselves: yet when
the affliction which we sent came upon them, they did not humble themselves:
but their hearts became hardened, and Satan prepared for them that which
they committed. And when they had forgotten that concerning which they
had been admonished, we opened unto them the gates of all things; until,
while they were rejoicing for that which had been given them, we suddenly
laid hold on them, and behold, they were seized with despair; and the utmost
part of the people which had acted wickedly, was cut off: praise be unto
God, the Lord of all creatures! Say, What think ye? if God should take
away your hearing and your sight, and should seal up your hearts; what
god besides God will restore them unto you? See how variously we: show
forth the signs of God’s unity; yet do they turn aside from them. Say unto
them, What think ye? if the punishment of God come upon you suddenly, or
in open view; will any perish, except the ungodly people? We send not our
messengers otherwise than bearing good tidings and denouncing threats.
Whoso therefore shall believe and amend, on them shall no fear come, neither
shall they be grieved: but whoso shall accuse our signs of falsehood, a
punishment shall fall on them, because they have done wickedly. Say, I
say not unto you, The treasures of God are in my power: neither do I say,
I know the secrets of God: neither do I say unto you, Verily I am an angel:
I follow only that which is revealed unto me. Say, Shall the blind and
the seeing be held equal? do ye not therefore consider? Preach it unto
those who fear that they shall he assembled before their Lord: they shall
have no patron nor intercessor, except him; that peradventure they may
take heed to themselves. Drive not away those who call upon their Lord
morning and evening, desiring to see his face; it belongeth not unto thee
to pass any judgment on them, nor doth it belong unto them to pass any
judgment on thee: therefore if thou drive them away, thou wilt become one
of the unjust. Thus have we proved some part of them by other part, that
they may say, Are these the people among us unto whom God hath been gracious?
Doth not God most truly know those who are thankful ? And when they who
believe in our signs shall come unto thee, say, Peace be upon you. Your
Lord hath prescribed unto himself mercy; so that whoever among you worketh
evil through ignorance, and afterwards repenteth and amendeth, unto him
will he surely be gracious and merciful. Thus have we distinctly propounded
our signs, that the path of the wicked might be made known. Say, Verily
I am forbidden to worship the false deities which ye invoke, besides God.
Say, I will not follow your desires; for then should I err, neither should
I be one of those who are rightly directed. Say, I behave according to
the plain declaration which I have received from my Lord; but ye have forged
lies concerning him. That which ye desire should be hastened, is not in
my power: judgment belongeth only unto God; he will determine the truth;
and he is the best discerner. Say, If what ye desire should he hastened
were in my power, the matter had been determined between me and you: but
God well knoweth the unjust. With him are the keys of the secret things;
none knoweth them besides himself: he knoweth that which is on the dry
land and in the sea; there falleth no leaf, but he knoweth it; neither
is there a single grain in the dark parts of the earth, neither a green
thing, nor a dry thing, but it is written in the perspicuous book. It is
he who causeth you to sleep by night, and knoweth what ye merit by day;
he also awaketh you therein, that the prefixed term of your lives may be
fulfilled; then unto him shall ye return, and he shall declare unto you
that which ye have wrought. He is supreme over his servants, and sendeth
the guardian angels to watch over you, until, when death overtaketh one
of you, our messengers cause him to die; and they will not neglect our
commands. Afterwards shall they return unto God, their true Lord: doth
not judgment belong unto him? he is the most quick in taking an account.
Say, Who delivereth you from the darkness of the land, and of the sea,
when ye call upon him humbly and in private, saying, Verily if thou deliver
us from these dangers, we will surely be thankful? Say, God delivereth
you from them, and from every grief of mind; yet afterwards ye give him
companions. Say, He is able to send on you a punishment from above you,
or from under your feet, or to engage you in dissension, and to make some
of you taste the violence of others. Observe how variously we show forth
our signs, that peradventure they may understand. This people hath accused
the revelation which thou hast brought of falsehood, although it be the
truth. Say, I am not a guardian over you: every prophecy hath its fixed
time of accomplishment; and ye will hereafter know it. When thou seest
those who are engaged in cavilling at or ridiculing our signs; depart from
them, until they be engaged in some other discourse: and if Satan cause
thee to forget this precept, do not sit with the ungodly people, after
recollection. They who fear God are not at all accountable for them, but
their duty is to remember, that they may take heed to themselves. Abandon
those who make their religion a sport and a jest; and whom the present
life hath deceived: and admonish them by the Koran, that a soul becometh
liable to destruction for that which it committeth: it shall have no patron
nor intercessor besides God; and if it could pay the utmost price of redemption,
it would not be accepted from it. They who are delivered over to perdition
for that which they have committed, shall have boiling water to drink,
and shall suffer a grievous punishment, because they have disbelieved.
Say, Shall we call upon that, besides God, which can neither profit us
nor hurt us? and shall we turn back on our heels, after that God hath directed
us; like him whom the devils have infatuated, wandering amazedly in the
earth, and yet having companions who call him to the true direction, saying,
Come unto us? Say, The direction of God is the true direction: we are commanded
to resign ourselves unto the Lord of all creatures; and it is also commanded
us, saying, Observe the stated times of prayer, and fear him; for it is
he before whom ye shall be assembled. It is he who hath created the heavens
and the earth in truth; and whenever he saith unto a thing, Be, it is.
His word is the truth; and his will be the kingdom on the day whereon the
trumpet shall be sounded: he knoweth whatever is secret, and whatever is
public: he is the wise, the knowing. Call to mind when Abraham said unto
his father Azer, Dost thou take images for gods? Verily I perceive that
thou and thy people are in a manifest error. And thus did we show unto
Abraham the kingdom of heaven and earth, that he might become one of those
who firmly believe. And when the night overshadowed him, he saw a star,
and he said, This is my Lord; but when it set, he said, I like not gods
which set. And when he saw the moon rising, he said, This is my Lord; but
when he saw it set, he said, Verily if my Lord direct me not, I shall become
one of the people who go astray. And when he saw the sun rising, he said,
This is my Lord, this is the greatest; but when it set, he said, O my people,
verily I am clear of that which ye associate with God: I direct my face
unto him who hath created the heavens and the earth; I am orthodox, and
am not one of the idolaters. And his people disputed with him: and he said,
Will ye dispute with me concerning God? since he hath now directed me,
and I fear not that which he associate with him, unless that my Lord willeth
a thing; for my Lord comprehendeth all things by his knowledge: will ye
not therefore consider? And how should I fear that which ye associate with
God, since ye fear not to have associated with God that concerning which
he hath sent down unto you no authority? which therefore of the two parties
is the more safe, if ye understand aright? They who believe, and clothe
not their faith with injustice, they shall enjoy security, and they are
rightly directed. And this is our argument wherewith we furnished Abraham
that he might make use of it against his people: we exalt unto degrees
of wisdom and knowledge whom we please; for thy Lord is wise and knowing.
And we gave unto him Isaac and Jacob; we directed them both: and Noah had
we before directed, and of his posterity David and Solomon; and Job, and
Joseph, and Moses, and Aaron: thus do we reward the righteous: and Zacharias,
amid John, and Jesus, and Elias; all of them were upright men: and Ismael,
and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot; all these have we favored above the rest
of the world; and also divers of their fathers, and their issue, and their
brethren; and we chose them, and directed them into the right way. This
is the direction of God, he directeth thereby such of his servants as he
pleaseth; but if they have been guilty of idolatry, that which they wrought
would have become utterly fruitless unto them. Those were the persons unto
whom we gave the scripture, and wisdom, and prophecy; but if these believe
not therein, we will commit the care of them to a people who shall not
disbelieve the same. Those were the persons whom God hath directed, therefore
follow their direction. Say unto the inhabitants of Mecca, I ask of you
no recompense for preaching the Koran; it is no other than an admonition
unto all creatures. They make not a due estimation of God, when they say,
God hath not sent down unto man anything at all. Say, Who sent down the
book which Moses brought, a light and a direction unto men; which ye transcribe
on papers, whereof ye publish some part, and great part whereof ye conceal?
and ye have been taught by Mohammed what ye know not, neither your fathers.
Say, God sent it down: then leave them to amuse themselves with their vain
discourse. This book which we have sent down is blessed; confirming that
which was revealed before it; and is delivered unto thee that thou mayest
preach it unto the metropolis of Mecca and to those who are round about
it. And they who believe in the next life will believe therein, and they
will diligently observe their times of prayer. Who is more wicked than
he who forgeth a lie concerning God? or saith, This was revealed unto me,
when nothing hath been revealed unto him? and who saith, I will produce
a revelation like unto that which God hath sent down? If thou didst see
when the ungodly are in the pangs of death, and the angels reach out their
hands, saying, Cast forth your souls; this day shall ye receive an ignominious
punishment for that which ye have falsely spoken concerning God; and because
ye have proudly rejected his signs. And now are ye come unto us alone,
as we created you at first, and ye have left that which we had bestowed
on you, behind your back; neither do we see with you your intercessors,
whom ye thought to have been partners with God among you: now is the relation
between you cut off, and what ye imagined hath deceived you. God causeth
the grain and the date-stone to put forth: he bringeth forth the living
from the dead, and he bringeth forth the dead from the living. This is
God. Why therefore are ye turned away from him? He causeth the morning
to appear; and hath ordained the night for rest, and the sun and the moon
for the computing of time. This is the disposition of the mighty, the wise
God. It is he who hath ordained the stars for you, that ye may be directed
thereby in the darkness of the land and of the sea. We have clearly shown
forth our signs, unto people who understand. It is he who hath produced
you from one soul; and hath provided for you a sure receptacle and a repository
We have clearly shown forth our signs, unto people who are wise. It is
he who sendeth down water from heaven, and we have thereby produced the
springing buds of all things, and have thereout produced the green thing,
from which we produce the grain growing in rows, and palm-trees from whose
branches proceed clusters of dates hanging close together; and gardens
of grapes, and olives, and pomegranates, both like and unlike to one another.
Look on their fruits, when they bear fruit, and their growing to maturity.
Verily herein are signs, unto people who believe. Yet they have set up
the genii as partners with God, although he created them: and they have
falsely attributed unto him sons and daughters, without knowledge. Praise
be unto him; and far be that from him which they attribute unto him! He
is the maker of heaven and earth: how should he have issue, since he hath
no consort? he hath created all things, and he is omniscient. This is God
your Lord; there is no God but he, the creator of all things: therefore
serve him; for he taketh care of all things. The sight comprehendeth him
not, but he comprehendeth the sight; he is the gracious, the wise. Now
have evident demonstrations come unto you from your Lord; whoso seeth them,
the advantage thereof will redound to his own soul: and whoso is willfully
blind, the consequence will be to himself. I am not a keeper over you.
Thus do we variously explain our signs; that they may say, Thou hast studied
diligently; and that we may declare them unto people of understanding.
Follow that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord; there is
no God but he: retire therefore from the idolaters. If God had so pleased,
they had not been guilty of idolatry. We have not appointed thee a keeper
over them; neither art thou a guardian over them. Revile not the idols
which they invoke besides God, lest they maliciously revile God, without
knowledge. Thus have we prepared for every nation their works: hereafter
unto God shall they return, and he shall declare unto them that which they
have done. They have sworn by God, by the most solemn oaths, that if a
sign came unto them, they would certainly believe therein: Say, Verily
signs are in the power of God alone; and be permitteth you not to understand
that when they come, they will not believe. And we will turn aside their
hearts and their sight from the truths, as they believed not therein the
first time; and we will leave them to wander in their error. (VIII.) And
though we had sent down angels unto them, and the dead had spoken unto
them, and we had gathered together before them all things in one view;
they would not have believed, unless God had so pleased: but the greater
part of them know it not. Thus have we appointed unto every prophet an
enemy; the devils of men, and of genii: who privately suggest the one to
the other specious discourses to deceive; but if thy Lord pleased, they
would not have done it. Therefore leave them, and that which they have
falsely imagined; and let the hearts of those be inclined thereto, who
believe not in the life to come; and let them please themselves therein,
and let them gain that which they are gaining. Shall I seek after any other
judge besides God to judge between us? It is he who hath sent down unto
you the book of the Koran, distinguishing between good and evil; and they
to whom we gave the scripture know that it is sent down from thy Lord,
with truth. Be not therefore one of those who doubt thereof. The words
of thy Lord are perfect in truth and justice; there is none who can change
his words: he both heareth and knoweth. But if thou obey the greater part
of them who are in the earth, they will lead thee aside from the path of
God: they follow an uncertain opinion only, and speak nothing but lies;
verily thy Lord well knoweth those who go astray from his path, and well
knoweth those who are rightly directed. Eat of that whereon the name of
God hath been commemorated, if ye believe in his signs: and why do ye not
eat of that whereon the name of God hath been commemorated? since he hath
plainly declared unto you what he hath forbidden you; except that which
ye be compelled to eat of by necessity: many lead others into error, because
of their appetites, being void of knowledge; but thy Lord well knoweth
who are the transgressors. Leave both the outside of iniquity, and the
inside thereof: for they who commit iniquity shall receive the reward of
that which they shall have gained. Eat not therefore of that whereon the
name of God hath not been commemorated; for this is certainly wickedness:
but the devils will suggest unto their friends, that they dispute with
you concerning this precept; but if ye obey them, ye are surely idolaters.
Shall he who hath been dead, and whom we have restored unto life, and unto
whom we have ordained a light, whereby he may walk among men, be as he
whose similitude is in darkness, from whence he shall not come forth? Thus
was that which the infidels are doing, prepared for them. And thus have
we placed in every city chief leaders of the wicked men thereof, that they
may act deceitfully therein; but they shall act deceitfully against their
own souls only; and they know it not. And when a sign cometh unto them,
they say, We will by no means believe until a revelation be brought unto
us, like unto that which hath been delivered unto the messengers of God.
God best knoweth whom he will appoint for his messenger. Vileness in the
sight of God shall fall upon those who deal wickedly, and a grievous punishment,
for that they have dealt deceitfully. And whomsoever God shall please to
direct, he will open his breast to receive the faith of Islam: but whomsoever
he shall please to lead into error, he will render his breast straight
and narrow, as though he were climbing up to heaven. Thus doth God inflict
a terrible punishment on those who believe not. This is the right way of
thy Lord. Now have we plainly declared our signs unto those people who
will consider. They shall have a dwelling of peace with their Lord, and
he shall be their patron, because of that which they have wrought. Think
on the day whereon God shall gather them all together, and shall say, O
company of genii, ye have been much concerned with mankind; and their friends
from among mankind shall say, O Lord, the one of us hath received advantage
from the other, and we are arrived at our limited term which thou hast
appointed us. God will say, Hell fire shall be your habitation, therein
shall ye remain for ever; unless as God shall please to mitigate your pains,
for thy Lord is wise and knowing. Thus do we set some of the unjust over
others of them, because of that which they have deserved. O company of
genii and men, did not messengers from among yourselves come unto you,
rehearsing my signs unto you, and forewarning you of the meeting of this
your day? They shall answer, We bear witness against ourselves: the present
life deceived them: and they shall bear witness against themselves that
they were unbelievers. This hath been the method of God’s dealing with
his creatures, because thy Lord would not destroy the cities in their iniquity,
while their inhabitants were careless. Every one shall have degrees of
recompense of that which they shall do; for thy Lord is not regardless
of that which they do, and thy Lord is self-sufficient and endued with
mercy. If he pleaseth he can destroy you, and cause such as he pleaseth
to succeed you, in like manner as he produced you from the posterity of
other people. Verily that which is threatened you shall surely come to
pass; neither shall ye cause it to fail. Say unto those of Mecca, O my
people, act according to your power; verily I will act according to my
duty: and hereafter shall ye know whose will be the reward of paradise.
The ungodly shall not prosper. Those of Mecca set apart unto God a portion
of that which he hath produced of the fruits of the earth, and of cattle;
and say, This belongeth unto God (according to their imagination), and
this unto our companions. And that which is destined for their companions
cometh not unto God; yet that which is set apart unto God cometh unto their
companions. How ill do they judge! In like manner have their companions
induced many of the idolaters to slay their children, that they might bring
them to perdition, and that they might render their religion obscure and
confused unto them. But if God had pleased, they had not done this: therefore
leave them, and that which they falsely imagine. They also say, These cattle
and fruits of the earth are sacred; none shall eat thereof, but who we
please (according to their imagination); and there are cattle whose backs
are forbidden to be rode on, or laden with burdens; and there are cattle
on which they commemorate not the name of God when they slay them, devising
a lie against him: God shall reward them for that which they falsely devise.
And they say, That which is in the bellies of these cattle, is allowed
our males to eat, and is forbidden to our wives: but if it prove abortive,
then they are both partakers thereof. God shall give them the reward of
their attributing these things to him: he is knowing and wise. They are
utterly lost who have slain their children foolishly, without knowledge;
and have forbidden that which God hath given them for food, devising a
lie against God. They have erred, and were not rightly directed. He it
is who produceth gardens of vines, both those which are supported on trails
of wood, and those which are not supported, and palm-trees, and the corn
affording various food, and olives and pomegranates, alike and unlike unto
one another. Eat of their fruit, when they bear fruit, and pay the due
thereof on the day whereon ye shall gather it; but be not profuse, for
God loveth not those who are too profuse. And God hath given you some cattle
fit for bearing of burdens, and some fit for slaughter only. Eat of what
God hath given you for food; and follow not the steps of Satan, for he
is your declared enemy. Four pair of cattle hath God given you; of sheep
one pair, and of goats one pair. Say unto them, Hath God forbidden the
two males, of sheep and of goats, or the two females; or that which the
wombs of the two females contain? Tell me with certainty, if ye speak truth.
And of camels hath God given you one pair, and of oxen one pair. Say, Hath
he forbidden the two males of these, or the two females; or that which
the wombs of the two females contain? Were ye present when God commanded
you this? And who is more unjust than he who deviseth a lie against God,
that he may seduce men without understanding? Verily God directeth not
unjust people. Say, I find not in that which hath been revealed unto me,
anything forbidden unto the eater, that he eat it not, except it be that
which dieth of itself, or blood poured forth, or swine’s flesh: for this
is an abomination: or that which is profane, having been slain in the name
of some other than of God. But whoso shall be compelled by necessity to
eat of these things, not lusting, nor willfully transgressing, verily thy
Lord will be gracious unto him and merciful. Unto the Jews did we forbid
every beast having an undivided hoof; and of bullocks and sheep, we forbade
them having the fat of both; except that which should be on their backs,
or their inwards, or which should be intermixed with the bone. This have
we rewarded them with, because of their iniquity; and we are surely speakers
of truth. If they accuse thee of imposture, say, Your Lord is endued with
extensive mercy: but his severity shall not be averted from wicked people.
The idolaters will say, If God had pleased, we had not been guilty of idolatry,
neither our fathers; and pretend that we have not forbidden them anything.
Thus did they who were before them accuse the prophets of imposture, until
they tasted our severe punishment. Say, Is there with you any certain knowledge
of what ye allege, that ye may produce it unto us? Ye follow only a false
imagination; and ye only utter lies. Say, Therefore unto God belongeth
the most evident demonstration; for if he had pleased, he had directed
you all. Say, Produce your witnesses, who can bear testimony that God hath
forbidden this. But if they bear testimony of this, do not thou bear testimony
with them, nor do thou follow the desires of those who accuse our signs
of falsehood, and who believe not in the life to come, and equalize idols
with their Lord. Say, Come; I will rehearse that which your Lord hath forbidden
you; that is to say, that ye be not guilty of idolatry, and that ye show
kindness to your parents, and that ye murder not your children for fear
lest ye be reduced to poverty: we will provide for you and them; and draw
not near unto heinous crimes, neither openly nor in secret; and slay not
the soul which God hath forbidden you to slay, unless for a just cause.
This hath he enjoined you that ye may understand. And I meddle not with
the substance of the orphan, otherwise than for the improving thereof,
until he attain his age of strength; and use a full measure and a just
balance. We will not impose a task on any soul, beyond its ability. And
when ye pronounce judgment observe justice, although it be for or against
one who is near of kin, and fulfill the covenant of God. This hath God
commanded you, that ye may be admonished; and that ye may know that this
is my right way: therefore follow it, and follow not the paths of others,
lest ye be scattered from the path of God. This hath he commanded you,
that ye may take heed. We gave also unto Moses the book of the Law; a perfect
rule unto him who should do right, and a determination concerning all things
needful, and a direction, and mercy; that the children of Israel might
believe the meeting of their Lord. And this book which we have now sent
down, is blessed; therefore follow it and fear God, that ye may obtain
mercy: lest ye should say, The scriptures were only sent down unto two
people before us; and we neglected to peruse them with attention: or lest
ye should say, If a book of divine revelations had been sent down unto
us, we would surely have been better directed than they. And now hath a
manifest declaration come unto you from your Lord, and a direction and
mercy: and who is more unjust than he who deviseth lies against the signs
of God, and turneth aside from them? We will reward those who turn aside
from our signs with a grievous punishment, because they have turned aside.
Do they wait for any other than that the angels should come unto them,
to part their souls from their bodies; or that thy Lord should come to
punish them; or that some of time signs of thy Lord should come to pass,
showing the day of judgment to be at hand? On the day whereon some of thy
Lord’s signs shall come to pass, its faith shall not profit a soul which
believed not before, or wrought not good in its faith. Say, Wait ye for
this day; we surely do wait for it. They who make a division in their religion,
and become sectaries, have thou nothing to do with them; their affair belongeth
only unto God. Hereafter shall he declare unto them that which they have
done. He who shall appear with good works shall receive a tenfold recompense
for the same; but he who shall appear with evil works, shall receive only
an equal punishment for the same; and they shall not be treated unjustly.
Say, Verily my Lord hath directed me into a right way, a true religion,
the sect of Abraham the orthodox; and he was no idolater. Say, Verily my
prayers, and my worship, and my life, and my death are dedicated unto God,
the Lord of all creatures: he hath no companion. This have I been commanded:
I am the first Moslem. Say, Shall I desire any other Lord besides God?
since he is the Lord of all things; and no soul shall acquire any merits
or demerits but for itself; and no burdened soul shall bear the burden
of another. Moreover unto your Lord shall ye return; and he shall declare
unto you that concerning which ye now dispute. It is he who hath appointed
you to succeed your predecessors in the earth, and hath raised some of
you above others by various degrees of worldly advantages, that he might
prove you by that which he hath bestowed on you. Thy Lord is swift in punishing;
and he is also gracious and merciful.
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