THE KORAN

(This is the traditional order of the Koran. For Rodwell's re-ordering, see:)

Sura 6 - CATTLE

MECCA - 165 verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to God, who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, and ordained the darkness and the light! Yet unto their Lord do the infidels give peers!

He it is who created you of clay — then decreed the term of your life: and with Him is another prefixed term for the resurrection. Yet have ye doubts thereof!

And He is God in the Heavens and on the Earth! He knoweth your secrets and your disclosures! and He knoweth what ye deserve.

Never did one single sign from among the signs of their Lord come to them, but they turned away from it;

And now, after it hath reached them, have they treated the truth itself as a lie. But in the end, a message as to that which they have mocked, shall reach them.

See they not how many generations we have destroyed before them? We had settled them on the earth as we have not settled you, and we sent down the very heavens upon them in copious rains, and we made the rivers to flow beneath their feet: yet we destroyed them in their sins, and raised up other generations to succeed them.

And had we sent down to thee a Book written on parchment, and they had touched it with their hands, the infidels had surely said, ‘This is nought but plain sorcery.’

They say, too, ‘Unless an angel be sent down to him. . .’ But if we had sent down an angel, their judgment would have come on them at once,¹ and they would have had no respite:

And if we had appointed an angel, we should certainly have appointed one in the form of a man, and we should have clothed him before them in garments like their own.²

Moreover, apostles before thee have been laughed to scorn: but that which they laughed to scorn encompassed the mockers among them!

SAY: Go through the land: then see what hath been the end of those who treated them as liars.

SAY: Whose is all that is in the Heavens and the Earth? SAY: God’s. He had imposed mercy on Himself as a law. He will surely assemble you on the Resurrection day; there is no doubt of it. They who are the authors of their own ruin, are they who will not believe.

His, whatsoever hath its dwelling in the night and in the day! and He, the Hearing, the Knowing!

SAY: Other than God shall I take as Lord, maker of the Heavens and of the Earth, who nourisheth all, and of none is nourished? SAY: Verily, I am bidden to be the first of those who surrender them to God (profess Islam): and, be not thou of those who join gods with God.

SAY: Verily, I fear, should I rebel against my Lord, the punishment of the great day.

From whomsoever it shall be averted on that day, He will have had mercy on him: and this will be the manifest bliss.

If God touch thee with trouble, none can take it off but He: and if He visit thee with good — it is He whose power is over all things;

And He is the Supreme over his servants; and He is the Wise, the Cognizant!

SAY: What thing is weightiest in bearing witness? SAY: God is witness between me and you; and this Koran hath been revealed to me that I should warn you by it, and all whom it shall reach. ‘What! will ye really bear witness that there are other gods with God? SAY: I bear no such witness. SAY: Verily, He is one God, and I truly am guiltless of what ye join with Him.

They to whom we have given the Book, recognize him (Muhammad) as they do their own children:³ but they who are the authors of their own perdition are they who will not believe.

And who more wicked than he who inventeth a lie concerning God, or who treateth our signs as lies? Verily those wicked ones shall not prosper.⁴

And on ‘the Day’ we will gather them all together: then will we say to those who joined gods with God, ‘Where are those companion-gods of yours, as ye supposed them?’

Then shall they find no other excuse than to say, ‘By God our Lord! we joined not companions with Him.’

Behold! how they lie against themselves — and the gods of their own inventing desert them!

Some among them hearken unto thee: but we have cast veils over their hearts that they should not understand the Koran, and a weight into their ears: and though they should see all kinds of signs, they will refuse all faith in them, until when they come to thee, to dispute with thee, the infidels say, ‘Verily, this is nothing but fables of the ancients.’

And they will forbid it, and depart from it:— but they are only the authors of their own perdition, and know it not.

If thou couldst see when they shall be set over the fire, and shall say, ‘Oh! would we might be sent back! we would not treat the signs of our Lord as lies! we would be of the believers.’

Aye! that hath become clear⁵ to them which they before concealed; but though they should return, they would surely go back to that which was forbidden them; for they are surely liars!

And they say, ‘There is no other than our life in this world, neither shall we be raised again.’

But if thou couldest see when they shall be set before their Lord! He shall say to them, ‘Is not this it⁶ in truth?’ They shall say, ‘Yea, by our Lord!’ ‘Taste then,’ saith He, ‘the torment, for that ye believed not!’

Lost are they who deny the meeting with God until ‘the Hour’ cometh suddenly upon them! Then will they say, ‘Oh, our sighs for past negligence of this hour!’ and they shall bear their burdens on their back! Will not that be evil with which they shall be burdened?

The life in this world is but a play and pastime; and better surely for men of godly fear will be the future mansion! Will ye not then comprehend?

Now know we that what they speak vexeth thee:⁷ But it is not merely thee whom they charge with falsehood, but the ungodly gainsay the signs of God.

Before thee have apostles already been charged with falsehood: but they bore the charge and the wrong with constancy, till our help came to them;— for none can change the words of God. But this history of His Sent Ones hath already reached thee.

But if their estrangement be grievous to thee, and if thou art able to seek out an opening into the earth or a ladder into Heaven,⁸ that thou mightest bring them a sign . . . Yes! But if God pleased, He would surely bring them, one and all, to the guidance! therefore be not thou one of the ignorant.

To those only who shall lend an ear will He make answer: as for the dead, God will raise them up; then unto Him shall they return.

They say, ‘Unless a sign be sent down to him from his Lord. . .’ SAY: Verily, God is able to send down a sign; but the greater part of them know it not.

No kind of beast is there on earth nor fowl that flieth with its wings, but is a folk⁹ like you: nothing have we passed over in the Book:¹⁰ then unto their Lord shall they be gathered.

They who gainsay our signs are deaf, and dumb, in darkness: God will mislead whom He pleaseth, and whom He pleaseth He will place upon the straight path.

SAY: What think ye? If the punishment of God were to come upon you, or ‘the Hour’ were to come upon you, will ye cry to any other than God? Tell me, if ye speak the truth?

Yes! to Him will ye cry: and if He please He will deliver you from that ye shall cry to Him to avert, and ye shall forget the partners ye joined with Him.

Already have we sent apostles to nations that were before thee, and we laid hold on them with troubles and with straits in order that they might humble themselves:

Yet, when our trouble came upon them, they did not humble themselves; but their hearts were hardened, and Satan prearranged for them¹¹ their course of conduct.

And when they had forgotten their warnings, we set open to them the gates of all things, until, as they were rejoicing in our gifts, we suddenly laid hold upon them, and lo! they were plunged into despair,

And the uttermost part of that impious people was cut off. All praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds!

SAY: What think ye? If God should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, what god beside God would restore them to you? See! how we vary our wondrous verses (signs)! yet they turn away from them!

SAY: What think ye? If the punishment of God come on you suddenly or foreseen,¹² shall any perish except the impious?

We send not our Sent Ones but as heralds of good news and warners; and whoso shall believe and amend, on them shall come no fear, neither shall they be sorrowful:

But whoso shall charge our signs with falsehood, on them shall fall a punishment for their wicked doings.

SAY: I say not to you, ‘In my possession are the treasures of God;’ neither say I, ‘I know things secret;’ neither do I say to you, ‘Verily, I am an angel:’ Only what is revealed to me do I follow. SAY: Shall the blind and the seeing be esteemed alike? Will ye not then reflect?

And warn those who dread their being gathered to their Lord, that patron or intercessor they shall have none but Him,— to the intent that they may fear Him!

And thrust not thou away those who cry to their Lord at morn and even, craving to behold his face. It is not for thee in anything to judge of their motives, nor for them in anything to judge of thee. If thou thrust them away thou wilt be of the doers of wrong.

Thus have we made proof of some of them by others, that they may say, ‘Are these they among us to whom God hath been gracious?’ Doth not God best know the thankful?

And when they who believe in our signs come to thee, SAY: Peace be upon you! Your Lord hath laid down for himself a law of mercy; so that if any one of you commit a fault through ignorance, and afterwards turn and amend, He surely will be Gracious, Merciful.

Thus have we distinctly set forth our signs, that the way of the wicked might be made known.

SAY: Forbidden am I to worship those whom ye call on beside God. SAY: I will not follow your wishes; for then should I have gone astray, and should not be of the guided.

SAY: I act upon proofs from my Lord, but ye treat them as falsehoods. That punishment which ye desire to be hastened is not in my power; judgment is with God only: He will declare the truth; and He is the best settler of disputes.

SAY: If what ye would hasten on, were in my power, the matter between me and you had been decided: but God best knoweth the impious.

And with Him are the keys¹³ of the secret things; none knoweth them but He; He knoweth whatever is on the land and in the sea; and no leaf falleth but He knoweth it; neither is there a grain in the darknesses of the earth, nor a thing green or sere, but it is noted in a distinct writing.¹⁴

It is He who taketh your souls at night,¹⁵ and knoweth what ye have merited in the day: then he awaketh you therein, that the set life-term may be fulfilled: then unto Him shall ye return; and then shall he declare to you that which ye have wrought.

Supreme over his servants, He sendeth forth guardians who watch over you, until, when death overtaketh any one of you, our messengers take his soul, and fail not:

Then are they returned to God their Lord, the True. Is not judgment His? Swiftest He, of those who take account!

SAY: Who rescueth you from the darkness of the land and of the sea, when humbly and secretly ye cry to Him — ‘If thou rescue us from this, we will surely be of the thankful?’

SAY: God rescueth you from them, and from every strait: yet afterwards ye give Him companions!

SAY: It is He who hath power to send on you a punishment from above you, or from beneath your feet, or to clothe you with discord,¹⁶ and to make some of you to taste the violence of others. See how variously we handle the wondrous verses, that haply they may become wise!

But thy people hath accused the Koran of falsehood, though it be the truth: SAY: I am not in charge of you: To every prophecy is its set time, and bye-and-bye ye shall know it!

And when thou seest those who busy themselves with cavilling at our signs, withdraw from them till they busy themselves in some other subject: and if Satan cause thee to forget this, sit not, after recollection, with the ungodly people:¹⁷

Not that they who fear God are to pass any judgment upon them, but the object of recollection is that they may continue to fear Him.

And quit those who make their religion a sport and a pastime, and whom this present life hath deceived: warn them hereby that every soul will be consigned to doom for its own works: patron or intercessor, beside God, shall it have none: and could it compensate with fullest compensation, it would not be accepted from it. They who for their deeds shall be consigned to doom — for them are draughts of boiling water, and a grievous torment; for that they believed not!

SAY: Shall we, beside God, call upon those who can neither help nor hurt us? Shall we turn upon our heel after that God hath guided us? Like some bewildered man whom the Satans have spell-bound in the desert, though his companions call him to the true guidance, with, ‘Come to us!’ SAY: Verily, guidance from God, that is the true guidance; and we are commanded to surrender ourselves to the Lord of the Worlds.

And observe ye the times of prayer, and fear ye God: for it is He to whom ye shall be gathered.

And it is He who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, in truth, and when He saith to a thing, ‘Be,’ it is.

His word is the truth: and His the kingdom, on the day when there shall be a blast on the trumpet: He knoweth alike the unseen and the seen: and He is the Wise, the Cognizant.

And remember when Abraham said to his father Azar,¹⁸ Takest thou images as gods? Verily, I see that thou and thy people are in manifest error.

And thus did we show Abraham the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth,¹⁹ that he might be stablished in knowledge.

And when the night overshadowed him, he beheld a star. ‘This,’ said he, ‘is my Lord:’ but when it set, he said, ‘I love not gods which set.’

And when he beheld the moon uprising, ‘This,’ said he, ‘is my Lord:’ but when it set, he said, ‘Surely, if my Lord guide me not, I shall surely be of those who go astray.’

And when he beheld the sun uprise, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greatest.’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people! I share not with you the guilt of joining gods with God;

I turn my face to him who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, following the right religion:²⁰ I am not one of those who add gods to God.’

And his people disputed with him. — He said: ‘Dispute ye with me about God, when He hath guided me? And I fear not the deities whom ye join with Him, for only by the will of my Lord have they any power:²¹ My Lord embraceth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then consider?

And how should I fear what ye have joined with God, since ye fear not for having joined with Him that for which He hath sent you down no warranty? Which, therefore, of the two parties is more worthy of safety? Know ye that?

They who believe, and who clothe not their faith with error,²² theirs is safety, and they are guided aright.’

This is our reasoning with which we furnished Abraham against his people: We uplift to grades of wisdom whom we will; Verily thy Lord is Wise, Knowing.

And we gave him Isaac and Jacob, and guided both aright; and we had before guided Noah; and among the descendants of Abraham, David and Solomon, and Job and Joseph, and Moses and Aaron: Thus do we recompense the righteous:

And Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias: all were just persons:

And Ismael and Elisha and Jonas and Lot: all these have we favored above mankind:

And some of their fathers, and of their offspring, and of their brethren: and we chose them, and guided them into the straight way.

This is God’s guidance: He guideth by it such of his servants as he will: But if they join other gods with Him, vain assuredly shall be all their works.

These are they to whom we gave the Scripture and Wisdom and Prophecy: but if these their posterity believe not therein, we will entrust these gifts to a people who will not disbelieve therein.

These are they whom God hath guided: follow therefore their guidance. SAY: No pay do I ask of you for this:²³ Verily it is no other than the teaching for all creatures.

No just estimate do they form of God when they say, ‘Nothing hath God sent down to man.’ SAY: Who sent down the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance to man, which ye set down on paper, publishing part, but concealing most; though ye have now been taught that which neither ye nor your fathers knew? SAY: It is God: then leave them in their pastime of cavillings.²⁴

And this Book which we have sent down is blessed, confirming that which was before it; and in order that thou mightest warn the mother-city and those who dwell round about it. They who believe in the next life will believe in It, and will keep strictly to their Prayers.

But is any more wicked than he who deviseth a lie of God, or saith, ‘I have had a revelation,’ when nothing was revealed to him?²⁵ And who saith, ‘I can bring down a book like that which God hath sent down’? But couldst thou see when the ungodly are in the floods of death, and the angels reach forth their hands, saying, ‘Yield up your souls:— this day shall ye be recompensed with a humiliating punishment for your untrue sayings about God, and for proudly rejecting his signs!

‘And now are ye come back to us, alone, as we created you at first, and ye leave behind you the good things which we had given you, and we see not with you your intercessors whom ye regarded as the companions of God among you. There is a severance between you now, and those whom ye regarded as partners with God have deserted you.’

Verily God causeth the grain and the date stone to put forth: He bringeth forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living! This is God! Why, then, are ye turned aside from Him?

He causeth the dawn to appear and hath ordained the night for rest, and the sun and the moon for computing time! The ordinance of the Mighty, the Wise!

And it is He who hath ordained the stars for you that ye may be guided thereby in the darknesses of the land and of the sea! clear have we made our signs to men of knowledge.

And it is He who hath produced you from one man, and hath provided for you an abode and resting-place!²⁶ Clear have we made our signs for men of insight.

And it is He who sendeth down rain from Heaven: and we bring forth by it the buds of all the plants, and from them bring we forth the green foliage, and the close growing grain, and palm trees with sheaths of clustering dates, and gardens of grapes, and the olive and the pomegranate, like and unlike.²⁷ Look ye on their fruits when they fruit and ripen. Truly herein are signs unto people who believe.

Yet have they assigned the Djinn to God as his associates, though He created them; and in their ignorance have they falsely ascribed to him sons and daughters. Glory be to Him! And high let Him be exalted above that which they attribute to Him!

Sole maker of the Heavens and of the Earth! how, when He hath no consort, should He have a son? He hath created everything, and He knoweth everything!

This is God your Lord. There is no God but He, the creator of all things: therefore worship Him alone;— and He watcheth over all things.

No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision:²⁸ and He is the Subtil, the All-informed.

Now have proofs that may be seen, come to you from your Lord; whoso seeth them, the advantage will be his own: and whoso is blind to them, his own will be the loss: I am not made a keeper over you.

Thus variously do we apply our signs,²⁹ that they may say, ‘Thou hast studied deep:’ and that to people of understanding we may make them clear.

Follow thou that which hath been revealed to thee by thy Lord: there is no god but He! and withdraw from those who join other gods with Him.

Had God pleased, they had not joined other gods with Him: and we have not made thee keeper over them, neither art thou a guardian over them.

Revile not those whom they call on beside God,³⁰ lest they, in their ignorance, despitefully revile Him. Thus have we planned out their actions for every people; then shall they return to their Lord, and He will declare to them what those actions have been.

With their most solemn oath have they sworn by God, that if a sign come unto them they will certainly believe it; SAY: Signs are in the power of God alone; and He teacheth you not thereby, only because when they were wrought, ye did not believe.³¹

And we will turn their hearts and their eyes away from the truth, because they did not believe therein at first, and we will leave them in their transgressions, wandering in perplexity.

And though we had sent down the angels to them, and the dead had spoken to them, and we had gathered all things about them in tribes, they had not believed, unless God had willed it! but most of them do not know it.

Thus have we given an enemy to every prophet — Satans among men and among Djinn: tinsel discourses do they suggest the one to the other, in order to deceive: and had thy Lord willed it, they would not have done it. Therefore, leave them and their vain imaginings —

And let the hearts of those who believe not in the life to come incline thereto, and let them find their content in this, and let them gain what they are gaining.

What! shall I seek other judge than God, when it is He who hath sent down to you the distinguishing Book? They to whom we have given the Book know that it is sent down from thy Lord with truth. Be not thou then of those who doubt.

And the words of thy Lord are perfect in truth and in justice: none can change his words: He is the Hearing, Knowing.

But if thou obey most men in this land, from the path of God will they mislead thee: they follow but a conceit, and they are only liars.

Thy Lord! He best knoweth those who err from his path, and He knoweth the rightly guided.

Eat³² of that over which the name of God hath been pronounced, if ye believe in his signs.

And why eat ye not of that over which the name of God hath been pronounced, since He hath made plain to you what He hath forbidden you, save as to that which is forced upon you? But indeed many mislead others by their appetites, through lack of knowledge. Verily, thy Lord! He best knoweth the transgressors.

And abandon the semblance of wickedness, and wickedness itself.³³ They, verily, whose only acquirement is iniquity, shall be rewarded for what they shall have gained.

Eat not therefore of that on which the name of God has not been named, for that is assuredly a crime: the Satans will indeed suggest to their votaries to wrangle with you; but if ye obey them, ye will indeed be of those who join gods with God.

Shall the dead, whom we have quickened, and for whom we have ordained a light whereby he may walk among men, be like him, whose likeness is in the darkness, whence he will not come forth? Thus have the doings of the unbelievers been prepared for them.

Even so have we placed in every city, ringleaders of its wicked ones, to scheme therein: but only against themselves shall they scheme! and they know it not.

And when a sign cometh to them they say, ‘We will not believe, till the like of what was accorded to the apostles of God, be accorded to us.’ God best knoweth where to place his mission. Disgrace with God, and a vehement punishment shall come on the transgressors for their crafty plottings.

And whom God shall please to guide, that man’s breast will He open to Islam; but whom He shall please to mislead, strait and narrow will He make his breast, as though he were mounting up into the very Heavens! Thus doth God inflict dire punishment on those who believe not.

And this is the right way of thy Lord. Now have we detailed our signs unto those who will consider.

For them is a dwelling of peace with their Lord! and in recompense for their works, shall he be their protector.

On the day whereon God shall gather them all together. . .‘O race of Djinn,’ will He say, ‘much did ye exact from mankind.’ And their votaries from among men shall say, ‘O our Lord! we rendered one another mutual services: but we have reached our set term, which thou hast set for us.’ He will say, ‘Your abode the fire! therein abide ye for ever: unless as God shall will.’ Verily, thy Lord is Wise, Knowing.

Even thus place we some of the wicked over others, as the meed of their doings.

O race of Djinn and men! came not apostles to you from among yourselves, rehearsing my signs to you, and warning you of the meeting of this your day? They shall say, ‘We bear witness against ourselves.’ This world’s life deceived them; and they shall bear witness against themselves that they were infidels:—

This,³⁴ because thy Lord would not destroy the cities in their sin, while their people were yet careless.

And for all, are grades of recompense as the result of their deeds; and of what they do, thy Lord is not regardless.

And thy Lord is the Rich one, full of compassion! He can destroy you if He please, and cause whom He will to succeed you, as he raised you up from the offspring of other people:

Verily, that which is threatened you shall surely come to pass, neither shall ye weaken its might.

SAY: O my people! Act as ye best can: I verily will act my part, and hereafter shall ye know

Whose will be the recompense of the abode! Verily, the ungodly shall not prosper.

Moreover, they set apart a portion of the fruits and cattle³⁵ which he hath produced, and say, ‘This for God’ — so deem they — ‘And this for his companions, whom we associate with Him.’ But that which is for these companions of theirs, cometh not to God; yet that which is for God, cometh to the companions! Ill do they judge.

Thus have the companion-gods induced many of these, who join them with God, to slay their children, that they might ruin them, and throw the cloak of confusion over their religion. But if God had pleased, they had not done this. Therefore, leave them and their devices.

They also say, ‘These cattle and fruits are sacred: none may taste them but whom we please:’ so deem they — ‘And there are cattle, whose backs should be exempt from labor.’ And there are cattle over which they do not pronounce the name of God: inventing in all this a lie against Him. For their inventions shall He reward them.

And they say, ‘That which is in the wombs of these cattle is allowed to our males, and forbidden to our wives;’ but if it prove abortive, both partake of it. God shall reward them for their distinctions! Knowing, Wise is He.

Lost are they who, in their ignorance, have foolishly slain their children, and have forbidden that which God hath given them for food, devising an untruth against God! Now have they erred; and they were not rightly guided.

He it is who produceth gardens of the vine trellised and untrellised, and the palm trees, and the corn of various food, and olives, and pomegranates, like and unlike. Eat of their fruit when they bear fruit, and pay the due thereof on the day of its ingathering: and be not prodigal, for God loveth not the prodigal.

And there are cattle for burdens and for journeys. Eat of what God hath given you for food; and follow not the steps of Satan, for he is your declared enemy.

You have four sorts of cattle in pairs: of sheep a pair, and of goats a pair. SAY: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females; or that which the wombs of the two females enclose? Tell me with knowledge, if ye speak the truth:

And of camels a pair, and of oxen a pair. SAY: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females; or that which the wombs of the two females enclose?³⁶ Were ye witnesses when God enjoined you this? Who then is more wicked than he who, in his ignorance, inventeth a lie against God, to mislead men? God truly guideth not the wicked.

SAY: I find not in what hath been revealed to me aught forbidden to the eater to eat, except it be that which dieth of itself, or blood poured forth, or swine’s flesh; for this is unclean or profane, being slain in the name of other than God. But whoso shall be a forced partaker, if it be without willfulness, and not in transgression, — verily, thy Lord is Indulgent, Merciful!

To the Jews did we forbid every beast having an entire hoof, and of both bullocks and sheep we forbade them the fat, save what might be on their backs, or their entrails, and the fat attached to the bone. With this have we recompensed them, because of their transgression: and verily, we are indeed equitable.

If they treat thee as an impostor, then SAY: Your Lord is of all-embracing mercy: but his severity shall not be turned aside from the wicked.

They who add gods to God will say, ‘If God had pleased, neither we nor our fathers had given him companions, nor should we have interdicted anything.’ Thus did they who flourished before them charge with imposture, until they had tasted our severity! SAY: Have ye any knowledge that ye can produce to us? Verily, ye follow only a conceit: ye utter only lies!

SAY: Peremptory proof is God’s! Had He pleased He had guided you all aright.

SAY: Bring hither your witnesses who can witness that God hath forbidden these animals; but if they bear witness, witness not thou with them, nor witness to the conceits of those who charge our signs with falsehood, and who believe not in the life to come, and give equals to our Lord.

SAY: Come, I will rehearse what your Lord hath made binding on you — that ye assign not aught to Him as partner; and that ye be good to your parents; and that ye slay not your children, because of poverty: for them and for you will we provide:³⁷ and that ye come not near to pollutions, outward or inward:³⁸ and that ye slay not anyone whom God hath forbidden you, unless for a just cause. This hath he enjoined on you, to the intent that ye may understand.

And come not nigh to the substance of the orphan, but to improve it, until he come of age: and use a full measure, and a just balance: We will not task a soul beyond its ability. And when ye give judgment, observe justice, even though it be the affair of a kinsman, and fulfill the covenant of God. This hath God enjoined you for your monition —

And, ‘this is my right way.’ Follow it then; and follow not other paths lest ye be scattered from His path. This hath he enjoined you, that ye may fear Him.

Then³⁹ gave we the Book to Moses — complete for him who should do right, and a decision for all matters, and a guidance, and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord.

Blessed, too, this Book which we have sent down. Wherefore follow it and fear God, that ye may find mercy:

Lest ye should say, ‘The Scriptures were indeed sent down only unto two peoples before us, but we were not able to go deep into their studies:’⁴⁰

Or lest ye should say, ‘If a book had been sent down to us, we had surely followed the guidance better than they.’ But now hath a clear exposition come to you from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then is more wicked than he who treateth the signs of God as lies, and turneth aside from them? We will recompense those who turn aside from our signs with an evil punishment, because they have turned aside.

What wait they for, but the coming of the angels to them, or the coming of thy Lord Himself, or that some of the signs of thy Lord should come to pass? On the day when some of thy Lord’s signs shall come to pass, its faith shall not profit a soul which believed not before, nor wrought good works in virtue of its faith. SAY: Wait ye. Verily, we will wait also.

As to those who split up their religion and become sects, have thou nothing to do with them: their affair is with God only. Hereafter shall he tell them what they have done.

He who shall present himself with good works shall receive a tenfold reward; but he who shall present himself with evil works shall receive none other than a like punishment: and they shall not be treated unjustly.

SAY: As for me, my Lord hath guided me into a straight path; a true religion, the creed of Abraham, the sound in faith; for he was not of those who join gods with God.

SAY: My prayers and my worship and my life and my death are unto God, Lord of the Worlds. He hath no associate. This am I commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.

SAY: Shall I seek any other Lord than God, when He is Lord of all things? No soul shall labor but for itself; and no burdened one shall bear another’s burden. At last ye shall return to your Lord, and he will declare that to you about which you differ.

And it is He who hath made you the successors of others on the earth, and hath raised some of you above others by various grades, that he may prove you by his gifts. Verily thy Lord is swift to punish. But He is also Gracious, Merciful!

Sura 7 - AL ARAF

MECCA - 205 verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Elif. Lam. Mim. Sad.¹ A Book hath been sent down to thee: therefore let there be no difficulty in thy breast concerning it: to the intent that thou mayest warn thereby, and that it may be a monition to the faithful.

Follow ye what hath been sent down to you from your Lord; and follow no masters beside Him. How little will ye be monished!

How many cities have we destroyed! By night, or while they were in their midday slumber, did our wrath reach them!

And what was their cry when our wrath reached them, but to say, ‘Verily, we have been impious.’

Surely, therefore, will we call those to account, to whom an Apostle hath been sent, and of the sent ones themselves will we certainly demand a reckoning.

And with knowledge will we tell them of their deeds, for we were not absent from them.

The weighing² on that day, with justice! and they whose balances shall be heavy, these are they who shall be happy.

And they whose balances shall be light, these are they who have lost their souls, for that to our signs they were unjust:

And now have we stablished you on the earth, and given you therein the supports of life. How little do ye give thanks!

We created you; then fashioned you; then said we to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves unto Adam: and they prostrated them all in worship, save Eblis: He was not among those who prostrated themselves.

To him said God: ‘What hath hindered thee from prostrating thyself in worship at my bidding?’ He said, ‘Nobler am I than he: me hast thou created of fire; of clay hast thou created him.’

He said, ‘Get thee down hence: Paradise is no place for thy pride: Get thee gone then; one of the despised shalt thou be.’

He said, ‘Respite me till the day when mankind shall be raised from the dead.’

He said, ‘One of the respited shalt thou be.’

He said, ‘Now, for that thou hast caused me to err, surely in thy straight path will I lay wait for them:

Then will I surely come upon them from before, and from behind, and from their right hand, and from their left, and thou shalt not find the greater part of them to be thankful.’

He said, ‘Go forth from it, a scorned, a banished one! Whoever of them shall follow thee, I will surely fill hell with you, one and all.

And, O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in Paradise, and eat ye whence ye will, but to this tree approach not, lest ye become of the unjust doers.’

Then Satan whispered them to show them their nakedness, which had been hidden from them both. And he said, ‘This tree³ hath your Lord forbidden you, only lest ye should become angels, or lest ye should become immortals.’

And he sware to them both, ‘Verily I am unto you one who counselleth aright.’

So he beguiled them by deceits: and when they had tasted of the tree, their nakedness appeared to them, and they began to sew together upon themselves the leaves of the garden. And their Lord called to them, ‘Did I not forbid you this tree, and did I not say to you, “Verily, Satan is your declared enemy.”’

They said, ‘O our Lord! With ourselves have we dealt unjustly: if thou forgive us not and have pity on us, we shall surely be of those who perish.’

He said, ‘Get ye down, the one of you an enemy⁴ to the other; and on earth shall be your dwelling, and your provision for a season.’

He said, ‘On it shall ye live, and on it shall ye die, and from it shall ye be taken forth.’

O children of Adam! now have we sent down to you raiment to hide your nakedness, and splendid garments; but the raiment of piety — this is best. This is one of the signs of God, that man haply may reflect.

O children of Adam! let not Satan bring you into trouble, as he drove forth your parents from the Garden, by despoiling them of their raiment, that he might cause them to see their nakedness: He truly seeth you, he and his comrades, whence ye see not them. Verily, we have made the Satans tutelars of those who believe not.

And when the wicked commit some filthy deed, they say, ‘We found our fathers practising it, and to us hath God commanded it’ — SAY: God enjoineth not filthy deeds. Will ye speak of God ye know not what?

SAY: My Lord hath enjoined what is right. Turn your faces therefore towards every place where he is worshipped,⁵ and call upon him with sincere religion. As he created you, to him shall ye return: some hath he guided, and some hath he justly left in error, because they have taken the Satans as their tutelars beside God, and have deemed that they were guided aright.

O children of Adam! wear your goodly apparel when ye repair to any mosque,⁶ and eat ye and drink; but exceed not, for He loveth not those who exceed.

Who hath prohibited God’s goodly raiment, and the healthful viands which He hath provided for his servants? SAY: These are for the faithful in this present life, but above all on the day of the resurrection. Thus make we our signs plain for people of knowledge.

SAY: Truly my Lord hath forbidden filthy actions whether open or secret, and iniquity, and unjust violence, and to associate with God that for which He hath sent down no warranty, and to speak of God that ye know not.

Every nation hath its set time. And when their time is come, they shall not retard it an hour; and they shall not advance it.

O children of Adam! there shall come to you Apostles from among yourselves, rehearsing my signs to you; and whoso shall fear God and do good works, no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they be put to grief.

But they who charge our signs with falsehood, and turn away from them in their pride, shall be inmates of the fire: for ever shall they abide therein.

And who is worse than he who deviseth a lie of God, or treateth our signs as lies? To them shall a portion here below be assigned in accordance with the Book of our decrees, until the time when our messengers,⁷ as they receive their souls, shall say, ‘Where are they on whom ye called beside God?’ They shall say: ‘Gone from us.’ And they shall witness against themselves that they were infidels.

He shall say, ‘Enter ye into the Fire with the generations of Djinn and men who have preceded you. So oft as a fresh generation entereth, it shall curse its sister, until when they have all reached it, the last comers shall say to the former, “O our Lord! these are they who led us astray: assign them therefore a double torment of the fire:”’ He will say, ‘Ye shall all have double.’ But of this are ye ignorant.

And the former of them shall say to the latter, ‘What advantage have ye over us? Taste ye therefore the torment for that which ye have done.’

Verily, they who have charged our signs with falsehood and have turned away from them in their pride, Heaven’s gates shall not be opened to them, nor shall they enter Paradise, until the camel⁸ passeth through the eye of the needle. After this sort will we recompense the transgressors.

They shall make their bed in Hell, and above them shall be coverings of fire! After this sort will we recompense the evil doers.

But as to those who have believed and done the things which are right (we will lay on no one a burden beyond his power)—These shall be inmates of Paradise: for ever shalt they abide therein;

And we will remove whatever rancor was in their bosoms: rivers shall roll at their feet: and they shall say, ‘Praise be to God who hath guided us hither! We had not been guided had not God guided us! Of a surety the Apostles of our Lord came to us with truth.’ And a voice shall cry to them, ‘This is Paradise, of which, as the meed of your works, ye are made heirs.’

And the inmates of Paradise shall cry to the inmates of the fire, ‘Now have we found what our Lord promised us to be true. Have ye too found what your Lord promised you to be true?’ And they shall answer, ‘Yes.’ And a Herald shall proclaim between them: ‘The curse of God be upon the evil doers,

Who turn men aside from the way of God, and seek to make it crooked, and who believe not in the life to come!’

And between them shall be a partition; and on the wall AL ARAF⁹ shall be men who will know all,¹⁰ by their tokens, and they shall cry to the inmates of Paradise, ‘Peace be on you!’ but they shall not yet enter it, although they long to do so.

And when their eyes are turned towards the inmates of the Fire, they shall say, ‘O our Lord! place us not with the offending people.’

And they who are upon Al Araf shall cry to those whom they shall know by their tokens, ‘Your amassings and your pride have availed you nothing.

Are these they on whom ye sware God would not bestow mercy? Enter ye¹¹ into Paradise! where no fear shall be upon you, neither shall ye be put to grief.’

And the inmates of the fire shall cry to the inmates of Paradise: ‘Pour upon us some water, or of the refreshments¹² God hath given you?’ They shall say, ‘Truly God hath forbidden both to unbelievers,

Who made their religion a sport and pastime, and whom the life of the world hath deceived.’ This day therefore will we forget them, as they forgot the meeting of this their day, and as they did deny our signs.

And now have we brought them the Book: with knowledge have we explained it; a guidance and a mercy to them that believe.

What have they to wait for now but its interpretation? When its interpretation¹³ shall come, they who aforetime were oblivious of it shall say, ‘The Prophets of our Lord did indeed bring the truth; shall we have any intercessor to intercede for us? or could we not be sent back? Then would we act otherwise than we have acted.’ But they have ruined themselves; and the deities of their own devising have fled from them!

Your Lord is God, who in six days created the Heavens and the Earth, and then mounted the throne: He throweth the veil of night over the day: it pursueth it swiftly: and he created the sun and the moon and the stars, subjected to laws by His behest: Is not all creation and its empire His? Blessed be God Lord of the Worlds!

Call upon your Lord with lowliness and in secret, for He loveth not transgressors.

And commit not disorders on the earth after it hath been well ordered; and call on Him with fear and longing desire: Verily the mercy of God is nigh unto the righteous.

And He it is who sendeth forth the winds as the heralds of his compassion,¹⁴ until they bring up the laden clouds, which we drive along to some dead land and send down water thereon, by which we cause an upgrowth of all kinds of fruit.— Thus will we bring forth the dead. Haply ye will reflect.

In a rich soil, its plants spring forth abundantly by the will of its Lord, and in that which is bad, they spring forth but scantily. Thus do We diversify our signs for those who are thankful.

Of old sent We Noah to his people,¹⁵ and he said, ‘O my people! worship God. Ye have no God but Him: indeed I fear for you the chastisement of the great day.’

The chiefs of his people said, ‘We clearly see that thou art in a palpable error.’

He said, ‘There is no error in me, O my people! but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.

I bring to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you friendly counsel; for I know from God what ye know not.

Marvel ye that a Warning should come to you from your Lord through one of yourselves, that he may warn you, and that ye may fear for yourselves, and that haply ye may find mercy?’

But they treated him as a liar: so we delivered him and those who were with him in the ark, and we drowned those who charged our signs with falsehood; for they were a blind people.

And to Ad¹⁶ we sent their brother Houd.¹⁷ ‘O my people!’ said he, ‘worship God: ye have no other god than Him: Will ye not then fear Him?’

Said the unbelieving chiefs among his people, ‘We certainly perceive that thou art unsound of mind; and we surely deem thee an impostor.’

He said, ‘O my people! it is not unsoundness of mind in me, but I am an Apostle from the Lord of the Worlds.

The messages of my Lord do I announce to you, and I am your faithful¹⁸ counsellor.

Marvel ye that a warning hath come to you from your Lord through one of yourselves that He may warn you? Remember how he hath made you the successors of the people of Noah, and increased you in tallness of stature. Remember then the favors of God, that it may haply be well with you.’

They said, ‘Art thou come to us in order that we may worship one God alone, and leave what our fathers worshipped? Then bring that upon us with which thou threatenest us, if thou be a man of truth.’

He said, ‘Vengeance and wrath shall suddenly light on you from your Lord. Do ye dispute with me about names that you and your fathers have given your idols, and for which God hath sent you down no warranty? Wait ye then, and I too will wait with you.’

And we delivered him, and those who were on his side, by our mercy, and we cut off, to the last man, those who had treated our signs as lies, and who were not believers.

And to Themoud we sent their brother Saleh.¹⁹ He said, O my people! worship God: ye have no other god than Him: now hath a clear proof of my mission come to you from your Lord, this she-camel of God being a sign to you: therefore let her go at large to pasture on God’s earth: and touch her not to harm her, lest a grievous chastisement seize you.

And remember how he hath made you successors to the Adites, and given you dwellings on the earth, so that on its plains ye build castles, and hew out houses in the hills. And bear in mind the benefits of God, and lay not the earth waste with deeds of licence.

Said the chiefs of his people puffed up with pride, to those who were esteemed weak, even to those of them who believed, ‘What! know ye for certain that Saleh is sent by his Lord?’ They said, ‘Truly we believe in that with which he hath been sent.’

Then said those proud men, ‘Verily, we reject that in which ye believe.’

And they ham-strung the she-camel, and rebelled against their Lord’s command, and said, ‘O Saleh, let thy menaces be accomplished upon us if thou art one of the Sent Ones.’

Then the earthquake surprised them; and in the morning they were found dead on their faces in their dwellings.

So he turned away from them, and said, ‘O my people! I did indeed announce to you the message of my Lord: and I gave you faithful counsel, but ye love not faithful counsellors.’²⁰

We also sent Lot, when he said to his people, commit ye this filthy deed in which no creature hath gone before you?

Come ye to men, instead of women, lustfully? Ye are indeed a people given up to excess.

But the only answer of his people was to say, ‘Turn them out of your city, for they are men who vaunt them pure.’

And we delivered him and his family, except his wife; she was of those who lingered:

And we rained a rain upon them: and see what was the end of the wicked!

And we sent to Madian²¹ their brother Shoaib. He said, ‘O my people! worship God; ye have no other God than Him: now hath a clear sign come to you from your Lord: give therefore the full in measures and weights; take from no man his chattels, and commit no disorder on the earth after it has been made so good. This will be better for you, if you will believe it.

And lay not in ambush by every road in menacing sort; nor mislead him who believeth in God, from His way, nor seek to make it crooked; and remember when ye were few and that he multiplied you, and behold what hath been the end of the authors of disorder!

And if a part of you believe in that with which I am sent, and a part of you believe not, then wait steadfastly until God shall judge between us, for He is the best of judges.’

Said the chiefs of his people puffed up with pride, ‘We will surely banish thee, O Shoaib, and thy fellow-believers from our cities, unless indeed ye shall come back to our religion.’ ‘What!’ said he, ‘though we abhor it?

Now shall we have devised a lie concerning God, if after he hath delivered us from your religion we shall return to it; nor can we return to it, unless by the will of God our Lord: our Lord embraceth all things in his ken. In God have we put our trust: O our Lord! decide between us and between our people, with truth; for the best to decide art Thou.’

And the chiefs of his people who believed not, said, ‘If ye follow Shoaib, ye shall then surely perish.’

An earthquake therefore surprised them, and they were found in the morning dead on their faces, in their dwellings.

Those who had treated Shoaib as an impostor, became as though they had never dwelt in them: they who treated Shoaib as an impostor, were they that perished.

So he turned away from them and said, O my people! I proclaimed to you the messages of my Lord, and I counselled you aright; but how should I be grieved for a people who do not believe?

Nor did we ever send a prophet to any city without afflicting its people with adversity and trouble, that haply they might humble them.²²

Then changed we their ill for good, until they waxed wealthy, and said, ‘Of old did troubles and blessings befall our fathers:’ therefore did we seize upon them suddenly when they were unaware.

But if that the people of these cities had believed and feared us, we would surely have laid open to them blessings out of the Heaven and the Earth: but they treated our signs as lies, and we took vengeance on them for their deeds.

Were the people, therefore, of those cities secure that our wrath would not light on them by night, while they were slumbering?

Were the people of those cities secure that our wrath would not light on them in broad day, while they were disporting themselves?

Did they, therefore, deem themselves secure from the deep counsel²³ of God? But none deem themselves secure from the deep counsel of God, save those who perish.

Is it not proved to those who inherit this land after its ancient occupants, that if we please we can smite them for their sins, and put a seal upon their hearts, that they hearken not?

We will tell thee the stories of these cities. Their apostles came to them with clear proofs of their mission; but they would not believe in what they had before treated as imposture.— Thus doth God seal up the hearts of the unbelievers —

And we found not of their covenant in most of them; but we found most of them to be perverse.

Then after them we sent Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles, who acted unjustly in their regard. But see what was the end of the corrupt doers!

And Moses said, ‘O Pharaoh! verily I am an apostle from the Lord of the Worlds.

Nothing but truth is it right for me to speak of God. Now am I come to you from your Lord with a proof of my mission; send away, therefore, the children of Israel with me.’ He said, ‘If thou comest with a sign, show it if thou art a man of truth.’

So he threw down his rod, and lo! it distinctly became a serpent.

Then drew he forth his hand, and lo! it was white²⁴ to the beholders.

The nobles of Pharaoh’s people said, ‘Verily, this is an expert enchanter:

Fain would he expel you from your land: what then do ye order to be done?’

They said, ‘Put²⁵ him and his brother off awhile, and send round men to your cities who shall muster

And bring to thee every skilled enchanter.’

And the enchanters came to Pharaoh. Said they, ‘Shall we surely be rewarded if we prevail?’

He said, ‘Yes; and ye certainly shall be near my person.’

They said, ‘O Moses! either cast thou down thy rod first, or we will cast down ours.’

He said, ‘Cast ye down.’ And when they had cast them down they enchanted the people’s eyes, and made them afraid; for they had displayed a great enchantment.

Then spake we unto Moses, ‘Throw down thy rod;’ and lo! it devoured their lying wonders.

So the truth was made strong, and that which they had wrought proved vain:

And they were vanquished on the spot, and drew back humiliated.

But the other enchanters prostrated themselves adoring:

Said they, ‘We believe on the Lord of the Worlds,

The Lord of Moses and Aaron.’

Said Pharaoh, ‘Have ye believed on him, ere I have given you leave? This truly is a plot which ye have plotted in this my city, in order to drive out its people. But ye shall see in the end what shall happen.

I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides; then will I have you all crucified.’

They said, ‘Verily, to our Lord do we return;

And thou takest vengeance on us only because we have believed on the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Lord! pour out constancy upon us, and cause us to die Muslims.’

Then said the chiefs of Pharaoh’s people — ‘Wilt thou let Moses and his people go to spread disorders in our land, and desert thee and thy gods?’ He said, ‘We will cause their male children to be slain and preserve their females alive: and verily we shall be masters over them.’

Said Moses to his people, ‘Cry unto God for help, and bear up patiently, for the earth is God’s: to such of His servants as He pleaseth doth He give it as a heritage; and for those that fear Him is a happy issue.’

‘We have been oppressed,’ they said, ‘before thou camest to us, and since thou hast been with us:’ ‘Perhaps,’ said he, ‘your Lord will destroy your enemy, and will make you his successors in the land, and He will see how ye will act therein.’

Already had we chastised the people of Pharaoh with dearth and scarcity of fruits, that haply they might take warning:

And when good fell to their lot they said, ‘This is our due.’ But if ill befell them, they regarded Moses and his partisans as (the birds) of evil omen.²⁶ Yet, was not their evil omen from God? But most of them knew it not.

And they said, ‘Whatever sign thou bring us for our enchantment, we will not believe on thee.’

And we sent upon them the flood and the locusts and the kummal (lice) and the frogs and the blood,— clear signs²⁷ — but they behaved proudly, and were a sinful people.

And when any plague fell upon them, they said, ‘O Moses! pray for us to thy Lord, according to that which he hath covenanted with thee: Truly if thou take off the plague from us, we will surely believe thee, and will surely send the children of Israel with thee.’ But when we had taken off the plague from them, and the time which God had granted them had expired,²⁸ behold! they broke their promise.

Therefore we took vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea, because they treated our signs as falsehoods and were heedless of them.

And we gave to the people who had been brought so low, the eastern and the western lands, which we had blessed as an heritage: and the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled on the children of Israel because they had borne up with patience: and we destroyed the works and the structures of Pharaoh and his people:

And we brought the children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who gave themselves up to their idols. They said, ‘O Moses! make us a god, as they have gods.’ He said, ‘Verily, ye are an ignorant people:

For the worship they practise²⁹ will be destroyed, and that which they do, is vain.’

He said, ‘Shall I seek any other god for you than God, when it is He who hath preferred you above all other peoples?’

And remember when we rescued you from the people of Pharaoh they had laid on you a cruel affliction; they slew your sons, and let only your daughters live, and in this was a great trial from your Lord.

And we appointed a meeting with Moses for thirty nights, which we completed with ten other nights, so that his whole time with his Lord³⁰ amounted to forty nights. Then said Moses to his brother Aaron, ‘Take thou my place among my people, and act rightly, and follow not the way of the corrupt doers.’

And when Moses came at our set time and his Lord spake with him, he said, ‘O Lord, show thyself to me, that I may look upon thee.’ He said, ‘Thou shalt not see Me; but look towards the mount, and if it abide firm in its place, then shalt thou see Me.’ And when God manifested Himself to the mountain he turned it to dust! and Moses fell in a swoon.

And when he came to himself, he said, ‘Glory be to thee! To thee do I turn in penitence, and I am the first of them that believe.’

He said, ‘O Moses! thee above all men have I chosen by my commissions, and by my speaking to thee. Take therefore what I have brought thee, and be one of those who render thanks.

And we wrote for him upon the tables a monition concerning every matter, and said, ‘Receive them thyself with steadfastness, and command thy people to receive them for the observance of its most goodly precepts:— I will show you the abode of the wicked.’

The unjustly proud ones of the earth will I turn aside from my signs, for even if they see every sign they will not believe them; and if they see the path of uprightness, they will not take it for their path, but if they see the path of error, for their path will they take it.

This,— for that they treated our signs as lies, and were heedless of them.

Vain will be the works of those who treated our signs, and the meeting of the life to come, as lies! Shall they be rewarded but as they have wrought?

And the people of Moses took during his absence a calf made of their ornaments, and ruddy like gold, and lowing.³¹ Saw they not that it could not speak to them, nor guide them in the way?

Yet they took it for a God and became offenders!

But when they repented, and saw that they had erred, they said, ‘Truly if our Lord have not mercy on us, and forgive us, we shall surely be of those who perish.’

And when Moses returned to his people, wrathful, angered, he said, ‘Evil is it that ye have done next upon my departure. Would ye hasten on the judgments of your Lord?’ And he threw down the tables, and seized his brother by the head and dragged him unto him. Said he, ‘Son of my mother! the people thought me weak, and had well nigh slain me. Make not mine enemies to rejoice over me, and place me not among the wrong doers.’

He said, ‘O Lord, forgive me and my brother, and bring us into thy mercy; for of those who show mercy thou art the most merciful.’

Verily as to those who took the calf as a god, wrath from their Lord shall overtake them, and shame in this present life: for thus recompense we the devisers of a lie.

But to those who have done evil, then afterwards repent and believe, thy Lord will thereafter be Lenient, Merciful.

And when the anger of Moses was stilled, he took up the tables; and in their writing was guidance and mercy for those who dread their Lord.

And Moses chose seventy men of his people for a meeting appointed by us. And when the earthquake overtook them, he said, ‘O my Lord! if it had been thy pleasure, thou hadst destroyed them and me ere this! wilt thou destroy us for what our foolish ones have done? It is nought but thy trial: thou wilt mislead by it whom thou wilt, and guide whom thou wilt. Our guardian, thou! Forgive us then and have mercy on us; for of those who forgive art thou the best:

And write down for us what is good in this world, as well as in the world to come, for to thee are we guided.’ He said, ‘My chastisement shall fall on whom I will, and my mercy embraceth all things, and I write it down for those who shall fear me, and pay the alms, and believe in our signs,

Who shall follow the Apostle, the unlettered³² Prophet — whom they shall find described with them in the Law and Evangel. What is right will he enjoin them, and forbid them what is wrong, and will allow them healthful viands and prohibit the impure, and will ease them of their burden, and of the yokes which were upon them; and those who shall believe in him, and strengthen him, and help him,³³ and follow the light³⁴ which hath been sent down with him,— these are they with whom it shall be well.’

SAY to them: O men! Verily I am God’s apostle to you all;

Whose is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! There is no God but He! He maketh alive and killeth! Therefore believe on God, and his Apostle — the unlettered Prophet — who believeth in God and his word. And follow him that ye may be guided aright.

And among the people of Moses there is a certain number³⁵ who guide others with truth, and practise what is right according to it.

And we divided the Israelites into twelve tribes, as nations; and we revealed unto Moses when the people asked drink of him — ‘Strike the rock with thy staff:’ and there gushed forth from it twelve fountains — the men all knew their drinking places. And we caused clouds to overshadow them, and sent down upon them the manna and the quails. . . ‘Eat of the good things with which we have supplied you.’ But it was not us whom they injured, but they injured their own selves:

And when it was said to them, ‘Dwell in this city, and eat therefrom what ye will, and say “Hittat” (forgiveness), and enter the gate with prostrations; then will we pardon your offenses,— we will give increase to the doers of good:’

But the ungodly ones among them changed that word into another than that which had been told them:³⁶ therefore sent we forth wrath out of Heaven upon them for their wrong doings.

And³⁷ ask them about the city that stood by the sea, when its inhabitants broke the Sabbath; when their fish came to them on their Sabbath day appearing openly, but came not to them on the day when they kept no Sabbath. Thus did we make trial of them, for that they were evildoers.³⁸

And when some of them said, why warn ye those whom God would destroy or chastise with terrible chastisement? they said, For our own excuse with your Lord; and that they may fear Him.

And when they forgot their warnings, we delivered those who had forbidden evil; and we inflicted a severe chastisement on those who had done wrong, for that they were evil doers.

But when they proudly persisted in that which was forbidden, we said to them, ‘Become scouted apes;’ and then thy Lord declared that until the day of the resurrection, he would surely send against them³⁹ (the Jews) those who should evil entreat and chastise them: for prompt is thy Lord to punish; and He is Forgiving, Merciful.

And we have divided them upon the Earth as peoples: some of them are upright and some are otherwise; and by good things and by evil things have we proved them, to the intent that they might return to us.

And they have had successors to succeed them: they have inherited the Book: they have received the passing good things of this lower world,⁴⁰ and say, ‘It will be forgiven us.’ Yet if the like good things came to them again, they would again receive them. But hath there not been received on their part a covenant through the Scripture that they should speak nought of God but the truth? And yet they study its contents. But the mansion of the next world hath more value for those who fear God — Do ye not then comprehend?—

And who hold fast the Book, and observe prayer: verily, we will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.

And when we shook the mount⁴¹ over them as if it had been a shadow, and they thought it falling upon them,. . . ‘Receive, said we, with steadfastness what we have brought you, and remember what is therein, to the end that ye may fear God.’

And when thy Lord brought forth their descendants from the reins of the sons of Adam and took them to witness against themselves, ‘Am I not,’ said He, ‘your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes, we witness it.’ This we did, lest ye should say on the day of Resurrection, ‘Truly, of this were we heedless, because uninformed;’

Or lest ye should say, ‘Our fathers, indeed, aforetime joined other gods with our God, and we are their seed after them: wilt thou destroy us for the doings of vain men?’

Thus make we our signs clear: that haply they may return to God.

Recite to them⁴² the history of him⁴³ to whom we vouchsafed our signs, and who departed from them, so that Satan followed him, and he became one of the seduced.

Had we pleased, we had certainly thereby exalted him; but he crouched to the earth and followed his own lust: his likeness, therefore, is as that of the dog which lolls out his tongue, whether thou chase him away, or leave him alone! Such is the likeness of those who treat our signs as lies. Tell them this tale then, that they may consider.

Evil the likeness of those who treat our signs as lies! and it is themselves they injure.

He whom God guideth is the guided, and they whom he misleadeth shall be the lost.

Many, moreover, of the Djinn and men have we created for Hell. Hearts have they with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not, and ears have they with which they hearken not. They are like the brutes: Yea, they go more astray: these are the heedless.

Most excellent titles hath God:⁴⁴ by these call ye on Him, and stand aloof from those who pervert⁴⁵ his titles. For what they have done shall they be repaid!

And among those whom we have created are a people who guide others with truth, and in accordance therewith act justly.

But as for those who treat our signs as lies, we will gradually bring them down by means of which they know not:

And though I lengthen their days, verily, my stratagem shall prove effectual.

Will they not bethink them that their companion Muhammad is not djinn-possessed? Yes, his office is only that of plain warner.

Will they not look forth on the realms of the Heaven and of the Earth, and on all things which God hath made, to see whether haply their end be not drawing on? And in what other book will they believe⁴⁶ who reject the Koran?

No other guide for him whom God shall mislead! He will leave them distraught in their wanderings.

They will ask thee of the Hour — for what time is its coming fixed? SAY: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord: none shall manifest it in its time but He: it is the burden⁴⁷ of the Heavens and of the Earth: not otherwise than on a sudden will it come on you.⁴⁸

They will ask thee as if thou wast privy to it: SAY: The knowledge of it is with none but God. But most men know not this.

SAY: I have no control over what may be helpful or hurtful to me, but as God willeth. Had I the knowledge of his secrets, I should revel in the good, and evil should not touch me. But I am only a warner, and an announcer of good tidings to those who believe.

He it is who hath created you from a single person, and from him brought forth his wife that he might dwell with her: and when he had known her, she bore a light burden, and went about with it; and when it became heavy, they both cried to God their Lord, ‘If thou give us a perfect child we will surely be of the thankful.’

Yet when God had given them a perfect child,⁴⁹ they⁵⁰ joined partners with Him in return for what he had given them. But high is God above the partners they joined with Him!

What! Will they join those with Him who cannot create anything, and are themselves created, and have no power to help them, or to help themselves?

And if ye summon them to ‘the guidance,’ they will not follow you! It is the same to them whether ye summon them or whether ye hold your peace!

Truly they whom ye call on beside God, are, like yourselves, His servants! Call on them then, and let them answer you, if what ye say of them be true!

Have they feet to walk with? Have they hands to hold with? Have they eyes to see with? Have they ears to hear with? SAY: Call on these joint gods of yours; then make your plot against me, and delay it not.

Verily, my Lord is God, who hath sent down ‘the Book;’ and He is the protector of the righteous.

But they whom ye call on beside Him, can lend you no help, nor can they help themselves:

And if ye summon them to ‘the guidance,’ they hear you not: thou seest them look towards thee, but they do not see!

Make the best of things;⁵¹ and enjoin what is just, and withdraw from the ignorant:

And if stirrings to evil from Satan stir thee, fly thou for refuge to God: He verily heareth, knoweth!

Verily, they who fear God, when some phantom from Satan toucheth them, remember Him, and lo! they see clearly.

Their Brethren⁵² will only continue them in error, and cannot preserve themselves from it.

And when thou bringest not a verse (sign) of the Koran to them, they say, ‘Hast thou not yet patched it up?’⁵³ SAY: I only follow my Lord’s utterances to me. This is a clear proof on the part of your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for those who believe.

And when the Koran is read, then listen ye to it and keep silence, that haply ye may obtain mercy.

And think within thine own self on God, with lowliness and with fear and without loud spoken words, at even and at morn; and be not one of the heedless.

Verily they who are round about thy Lord disdain not His service. They praise Him and prostrate themselves before Him.

Sura 8 - THE SPOILS¹

MEDINA - 76 verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

They will question thee about THE SPOILS. SAY: The spoils are God’s and the apostle’s. Therefore, fear God, and settle this among yourselves; and obey God and his apostle, if you are believers.

Believers are they only whose hearts thrill with fear when God is named, and whose faith increaseth at each recital of his signs, and who put their trust in their Lord;

Who observe the prayers, and give alms out of that with which we have supplied them;

These are the believers: their due grade awaiteth them in the presence of their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.

Remember how thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy home² on a mission of truth, and part of the believers were quite averse to it:

They disputed with thee about the truth³ which had been made so clear, as if they were being led forth to death, and saw it before them:

And remember when God promised you that one of the two troops⁴ should fall to you, and ye desired that they who had no arms should fall to you: but God purposed to prove true the truth of his words, and to cut off the uttermost part of the infidels;

That he might prove his truth to be the truth, and bring to nought that which is nought,⁵ though the impious were averse to it:

When ye sought succor of your Lord, and he answered you, ‘I will verily aid you with a thousand⁶ angels, rank on rank:’

And God made this promise as pure good tidings, and to assure your hearts by it: for succor cometh from God alone! Verily God is Mighty, Wise.

Recollect when sleep, a sign of security from Him, fell upon you, and he sent down upon you water from Heaven that he might thereby cleanse you, and cause the pollution of Satan to pass from you, and that he might gird up your hearts, and stablish your feet by it:

When thy Lord spake unto the angels, ‘I will be with you: therefore stablish ye the faithful. I will cast a dread into the hearts of the infidels.’ Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger-tip.

This, because they have opposed God and his apostle: And whoso shall oppose God and his apostle. . .Verily, God will be severe in punishment.

‘This for you! Taste it then! and for the infidels is the torture of the fire!’

O ye who believe! when ye meet the marshalled hosts of the infidels, turn not your backs to them:

Whoso shall turn his back to them on that day, unless he turn aside to fight, or to rally to some other troop, shall incur wrath from God: Hell shall be his abode and wretched the journey thither!

So it was not ye who slew them, but God slew them; and those shafts were God’s, not thine!⁷ He would make trial of the faithful by a gracious trial from Himself: Verily, God Heareth, Knoweth.

This befell, that God might also bring to nought the craft of the infidels.

O Meccans! if ye desired a decision, now hath the decision come to you.⁸ It will be better for you if ye give over the struggle. If ye return to it, we will return; and your forces, though they be many, shall never avail you aught, for God is with the faithful.

O ye faithful! obey God and his apostle, and turn not away from Him, now that ye hear the truth;

And be not like those who say ‘We hear,’ when they hear not;

For the vilest beasts in God’s sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who understand not.

Had God known any good in them, he would certainly have made them hear. But even if He had made them hear, they would certainly have turned back and withdrawn afar.

O ye faithful! make answer to the appeal of God and his apostle when he calleth you to that which giveth you life. Know that God cometh in between a man and his own heart, and that to him shall ye be gathered.

And be afraid of temptation: the evil doers among you will not be the only ones on whom it will light: And know ye that God is severe in punishment.

And remember when ye were few, and reputed weak in the land:⁹ ye feared lest men should pluck you away; then was it that He took you in and strengthened you with his help, and supplied you with good things, that haply ye might give thanks.

O ye who believe! deal not falsely with God and his apostle; and be not false in your engagements, with your own knowledge:

And know that your wealth and your children are a temptation; and that God! with Him is a glorious recompense.

O ye who believe! if ye fear God he will make good your deliverance, and will put away your sins from you, and will forgive you. God is of great bounteousness!

And call to mind when the unbelievers plotted against thee, to detain thee prisoner, or to kill thee, or to banish thee: They plotted — but God plotted: and of plotters is God the best!

And oft as our signs were rehearsed to them, they said, ‘Now have we heard: if we pleased we could certainly utter its like! Yes, it is mere tales of the ancients.’

And when they said, ‘God! if this be the very truth from before thee, rain down stones upon us from Heaven, or lay on us some grievous chastisement.’

But God chose not to chastise them while thou wast with them, nor would God chastise them when they sued for pardon.

But because they debarred the faithful from the holy temple, albeit they are not its guardians, nothing is there on their part why God should not chastise them. The Godfearing only are its guardians; but most of them know it not.

And their prayer at the house of God is no other than whistling through the fingers and clapping of the hands — ‘Taste then the torment, for that ye have been unbelievers.’

The infidels spend their riches¹⁰ with intent to turn men aside from the way of God: spend it they shall; then shall sighing be upon them, and then shall they be overcome.

And the infidels shall be gathered together into Hell,

That God may separate the bad from the good, and put the bad one upon the other, and heap them all up and put them into Hell! These are they who shall be lost.

SAY to the infidels: If they desist from their unbelief, what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return to it, they have already before them¹¹ the doom of the ancients!

Fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it God’s. If they desist, verily God beholdeth what they do:

But if they turn their back, know ye that God is your protector: Excellent protector! excellent helper!

And know ye, that when ye have taken any booty, a fifth¹² part belongeth to God and to the Apostle, and to the near of kin, and to orphans, and to the poor, and to the wayfarer, if ye believe in God, and in that which we have sent down to our servant on the day of the victory,¹³ the day of the meeting of the Hosts. Over all things is God potent.

When ye were encamped on the near side of the valley, and they were on the further side, and the caravan was below you, if ye had made an engagement to attack, ye would have failed the engagement; but ye were led into action notwithstanding, that God might accomplish the thing destined to be done:

That he who should perish might perish with a clear token¹⁴ before him, and that he who liveth might live with it. And verily, God Heareth, Knoweth.

Remember when God showed them to thee in thy dream, as few: Had he shown them numerous, ye would certainly have become fainthearted, and would certainly have disputed about the matter — But from this God kept you — He knoweth the very secrets of the breast —

And when, on your meeting, he made them to appear to your eyes as few, and diminished you in their eyes, that God might carry out the thing that was to be done.¹⁵ To God do all things return.

Believers! when ye confront a troop, stand firm and make frequent mention of the name of God, that it may fare well with you:

And obey God and his Apostle; and dispute not, lest ye become fainthearted and your success go from you; but endure with steadfastness, for God is with the steadfastly enduring.

And be not like those Meccans who came out of their houses insolently and to be seen of men, and who turn others from the way of God: God is round about their actions.

When Satan prepared their works for them, and said, ‘No man shall conquer you this day; and verily I will be near to help you:’ But when the two armies came in sight, he turned on his heel and said, ‘Ay, I am clear of you: ay, I see what ye see not:¹⁶ ay, I fear God; for God is severe in punishing.’

When the hypocrites and the diseased of heart said, ‘Their Religion hath misled the Muslims:¹⁷ But whoso putteth his trust in God. . .Yes, verily God is Mighty, Wise!

If thou didst see, when the angels cause the infidels to die! They smite their faces and their backs, and — ‘Taste ye the torture of the burning:

This, for what your hands have sent on before you:’— and God is not unjust to his servants.

Their state is like that of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them who believed not in the signs of God: therefore God seized upon them in their sin! God is Mighty, severe in punishing.

This, because God changeth not the favor with which he favoreth a people, so long as they change not what is in their hearts; and for that God Heareth, Knoweth.

Their state is like that of the people of Pharaoh, and of those before them who treated their Lord’s signs as lies. We therefore destroyed them in their sins, and we drowned the people of Pharaoh; for they were all doers of wrong.

The worst beasts truly in the sight of God are the thankless who will not believe;

They with whom thou hast leagued, and who are ever breaking their league, and who fear not God!

If thou take them in war, then, by the example of their fate, scatter those who shall follow them — that they may be warned:

Or if thou fear treachery from any people, throw back their treaty to them as thou fairly mayest,¹⁸ for God loveth not the treacherous.

And think not that the infidels shall escape Us! They shall not weaken God.

Make ready then against them what force ye can, and strong squadrons whereby ye may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy, and into others beside them whom ye know not, but whom God knoweth. All that you shall expend for the cause of God shall be repaid you; and ye shall not be wronged.

And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it; and put thy trust in God: for He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

But if they seek to betray thee, God will be all-sufficient for thee. He it is who hath strengthened thee with His help, and with the faithful, and hath made their hearts one. Hadst thou spent all the riches of the earth, thou couldst not have united their hearts; but God hath united them, for He is Mighty, Wise.

O prophet! God, and such of the faithful as follow thee, will be all-sufficient for thee.

O prophet! stir up the faithful to the fight. Twenty of you who stand firm shall vanquish two hundred: and if there be an hundred of you they shall vanquish a thousand of the infidels, for they are a people devoid of understanding.

Now hath God made your work easy, for he knoweth how weak ye are. If there be an hundred of you who endure resolutely, they shall vanquish two hundred; and if there be a thousand of you, they shall vanquish two thousand¹⁹ by God’s permission; for God is with those who are resolute to endure.

No prophet hath been enabled to take captives until he had made great slaughter in the earth. Ye desire the passing fruitions of this world, but God desireth the next life for you. And God is Mighty, Wise.

Had there not been a previous ordinance²⁰ from God, a severe chastisement had befallen you, for the ransom which ye took.

Eat therefore of the spoils ye have taken what is lawful and good; and fear God: God is Gracious, Merciful.

O prophet! say to the captives who are in your hands, ‘If God shall know good²¹ to be in your hearts, He will give you good beyond all that hath been taken from you, and will forgive you: for God is Forgiving, Merciful.’

But if they seek to deal treacherously with you — they have already dealt treacherously²² with God before! Therefore hath He given you power over them. God is Knowing, Wise.

Verily, they who have believed and fled their homes and spent their substance for the cause of God, and they who have taken in the prophet and been helpful to him, shall be near of kin the one to the other. And they who have believed, but have not fled their homes, shall have no rights of kindred with you at all, until they too fly their country. Yet if they seek aid from you on account of the faith, your part it is to give them aid, except against a people between whom and yourselves there shall be a treaty. And God beholdeth your actions.

The infidels lend one another mutual help. Unless ye do the same, there will be discord in the land and great corruption.

But as for those who have believed and fled their country, and fought on the path of God, and given the prophet an asylum, and been helpful to him, these are the faithful; Mercy is their due and a noble provision.

And they who have believed and fled their country since, and have fought at your side, these also are of you. Those who are united by ties of blood²³ are the nearest of kin to each other. This is in the Book of God. Verily, God knoweth all things.

Sura 9¹ - IMMUNITY

MEDINA - 130 verses

An IMMUNITY from God and His Apostle to those with whom ye are in league, among the Polytheist Arabs! (those who join gods with God).

Go ye, therefore, at large in the land four months: but know that God ye shall not weaken;² and that those who believe not, God will put to shame —

And a proclamation on the part of God and His Apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage, that God is free from any engagement with the votaries of other gods with God as is His Apostle! If, therefore, ye turn to God it will be better for you; but if ye turn back, then know that ye shall not weaken God: and to those who believe not, announce thou a grievous punishment.

But this concerneth not those Polytheists with whom ye are in league, and who shall have afterwards in no way failed you, nor aided anyone against you. Observe, therefore, engagement with them through the whole time of their treaty: for God loveth those who fear Him.

And when the sacred months³ are passed, kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their way, for God is Gracious, Merciful.

If any one of those who join gods with God ask an asylum of thee, grant him an asylum, that he may hear the Word of God, and then let him reach his place of safety. This, for that they are people devoid of knowledge.

How shall they who add gods to God be in league with God and with His Apostle, save those with whom ye made a league at the sacred temple? So long as they are true to you, be ye true to them; for God loveth those who fear Him.

How can they? since if they prevail against you, they will not regard in you either ties of blood or faith. With their mouths will they content you, but their hearts will be averse. The greater part of them are perverse doers.

They sell the signs of God for a mean price, and turn others aside from his way: evil is it that they do!

They regard not in a believer either ties of blood or faith; these are the transgressors!

Yet if they turn to God and observe prayer, and pay the impost, then are they your brethren in religion. We make clear our signs to those who understand.

But if, after alliance made, they break their oaths and revile your religion, then do battle with the ring-leaders of infidelity — for no oaths are binding with them — that they may desist.

What! will ye not fight against those Meccans who have broken their oaths and aimed to expel your Apostle, and attacked you first? Will ye dread them? God is more worthy of your fear, if ye are believers!

So make war on them: By your hands will God chastise them, and will put them to shame, and will give you victory over them, and will heal the bosoms of a people who believe;

And will take away the wrath of their hearts. God will be turned unto whom He will: and God is Knowing, Wise.

Think ye that ye shall be forsaken as if God did not yet know those among you who do valiantly, and take none for their friends beside God, and His Apostle, and the faithful? God is well apprised of your doings.

It is not for the votaries of other gods with God, witnesses against themselves of infidelity, to visit the temples of God. These! vain their works: and in the fire shall they abide for ever!

He only should visit the temples of God who believeth in God and the last day, and observeth prayer, and payeth the legal alms, and dreadeth none but God. These haply will be among the rightly guided.

Do ye place the giving drink to the pilgrims, and the visitation of the sacred temple,⁴ on the same level with him who believeth in God and the last day, and fighteth on the way of God? They shall not be held equal by God: and God guideth not the unrighteous.

They who have believed, and fled their homes, and striven with their substance and with their persons on the path of God, shall be of highest grade with God: and these are they who shall be happy!

Tidings of mercy from Himself, and of His good pleasure, doth their Lord send them, and of gardens in which lasting pleasure shall be theirs;

Therein shall they abide for ever; for God! with Him is a great reward.

O Believers! make not friends of your fathers or your brethren if they love unbelief above faith: and whoso of you shall make them his friends, will be wrong doers.

SAY: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your kindred, and the wealth which ye have gained, and merchandise which ye fear may be unsold, and dwellings wherein ye delight, be dearer to you than God and His Apostle and efforts on his Path, then wait until God shall Himself enter on His work:⁵ and God guideth not the impious.

Now hath God helped you in many battlefields, and, on the day of Honein,⁶ when ye prided yourselves on your numbers; but it availed you nothing; and the earth, with all its breadth, became too straight for you:⁷ then turned ye your backs in flight:

Then did God send down His spirit of repose⁸ upon His Apostle, and upon the faithful, and He sent down the hosts which ye saw not, and He punished the Infidels: This, the Infidels’ reward!

Yet, after this, will God be turned to whom He pleaseth; for God is Gracious, Merciful!

O Believers! only they who join gods with God are unclean! Let them not, therefore, after this their year, come near the sacred Temple. And if ye fear want,⁹ God, if He please, will enrich you of His abundance: for God is Knowing, Wise.

Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God, or in the last day, and who forbid not that which God and His Apostle have forbidden, and who profess not the profession of the truth, until they pay tribute out of hand,¹⁰ and they be humbled.¹¹

The Jews say, ‘Ezra (Ozair) is a son of God’;¹² and the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is a son of God.’ Such the sayings in their mouths! They resemble the saying of the Infidels of old! God do battle with them! How are they misguided!

They take their teachers, and their monks, and the Messiah, son of Mary, for Lords¹³ beside God, though bidden to worship one God only. There is no God but He! Far from His glory be what they associate with Him!

Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the Infidels abhor it.

He it is who hath sent His Apostle with the Guidance and a religion of the truth, that He may make it victorious¹⁴ over every other religion, albeit they who assign partners to God be averse from it.

O Believers! of a truth, many of the teachers and monks do devour man’s substance in vanity, and turn them from the Way of God. But to those who treasure up gold and silver and expend it not in the Way of God, announce tidings of a grievous torment.

On that day their treasures shall be heated in hell fire, and their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs, shall be branded with them . . .‘This is what ye have treasured up for yourselves: taste, therefore, your treasures!’

Twelve months is the number of months with God,¹⁵ according to God’s book, since the day when He created the Heavens and the Earth: of these four are sacred: this is the right usage: But wrong not yourselves therein; attack those who join gods with God in all, as they attack you in all: and know that God is with those who fear Him.

To carry over a sacred month to another, is only a growth of infidelity. The Infidels are led into error by it. They allow it one year, and forbid it another, that they may make good the number of months which God hath hallowed, and they allow that which God hath prohibited. The evil of their deeds hath been prepared for them by Satan: for God guideth not the people who do not believe.

O Believers! what possessed you, that when it was said to you, ‘March forth on the Way of God,’ ye sank heavily earthwards? What! prefer ye the life of this world to the next? But the fruition of this mundane life, in respect of that which is to come, is but little.¹⁶

Unless ye march forth, with a grievous chastisement will He chastise you; and He will place another people in your stead, and ye shall in no way harm Him: for over everything is God potent.

If ye assist not your Prophet. . .God assisted him formerly, when the unbelievers drove him forth, in company with a second only!¹⁷ when they two were in the cave; when the Prophet said to his companion, ‘Be not distressed; verily, God is with us.’ And God sent down His tranquillity upon him, and strengthened him with hosts ye saw not, and made the word of those who believed not the abased, and the word of God was the exalted: for God is Mighty, Wise.

March ye forth the light and heavy armed,¹⁸ and contend with your substance and your persons on the Way of God. This, if ye know it, will be better for you.

Had there been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed thee; but the way seemed long to them.¹⁹ Yet will they swear by God, ‘Had we been able, we had surely gone forth with you:’ they are self-destroyers! And God knoweth that they are surely liars!

God forgive thee! Why didst thou give them leave to stay behind, ere they who make true excuses had become known to thee, and thou hadst known the liars?

They who believe in God and in the last day will not ask leave of thee to be exempt from contending with their substance and their persons. But God knoweth those who fear Him!

They only will ask thy leave who believe not in God and the last day, and whose hearts are full of doubts, and who are tossed up and down in their doubtings.

Moreover, had they been desirous to take the field, they would have got ready for that purpose the munitions of war.²⁰ But God was averse to their marching forth, and made them laggards; and it was said, ‘Sit ye at home with those who sit.’

Had they taken the field with you, they would only have added a burden to you, and have hurried about among you, stirring you up to sedition; and some there are among you who would have listened to them: and God knoweth the evil doers.

Of old aimed they at sedition, and deranged thy affairs, until the truth arrived, and the behest of God became apparent, averse from it though they were.

Some of them say to thee, ‘Allow me to remain at home, and expose me not to the trial.’ Have they not fallen into a trial already? But verily, Hell shall environ the Infidels!

If a success betide thee, it annoyeth them: but if a reverse betide thee, they say, ‘We took our own measures before:’ and they turn their backs and are glad.

SAY: Nothing can befall us but what God hath destined²¹ for us. Our liege-lord is He; and on God let the faithful trust!

SAY: Await ye for us, other than one of the two best things?²² But we await for you the infliction of a chastisement by God, from himself, or at our hands. Wait ye then; we verily will wait with you.

SAY: Make ye your offerings willingly or by constraint; it cannot be accepted from you, because ye are a wicked people:

And nothing hindreth the acceptance of their offerings, but that they believe not in God and His Apostle, and discharge not the duty of prayer but with sluggishness, and make not offerings but with reluctance.

Let not, therefore, their riches or their children amaze thee. God is only minded to punish them by means of these, in this life present, and that their souls may depart while they are unbelievers.²³

And they swear by God that they are indeed of you, yet they are not of you, but they are people who are afraid of you:

If they find a place of refuge, or caves, or a hiding place, they assuredly turn towards it and haste thereto.

Some of them also defame thee in regard to the alms; yet if a part be given them, they are content, but if no part be given them, behold, they are angry!

Would that they were satisfied with that which God and His Apostle had given them, and would say ‘God sufficeth us! God will vouchsafe unto us of His favor, and so will His Apostle: verily unto God do we make our suit!’

But alms are only to be given to the poor and the needy,²⁴ and those who collect them, and to those²⁵ whose hearts are won to Islam, and for ransoms, and for debtors, and for the cause of God, and the wayfarer. This is an ordinance from God: and God is Knowing, Wise.

There are some of them who injure²⁶ the Prophet and say, ‘He is all ear.’ SAY: An ear of good to you! He believeth in God, and believeth the believers: and is a mercy to such of you as believe:

But they who injure the Apostle of God, shall suffer a dolorous chastisement.

They swear to you by God to please you; but worthier is God, and His Apostle, that they should please Him, if they are believers.

Know they not, that for him who opposeth God and His Apostle, is surely the fire of Hell, in which he shall remain for ever? This is the great ignominy!

The hypocrites are afraid lest a Sura should be sent down concerning them, to tell them plainly what is in their hearts. SAY: Scoff ye; but God will bring to light that which ye are afraid of.

And if thou question them, they will surely say, ‘We were only discoursing and jesting.’ SAY: What! do ye scoff at God, and His signs, and His Apostle?

Make no excuse: from faith ye have passed to infidelity! If we forgive some of you, we will punish others: for that they have been evil doers.

Hypocritical men and women imitate one another.²⁷ They enjoin what is evil, and forbid what is just, and shut up their hands.²⁸ They have forgotten God, and He hath forgotten them. Verily, the hypocrites are the perverse doers.

God promiseth the hypocritical men and women, and the unbelievers, the fire of Hell — therein shall they abide — this their sufficing portion! And God hath cursed them, and a lasting torment shall be theirs.

Ye act like those who flourished before you. Mightier were they than you in prowess, and more abundant in wealth and children, and they enjoyed their portion: so ye also enjoy your portion, as they who were before you enjoyed theirs; and ye hold discourses like their discourses. These! vain their works both for this world and for that which is to come! These! they are the lost ones.

Hath not the history reached them of those who were before them? — of the people of Noah,²⁹ and of Ad, and of Themoud, and of the people of Abraham, and of the inhabitants of Madian, and of the overthrown cities? Their apostles came to them with clear proofs of their mission: God would not deal wrongly by them, but they dealt wrongly by themselves.

The faithful of both sexes are mutual friends: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil; they observe prayer, and pay the legal impost, and they obey God and His Apostle. On these will God have mercy: verily, God is Mighty, Wise.

To the faithful, both men and women, God promiseth gardens ‘neath which the rivers flow, in which they shall abide, and goodly mansions in the gardens of Eden. But best of all will be God’s good pleasure in them. This will be the great bliss.

O Prophet! contend against the infidels and the hypocrites, and be rigorous with them: Hell shall be their dwelling place! Wretched the journey thither!

They swear by God that they said no such thing: yet spake they the word of infidelity, and from Muslims became unbelievers! They planned what they could not effect;³⁰ and only disapproved of it because God and His Apostle had enriched them by His bounty! If they repent it will be better for them; but if they fall back into their sin, with a grievous chastisement will God chastise them in this world and the next, and on earth they shall have neither friend nor protector!

Some there are of them who made this agreement with God — ‘If truly He give us of His bounties, we will surely give alms and surely be of the righteous.’

Yet when he had vouchsafed them of His bounty, they became covetous thereof, and turned their backs, and withdrew afar off:

So He caused hypocrisy to take its turn in their hearts, until the day on which they shall meet Him — for that they failed their promise to God, and for that they were liars!

Know they not that God knoweth their secrets and their private talk, and that God knoweth the secret things?

They who traduce such of the faithful as give their alms freely, and those who find nothing to give but their earnings, and scoff at them, God shall scoff at them; and there is a grievous torment in store for them.

Ask thou forgiveness for them, or ask it not, it will be the same. If thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times, God will by no means forgive them. This, for that they believe not in God and His Apostle! And God guideth not the ungodly people.

They who were left at home were delighted to stay behind God’s Apostle, and were averse from contending with their riches and their persons for the cause of God, and said, ‘March not out in the heat.’ SAY: A fiercer heat will be the fire of Hell.’ Would that they understood this.

Little, therefore, let them laugh, and much let them weep, as the meed of their doings!

If God bring thee back from the fight to some of them, and they ask thy leave to take the field, SAY: By no means shall ye ever take the field with me, and by no means shall ye fight an enemy with me: ye were well pleased to sit at home at the first crisis: sit ye at home, then, with those who lag behind.

Never pray thou over anyone of them who dieth, or stand at his grave³¹ — because they believed not in God and His Apostle, and died in their wickedness.

Let not their riches or their children astonish thee: through these God is fain only to punish them in this world, and that their souls should depart while they are still infidels.

When a Sura was sent down with ‘Believe in God and go forth to war with His Apostle,’ those of them who are possessed of riches demanded exemption, and said, ‘Allow us to be with those who sit at home.

Well content were they to be with those who stay behind: for a seal hath been set on their hearts so that they understand not:—

But the Apostle and those who share his faith, contend for the faith with purse and person; and these! all good things await them: and these are they who shall be happy.

God hath made ready for them gardens ‘neath which the rivers flow, wherein they shall remain for ever: this will be the great bliss.

Some Arabs of the desert came with excuses, praying exemption; and they who had gainsaid God and His Apostle sat at home: a grievous punishment shall light on such of them as believe not.

It shall be no crime in the weak, and in the sick, and in those who find not the means of contributing, to stay at home, provided they are sincere with God and His Apostle. Against those who act virtuously, there is no cause of blame: and God is Gracious, Merciful:—

Nor against those, to whom when they came to thee that thou shouldst mount them, thou didst say ‘I find not wherewith to mount you,’ and they turned away their eyes shedding floods of tears for grief, because they found no means to contribute.

Only is there cause of blame against those who, though they are rich, ask thee for exemption. They are pleased to be with those who stay behind; and God hath set a seal upon their hearts: they have no knowledge.

They will excuse themselves to you when ye come back to them. SAY: Excuse yourselves not; we cannot believe you: now hath God informed us about you: God will behold your doings, and so will His Apostle: to Him who knoweth alike things hidden and things manifest shall ye hereafter be brought back: and He will tell you what ye have done.

They will adjure you by God when ye are come back to them, to withdraw from them: Withdraw from them, then, for they are unclean: their dwelling shall be Hell, in recompense for their deserts.

They will adjure you to take pleasure in them; but if ye take pleasure in them, God truly will take no pleasure in those who act corruptly.

The Arabs of the desert are most stout in unbelief and dissimulation; and likelier it is that they should be unaware of the laws which God hath sent down to His Apostle: and God is Knowing, Wise.

Of the Arabs of the desert there are some who reckon what they expend in the cause of God as tribute, and wait for some change of fortune to befall you: a change for evil shall befall them! God is the Hearer, the Knower.

And of the Arabs of the desert, some believe in God and in the last day, and deem those alms an approach to God and to the Apostle’s prayers. Are they not their approach? Into His mercy shall God lead them: yes, God is Indulgent, Merciful.

As for those who led the way, the first of the Mohadjers,³² and the Ansars, and those who have followed their noble conduct, God is well pleased with them, and they with Him: He hath made ready for them gardens under whose trees the rivers flow: to abide therein for aye: this shall be the great bliss:

And of the Arabs of the desert round about you, some are hypocrites: and of the people of Medina, some are stubborn in hypocrisy. Thou knowest them not, Muhammad: we know them: twice³³ will we chastise them: then shall they be given over to a great chastisement.

Others have owned their faults, and with an action that is right they have mixed another that is wrong. God will haply be turned to them: for God is Forgiving, Merciful.

Take alms of their substance,³⁴ that thou mayst cleanse and purify them thereby, and pray for them; for thy prayers shall assure their minds: and God Heareth, Knoweth.

Know they not that when his servants turn to Him with repentance, God accepteth it, and that He accepteth alms, and that God is He who turneth, the Merciful?

SAY: Work ye: but God will behold your work, and so will His Apostle, and the faithful: and ye shall be brought before Him who knoweth alike the Hidden and the Manifest, and He will tell you of all your works.

And others await the decision of God; whether He will punish them, or whether He will be turned unto them: but God is Knowing, Wise.

There are some³⁵ who have built a Mosque for mischief³⁶ and for infidelity, and to disunite the faithful, and in expectation of him³⁷ who, in time past, warred against God and His Apostle. They will surely swear, ‘Our aim was only good:’ but God is witness that they are liars.

Never set thou foot in it.³⁸ There is a Mosque³⁹ founded from its first day in piety. More worthy is it that thou enter therein: therein are men who aspire to purity, and God loveth the purified.

Which of the two is best? He who hath founded his building on the fear of God and the desire to please Him, or he who hath founded his building on the brink of an undermined bank washed away by torrents, so that it rusheth with him into the fire of Hell? But God guideth not the doers of wrong.

Their building which they⁴⁰ have built will not cease to cause uneasiness in their hearts, until their hearts are cut in pieces.⁴¹ God is Knowing, Wise.

Verily, of the faithful hath God bought their persons and their substance, on condition of Paradise for them in return: on the path of God shall they fight, and slay, and be slain: a promise for this is pledged in the Law, and in the Evangel, and in the Koran — and who more faithful to his engagement than God? Rejoice, therefore, in the contract that ye have contracted: for this shall be the great bliss.

Those who turn to God, and those who serve, who praise, who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil, and keep to the bounds⁴² of God . . .⁴³ Wherefore bear these good tidings to the faithful.

It is not for the prophet or the faithful to pray for the forgiveness of those, even though they be of kin, who associate other beings with God, after it hath been made clear to them that they are to be the inmates of Hell.

For neither did Abraham ask forgiveness for his father, but in pursuance of a promise which he had promised to him: but when it was shown him that he was an enemy to God, he declared himself clear of him. Yet Abraham was pitiful, kind.

Nor is it for God to lead a people into error, after he hath guided them aright, until that which they ought to dread hath been clearly shown them. Verily, God knoweth all things.

God! His the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! He maketh alive and killeth! Ye have no patron or helper save God.

Now hath God turned Him unto the Prophet and unto the refugees (Mohadjers), and unto the helpers (Ansars),⁴⁴ who followed him in the hour of distress, after that the hearts of a part of them had well nigh failed them.⁴⁵ Then turned He unto them, for He was Kind to them, Merciful.

He hath also turned Him unto the three⁴⁶ who were left behind, so that the earth, spacious as it is, became too strait for them; and their souls became so straitened within them, that they bethought them that there was no refuge from God but unto Himself. Then was He turned to them, that they might be turned to Him, for God is He that turneth, the Merciful.

Believers!⁴⁷ fear God, and be with the sincere.

No cause had the people of Medina and the Arabs of the desert around them, to abandon God’s Apostle, or to prefer their own lives to his; because neither thirst, nor the labor, nor hunger, could come upon them when on path of God;⁴⁸ neither do they step a step which may anger the unbelievers, neither do they receive from the enemy any damage, but it is written down to them as a good work. Verily, God suffereth not the reward of the righteous to perish.

Nor give they alms either small or great, nor traverse they a torrent, but it is thus reckoned to them; that God may reward them with better than they have wrought.

The faithful must not march forth all together to the wars: and if a party of every band of them march not out, it is that they may instruct themselves in their religion, and may warn their people when they come back to them, that they take heed to themselves.

O Believers! wage war against such of the infidels as are your neighbors, and let them find you rigorous: and know that God is with those who fear him.

Whenever a Sura is sent down, there are some of them who say, ‘Whose faith hath it increased?’ It will increase the faith of those who believe, and they shall rejoice.

But as to those in whose hearts is a disease, it will add doubt to their doubt, and they shall die infidels.

Do they not see that they are proved every year once or twice? Yet they turn not, neither are they warned.

And whenever a Sura is sent down, they look at one another. . .‘Doth any one see you?’ then turn they aside. God shall turn their hearts aside, because they are a people devoid of understanding.

Now hath an Apostle come unto you from among yourselves: your iniquities press heavily upon him. He is careful over you, and towards the faithful, compassionate, merciful.

If they turn away, SAY: God sufficeth me: there is no God but He. In Him put I my trust. He is the possessor of the Glorious Throne!

Sura 10 - JONAH, PEACE BE ON HIM!

MECCA - 109 verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Elif. Lam. Ra.¹ These are the signs of the wise Book!

A matter of wonderment is it to the men of Mecca, that to a person among themselves We revealed, ‘Bear warnings to the people: and, to those who believe, bear the good tidings that they shall have with their Lord the precedence merited by their sincerity.’ The unbelievers say, ‘Verily this is a manifest sorcerer.’

Verily your Lord is God who hath made the Heavens and the Earth in six days — then mounted his throne to rule all things: None can intercede with him till after his permission: This is God your Lord: therefore serve him: Will ye not reflect?

Unto Him shall ye return, all together: the promise of God is sure: He produceth a creature, then causeth it to return again — that he may reward those who believe and do the things that are right, with equity: but as for the infidels!— for them the draught that boileth and an afflictive torment — because they have not believed.

It is He who hath appointed the sun for brightness, and the moon for a light, and hath ordained her stations that ye may learn the number of years and the reckoning of time. God hath not created all this but for the truth.² He maketh his signs clear to those who understand.

Verily, in the alternations of night and of day, and in all that God hath created in the Heavens and in the Earth are signs to those who fear Him.

Verily, they who hope not to meet Us, and find their satisfaction in this world’s life, and rest on it, and who of our signs are heedless;—

These! their abode the fire, in recompense of their deeds!

But they who believe and do the things that are right, shall their Lord direct aright because of their faith. Rivers shall flow at their feet in gardens of delight:

Their cry therein, ‘Glory be to thee, O God!’ and their salutation therein, ‘Peace!’

And the close of their cry, ‘Praise be to God, Lord of all creatures!’

Should God hasten evil on men as they fain would hasten their good, then were their end decreed! So leave we those who hope not to meet Us, bewildered in their error.

When trouble toucheth a man, he crieth to us, on his side, or sitting, or standing; and when we withdraw his trouble from him, he passeth on as though he had not called on us against the trouble which touched him! Thus are the deeds of transgressors pre-arranged for them.

And of old destroyed we generations before you, when they had acted wickedly, and their Apostles had come to them with clear tokens of their mission, and they would not believe:— thus reward we the wicked.

Then we caused you to succeed them on the earth, that we might see how ye would act.

But when our clear signs are recited to them, they who look not forward to meet Us, say, ‘Bring a different Koran from this, or make some change in it.’ SAY: It is not for me to change it as mine own soul prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to me: verily, I fear, if I rebel against my Lord, the punishment of a great day.

SAY: Had God so pleased, I had not recited it to you, neither had I taught it to you. Already have I dwelt among you for years, ere it was revealed to me. Understand ye not?

And who is more unjust than he who coineth a lie against God, or treateth his signs as lies? Surely the wicked shall not prosper!

And they worship beside God, what cannot hurt or help them; and say, ‘These are our advocates with God!’ SAY: Will ye inform God of aught in the Heavens and in the Earth which he knoweth not? Praise be to Him! High be He exalted above the deities they join with Him!

Men were of one religion only:³ then they fell to variance: and had not a decree (of respite) previously gone forth from thy Lord, their differences had surely been decided between them!

They say: ‘Unless a sign be sent down to him from his Lord. . .’ But SAY: The hidden is only with God: wait therefore: I truly will be with you among those who wait.

And when after a trouble which had befallen them,⁴ we caused this people to taste of mercy, lo! a plot on their part against our signs! SAY: Swifter to plot is God! Verily, our messengers note down your plottings.

He it is who enableth you to travel by land and sea, so that ye go on board of ships — which sail on with them, with favoring breeze in which they rejoice. But if a tempestuous gale overtake them, and the billow come on them from every side, and they think that they are encompassed therewith, they call on God, professing sincere religion:— ‘Wouldst thou but rescue us from this, then will we indeed be of the thankful.’

But when we have rescued them, lo! they commit unrighteous excesses on the earth! O men! assuredly your self-injuring excess is only an enjoyment of this life present: soon ye return to us: and we will let you know what ye have done!

Verily, this present life is like the water which we send down from Heaven, and the produce of the earth, of which men and cattle eat, is mingled with it, till the earth hath received its golden raiment, and is decked out: and they who dwell on it deem that they have power over it! but, Our behest cometh to it by night or by day, and we make it as if it had been mown, as if it had not teemed only yesterday! Thus make we our signs clear to those who consider.

And God calleth to the abode of peace;⁵ and He guideth whom He will into the right way.

Goodness⁶ itself and an increase of it for those who do good! neither blackness nor shame shall cover their faces! These shall be the inmates of Paradise, therein shall they abide for ever.

And as for those who have wrought out evil, their recompense shall be evil of like degree, and shame shall cover them — no protector shall they have against God: as though their faces were darkened with deep murk of night! These shall be inmates of the fire: therein they shall abide for ever.

And on that day will we gather them all together: then will we say to those who added gods to God, ‘To your place, ye and those added gods of yours!’ Then we will separate between them: and those their gods shall say, ‘Ye served us not:⁷

And God is a sufficient witness between us and you: we cared not aught for your worship.’

There shall every soul make proof of what itself shall have sent on before, and they shall be brought back to God, their true lord, and the deities of their own devising shall vanish from them.

SAY: Who supplieth you from the Heaven and the Earth? Who hath power over hearing and sight? And who bringeth forth the living from the dead, and bringeth forth the dead from the living? And who ruleth all things? They will surely say, ‘God:’ then SAY: ‘What! will ye not therefore fear him?

This God then is your true Lord: and when the truth is gone, what remaineth but error? How then are ye so perverted?

Thus is the word of thy Lord made good on the wicked, that they shall not believe.

SAY: Is there any of the gods whom ye add to God who produceth a creature, then causeth it to return to him? SAY: God produceth a creature, then causeth it to return to Him: How therefore are ye turned aside?

SAY: Is there any of the gods ye add to God who guideth into the truth? SAY: God guideth into the truth. Is He then who guideth into the truth the more worthy to be followed, or he who guideth not unless he be himself guided? What then hath befallen you that ye so judge?

And most of them follow only a conceit:— But a conceit attaineth to nought of truth! Verily God knoweth what they say.

Moreover this Koran could not have been devised by any but God: but it confirmeth what was revealed before it, and is a clearing up of the Scriptures — there is no doubt thereof — from the Lord of all creatures.

Do they say, ‘He hath devised it himself?’ SAY: Then bring a Sura like it; and call on whom ye can beside God, if ye speak truth.

But that which they embrace not in their knowledge have they charged with falsehood, though the explanation of it had not yet been given them. So those who were before them brought charges of imposture: But see what was the end of the unjust!

And some of them believe in it, and some of them believe not in it. But thy Lord well knoweth the transgressors.

And if they charge thee with imposture, then SAY: My work for me, and your work for you! Ye are clear of that which I do, and I am clear of that which ye do.

And some of them lend a ready ear to thee: But wilt thou make the deaf to hear even though they understand not?

And some of them look at thee: But wilt thou guide the blind even though they see not?

Verily, God will not wrong men in aught, but men will wrong themselves.

Moreover, on that day, He will gather them all together: They shall seem as though they had waited but an hour of the day! They shall recognize one another! Now perish they who denied the meeting with God, and were not guided aright!

Whether we cause thee to see some of our menaces against them fulfilled, or whether we first take thee to Ourself,⁸ to us do they return. Then shall God bear witness of what they do.

And every people hath had its apostle.⁹ And when their apostle came, a rightful decision took place between them, and they were not wronged.

Yet they say, ‘When will this menace be made good? Tell us if ye speak truly.’

SAY: I have no power over my own weal or woe, but as God pleaseth. Every people hath its time: when their time is come, they shall neither retard nor advance it an hour.

SAY: How think ye? if God’s punishment came on you by night or by day, what portion of it would the wicked desire to hasten on?

When it falleth on you, will ye believe it then? Yes! ye will believe it then. Yet did ye challenge its speedy coming.

Then shall it be said to the transgressors, ‘Taste ye the punishment of eternity! Shall ye be rewarded but as ye have wrought?’

They will desire thee to inform them whether this be true? SAY: Yes! by my Lord it is the truth: and it is not ye who can weaken Him.

And every soul that hath sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would assuredly ransom itself therewith; and they will proclaim their repentance when they have seen the punishment: and there shall be a rightful decision between them, and they shall not be unjustly dealt with.

Is not whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth God’s? Is not then promise of God true? Yet most of them know it not.

He maketh alive and He causeth to die, and to Him shall ye return.

O men! now hath a warning come to you from your Lord, and a medicine for what is in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy to believers.

SAY: Through the grace of God and his mercy! and in this therefore let them rejoice: better is this than all ye amass.

SAY: What think ye? of what God hath sent down to you for food, have ye made unlawful and lawful? SAY: Hath God permitted you? or invent ye on the part of God?

But what on the day of Resurrection will be the thought of those who invent a lie on the part of God? Truly God is full of bounties to man; but most of them give not thanks.

Thou shalt not be employed in affairs, nor shalt thou read a text out of the Koran, nor shall ye work any work, but we will be witnesses over you when ye are engaged therein: and not the weight of an atom on Earth or in Heaven escapeth thy Lord; nor is there aught that is less than this or greater, but it is in the perspicuous Book.

Are not the friends of God, those on whom no fear shall come, nor shall they be put to grief?

They who believe and fear God—

For them are good tidings in this life, and in the next! There is no change in the words of God! This, the great felicity!

And let not their discourse grieve thee: for all might is God’s: the Hearer, the Knower, He!

Is not whoever is in the Heavens and the Earth subject to God? What then do they follow who, beside God, call upon deities they have joined with Him? They follow but a conceit, and they are but liars!

It is He who hath ordained for you the night wherein to rest, and the lightsome day. Verily in this are signs for those who hearken.

They say, ‘God hath begotten children.’ No! by his glory! He is the self-sufficient. All that is in the Heavens and all that is in the Earth is His! Have ye warranty for that assertion? What! speak ye of God that which ye know not?

SAY: Verily, they who devise this lie concerning God shall fare ill.

A portion have they in this world! Then to us they return! Then make we them to taste the vehement torment, for that they were unbelievers.

Recite to them the history of Noah,¹⁰ when he said to his people,— If, O my people! my abode with you, and my reminding you of the signs of God, be grievous to you, yet in God is my trust: Muster, therefore, your designs and your false gods, and let not your design be carried on by you in the dark: then come to some decision about me, and delay not.

And if ye turn your backs on me, yet ask I no reward from you: my reward is with God alone, and I am commanded to be of the Muslims.

But they treated him as a liar: therefore we rescued him and those who were with him in the ark, and we made them to survive the others; and we drowned those who charged our signs with falsehood. See, then, what was the end of these warned ones!

Then after him, we sent Apostles to their peoples, and they came to them with credentials; but they would not believe in what they had denied aforetime: Thus seal we up the hearts of the transgressors!

Then sent we, after them, Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his nobles with our signs; but they acted proudly and were a wicked people:

And when the truth came to them from us, they said, ‘Verily, this is clear sorcery.’

Moses said: ‘What! say ye of the truth after it hath come to you, “Is this sorcery?” But sorcerers shall not prosper.’

They said: ‘Art thou come to us to pervert us from the faith in which we found our fathers, and that you twain shall bear rule in this land? But we believe you not.’

And Pharaoh said: ‘Fetch me every skilled magician.’ And when the magicians arrived, Moses said to them, ‘Cast down what ye have to cast.’

And when they had cast them down, Moses said, ‘Verily, God will render vain the sorceries which ye have brought to pass: God prospereth not the work of the evil doers.’

And by his words will God verify the Truth, though the impious be averse to it.

And none believed on Moses but a race among his own people, through fear of Pharaoh and his nobles, lest he should afflict them: For of a truth mighty was Pharaoh in the land, and one who committed excesses.

And Moses said: ‘O my people! if ye believe in God, then put your trust in Him — if ye be Muslims.’

And they said: ‘In God put we our trust. O our Lord! abandon us not to trial from that unjust people,

And deliver us by thy mercy from the unbelieving people.’

Then thus revealed we to Moses and to his brother: ‘Provide houses for your people in Egypt, and in your houses make a Kebla, and observe prayer and proclaim good tidings to the believers.’

And Moses said: ‘O our Lord! thou hast indeed given to Pharaoh and his nobles splendor and riches in this present life: O our Lord! that they may err from thy way! O our Lord! confound their riches and harden their hearts that they may not believe till they see the dolorous torment.’

He said: ‘The prayer of you both is heard: pursue ye both therefore the straight path, and follow not the path of those who have no knowledge.’

And we led the children of Israel through the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in eager and hostile sort until, when the drowning overtook him, he said, ‘I believe that there is no God but he on whom the children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims.’

‘Yes, now,’ said God: ‘but thou hast been rebellious hitherto, and wast one of the wicked doers.

But this day will we rescue thee with thy body that thou mayest be a sign to those who shall be after thee:¹¹ but truly, most men are of our signs regardless!’

Moreover we prepared a settled abode for the children of Israel, and provided them with good things: nor did they fall into variance till the knowledge (the Law) came to them: Truly thy Lord will decide between them on the day of Resurrection concerning that in which they differed.

And if thou art in doubt as to what we have sent down to thee, inquire at those who have read the Scriptures before thee.¹² Now hath the truth come unto thee from thy Lord: be not therefore of those who doubt.

Neither be of those who charge the signs of God with falsehood, lest thou be of those who perish.

Verily they against whom the decree of thy Lord is pronounced, shall not believe,

Even though every kind of sign come unto them, till they behold the dolorous torment!

Were it otherwise, any city, had it believed, might have found its safety in its faith. But it was so, only with the people of JONAS. When they believed, we delivered them from the penalty of shame in this world, and provided for them for a time.

But if thy Lord had pleased, verily all who are in the earth would have believed together. What! wilt thou compel men to become believers?

No soul can believe but by the permission of God: and he shall lay his wrath on those who will not understand.

SAY: Consider ye whatever is in the Heavens and on the Earth: but neither signs, nor warners, avail those who will not believe!

What then can they expect but the like of such days of wrath as befell those who flourish before them? SAY: WAIT; I too will wait with you:

Then will we deliver our apostles and those who believe. Thus is it binding on us to deliver the faithful.

SAY: O men! if ye are in doubt as to my religion, verily I worship not what ye worship beside God; but I worship God who will cause you to die: and I am commanded to be a believer.

And set thy face towards true religion, sound in faith, and be not of those who join other gods with God:

Neither invoke beside God that which can neither help nor hurt thee: for if thou do, thou wilt certainly then be one of those who act unjustly.

And if God lay the touch of trouble on thee, none can deliver thee from it but He: and if He will thee any good, none can keep back his boons. He will confer them on such of his servants as he chooseth: and He is the Gracious, the Merciful!

SAY: O men! now hath the truth come unto you from your Lord. He therefore who will be guided, will be guided only for his own behoof: but he who shall err will err only against it; and I am not your guardian!

And follow what is revealed to thee: and persevere steadfastly till God shall judge, for He is the best of Judges.

Sura 11 - HOUD

MECCA - 123 VERSES

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Elif. Lam. Ra.¹ A book whose verses are stablished in wisdom and then set forth with clearness — from the Wise, the All-informed —

That ye worship none other than God — Verily I come to you from Him charged with warnings, announcements;

And that ye seek pardon of your Lord, and then be turned unto Him! Goodly enjoyments will He give you to enjoy until a destined time, and His favors will He bestow on every one who deserves his favors.² But if ye turn away, then verily I fear for you the chastisement of the great day.

Unto God shall ye return, and over all things is he Potent.

Do they not doubly fold up their breasts, that they may hide themselves from Him?

But when they enshroud themselves in their garments, doth He not know alike what they conceal and what they show?

For He knoweth the very inmost of their breast.

There is no moving thing on earth whose nourishment dependeth not on God; he knoweth its haunts and final resting place: all is in the clear Book.

And He it is who hath made the Heavens and the Earth in six days: His throne had stood ere this upon the waters,³ that He might make proof which of you⁴ would excel in works.

And if thou say, ‘After death ye shall surely be raised again,’ the infidels will certainly exclaim, ‘This is nothing but pure sorcery.’

And if we defer their chastisement to some definite time, they will exclaim, ‘What keepeth it back?’ What! will it not come upon them on a day when there shall be none to avert it from them? And that at which they scoffed shall enclose them in on every side.

And if we cause man to taste our mercy, and then deprive him of it, verily, he is despairing, ungrateful.

And if after trouble hath befallen him we cause him to taste our favor, he will surely exclaim, ‘The evils are passed away from me.’ Verily, he is joyous, boastful.

Except those who endure with patience and do the things that are right: these doth pardon await and a great reward.

Perhaps thou wilt suppress a part of what hath been revealed to thee, and wilt be distressed at heart lest they say, ‘If a treasure be not sent down to him, or an angel come with him...’ But thou art only a warner, and God hath all things in his charge.

If they shall say, ‘The Koran is his own device,’ SAY: Then bring ten Suras like it⁵ of your devising, and call whom ye can to your aid beside God, if ye are men of truth.

But if they answer you not, then know that it hath been sent down to you in the wisdom of God only, and that there is no God but He. Are ye then Muslims?

Those who choose this present life and its braveries, we will recompense for their works therein: they shall have nothing less therein than their deserts.

These are they for whom there is nothing in the next world but the Fire: all that they have wrought in this life shall come to nought, and vain shall be all their doings.

With such can they be compared who rest upon clear proofs from their Lord? to whom a witness from him reciteth the Koran, and who is preceded by the Book of Moses, a guide and mercy? These have faith in it: but the partisans of idolatry, who believe not in it, are menaced with the fire! Have thou no doubts about that Book, for it is the very truth from thy Lord. But most men will not believe.

Who is guilty of a greater injustice than he who inventeth a lie concerning God? They shall be set before their Lord, and the witnesses shall say, ‘These are they who made their Lord a liar.’ Shall not the malison of God be on these unjust doers,

Who pervert others from the way of God, and seek to make it crooked, and believe not in a life to come? God’s power on earth they shall not weaken; and beside God they have no protector! Doubled shall be their punishment! They were not able to hearken, and they could not see.

These are they who have lost their own souls, and the deities of their own devising have vanished from them:

There is no doubt but that in the next world they shall be the lost ones.

But they who shall have believed and done the things that are right, and humbled them before their Lord, shall be the inmates of Paradise; therein shall they abide for ever.

These two sorts of persons resemble the blind and deaf, and the seeing and hearing: shall these be compared as alike? Ah! do ye not comprehend?

We sent Noah of old unto his people:— ‘Verily I come to you a plain admonisher,

That ye worship none but God. Verily I fear for you the punishment of a grievous day.’

Then said the chiefs of his people who believed not, ‘We see in thee but a man like ourselves; and we see not who have followed thee except our meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you liars.’

He said: ‘O my people! how think you? If I am upon a clear revelation from my Lord, who hath bestowed on me mercy from Himself to which ye are blind, can we force it on you, if ye are averse from it?

And, O my people! I ask you not for riches: my reward is of God alone: and I will not drive away those who believe that they shall meet their Lord:— but I see that ye are an ignorant people.

And, O my people! were I to drive them away, who shall help me against God? Will ye not therefore consider?

And I tell you not that with me are the treasures of God: nor do I say, “I know the things unseen;” nor do I say, “I am an angel;” nor do I say of those whom you eye with scorn, No good thing will God bestow on them:— God best knoweth what is in their minds — for then should I be one of those who act unjustly.’

They said: ‘O Noah! already hast thou disputed with us, and multiplied disputes with us: Bring then upon us what thou hast threatened, if thou be of those who speak truth.’

He said, ‘God will bring it on you at His sole pleasure, and it is not you who can weaken him;

Nor, if God desire to mislead you, shall my counsel profit you, though I fain would counsel you aright. He is your Lord, and unto Him shall ye be brought back.’

Do they say, ‘This Koran is of his own devising?’ SAY: On me be my own guilt, if I have devised it, but I am clear of that whereof ye are guilty.

And it was revealed unto Noah. Verily, none of thy people shall believe, save they who have believed already; therefore be not thou grieved at their doings.

But build the Ark under our eye and after our revelation: and plead not with me for the evil doers, for they are to be drowned.

So he built the Ark; and whenever the chiefs of his people passed by they laughed him to scorn:⁶ said he, ‘Though ye laugh at us, we truly shall laugh at you, even as ye laugh at us; and in the end ye shall know

On whom a punishment shall come that shall shame him, and on whom shall light a lasting punishment.’

Thus was it until our sentence came to pass, and the earth’s surface⁷ boiled up. We said, ‘Carry into it one pair of every kind, and thy family, except him on whom sentence hath before been passed, and those who have believed.’ But there believed not with him except a few.

And he said, ‘Embark ye therein. In the name of God be its course and its riding at anchor! Truly my Lord is right Gracious, Merciful.’

And the Ark moved on with them amid waves like mountains: and Noah called to his son — for he was apart — ‘Embark with us, O my child! and be not with the unbelievers.’

He said, ‘I will betake me to a mountain that shall secure me from the water.’ He said, ‘None shall be secure this day from the decree of God, save him on whom He shall have mercy.’ And a wave passed between them, and he was among the drowned.

And it was said, ‘O Earth! swallow up thy water;’ and ‘cease, O Heaven!’ And the water abated, and the decree was fulfilled, and the Ark rested upon Al-Djoudi;⁸ and it was said, ‘Avaunt! ye tribe of the wicked!’

And Noah called on his Lord and said, ‘O Lord! verily my son is of my family: and thy promise is true, and thou art the most just of judges.’

He said, ‘O Noah! verily, he is not of thy family: in this thou actest not aright.⁹ Ask not of me that whereof thou knowest nought: I warn thee that thou become not of the ignorant.

He said, ‘To thee verily, O my Lord, do I repair lest I ask that of thee wherein I have no knowledge: unless thou forgive me and be merciful to me I shall be one of the lost.

It was said to him, ‘O Noah! debark with peace from Us, and with blessings on thee and on peoples to be born from those who are with thee; but as for other and unbelieving peoples, we will give them their good things in this world, but hereafter shall a grievous punishment light on them from us.

This is one of the secret Histories: we reveal it unto thee: neither thou nor thy people knew it ere this: be patient thou: verily, there is a prosperous issue to the God-fearing.

And unto Ad we sent their Brother HOUD. He said, ‘O my people, worship God. You have no God beside Him. Ye only devise a lie.

O my people! I ask of you no recompense for this: my recompense is with Him only who hath made me. Will ye not then understand?

O my people! ask pardon of your Lord; then be turned unto Him: He will send down the heavens upon you with copious rains:

And with strength on strength will He increase you: only turn not back with deeds of evil.’

They said, ‘O Houd, thou hast not brought us proofs of thy mission: we will not abandon our gods at thy word, and we believe thee not.

We can only say that some of our gods have smitten thee with evil.’ Said he, ‘Now take I God to witness, and do ye also witness, that I am clear of your joining other gods

To God. Conspire then against me all of you, and delay me not.

For I trust in God, my Lord and yours. No single beast is there which he holdeth not by its forelock. Right, truly, is the way in which my Lord goeth.

But if ye turn back, I have already declared to you my message. And my Lord will put another people in your place, nor shall ye at all hurt Him; verily, my Lord keepeth watch over all things.’

And when our doom came to be inflicted, we rescued Houd and those who had like faith with Him, by our special mercy: we rescued them from the rigorous chastisement.

These men of Ad gainsaid the signs of their Lord, and rebelled against his messengers, and followed the bidding of every proud contumacious person.

Followed therefore were they in this world by a curse; and in the day of the Resurrection it shall be said to them, ‘What! Did not Ad disbelieve their Lord?’ Was not Ad, the people of Houd, cast far away?

And unto Themoud we sent their Brother Saleh:¹⁰— ‘O my people! said he, worship God: you have no other god than Him. He hath raised you up out of the earth, and hath given you to dwell therein. Ask pardon of him then, and be turned unto him; for thy Lord is nigh, ready to answer.’

They said, ‘O Saleh! our hopes were fixed on thee till now:¹¹ forbiddest thou us to worship what our fathers worshipped? Truly we misdoubt the faith to which thou callest us, as suspicious.’

He said, ‘O my people! what think ye? If I have a revelation from my Lord to support me, and if He hath showed his mercy on me, who could protect me from God if I rebel against him? Ye would only confer on me increase of ruin.

O my people! this is the she-Camel of God, and a sign unto you. Let her go at large and feed in God’s earth, and do her no harm, lest a speedy punishment overtake you.’

Yet they hamstrung her: then said he, ‘Yet three days more enjoy yourselves in your dwellings: this menace will not prove untrue.’

And when our sentence came to pass, we rescued Saleh and those who had a like faith with him, by our mercy, from ignominy on that day. Verily, thy Lord is the Strong, the Mighty!

And a violent tempest overtook the wicked, and they were found in the morning prostrate in their dwellings,

As though they had never abode in them. What! Did not Themoud disbelieve his Lord? Was not Themoud utterly cast off?

And our messengers came formerly to Abraham with glad tidings. ‘Peace,’ said they. He said, ‘Peace,’ and he tarried not, but brought a roasted calf.

And when he saw that their hands touched it not,¹² he misliked them, and grew fearful of them. They said, ‘Fear not, for we are sent to the people of Lot.’

His wife was standing by and laughed;¹³ and we announced Isaac to her; and after Isaac, Jacob.

She said, ‘Ah, woe is me! shall I bear a son when I am old, and when this my husband is an old man? This truly would be a marvellous thing.’

They said, ‘Marvellest thou at the command of God? God’s mercy and blessing be upon you, O people of this house; praise and glory are His due!’

And when Abraham’s fear had passed away, and these glad tidings had reached him, he pleaded with us for the people of Lot. Verily, Abraham was right kind, pitiful, relenting.

‘O Abraham! desist from this; for already hath the command of thy God gone forth; as for them, a punishment not to be averted is coming on them.’

And when our messengers came to Lot, he was grieved for them; and he was too weak to protect them,¹⁴ and he said, ‘This is a day of difficulty.’

And his people came rushing on towards him, for aforetime had they wrought this wickedness. He said, ‘O my people! these my daughters will be purer for you: fear God, and put me not to shame in my guests. Is there no rightminded man among you?’

They said, ‘Thou knowest now that we need not thy daughters; and thou well knowest what we require.’

He said, ‘Would that I had strength to resist you, or that I could find refuge with some powerful chieftain.’¹⁵

The Angels said, ‘O Lot! verily, we are the messengers of thy Lord: they shall not touch thee: depart with thy family in the dead of night, and let not one of you turn back: as for thy wife, on her shall light what shall light on them. Verily, that with which they are threatened is for the morning. Is not the morning near?’

And when our decree came to be executed we turned those cities upside down, and we rained down upon them blocks of claystone one after another, marked¹⁶ by thy Lord himself. Nor are they far distant from the wicked Meccans.

And we sent to Madian¹⁷ their brother Shoaib. He said, ‘O my people! worship God: no other God have you than He: give not short weight and measure: I see indeed that ye revel in good things; but I fear for you the punishment of the all-encompassing day.

O my people! give weight and measure with fairness; purloin not other men’s goods; and perpetrate not injustice on the earth with corrupt practices:

A residue,¹⁸ the gift of God, will be best for you if ye are believers:

But I am not a guardian over you.’

They said to him, ‘O Shoaib! is it thy prayers which enjoin that we should leave what our fathers worshipped, or that we should not do with our substance as pleaseth us? Thou forsooth art the mild, the right director!’

He said, ‘O my people! How think ye? If I have a clear revelation from my Lord, and if from Himself He hath supplied me with goodly supplies, and if I will not follow you in that which I myself forbid you, do I seek aught but your amendment so far as in me lieth? My sole help is in God. In Him do I trust, and to Him do I turn me.

O my people! let not your opposition to me draw down upon you the like of that which befell the people of Noah, or the people of Houd, or the people of Saleh: and the abodes of the people of Lot are not far distant from you!

Seek pardon of your Lord and be turned unto Him: verily, my Lord is Merciful, Loving.

They said, ‘O Shoaib! we understand not much of what thou sayest, and we clearly see that thou art powerless among us: were it not for thy family we would have surely stoned thee, nor couldest thou have prevailed against us.’

He said, ‘O my people! think ye more highly of my family than of God? Cast ye Him behind your back, with neglect? Verily, my Lord is round about your actions.

And, O my people! act with what power ye can for my hurt: I verily will act: and ye shall know

On whom shall light a punishment that shall disgrace him, and who is the liar. Await ye; verily I will await with you.’

And when our decree came to pass, we delivered Shoaib and his companions in faith, by our mercy: And a violent tempest overtook the wicked, and in the morning they were found prostrate in their houses

As if they had never dwelt in them. Was not Madian swept off even as Themoud had been swept off?

Of old sent we Moses with our signs and with incontestable power to Pharaoh, and to his nobles — who followed the behests of Pharaoh, and, unrighteous were Pharaoh’s behests.

He shall head his people on the day of the Resurrection and cause them to descend into the fire: and wretched the descent by which they shall descend!

They were followed by a curse in this world; and in the day of the Resurrection, wretched the gift that shall be given them!

Such, the histories of the cities which we relate to thee. Some of them are standing, others mown down:

We dealt not unfairly by them, but they dealt not fairly by themselves: and their gods on whom they called beside God availed them not at all when thy Lord’s behest came to pass. They did but increase their ruin.

Such was thy Lord’s grasp¹⁹ when he laid that grasp on the cities that had been wicked. Verily his grasp is afflictive, terrible!

Herein truly is a sign for him who feareth the punishment of the latter day. That shall be a day unto which mankind shall be gathered together; that shall be a day witnessed by all creatures.

Nor do we delay it, but until a time appointed.

When that day shall come no one shall speak a word but by His leave, and some shall be miserable and others blessed.

And as for those who shall be consigned to misery — their place the Fire! therein shall they sigh and bemoan them —

Therein shall they abide while the Heavens and the Earth shall last, unless thy Lord shall will it otherwise; verily thy Lord doth what He chooseth.

And as for the blessed ones — their place the Garden! therein shall they abide while the Heavens and the Earth endure, with whatever imperishable boon thy Lord may please to add.

Have thou no doubts therefore concerning that which they worship: they worship but what their fathers worshipped before them: we will surely assign them their portion with nothing lacking.

Of old gave we Moses the Book, and they fell to variance about it. If a decree of respite had not gone forth from thy Lord, there had surely been a decision between them. Thy people also are in suspicious doubts about the Koran.

And truly thy Lord will repay every one according to their works! for He is well aware of what they do.

Go straight on then as thou hast been commanded, and he also who hath turned to God with thee, and let him transgress no more. He beholdeth what ye do.

Lean not on the evil doers lest the Fire lay hold on you. Ye have no protector, save God, and ye shall not be helped against Him.

And observe prayer at early morning, at the close of the day, and at the approach of night; for the good deeds drive away the evil deeds. This is a warning for those who reflect:

And persevere steadfastly, for verily God will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.

Were the generations before you, endued with virtue, and who forbad corrupt doings on the earth, more than a few of those whom we delivered? but the evil doers followed their selfish pleasures, and became transgressors.

And thy Lord was not one who would destroy those cities unjustly, when its inhabitants were righteous.

Had thy Lord pleased he would have made mankind of one religion: but those only to whom thy Lord hath granted his mercy will cease to differ. And unto this hath He created them; for the word of thy Lord shall be fulfilled, ‘I will wholly fill hell with Djinn and men.’

And all that we have related to thee of the histories of these Apostles, is to confirm thy heart thereby. By these hath the truth reached thee, and a monition and warning to those who believe.

But say to those who believe not, ‘Act as ye may and can: we will act our part: and wait ye; we verily will wait.’

To God belong the secret things of the Heavens and of the Earth: all things return to him: worship him then and put thy trust in Him: thy Lord is not regardless of your doings.²⁰

Sura 12 - JOSEPH, PEACE BE ON HIM

MECCA - 111 VERSES

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Elif. Lam. Ra.¹ These are signs of the clear Book.

An Arabic Koran have we sent it down, that ye might understand it.

In revealing to thee this Koran,² one of the most beautiful of narratives will we narrate to thee, of which thou hast hitherto been regardless.

When Joseph said to his Father, ‘O my Father! verily I beheld eleven stars and the sun and the moon — beheld them make obeisance to me!’³

He said, ‘O my son! tell not thy vision to thy brethren, lest they plot a plot against thee: for Satan is the manifest foe of man.

It is thus that thy Lord shall choose thee and will teach thee the interpretation of dark sayings, and will perfect his favors on thee and on the family of Jacob, as of old he perfected it on thy fathers Abraham and Isaac; verily thy Lord is Knowing, Wise!’

Now in JOSEPH and his brethren are signs for the enquirers;⁴

When they said, ‘Surely better loved by our Father, than we, who are more in number, is Joseph and his brother; verily, our father hath clearly erred.

Slay ye Joseph! or drive him to some other land, and on you alone shall your father’s face be set! and after this, ye shall live as upright persons.’

One of them said, ‘Slay not Joseph, but cast him down to the bottom of the well; if ye do so, some wayfarers will take him up.’

They said, ‘O our Father! why dost thou not entrust us with Joseph? indeed we mean him well.

Send him with us to-morrow that he may enjoy himself and sport: we will surely keep him safely.’

He said, ‘Verily, your taking him away will grieve me; and I fear lest while ye are heedless of him the wolf devour him.’

They said, ‘Surely if the wolf devour him, and we so many, we must in that case be weak indeed.’⁵

And when they went away with him they agreed to place him at the bottom of the well. And We revealed to him, ‘Thou wilt yet tell them of this their deed, when they shall not know thee.’

And they came at nightfall to their father weeping.

They said, ‘O our Father! of a truth, we went to run races, and we left Joseph with our clothes, and the wolf devoured him: but thou wilt not believe us even though we speak the truth.’

And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it. He said, ‘Nay, but yourselves have managed this affair.⁶ But patience is seemly: and the help of God is to be implored that I may bear what you tell me.’

And wayfarers came and sent their drawer of water,⁷ and he let down his bucket. ‘Good news!’⁸ said he, ‘This is a youth!’ And they kept his case secret, to make merchandise of him. But God knew what they did.

And they sold him for a paltry price — for some dirhems counted down, and at no high rate did they value him.

And he who bought him — an Egyptian — said to his wife, ‘Treat him hospitably; haply he may be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ Thus did we settle Joseph in the land, and we instructed him in the interpretation of dark sayings, for God is equal to his purpose; but most men know it not.

And when he had reached his age of strength we bestowed on him judgment and knowledge; for thus do we recompense the well doers.

And she in whose house he was conceived a passion for him, and she shut the doors and said, ‘Come hither.’ He said, ‘God keep me! Verily, my lord hath given me a good home: and the injurious shall not prosper.’

But she longed for him; and he had longed for her had he not seen a token from his lord.⁹ Thus we averted evil and defilement from him, for he was one of our sincere servants.

And they both made for the door, and she rent his shirt behind; and at the door they met her lord. ‘What,’ said she, ‘shall be the recompense of him who would do evil to thy family, but a prison¹⁰ or a sore punishment?’

He said, ‘She solicited me to evil.’ And a witness out of her own family¹¹ witnessed: ‘If his shirt be rent in front she speaketh truth, and he is a liar:

But if his shirt be rent behind, she lieth and he is true.’

And when his lord saw his shirt torn behind, he said, ‘This is one of your devices! verily your devices are great!

Joseph! leave this affair. And thou, O wife, ask pardon for thy crime, for thou hast sinned.’

And in the city, the women said, ‘The wife of the Prince hath solicited her servant: he hath fired her with his love: but we clearly see her manifest error.’

And when she heard of their cabal, she sent to them and got ready a banquet for them, and gave each one of them a knife, and said, ‘Joseph show thyself to them.’ And when they saw him they were amazed at him, and cut their hands,¹² and said, ‘God keep us! This is no man! This is no other than a noble angel!’

She said, ‘This is he about whom ye blamed me. I wished him to yield to my desires, but he stood firm. But if he obey not my command, he shall surely be cast into prison, and become one of the despised.’

He said, ‘O my Lord! I prefer the prison to compliance with their bidding: but unless thou turn away their snares from me, I shall play the youth with them, and become one of the unwise.’

And his Lord heard him and turned aside their snares from him: for he is the Hearer, the Knower.

Yet resolved they, even after they had seen the signs of his innocence, to imprison him for a time.

And there came into the prison with him two youths. Said one of them, ‘Methought in my dream that I was pressing grapes.’ And the other said, ‘I dreamed that I was carrying bread on my head, of which the birds did eat. Declare to us the interpretation of this, for we see thou art a virtuous person.’

He said, ‘There shall not come to you in a dream any food wherewith ye shall be fed, but I will acquaint you with its interpretation ere it come to pass to you. This is a part of that which my Lord hath taught me: for I have abandoned the religion¹³ of those who believe not in God and who deny the life to come;

And I follow the religion of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. We may not associate aught with God. This is of God’s bounty towards us and towards mankind: but the greater part of mankind are not thankful.

O my two fellow prisoners! are sundry lords best, or God, the One, the Mighty?

Ye worship beside him mere names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which God hath not sent down any warranty. Judgment belongeth to God alone. He hath bidden you worship none but Him. This is the right faith: but most men know it not.

O my two fellow prisoners! as to one of you, he will serve wine unto his Lord: but as to the other, he will be crucified and the birds shall eat from off his head. The matter is decreed concerning which ye enquire.’

And he said unto him who he judged would be set at large, ‘Remember me with thy lord.’ But Satan caused him to forget the remembrance of his Lord,¹⁴ so he remained some years in prison.

And the King said, ‘Verily, I saw in a dream seven fat kine which seven lean devoured; and seven green ears and other withered. O nobles, teach me my vision, if a vision ye are able to expound.’

They said, ‘They are confused dreams, nor know we aught of the unravelling of dreams.’

And he of the twain who had been set at large, said, ‘I will tell you the interpretation; let me go for it.’

‘Joseph, man of truth! teach us of the seven fat kine which seven lean devoured, and of the seven green ears, and other withered, that I may return to the men, and that they may be informed.’

He said, ‘Ye shall sow seven years as is your wont, and the corn which ye reap leave ye in its ear, except a little of which ye shall eat.

Then after that shall come seven grievous years which shall eat what ye have stored for them, except a little which ye shall have kept.

Then shall come after this a year, in which men shall have rain, and in which they shall press the grape.’

And the King said, ‘Bring him to me.’¹⁵ And when the messenger came to Joseph, he said, ‘Go back to thy lord, and ask him what meant the women who cut their hands, for my lord well knoweth the snare they laid.’

Then said the Prince to the women, ‘What was your purpose when ye solicited Joseph?’ They said, ‘God keep us! we know not any ill of him.’ The wife of the Prince said, ‘Now doth the truth appear. It was I who would have led him into unlawful love, and he is one of the truthful.’

‘By this’ (said Joseph) ‘may my lord know that I did not in his absence play him false, and that God guideth not the machinations of deceivers.

Yet I hold not myself clear, for the heart is prone to evil, save theirs on whom my Lord hath mercy; for gracious is my Lord, Merciful.’

And the King said, ‘Bring him to me: I will take him for my special service.’ And when he had spoken with him he said, ‘From this day shalt thou be with us, invested with place and trust.’

He said, ‘Set me over the granaries of the land,¹⁶ I will be their prudent keeper!’

Thus did we stablish Joseph in the land that he might house himself therein at pleasure. We bestow our favors on whom we will, and suffer not the reward of the righteous to perish.

And truly the recompense of the life to come is better, for those who have believed and feared God.

And Joseph’s brethren came and went in to him and he knew them, but they recognized him not.

And when he had provided them with their provision, he said, ‘Bring me your brother from your father. See ye not that I fill the measure, and am the best of hosts?

But if ye bring him not to me, then no measure of corn shall there be for you from me, nor shall ye come near me.’

They said, ‘We will ask him of his father, and we will surely do it.’

Said he to his servants, ‘Put their money into their camel-packs, that they may perceive it when they have returned to their family: haply they will come back to us.’

And when they returned to their father, they said, ‘O, our father! corn is withholden from us: send, therefore, our brother with us and we shall have our measure; and all care of him will we take.’

He said, ‘Shall I entrust you with him otherwise than as I before entrusted you with his brother? But God is the best guardian, and of those who show compassion He is the most compassionate.’

And when they opened their goods they found their money had been returned to them. They said, ‘O, our father, what more can we desire? Here is our money returned to us; we will provide corn for our families, and will take care of our brother, and shall receive a camel’s burden more of corn. This is an easy quantity.’¹⁷

He said, ‘I will not send him with you but on your oath before God that ye will, indeed, bring him back to me, unless hindrances encompass you.’ And when they had given him their pledge, he said, ‘God is witness of what we say.’

And he said, ‘O, my sons! Enter not by one gate, but enter by different gates.¹⁸ Yet can I not help you against aught decreed by God: judgment belongeth to God alone. In Him put I my trust, and in Him let the trusting trust.’

And when they entered as their father had bidden them, it did not avert from them anything decreed of God; but it only served to satisfy a desire in the soul of Jacob which he had charged them to perform; for he was possessed of knowledge which we had taught him; but most men have not that knowledge.

And when they came in to Joseph, he took his brother to him. He said, ‘Verily, I am thy brother. Be not thou grieved for what they did.’¹⁹

And when he had provided them with their provisions, he placed his drinking cup in his brother’s camel-pack. Then a crier cried after them, ‘O travellers! ye are surely thieves.’

They turned back to them and said, ‘What is that ye miss?’

‘We miss,’ said they, ‘the prince’s cup. For him who shall restore it, a camel’s load of corn! I pledge myself for it.’

They said, ‘By God! ye know certainly that we came not to do wrong²⁰ in the land and we have not been thieves.’

‘What,’ said the Egyptians, ‘shall be the recompense of him who hath stolen it, if ye be found liars?’

They said, ‘That he in whose camel-pack it shall be found be given up to you in satisfaction for it. Thus recompense we the unjust.’

And Joseph began with their sacks, before the sack of his brother, and then from the sack of his brother he drew it out. This stratagem did we suggest to Joseph. By the King’s law he had no power to seize his brother, had not God pleased. We uplift into grades of wisdom whom we will. And there is one knowing above every one else endued with knowledge.

They said, ‘If he steal, a brother of his hath stolen heretofore.’²¹ But Joseph kept his secret, and did not discover it to them. Said he, aside, ‘Ye are in the worse condition. And God well knoweth what ye state.’

They said, ‘O Prince! Verily he hath a very aged father; in his stead, therefore, take one of us, for we see that thou art a generous person.’

He said, ‘God forbid that we should take but him with whom our property was found, for then should we act unjustly.’

And when they despaired of Benjamin, they went apart for counsel. The eldest of them said, ‘Know ye not how that your father hath taken a pledge from you before God, and how formerly ye failed in duty with regard to Joseph? I will not quit the land till my father give me leave, or God decide for me; for of those who decide is He the best.

Return ye to your father and say, “O our father! Verily, thy son hath stolen: we bear witness only of what we know: we could not guard against the unforeseen.

Enquire for thyself in the city where we have been, and of the caravan with which we have arrived; and we are surely speakers of the truth.”

He said, ‘Nay, ye have arranged all this among yourselves: But patience is seemly: God, may be, will bring them back to me together; for he is the Knowing, the Wise.’

And he turned away from them and said, ‘Oh! how I am grieved for Joseph!’ and his eyes became white with grief, for he bore a silent sorrow.

They said, ‘By God thou wilt only cease to think of Joseph when thou art at the point of death, or dead.’

He said, ‘I only plead my grief and my sorrow to God: but I know from God what ye know not:²²

Go, my sons, and seek tidings of Joseph and his brother, and despair not of God’s mercy, for none but the unbelieving despair of the mercy of God.’

And when they came in to Joseph, they said, ‘O Prince, distress hath reached us and our family, and little is the money that we have brought. But give us full measure, and bestow it as alms, for God will recompense the almsgivers.’

He said, ‘Know ye what ye did to Joseph and his brother in your ignorance?’

They said, ‘Canst thou indeed be Joseph?’ He said, ‘I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Now hath God been gracious to us. For whoso feareth God and endureth. . .God verily will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish!’

They said, ‘By God! now hath God chosen thee above us, and we have indeed been sinners!’

He said, ‘No blame be on you this day. God will forgive you, for He is the most merciful of those who show mercy.

Go ye with this my shirt and throw it on my father’s face, and he shall recover his sight: and bring me all your family.’

And when the caravan was departed, their father said, ‘I surely perceive the smell of Joseph:²³ think ye that I dote?’

They said, ‘By God, it is thy old mistake.’

And when the bearer of good tidings came, he cast it on his face, and Jacob’s eyesight returned.

Then he said, ‘Did I not tell you that I knew from God what ye knew not?’

They said, ‘Our father, ask pardon for our crimes for us, for we have indeed been sinners.’

He said, ‘I will ask your pardon of my Lord, for he is Gracious, Merciful.’

And when they came into Joseph he took his parents²⁴ to him, and said, ‘Enter ye Egypt, if God will, secure.’

And he raised his parents to the seat of state, and they fell down bowing themselves unto him. Then said he, ‘O my father, this is the meaning of my dream of old. My Lord hath now made it true, and he hath surely been gracious to me, since he took me forth from the prison, and hath brought you up out of the desert, after that Satan had stirred up strife between me and my brethren; for my Lord is gracious to whom He will; for He is the Knowing, the Wise.

O my Lord, thou hast given me dominion, and hast taught me to expound dark sayings. Maker of the Heavens and of the Earth! My guardian art thou in this world and in the next! Cause thou me to die a Muslim, and join me with the just.’

This is one of the secret histories²⁵ which we reveal unto thee. Thou wast not present with Joseph’s brethren when they conceived their design and laid their plot: but the greater part of men, though thou long for it, will not believe.

Thou shalt not ask of them any recompense for this message. It is simply an instruction for all mankind.

And many as are the signs in the Heavens and on the Earth, yet they will pass them by, and turn aside from them:

And most of them believe not in God, without also joining other deities with Him.

What! Are they sure that the overwhelming chastisement of God shall not come upon them, or that that Hour shall not come upon them suddenly, while they are unaware?

SAY: This is my way: resting on a clear proof, I call you to God, I and whoso followeth me: and glory be to God! l am not one of those who add other deities to Him.

Never before thee have we sent any but men, chosen out of the people of the cities, to whom we made revelations. Will they not journey through the land, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? But the mansions of the next life shall be better for those who fear God. Will they not then comprehend?

When at last the Apostles lost all hope, and deemed that they were reckoned as liars, our aid reached them, and we delivered whom we would; but our vengeance was not averted from the wicked.

Certainly in their histories is an example for men of understanding. This is no new tale of fiction, but a confirmation of previous scriptures, and an explanation of all things, and guidance and mercy to those who believe.