O believers! When you deal with each other in lending for a fixedperiod of time, put it in writing. Let a scribe write it downwith justice between the parties. The scribe, who is given thegift of literacy by Allah, should not refuse to write; he isunder obligation to write. Let him who incurs the liability(debtor) dictate, fearing Allah his Rabb and not diminishinganything from the settlement. If the borrower is mentally unsoundor weak or is unable to dictate himself, let the guardian of hisinterests dictate for him with justice. Let two witnesses fromamong you bear witness to all such documents, if two men cannotbe found, then one man and two women of your choice should bearwitness, so that if one of the women forgets anything the othermay remind her. The witnesses must not refuse when they arecalled upon to do so. You must not be averse to writing (yourcontract) for a future period, whether it is a small matter orbig. This action is more just for you in the sight of Allah,because it facilitates the establishment of evidence and is thebest way to remove all doubts; but if it is a common commercialtransaction concluded on the spot among yourselves, there is noblame on you if you do not put it in writing. You should havewitnesses when you make commercial transactions. Let no harm bedone to the scribe or witnesses; and if you do so, you shall beguilty of transgression. Fear Allah; it is Allah that teaches youand Allah has knowledge of everything.

On that Day when He will gather them all together, it will appearto them as if they had not stayed in this world but an hour of aday to get to know each other. At that time they will realizethat: in fact the losers are those who denied the meeting withAllah and were not rightly guided.

So woe to those who offer Salah (prayers),

but are neglectful of their Salah (offer Prayers but disregardthe very purpose of establishing Salah - to have the fear ofAllah and be mindful to the needs of other people);

those who make a show of piety

and refuse to share the necessities of life.

O believers! When you deal with each other in lending for a fixedperiod of time, put it in writing. Let a scribe write it downwith justice between the parties. The scribe, who is given thegift of literacy by Allah, should not refuse to write; he isunder obligation to write. Let him who incurs the liability(debtor) dictate, fearing Allah his Rabb and not diminishinganything from the settlement. If the borrower is mentally unsoundor weak or is unable to dictate himself, let the guardian of hisinterests dictate for him with justice. Let two witnesses fromamong you bear witness to all such documents, if two men cannotbe found, then one man and two women of your choice should bearwitness, so that if one of the women forgets anything the othermay remind her. The witnesses must not refuse when they arecalled upon to do so. You must not be averse to writing (yourcontract) for a future period, whether it is a small matter orbig. This action is more just for you in the sight of Allah,because it facilitates the establishment of evidence and is thebest way to remove all doubts; but if it is a common commercialtransaction concluded on the spot among yourselves, there is noblame on you if you do not put it in writing. You should havewitnesses when you make commercial transactions. Let no harm bedone to the scribe or witnesses; and if you do so, you shall beguilty of transgression. Fear Allah; it is Allah that teaches youand Allah has knowledge of everything.

Surely those who recite the Book of Allah, establish Salah, spendout of what We have given them, secretly and openly, may hope forimperishable gain.

That He may pay them back their full reward and give them evenmore out of His grace; surely He is Forgiving and Appreciative ofHis devotees.

O Muhammad We know it well that what they say grieves you: it isnot you that they deny, these wrongdoers actually deny therevelations of Allah.

Many Rasools before you were denied but patiently bore with theirdenial and persecution until Our help came down to them: for nonecan change the decrees of Allah. You have already received thenews of what happened to those Rasools.

If you find their aversion hard to bear, then see if you can makea tunnel in the ground or put a ladder to ascend in the skies bywhich you can bring them a sign. O Prophet, you know well that ifAllah wanted, He would have given guidance to all. So do not belike the ignorant.

Have they not traveled through the earth and seen what was theend of those before them? They were superior in strength thanthese; they tilled the soil and built on it more than these haveever built. There came to them their Rasools with clear signs(but they rejected them to the detriment of their owndestruction): it was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wrongedtheir own souls.

Evil was the outcome for those who committed evil, rejected therevelations of Allah and kept ridiculing them!

and we used to deny the Day of Judgment,

until death overtook us."

On that Day, no intercession of any intercessors shall profitthem.

Woe on that Day to the disbelievers,

who deny the Day of Judgment!

None denies it except the sinful transgressor.

Who, when Our revelations are recited to him, says: "These arethe tales of the ancient peoples."

Of course not! In fact their misdeeds have caused a covering ontheir hearts.

Indeed on that Day, they shall be debarred from the vision oftheir Rabb.

Then they shall be made to enter the hell,

and told: "This is what you used to deny."

If they deny you O Muhammad, remember that before them the peopleof Nuh (Noah), 'Ad and Thamud;

the people of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Lut (Lot);

as well as the residents of Madyan had denied their Prophets,likewise Musa (Moses) was also denied. Initially, I gave respiteto all those unbelievers and then I seized them: see how terriblewas My disapproval!

So, what causes them to disbelieve you concerning the Day ofJudgement?

Is not Allah the best of all Judges?

But those who rebukes his parents and say: "Uff (as if to say, donot bothering me)! Do you threaten me with a resurrection,whereas many a generations have passed before me and none hascome back from among them?" And they both cry for Allah's helpand say: "Woe to you! Be a good believer. Surely the promise ofAllah is true." But he replies: "This is nothing but tales of theancients."

Such are the people against whom the verdict of torment hasproved true and they will be among the prior people of the jinnsand the men that have passed away before them. Indeed they willbe the losers.

On that Day when He will gather them all together, it will appearto them as if they had not stayed in this world but an hour of aday to get to know each other. At that time they will realizethat: in fact the losers are those who denied the meeting withAllah and were not rightly guided.

Those who deny Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter, theirdeeds are null. Should they be rewarded except for what they havedone?"

On the Day of Judgement it will be said to the disbelievers:"Walk on to hell which you used deny!

Walk on to the shadow of smoke ascending in three columns,

giving neither coolness nor shelter from the flames,

throwing up sparks as huge as castles,

as if they were yellow camels."

When the inevitable event will come to pass

- no one will be able to deny its coming to pass

Nay! In fact you deny the Day of Judgement!

Have you seen the one who denies the Day of Judgment?

He it is who drives away the orphan with harshness

and does not encourage the feeding of the poor.

When the unbelievers see you they do not take you but for one tobe scoffed at, saying: "Is this the one who talks against yourgods?" And they themselves deny the mention of the Compassionate(Allah).

If they do not believe you, say: "I am responsible for my actionsand you are for yours! You are not accountable for my actions,nor I am responsible for what you do."

They say: "O you to whom the reminder (The Qur'an) is beingrevealed! You are surely insane.

Why don't you bring us the angels, if you are of the truthfulones?"

O Muhammad, tell them: "We do not send down the angels except forjust cause (to execute Our scourge), and when they come, peopleare not given respite.

A Rasool was sent to them from among themselves, but they deniedhim; so the punishment overtook them because they werewrongdoers.

Nothing prevented people from belief when guidance came to themexcept the excuse: "What! Has Allah sent a man like us to be aRasool?"

O Muhammad, tell them: "Had there been in the earth angelswalking about as settlers, We would certainly have sent down tothem an angel from heaven as a Rasool."

Say: "Sufficient is Allah as a witness between me and you. He isthe One Who is Aware and Observant of His servants."

If they deny you O Muhammad, remember that before them the peopleof Nuh (Noah), 'Ad and Thamud;

the people of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Lut (Lot);

as well as the residents of Madyan had denied their Prophets,likewise Musa (Moses) was also denied. Initially, I gave respiteto all those unbelievers and then I seized them: see how terriblewas My disapproval!

And they say: "What sort of Rasool is he who eats food and walksthrough the streets? Why has no angel been sent down with him tothreaten the disbelievers?

Why he has not been given a treasure or at least a garden fromwhich he could eat?" And these wicked people further say: "Youare only following a man who is bewitched."

See what sort of examples they apply to you! Because they arelost and cannot find the way to refute the truth of Tawhid andlife after death.

Blessed is He, Who, if He wills, could give you much betterthings than what they propose for you: not one but many gardensbeneath which rivers flow; and make for you palaces too.

We have sent no Rasool before you, who did not eat or walkthrough the streets. In fact, We test you by means of oneanother. Now, will you show patience, for your Rabb is EverObservant.

Today when Our clear revelations are recited to them, they say:"This man only wants to turn you away from those gods to whomyour forefathers have been worshipping." Others say: "This Qur'anis nothing but an invented falsehood." While yet others, who denythe truth when it comes to them, say: "This is nothing but plainmagic."

In fact, neither had We given them books to study, nor had Wesent to them any Warner before you.

Those who have gone before them also denied - these Arabs havenot received one tenth of what We had granted them - yet whenthey denied My Rasools, see how terrible was My scourge.

Those who deny the Truth say: "This Al-Furqan (The Qur'an) is buta forgery which he (Muhammad) himself has devised and some otherpeople have helped him." Unjust is what they do and falsehood iswhat they utter!

On that Day when the heavens shall burst asunder with clouds andthe angels will be sent down ranks after ranks,

the real Kingdom on that Day will belong only to theCompassionate (Allah), a hard Day shall it be for theunbelievers.

But those who transgress shall be cast into the fire. Wheneverthey try to escape from it, they shall be pushed back into it,and it will be said to them: "Taste the punishment of the firewhich you used to deny."

We shall certainly make them taste the lighter torment in thislife before the greater punishment of the hereafter, so that theymay return to the Right Way.

So they disbelieved both of them and became among those who weredestroyed.

Now that the truth has come to them they have denied it. Soonthey will come to know the reality which they are ridiculing.

Who can be more wicked than a person who forges a lie againstAllah or denies His revelations? Surely the wrongdoers shallnever get salvation.

Those who deny Our Revelations are deaf and dumb, living in manylayers of darkness. Allah confounds whom He will, and guides tothe Right Way whom He pleases.

But those who deny Our Revelations shall be punished for theirtransgression.

Say: "Bring your witnesses to prove that Allah did forbid so andso." Even if they so testify, do not testify with them, nor yieldto the wishes of those who deny Our revelations, disbelieve inthe hereafter, and set up others as equals with their Rabb.

or lest you say: "If the Book had been revealed to us, we couldhave followed its guidance better than them," a veritable signhas now come to you from your Rabb as a guidance and mercy. Whothen is more unjust than the one who denies the revelations ofAllah and turns away from them? Very soon those who turn awayfrom Our revelations will face dreadful punishment for theiraversion.

Are they waiting for the angels or your Rabb to come down to themor are they waiting to be given a certain sign of your Rabb! Onthe Day when that certain sign of your Rabb appears, the beliefwill not profit that soul which did not believe before, or who,while professing to believe did not do good deeds. Say to them:"Wait if you will; we too are waiting."

but those who deny Our revelations and treat them with arrogance,shall be the inmates of hellfire to live therein forever.

Surely, the gates of the Heaven will not be opened for those whodeny Our revelations and treat them with arrogance; theiradmission into paradise will be as impossible as the passing of acamel through the eye of a needle. That is how We shall rewardthe criminals.

Hell shall be their bed and flames shall be their covering. Thatis how We shall reward the wrongdoers.

I will turn away from My signs the eyes of those who are unjustlyarrogant in the land, so that even if they see each and everysign they will not believe in it. If they see the Right Waybefore them they will not follow it; but if they see a crookedway they will follow it; this is because they denied Ourrevelations and were heedless of them.

Those who deny Our signs and the meeting of the Hereafter, theirdeeds are null. Should they be rewarded except for what they havedone?"

Had it been Our will, We would have exalted him through thoserevelations; but he clung to this earthly life and followed hisown desires. His similitude is that of a dog: if you chase him helolls out his tongue and if you leave him alone he still lollsout his tongue. Such are those who deny Our revelations, tellthem these parables, so that they might think over their behaviorto Our revelations.

Very bad is the example of those people who deny Our revelationsand wrong their own souls.

Those who deny Our revelations, We draw them step by step closesto destruction in ways that they do not realize,

and even though I grant them respite; My plan is surelyeffective.

Has it never occurred to them that their companion is not amadman; he is merely a plain Warner.

Have they not pondered the kingdom of the heavens and the earthand whatever Allah has created, and that maybe their hour ofdeath has come closer? In what message after this would they thenbelieve?

Who can be more unjust than the one who himself forges a lie,then ascribes it to Allah or falsifies His real Revelations?Indeed, such criminals can never prosper.

Do the unbelievers say "He (Muhammad) himself has forged allthis?" Say to them: "If I have indeed forged it, then its sin ison me! And I am clear of the sins which you are committing fornot believing it."

but the unbelievers who have denied Our revelations shall receivea disgraceful punishment.

And those who have rejected Faith, denied Our revelations and themeeting of the hereafter shall be presented for punishment.

Today when Our clear revelations are recited to them, they say:"This man only wants to turn you away from those gods to whomyour forefathers have been worshipping." Others say: "This Qur'anis nothing but an invented falsehood." While yet others, who denythe truth when it comes to them, say: "This is nothing but plainmagic."

In fact, neither had We given them books to study, nor had Wesent to them any Warner before you.

Those who have gone before them also denied - these Arabs havenot received one tenth of what We had granted them - yet whenthey denied My Rasools, see how terrible was My scourge.

Those who have gone before them also disbelieved, consequently,the punishment overtook them from the directions they leastexpected.

So Allah made them taste humiliation in this worldly life, andthe punishment in the life to come shall be even more terrible,if they but knew it.

Then Allah will say to him: "My revelations did come to you; butyou denied them, were arrogant and you were among thedisbelievers."

Before them the people of Nuh denied the Message and so did othergroups after them. Every nation plotted against its Prophet,seized him and sought to refute the truth through falsearguments; but I smote them, and how terrible was My retribution!

Thus shall the Word of your Rabb be proved true against thedisbelievers; they are the inmates of hellfire.

Those who have denied the Book and the Message which We have sentthrough Our Rasools shall soon come to know the truth when theywill be cast into the fire of hell:

when, with yokes and chains around their necks, they shall bedragged

through scalding fluid and burned in the fire of hell.

Then they shall be asked: "Where are those gods whom you invokedin worship

besides Allah?" They will answer: "They have forsaken us, now wehave come to know that those to whom we used to invoke, were infact nothing." Thus Allah confounds the disbelievers.

It will be said: "You have met this fate because during your lifeon earth, you took delight in things other than the truth and youled a wanton life.

Now enter the gates of hell to live therein forever. What an evilabode will be for the arrogant!"

Well! Wait for the Day when the sky will pour down visible smoke.

Enveloping all mankind; this will be a painful punishment.

Then the mankind will say: "Our Rabb! Remove from us thispunishment, surely we have become real believers."

But how can the acceptance of Our Message at that time bebeneficial to them? A Rasool (Muhammad), who made the thingsclear, has come to them

yet they deny him, saying: "He is a madman, taught by others!"

Surely in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the truebelievers.

and in your own creation and that of animals which are scatteredthrough the earth, there are signs for those who are firm infaith,

and in the alternation of night and day, in the sustenance thatAllah sends down from heaven with which He revives the earthafter its death and in the changing of the winds, there are signsfor those who use their common sense.

These are the revelations of Allah, which We are reciting to youin all truth. Then, in what report will they believe if not Allahand His revelations?

Woe to each lying sinner

before whom the revelations of Allah are recited: he hears them,yet he arrogantly persists as though he never heard them;announce to him a painful punishment.

And when something of Our revelations come to his knowledge, hetakes them as a joke; for all such people there will be ahumiliating punishment.

Beyond them there lies hell, and nothing of what they have earnedin this world will be of any benefit to them, nor those whom theyhave taken as their protectors besides Allah, and they shall havegrievous punishment.

Those who believe in Allah and His Rasool, they are the truthfuland the true witnesses in the sight of their Rabb; they shallhave their reward and their light. But those who disbelieve andreject Our revelations; they shall be the inmates of hellfire.

The example of those who were charged with the Taurat, but failedto carry out their obligations, is that of a donkey who iscarrying books and does not know what is in those books. Bad isthe example of those who deny the revelations of Allah. Allahdoes not guide the wrongdoers.

As for those who disbelieved and deny Our revelations, they willbecome the inmates of hell, wherein they shall live forever, andthat is an evil abode.

As for those who disbelieve their Rabb, there will be thepunishment of hell, which is an evil abode.

When they will be plunged into its fire, they shall hear itsroaring and boiling

as though bursting with rage. Every time a group is plungedtherein, its guards will ask: "Did not a Warner come to you?"

They will answer: "Yes indeed, a Warner did come to us, but werejected him and said, Allah has revealed nothing - you aremerely in gross error."

They will further say: "Had we only listened or used ourintelligence, we would have not been among the inmates of theblazing fire."

Thus shall they confess their sin; so away from the mercy ofAllah will be the dwellers of hell.

When Our revelations are recited to him , he says: "They arenothing but the tales of the ancient."

O Prophet, leave to Me those who reject this revelation. We shalllead them step by step to their ruin, in ways that they cannotperceive.

I shall even put up with them for a while; for My plan is foolproof.

Or have you, O Prophet, demanded a compensation from them, thatthey are overburdened with debt?

Or do they have the knowledge of the unseen and they are writingit down?

So wait with patience for the Judgement of your Rabb and be notlike the man of the fish (reference is to the Prophet Jonah whowas swallowed by a whale), who cried when he was in distress.

Nay! I swear by all that you can see,

and all that you cannot see,

that this is the word of a noble Rasool.

is it not the word of a poet - little is it that you believe,

nor it is the word of a soothsayer - little admonition is thatyou take.

This is a revelation from the Rabb of the worlds.

Had he (Muhammad) invented false statement concerning Us,

We would certainly have seize him by his right hand

then cut off his main artery,

and none of you could prevent it!

By no means! Because he has stubbornly denied Our revelations.

Soon I shall make him suffer mounting calamities,

surely he pondered and devised a plot.

May he perish, how he plotted!

Again, may he perish, how he plotted!

He looked around,

frowned and scowled,

then he turned his back in scornful pride

and said: "This is nothing but counterfeited magic,

this is nothing but the word of a human being."

Soon I shall cast him into Saqar.

What will make you understand, what Saqar is?

It is burning fire which leaves nothing and spares none.

It shrivels human flesh.

It is guarded by nineteen guards.

For sure, the hell shall lie in ambush,

to become a home for the transgressors.

There they shall live for ages,

in it they shall taste neither refreshment nor drink,

except scalding water and decaying filth:

a fitting recompense for their deeds.

For they never expected to be accountable,

and wittingly rejected Our revelations.

But We had recorded everything in a Book.

It will be said: "Taste the fruits of your deeds! You shall havenothing but increase in punishment."

Who, when Our revelations are recited to him, says: "These arethe tales of the ancient peoples."

Of course not! In fact their misdeeds have caused a covering ontheir hearts.

Indeed on that Day, they shall be debarred from the vision oftheir Rabb.

Then they shall be made to enter the hell,

and told: "This is what you used to deny."

Those who have denied the Book and the Message which We have sentthrough Our Rasools shall soon come to know the truth when theywill be cast into the fire of hell:

when, with yokes and chains around their necks, they shall bedragged

through scalding fluid and burned in the fire of hell.

Then they shall be asked: "Where are those gods whom you invokedin worship

besides Allah?" They will answer: "They have forsaken us, now wehave come to know that those to whom we used to invoke, were infact nothing." Thus Allah confounds the disbelievers.

It will be said: "You have met this fate because during your lifeon earth, you took delight in things other than the truth and youled a wanton life.

Now enter the gates of hell to live therein forever. What an evilabode will be for the arrogant!"

Now that the truth has come to them they have denied it. Soonthey will come to know the reality which they are ridiculing.

O Muhammad, say: "Travel through the earth and see what was theend of those who denied the truth."

Ask them: "To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and in theearth?" If they don't respond, tell them: "To Allah!" He hasdecreed mercy for Himself, that is why He does not punish you foryour misdeeds right away. He will certainly gather you alltogether on the Day of Resurrection; there is no doubt about it.Yet those who have lost their souls will not believe.

No doubt We raised in every nation a Rasool, saying: "Serve Allahand keep away from Taghut (Satanic forces)." After that, Allahguided some of them while deviation proved true against theothers. So travel through the earth and see what was the end ofthose who denied Our Message.

It will be fulfilled so that He may manifest to them the Truthabout which they differ, and so that the rejecters of Truth mayknow that they were indeed liars.

And who is more wicked than the one who forges a lie againstAllah or rejects the Truth when it reaches him? Is not the hell afitting abode for such disbelievers?

Today when Our clear revelations are recited to them, they say:"This man only wants to turn you away from those gods to whomyour forefathers have been worshipping." Others say: "This Qur'anis nothing but an invented falsehood." While yet others, who denythe truth when it comes to them, say: "This is nothing but plainmagic."

Those who have gone before them also denied - these Arabs havenot received one tenth of what We had granted them - yet whenthey denied My Rasools, see how terrible was My scourge.

Before them the people of Nuh denied the Message and so did othergroups after them. Every nation plotted against its Prophet,seized him and sought to refute the truth through falsearguments; but I smote them, and how terrible was My retribution!

Thus shall the Word of your Rabb be proved true against thedisbelievers; they are the inmates of hellfire.

Consequently, We inflicted Our retribution on them; then see whatwas the end of those who disbelieved?

Nay! But these people deny the truth when it comes to them, andthey are confused.

On that Day, woe be to the deniers of truth,

who are engaged in their useless sports.

On that Day they shall be driven to the fire of hell withviolence,

and it will be said to them: "This is the fire which you denied.

Is this a magic, or do you not see?

Now burn therein; it will be the same for you, whether you bearit patiently or do not bear it patiently. You are being rewardedaccording to your deeds."

Then, "O the mistaken rejecters,

you shall eat of the Zaqqum tree,

and fill your bellies with it;

and drink on top of it scalding water;

yet you shall drink it like a thirsty camel."

Such will be their entertainment on the Day of Reckoning.

And if he is one of the mistaken rejecters,

he is welcomed with scalding water,

and burning in hellfire.

Surely this is an absolute truth.

Let me deal with rejecters who are enjoying the comforts of thislife, so put up with them for a while.

We have in store for them heavy fetters and a blazing fire,

choking food and a painful punishment.

On the day when the earth with all it's mountains will be in aviolent commotion, and the mountains will crumble into heaps ofshifting sand.

but on the contrary he denied the truth and turned away.

Nay! The unbelievers will deny;

and Allah knows what they are hiding in their hearts.

Therefore, proclaim to them a painful punishment,

Therefore, I warn you of the blazing fire,

in which none shall burn except the wretched

who deny the truth and give no heed.

Have you considered, if he denies the truth and turns away, whatwill happen?

No doubt We raised in every nation a Rasool, saying: "Serve Allahand keep away from Taghut (Satanic forces)." After that, Allahguided some of them while deviation proved true against theothers. So travel through the earth and see what was the end ofthose who denied Our Message.

Say: "It is the grace and mercy of Allah (that He has sent thisQur'an), so let the people rejoice over it, for it is better than(the worldly riches) they are collecting."

Say: "It is the grace and mercy of Allah (that He has sent thisQur'an), so let the people rejoice over it, for it is better than(the worldly riches) they are collecting."

The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves andhis wives are as their mothers. Blood relatives have a greaterclaim on one another than the other believers and the Muhajirin(early Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah) according tothe Book of Allah: although you are permitted to some good(through leaving bequests) for your friends . This has beenwritten in the Book of Allah.

and guard their private parts,

except from their wives and those whom their right hands possess,for in their case they are not blameworthy.

As for those who seek to go beyond this, they are transgressors.

As for those who seek to go beyond this, they are transgressors.

Yet they make the Jinns (Genies: creature which has been createdout of fire) as the partners with Allah, whereas He is theirCreator; and also ascribe to Him sons and daughters withouthaving any knowledge. Glory to Him! He is highly exalted farabove what they ascribe.

On the Day of Resurrection, neither your relatives nor yourchildren shall avail you. Allah will judge between you, and He isobserving all your actions.

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim (Abraham) and hiscompanions. They said to their people plainly: "We are clear ofyou and your gods, whom you worship besides Allah. We renounceyou. Enmity and hate shall reign between us forever until youbelieve in Allah, the One and Only God." But do not emulate whatIbrahim said to his father: "I will pray for your forgiveness,although I have no power to get anything for you from Allah."Their collective prayer was: "Our Rabb! In You we have put ourtrust, to You we turn in repentance and to You is our final goal.

Our Rabb! Do not expose us to the plots of the unbelievers.Forgive us, our Rabb! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."

Truly, in those there is an excellent example for everyone whoputs their hopes in Allah and the Last Day. He that gives no heedshould know that Allah is free of all wants, worthy of allpraise.

It may well be that Allah will put love between you and thosewith whom you are now at odds because of the order which is givento you, for Allah is All-Powerful, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving,Most Merciful.

Allah does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those whohad neither fought against your faith nor driven you out of yourhomes. In fact Allah loves the equitable.

Allah only forbids you to make friendship with those who foughtyou on account of your faith and drove you out of your homes andbacked up others in your expulsion. Those who will take them forfriends are indeed the wrongdoers.

O believers! When the believing women seek refuge with you, testthem. Allah best knows their faith. If you find them truebelievers, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are notlawful to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers lawful tothem. Return to their unbelieving husbands what they have spenton them. There is no blame on you if you marry such women,provided you give them their dowers. Do not hold on to yourmarriages with unbelieving women. Demand what you have spent onthem and let the unbelievers do the same. This is the order ofAllah which He has decreed between you. Allah is All-Knowing,All-Wise.

O Prophet, tell them: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers,your spouses, your relatives, the wealth that you have acquired,the business in which you fear a loss, and the homes which youlike are dearer to you than Allah, His Rasool, and making Jihad(struggle) in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about Hisdecision. Allah does not guide the transgressors.

Know that one-fifth of the booty (spoils of war) is for Allah,His Rasool, close relatives of the Rasool, orphans, the needy andthe wayfarer, if you do believe in Allah and in what We revealedto Our servant on the day of distinction (between right andwrong), the day when two armies met in combat. Allah has powerover everything.

When We show mercy to mankind after some calamity had afflictedthem, they begin to plot against Our revelations! Tell them:"Allah is more swift in plotting than you; indeed Our angels arerecording all the plots you make."

He is the One Who enables you to travel through the land and bythe sea; until when you are on board a ship, as the ship sailswith a favorable wind and they feel happy about it; but whenthere comes a stormy wind and the waves reach them from all sidesand they think they are being overwhelmed: then they pray toAllah with their sincere devotion, saying, "If You deliver usfrom this, we shall become your true thankful devotees!"

Yet, when He does deliver them, behold! The same people becomeunjustly rebellious in the land. O mankind! Your rebellion isagainst your own souls - (you may enjoy) the transitory pleasureof this world - in the end you have to return to Us, then Weshall inform you of what you have done.

Whatever blessings you enjoy are from Allah, and when touched bydistress, He is the One to Whom you cry for help.

Yet no sooner does He relieve you from the distress than some ofyou begin to associate others with Him,

as if to show their ingratitude for the favors that We bestow onthem! Enjoy yourselves; soon you will come to know theconsequences.

Whenever any adversity strikes you at sea, all those to whom youpray besides Him forsake you except He; yet when He brings yousafe to the land, you turn your backs upon Him. Indeed, man isever ungrateful.

When an affliction befalls the people, they turn in prayer totheir Rabb in repentance. But when He let them taste a blessingfrom Him, lo! Some of them start committing shirk,

showing no gratitude for What We have given them. Enjoyyourselves; soon you will find out your folly.

When any giant wave covers them like a canopy, they pray to Allahwith all devotion making their faith pure for Him. But when Hedelivers them safely to land, some of them falter between beliefand unbelief. None reject Our revelations except the treacherousand the ungrateful.

When some trouble befalls man, he cries to his Rabb and turns toHim in repentance; but no sooner does He bestow on him His favorthan he forgets what he has prayed for and sets up rivals toAllah, thus misleading others from His Way. Tell such people:"Enjoy your unbelief for a little while; certainly you will be ofthe inmates of hellfire."

And if after affliction We vouchsafe him a favor from Ourself, heis sure to say: "I deserve this, I do not think that the Hourwill ever come; and even if I am brought back to my Rabb, I wouldstill get good treatment from Him." The fact, however, is that Weshall tell the disbelievers the truth of all that they had doneand We shall make them taste a severe punishment.

When We bestow favors on man, he turns away and drifts off toanother side; and when an evil befalls him, he comes with lengthysupplications.

There is no compulsion in religion. True guidance has been madeclearly distinct from error. Therefore, whoever renounce 'Taghut'(forces of Shaitan) and believes in Allah has grasped the firmhand-hold that will never break. Allah, Whose hand-hold you havegrasped, hears all and knows all.

They ask you what food is lawful for them, say: All good cleanthings are lawful for you, as well as what you have taught yourhunting birds and beasts to catch, trained by you with theknowledge given to you by Allah. Eat what they catch and hold foryou, however, pronounce the name of Allah over it. Have fear ofAllah. Allah is swift in settling the accounts.

He has ordained for you the same Deen (way of life - Islam) whichHe enjoined on Nuh - and which We have revealed to you O Muhammad- and which We enjoined on Ibrahim and Musa (Moses) and Isa(Jesus): "Establish the Deen of Al-Islam and make no division(sects) in it." Intolerable for the mushrikin is that to whichyou O Muhammad call them. Allah chooses for His service whom Hewills, and guides to His Way only those who turn to Him inrepentance.

O Prophet, We have put you on the Right Way (Shari'ah) concerningthe religion, so follow it, and do not yield to the desires ofignorant people;

Say: "Allah has declared the truth. If you are sincere thenfollow the faith of Ibrahim (Abraham); he was upright and not amushrik."

Do you think that you will enter Paradise without any trialswhile you have known the examples of those who passed away beforeyou? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were soviolently shaken up that even the Rasool and the believers withhim cried out: "When will Allah's help come?" Then they werecomforted with the words, Be aware! Allah's help is ever close.

When they are asked to follow what Allah has revealed, theyreply: "Nay, we shall follow the ways upon which we found ourforefathers". What! Will they still follow them even thoughShaitan invites them to the punishment of the blazing fire.

But the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, which istorn out from the earth and has no stability.

Jews and Christians say: "Be Jews or Christians, you shall thenbe rightly guided." O Muhammad, say: "By no means! We follow thefaith of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of themushrikin."

Say: "We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us; andwhat was revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq(Isaac), Ya'qoob (Jacob) and their descendants, and that whichwas given to Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and other Prophets fromtheir Rabb. We do not discriminate any of them, and to Allah wehave surrendered ourselves (in Islam)."

So, if they accept Islam like you, they shall be rightly guided;if they reject it, they will surely fall into dissension (divideinto differing factions); Allah will be your sufficient defenderagainst them, and He hears and knows everything.

Baptism is from Allah; and who is better than Allah in baptizing?Him do we worship.

Say, O Muhammad: "Would you dispute with us concerning Allah, whois our Rabb and your Rabb as well? We shall be accountable to Himfor our deeds and you for yours; to Him alone we are devoted.

Do you claim that Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq(Isaac), Ya'qoob (Jacob) and their descendants were all Jews orChristians? Are you more knowledgeable than Allah?" Who is morewicked than the one who hides the testimony he has received fromAllah? Allah is not unaware of what you do.

O Muhammad! These people have tried to entice you from Ourrevelations, hoping that you might fabricate something in Ourname. Had you done that, they would have made you their friend.

Had We not strengthened your faith, you might have made somecompromise with them.

In such a case We would have given you double punishment in thislife and in the life hereafter. Then you would have found nohelper against Our wrath.

When any giant wave covers them like a canopy, they pray to Allahwith all devotion making their faith pure for Him. But when Hedelivers them safely to land, some of them falter between beliefand unbelief. None reject Our revelations except the treacherousand the ungrateful.

Say: "Pray if you will to those whom you assert besides Him; theyhave neither the power to relieve you from any distress nor tochange it."

Among the Jews there are some who take the words out of theircontext and utter them with a twist of their tongues to slanderthe true Deen (faith) and say: "We hear and we disobey;" and"Hear, may you (O Muhammad) hear nothing!" And "Ra'ina" (anambiguous word meaning: "listen, may you become deaf," or "ourshepherd," or "in judeo-Arabic language conveying the sense of"our evil one"). If only they had said: "We hear and we obey;"and "Hear us;" and "Unzurna ("look upon us," or " pay attentionto us"): it would have been better for them and more proper. Dueto all this Allah has cursed them for their unbelief. In factwith the exception of a few, they have no faith.

O People of the Book! Do not transgress the limits of yourreligion. Speak nothing but the Truth about Allah. The Messiah,Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary) was no more than a Rasool ofAllah and His Word "Be" which He bestowed on Maryam and a Spiritfrom Him which took the shape of a child in her womb. So believein Allah and His Rasools and do not say: "Trinity"." Stop sayingthat, it is better for you. Allah is only One Deity. He is farabove from the need of having a son! To Him belongs all that isin the heavens and in the Earth. Allah Alone is sufficient forprotection.

But the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, which istorn out from the earth and has no stability.

Leave those people alone, who take their religion as mere playand amusement and are deceived by the life of this world.However, keep on admonishing them with this (The Qur'an), lesttheir souls be damned by their own sinful deeds. They will nothave any protector or intercessor to rescue them from Allah, andif they seek to offer every imaginable ransom, it shall not beaccepted from them. Such are those who are damned by their ownsinful deeds. They will get boiling water to drink and painfultorture for their rejection of the Truth.

If anyone is looking for a religion other than Islam, then let itbe known that it will not be accepted from him; and in theHereafter he will be among the losers.

It is He Who has sent His Rasool with guidance and true Deen(faith) to make it prevail over all other deens (faiths) eventhough the mushrikin may hate it.

It is He who has sent His Rasool with Guidance and the religionof truth, so that He may exalt this religion over all otherreligions: and sufficient is Allah as a witness.

It is He Who has sent His Rasool with the guidance and thereligion of truth so that he may proclaim it over all religions,much as the Mushrikin may dislike it.

Fight those people of the Book (Jews and Christians) who do notbelieve in Allah and the Last Day, do not refrain from what hasbeen prohibited by Allah and His Rasool and do not embrace thereligion of truth (Al-Islam), until they pay Jizya (protectiontax) with their own hands and feel themselves subdued.

Jews and Christians say: "Be Jews or Christians, you shall thenbe rightly guided." O Muhammad, say: "By no means! We follow thefaith of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of themushrikin."

Say: "We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us; andwhat was revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq(Isaac), Ya'qoob (Jacob) and their descendants, and that whichwas given to Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and other Prophets fromtheir Rabb. We do not discriminate any of them, and to Allah wehave surrendered ourselves (in Islam)."

So, if they accept Islam like you, they shall be rightly guided;if they reject it, they will surely fall into dissension (divideinto differing factions); Allah will be your sufficient defenderagainst them, and He hears and knows everything.

Baptism is from Allah; and who is better than Allah in baptizing?Him do we worship.

Say, O Muhammad: "Would you dispute with us concerning Allah, whois our Rabb and your Rabb as well? We shall be accountable to Himfor our deeds and you for yours; to Him alone we are devoted.

Do you claim that Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq(Isaac), Ya'qoob (Jacob) and their descendants were all Jews orChristians? Are you more knowledgeable than Allah?" Who is morewicked than the one who hides the testimony he has received fromAllah? Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Among the Jews there are some who take the words out of theircontext and utter them with a twist of their tongues to slanderthe true Deen (faith) and say: "We hear and we disobey;" and"Hear, may you (O Muhammad) hear nothing!" And "Ra'ina" (anambiguous word meaning: "listen, may you become deaf," or "ourshepherd," or "in judeo-Arabic language conveying the sense of"our evil one"). If only they had said: "We hear and we obey;"and "Hear us;" and "Unzurna ("look upon us," or " pay attentionto us"): it would have been better for them and more proper. Dueto all this Allah has cursed them for their unbelief. In factwith the exception of a few, they have no faith.

Those who deny Allah and his Rasool and those who intend to drawa line between Allah and His Rasools saying: "We believe in some,and reject the rest" - desiring to take a middle way betweenbelief and unbelief

- these are the real unbelievers and We have prepared for suchunbelievers a humiliating punishment.

In fact, your religion is one religion, and I am your only Rabb:so fear Me Alone.

Yet people have divided themselves into factions and each factionrejoices in its own doctrines

- well! Leave them in their heedlessness for an appointed time.

Their hearts are preoccupied with worldly affairs; thesewrongdoers say to each other in private: "Is this man (Muhammad)not a human being like yourselves? Would you follow witchcraftwith your eyes open?"

Tell them: "My Rabb has knowledge of every word which is spokenin the heavens and the earth, and He hears all and knows all."

Have you seen the one who denies the Day of Judgment?

He it is who drives away the orphan with harshness

and does not encourage the feeding of the poor.

The hypocrites are afraid lest a Surah should be sent down aboutthem revealing to the Muslims what is in their hearts. Say: "Mockif you will, Allah will surely bring to light all that you fear."

If you ask them, "what were you talking about?" They willpromptly say: "We were only jesting and having fun." Say: "What,then! Were you mocking at Allah, His revelations and His Rasool?"

Make no excuses now: you have rejected faith after your belief;even if We may pardon some of you who were not serious inparticipating, We will punish others amongst you, because theyare criminals.

Surely We Ourself will suffice you against the scoffers;

those who place other deities alongside Allah, will soon come toknow their folly.

You marvel at the wonders of Allah's creation, while theyridicule at it.

Lest someone should say: 'Alas! I neglected my duty towards Allahand I was one of those who mocked at His revelations.'

It is not proper that the believers should go forth all together.Therefore, why not a squadron from each division stay behind sothat they may obtain the understanding of Deen (Al-Islam), andadmonish the people when they return to them so that they mayrefrain from un-Islamic conduct!

Yet they were commanded nothing but to worship Allah, with theirsincere devotion to Him, being True in their faith; to establishSalah ( prayers); and to pay Zakah (poor due); and that is theinfallible true Religion.

They swear by Allah that they said nothing when in fact theyuttered the words of unbelief and they committed Kufr afteraccepting Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable tocarry out. They had no reason to be revengeful, except that Allahand His Rasool had enriched them through His bounty. Therefore,if they repent it will indeed be better for them; but if theyturn back (do not repent) Allah will punish them with a painfulpunishment in this life and in the Hereafter, and they shall havenone on earth to protect or help them.

If they argue with you, say: "Allah knows best all that you do."

Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrectionconcerning the matters in which you differ.

Who but a foolish man would renounce the faith of Ibrahim? Wechose him in this worldly life while in the Hereafter he will beamong the righteous.

Have you not seen those people who have responded to the favorsof Allah with ingratitude and drive their people into the Houseof Perdition?

Which is hell! Wherein they shall burn, an evil place to live.

He has ordained for you the same Deen (way of life - Islam) whichHe enjoined on Nuh - and which We have revealed to you O Muhammad- and which We enjoined on Ibrahim and Musa (Moses) and Isa(Jesus): "Establish the Deen of Al-Islam and make no division(sects) in it." Intolerable for the mushrikin is that to whichyou O Muhammad call them. Allah chooses for His service whom Hewills, and guides to His Way only those who turn to Him inrepentance.

The people did not become divided into sects until afterknowledge had come to them out of envy among themselves. Had yourRabb not issued the word to defer their punishment till anappointed time, the matter would have already been settledbetween them. The fact is that those who were made to inherit theBook after them, are surely in disquieting doubt concerning it.

When it is said to them: "Come to what Allah has revealed andcome to the Rasool." They reply: "Sufficient for us are the wayson which we found our forefathers." What! Even though theirforefathers knew nothing and were not rightly guided?

Surely the only Deen (true religion and the Right Way of life) inthe sight of Allah is Al-Islam: Those to whom the Book was givendid not adopt ways different than this except out of envy amongthemselves, and after the true knowledge had come to them. Theyshould know that Allah is swift in calling to account those whodeny His revelations.

So if they argue with you (O Muhammad), tell them: "I havesubmitted myself entirely to Allah and so have those who followme." Then ask those who are given the Book and those who areilliterates: "Will you also submit yourselves to Allah?" If theybecome Muslims they shall be rightly guided but if they turnback, you need not worry, because your sole responsibility is toconvey the Message. Allah is watching all His servants veryclosely.

Nothing is said to you (O Muhammad) that was not said to theRasools before you: that surely your Rabb is the Lord offorgiveness, and at the same time the Lord of painfulretribution.

O Prophet say: "I am but a man like yourselves. It is revealed tome that your God is One God, therefore take the Right Way towardsHim and implore His forgiveness. Woe to the mushrikin (those whoassociate other gods with Allah);

As for those who say: "Our God is Allah," and then stay firm onit, the angels will descend on them, saying: "Let nothing fear orgrieve you. Rejoice for the good news of paradise that has beenpromised to you.

We are your protectors in this life and in the hereafter. Thereyou shall find all that your souls desire and all that you canask for:

A hospitable gift from the All-Forgiving, All-Merciful."

The reasons which prevent their contributions from being acceptedare: that they disbelieve in Allah and His Rasool, that they cometo offer Salah but reluctantly, and that they offer contributionsbut unwillingly.

Can they be like those who have clear revelations from their Rabband to whom a witness from Himself recites it, and they have theBook of Musa before them - a guidance and a blessing? Can suchpeople deny the revelation of Al- Qur'an? No of course not,rather such people will believe in this, but those factions whodo not believe shall have their promised place in the Hellfire.So, O Prophet, do not be in any doubt about it; it is the Truthfrom your Rabb, even though most people do not believe so.

- We left therein a sign for those who fear the painfulpunishment.

You shall certainly be tested with by means of your wealth andwith your persons; and you will certainly hear much that ishurtful from those who were given the Book before you, and fromthe mushrikin. But if you endure with patience and have fear ofAllah, this will surely be a proof of your firm determination.

O mankind! There has come to you an instruction from your Rabb, acure for whatever (disease) is in your hearts, a guidance and ablessing for the true believers.