2. Surah Al-Baqarah

alif lām mīm

That is the Writ about which there is no doubt, a guidance to those of prudent fear:

Those who believe in the Unseen, and uphold the duty, and of what We have provided them they spend;

And those who believe in what was sent down to thee, and what was sent down before thee, and of the Hereafter they are certain:

Those are upon guidance from their Lord; and it is they who are the successful.

Those who ignore warning, it is the same to them whether thou hast warned them or thou hast not warned them; they do not believe:

God has sealed their hearts, and over their hearing and over their sight is a covering; and they have a great punishment.

And of men are some who say: “We believe in God and the Last Day,” but they are not believers.

They would deceive God and those who heed warning, but they deceive only themselves; and they perceive not.

In their hearts is disease, so God has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they have lied.

And when it is said to them: “Work not corruption in the land,” they say: “We are but those who do right.”

In truth, it is they who are the workers of corruption; but they perceive not.

And when it is said to them: “Believe as mankind has believed,” they say: “Shall we believe as the foolish have believed?” In truth, it is they who are the foolish; but they know not.

And when they meet those who heed warning, they say: “We believe.” But when they are alone with their satans, they say: “We are with you; we were only mocking!”

God mocks them, and increases them in wandering blindly in their inordinacy.

Those are they who bought error at the price of guidance, so their transaction profited not; and they were not guided.

Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire: — when it had illuminated what was round about him, God took away their light and left them in darkness; they do not see.

Deaf, dumb, blind; so they will not return.

Or like a thundercloud from the sky wherein is darkness, and thunder, and lightning: they put their fingers in their ears against the thunderbolts in fear of death; but God encompasses the false claimers of guidance.

The lightning nigh snatches away their sight; whenever it gives them light, they walk therein; and when it darkens over them, they stand still. And had God willed, He would have taken away their hearing and their sight; God is over all things powerful.

O mankind: serve your Lord who created you, and those before you, that you might be in prudent fear;

Who made the earth for you a couch, and the sky a structure, and sent down from the sky water, then brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you; so make not equals to God when you know.

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call your witnesses other than God, if you be truthful.

But if you do not — and you will not — then be in prudent fear of the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the false claimers of guidance.

And bear thou glad tidings to those who heed warning and do righteous deeds, that they have gardens beneath which rivers flow; whenever they are provided with the fruit thereof they say: “This is what we were provided with before”; and they are given thereby a likeness; and they have therein purified spouses; and they abide therein eternally.

God is not ashamed to strike a similitude, be it of a gnat or of what is above it. Then as for those who heed warning: they know that it is the truth from their Lord; and as for those who ignore warning: they say: “What means God by this similitude?” He leads astray many thereby, and He guides many thereby; and He leads astray thereby only the perfidious:

Those who break the covenant with God after its agreement, and sever what God commanded to be joined, and work corruption in the land; it is they who are the losers.

How can you deny God? When you were dead, He gave you life; then will He give you death; then will He give you life; then to Him will you be returned.

He it is that created for you all that is in the earth; then He directed Himself to the sky and fashioned them seven heavens; and He knows all things.

And when thy Lord said to the angels: “I am placing in the earth a successor,” they said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein, and shed blood, while we give glory with Thy praise and hallow Thee?” He said: “I know what you know not.”

And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then He presented them to the angels and said: “Inform Me of the names of these, if you be truthful.”

They said: “Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge save what Thou hast taught us; Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.”

He said: “O Adam: inform thou them of their names.” And when he had informed them of their names, He said: “Said I not to you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal, and what you have concealed.”

And when We said to the angels: “Submit to Adam,” then they submitted. Not so Iblīs; he refused, and had waxed proud, and was of the false claimers of guidance.

And We said: “O Adam: dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat thereof freely wheresoever you will; but approach not this tree lest you be of the wrongdoers.”

But the satan caused them to fall therefrom, and turned them out of what they were in; and We said: “Get you all down, an enemy to one another; and for you in the earth are a dwelling-place and provision for a time.”

Then received Adam words from his Lord, and He turned towards him; He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

We said: “Get you down from it all together. And if there comes to you guidance from Me, whoso follows My guidance: no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.

“But those who ignore warning and deny Our proofs: those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.”

O children of Israel: remember My favour wherewith I favoured you; and fulfil the covenant with Me, and I will fulfil the covenant with you; and Me — be you in fear of Me.

And believe in what I have sent down confirming what is with you, and be not the first to deny it; and sell not My proofs at a cheap price; and Me — be you in prudent fear of Me.

And clothe not truth with vanity, nor conceal the truth when you know.

And uphold the duty, and render the purity, and be lowly with the lowly.

Enjoin you virtue upon mankind, and forget yourselves when you recite the Writ? Will you then not use reason!

And seek help in patience and duty; and it is hard save for the humble:

Those who consider that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they are returning.

O children of Israel: remember My favour wherewith I favoured you, and that I preferred you above all mankind.

And be in prudent fear of a day no soul will avail a soul anything, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it; nor will they be helped.

And when We delivered you from the house of Pharaoh: they were afflicting you with an evil punishment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women; and in that was a great trial from your Lord.

And when We divided for you the sea, and delivered you, and drowned the house of Pharaoh — and you were looking on.

And when We appointed for Moses forty nights; then you took up the calf while he was away; and you were wrongdoers.

Then We pardoned you after that, that you might be grateful.

And when We gave Moses the Writ and the Division, that you might be guided.

And when Moses said to his people: “O my people: you have wronged your souls by your taking up the calf. So turn to your Creator and kill yourselves; that is best for you in the sight of your Creator.” Then He turned towards you; He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

And when you said: “O Moses: we will not believe thee until we see God openly”; and the thunderbolt took you — and you were looking on.

Then We raised you up after your death, that you might be grateful.

And We caused the cloud to overshadow you; and We sent down upon you manna and quails: “Eat of the good things that We have provided you.” And they wronged Us not, but they wronged their souls.

And when We said: “Enter this city, and eat freely of it wheresoever you will. And enter the gate in submission, and say: ‘A mitigation!’ We will forgive you your offences, and will increase the doers of good.”

Then those who did wrong changed the saying to other than what was said to them, so We sent down a scourge from the sky upon those who did wrong because they were perfidious.

And when Moses sought water for his people; so We said: “Strike thou with thy staff the rock,” then there gushed therefrom twelve springs; each people knew its drinking-place: “Eat and drink of the provision of God, and commit not evil in the earth, working corruption.”

And when you said: “O Moses: we will not endure one food, so call thou to thy Lord for us that He bring forth for us of what the earth grows of its green herbs, and its cucumbers, and its garlic, and its lentils, and its onions.” He said: “Would you exchange for what is worse what is better? Get you down to Egypt, and you will have what you have asked.” And humiliation and wretchedness were pitched upon them; and they incurred wrath from God, for it is that they denied the proofs of God! And they killed the prophets without cause, for it is that they opposed and they exceeded all bounds!

(Those who heed warning, and those who hold to Judaism, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans — whoso believes in God and the Last Day and works righteousness — they have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.)

And when We took your agreement and raised the mount above you: “Hold fast what We have given you, and remember what is therein, that you might be in prudent fear.”

Then you turned away after that; and were it not for the bounty of God upon you and His mercy, you would have been among the losers.

And you had known those among you who transgressed the Sabbath; and We said to them: “Be despised apes!”

And We made it an exemplary lesson for their time, and that following it, and an admonition to those of prudent fear.

And when Moses said to his people: “God commands you that you sacrifice a heifer,” they said: “Dost thou take us in mockery?” He said: “I seek refuge in God lest I be of the ignorant.”

They said: “Call thou to thy Lord for us, that He make plain to us what she is.” He said: “He says: ‘She is a heifer neither old nor young, middling between that,’ so do what you are commanded.”

They said: “Call thou to thy Lord for us that He make plain to us what her hue is.” He said: “He says: ‘She is a yellow heifer; bright is her hue, making glad the beholders.’”

They said: “Call thou to thy Lord for us that He make plain to us what she is; heifers seem alike to us; and, if God wills, we will be guided.”

He said: “He says: ‘She is a heifer neither broken to plough the earth nor to water the tilth, perfect, no blemish on her.’” They said: “Now hast thou brought the truth.” Then they sacrificed her, but they had hardly done it.

And when you killed a soul: you disputed about it, but God was to bring forth what you concealed,

And We said: “Strike it in some of them.” Thus gives God life to the dead, and shows His proofs to you, that you might use reason.

Then your hearts became hardened after that; and they are like stones or harder. And among stones is that from which gush forth rivers, and among them are those that split and water issues forth, and among them are those that fall down from fear of God; and God is not unmindful of what you do.

Do you hope that they will believe you? And a faction among them had heard the word of God, then twisted it after they had understood it, when they knew.

And when they meet those who heed warning, they say: “We believe.” But when they are alone with one another, they say: “Do you recount to them what God has revealed to you, that they might argue against you before your Lord?” Will you then not use reason!

Or know they not that God knows what they keep secret and what they make known?

And among them are those unschooled: they know not the Writ save vain desires; and they are only assuming.

So woe to those who write the Writ with their hands, then say: “This is from God,” that they might sell it at a cheap price; so woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.

And they say: “The Fire will not touch us save days numbered.” Say thou: “Have you taken a covenant with God — for God will not fail in His covenant — or do you ascribe to God what you know not?”

Verily, whoso earns evil, and his offences have encompassed him: those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.

And those who heed warning and do righteous deeds: those are the companions of the Garden; therein they abide eternally.

And when We took an agreement of the children of Israel: “Serve not save God; and towards parents good conduct, and towards kin, and the fatherless, and the poor; and speak kindly to men; and uphold the duty, and render the purity,” then you turned away save a few among you; and you are averse.

And when We took your agreement: “Shed not your blood, and turn not your own out of your homes,” then you affirmed and bore witness;

Then are you those who kill your own, and turn a faction among you out of their homes, assisting one another against them in sin and enmity; and if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, but unlawful for you was their expulsion. Do you believe in part of the Writ and deny part? Then what is the reward of him among you who does that save disgrace in the life of this world? And on the Day of Resurrection they are sent back to the harshest punishment; and God is not unmindful of what you do.

Those are they who bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be helped.

And We gave Moses the Writ, and sent the messengers after him. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary the clear signs, and strengthened him with the Spirit of Holiness. Is it not that whenever there came to you a messenger with what your souls desired not you waxed proud, and a faction you denied and a faction you killed?

And they say: “Our hearts are covered.” Nay, God has cursed them for their denial, so little is it they believe.

And when there came to them a Writ from God, confirming what was with them — and they before sought victory over those who ignore warning — then when there came to them what they recognised, they denied it; but the curse of God is upon the false claimers of guidance.

Evil is that for which they sold themselves, denying what God sent down, through sectarian zealotry, that God should send down of His bounty upon whom He wills of His servants. So they incurred wrath upon wrath; and for the false claimers of guidance is a humiliating punishment.

And when it is said to them: “Believe in what God has sent down,” they say: “We believe in what was sent down to us,” and they deny what is beyond it, when it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say thou: “Why then killed you the prophets of God before, if you be believers?”

And Moses came to you with clear signs; then you took up the calf while he was away, and you were wrongdoers.

And when We took your agreement and raised the mount above you: “Hold fast what We give you, and listen,” they said: “We hear and we oppose”; and they were filled with drinking the calf in their hearts for their denial. Say thou: “Evil is what your faith enjoins upon you, if you be believers.”

Say thou: “If the abode of the Hereafter with God be for you to the exclusion of other men, then wish for death, if you be truthful.”

But never will they wish for it because of what their hands have sent ahead; and God knows the wrongdoers.

And thou wilt find them the greediest of men for life. And of those who ascribe a partnership: one of them wishes to be granted life of a thousand years, but it will not remove him from the punishment were he to be granted life; and God sees what they do.

(Say thou: “Whoso is an enemy to Gabriel:” — and he it is that brought it down upon thy heart, by the leave of God, confirming what was before it, and as guidance and glad tidings for the believers —

“Whoso is an enemy to God and His angels and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael: God is an enemy to the false claimers of guidance.”

And We have sent down to thee clear proofs, and none deny them save the perfidious.)

Whenever they made a covenant, did not a faction among them reject it? The truth is, most of them do not believe.

And when there came to them a messenger from God confirming what is with them, a faction among those given the Writ cast the Writ of God behind their backs as if they knew not

And they followed what the satans recited during the reign of Solomon; and Solomon denied not; but the satans denied, teaching men sorcery, and what was sent down upon the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt. And they taught no one until they had said: “We are but a means of denial, so deny thou not.” Then from them they learn that by which they cause division between a man and his wife; but they harm no one thereby save by the leave of God. And they learn what harms them, and profits them not, knowing well that whoso buys it has in the Hereafter no share; and evil is that for which they sold their souls, had they but known.

And had they believed and been in prudent fear, recompense from God would have been better, had they but known.

O you who heed warning: say not: “Attend thou to us,” but say: “Look thou upon us,” and listen; and for the false claimers of guidance is a painful punishment.

Neither those who ignore warning among the doctors of the Law nor the idolaters wish that there be sent down upon you any good from your Lord, but God chooses for His mercy whom He wills; and God is possessor of tremendous bounty.

What proof We abolish or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or the like thereof; knowest thou not that God is over all things powerful?

Knowest thou not that God, to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? And you have, besides God, neither ally nor helper.

If you desire to ask your messenger as Moses was asked before: — and whoso exchanges faith for denial has strayed from the right path —

Many among the doctors of the Law wish to turn you back as atheists after your faith out of envy from their souls after the truth has become clear to them. But pardon and forbear until God brings His command; God is over all things powerful.

And uphold the duty, and render the purity; and what good you send ahead for your souls, you will find it with God; God sees what you do.

And they say: “None will enter the Garden save such as hold to Judaism, or are Christians.” Those are their vain desires. Say thou: “Bring your evidence, if you be truthful.”

Verily, whoso submits his face to God and is a doer of good, he has his reward with his Lord; and no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve.

And the Rabbinic Jews say: “The Christians have nothing to stand upon,” and the Christians say: “The Rabbinic Jews have nothing to stand upon,” when they read the Writ; thus say those who know not likewise. And God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differed.

And who is more unjust than he who hinders the places of worship of God, that His name be not mentioned therein, and strives to undermine them? Those: it was not for them to enter them save in fear; they have disgrace in the World, and they have in the Hereafter a great punishment.

And to God belong the East and the West: wheresoever you turn, there is the face of God; God is encompassing and knowing.

And they say: “God has taken a son.” Glory be to Him! The truth is, to Him belongs what is in the heavens and the earth; all are humbly obedient to Him.

The Originator of the Heavens and the Earth: when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: “Be thou,” and it is.

And those who know not say: “Oh, that God would but speak to us, or a proof but come to us!” Thus said those before them likewise; their hearts are similar. We have made plain the proofs for people who are certain.

We sent thee with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and thou wilt not be questioned about the companions of Hell.

And never will the Rabbinic Jews be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, until thou follow their creed; say thou: “The guidance of God, that is guidance”; and if thou follow their vain desires after the knowledge which has come to thee, thou wilt have against God neither ally nor helper.

Those to whom We gave the Writ recite it with the recital due it; they believe in it. And whoso denies it, it is they who are the losers.

O children of Israel: remember My favour wherewith I favoured you, and that I preferred you over all mankind.

And be in prudent fear of a day no soul will avail a soul anything, nor will compensation be accepted from it, nor will intercession benefit it. And they will not be helped.

And when his Lord tried Abraham with words and he fulfilled them, He said: “I will make thee a leader for mankind.” Said he: “And of my progeny?” He said: “My covenant does not reach the wrongdoers.”

And when We made the house a meeting place for mankind, and a place of security — and make from the station of Abraham a place of duty — and We made a covenant with Abraham and Ishmael: “Purify My house for those who walk around, and those who remain, and the lowly and the submitting.”

And when Abraham said: “My Lord, make Thou this a secure land, and provide Thou its people with fruits, whoso among them believes in God and the Last Day,” He said: “And whoso denies, him will I let enjoy a little, then will I drive him to the punishment of the Fire; and evil is the journey’s end.”

And when Abraham and Ishmael raised the foundations of the house: “Our Lord: be Thou accepting of us; Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.

“Our Lord: make Thou us submitting to Thee, and of our progeny a community submitting to Thee; and show Thou us our rites, and turn Thou towards us; Thou art the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

“Our Lord: raise Thou up among them a messenger from among them who will recite to them Thy proofs, and teach them the Writ and wisdom, and increase them in purity; Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”

And who is averse to the creed of Abraham save he who befools himself? And We chose him in the World; and in the Hereafter he is among the righteous.

When his Lord said to him: “Submit thou,” he said: “I have submitted to the Lord of All Creation.”

The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, as did Jacob: “O my sons: God has chosen the doctrine for you; so die not save when you are submitting.”

If you were witnesses when death was present with Jacob: — when he said to his sons: “What will you serve after me?” — they said: “We will serve thy God, and God of thy fathers Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One God, and to Him are we submitting.”

That is a community which has passed away; it has what it earned, and you have what you earned; and you will not be questioned about what they did.

And they say: “Be such as hold to Judaism, or Christians — you will be guided.” Say thou: “Nay, the creed of Abraham, inclining to truth; and he was not of the idolaters.”

Say: “We believe in God, and what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the Grandsons, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord; We make no division between any of them, and to Him are we submitting.”

Then if they believe in the like of that in which you believe, they have been guided; but if they turn away, they are only in schism. And God will suffice thee against them; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

“The immersion of God––” And who is better than God to immerse? And Him are we serving.

Say thou: “Dispute you with us concerning God when He is our Lord and your Lord? And we have our works, and you have your works; and to Him are we sincere.”

If you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and the Grandsons were such as hold to Judaism or Christians, say thou: “Know you better, or does God?” And who is more unjust than he who conceals a witness he has from God? And God is not unmindful of what you do.

That is a community which has passed away. It has what it earned, and you have what you earned; and you will not be questioned about what they did.

The foolish among mankind will say: “What has turned them from their course which they were on?” Say thou: “To God belong the East and the West. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

And thus We made you an intermediary community that you might be witnesses to mankind, and that the Messenger might be a witness to you. And We made not the course which thou wast on save that We might know him who follows the Messenger from him who turns on his heels. And it is hard save for those whom God has guided. And God would not cause your faith to be lost; God is towards men kind and merciful.

We have seen the turning of thy face towards the sky, and We will turn thee towards a course that will satisfy thee. So direct thou thy face towards the inviolable place of worship. And wheresoever you be, direct your faces towards it; and those given the Writ know that it is the truth from their Lord, and God is not unmindful of what they do.

And if thou bring those given the Writ every proof they will not follow thy course; neither wilt thou follow their course; nor will they follow each other’s course. And if thou follow their vain desires after what has come to thee of knowledge, thou wilt then be of the wrongdoers.

Those to whom We gave the Writ recognise it as they recognise their sons, but a faction among them conceals the truth when they know.

The truth is from thy Lord, so be thou not of those who doubt.

And for each is a direction towards which he turns. So vie with one another in good deeds. Wherever you be, God will bring you all together; God is over all things powerful.

And from wheresoever thou goest out, direct thou thy face towards the inviolable place of worship; and it is the truth from thy Lord, and God is not unmindful of what you do.

And from wheresoever thou goest out, direct thou thy face towards the inviolable place of worship. And wheresoever you be, direct your faces towards it, that men might have no argument against you save those who do wrong among them — so fear them not, but fear Me — and that I might complete My favour upon you, and that you might be guided.

Like as I have sent to you a messenger from among you reciting to you Our proofs and increasing you in purity and teaching you the Writ and wisdom and teaching you what you knew not,

So remember Me, I will remember you; and be grateful to Me, and deny Me not.

O you who heed warning: seek help in patience and duty; God is with the patient.

And say not of those killed in the cause of God: “They are dead.” The truth is, they are living, but you perceive not.

And We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and fruits; but bear thou glad tidings to the patient: