3. Surah Ali 'Imran

alif lām mīm

God, there is no god save He, the Living, the Eternal.

He sent down upon thee the Writ with the truth, confirming what was before it; and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel

Before as guidance for mankind; and He sent down the Division. Those who deny the proofs of God, they have a severe punishment; and God is exalted in might and vengeful.

From God hides not anything in the earth or in the heaven.

He it is who forms you in the wombs as He wills. There is no god save He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

He it is that sent down upon thee the Writ; among it are explicit proofs: they are the foundation of the Writ; and others are ambiguous. Then as for those in whose hearts is deviation: they follow what is ambiguous thereof, seeking the means of denial, and seeking its interpretation. And no one knows its interpretation save God, and those firm in knowledge; they say: “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” But only those of insight take heed.

“Our Lord: make Thou not our hearts to deviate after Thou hast guided us; and bestow Thou upon us mercy from Thyself; Thou art the Bestower.

“Our Lord: Thou art gathering mankind to a day about which there is no doubt”; God will not break the appointment.

Those who ignore warning: their wealth and their children will avail them nothing against God; and it is they who are the fuel of the Fire,

Like the case of the house of Pharaoh and those before them: they denied Our proofs, so God seized them for their transgressions; and God is severe in retribution.

Say thou to those who ignore warning: “You will be defeated, and gathered into Gehenna; and evil is the resting-place.”

There had been a proof for you in the two hosts which met: one host fighting in the cause of God, and another denying; they saw them as twice their like by the sight of the eye. But God strengthens with His help whom He wills; in that is a lesson for those of vision.

Made fair for men is the love of lusts — for women, and sons, and amassed fortunes of gold and silver, and branded horses, and cattle, and tilth: that is the provision of the life of this world — but God, with Him is the best journey’s end.

Say thou: “Shall I inform you of better than that? For those who are in prudent fear, with their Lord are gardens beneath which rivers flow, they abiding eternally therein, and purified spouses, and approval from God”; and God sees the servants,

Those who say: “Our Lord: we believe, so forgive Thou us our transgressions, and protect Thou us from the punishment of the Fire,”

The patient, the truthful, the humbly obedient, those who spend, and the seekers of forgiveness at dawn.

God bears witness that there is no god save He, as do the angels and those of knowledge upholding equity: “There is no god save He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”

The doctrine with God is submission. And those given the Writ differed only after knowledge had come to them, through sectarian zealotry between them; and whoso denies the proofs of God — then is God swift in reckoning.

And if they argue with thee, then say thou: “I have submitted my face to God, as have those who follow me.” And say thou to those given the Writ and to the unschooled: “Have you submitted?” And if they have submitted, then are they guided; but if they turn away, then upon thee is only the notification; and God sees the servants.

Those who deny the proofs of God, and kill the prophets without cause, and kill those who enjoin equity among men: give thou them tidings of a painful punishment.

Those are they whose works are vain in the World and the Hereafter; and they have no helpers.

Hast thou not considered those given a portion of the Writ? They are invited to the Writ of God, that it might judge between them, then a faction of them turns away; and they are averse,

For it is that they say: “The Fire will not touch us save days numbered,” and what they invented has deluded them in their doctrine!

Then how will it be when We gather them to a day about which there is no doubt and every soul is paid in full what it earned? And they will not be wronged.

Say thou: “O God, Master of Dominion: Thou givest dominion to whom Thou wilt, and Thou removest dominion from whom Thou wilt; Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt, and Thou abasest whom Thou wilt. In Thy hand is good; Thou art over all things powerful.

“Thou makest the night enter into the day, and Thou makest the day enter into the night; and Thou bringest forth the living from the dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living. And Thou givest provision to whom Thou wilt without reckoning.”

Let not the believers take as allies the false claimers of guidance rather than believers; and whoso does that is not of God in anything — save that you be in prudent fear of them, as a precaution. And God warns you of Himself; and to God is the journey’s end.

Say thou: “Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, God knows it. And He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and God is over all things powerful.

“The day every soul will find what it did of good summoned, and what it did of evil, it will wish there were between it and that a great distance.” And God warns you of Himself; and God is kind to the servants.

Say thou: “If you love God, follow me; God will love you, and forgive you your transgressions”; and God is forgiving and merciful.

Say thou: “Obey God and the Messenger.” Then if they turn away: God loves not the false claimers of guidance.

God chose Adam and Noah and the house of Abraham and the house of ʿImrān above all mankind:

Descendants one of another; and God was hearing and knowing

When the wife of ʿImrān said: “My Lord: I have vowed to Thee what is in my womb in consecration, so accept Thou from me; Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.”

Then when she had given birth to her, she said: “My Lord: I have given birth to a female,” — and God knew best to what she was to give birth; and the male is not like the female — “And I have named her Mary; and I seek refuge in Thee for her and her descendants from the accursed satan.”

So her Lord accepted her with a comely acceptance, and caused her to grow with a comely growth, and placed her in the charge of Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah entered upon her in the chamber, he found with her provision. He said: “O Mary: whence comes this to thee?” She said: “It is from God; God gives provision to whom He wills without reckoning.”

Thereupon Zachariah called to his Lord, saying: “My Lord: give Thou me from Thyself goodly progeny; Thou art the hearer of supplication.”

And the angels called to him as he stood performing the duty in the chamber: “God gives thee glad tidings of John, confirming a word from God, both honourable and chaste, and a prophet among the righteous.”

Said he: “My Lord: how will I have a lad when old age has reached me and my wife is barren?” He said: “Thus is God; He does what He wills.”

Said he: “My Lord: make Thou for me a proof.” He said: “Thy proof is that thou shalt not speak to men three days save by gestures. And remember thou thy Lord much, and give thou glory in the evening and the morning.”

And when the angels said: “O Mary: God has chosen thee and purified thee, and chosen thee above the women of all mankind.

“O Mary: be thou humbly obedient to thy Lord, and submit thou, and be thou lowly with the lowly.”

That is from the reports of the Unseen which We reveal to thee. And thou wast not with them when they cast their lots for who should have charge of Mary. And thou wast not with them when they disputed.

When the angels said: “O Mary: God gives thee glad tidings of a word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; esteemed in the World and the Hereafter, and among those brought near.

“He will speak to men in the cradle, and in maturity, and is among the righteous.”

She said: “My Lord: how will I have a son when no mortal has touched me?” He said: “Thus is God; he creates what He wills; when He decrees a matter, He but says to it: ‘Be thou,’ and it is.

“And He will teach him the Writ and wisdom, and the Torah, and the Gospel.”

And as a messenger to the children of Israel: “I have come to you with a proof from your Lord, that I create for you from clay the likeness of a bird; then I blow into it and it becomes a bird by the leave of God. And I heal the blind, and the leper, and give life to the dead by the leave of God. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses — in that is a proof for you if you be believers —

“And confirming what is before me of the Torah, and making lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. I have come to you with a proof from your Lord, so be in prudent fear of God, and obey me.

“God is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is a straight path.”

But when Jesus perceived their denial, he said: “Who are my helpers for God?” The disciples said: “We are the helpers of God; we believe in God; and bear thou witness that we are submitting.”

“Our Lord: we believe in what Thou hast sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write Thou us down with the witnesses.”

And they schemed, and God schemed; and God is the best of schemers.

When God said: “O Jesus: I will take thee and raise thee to Me, and purify thee of those who ignore warning, and place those who follow thee above those who ignore warning until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that wherein you differed.

“And as for those who ignore warning: I will punish them with a severe punishment in the World and the Hereafter; and they will have no helpers.”

And as for those who heed warning and do righteous deeds: He will give them their rewards in full; but God loves not the wrongdoers.

That do We recite to thee of the proofs and the wise remembrance.

The likeness of Jesus in the sight of God is as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust; then He said to him: “Be thou,” and he was.

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

And whoso disputes with thee concerning him after the knowledge which has come to thee, say thou: “Come, let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves; then let us pray in earnest and invoke the curse of God upon the liars:

“‘This is the true story! And there is no god save God! And God, he is the Exalted in Might, the Wise!’”

And if they turn away, God knows the workers of corruption.

Say thou: “O doctors of the Law: come to an equitable word between us and you: that we serve not save God; and that we ascribe not partnership to Him; and that none of us takes others as lords instead of God.” And if they turn away, then say you: “Bear witness that we are submitting.”

O doctors of the Law: why dispute you about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were sent down only after him? Will you then not use reason!

Here you are: those who have disputed about that whereof you have knowledge; why then dispute you about that whereof you have no knowledge? And God knows, and you know not.

Abraham was neither one who holds to Judaism, nor a Christian, but was inclining to truth as one submitting; and he was not of the idolaters.

The people closest to Abraham are those who have followed him, as have this prophet and those who heed warning; and God is the ally of the believers.

A number of the doctors of the Law would love to lead you astray; and they lead astray only themselves, and they perceive not.

O doctors of the Law: why deny you the proofs of God, when you are bearing witness?

O doctors of the Law: why clothe you the truth in vanity and conceal the truth, when you know?

And a number of the doctors of the Law say: “Believe in what was sent down upon those who heed warning at the beginning of the day, and deny at the end thereof, that they might return.

“And believe not save him who follows your doctrine.” Say thou: “Guidance is the guidance of God, that one be given the like of what you have been given.” Or would they argue with you before your Lord? Say thou: “Bounty is in the hand of God, He gives it to whom He wills.” And God is encompassing and knowing,

He chooses for His mercy whom He wills; and God is possessor of tremendous bounty.

And among the doctors of the Law is he who, if thou entrust him with a fortune, will deliver it to thee. And among them is he who, if thou entrust him with a dinar, will not return it to thee unless thou stand over him. For it is that they say: “We owe nothing to the unschooled”; and they ascribe the lie to God, when they know!

Verily, whoso fulfils his covenant and is in prudent fear: God loves those of prudent fear.

Those who sell the covenant of God and their oaths at a cheap price: those have no portion in the Hereafter; and God will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He increase them in purity. And they have a painful punishment.

And among them a faction distorts the Writ with their tongues, that you might think it from the Writ, but it is not from the Writ. And they say: “It is from God,” but it is not from God. And they ascribe the lie to God, when they know.

It is not for a mortal that God should give him the Writ and judgment and prophethood, then he should say to men: “Be servants to me rather than God”; but: “Be men of God by what you have taught of the Writ, and by what you have studied.”

And nor would he command you to take the angels and the prophets as lords; would he command you to denial after you have been submitting?

And when God took agreement of the prophets: “What I give you of Writ and wisdom, then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you: you shall believe in him and help him.” He said: “Do you affirm and take upon that My covenant?” Said they: “We do affirm.” He said: “Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses.”

Then whoso turns away after this, it is they who are the perfidious.

Is it then other than the doctrine of God they seek, when to Him has submitted whoso is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned?

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

And whoso seeks a doctrine other than submission, it will not be accepted from him; and he in the Hereafter will be among the losers.

How will God guide a people who denied after their faith, and had borne witness that the Messenger is true, and clear signs had come to them? And God guides not the wrongdoing people.

Those: their reward is that upon them is the curse of God and of angels and of men all together,

They abiding eternally therein; the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be granted respite

Save those who repent after that, and make right; and God is forgiving and merciful.

Those who ignore warning after their faith, then grow in denial, their repentance will not be accepted; and it is they who are those who go astray.

Those who ignore warning and die as atheists: there would not be accepted from one of them the earth full of gold were he to seek to ransom himself thereby; those have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.

You attain not to virtue until you spend of what you love; and what you spend of anything, God knows it.

All food was lawful to the children of Israel save what Israel made unlawful upon himself before the Torah was sent down. Say thou: “Bring the Torah and recite it, if you be truthful.”

And whoso invents a lie about God after that, it is they who are the wrongdoers.

Say thou: “God spoke truly; so follow the creed of Abraham, inclining to truth; and he was not of the idolaters.”

(The first house set up for mankind was that at Bakka, blessed and a guidance for all mankind:

In it are clear proofs of the station of Abraham; and whoso enters it is safe. And God’s claim upon mankind is a pilgrimage to the house, for whoso is able to find a path to it; and whoso denies: God is free from need of all mankind.)

Say thou: “O doctors of the Law: why deny you the proofs of God when God is witness to what you do?”

Say thou: “O doctors of the Law: why turn you away from the path of God him who believes, seeking its deviation when you are witnesses? And God is not unmindful of what you do.”

O you who heed warning: if you obey a faction among those given the Writ, they will drive you back, after your faith, as false claimers of guidance.

And how can you deny, when to you are the proofs of God recited, and in your midst is His messenger? And whoso holds fast to God, he has been guided to a straight path.

O you who heed warning: be in prudent fear of God with the prudent fear due Him, and die not save that you be submitting.

And hold fast to the rope of God all together, and be not divided. And remember the favour of God upon you: when you were enemies, He united your hearts so that by His favour you became brethren; and you were upon the edge of a pit of fire, and He rescued you from it. Thus does God make plain to you His proofs, that you might be guided.

And let there be from you a community inviting to good, and enjoining what is fitting, and forbidding perversity; and it is they who are the successful.

And be not like those who became divided, and disputed after the clear signs had came to them; and it is they who have a great punishment.

The day faces will be white, and faces will be black: as for those whose faces will be black: ­— “Did you deny after your faith? Then taste the punishment for what you denied!”

And as for those whose faces will be white: ­— in the mercy of God; therein they abide eternally.

Those are the proofs of God; We recite them to thee in truth; and God desires not injustice for all mankind.

And to God belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and to God are matters returned.

You are the best community brought forth for mankind: you enjoin what is fitting, and you forbid perversity, and you believe in God. And had the doctors of the Law believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are perfidious.

They will not cause you harm save hindrance; and if they fight you, they will turn to you their backs; then will they not be helped.

Pitched upon them will be ignominy wherever they are found save for a rope from God and a rope from men. And they will incur wrath from God, and wretchedness will be pitched upon them, for it is that they denied the proofs of God! And they killed the prophets without cause, for it is that they opposed and exceeded all bounds!

They are not the same; among the doctors of the Law is an upright community: they recite the proofs of God in watches of the night, and they submit;

They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin what is fitting, and forbid perversity, and compete in good deeds; and those are among the righteous.

And what they do of good, they will not be denied it; and God knows those of prudent fear.

Those who ignore warning: neither their wealth nor their children will avail them anything against God. And those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.

The likeness of what they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of a wind wherein was biting cold: it befell the tilth of a people who wronged their souls and destroyed it; and God wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

O you who heed warning: take not as intimates other than your own; they will not spare you ruin. They would that you should suffer. Hatred has already become clear from their mouths, and what their breasts hide is greater. We have made plain the proofs to you, if you will use reason.

Here you are, those who love them; and they love you not, when you believe in the Writ — all of it. And when they meet you, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you from rage. Say thou: “Die in your rage, God knows what is in the breasts.”

If good touches you, it vexes them; and if evil befalls you, they exult thereat. But if you are patient and in prudent fear, their plan will not harm you at all; God encompasses what they do.

And when thou didst leave thy household early to assign the believers their stations for the battle; and God was hearing and knowing

When two groups among you were about to lose heart, but God was their ally; and in God let the believers place their trust.

(And God had already helped you at Badr, when you were despised. Then be in prudent fear of God, that you might be grateful.)

When thou saidst to the believers: “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should supply you with three thousand angels sent down?

“Verily, if you are patient and in prudent fear, and they rush upon you of a sudden, your Lord will supply you with five thousand angels having marks,”

(And God made it not save as glad tidings for you, and that your hearts might be reassured thereby; and there is no help save from God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.)

“That He might cut off a part of those who ignore warning, or suppress them so they turn back disappointed.”

No part of the matter is thine, whether He turns towards them or punishes them, for they are wrongdoers,

And to God belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills; and God is forgiving and merciful.

O you who heed warning: consume not usury, doubled and redoubled; and be in prudent fear of God, that you might be successful.

And be in prudent fear of the Fire prepared for the false claimers of guidance.

And obey God and the Messenger, that you might obtain mercy.

And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden as wide as the heavens and the earth prepared for those of prudent fear:

Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity, and who control their wrath, and forgive men; and God loves the doers of good;

And those who, when they commit sexual immorality or wrong their souls, remember God, and ask forgiveness for their transgressions — and who forgives transgressions save God? — and persist not in what they did when they know.

Those: their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow, they abiding eternally therein; and excellent is the reward of those who act.

Practices have passed away before you; so travel in the earth and see how was the final outcome of the deniers.

This is a clear statement for mankind; and guidance; and an admonition for those of prudent fear.

And faint not, nor grieve, and you will be the superior ones, if you be believers.

If injury touches you: there has touched people an injury the like thereof. And those are the days We alternate among men, both that God might know those who heed warning, and take witnesses among you — and God loves not the wrongdoers —

And that God might refine those who heed warning, and eliminate the false claimers of guidance.

Or did you think that you will enter the Garden before God knows those who strive among you or knows the patient?

And you had wished for death before you met it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes.

And Muḥammad is only a messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels does no harm to God at all; and God will reward the grateful.

And it is not for a soul to die, save by the leave of God, at a writ determined. And whoso desires the reward of the World, We give him thereof; and whoso desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him thereof; and We reward the grateful.

And alongside how many a prophet have fought many stoutly devout men! And they fainted not at what befell them in the cause of God; neither did they weaken, nor did they yield. And God loves the patient.

And their word was only that they said: “Our Lord: forgive Thou us our transgressions, and our excess in our affair, and make Thou firm our feet; and help Thou us against the people of the false claimers of guidance.”

So God gave them the reward of the World and the good reward of the Hereafter; and God loves the doers of good.

O you who heed warning: if you obey those who ignore warning, they will drive you back on your heels; and you will turn back as losers.

The truth is, God is your protector; and He is the best of helpers.

We will cast into the hearts of those who ignore warning terror because they have ascribed a partnership with God to that for which He sent not down authority; and their shelter is the Fire; and evil is the dwelling of the wrongdoers.

And God was indeed true in His promise to you. When you were aware of them by His leave, when you had lost heart and disputed concerning the affair, and rebelled after He had shown you what you love. Among you is he who desires the World; and among you is he who desires the Hereafter. Then He turned you away from them that He might try you; and He has pardoned you; and God is bountiful to the believers.

When you were ascending, and paying no heed to anyone, and the Messenger calling you from your rear, so He requited you with grief upon grief, that you might not grieve for what eluded you or what befell you; and God is aware of what you do.

Then He sent down upon you, after distress, security, slumber overcoming a number of you; and a number had grieved themselves thinking about God other than the truth — the thought of ignorance — saying: “Have we any part in the affair?” Say thou: “The affair belongs entirely to God.” They hide within themselves what they reveal not to thee, saying: “Had we any part in the affair, we would not have been slain here.” Say thou: “Had you been in your houses, those for whom killing was decreed would have gone forth to their resting places”; and: “That God might try what is in your breasts”; and: “That He might refine what is in your hearts.” And God knows what is in the breasts.

Those who turned back among you the day the two hosts met: the satan caused them to slip only for some of what they earned. But God has pardoned them; God is forgiving and clement.

O you who heed warning: be not like those who ignore warning, and say of their brothers when they travel in the earth or are on an expedition: “Had they been with us, they would not have died or been killed,” that God might make that a sorrow in their hearts; for God gives life, and gives death; and God sees what you do.

And if you are killed or die in the cause of God, pardon from God and mercy are better than what they amass.

And if you die or are killed, to God will you be gathered.

And because of the mercy of God, thou wast lenient with them; and hadst thou been coarse and stern, they would have disbanded from about thee. So pardon thou them, and ask thou forgiveness for them, and take thou counsel with them in the affair. And when thou hast made a decision, place thou thy trust in God; God loves those who would place their trust aright.