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Sura Iv. Nisaa, Or The Women

*
"The Holy Quran", tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934],

p. 177 p. 178

Sra Iv.

Nisa, Or The Women.

In the name of God, Most Gracious

Most Merciful.

1. O
mankind! reverence

Your Guardian-Lord,

Who created you

From a single Person,

Created, of like nature,

His mate, and from them twain

Scattered (like seeds)

Countless men and women;--

Reverence God, through Whom

Ye demand your mutual (rights),

And (reverence) the wombs

(That bore you): for God

Ever watches over you.

2.
To orphans restore their property

(When they reach their age),

Nor substitute (your) worthless things

For (their) good ones; and devour not

Their substance (by mixing it up)

p. 179

With your own. For this is

I ndeed a great sin.

3.
If ye fear that ye shall not

Be able to deal justly

With the orphans,

Marry women of your choice,

Two, or three, or four;

But if ye fear that ye shall not

Be able to deal justly (with them),

Then only one, or (a captive)

That your right hands possess.

That will be more suitable,

To prevent you

From doing injustice.

4.
And give the women

(On marriage) their dower

As a free gift; but if they,

Of their own good pleasure,

Remit any part of it to you,

Take it and enjoy it

With right good cheer.

5.
To those weak of understanding

Make not over your property,

Which God hath made

A means of support for you,

But feed and clothe them

Therewith, and speak to them

Words of kindness and justice.

p. 180

6.
Make trial of orphans

Until they reach the age

Of marriage; if then ye find

Sound judgment in them,

Release their property to them;

But consume it not wastefully,

Nor in haste against their growing up.

If the guardian is well-off,

Let him claim no remuneration,

But if he is poor, let him

Have for himself what is

Just and reasonable.

When ye release their property

To them, take witnesses

In their presence:


But all-sufficient

Is God in taking account.

7.
From what is left by parents

And those nearest relateds,

There is a share for men

And a share for women,

Whether the property be small

Or large,--a determinate share.

8.
But if at the time of division

Other relatives, or orphans,

Or poor, are present,

Feed them out of the (property),

And speak to them

Words of kindness and justice.

9.
Let those (disposing of an estate)

Have the same fear in their minds

As they would have for their own

If they had left a helpless family behind:

Let them fear God, and speak

Words of appropriate (comfort),

p. 181

10.
Those who unjustly

Eat up the property

Of orphans, eat up

A Fire into their own

Bodies: they will soon

Be enduring a blazing Fire!

Section 2.

11.
God (thus) directs you

As regards your children's

(Inheritance): to the male,

A portion equal to that

Of two females: if only

Daughters, two or more,

Their share is two-thirds

Of the inheritance;

If only one, her share

Is a half.

For parents, a sixth share

Of the inheritance to each,

If the deceased left children;

If no children, and the parents

Are the (only) heirs, the mother

Has a third; if the deceased

Left brothers (or sisters)

The mother has a sixth.

(The distribution in all cases

Is
) after the payment

Of legacies and debts.

Ye know not whether

Your parents or your children

Are nearest to you

In benefit. These are

Settled portions ordained

p. 182

By God; and God is

All-knowing, All-wise.

12.
In what your wives leave,

Your share is a half,

1f they leave no child;

But if they leave a child,

Ye get a fourth; after payment

Of legacies and debts.

In what ye leave,

Their share is a fourth,

If ye leave no child;

But if ye leave a child,

They get an eighth; after payment

Of legacies and debts.

If the man or woman

Whose inheritance is in question,

Has left neither ascendants nor descendants,

But has left a brother

Or a sister, each one of the two

Gets a sixth; but if more

Than two, they share in a third;

After payment of legacies

And debts; so that no loss

Is caused (to any one).

Thus is it ordained by God;

And God is All-knowing,

Most Forbearing.

p. 183

13.
Those are limits

Set by God: those who

Obey God and His Apostle

Will be admitted to Gardens

With rivers flowing beneath,

To abide therein (for ever)

And that will be

The Supreme achievement.

14.
But those who disobey

God and His Apostle

And transgress His limits

Will be admitted

To a Fire, to abide therein:


And they shall have

A humiliating punishment.

Section 3.

15.
If any of your women

Are guilty of lewdness,

Take the evidence of four

(Reliable) witnesses from amongst you

Against them; and if they testify,

Confine them to houses until

Death do claim them,

p. 184

Or God ordain for them

Some (other) way.

16.
If two men among you

Are guilty of lewdness,

Punish them both.

If they repent and amend,

Leave them alone; for God

Is Oft-returning, Most Merciful.

17.
God accepts the repentance

Of those who do evil

In ignorance and repent

Soon afterwards; to them

Will God turn in mercy:


For God is full of knowledge

And wisdom.

18.
Of no effect is the repentance

Of those who continue

To do evil, until Death

Faces one of them, and he says,

"Now have I repented indeed;"

Nor of those who die

Rejecting Faith: for them

Have we prepared

A punishment most grievous.

19. O
ye who believe!

Ye are forbidden to inherit

Women against their will.

Nor should ye treat them

p. 185

With harshness, that ye may

Take away part of the dower

Ye have given them,--except

Where they have been guilty

Of open lewdness;

On the contrary live with them

On a footing of kindness and equity.

If ye take a dislike to them

It may be that ye dislike

A thing, and God brings about

Through it a great deal of good.

20.
But if ye decide to take

One wife in place of another,

Even if ye had given the latter

A whole treasure for dower,

Take not the least bit of it back:

Would ye take it by slander

And a manifest wrong?

21.
And how could ye take it

When ye have gone in

Unto each other, and they have

Taken from you a solemn covenant?

22.
And marry not women

Whom your fathers married,--

Except what is past:


It was shameful and odious,--

An abominable custom indeed.

p. 186

Section 4.

23.
Prohibited to you

(For marriage) are:--

Your mothers, daughters,

Sisters; father's sisters,

Mother's sisters; brother's daughters,

Sister's daugters; foster-mothers

(Who gave you suck), foster-sisters;

Your wives' mothers;

Your step-daughters under your

Guardianship, born of your wives

To whom ye have gone in,

No prohibition if ye have not gone in;--

(Those who have been)

Wives of your sons proceeding

From your loins;

And two sisters in wedlock

At one and the same time,

Except for what is past;

For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful;--

p. 187

24.
Also (prohibited are)

Women already married,

Except those

Whom your right hands possess:


Thus hath God ordained

(Prohibitions) against you:

Except for these, all others

Are lawful, provided

Ye seek (them in marriage)

With gifts from your property,--

Desiring chastity, not lust.

Seeing that ye derive

Benefit from them, give them

Their dowers (at least)

As prescribed; but if,

After a dower is prescribed, ye agree

Mutually (to vary it),

There is no blame on you,

And God is All-knowing

All-wise.

25.
If any of you have not

The means wherewith

To wed free believing women,

They may wed believing

Girls from among those

Whom your right hands possess:


God hath full knowledge

About your Faith.

Ye are one from another:


Wed them with the leave

Of their owners, and give them

Their dowers, according to what

p. 188

Is reasonable: they should be

Chaste, not lustful, nor taking

Paramours: when they

Are taken in wedlock,

If they fall into shame,

Their punishment is half

That for free women.

This (permission) is for those

Among you who fear sin;

But it is better for you

That ye practise self-restraint.

And God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

Section 5.

26.
God doth wish

To make clear to you

And to show you

The ordinances of those

Before you; and (He

Doth wish to
) turn to you

(In Mercy): and God

Is All-knowing, All-wise.

27.
God doth wish

To turn to you,

But the wish of those

Who follow their lusts

Is that ye should turn

Away (from Him),

Far, far away.

28.
God doth wish

To lighten your (difficulties);

For man was created

Weak (in flesh).

29. O
ye who believe! sot

Eat not up your property

p. 189

Among yourselves in vanities:

But let there be amongst you

Traffic and trade

By mutual good-will:


Nor kill (or destroy)

Yourselves: for verily

God hath been to you

Most Merciful!

30.
If any do that

In rancour and injustice,--

Soon shall We cast them

Into the Fire: and easy

It is for God.

31.
If ye (but) eschew

The most heinous

Of the things

Which ye are forbidden to do,

We shall expel

Out of you

All the evil in you,

And admit you to a Gate

Of great honour.

32.
And in no wise covet

Those things in which God

Hath bestowed His gifts

More freely on some of you

Than on others: to men

Is allotted what they earn,

And to women what they earn:

But ask God of His bounty.

For God hath full knowledge

Of all things.

33.
To (benefit) every one,

We have appointed

Sharers and heirs

To property left

p. 190

By parents and relatives.

To those, also, to whom

Your right hand was pledged,

Give their due portion.

For truly God is witness

To all things.

Section 6.

34.
Men are the protectors

And maintainers of women,

Because God has given

The one more (strength)

Than the other, and because

They support them

From their means.

Therefore the righteous women

Are devoutly obedient, and guard

In (the husband's) absence

What God would have them guard.

As to those women

On whose part ye fear

Disloyalty and ill-conduct,

Admonish them (first),

(Next), refuse to share their beds,

(And last) beat them (lightly);

But if they return to obedience,

Seek not against them

Means (of annoyance):

p. 191

For God is Most High,

Great (above you all).

35.
If ye fear a breach

Between them twain,

Appoint (two) arbiters,

One from his family,

And the other from hers;

If they wish for peace,

God will cause

Their reconciliation:


For God hath full knowledge,

And is acquainted

With all things.

36.
serve God, and join not

Any partners with Him;

And do good

To parents, kinsfolk,

Orphans, those in need,

Neighbours who are near,

Neighbours who are strangers,

The Companion by your side,

The way-farer (ye meet),

And what your right hands possess:

For God loveth not

The arrogant, the vainglorious;--

p. 192

37.
(Nor) those who are niggardly

Or enjoin niggardliness on others,

Or hide the bounties

Which God hath bestowed

On them; for We have prepared,

For those who resist Faith,

A Punishment that steeps

Them in contempt;--

38.
Not those who spend

Of their substance, to be seen

Of men, but have no faith

In God and the Last Day:


If any take the Evil One

For their intimate,

What a dreadful intimate he is!

39.
And what burden

Were it on them if they

Had faith in God

And in the Last Day,

And they spent

Out of what God hath

Given them for sustenance?

For God hath full

Knowledge of them.

40. God is never unjust

In the least degree:


If there is any good (done),

He doubleth it,

And giveth from His own

Presence a great reward.

41.
How then if We brought

From each People a witness,

p. 193

And We brought thee

As a witness against

These People!

42.
On that day

Those who reject Faith

And disobey the Apostle

Will wish that the earth

Were made one with them:


But never will they hide

A single fact from God!

Section 7.

43. O
ye who believe!

Approach not prayers

With a mind befogged,

Until ye can understand

All that ye say,

Nor in a state

Of ceremonial impurity

(Except when travelling on the road),

Until after washing

Your whole body.

If ye are ill,

Or on a journey,

Or one of you cometh

From offices of nature,

p. 194

Or ye have been

In contact with women,

And ye find no water,

Then take for yourselves

Clean sand or earth,

And rub therewith

Your faces and hands.

For God doth blot out sins

And forgive again and again.

44.
Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who were given a portion

Of the Book? They traffic

In error, and wish that ye

Should lose the right path.

45. But God hath full knowledge

Of your enemies:


God is enough for a Protector,

And God is enough for a Helper.

46.
Of the Jews there are those

Who displace words

From their (right) places,

And say: "We hear

And we disobey
";

And "Hear what is not

Heard
"; and "R'in";--

With a twist of their tongues

And a slander to Faith.

If only they had said:


"We hear and we obey;

And "Do hear";

p. 195

And "Do look at us":

It would have been better

For them, and more proper;

But God hath cursed them

For their Unbelief; and but few

Of them will believe.

47. O
ye People of the Book!

Believe in what We

Have (now) revealed, confirming

What was (already) with you,

Before We change the face and fame

Of some (of you) beyond all recognition,

And turn them hindwards,

Or curse them as We cursed

The Sabbath-breakers,

For the decision of God

Must be carried out.

48.
God forgiveth not

That partners should be set up

With Him; but He forgiveth

Anything else, to whom

He pleaseth; to set up

Partners with God

Is to devise a sin

Most heinous indeed.

49.
Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who claim sanctity

For themselves?

p. 196

Nay--but God

Doth sanctify

Whom He pleaseth.

But never will they

Fail to receive justice

In the least little thing.

50.
Behold! how they invent

A lie against God!

But that by itself

Is a manifest sin!

Section 8.

51.
Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who were given a portion

Of the Book? They believe

In Sorcery and Evil,

And say to the Unbelievers

That they are better guided

In the (right) way

Than the Believers!

52. They are (men) whom

God hath cursed:


And those whom God

Hath cursed, thou wilt find,

Have no one to help.

53.
Have they a share

In dominion or power?

Behold, they give not a farthing

To their fellow-men?

p. 197

54.
Or do they envy mankind

For what God hath given them

Of his bounty? But We

Had already given the people

Of Abraham the Book

And Wisdom, and conferred

Upon them a great kingdom.

55.
Some of them believed,

And some of them averted

Their faces from him: and enough

Is Hell for a burning fire.

56.
Those who reject

Our Signs, We shall soon

Cast into the Fire:


As often as their skins

Are roasted through,

We shall change them

For fresh skins,

That they may taste

The Penalty: for God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise.

57.
But those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,

We shall soon admit to Gardens,

With rivers flowing beneath,--

Their eternal home:


Therein shall they have

Companions pure and holy: ye

We shall admit them

To shades, cool and ever deepening.

58.
God doth command you

To render back your Trusts

To those to whom they are due;

And when ye judge

p. 198

Between man and man,

That ye judge with justice:

Verily how excellent

Is the teaching which He giveth you!

For God is He Who heareth

And seeth all things.

59. O
ye who believe!

Obey God, and obey the Apostle,

And those charged

With authority among you.

If ye differ in anything

Among yourselves, refer it

To God and His Apostle,

If ye do believe in God

And the Last Day:


That is best, and most suitable

For final determination.

Section 9.

60.
Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

Who declare that they believe

In the revelations

That have come to thee

And to those before thee?

Their (real) wish is

To resort together for judgment

(In their disputes)

To the Evil One,

Though they were ordered

To reject him.

But Satan's wish

Is to lead them astray

Far away (from the Right).

61. When it is said to them:


"Come to what God hath revealed,

p. 199

And to the Apostle
":

Thou seest the Hypocrites avert

Their faces from thee in disgust.

62.
How then, when they are

Seized by misfortune,

Because of the deeds

Which their hands have sent forth?

Then they come to thee,

Swearing by God:


"We meant no more

Than good-will and conciliation!"

63.
Those men,--God knows

What is in their hearts;

So keep clear of them,ss:


But admonish them,

And speak to them a word

To reach their very souls.

64.
We sent not an Apostle,

But to be obeyed, in accordance

With the Will of God.

If they had only,

When they were unjust

To themselves,

Come unto thee

And asked God's forgiveness,

And the Apostle had asked

Forgiveness for them,

They would have found

God indeed Oft-returning,

Most Merciful.

65.
But no, by thy Lord,

They can have

No (real) Faith,

Until they make thee judge

In all disputes between them,

And find in their souls

No resistance against

Thy decisions, but accept

Them with the fullest conviction.

p. 200

66.
If We had ordered them

To sacrifice their lives

Or to leave their homes,

Very few of them

Would have done it:


But if they had done

What they were (actually) told,

It would have been best

For them, and would have gone

Farthest to strengthen their (faith);

67.
And We should then have

Given them from Our Presence

A great reward;

68.
And We should have

Shown them the Straight Way.

69.
All who obey God

And the Apostle

Are in the company

Of those on whom

Is the Grace of God,--

Of the Prophets (who teach),

The Sincere (lovers of Truth),

The Witnesses (who testify),

And the Righteous (who do good):

Ah! what a beautiful Fellowship!

p. 201

70.
Such is the Bounty

From God: and sufficient

Is it that God knoweth all.

Section 10.

71. O
ye who believe!

Take your precautions,

And either go forth in parties

Or go forth all together.

72.
There are certainly among you

Men who would tarry behind:

If a misfortune befalls you,

They say: "God did favour us

In that we were not

Present among them."

73.
But if good fortune comes to you

From God, they would be sure

To say--as if there had never been

Ties of affection between you and them--

"Oh! I wish I had been with them;

A fine thing should I then

Have made of it!
"

p. 202

74.
Let those fight

In the cause of God

Who sell the life of this world

For the Hereafter.

To him who fighteth

In the cause of God,--

Whether he is slain

Or gets victory

Soon shall We give him

A reward of great (value).

75.
And why should ye not

Fight in the cause of God

And of those who, being weak,

Are ill-treated (and oppressed)?--

Men, women, and children,

Whose cry is: "Our Lord!

Rescue us from this town,

Whose people are oppressors;

And raise for us from Thee

One who will protect;

And raise for us from Thee

One who will help!"

76.
Those who believe

Fight in the cause of God,

And those who reject Faith

Fight in the cause of Evil:

So fight ye against the

Friends of Satan: feeble indeed

Is the cunning of Satan.

Section 11.

77.
Hast thou not turned

Thy vision to those

p. 203

Who were told to hold back

Their hands (from fight)

But establish regular prayers

And spend in regular Charity?

When (at length) the order

For fighting was issued to them,

Behold! a section of them

Feared men as

Or even more than

They should have feared God:


They said: "Our Lord!

Why hast Thou ordered us

To fight? Wouldst Thou not

Grant us respite

To our (natural) term,

Near (enough)?
" Say: "Short

Is the enjoyment of this world:

The Hereafter is the best

For those who do right:

Never will ye be

Dealt with unjustly

In the very least!

78.
\"Wherever ye are,

Death will find you out,

Even if ye are in towers

Built up strong and high!"

If some good befalls them,

They say, "This is from God";

But if evil, they say,

"This is from thee" (O Prophet).

p. 204

Say: "All things are from God."

But what hath come

To these people,

That they fail

To understand

A single fact?

79.
Whatever good, (O man!)

Happens to thee, is from God;

But whatever evil happens

To thee, is from thy (own) soul.

And We have sent thee

As an Apostle

To (instruct) mankind.

And enough is God

For a witness.

80 He who obeys

The Apostle, obeys God:


But if any turn away,

We have not sent thee

To watch over

Their (evil deeds).

81.
They have "Obedience"

On their lips; but

When they leave thee,

A section of them

Meditate all night

On things very different

From what thou tellest them.

But God records

Their nightly (plots):


So keep clear of them,

And put thy trust in God,

And enough is God

p. 205

As a disposer of affairs.

82.
Do they not consider

The Qur-n (with care)?

Had it been from other

Than God, they would surely

Have found therein

Much discrepancy.

83.
When there comes to them

Some matter touching

(Public) safety or fear,

They divulge it.

If they had only referred it

To the Apostle, or to those

Charged with authority

Among them, the proper

Investigators would have

Tested it from them (direct).

Were it not for the Grace

And Mercy of God unto you,

All but a few of you

Would have fallen

Into the clutches of Satan.

84.
Then fight in God's cause--

Thou art held responsible

Only for thyself--

And rouse the Believers.

It may be that God

Will restrain the fury

p. 206

Of the Unbelievers;

For God is the strongest

In might and in punishment.

85.
Whoever recommends

And helps a good cause

Becomes a partner therein:


And whoever recommends

And helps an evil cause,

Shares in its burden:


And God hath power

Over all things.

86.
When a (courteous) greeting

Is offered you, meet it

With a greeting still more

Courteous, or (at least)

Of equal courtesy.

God takes careful account

Of all things.

87.
God! There is no god

But He: of a surety

He will gather you together

Against the Day of Judgment,

About which there is no doubt.

And whose word can be

Truer than God's?

Section 12.

88.
Why should ye be

Divided into two parties

p. 207

About the Hypocrites?

God hath upset them

For their (evil) deeds.

Would ye guide those

Whom God hath thrown

Out of the Way? For those

Whom God hath thrown

Out of the Way, never

Shalt thou find the Way.

89.
They but wish that ye

Should reject Faith,

As they do, and thus be

On the same footing (as they):

But take not friends

From their ranks

Until they flee

In the way of God

(From what is forbidden).

But if they turn renegades,

Seize them and slay them

Wherever ye find them;

And (in any case) take

No friends or helpers

From their ranks:--

90.
Except those who join

A group between whom

And you there is a treaty

p. 208

(Of peace), or those who approach

You with hearts restraining

Them from fighting you

As well as fighting their own

People. If God had pleased,

He could have given them

Power over you, and they

Would have fought you:


Therefore if they withdraw

From you but fight you not,

And (instead) send you

(Guarantees of) peace, then God

Hath opened no way

For you (to war against them).

91.
Others you will find

That wish to gain

Your confidence as well

As that of their people:


Every time they are sent back

To temptation, they succumb

Thereto: if they withdraw not

From you nor give you (guarantees)

Of peace besides

Restraining their hands,

Seize them and slay them

Wherever ye get them:


In their case

We have provided you

With a clear argument

Against them.

p. 209

Section 13.

92.
Never should a Believer

Kill a Believer; but

(If it so happens) by mistake,

(Compensation is due):

If one (so) kills a Believer,

It is ordained that he

Should free a believing slave,

And pay compensation

To the deceased's family,

Unless they remit it freely.

If the deceased belonged

To a people at war with you,

And he was a Believer,

The freeing of a believing slave

(Is enough). If he belonged

To a people with whom

Ye have a treaty of mutual

Alliance, compensation should

Be paid to his family,

And a believing slave be freed.

For those who find this

Beyond their means, (is prescribed)

A fast for two months

Running: by way of repentance

To God: for God hath

All knowledge and all wisdom.

p. 210

93.
1f a man kills a Believer

Intentionally, his recompense

Is Hell, to abide therein

(For ever): and the wrath

And the curse of God

Are upon him, and

A dreadful penalty

Is prepared for him.

94. O
ye who believe!

When ye go abroad

In the cause of God,

Investigate carefully,

And say not to any one

Who offers you a salutation:


"Thou art none of a Believer!"

Coveting the perishable goods

Of this life: with God

Are profits and spoils abundant.

Even thus were ye yourselves

Before, till God conferred

On you His favours: therefore

Carefully investigate.

For God is well aware

Of all that ye do.

95.
Not equal are those

Believers who sit (at home)

And receive no hurt,

And those who strive

And fight in the cause

Of God with their goods

And their persons.

God hath granted

A grade higher to those

Who strive and fight

p. 211

With their goods and persons

Than to those who sit (at home).

Unto all (in Faith)

Hath God promised good:


But those who strive and fight

Hath He distinguished

Above those who sit (at home)

By a special reward,--

96.
Ranks specially bestowed

By Him. And Forgiveness

And Mercy. For God is

Oft forgiving, Most Merciful.

Section 14.

97.
When angels take

The souls of those

Who die in sin

Against their souls,

They say: "In what (plight)

Were ye?
" They reply:


"Weak and oppressed

Were we in the earth."

They say: "Was not

The earth of God

Spacious enough for you

To move yourselves away

(From evil)?
" Such men

Will find their abode

In Hell,--What an evil

Refuge!--

p. 212

98.
Except those who are

(Really) weak and oppressed--

Men, women, and children--

Who have no means

In their power, nor (a guide-post)

To direct their way.

99.
For these, there is hope

That God will forgive:

For God doth blot out (sins)

And forgive again and again.

100.
He who forsakes his home

In the cause of God,

Finds in the earth

Many a refuge,

Wide and spacious:


Should he die

As a refugee from home

For God and His Apostle,

His reward becomes due

And sure with God:


And God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

Section 15.

101.
When ye travel

Through the earth,

There is no blame on you

If ye shorten your prayers,

For fear the Unbelievers

May attack you:


For the Unbelievers are

Unto you open enemies.

p. 213

102.
When thou (O Apostle)

Art with them, and standest

To lead them in prayer,

Let one party of them

Stand up (in prayer) with thee,

Taking their arms with them:

When they finish

Their prostrations, let them

Take their position in the rear.

And let the other party come up

Which hath not yet prayed--

And let them pray with thee,

Taking all precautions,

And bearing arms:


The Unbelievers wish,

If ye were negligent

Of your arms and your baggage,

To assault you in a single rush.

But there is no blame on you

If ye put away your arms

Because of the inconvenience

Of rain or because ye are ill;

But take (every) precaution

For yourselves. For the

Unbelievers

God hath prepared

A humiliating punishment.

103.
When ye pass

(Congregational) prayers,

Celebrate God's praises,

Standing, sitting down,

Or lying down on your sides;

But when ye are free

From danger, set up

Regular Prayers:


For such prayers

Are enjoined on Believers

At stated times.

p. 214

104. And slacken not

In following up the enemy:


If ye are suffering hardships,

They are suffering similar

Hardships; but ye have

Hope from God, while they

Have none. And God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

Section 16.

105.
We have sent down

To thee the Book in truth,

That thou might test judge

Between men, as guided

By God: so be not (used)

As an advocate by those

Who betray their trust;

106.
But seek the forgiveness

Of God; for God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

p. 215

107.
Contend not on behalf

Of such as betray

Their own souls;

For God loveth not

One given to perfidy

And crime;

108.
They may hide

(Their crimes) from men,

But they cannot hide

(Them) from God, seeing that

He is in their midst

When they plot by night,

In words that He cannot

Approve: and God

Doth compass round

All that they do.

109.
Ah! these are the sort

Of men on whose behalf

Ye may contend in this world;

But who will contend with God

On their behalf on the Day

Of Judgment, or who

Will carry their affairs through?

110.
If any one does evil

Or wrongs his own soul

But afterwards seeks

God's forgiveness, he will find

God Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

111.
And if any one earns

Sin, he earns it against

p. 216

His own soul: for God

Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

112.
But if any one earns

A fault or a sin

And throws it on to one

That is innocent,

He carries (on himself)

(Both) a falsehood

And a flagrant sin.

Section 17.

113.
But for the Grace of God

To thee and His Mercy,

A party of them would

Certainly have plotted

To lead thee astray.

But (in fact) they will only

Lead their own souls astray,

And to thee they can do

No harm in the least.

For God hath sent down

To thee the Book and Wisdom

And taught thee what thou

Knewest not (before):


And great is the Grace

Of God unto thee.

114.
In most of their secret talks

There is no good: but if

One exhorts to a deed

Of charity or justice

Or conciliation between men,

(Secrecy is permissible):

To him who does this,

Seeking the good pleasure

Of God, We shall soon give

A reward of the highest (value).

p. 217

115.
If anyone contends with

The Apostle even after

Guidance has been plainly

Conveyed to him, and follows

A path other than that

Becoming to men of Faith,

We shall leave him

In the path he has chosen,

And land him in Hell,--

What an evil refuge!

Section 18.

116.
God forgiveth not

(The sin of) joining other gods

With Him; but He forgiveth

Whom He pleaseth other sins

Than this: one who joins

Other gods with God,

Hath strayed far, far away

(From the Right).

117.
(The Pagans), leaving Him,

Call but upon female deities:

They call but upon Satan

The persistent rebel!

118.
God did curse him,

But he said: "I will take

Of Thy servants a portion

Marked off;

119.
\"I will mislead them,

And I will create

p. 218

In them false desires; I will

Order them to slit the ears

Of cattle, and to deface

The (fair) nature created

By God." Whoever,

Forsaking God, takes Satan

For a friend, hath

Of a surety suffered

A loss that is manifest.

120.
Satan makes them promises,

And creates in them false desires;

But Satan's promises

Are nothing but deception.

121.
They (his dupes)

Will have their dwelling

In Hell, and from it

They will find no way

Of escape.

122.
But those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,--

We shall soon admit them

To Gardens, with rivers

Flowing beneath,--to dwell

Therein for ever.

God's promise is the truth,

And whose word can be

Truer than God's?

123.
Not your desires, nor those

Of the People of the Book

p. 219

(Can prevail): whoever

Works evil, will be

Requited accordingly.

Nor will he find, besides God,

Any protector or helper.

124.
If any do deeds

Of righteousness,

Be they male or female--

And have faith,

They will enter Heaven,

And not the least injustice

Will be done to them.

125.
Who can be better

In religion than one

Who submits his whole self

To God, does good,

And follows the way

Of Abraham the true in faith?

For God did take

Abraham for a friend.

126.
But to God belong all things

In the heavens and on earth:

And He it is that

Encompasseth all things.

p. 220

Section 19.

127.
They ask thy instruction

Concerning the Women

Say: God doth

Instruct you about them:


And (remember) what hath

Been rehearsed unto you

In the Book, concerning

The orphans of women to whom

Ye give not the portions

Prescribed, and yet whom ye

Desire to marry, as also

Concerning the children

Who are weak and oppressed:


That ye stand firm

For justice to orphans.

There is not a good deed

Which ye do, but God

Is well-acquainted therewith.

128.
If a wife fears

Cruelty or desertion

On her husband's part,

There is no blame on them

If they arrange

An amicable settlement

Between themselves;

And such settlement is best;

p. 221

Even though men's souls

Are swayed by greed.

But if ye do good

And practise self-restraint,

God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

129.
Ye are never able

To be fair and just

As between women,

Even if it is

Your ardent desire:


But turn not away

(From a woman) altogether,

So as to leave her (as it were)

Hanging (in the air).

If ye come to a friendly

Understanding, and practise

Self-restraint, God is

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

130.
But if they disagree

(And must part), God

Will provide abundance

For all from His

All-reaching bounty:


For God is He

That careth for all

And is Wise.

131.
To God belong all things

In the heavens and on earth.

p. 222

Verily We have directed

The People of the Book

Before you, and you (O Muslims).

To fear God. But if ye

Deny Him, to! unto God

Belong all things

In the heavens and on earth,

And God is free

Of all wants, worthy

Of all praise.

132.
Yea, unto God belong

All things in the heavens

And on earth, and enough

Is God to carry through

All affairs.

133.
If it were His Will,

He could destroy you,

O mankind, and create

Another race; for He

Hath power this to do.

134.
If any one desires

A reward in this life,

In God's (gift) is the reward

(Both) of this life

And of the Hereafter:

For God is He that heareth

And seeth (all things).

p. 223

Section 20.

135. O
ye who believe!

Stand out firmly

For justice, as witnesses

To God, even as against

Yourselves, or your parents,

Or your kin, and whether

It be (against) rich or poor:

For God can best protect both.

Follow not the lusts

(Of your hearts), lest ye

Swerve, and if ye

Distort (justice) or decline

To do justice, verily

God is well-acquainted

With all that ye do.

136. O
ye who believe!

Believe in God

And His Apostle,

And the scripture which He

Hath sent to His Apostle

And the scripture which He sent

To those before (him)

Any who denieth God,

His angels, His Books,

His Apostles, and the Day

Of Judgment, hath gone

Far, far astray.

p. 224

137.
Those who believe,

Then reject Faith,

Then believe (again)

And (again) reject Faith,

And go on increasing

In Unbelief,--God

Will not forgive them

Nor guide them on the Way.

138.
To the Hypocrites give

The glad tidings that

There is for them

(But) a grievous Penalty;--

139.
Yea, to those who take

For friends Unbelievers

Rather than Believers:


Is it honour they seek

Among them? Nay,--

All honour is with God.

140.
Already has He sent you

Word in the Book, that when

Ye hear the Signs of God

Held in defiance and ridicule,

Ye are not to sit with them

Unless they turn to a different

Theme: if ye did, ye would be

Like them. For God will

Collect the Hypocrites and those

Who defy Faith--all in Hell;--

p. 225

141.
(These are) the ones who

Wait and watch about you:

If ye do gain

A victory from God,

They say: "Were we not

With you?
"--but if

The Unbelievers gain

A success, they say

(To them): "Did we not

Gain an advantage over you,

And did we not guard

You from the Believers?"

But God will judge

Betwixt you on the Day

Of Judgment. And never

Will God grant

To the Unbelievers

A way (to Triumph)

Over the Believers.

Section 21.

142.
The Hypocrites--they think

They are over-reaching God,

But He will over-reach them:

When they stand up to prayer,

They stand without earnestness,

To be seen of men,

But little do they hold

God in remembrance;

143.
(They are) distracted in mind

Even in the midst of it,--

Being (sincerely) for neither

One group nor for another.

Whom God leaves straying,--

Never wilt thou find

p. 226

For him the Way.

144. O
ye who believe!

Take not for friends

Unbelievers rather than

Believers: do ye wish

To offer God an open

Proof against yourselves?

145.
The Hypocrites will be

In the lowest depths

Of the Fire: no helper

Wilt thou find for them;--

146.
Except for those who repent,

Mend (their life), hold fast

To God, and purify their religion

As in God's sight: if so

They will be (numbered)

With the Believers.

And soon will God

Grant to the Believers

A reward of immense value.

147.
What can God gain

By your punishment,

If ye are grateful

And ye believe?

Nay, it is God

That recogniseth

(All good), and knoweth

All things.

p. 227

148.
God loveth not that evil

Should be noised abroad

In public speech, except

Where injustice hath been

Done; for God

Is He who heareth

And knoweth all things.

149.
Whether ye publish

A good deed or conceal it

Or cover evil with pardon,

Verily God doth blot out

(Sins) and hath power

(In the judgment of values),

150.
Those who deny God

And His apostles, and (those

Who
) wish to separate

God from His apostles,

Saying: "We believe in some

But reject others
":


And (those who) wish

To take a course midway,--

151.
They are in truth

(Equally) Unbelievers;

p. 228

And We have prepared

For Unbelievers a humiliating

Punishment.

152.
To those who believe

In God and His apostles

And make no distinction

Between any of the apostles,

We shall soon give

Their (due) rewards:


For God is Oft-forgiving,

Most Merciful.

Section 22.

153.
The People of the Book

Ask thee to cause

A book to descend to them

From heaven: indeed

They asked Moses

For an even greater

(Miracle), for they said:


"Show us God in public,"

But they were dazed

For their presumption,

With thunder and lightning.

Yet they worshipped the calf

Even after Clear Signs

Had come to them;

Even so We forgave them;

And gave Moses manifest

Proofs of authority.

p. 229

154.
And for their Covenant

We raised over them

(The towering height)

Of Mount (Sinai);

And (on another occasion)

We said: "Enter the gate

With humility"; and (once again)

We commanded them:


"Transgress not in the matter

Of the Sabbath."

And We took from them

A solemn Covenant.

155.
(They have incurred divine

Displeasure): in that they

Broke their Covenant;

That they rejected the Signs

Of God; that they slew

The Messengers in defiance

Of right; that they said,

"Our hearts are the wrappings

(Which preserve God's Word;

We need no more)
";--nay,

God hath set the seal on their hearts

For their blasphemy,

And little is it they believe;--

156.
That they rejected Faith;

That they uttered against Mary

p. 230

A
grave false charge;

157.
That they said (in boast),

"We killed Christ Jesus

The son of Mary,

The Apostle of God
";--

But they killed him not,

Nor crucified him,

But so it was made

To appear to them,

And those who differ

Therein are full of doubts,

With no (certain) knowledge,

But only conjecture to follow,

For of a surety

They killed him not:--

158.
Nay, God raised him up

Unto Himself; and God

Is Exalted in Power, Wise;--

159.
And there is none

Of the People of the Book

p. 231

But must believe in him

Before his death;

And on the Day of Judgment

He will be a witness

Against them;--

160.
For the iniquity of the Jews

We made unlawful for them

Certain (foods) good and wholesome

Which had been lawful for them;--

In that they hindered many

From God's Way;--

161.
That they took usury,

Though they were forbidden;

And that they devoured

Men's substance wrongfully;--

We have prepared for those

Among them who reject Faith

A grievous punishment.

162.
But those among them

Who are well-grounded in knowledge,

And the Believers,

Believe in what hath been

Revealed to thee and what was

Revealed before thee:


And (especially) those

Who establish regular prayer

And practise regular charity

And believe in God

And in the Last Day:


To them shall We soon

Give a great reward.

p. 232

Section 23.

163.
We have sent thee

Inspiration, as We sent it

To Noah and the Messengers

After him: We sent

Inspiration to Abraham,

Ismail, Isaac, Jacob

And the Tribes, to Jesus,

Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,

And to David We gave

The Psalms.

164.
Of some apostles We have

Already told thee the story;

Of others we have not;--

And to Moses God spoke direct;--

165.
Apostles who gave good news

As well as warning,

That mankind, after (the coming)

Of the apostles, should have

No plea against God:


For God is Exalted in Power,

Wise.

166.
But God beareth witness

That what He hath sent

Unto thee He hath sent

From His (own) knowledge,

p. 233

And the angels bear witness:

But enough is God for a witness.

167.
Those who reject Faith

And keep off (men)

From the Way of God,

Have verily strayed far,

Far away from the Path.

168.
Those who reject Faith

And do wrong,--God

Will not forgive them

Nor guide them

To any way--

169.
Except the way of Hell,

To dwell therein for ever.

And this to God is easy.

170. O
mankind! the Apostle

Hath come to you in truth

From God: believe in him:


It is best for you. But if

Ye reject Faith, to God

Belong all things in the heavens

And on earth: and God

Is All-knowing, All-wise.

171. O
People of the Book!

Commit no excesses

In your religion: nor say

Of God aught but the truth.

p. 234

Christ Jesus the son of Mary

Was (no more than)

An apostle of God,

And His Word,

Which He bestowed on Mary,

And a Spirit proceeding

From Him: so believe

In God and His apostles.

Say not "Trinity": desist:


It will be better for you:

For God is One God:

Glory be to Him:


(Far Exalted is He) above

Having a son, To Him

Belong all things in the heavens

And on earth. And enough

Is God as a Disposer of affairs.

Section 24.

172.
Christ disdaineth not

To serve and worship God,

Nor do the angels, those

Nearest (to God):


Those who disdain

His worship and are arrogant,--

He will gather them all

Together unto Himself

To (answer).

173.
But to those who believe

And do deeds of righteousness,

He will give their (due)

Rewards,--and more,

Out of His bounty:


But those who are

Disdainful and arrogant,

He will punish

p. 235

With a grievous penalty;

Nor will they find,

Besides God, any

To protect or help them.

174. O
mankind! Verily

There hath come to you

A convincing proof

From your Lord:


For We have sent unto you

A light (that is) manifest.

175.
Then those who believe

In God, and hold fast

To Him,--soon will He

Admit them to Mercy

And Grace from Himself,

And guide them to Himself

By a straight Way.

176.
They ask thee

For a legal decision.

Say: God directs (thus)

About those who leave

No descendants or ascendants

As heirs. If it is a man

That dies, leaving a sister

But no child, she shall

p. 236

Have half the inheritance:

If (such a deceased was)

A woman, who left no child,

Her brother takes her inheritance:

If there are two sisters,

They shall have two-thirds

Of the inheritance

(Between them): if there are

Brothers and sisters, (they share),

The male having twice

The share of the female.

Thus doth God make clear

To you (His law), lest

Ye err. And God

Hath knowledge of all things.

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