The Koran Part 164

But whoever shall turn him to G.o.d after this his wickedness, and amend, G.o.d truly will be turned to him: for G.o.d is Forgiving, Merciful.

Knowest thou not that the sovereignty of the Heavens and of the Earth is G.o.d's? He chastiseth whom He will, and whom He will He forgiveth. And G.o.d hath power over all things.

O Apostle! let not those who vie with one another in speeding to infidelity vex thee;-of those who say with their mouths, "We believe," but whose hearts believe not;-or of the Jews listeners to a lie-listeners to others-but who come not to thee. They s.h.i.+ft the words of the law from their places, and say, "If this be brought to you, receive it; but if this be not brought to you, then beware of it." For him whom G.o.d would mislead, thou canst in no wise prevail with G.o.d! They whose hearts G.o.d shall not please to cleanse, shall suffer disgrace in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment;

Listeners to a falsehood and greedy devourers of the forbidden!20 If, therefore, they have recourse to thee, then judge between them, or withdraw from them. If thou withdraw from them, then can they have no power to injure thee. But if thou judge, then judge between them with equity. Verily, G.o.d loveth those who deal equitably.

But how shall they make thee their judge, since they possess already the Law, in which are the behests of G.o.d, and have not obeyed it? After this, they will turn their backs; but such are not believers.

Verily, we have sent down the law (Towrat) wherein are guidance and light. By it did the prophets who professed Islam judge the Jews; and the doctors and the teachers judged by that portion of the Book of G.o.d, of which they were the keepers and the witnesses. Therefore, O Jews! fear not men but fear Me; and barter not away my signs for a mean price! And whoso will not judge by what G.o.d hath sent down-such are the Infidels.

And therein21 have we enacted for them, "Life for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth, and for wounds retaliation:"-Whoso shall compromise it as alms shall have therein the expiation of his sin; and whoso will not judge by what G.o.d hath sent down- such are the transgressors.

And in the footsteps of the prophets caused we Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow, confirming the law which was before him: and we gave him the Evangel with its guidance and light, confirmatory of the preceding Law; a guidance and warning to those who fear G.o.d;-

And that the people of the Evangel may judge according to what G.o.d hath sent down therein. And whoso will not judge by what G.o.d hath sent down-such are the perverse.

And to thee we have sent down the Book of the Koran with truth, confirmatory of previous Scriptures, and their safeguard. Judge therefore between them by what G.o.d hath sent down, and follow not their desires by deserting the truth which hath come unto thee. To every one of you have we given a rule and a beaten track.

And if G.o.d had pleased He had surely made you all one people; but He would test you by what He hath given to each. Be emulous, then, in good deeds. To G.o.d shall ye all return, and He will tell you concerning the subjects of your disputes.

Wherefore do thou judge between them, by what G.o.d hath sent down, and follow not their wishes! but be on thy guard against them lest they beguile thee from any of those precepts which G.o.d hath sent down to thee; and if they turn back, then know thou that for some of their crimes doth G.o.d choose to punish them: for truly most men are perverse.

Desire they, therefore, the judgments of the times of(pagan) ignorance? But what better judge can there be than G.o.d for those who believe firmly?

O Believers! take not the Jews or Christians22 as friends. They are but one another's friends. If any one of you taketh them for his friends, he surely is one of them! G.o.d will not guide the evil doers.

So shalt thou see the diseased at heart speed away to them, and say, "We fear lest a change of fortune befall us." But haply G.o.d will of himself bring about some victory or event of His own ordering: then soon will they repent them of their secret imaginings.

Then will the faithful say, "What! are these they who swore, by their most solemn oath, that they were surely with you?" Vain their works; and themselves shall come to ruin.

O ye who believe! should any of you desert His religion, G.o.d will then raise up a people loved by Him, and loving Him, lowly towards the faithful, haughty towards the Infidels. For the cause of G.o.d will they contend, and not fear the blame of the blamer. This is the Grace of G.o.d! On whom He will He bestoweth it! G.o.d is Vast, Omniscient!

Verily, your protector is G.o.d and His Apostle, and those who believe, who observe prayer, and pay the alms of obligation, and who bow in wors.h.i.+p.

And whoso take G.o.d and His Apostle, and those who believe for friends, they truly are the people of G.o.d; they shall have the upper hand.

O ye who believe! take not such of those who have received the Scriptures before you, as scoff and jest at your religion, or the Infidels, for your friends, but fear G.o.d if ye are believers:

Nor those who when ye call to prayer, make it an object of raillery and derision. This they do because they are a people who understand not.

SAY:23 O people of the Book! do ye not disavow us only because we believe in G.o.d, and in what He hath sent down to us, and in what He hath sent down aforetime, and because most of you are doers of ill?

SAY: Can I announce to you any retribution worse than that which awaiteth them with G.o.d? They whom G.o.d hath cursed and with whom He hath been angry- some of them hath He changed into apes and swine; and they who wors.h.i.+p Thagout are in evil plight, and have gone far astray from the right path!

When they presented themselves to you they said, "We believe;" but Infidels they came in unto you, and Infidels they went forth! G.o.d well knew what they concealed.

Many of them shalt thou see hastening together to wickedness and malice, and to eat unlawful things. Shame on them for what they have done!

Had not their doctors and teachers forbidden their uttering wickedness, and their eating unlawful food, bad indeed would have been their doings!

"The hand of G.o.d," say the Jews, "is chained up."24 Their own hands shall be chained up-and for that which they have said shall they be cursed. Nay!

outstretched are both His hands! At His own pleasure does He bestow gifts.

That which hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord will surely increase the rebellion and unbelief of many of them; and we have put enmity and hatred between them that shall last till the day of the Resurrection. Oft as they kindle a beacon fire for war shall G.o.d quench it! and their aim will be to abet disorder on the earth: but G.o.d loveth not the abettors of disorder.

But if the people of the Book believe and have the fear of G.o.d, we will surely put away their sins from them, and will bring them into gardens of delight: and if that they observe the law and the Evangel, and what hath been sent down to them from their Lord, they shall surely have their fill of good things from above them and from beneath their feet. Some there are among them who act aright; but many of them-how evil are their doings!

O Apostle! proclaim all that hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord: for if thou do it not, thou hast not proclaimed His message at all. And G.o.d will protect thee from evil men: verily, G.o.d guideth not the unbelievers.

SAY: O people of the Book! ye have no ground to stand on, until ye observe the Law and the Evangel, and that which hath been sent down to you from your Lord.25 The Book which hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord will certainly increase the rebellion and unbelief of many of them; but, be not thou troubled for the unbelievers.

Verily, they who believe, and the Jews, and the Sabeites,26 and the Christians-whoever of them believeth in G.o.d and in the last day, and doth what is right, on them shall come no fear, neither shall they be put to grief.

Of old we accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, and sent Apostles to them. Oft as an Apostle came to them with that for which they had no desire, some they treated as liars, and some they slew;27

And they reckoned that no harm would come of it:-but they became blind and deaf! Then was G.o.d turned unto them: then many of them again became blind and deaf! but G.o.d beheld what they did.

Infidels now are they who say, "G.o.d is the Messiah, Son of Mary;" for the Messiah said, "O children of Israel! wors.h.i.+p G.o.d, my Lord and your Lord."

Whoever shall join other G.o.ds with G.o.d, G.o.d shall forbid him the Garden, and his abode shall be the Fire; and the wicked shall have no helpers.

They surely are Infidels who say, "G.o.d is the third of three:" for there is no G.o.d but one G.o.d: and if they refrain not from what they say, a grievous chastis.e.m.e.nt shall light on such of them as are Infidels.

Will they not, therefore, be turned unto G.o.d, and ask pardon of Him? since G.o.d is Forgiving, Merciful!

The Messiah, Son of Mary, is but an Apostle; other Apostles have flourished before him; and his mother was a just28 person: they both ate food.29 Behold!

how we make clear to them the signs! then behold how they turn aside!

SAY: Will ye wors.h.i.+p, beside G.o.d, that which can neither hurt nor help? But G.o.d! He only Heareth, Knoweth.

SAY: O people of the Book! outstep not bounds of truth in your religion; neither follow the desires of those who have already gone astray, and who have caused many to go astray, and have themselves gone astray from the evenness of the way.

Those among the children of Israel who believed not were cursed by the tongue of David,30 and of Jesus, Son of Mary. This, because they were rebellious, and became transgressors: they forbade not one another the iniquity which they wrought! detestable are their actions!

Thou shalt see many of them make friends of the infidels. Evil the actions which their own pa.s.sions have sent on beforehand; for G.o.d is angry with them, and in torment shall they abide for ever:

But, if they had believed in G.o.d, and the Prophet, and the Koran which hath been sent down to him, they had not taken them for their friends; but perverse are most of them.

Of all men thou wilt certainly find the Jews, and those who join other G.o.ds with G.o.d, to be the most intense in hatred of those who believe; and thou shalt certainly find those to be nearest in affection to them who say, "We are Christians." This, because some of them are priests and monks,31 and because they are free from pride.

And when they hear that which hath been sent down to the Apostle, thou seest their eyes overflow with tears at the truth they recognise therein, saying, "O our Lord! we believe; write us down therefore with those who bear witness to it.

And why should we not believe in G.o.d, and in the truth which hath come down to us, and crave that our Lord would bring us into Paradise with the Just?"

Therefore hath G.o.d rewarded them for these their words, with gardens 'neath which the rivers flow; they shall abide therein for ever: this the reward of the righteous! But they who believe not and treat our signs as lies shall be the inmates of h.e.l.l-fire.

O ye who believe! interdict not the healthful viands which G.o.d hath allowed you; go not beyond this limit. G.o.d loveth not those who outstep it.32

And eat of what G.o.d hath given you for food, that which is lawful and wholesome: and fear G.o.d, in whom ye believe.