Abdullah Ali - The Holy Qur-an - Text, Translation and Commentary

62 Those who believe (in the Qur'ān), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,—any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

63 And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear God."

64But ye turned back thereafter: Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of God to you, ye had surely been among the lost.

65And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."

66So We made it an example to their own time and to their posterity, and a lesson to those who fear God.

67 And remember Moses said to his people: "God commands that ye sacrifice a heifer." They said: "Makest thou a laughing-stock of us?" He said: "God save me from being an ignorant (fool)!"

68They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what (heifer) it is!" He said; "He says: the heifer should be neither too old nor too young, but of middling age. Now do what ye are commanded!"

69They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us Her colour." He said: "He says: A fawn-coloured heifer, pure and rich in tone, the admiration of beholders!"

70They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what she is: To us are all heifers alike: We wish indeed for guidance, if God wills."

71He said: "He says: A heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish." They said: "Now hast thou brought the truth." Then they offered her in sacrifice, but not with good-will.

72 Remember ye slew a man and fell into a dispute among yourselves as to the crime: But God was to bring forth what ye did hide.

73So We said: "Strike the (body) with a piece of the (heifer)." Thus God bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His Signs: Perchance ye may understand.

74 Thenceforth were your hearts hardened: They became like a rock and even worse in hardness. For among rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth; others there are which when split asunder send forth water; and others which sink for fear of God. And God is not unmindful of what ye do.

75 Can ye (O ye men of Faith) entertain the hope that they will believe in you?—Seeing that a party of them heard the Word of God, and perverted it knowingly after they understood it.

76Behold! when they meet the men of Faith, they say: "We believe": but when they meet each other in private, they say: "Shall you tell them what God hath revealed to you, that they may engage you in argument about it before your Lord?"—Do ye not understand (their aim)?

77Know they not that God knoweth what they conceal and what they reveal?

78And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book, but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.

79Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from God," to traffic with it for miserable price!—Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.

80 And they say: "The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days:" Say: "Have ye taken a promise from God, for He never breaks His promise? or is it that ye say of God what ye do not know?"

81Nay, those who seek gain in evil, and are girt round by their sins,—they are Companions of the Fire: Therein shall they abide (For ever).

82But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are Vompanions of the Garden: Therein shall they abide (For ever).

83 And remember We took a covenant from the Children of Israel (to this effect): Worship none but God; treat with kindness your parents and kindred, and orphans and those in need; speak fair to the people; be steadfast in prayer; and practise regular charity. Then did ye turn back, except a few among you, and ye backslide (even now).

84And remember We took your covenant (to this effect): Shed no blood amongst you, nor turn out your own people from your homes: and this ye solemnly ratified, and to this ye can bear witness.

85After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes; assist (Their enemies) against them, in guilt and rancour; and if they come to you as captives, ye ransom them, though it was not lawful for you to banish them. Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? but what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life?—and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For God is not unmindful of what ye do.

86These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter: their penalty shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.

C. 47.(2:87-121)—The people of Moses and the people of Jesus

Were given revelations, but alas!

They played false with their own lights,

And, in their selfishness, made narrow

God's universal message. To them

It seemed incredible that His light

Should illumine Arabia and reform

The world. But His ways are wondrous,

And they are clear to those who have Faith.

87 We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an Apostle with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?—Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!

88They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve God's Word: we need no more)." Nay, God's curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe.

89And when there comes to them a Book from God, confirming what is with them,—although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith,—when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognized, they refuse to believe in it but the curse of God is on those without Faith.

90Miserable is the price for which they have sold their souls, in that they deny (the revelation) which God has sent down, in insolent envy that God of His Grace should send it to any of His servants He pleases: Thus have they drawn on themselves Wrath upon Wrath. And humiliating is the punishment of those who reject Faith.

91When it is said to them, "Believe in what God Hath sent down, "they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us:" yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: "Why then have ye slain the prophets of God in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe?"

92There came to you Moses with clear (Signs); yet ye worshipped the calf (Even) after that, and ye did behave wrongfully.

93And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (the towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)": They said:" We hear, and we disobey:" And they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the Calf because of their Faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your Faith if ye have any faith!"

94Say: "If the last Home, with God, be for you specially, and not for anyone else, then seek ye for death, if ye are sincere."