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

131Fear the Fire, which is prepared for those who reject Faith:

132And obey God and the Apostle; that ye may obtain mercy.

133Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous,—

134Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;— for God loves those who do good;—

135And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring God to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,— and who can forgive sins except God?— and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.

136For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath,— an eternal dwelling: How excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!

137Many were the Ways of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.

138Here is a plain statement to men, a guidance and instruction to those who fear God!

139So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith.

140If a wound hath touched you, be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that God may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And God loveth not those that do wrong.

141God's object also is to purge those that are true in Faith and to deprive of blessing those that resist Faith.

142Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without God testing those of you who fought hard (in His Cause) and remained steadfast?

143Ye did indeed wish for Death before ye met him: Now ye have seen him with your own eyes, (and ye flinch!)

144Muhammad is no more than an Apostle: many were the Apostles that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God; but God (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.

145Nor can a soul die except by God's leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude.

146How many of the Prophets fought (in God's way), and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in God's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And God Loves those who are firm and steadfast.

147All that they said was: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything We may have done that transgressed our duty: Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith."

148And God gave them a reward in this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For God loveth those who do good.

C. 59.(3:149-160)—Uḥud showed how dangerous is was

To lend ear to enemy suggestions,

To disobey orders, dispute, lose courage,

Or seek selfish ends; some even followed

The evil course of turning back.

But great is God's mercy: where He helps,

No harm can come. Trust your Leader.

The Hypocrites, in withdrawing from battle,

Were really helping the Unbelievers,

But glorious were those who knew

No fear: those killed in the Cause of God

Yet live and thrive and do rejoice;

And never can those who fight against Faith

Hurt in the least the Cause of God.

149O ye who believe! If ye obey the Unbelievers, they will drive you back on your heels, and ye will turn back (from Faith) to your own loss.

150Nay, Allah is your protector, and He is the best of helpers.

151Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be the Fire: And evil is the home of the wrong-doers!

152Allah did indeed fulfil His promise to you when ye with His permission Were about to annihilate your enemy,-until ye flinched and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the booty) which ye covet. Among you are some that hanker after this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then did He divert you from your foes in order to test you but He forgave you: For Allah is full of grace to those who believe.

153Behold! ye were climbing up the high ground, without even casting a side glance at any one, and the Messenger in your rear was calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital, to teach you not to grieve for (the booty) that had escaped you and for (the ill) that had befallen you. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do.

154After (the excitement) of the distress, He sent down calm on a band of you overcome with slumber, while another band was stirred to anxiety by their own feelings: moved by wrong suspicions of Allah; suspicions due to ignorance. They said: "What affair is this of ours?" Say thou: "Indeed, this affair is wholly Allah's." They hide in their minds what they dare not reveal to thee. They say (to themselves): "If we had had anything to do with this affair, We should not have been in the slaughter here." Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death"; but (all this was) that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts. For Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.

155Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts Met,-it was Satan who caused them to fail, because of some (evil) they had done. But Allah Has blotted out (their fault): For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

156O ye who believe! Be not like the Unbelievers, who say of their brethren, when they are travelling through the Earth or engaged in fighting: "If they had stayed with us, they would not have died, or been slain." This that Allah may make it a cause of sighs and regrets in their hearts. It is Allah that gives Life and Death, and Allah sees well all that ye do.

157And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass.

158And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together.

159It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee: so pass over (Their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then, when thou hast Taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).

160If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? in Allah, then, Let believers put their trust.

161No prophet could (ever) be false to his trust. If any person is so false, He shall, on the Day of Judgment, restore what he misappropriated; then shall every soul receive its due,- whatever it earned,- and none shall be dealt with unjustly.

162Is the man who follows the good pleasure of Allah Like the man who draws on himself the wrath of Allah, and whose abode is in Hell?- A woeful refuge!

163They are in varying gardens in the sight of Allah, and Allah sees well all that they do.