And if they who have received the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better for them: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them are transgressors.

They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; and if they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you; and they shall not be helped.

They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with G.o.d, and a treaty with men: and they draw on themselves indignation from G.o.d, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because they disbelieved the signs of G.o.d, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed.

Yet they are not all alike: there are of those who have received the scriptures, upright people; they meditate on the signs of G.o.d in the night season, and worship; they believe in G.o.d, and the last day; and command that which is just, and forbid that which is unjust, and zealously strive to excel in good works; these are of the righteous.

And ye shall not be denied the reward of the good which ye do; for G.o.d knoweth the pious.

As for the unbelievers, their wealth shall not profit them at all, neither their children, against G.o.d: they shall be the companions of h.e.l.l fire; they shall continue therein forever.

The likeness of that which they lay out in this present life, is as a wind wherein there is a scorching cold: it falleth on the standing corn of those men who have injured their own souls, and destroyeth it. And G.o.d dealeth not unjustly with them; but they injure their own souls.

O true believers, contract not an intimate friendship with any besides yourselves; they will not fail to corrupt you. They wish for that which may cause you to perish: their hatred hath already appeared from out of their mouths; but what their b.r.e.a.s.t.s conceal is yet more inveterate. We have already shown you signs of their ill will towards you, if ye understand.

Behold, ye love them, and they do not love you: ye believe in all the scriptures, and when they meet you, they say, We believe; but when they a.s.semble privately together, they bite their fingers' ends out of wrath against you. Say unto them, Die in your wrath: verily G.o.d knoweth the innermost part of your b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

120 If good happen unto you, it grieveth them; and if evil befall you, they rejoice at it. But if ye be patient, and fear G.o.d, their subtlety shall not hurt you at all; for G.o.d comprehendeth whatever they do.

Call to mind when thou wentest forth early from thy family, that thou mightest prepare the faithful a camp for war; and G.o.d hear and knew it; when two companies of you were anxiously thoughtful, so that ye became faint-hearted; but G.o.d was the supporter of them both; and in G.o.d let the faithful trust.

And G.o.d had already given you the victory at Bedr, when ye were inferior in number; therefore fear G.o.d, that ye may be thankful.

When thou saidst unto the faithful, Is it not enough for you, that your LORD should a.s.sist you with three thousand angels sent down from heaven?

Verily if ye persevere, and fear G.o.d, and your enemies come upon you suddenly, your LORD will a.s.sist you with five thousand angels, distinguished by their horses and attire.

And this G.o.d designed only as good tidings for you that your hearts might rest secure; for victory is from G.o.d alone, the mighty, the wise.

That he should cut off the uttermost part of the unbelievers, or cast them down, or that they should be overthrown and unsuccessful is nothing to thee.

It is no business of thine; whether G.o.d be turned unto them, or whether he punish them; they are surely unjust doers.

To G.o.d belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth: he spareth whom he pleaseth, and he punisheth whom he pleaseth; for G.o.d is merciful.

130 O true believers, devour nor usury, doubling it twofold; but fear G.o.d, that ye may prosper: and fear the fire which is prepared for the unbelievers; and obey G.o.d, and his apostle that ye may obtain mercy.

And run with emulation to obtain remission from your LORD, and paradise, whose breath equalleth the heavens and the earth, which is prepared for the G.o.dly; who give alms in prosperity and adversity; who bridle their anger, and forgive men; for G.o.d loveth the beneficent.

And who, after they have committed a crime, or dealt unjustly with their own souls, remember G.o.d, and ask pardon for their sins, (for who forgiveth sins except G.o.d?) and persevere not in what they have done knowingly; their reward shall be pardon from their LORD, and gardens wherein rivers flow, they shall remain therein forever: and how excellent is the reward of those who labor!

There have already been before you examples of punishment of infidels, therefore go through the earth, and behold what hath been the end of those who accuse G.o.d's apostles of imposture.

This book is a declaration unto men, and a direction and an admonition to the pious.

And be not dismayed, neither be ye grieved; for ye shall be superior to the unbelievers if ye believe.

140 If a wound hath happened unto you in war, a like wound hath already happened unto the unbelieving people: and we cause these days of different success interchangeably to succeed each other among men; that G.o.d may know those who believe, and may have martyrs from among you: (G.o.d loveth not the workers of iniquity;) and that G.o.d might prove those who believe, and destroy the infidels.

Did ye imagine that ye should enter paradise, when as yet G.o.d knew not those among you who fought strenuously in his cause; nor knew those who persevered with patience?

Moreover ye did sometimes wish for death before that ye met it; but ye have now seen it, and ye looked on, but retreated from it.

Mohammed is no more than an apostle; the other apostles have already deceased before him: if he die, therefore, or be slain, will ye turn back on your heels? but he who turneth back on his heels will not hurt G.o.d at all; and G.o.d will surely reward the thankful.

No soul can die unless by the permission of G.o.d, according to what is written in the book containing the determination of things. And whoso chooseth the reward of this world, we will give him thereof: but whoso chooseth the reward of the world to come, we will give him thereof: and we will surely reward the thankful.

How many prophets have encountered those who had many myriads of troops: and yet they desponded not in their mind for what had befallen them in fighting for the religion of G.o.d; and were not weakened, neither behaved themselves in an abject manner? G.o.d loveth those who persevere patiently.

And their speech was no other than what they said, Our LORD forgive us our offences, and our transgressions in our business; and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving people.

And G.o.d gave them the reward of this world, and a glorious reward in the life to come; for G.o.d loveth the well-doers.

O ye who believe, if you obey the infidels, they will cause you to turn back on your heels, and ye will be turned back and perish: 150 but G.o.d is your LORD; and he is the best helper.

We will surely cast a dread into the hearts of the unbelievers, because they have a.s.sociated with G.o.d that concerning which he sent them down no power: their dwelling shall be the fire of h.e.l.l; and the receptacle of the wicked shall be miserable.

G.o.d had already made good unto you his promise, when ye destroyed them by his permission, until ye became faint-hearted, and disputed concerning the command of the apostle, and were rebellious; after G.o.d had shown you what ye desired. Some of you chose this present world, and others of you chose the world to come. Then he turned you to flight from before them, that he might make trial of you: (but he hath now pardoned you: for G.o.d is endued with beneficence towards the faithful;) when ye went up as ye fled, and looked not back on any: while the apostle called you, in the uttermost part of you. Therefore G.o.d rewarded you with affliction on affliction, that ye be not grieved hereafter for the spoils which ye fail of, nor for that which befalleth you, for G.o.d is well acquainted with whatever ye do.

Then he sent down upon you after affliction security; a soft sleep which fell on some part of you; but other part were troubled by their own souls; falsely thinking of G.o.d, a foolish imagination saying, Will anything of the matter happen unto us? Say, Verily, the matter belongeth wholly unto G.o.d.

They concealed in their minds what they declared not unto thee; saying, If anything of the matter had happened unto us, we had not been slain here.

Answer, If ye had been in your houses, verily they would have gone forth to fight, whose slaughter was decreed, to the places where they died, and this came to pa.s.s that G.o.d might try what was in your b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and might discern what was in your hearts; for G.o.d knoweth the innermost parts of the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of men.

Verily they among you who turned their backs on the day whereon the two armies met each other at Ohod, Satan caused them to slip for some crime which they had committed: but now hath G.o.d forgiven them; for G.o.d is gracious and merciful.

O true believers, be not as they who believed not, and said of their brethren when they had journeyed in the land or had been at war, If they had been with us, those had not died, nor had these been slain: whereas what befell them was so ordained that G.o.d might take it matter of sighing in their hearts. G.o.d giveth life, and causeth to die: and G.o.d seeth that which ye do.

Moreover if ye be slain, or die in defence of the religion of G.o.d, verily pardon from G.o.d, and mercy, is better than what they heap together of worldly riches.

And if ye die, or be slain, verily unto G.o.d shall ye be gathered.

And as to the mercy granted unto the disobedient from G.o.d, thou O Mohammed, hast been mild towards them; but if thou hadst been severe, and hard-hearted, they had surely separated themselves from about thee. Therefore forgive them, and ask pardon for them: and consult them in the affair of war; and after thou hast deliberated, trust in G.o.d; for G.o.d loveth those who trust in him.

160 If G.o.d help you, none shall conquer you; but if he desert you, who is it that will help you after him? Therefore in G.o.d let the faithful trust.

It is not the part of a prophet to defraud, for he who defraudeth shall bring with him what he hath defrauded any one of, on the day of the resurrection. Then shall every soul be paid what he hath gained; and they shall not be treated unjustly.

Shall he therefore who followeth that which is well-pleasing unto G.o.d be as he who bringeth on himself wrath from G.o.d, and whose receptacle is h.e.l.l?

an evil journey shall it be thither.

There shall be degrees of rewards and punishments with G.o.d, for G.o.d seeth what they do.

Now hath G.o.d been gracious unto the believers when he raised up among them an apostle of their own nation, who should recite his signs unto them, and purify them, and teach them the book of the Koran and wisdom: whereas they were before in manifest error.

After a misfortune had befallen you at Ohod, (ye had already obtained two equal advantages) do ye say, Whence cometh this? Answer, This is from yourselves: for G.o.d is almighty.

And what happened unto you, on the day whereon the two armies met, was certainly by the permission of G.o.d; and that he might know the unG.o.dly. It was said unto them, Come, fight for the religion of G.o.d, or drive back the enemy: they answered, if we had known ye went out to fight, we had certainly followed you. They were on that day nearer unto unbelief, than they were to faith; they spake with their mouths, what was not in their hearts: but G.o.d perfectly knew what they concealed; who said of their brethren, while themselves stayed at home, if they had obeyed us, they had not been slain. Say, Then keep back death from yourselves, if ye say truth.

Thou shalt in nowise reckon those who have been slain at Ohod, in the cause of G.o.d, dead; nay, they are sustained alive with their LORD, 170 rejoicing for what G.o.d of his favor hath granted them; and being glad for those who, coming after them, have not as yet overtaken them; because there shall no fear come on them, neither shall they be grieved.

They are filled with joy for the favor which they have received from G.o.d and his bounty; and for that G.o.d suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish.

They who hearkened unto G.o.d and his apostle, after a wound had befallen them at Ohod, such of them as do good works, and fear G.o.d, shall have a great reward; unto whom certain men said, Verily the men of Mecca have already gathered forces against you, be ye therefore afraid of them: but this increased their faith, and they said, G.o.d is our support, and the most excellent patron.

Wherefore they returned with favor from G.o.d, and advantage: no evil befell them: and they followed what was well pleasing unto G.o.d: for G.o.d is endowed with great liberality.

Verily that devil would cause you to fear his friends: but be ye not afraid of them: but fear me, if ye be true believers.

They shall not grieve thee, who emulously hasten unto infidelity; for they shall never hurt G.o.d at all. G.o.d will not give them a part in the next life, and they shall suffer a great punishment.

Surely those who purchase infidelity with faith shall by no means hurt G.o.d at all, but they shall suffer a grievous punishment.

And let not the unbelievers think, because we grant them lives long and prosperous, that it is better for their souls: we grant them long and prosperous lives only that their iniquity may be increased; and they shall suffer an ignominious punishment.

G.o.d is not disposed to leave the faithful in the condition which ye are now in, until he sever the wicked from the good; nor is G.o.d disposed to make you acquainted with what is a hidden secret, but G.o.d chooseth such of his apostles as he pleaseth, to reveal his mind unto: believe therefore in G.o.d, and his apostles; and if ye believe, and fear G.o.d, ye shall receive a great reward.

180 And let not those who are covetous of what G.o.d of his bounty hath granted them imagine that their avarice is better for them: nay, rather it is worse for them. That which they have covetously reserved shall be bound as a collar about their neck, on the day of the resurrection: unto G.o.d belongeth the inheritance of heaven and earth; and G.o.d is well acquainted with what ye do.

G.o.d hath already heard the saying of those who said, Verily G.o.d is poor, and we are rich: we will surely write down what they have said, and the slaughter which they have made of the prophets without a cause; and we will say unto them, Taste ye the pain of burning.

This shall they suffer for the evil which their hands have sent before them, and because G.o.d is not unjust towards mankind; who also say, Surely G.o.d hath commanded us, that we should not give credit to any apostle, until one should come unto us with a sacrifice, which should be consumed by fire. Say, Apostles have already come unto you before me, with plain proofs, and with the miracle which ye mention: why therefore have ye slain them, if ye speak truth?

If they accuse thee of imposture, the apostles before thee have also been accounted impostors, who brought evident demonstrations, and the scriptures, and the book which enlighteneth the understanding.

Every soul shall taste of death, and ye shall have your reward on the day of resurrection; and he who shall be far removed from h.e.l.l fire, and shall be admitted into paradise, shall be happy: but the present life is only a deceitful provision.

Ye shall surely be proved in your possessions, and in your persons; and ye shall bear from those unto whom the scripture was delivered before you, and from the idolaters, much hurt: but if ye be patient and fear G.o.d, this is a matter that is absolutely determined.

And when G.o.d accepted the covenant of those to whom the book of the law was given, saying, Ye shall surely publish it unto mankind, ye shall not hide it: yet they threw it behind their backs, and sold it for a small price: but woful is the price for which they have sold it.

Think not that they who rejoice at what they have done, and expect to be praised for what they have not done; think not, O prophet, that they shall escape from punishment, for they shall suffer a painful punishment; and unto G.o.d belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth: G.o.d is almighty.

190 Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the vicissitude of night and day, are signs unto those who are endued with understanding; who remember G.o.d standing, and sitting, and lying on their sides; and meditate on the creation of heaven and earth, saying, O LORD, thou hast not created this in vain; far be it from thee: therefore deliver us from the torment of h.e.l.l fire: O LORD, surely whom thou shalt throw into the fire, thou wilt also cover with shame: nor shall the unG.o.dly have any to help them.

O LORD, we have heard a preacher inviting us to the faith and saying, Believe in your LORD: and we believed. O LORD, forgive us therefore our sins, and expiate our evil deeds from us, and make us to die with the righteous.

O LORD, give us also the reward which thou hast promised by thy apostles; and cover us not with shame on the day of resurrection; for thou art not contrary to the promise.

Their LORD therefore answered them, saying, I will not suffer the work of him among you who worketh to be lost, whether he be male, or female: the one of you is from the other. They therefore who have left their country, and have been turned out of their houses, and have suffered for my sake, and have been slain in battle; verily I will expiate their evil deeds from them, and I will surely bring them into gardens watered by rivers; a reward from G.o.d; and with G.o.d is the most excellent reward.

Let not the prosperous dealing of the unbelievers in the land deceive thee; it is but a slender provision; and then their receptacle shall be h.e.l.l; an unhappy couch shall it be.

But they who fear the LORD shall have gardens through which rivers flow, they shall continue therein forever: this is the gift of G.o.d for what is with G.o.d shall be better for the righteous than short-lived worldly prosperity.

There are some of those who have received the scriptures, who believe in G.o.d, and that which hath been sent down unto you, and that which hath been sent down to them, submitting themselves unto G.o.d; they tell not the signs of G.o.d for a small price: these shall have their reward with their LORD; for G.o.d is swift in taking an account.

200 O true believers, be patient and strive to excel in patience, and be constant-minded, and fear G.o.d, that ye may be happy.

CHAPTER IV.

ENt.i.tLED, WOMEN; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL G.o.d

O MEN, fear your LORD, who hath created you out of one man, and out of him created his wife, and from them two hath multiplied many men, and women: and fear G.o.d by whom ye beseech one another; and respect women who have borne you, for G.o.d is watching over you.

And give the orphans when they come to age their substance; and render them not in exchange bad for good: and devour not their substance, by adding it to your own substance; for this is a great sin.

And if ye fear that ye shall not act with equity towards orphans of the female s.e.x, take in marriage of such other women as please you, two, or three, or four, and not more. But if ye fear that ye cannot act equitably towards so many, marry one only, or the slaves which ye shall have acquired. This will be easier, that ye swerve not from righteousness.

And give women their dowry freely; but if they voluntarily remit unto you any part of it, enjoy it with satisfaction and advantage.

And give not unto those who are weak of understanding the substance which G.o.d hath appointed you to preserve for them; but maintain them thereout, and clothe them, and speak kindly unto them.

And examine the orphans until they attain the age of marriage: but if ye perceive they are able to manage their affairs well, deliver their substance unto them; and waste it not extravagantly, or hastily, because they grow up. Let him who is rich abstain entirely from the orphans' estates; and let him who is poor take thereof according to what shall be reasonable. And when ye deliver their substance unto them, call witnesses thereof in their presence: G.o.d taketh sufficient account of your actions.

Men ought to have a part of what their parents and kindred leave behind them when they die: and women also ought to have a part of what their parents and kindred leave, whether it be little, or whether it be much; a determinate part is due to them.

And when they who are of kin are present at the dividing of what is left, and also the orphans, and the poor; distribute unto them some part thereof; and if the estate be too small, at least speak comfortably unto them.

And let those fear to abuse orphans, who if they leave behind them a weak offspring, are solicitous for them; let them therefore fear G.o.d, and speak that which is convenient.

10 Surely they who devour the possessions of orphans unjustly shall swallow down nothing but fire into their bellies, and shall broil in raging flames.

G.o.d hath thus commanded you concerning your children. A male shall have as much as the share of two females: but if they be females only, and above two in number, they shall have two third parts of what the deceased shall leave; and if there be but one, she shall have the half. And the parents of the deceased shall have each of them a sixth part of what he shall leave, if he have a child; but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have the third part. And if he have brethren, his mother shall have a sixth part, after the legacies which he shall bequeath, and his debts be paid. Ye know not whether your parents or your children be of greater use unto you. This is an ordinance from G.o.d, and G.o.d is knowing and wise.

Moreover ye may claim half of what your wives shall leave, if they have no issue; but if they have issue, then ye shall have the fourth part of what they shall leave, after the legacies which they shall bequeath, and the debts be paid. They also shall have the fourth part of what ye shall leave, in case ye have no issue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have the eighth part of what ye shall leave, after the legacies which ye shall bequeath, and your debts be paid. And if a man or woman's substance be inherited by a distant relation, and he or she have a brother or sister; each of them two shall have a sixth part of the estate. But if there be more than this number, they shall be equal sharers in a third part, after payment of the legacies which shall be bequeathed, and the debts, without prejudice to the heirs. This is an ordinance from G.o.d: and G.o.d is knowing and gracious.