But if they seek to deceive thee, verily G.o.d will be thy support. It is he who hath strengthened thee with his help, and with that of the faithful; and hath united their hearts. If thou hadst expended whatever riches are in the earth, thou couldst not have united their hearts, but G.o.d united them; for he is mighty and wise.

O prophet, G.o.d is thy support, and such of the true believers who followeth thee.

O prophet stir up the faithful to war: if twenty of you persevere with constancy, they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be one hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who believe not; because they are a people which do not understand.

Now hath G.o.d eased you, for he knew that ye were weak. If there be an hundred of you who persevere with constancy, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a thousand of you, they shall overcome two thousand, by the permission of G.o.d; for G.o.d is with those who persevere.

It hath not been granted unto any prophet, that he should possess captives, until he hath made a great slaughter of the infidels in the earth.

Ye seek the accidental goods of this world, but G.o.d regardeth the life to come; and G.o.d is mighty and wise.

Unless a revelation had been previously delivered from G.o.d, verily a severe punishment had been inflicted on you, for the ransom which ye took from the captives at Bedr.

Eat therefore of what ye have acquired, that which is lawful and good; for G.o.d is gracious and merciful.

70 O prophet, say unto the captives who are in your hands. If G.o.d shall know any good to be in your hearts, he will give you better than what hath been taken from you; and he will forgive you, for G.o.d is gracious and merciful.

But if they seek to deceive thee, verily they have deceived G.o.d; wherefore he hath given thee power over them: and G.o.d is knowing and wise.

Moreover, they who have believed, and have fled their country, and employed their substance and their persons in fighting for the religion of G.o.d, and they who have given the prophet a refuge among them, and have a.s.sisted him, these shall be deemed the one nearest of kin to the other. But they who have believed, but have not fled their country, shall have no right of kindred at all with you, until they also fly. Yet if they ask a.s.sistance of you on account of religion, it belongeth unto you to give them a.s.sistance; except against a people between whom and yourselves there shall be a league subsisting: and G.o.d seeth that which ye do.

And as to the infidels let them be deemed of kin the one to the other.

Unless ye do this, there will be a sedition in the earth, and grievous corruption.

But as for them who have believed, and left their country, and have fought for G.o.d's true religion, and who have allowed the prophet a retreat among them, and have a.s.sisted him, these are really believers; they shall receive mercy, and an honourable provision.

And they who have believe since, and have fled their country, and have fought with you, these also are of you. And those who are related by consanguinity shall be deemed the nearest of kin to each other preferably to strangers according to the book of G.o.d; G.o.d knoweth all things.

CHAPTER IX.

ENt.i.tLED, THE DECLARATION OF IMMUNITY; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

A DECLARATION of immunity from G.o.d and his apostle, unto the idolaters, with whom ye have entered into league.

Go to and fro in the earth securely four months; and know that ye shall not weaken G.o.d, and that G.o.d will disgrace the unbelievers.

And a declaration from G.o.d and his apostle unto the people, on the day of the greater pilgrimage, that G.o.d is clear of the idolaters, and his apostle also. Wherefore if ye repent, this will be better for you; but if ye turn back, know that ye shall not weaken G.o.d: and denounce unto those who believe not, a painful punishment.

Except such of the idolaters with whom ye shall have entered into a league, and who afterwards shall not fail you in any instance, nor a.s.sist any other against you. Wherefore perform the covenant which ye shall have made with them, until their time shall be elapsed; for G.o.d loveth those who fear him.

And when the months wherein ye are not allowed to attack them shall be past, kill the idolaters wheresoever ye shall find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lay wait for them in every convenient place.

But if they shall repent, and observe the appointed times of prayer, and pay the legal alms, dismiss them freely: for G.o.d is gracious and merciful.

And if any of the idolaters shall demand protection of thee, grant him protection, that he may hear the word of G.o.d: and afterwards let him reach the place of his security. This shalt thou do, because they are people which know not the excellency of the religion thou preachest.

How shall the idolaters be admitted into a league with G.o.d and with his apostle; except those with whom ye entered into a league at the holy temple?

So long as they behave with fidelity towards you, do ye also behave with fidelity towards them; for G.o.d loveth those who fear him.

How can they be admitted into a league with you, since, if they prevail against you, they will not regard in you either consanguinity or faith? They will please you with their mouths, but their hearts will be averse from you; for the greater part of them are wicked doers.

They sell the signs of G.o.d for a small price, and obstruct his way; it is certainly evil which they do.

10 They regard not in a believer either consanguinity or faith; and these are the transgressors.

Yet if they repent, and observe the appointed times of prayer, and give alms, they shall be deemed your brethren in religion. We distinctly propound our signs unto people who understand.

But if they violate their oaths, after their league, and revile your religion, oppose the leaders of infidelity (for there is no trust in them), that they may desist from their treachery.

Will ye not fight against people who have violated their oaths, and conspired to expel the apostle of G.o.d; and who of their own accord a.s.saulted you the first time? Will ye fear them? But it is more just that ye should fear G.o.d, if ye are true believers.

Attack them therefore; G.o.d shall punish them by your hands, and will cover them with shame, and will give you the victory over them; and he will heal the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the people who believe, and will take away the indignation of their hearts: for G.o.d will be turned unto whom he pleaseth; and G.o.d is knowing and wise.

Did ye imagine that ye should be abandoned, whereas G.o.d did not yet know those among you who fought for his religion, and took not any besides G.o.d, and his apostle, and the faithful for their friends? G.o.d is well acquainted with that which ye do.

It is not fitting that the idolaters should visit the temples of G.o.d, being witnesses against their own souls of their infidelity. The works of these men are vain: and they shall remain in h.e.l.l fire forever.

But he only shall visit the temples of G.o.d, who believeth in G.o.d and the last day, and is constant at prayer, and payeth the legal alms, and feareth G.o.d alone. These perhaps may become of the number of those who are rightly directed.

Do ye reckon the giving drink to the pilgrims, and the visiting of the holy temple, to be actions as meritorious as those performed by him who believeth in G.o.d and the last day, and fighteth for the religion of G.o.d?

They shall not be held equal with G.o.d: for G.o.d directeth not the unrighteous people.

20 They who have believed, and fled their country and employed their substance and their persons in the defence of G.o.d'S true religion, shall be in the highest degree of honour with G.o.d; and these are they who shall be happy.

Their LORD sendeth them good tidings of mercy from him, and good will, and of gardens wherein they shall enjoy lasting pleasure: they shall continue therein forever; for with G.o.d is a great reward.

O true believers, take not your fathers or your brethren for friends, if they love infidelity above faith; and whosoever among you shall take them for his friends, they will be unjust doers.

Say, if your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your relations, and your substance which ye have acquired, and your merchandise which ye apprehend may not be sold off, and your dwellings wherein ye delight, be more dear unto you than G.o.d, and his apostle, and the advancement of his religion; wait until G.o.d shall send his command: for G.o.d directeth not the unG.o.dly people.

Now hath G.o.d a.s.sisted you in many engagements, and particularly at the battle of Honein, when ye pleased yourselves in your mult.i.tude, but it was no manner of advantage unto you, and the earth became too strait for you, notwithstanding it was s.p.a.cious; then did ye retreat, and turn your backs.

Afterwards G.o.d sent down his security upon his apostle and upon the faithful, and sent down troops of angels, which ye saw not; and he punished those who disbelieved; and this was the reward of the unbelievers.

Nevertheless G.o.d will hereafter be turned unto whom he pleaseth; for G.o.d is gracious and merciful.

O true believers, verily the idolaters are unclean; let them not therefore come near unto the holy temple after this year. And if ye fear want, by the cutting off trade and communication with them, G.o.d will enrich you of his abundance, if he pleaseth; for G.o.d is knowing and wise.

Fight against them who believe not in G.o.d, nor the last day, and forbid not that which G.o.d and his apostle have forbidden, and profess not the true religion, of those unto whom the scriptures have been delivered, until they pay tribute by right of subjection, and they be reduced low.

30 The Jews say, Ezra is the son of G.o.d: and the Christians say, Christ is the Son of G.o.d. This is their saying in their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who were unbelievers in former times. May G.o.d resist them. How are they infatuated!

They take their priests and their monks for their lords, besides G.o.d, and Christ the son of Mary; although they are commanded to worship one G.o.d only: there is no G.o.d but he; far be that from him which they a.s.sociate with him!

They seek to extinguish the light of G.o.d with their mouths; but G.o.d willeth no other than to perfect his light, although the infidels be averse thereto.

It is he who hath sent his apostle with the direction, and true religion: that he may cause it to appear superior to every other religion; although the idolaters be averse thereto.

O true believers, verily many of the priests and monks devour the substance of men in vanity, and obstruct the way of G.o.d. But unto those who treasure up gold and silver, and employ it not for the advancement of G.o.d'S true religion, denounce a grievous punishment.

On the day of judgment their treasures shall be intensely heated in the fire of h.e.l.l, and their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs shall be stigmatized therewith; and their tormentors shall say, This is what ye have treasured up for your souls; taste therefore that which ye have treasured up.

Moreover, the complete number of months with G.o.d, is twelve months, which were ordained in the book of G.o.d, on the day whereon he created the heavens and the earth: of these, four are sacred. This is the right religion: therefore deal not unjustly with yourselves therein. But attack the idolaters in all the months, as they attack you in all; and know that G.o.d is with those who fear him.

Verily the transferring of a sacred month to another month, is an additional infidelity. The unbelievers are led into an error thereby: they allow a month to be violated one year, and declare it sacred another year, that they may agree in the number of months which G.o.d hath commanded to be kept sacred; and they allow that which G.o.d hath forbidden. The evil of their actions hath been prepared for them: for G.o.d directeth not the unbelieving people.

O true believers, what ailed you, that when it was said unto you, Go forth to fight for the religion of G.o.d, ye inclined heavily towards the earth? Do ye prefer the present life to that which is to come? But the provision of this life, in respect of that which is to come, is but slender.

Unless ye go forth when ye are summoned to war, G.o.d will punish you with a grievous punishment; and he will place another people in your stead, and ye shall not hurt him at all; for G.o.d is almighty.

40 If ye a.s.sist not the prophet, verily G.o.d will a.s.sist him, as he a.s.sisted him formerly, when the unbelievers drove him out of Mecca, the second of two: when they were both in the cave: when he said unto his companion, Be not grieved, for G.o.d is with us. And G.o.d sent down his security upon him, and strengthened him with armies of angels, whom ye saw not. And he made the word of those who believed not to be abased, and the word of G.o.d was exalted: for G.o.d is mighty and wise.

Go forth to battle, both light and heavy, and employ your substance and your persons for the advancement of G.o.d's religion. This will be better for you, if ye know it.

If it had been a near advantage, and a moderate journey, they had surely followed thee; but the way seemed tedious unto them: and yet they will swear by G.o.d, saying, If we had been able, we had surely gone forth with you. They destroy their own souls; for G.o.d knoweth that they are liars.

G.o.d forgive thee! why didst thou give them leave to stay at home, until they who speak the truth, when they excuse themselves, had become manifested unto thee, and thou hadst known the liars.

They who believe in G.o.d and the last day, will not ask leave of thee to be excused from employing their substance and their persons for the advancement of G.o.d's true religion; and G.o.d knoweth those who fear him.

Verily they only will ask leave of thee to stay behind, who believe not in G.o.d and the last day, and whose hearts doubt concerning the faith: wherefore they are tossed to and fro in their doubting.

If they had been willing to go forth with thee, they had certainly prepared for that purpose a provision of arms and necessaries: but G.o.d was averse to their going forth; wherefore he rendered them slothful, and it was said unto them, Sit ye still with those who sit still.

If they had gone forth with you, they had only been a burden unto you, and had run to and fro between you, stirring you up to sedition; and there would have been some among you, who would have given ear unto them: and G.o.d knoweth the wicked.

They formerly sought to raise a sedition, and they disturbed thy affairs, until the truth came, and the decree of G.o.d was made manifest; although they were adverse thereto.

There is of them who saith unto thee, Give me leave to stay behind, and expose me not to temptation.a Have they not fallen into temptation at home?b But h.e.l.l will surely encompa.s.s the unbelievers.

50 If good happen unto thee, it grieveth them: but if a misfortune befall thee, they say, We ordered our business before;c and they turn their backs, and rejoice at thy mishap.

Say, Nothing shall befall us, but what G.o.d hath decreed for us; he is our patron; and on G.o.d let the faithful trust.

Say, Do ye expect any other should befall us, than one of the two most excellent things; either victory or martyrdom? But we expect concerning you, that G.o.d inflict a punishment on you, either from himself, or by our hands.

Wait, therefore, to see what will be the end of both; for we will wait for you.

Say, Expend your money in pious uses, either voluntarily, or by constraint, it shall not be accepted of you; because ye are wicked people.

And nothing hindereth their contributions from being accepted of them, but that they believe not in G.o.d and his apostle, and perform not the duty of prayer, otherwise than sluggishly; and expend not their money for G.o.d's service, otherwise than unwillingly.

Let not therefore their riches, or their children cause thee to marvel.

Verily G.o.d intendeth only to punish them by these things in this world; and that their souls may depart while they are unbelievers.

They swear by G.o.d that they are of you; yet they are not of you, but are people who stand in fear.

If they find a place of refuge, or caves, or a retreating hole, they surely turn towards the same, and in a headstrong manner, haste thereto.

There is of them also who spreadeth ill reports of thee, in relation to thy distribution of the alms: yet if they receive part thereof, they are well pleased; but if they receive not a part thereof, behold, they are angry.

But if they had been pleased with that which G.o.d and his apostle had given them, and had said, G.o.d is our support; G.o.d will give unto us of his abundance, and his prophet also; verily unto G.o.d do we make our supplications: it would have been more decent.

60 Alms are to be distributed only unto the poor, and the needy, and those who are employed in collecting and distributing the same, and unto those whose hearts are reconciled, and for the redemption of captives, and unto those who are in debt and insolvent, and for the advancement of G.o.d'S religion, and unto the traveller. This is an ordinance from G.o.d: and G.o.d is knowing and wise.

There are some of them who injure the prophet, and say, He is an ear.

Answer, He is an ear of good unto you: he believeth in G.o.d, and giveth credit to the faithful, and is a mercy unto such of you who believe. But they who injure the apostle of G.o.d, shall suffer a painful punishment.

They swear unto you by G.o.d, that they may please you; but it is more just that they should please G.o.d and his apostle, if they are true believers.

Do they not know that he who opposeth G.o.d and his apostle, shall without doubt be punished with the fire of h.e.l.l; and shall remain therein forever?

This will be great ignominy.

The hypocrites are apprehensive lest a Sura should be revealed concerning them, to declare unto them that which is in their hearts. Say unto them, Scoff ye; but G.o.d will surely bring to light that which ye fear should be discovered.

And if thou ask them the reason of this scoffing, they say, Verily we were only engaged in discourse; and jesting among ourselves. Say, Do ye scoff at G.o.d and his signs, and at his apostle?

offer not an excuse: now are ye become infidels, after your faith. If we forgive a part of you, we will punish a part, for that they have been wicked doers.

Hypocritical men and women are the one of them of the other: they command that which is evil, and forbid that which is just, and shut their hands from giving alms. They have forgotten G.o.d; wherefore he hath forgotten them: verily the hypocrites are those who act wickedly.

G.o.d denounceth unto the hypocrites, both men and women, and to the unbelievers, the fire of h.e.l.l; they shall remain therein forever: this will be their sufficient reward; G.o.d hath cursed them, and they shall endure a lasting torment.

As they who have been before you, so are ye. They were superior to you in strength, and had more abundance of wealth and of children; and they enjoyed their portion in this world; and ye also enjoy your portion here, as they who have preceded you enjoyed their portion. And ye engage yourselves in vain discourses, like unto those wherein they engaged themselves. The works of these are vain both in this world and in that which is to come; and these are they who perish.

70 Have they not been acquainted with the history of those who have been before them? of the people of Noah, and of Ad, and of Thamud, and of the people of Abraham, and of the inhabitants of Madian, and of the cities which were overthrown? Their apostles came unto them with evident demonstrations: and G.o.d was not disposed to treat them unjustly; but they dealt unjustly with their own souls.