Surah Baqarah
Contents
A.L.M. [2:1]
This is the Book, without doubt, in it guidance for the conscientious, [2:2]
those who believe in the unseen, who practice regular prayer, and who give of what We have provided them; [2:3]
and those who believe in what was revealed to you, and what was revealed before you, and who are certain of the Hereafter. [2:4]
They follow guidance from their Lord; and they are the successful ones. [2:5]
As for those who scoff, it is the same to them whether you warn them or not— they do not believe. [2:6]
God has sealed their hearts, and their hearing and their seeing are covered over; and there is a horrendous torment for them. [2:7]
And there are people who say, “We believe in God and the Last Day,” but they do not believe. [2:8]
They try to deceive God and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, without being aware. [2:9]
In their hearts is sickness, and God has made them sicker; and in store for them is painful torture, because they have been lying. [2:10]
And when they are told not to make trouble on earth, they say, “We are only reformers.” [2:11]
Is it not they who are the troublemakers, even if unaware? [2:12]
And when they are told to believe as the people do, they say, “Shall we believe as the foolish do?” Are they themselves not the fools, and yet they do not know? [2:13]
And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe,” but when they’re alone with their devils they say, “We are in fact with you— we were only fooling!” [2:14]
God mocks them, and lets them go on wandering in their excesses. [2:15]
They are those who purchase error at the cost of guidance; so their trade does not profit them, and they are not guided. [2:16]
What they are like is one who lit a fire, and when all around was illumined, God took their light and left them in darkness, unseeing; [2:17]
deaf, dumb, and blind, and not returning. [2:18]
Or like rain clouds from the sky, containing darkness, thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers in their ears from the thunderbolts, in fear of death. But God surrounds the scoffers. [2:19]
The lightning nearly dazzles their eyes. Every time it shines on them, they walk therein; and when it grows dark over them, they stand still. And if God willed, God would have taken away their hearing and their seeing. For God has power over everything. [2:20]
O humanity! Serve your Lord, Who created you and those before you, that you may be conscientious; [2:21]
the One Who has made the earth a couch for you, and the sky a roof, and showered water from the sky and brought forth fruits thereby, sustenance for you. So do not set up rivals to God, for now you know. [2:22]
And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then bring a verse like it; and call on your witnesses beside God, if you are truthful. [2:23]
But if you do not —and you won’t— then beware the fire whose fuel is human beings and stones, prepared for those who scoff. [2:24]
And gladden those who believe and do good works, with the news that there are gardens for them, beneath which rivers flow; whenever they are provided with fruit therefrom as sustenance, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before,” and they will be given it as a similitude; and they will have pure mates, and there they will abide. [2:25]
For God is not ashamed to coin a likeness, be it a gnat or anything above. Those who believe know it is a truth from their Lord, while those who scoff say, “What did God intend by this likeness?” God deludes many thereby, and guides many thereby; and God deludes no one thereby but the dissolute— [2:26]
those who violate the charge of God after agreement on it, and sever what God commanded to be joined, and sow dissension on earth; they are the losers. [2:27]
How can you deny God, when you were dead and God gave you life? Then God will cause you to die, and then revive you, and then you will be returned to God. [2:28]
It is God who created for you all that is on the earth, then turned to the heights and fashioned them into seven heavens. And God knows all things. [2:29]
When your Lord said to the angels, “I will place a deputy on earth,” they said, “Will You put there one who will cause trouble there, and shed blood? And this while we extol Your praise and we worship You?” God said, “I do know what you do not know.” [2:30]
And God taught Adam all names, then set them forth to the angels and said, “Tell Me these names, if you are truthful.” [2:31]
They said, “Glory to You! We have no knowledge but what You have taught us. It is You who are the knowing, the wise.” [2:32]
God said, “Adam, tell them the names.” And when he had told them the names, God said, “Did I not say to you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have been hiding.” [2:33]
And when We told the angels to bow to Adam, they bowed; except Iblis —the One who Despaired; he refused, showing arrogance; and he was a scoffer. [2:34]
And We said, “Adam, dwell in the garden, you and your wife, and eat from it comfortably, when and as you want. But do not approach this particular tree, lest you become wrongdoers.” [2:35]
Then Satan made the two slip from there, and caused them to depart the state they were in. And We said, “Descend, in mutual antipathy; yet you will have an abode and belongings on earth for a while.” [2:36]
Then Adam learned words from his Lord, Who forgave him; for God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:37]
We said, “Go down from there, all of you! Yet if guidance does come to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance will have nothing to fear and will not sorrow. [2:38]
“As for those who scoff and repudiate Our signs, they are inmates of hellfire, wherein they remain.” [2:39]
O Children of Israel! Remember My blessing, with which I have blessed you. And I fulfill My promise; fulfill your promise. And let it be Me that you fear. [2:40]
And believe in what I revealed to you, verifying what you have; and do not be the first to reject it. And do not sell My signs for a petty price; and be mindful of Me. [2:41]
And do not cover truth with falsehood, and do not conceal truth knowingly. [2:42]
And pray regularly, and give alms, and bow down with those who bow. [2:43]
Do you order people to be pious while forgetting yourselves, even though you read the Book? Do you not understand? [2:44]
And seek help by patience and prayer, though that is formidable but for the humble, [2:45]
those who believe they are to meet their Lord, that there is where their destiny leads. [2:46]
O Children of Israel! Remember My blessing, with which I have blessed you; and that I have favored you above all nations. [2:47]
And beware of a day when no soul can compensate for another soul, for anything; and no intercession will be accepted from one, and no ransom will be taken from one; and they will not be helped. [2:48]
And when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with wretched torment, massacring your sons and taking your daughters alive, in that was a tremendous trial from your Lord. [2:49]
And when We parted the sea for you, We rescued you while We drowned Pharaoh’s people before your very eyes. [2:50]
And when We appointed Moses forty nights, you took to worshipping a calf while he was gone, and you were doing wrong. [2:51]
Then We pardoned you after that, so you might be grateful. [2:52]
And We gave Moses the Book and the Criterion, that you might be guided. [2:53]
Moses said to his people, “O my people! You have wronged your own souls by worshipping the calf! So turn to your Creator, and kill your egos; that is better for you in the sight of your Creator, who will turn toward you, being most relenting and merciful.” [2:54]
And when you said, “Moses, we will not believe you until we see God manifest,” the thunderbolt hit you even as you watched. [2:55]
Then We resurrected you after your death, to give you a chance to be grateful. [2:56]
And We shaded you with clouds, and sent you manna and quail— “Eat of the good things We have provided you.” And they did not oppress Us— it was, rather, their own souls that they were oppressing. [2:57]
And We said, “Enter this city, and eat of its abundance as you wish; but enter the door humbly, and say, ‘Pardon.’ We will forgive your errors, and We will enhance those who do good.” [2:58]
Then wrongdoers changed the word from what was said to them; so We sent a plague from the sky upon the wrongdoers, because of their wicked behavior. [2:59]
When Moses sought water for his people, We said, “Strike the earth with your staff,” and twelve springs flowed from it. Each tribe already knew its watering place. Eat and drink of sustenance from God, without becoming corrupt and doing evil on earth. [2:60]
Then when you said, “Moses, we cannot bear to live on one food; so entreat your Lord for us, to produce for us some products of the earth; herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions,” he said, “Would you substitute worse for better? Go down into a city, and you can have what you ask for.” And they were struck with abasement and impoverishment; they brought the wrath of God on themselves. That is because they scoffed at the signs of God, and killed the messengers unjustly. That is because they rebelled and habitually overstepped bounds. [2:61]
The Muslims, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians, any who believe in God and the last day and do good have their reward with their Lord. There is nothing for them to fear; they will not sorrow. [2:62]
We took your covenant and raised Mount Sinai over you. Grasp what We have given you firmly, and remember what is in it, that you may be conscientious. [2:63]
Then you turned your backs after that; and had it not been for the grace and mercy of God to you, you would have been lost. [2:64]
And you did in fact know those of you who violated the Sabbath. We said to them, “Go ahead and be apes, ostracized.” [2:65]
And We made it an example for its time and thereafter, and a lesson for the conscientious. [2:66]
And when Moses told his people, “God commands you to sacrifice a cow,” they said, “Would you make us a laughing-stock?” Moses said, “I take refuge in God from being an ignoramus.” [2:67]
They said, “Pray to your Lord for us, to clarify for us what this is to be.” He said, “God says it is to be a cow neither old nor young, but in between; now do what you are commanded.” [2:68]
They said, “Pray to your Lord for us, to make clear to us what color it is to be.” He said, “God says it is to be a yellow heifer, pleasing to those who see it.” [2:69]
They said, “Pray to your Lord for us, to clarify for us what it is to be; for all cows seem alike to us. If God wills, we shall be guided.” [2:70]
He said, “God says it is to be a cow not trained to plow the earth or water the fields, one that is sound and has no blotches.” They said, “Now you have brought truth,” and they sacrificed her, though they were not going to do it. [2:71]
And when you killed someone, you contested each other about it. But God brought out what you were hiding. [2:72]
So We said, “Strike him with a piece of it.” Thus does God enliven the dead, and show you signs of the divine, that you may understand. [2:73]
Then your hearts hardened after that, as hard as stone, or even harder. For there are some rocks from which rivers flow, and some from which water comes when split; and some sink with fear of God. And God is not heedless of what you do. [2:74]
Do you then hope that they will believe in you, when a faction of them hear the word of God and then knowingly pervert it after understanding it? [2:75]
When they meet believers, they say, “We believe,” but when some of them are alone with others they say, “Shall you tell them of what God has revealed to you, that they may dispute you about it before your Lord? Don’t you understand?” [2:76]
Do they not know that God knows what they conceal and what they reveal? [2:77]
And among them are illiterates who do not know the Book, only wishes, and who merely conjecture. [2:78]
So woe to those who write scripture by themselves then say it is from God in order to sell it for a petty price. Woe to them for what they have written on their own; and woe to them for what they earn. [2:79]
Yet they say, “The fire will not touch us, except for a limited time.” Say, “Have you gotten a promise from God? For God never breaks a divine promise. Or are you saying something of God that you do not know?” [2:80]
Oh, no! Those who gain wrongly and whose sins surround them are denizens of hellfire, wherein they remain. [2:81]
But those who believe and do good works are the company of paradise, wherein they abide. [2:82]
We took the promise of the Children of Israel— “Do not worship anything but God; and be good to parents, relatives, orphans, and the poor; and speak nicely to people, and pray regularly, and give alms.” Then you reneged, except a few of you, leaving it unfulfilled. [2:83]
And We took your promise that you would not shed the blood of your own, and not drive your own from your homes. Subsequently you confirmed it, as you yourselves attest. [2:84]
Then you kill your own, and drive a group of your own from their homes; you conspire against them with iniquity and hostility. And if they come to you as captives, you buy them back, though it was forbidden to you to drive them out. Is it that you believe in some of the Book, yet disbelieve in some of it? What is the reward for those of you who do that, other than disgrace in life in the world? On the day of resurrection, they will be returned to the most intense torment. For God is not heedless of what you do. [2:85]
They are the ones who take the life of this world in exchange for the Hereafter; so their torment will not be eased, and they will not be delivered. [2:86]
We gave Moses the Book, and We had messengers follow up after him. And We gave Jesus Son of Mary clear proofs and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever a messenger comes to you with what your selves do not like, you are scornful? Some of them you called liars, some of them you killed. [2:87]
They say, “Our hearts are a container.” But God has cursed them for their ingratitude, as they hardly have faith. [2:88]
When a Book from God has come to them confirming the truth of what they have, and they had earlier been seeking divine assistance against those who scoffed, when there came to them, that is, something they recognized, they repudiated it. And the curse of God is on scoffers. [2:89]
Wretched is that for which they have sold their souls, that they would disbelieve in what God has revealed, too conceited to admit that God may cause divine blessing to descend upon any devotees that God wills. Thus they bring wrath upon wrath down upon themselves; and there is a humiliating punishment for those who scoff. [2:90]
And when they are told, “Believe in what God has revealed,” they say, “We believe in what was revealed to us,” and disbelieve in anything else, even if it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, “Why have you killed the prophets of God before, if you are believers?” [2:91]
Moses came to you with clear proofs, yet you adopted the calf after that, and you were in the wrong. [2:92]
And remember We took your promise, and We raised Mount Sinai over you: Grasp firmly what We have given you, and listen. They said, “We hear and disobey!” And they were induced to imbibe the cult of the calf into their hearts by their ingratitude and infidelity. Say, “Wretched is that which your faith commands you, if you are believers.” [2:93]
Say, “If the final home with God is for you alone and no one else, then you would desire death if you were sincere.” [2:94]
But they will never desire death, because of the consequences of their deeds; and God knows the ones who do wrong. [2:95]
You will find them, indeed, the most eager of people for life, even more than atheists. Each of them wishes he could live a thousand years; but to be granted long life will not distance him from retribution. For God sees what they do. [2:96]
Say: Whoever is hostile to Gabriel, who revealed this to your heart by God’s leave, confirming what preceded it, as guidance and good news for believers, [2:97]
whoever is hostile to God and God’s angels and messengers, and Gabriel and Michael, God is hostile to the ungrateful. [2:98]
We have revealed clear signs to you, and no one rejects them but the immoral. [2:99]
And is it not a fact that every time they make a covenant, a faction of them rejects it? Actually, most of them do not believe. [2:100]
And when a messenger from God came to them confirming what was with them, a faction of those to whom the Book was given threw the Book of God behind them, as if they did not know. [2:101]
And they followed what the devils declared against Solomon’s power; but Solomon was not unfaithful— it was the devils who were unfaithful, teaching humankind magic and what was revealed to the two angels Harut and Marut in Babylon. Yet the two never taught anyone before having said, “We are only a trial; so do not be unfaithful.” But they learned from the two what causes division between man and wife. And yet they could hurt no one thereby except by God’s leave. They learned what would harm them and not benefit them. Yet they knew whoever bought it had no share in the hereafter; and wretched is the price indeed for which they sold their souls, if only they knew. [2:102]
Had they been faithful and conscientious, the reward from God would surely have been better. If only they knew. [2:103]
Believers, do not demand attention insultingly, but ask for a hearing, and listen. There is a painful torment in store for the scoffers. [2:104]
The unfaithful among the people of the Book, and the polytheists too, do not wish that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord. But God chooses to bestow divine mercy on anyone at will; and God is the possessor of bountiful grace. [2:105]
We do not cancel any sign, or cause it to be forgotten, unless We bring one better, or its equivalent. Did you not know that God has ultimate power over all things? [2:106]
Did you not know that God has dominion over the heavens and the earth? And you have no protector and no savior but God. [2:107]
Do you want to question your messenger as Moses was questioned before? Whoever exchanges faith for disbelief has deviated from the straight path. [2:108]
Many of the people of the Book wish they could drive you back to rejection after you have come to belief, out of egotistic envy, after the truth was made known to them. But forgive and pardon, until God brings the divine order; for God has ultimate power over all things. [2:109]
And pray regularly, and give alms; whatever you send forth for your souls, you will find it with God; for God sees whatever you do. [2:110]
They say none but Jews or Christians will enter paradise; that is their wish. Say, “Produce your proof, if you are truthful.” [2:111]
Surely anyone who surrenders his being to God and is a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord And there will be no fear upon them, and they will not sorrow. [2:112]
The Jews say the Christians have no authority, while the Christians say the Jews have no authority; even though they recite the Book. Thus do the ignorant talk the way they do. But God will judge between them on the day of resurrection in respect to that wherein they differ. [2:113]
And who is more unjust than one who forbids the remembrance of God’s name in places for worship of God, and who strives to lay them waste? They were not to enter them but in fear. They are disgraced in this world and tortured in the next. [2:114]
To God belongs the East and the West; and wheresoever you turn, there is the Presence of God. For God is omnipresent and omniscient. [2:115]
They say God has begotten a son. Glory be to Him! But everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to God; everything is obedient to God, [2:116]
Creator of the heavens and the earth, who on having determined something, simply says to it “Be!” and it is. [2:117]
Those who do not know say, “Why does God not speak to us, or a sign come to us?” Thus did those before them speak similar words; their hearts are alike. We have made the signs clear to people who know for sure. [2:118]
We have sent you with the truth, as a bringer of good news and a warner. You will not be questioned about the inmates of hellfire. [2:119]
The Jews and the Christians will never accept you until you follow their religion. Say, “It is guidance from God that is guidance.” If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have no protector from God, and no one to save you. [2:120]
Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it really is to be read; they believe in it. And if any repudiate it, then they are the losers. [2:121]
O Children of Israel, remember My blessing, which I bestowed on you; and that I have favored you over all people. [2:122]
And be wary of a day when no soul can compensate for another soul, and no compromise will be accepted from it, and no intercession will avail it, and they will not be helped. [2:123]
Remember how his Lord tested Abraham by a decree, which he fulfilled. God said, “I will make you a leader of humanity.” Abraham said, “And my posterity?” God said, “My promise does not apply to wrongdoers.” [2:124]
And We made the House a place of gathering for humanity, and security. And take the station of Abraham as a place of prayer. We commanded Abraham and Ishmael that they should purify My House for those who circumambulate, and those who keep retreat, and those who bow down in worship. [2:125]
And Abraham said, “My Lord, make this a secure city; and feed its people with fruits, whoever of them believe in God and the last day.” [God] said, “And whoever disbelieves, I will let him enjoy life a little, then drive him into the torment of the fire, a miserable destination.” [2:126]
Abraham raised the foundations of the House with Ishmael: “Our Lord, accept this from us; for You are all-hearing, all-knowing. [2:127]
“And make us submissive to You, our Lord, and make our descendants a people submissive to You. And show us our places for rituals, and be relenting toward us, for you are most relenting, most merciful. [2:128]
“And send them a messenger from among them, who will declare Your signs to them, and teach them scripture and wisdom, and purify them: for You are most powerful, most wise.” [2:129]
And who is averse to the religion of Abraham except those who make fools of themselves? We chose him in this world, and he will be among the perfect in the hereafter. [2:130]
When his Lord said to him, “Surrender,” he said, “I surrender to the Lord of the universe.” [2:131]
And Abraham enjoined his sons to do so, as did Jacob: “O my sons! God has chosen religion for you, so that you should not die without being acquiescent.” [2:132]
Were you witness when death came to Jacob? He said to his sons, “What will you worship after my passing?” They said, “We will worship your God, the God of your fathers— Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac— One God, to whom we have surrendered.” [2:133]
That was a people that has passed away: they will get what they earned, and you will get what you earned. And you will not be questioned about what they used to do. [2:134]
They say, “Become Jews or Christians, and you will be guided.” Say, “But the religion of Abraham is rightly oriented; he was not an idolater.” [2:135]
Say, “We believe in God, and what was revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We do not make a distinction between any of them; we acquiesce to God.” [2:136]
So if they believe as you believe, they have already been guided; but if they turn away, then it is they alone who are being separatist. So God will suffice you against them; and God is all-hearing, all-knowing. [2:137]
Here is baptism from God; and who is better at baptism than God? And we are devotees of God. [2:138]
Say, “Do you dispute with us about God, even though God is our Lord and your Lord too, and we are responsible for our acts while you are responsible for your acts, and we are sincere to God? [2:139]
“Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes were Jews or Christians?” Say, “Do you know better, or does God?” And who is more wrong than those who conceal the testimony they have from God? God is not heedless of what you do! [2:140]
That was a people that has passed away; they will get what they earned, and you will get what you earned. And you will not be questioned about what they used to do. [2:141]
Ignorant people will say, “What has turned them from the direction of prayer to which they were accustomed?” Say, “To God belong the East and the West: God guides to a straight path whomever God wills.” [2:142]
Thus We have made you a centered nation, that you may be witnesses to humanity, and the messenger a witness to you. And We only established the direction of prayer to which you had been accustomed that We might know those who follow the messenger from those who turn back on their heels. It was indeed an enormity, except to those God has guided. And God would not let your faith die; for God is compassionate and merciful to humanity. [2:143]
We see the turning of your face to the sky; so We will turn you to a direction of prayer that you will find pleasing. Turn your face to the sacred mosque: wherever you are, turn your faces in its direction. Those to whom scripture has been given will know that this is the truth from their Lord. And God is not heedless of what they do. [2:144]
Even if you brought all the signs to those who’ve been given scripture, they would not follow your direction of prayer. And you are not a follower of their direction of prayer; and they are not followers of each other’s direction of prayer. If you were to follow their desires after knowledge has come to you, you would certainly be in the wrong. [2:145]
Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them do conceal the truth, even though they know. [2:146]
The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. [2:147]
Everyone has an aim, to which God gives direction; so preserve everything good. Wherever you are, God will bring you together. For God has power over everything. [2:148]
Wherever you start out from, turn your face to the direction of the sacred mosque. This is the truth from your Lord; God is not heedless of what you do. [2:149]
Wherever you set out from, turn your face toward the direction of the sacred mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces in that direction, that the people have no cause of dispute against you, except those of them who have gone wrong. So do not fear them, but fear Me, that I may complete My favor to you, and that you may accept guidance: [2:150]
as We have sent to you a messenger from among you, who recites Our signs to you and purifies you and teaches you scripture and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. [2:151]
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me. [2:152]
O believers, seek help with patience and prayer; for God is with the patient. [2:153]
And do not say of those who are killed in the way of God that they are dead. No—they are alive, although you do not perceive. [2:154]
We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of possessions, persons, or crops. But give good news to the patient, [2:155]
those who say, when calamity afflicts them, “We belong to God, and to God we return.” [2:156]
They are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy; and they are the ones who are guided. [2:157]
Note that the mountains Safa and Marwa are among the emblems of God: so whoever makes the seasonal pilgrimage to the House, or an off-season pilgrimage, it is not held against anyone if he circles them both. And if anyone willingly does what is good, God is appreciative and cognizant. [2:158]
As for those who conceal the evidences and the guidance We have sent down, after We made them clear to humanity in scripture, God curses them, and those who can curse them; [2:159]
except those who repent and make amends, and clarify; then I turn to them. And I am most relenting, most merciful. [2:160]
As for those who scoff and die scoffers, on them is the curse of God, of the angels, and of all humanity. [2:161]
They will remain in that condition; and the torment will not be eased for them, and they will not be given respite. [2:162]
For your God is one God; there is no deity besides the Benevolent, the Merciful. [2:163]
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity, and the water God sends down from the sky, with which God enlivens the earth after its death, and distributes all kinds of animals thereupon; and the coursing of the winds, and the clouds employed between sky and earth, surely there are signs for people who discern. [2:164]
Yet among the people are those who take to idols instead of God, loving them as God should be loved. But those who believe are stronger in love for God. And if those who’ve gone wrong could see, when they saw the penalty; they’d see all power is God’s, and that God is severe in punishment. [2:165]
Then those who are followed would free themselves from those who follow, and would see the penalty; and all connections would be cut off by them. [2:166]
And those who followed would say, “If only we had a chance, we would free ourselves from them as they freed themselves from us.” Thus will God show them their deeds, as sorrows to them. And they will not be getting out of the fire. [2:167]
O people, eat of what is lawful and good on the earth; and do not follow the footsteps of Satan, for he is an open enemy to you. [2:168]
He only commands you what is evil and shameful, and that you should say of God what you do not know. [2:169]
And when they are told to follow what God has revealed, they say, “No, we will follow what we found our fathers doing.” Even if their fathers did not understand anything and were unguided? [2:170]
What those who scoff are like is one who calls to those who hear nothing but cries and shouts. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they do not understand. [2:171]
Believers, eat of the good things We have provided for you, and be grateful to God, if it is God that you worship. [2:172]
God has only forbidden you carrion, and blood, and the flesh of the swine, and that over which other than God has been invoked. But there is no transgression or blame on those who are compelled by necessity, without wanting to or going too far. For God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:173]
As for those who conceal what God has revealed in scripture and exchange it for a trifle, they will consume nothing but fire, and God will not talk to them on the day of resurrection, and will not purify them; and they will have a painful punishment. [2:174]
They are those who exchange guidance for error, and forgiveness for punishment; and how they will suffer in the fire! [2:175]
That is because God revealed scripture in truth, and those who differ on scripture are profoundly estranged. [2:176]
Righteousness is not that you should turn your faces to the East and the West; rather, the righteous are those who believe in God and the last day, and the angels and scripture and prophets; and who give material gifts out of love for God, even of what they care for, to relatives and orphans, and the poor and the traveler and the needy, and for the purpose of liberating the enslaved; and who pray regularly and give alms; and who fulfill their promises when they promise; and those who are patient in misfortune, affliction, and hard times: they are the ones who confirm the truth, and they are the conscientious. [2:177]
Believers, requital is prescribed for you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if anyone is forgiven anything by his brother, let fairness be observed, and goodly compensation. That is a concession from your Lord, and a mercy. So for anyone who transgresses after that there is a painful punishment. [2:178]
There is life for you in requital, you who are reasonable, so you may be conscientious. [2:179]
It is prescribed for you, when death comes to one of you, if he leaves any goods, that the legacy go to his parents and next of kin, as is fair, as appropriate for the conscientious. [2:180]
And if anyone changes it after having heard it, the guilt is on those who change it; for God is all-hearing and all-knowing. [2:181]
But if anyone fears bias or wrongdoing from the testator and reconciles the parties, there is no wrongdoing on his part; for God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:182]
O believers, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may be conscientious. [2:183]
It is for a determined number of days. But if any of you is sick, or on a journey, then the prescribed term is to be from other days. And a ransom is incumbent upon those who are able, the feeding of a pauper. But if anyone willingly does even better, then that is better for him; yet it is better for you to fast, if you only knew. [2:184]
The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur’an was revealed, as guidance for humanity, and demonstrations in the way of guidance and discrimination. So whoever among you is present that month should fast. If anyone is ill or on a journey, then the prescribed term is to be from other days. God wishes ease for you, not hardship; and that you fulfill the prescribed terms, and that you celebrate God for guiding you; and that you may be grateful. [2:185]
When My servants ask you about Me, I am close indeed—I hearken to the prayer of the supplicant when one calls on Me; so let them hearken to Me, and let them believe in Me, that they may go the right way. [2:186]
It is permitted for you to make love with your wives on a night of the fast: they are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. God knows you used to cheat yourselves, yet God turned to you and pardoned you. So be intimate with them now, and seek what God has prescribed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct from the black thread, from the dawn. Then fast completely until night. And do not make love to women when you are in retreat in the mosque. Those are the limits ordained by God, so do not approach them then. Thus does God make divine models clear to humanity, that they may be conscientious. [2:187]
And do not consume your wealth among yourselves in vanity, or use it to bribe judges so you can unjustly but knowingly consume some of the people’s wealth. [2:188]
They ask you about the new moons: Say they are timetables for people, and for the pilgrimage. And there is no virtue in entering houses from the rear; rather, the virtuous one is the one who is conscientious. So go into houses by way of their doors; and be wary of God, that you may thrive. [2:189]
And fight for the sake of God those who fight you; but do not be brutal or commit aggression, for God does not love brutal aggressors. [2:190]
And kill them wherever you catch them, and drive them from where they drove you; for civil war is more violent than execution. But do not fight them in the precincts of the sacred mosque, unless they fight you there. If they fight you, then kill them; such is the reward of the scoffers. [2:191]
But if they stop, God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:192]
And fight them until there is no more strife, and there is the religion of God. And if they stop, then let there be no hostility, except against wrongdoers. [2:193]
The sacred month for the sacred month and retribution for the taboos; if anyone is aggressive toward you, then you be aggressive toward him, with the equivalent of his aggression toward you. But be conscious of God, and know that God is with the conscientious. [2:194]
And spend for the sake of God, and do not invest in ruin by your own hands. And do good; for God loves those who do good. [2:195]
And fulfill the major and minor pilgrimages to God. But if you are prevented from doing so, then substitute a convenient sacrifice. And do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice. And if any of you is ill or has an affliction of the head, let him compensate with fasting, charity, or sacrifice. When you are secure, anyone who consummates the minor pilgrimage with the major pilgrimage is to make a convenient sacrifice; but if one cannot obtain the wherewithal, then one is to fast for three days during the major pilgrimage, and seven when you return— that is, ten days in all. That is for those whose household is not near the sacred mosque. And be conscious of God, and know that God is severe in punishment. [2:196]
There are predetermined months for the major pilgrimage: so if any decide upon the pilgrimage then, let there be no obscenity or iniquity; and let there be no contention on the pilgrimage. And whatever good you may do, God knows it. And provide for the journey, even though the best provision is conscientiousness. So be conscious of Me, you who are intelligent. [2:197]
It is no crime for you to seek bounty from your Lord. When you pour from Arafat, the Place of Recognition, remembrance God at the sacred shrine; and remember God as God has guided you in spite of your having been lost before that. [2:198]
Then pour out from where the people pour, and ask forgiveness of God; for God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:199]
And when you have completed your rites, remembrance God as you used to remembrance your ancestors, but with more intense recollection. There are people who say, “Our Lord, give to us in this life,” and have no part in the hereafter. [2:200]
Yet there are some who say, “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the hereafter; and keep us from the torment of the fire.” [2:201]
For them is a portion of what they have earned; and God is quick to account. [2:202]
And remembrance God during the appointed days. But there is no blame on anyone who hurries off in two days, and no blame on anyone who stays longer, if he is conscientious. Be conscious of God, and know you will be gathered unto God. [2:203]
There is a kind of person whose talk about the life of the world pleases you, and he calls God to witness about what is in his heart, and he is the most argumentative in disputation; [2:204]
and when he is empowered he strives to do violence on earth, destroying the crops and livestock. But God does not love violence. [2:205]
Yet when he is told to be conscious of God, pride drives him to crime; so hell is enough for him. And what a miserable place to rest! [2:206]
There is also a kind of person who dedicates himself to trying to please God. And God is kind to devotees. [2:207]
O believers, enter wholly into peace, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan, for he is an open enemy to you. [2:208]
And if you slip after proofs come to you, know that God is powerful and wise. [2:209]
Do they expect the matter to be settled only if God comes to them in a canopy of clouds, and the angels too? All things derive from God. [2:210]
Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We gave them. If anyone exchanges the favor of God after it has come to him, surely God is severe in punishment. [2:211]
The life of the world has been made to appear pleasing to atheists, and they ridicule believers; but the conscientious will be above them on the day of resurrection. And God provides for whomever God will, without measure. [2:212]
Humanity used to be one community: and God sent messengers bringing good news and warning; and God sent with them scripture with truth, in order to judge between people regarding that wherein they differed. But they did not differ among themselves about it, except those to whom it was given, after proofs came to them, out of mutual envy. God guided the believers to that part of truth whereon they differed by divine permission. And God guides whom God will to a straight path. [2:213]
Or do you suppose you will enter paradise without there having happened to you the likes of what happened to those who passed away before you? Misery and distress befell them, and they were so shaken that the messenger and those who believed with him said, “When will God’s help come?” Ah, but the help of God is near! [2:214]
They ask you, “What shall we spend?” Say, “Whatever you spend of good is for parents and kin, the orphaned and the needy, and the traveler. And whatever good you do, God knows all about it.” [2:215]
Fighting is prescribed for you, even if it is abhorrent to you. It may be that you dislike something that is good for you, and it may be that you like something that is bad for you. God knows and you do not know. [2:216]
They ask you about fighting in the sacred month. Say, “Fighting then is an atrocity; but more atrocious to God is blocking the way to the path of God, denying God, preventing access to the sacred mosque, and driving out its people. And persecution is worse than killing. They will not stop fighting you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can. And any among you who turn back from their religion and die as atheists, their acts will be fruitless in the world and the hereafter; and they are the inmates of hellfire, where they remain. [2:217]
As for those who believed, and those who went into exile and struggled in the cause of God, they look forward to the mercy of God; and God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:218]
They ask you about wine and betting. Say, “There is great sin in them, and also advantages for people; but their sin is greater than their advantage.” And they ask you what they should spend. Say, “The surplus.” Thus does God clarify the signs for you, so that you may reflect, [2:219]
in the world and the hereafter. And they ask you about orphans. Say, “Improvement for them is best; and if you get involved with them, they are your brethren. And God knows the spoilers from those who bring about improvement. And God would have ruined you with hardship, if God wished; for God is most powerful, most wise.” [2:220]
And do not marry idolatrous women, until they believe. And a maidservant who believes is better than an idolatrous woman, even one who pleases you. And do not give in marriage to idolatrous men, until they believe. And in fact a bondsman who believes is better than an idolatrous man, even one who pleases you. They call to hellfire, while God calls to the garden of paradise, and forgiveness, by divine permission. And God clarifies the divine signs to humankind, so that they may remember. [2:221]
They also ask you about menstruation. Say, “It hurts, so leave women alone during their period, and do not approach them until they are clean. Then when they have washed themselves, you may come to them any way God has directed you. For God loves the contrite, and loves those who keep clean.” [2:222]
Your wives are a field of yours; so come to your field as you wish, but do something for the good of your souls beforehand And be conscious of God, and know that you are going to meet God. And give good tidings to the believers. [2:223]
And do not make God an excuse for oaths of yours that would inhibit your being charitable, or being conscientious, or reconciling people: God is all-hearing, all-knowing. [2:224]
God does not hold you responsible for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but God does hold you responsible for what your hearts have sought. Yet God is forgiving and clement. [2:225]
Those who vow to abstain from their wives are to wait four months: then if they go back, God is most forgiving, most merciful. [2:226]
But if they have resolved to divorce, God is all-hearing and all-knowing. [2:227]
And divorced women shall wait on their own account for three menstrual periods. And it is not permitted for them to conceal what God has created in their wombs, if they believe in God and the last day. And their husbands are more entitled to have them back during that time, if they want reconciliation. And the rights of the females are as their responsibilities, while the men have a rank above them. And God is most mighty, most wise. [2:228]
The divorce can be done twice: then the choice is either to keep the marriage amicably, or to dissolve it charitably. And it is not permitted for you men to take anything from what you gave the women, except when both fear they could not abide by the boundaries delineated by God. And if you fear they could not abide by the boundaries delineated by God, then there is no blame on the couple if she sacrifices something for her freedom. These are the boundaries delineated by God; so do not overstep them. Those who overstep the boundaries delineated by God are the ones acting unjustly. [2:229]
And if a man divorces a woman, she is not lawful to him afterwards until she marries another husband. Then if the latter divorces her, then there is no blame on the former couple if they return to each other, if they think they can abide by the boundaries delineated by God. And those are the boundaries delineated by God, who makes them clear to people who discern. [2:230]
When you have divorced women and they have reached their term, then either keep them amicably or let them go amicably. And do not keep them by violence, to brutalize them; whoever does that has wronged his own soul. And do not take the signs of God for a joke: remember God’s favor to you, and the fact that God has revealed scripture and wisdom to you to instruct you. Be conscious of God, and know that God is perfectly aware of everything. [2:231]
When you have divorced women and they have reached their term, then you must not prevent them from marrying their former husbands when they agree between themselves fairly. Thereby is advised any one of you who believes in God and the last day. That is more righteous and purer for you. And God knows, whereas you do not know. [2:232]
Mothers shall nurse their children for two whole years, for those who wish to complete the nursing. And it is the responsibility of the father to provide them food and clothing properly. No soul is burdened beyond its capacity. No mother is to be hurt on account of a child of hers, and no father on account of a child of his. And the responsibility of an heir is like that. Now then, if a couple desire weaning, by mutual consent, and consultation, there is no blame on them. And if you seek wet nurses for your children, there is no blame, as long as you pay them fairly. And be conscious of God, and know that God sees what you do. [2:233]
When any of you die leaving widows, they are to wait on their own account for four months and ten days; then when they have reached their term, there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves properly. And God is fully aware of what you do. [2:234]
There is no blame on you if you hint at betrothal to women, or keep it to yourself. God knows you will be thinking of them, but do not make arrangements with them secretly, unless you speak honorably. And do not resolve on the tie of marriage until the prescribed term is reached. And know that God knows what is in your souls, so be wary of God, but know that God is most forgiving, most clement. [2:235]
There is no blame on you if you divorce women you have not touched, or have not allotted a share of your estate; but compensate them, the affluent one according to his means and the straitened according to his means, with a fair compensation, as incumbent on those who do good. [2:236]
And if you divorce them before you have touched them, but you have already allotted them a share, give them half of what you allotted, unless they abstain, or else the one in whose hand is the tie of marriage defers it all. And for you to defer it all is closer to conscientiousness. And do not forget generosity between you. For God sees what you do. [2:237]
Keep the prayers, including the middle prayer; and remain receptive to God. [2:238]
If you are in fear, then pray on foot, or riding; then when you are safe, remember God as God has taught you, which you did not know. [2:239]
And those of you who die leaving widows are to provide a legacy for their widows to support them for a year, unless they move out. And if they move out, there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves, if it is proper. And God is most mighty, most wise. [2:240]
And there is to be fair support for divorced women, incumbent upon the conscientious. [2:241]
Thus does God make clear to you the signs of God; so that you may understand. [2:242]
Did you not see those who left their homes by the thousands in fear of death? God said to them, “Die,” and then revived them. God is truly gracious to humanity, but most of the people are not grateful. [2:243]
And fight for the sake of God, and know that God is all-hearing, all-knowing. [2:244]
Who will lend God a loan of good, which God will multiply for him greatly? And God both takes and grants, restricts and expands; and to God you will be returned. [2:245]
Have you not taken note how the chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses said to a prophet of theirs, “Delegate a king for us, so that we may fight in the cause of God.” He said, “Could it be that if combat were ordained for you, you would not fight?” They said, “Why would we not fight in the cause of God, since we have been exiled from our homes and families?” But when combat was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them. And God knows the wrongdoers. [2:246]
Their prophet said to them, “God has appointed Saul as a king for you.” They said, “How could he have authority over us, when we are more worthy of authority than he, and he has not been given much wealth?” He said, “God has chosen him over you, and has given him more capacity, intellectually and physically. And God gives divine authority to whomever God will. And God is encompassing, all-knowing. [2:247]
And their prophet said to them, “A sign of his authority is that he has brought you the ark with security from your Lord in it, and a relic from what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron left, carried by angels: in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.” [2:248]
Then when Saul went out with the troops, he said, “God is testing you with the river: whoever drinks from it is not one of mine; and whoever does not partake of it is one of mine. Whoever scoops a drink with his hand is excepted.” But they drank from it, except a few of them. Then when he and those who believed with him crossed over the river, they said, “We cannot cope with Goliath and his troops today.” Those who considered that they were to meet God said, “How many small armies have beaten large armies, with God’s permission? And God is with the steadfast!” [2:249]
And when they went out to Goliath and his troops, they said, “Our Lord, pour steadfastness upon us, and make our steps firm, and help us against atheistic people.” [2:250]
And they routed them, with God’s permission, and David killed Goliath: and God gave him dominion and wisdom, and taught him what God wanted. And if not for God’s check on people by each other, the earth would surely be corrupt. But God has bounty for all worlds. [2:251]
Those are signs of God, which We recite to you in truth. And you are indeed one of the messengers. [2:252]
Some of those messengers We favored over others: God spoke to one of them, and elevated others to ranks of honor. And We gave the proofs to Jesus, son of Mary, and We fortified him with the holy spirit. And if God had willed, those who came after them would not have fought after the proofs came to them; but they disagreed, and some of them believed, while some of them scoffed. And if God had wished, they would not have fought; but God acts on divine will. [2:253]
O believers, give of what We have provided for you, before there comes a day in which there is no barter, and no friendship, and no intercession. The scoffers are the wrongdoers. [2:254]
There is no God but the God, the Living, the Self-Existent, whom neither slumber nor sleep can overtake. To God belongs what is in the heavens and what is on earth. Who intercedes with God, except by divine permission? God knows what is before them, and what is after them; but they do not encompass anything of that knowledge, except as God wills. The throne of God extends over the heavens and the earth, whose maintenance does not weary God, who is the Exalted, the Powerful. [2:255]
There is no compulsion in religion: true direction is already distinct from error. So whoever repudiates idols and believes in God has taken hold of the most reliable handle, which does not break. And God is all-hearing, all-knowing. [2:256]
God is the protector of believers, taking them out of the darkness into the light. As for scoffers, their protectors are the idols, which take them out of the light into the darkness. They are the inmates of hellfire, wherein they remain. [2:257]
Have you not taken note of the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord, because God had given him power? When Abraham said, “My Lord is the One Who gives life and brings death,” he said, “I grant life and cause death.” Abraham said, “Well, then, God brings the sun from the East; so bring it from the West.” So the atheist was confounded. For God does not guide oppressors. [2:258]
Or like the one who passed by a city in ruins to its very foundations; he said, “How will God revive this after its demise?” And God then caused him to die for a hundred years, and then resurrected him and said, “How long were you thus?” He said, “For a day or part of a day.” [God] said, “No, you were thus a hundred years. But look at your food and drink—it has not aged. And look at your donkey, so We can also set before you a sign for humanity: and look at the bones, how We raise them and clothe them with flesh.” And when it was clear to him, he said, “I know God has power over every thing.” [2:259]
And when Abraham said, “My Lord, show me how you give life to the dead.” [God] said, “Do you not believe?” [Abraham] said, “Yes, but it is to satisfy my heart.” [God] said, “Then catch four birds and train them to come to you. Then place them one by one on the mountains all around; and then call them and they will rush to you. And know that God is mighty, most wise.” [2:260]
Those who give of their wealth in the way of God are like grain that sprouts seven ears with a hundred kernels in each ear. And God may choose to multiply what anyone has, at will. And God is all-embracing, all-knowing. [2:261]
Those who spend their wealth in the way of God and then do not follow what is spent with reproach or with abuse have their reward with their Lord; they will not suffer fear, nor will they grieve. [2:262]
Kind and forgiving speech is better than charity followed by abuse. And God is self-sufficient, most gracious. [2:263]
O believers! Do not nullify your charities by reproach or abuse, like those who spend their money to be seen by the people, not believing in God or the last day. They are like hard rock with some dust on it, hit by rain and left barren. They can do nothing with what they have acquired. For God does not guide atheistic people. [2:264]
Those who spend their money seeking to please God and to strengthen their own souls are like a garden on a hill; when a heavy rain hits it, it brings forth double its fruits. And if a heavy rain does not hit it, then dew. For God sees what you do. [2:265]
Does any one of you want to have a garden of date palms and grape vines, with rivers running below it, and have all kinds of fruits in it, but have old age strike him while he still has children in their minority, and a tornado with fire in it hits, and the garden is burned? Thus does God show you the signs, that you may reflect. [2:266]
O believers, give of the good things you have earned, and from what We have produced for you from the earth. And do not choose the bad therefrom to give away, while you would not take it without disregard for it. And know that God is independent, most worthy of praise. [2:267]
Satan threatens you with poverty and compels you to indecencies, whereas God promises you divine forgiveness, and grace. And God is all-embracing, all-knowing. [2:268]
God gives wisdom to whomever God wishes; and whoever is given wisdom has indeed been given much good. But no one takes heed except those with understanding. [2:269]
And whatever you spend or devote, surely God knows it. And there are no allies for the unjust. [2:270]
If you reveal acts of charity, they are excellent in themselves, but if you conceal them and get them to the needy, that is better for you. It will expiate some of your evils. And God is aware of what you do. [2:271]
You are not responsible for their guidance; rather, God guides whom God will. And whatever good you give will benefit yourselves. And you only give to seek the favor of God. And whatever good you give will be repaid to you, and you will not be wronged. [2:272]
It is for the needy who are hindered in the way of God and cannot travel the earth. The ignorant think they have no needs, because of their modesty. You will know them by their mark: they do not importune people. And whatever good you give, surely God knows it. [2:273]
Those who give of their wealth night and day, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be on them, and they will not sorrow. [2:274]
Those who consume usurious interest are only in the sort of business in which one maddened by Satan’s touch engages. That is because they say trade is like usury; but God has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Whoever gives this up when admonition from his Lord comes to him, let bygones be bygones; his case is up to God. But those who repeat are inmates of hellfire, wherein they remain. [2:275]
God deprives usury of blessing, and grants increase for charities. And God does not love any ungrateful sinners. [2:276]
As for those who believe and do good works, and pray regularly and give charity, they have their reward with their Lord; and no fear will weigh on them, and they will not sorrow [2:277]
O you who believe, be conscious of God, and disperse what remains of usurious interest, if you are believers. [2:278]
And if you do not, then take heed of war from God and God’s messenger. But if you repent, you may have your capital; do not be unfair, and you will not be treated unfairly. [2:279]
If someone is in straits, wait until it is convenient. And if you remit the debt as charity, that is better for you, if you only knew. [2:280]
And be conscious of the day when you will be returned to God; then every soul will be requited for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged. [2:281]
Believers, when you incur debt among yourselves for a certain period of time, write it down. Have a scribe write it down honestly; let a scribe not refuse to write; let him write as God has taught him. Let the liable one dictate, wary of God, his Lord, without withholding anything due. But if the liable one is incompetent or infirm, or cannot dictate, let his guardian dictate, honestly. And get the witness of two witnesses from your men; or if there are not two men, then a man and two women of your choice from among the witnesses, so that if one of them errs the other may remind her. Let the witnesses not refuse when called on, and do not disdain to write it down, small or large, including its term. That is more just in the sight of God, and more proper for testimony, and easier to forestall your doubting; excepted is the case of a spot transaction between you— there is no fault on you if you do not make a written contract. But have witnesses whenever you make deals with each other. And let no scribe or witness be hurt— if you do that, it is corruption in you. Be conscious of God; God teaches you. And God knows everything. [2:282]
If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let pledges be taken. And if one of you entrusts another one with something, let the one entrusted return his trust, conscious of God, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony; whoever conceals it is a sinner at heart. And God knows what you do. [2:283]
Whatever is in the heavens and on the earth belongs to God. And whether you reveal what is in your selves or conceal it, God calls you to account for it. And God forgives whom God will, and God punishes whom God will. And God has power over all things. [2:284]
The messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Everyone believes in God and God’s angels, and God’s scriptures and God’s messengers. And they say, “We hear and we obey; we ask Your forgiveness, our Lord, for destiny leads to You.” [2:285]
God does not compel a soul to do what is beyond its ability: one gets what one has earned and is responsible for what one deserves. Our Lord, do not punish us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, do not charge us with a burden like that You laid upon those before us, our Lord, and do not impose on us what we cannot bear. And pardon us. And forgive us. And have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so help us against atheistic people. [2:286]