He it was who drove those
of the people of the Book who misbelieved forth from their houses, at the first
emigration 1; ye did not think that they would go forth, and they thought that their
fortresses would defend them against God; but God came upon them from whence
they did not reckon, and cast dread into their hearts! They ruined their houses
with their own hands and the hands of the believers; wherefore take example, O
ye who are endowed with sight!
Had it not been that God
had prescribed for them banishment, He would have tormented them in this
world 2; but for them
in the next shall be the torment of the Fire! that is because they opposed God
and His Apostle: and whoso op-poses God, verily, God is keen to punish!
[5] What palm trees ye did
cut down or what ye left standing upon their roots was by God's permission, and
to disgrace the workers of abomination; and as for the spoils that God gave to
His Apostle from these (people) ye did not press forward after them with horse
or riding camel; but God gives His Apostle authority over whom He pleases, for
God is mighty over all 3!
What God gave as spoils to
His Apostle of the people of the cities is God's, and the Apostle's, and for
kinsfolk, orphans, and the poor, and the wayfarer, so that it should not be
circulated amongst the rich men of you.
And what the Apostle gives
you, take; and what he forbids you, desist from; and fear God, verily, God is
keen to punish!
And (it is) for the poor
who fled 1, who were driven forth from their houses and their wealth, who crave
grace from God and His goodwill, and help God and the Apostle; they are the
truthful.
And those who were settled
in the abode 2 and the faith before them, love those who fled to them 3; and they do not find in their
breasts a need of what has been given to them; preferring them to themselves,
even though there be poverty amongst them; and whoso is preserved from his own
covetousness, these are the prosperous!
[10] And those who came
after them say, 'Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who were beforehand with
us in the faith, and place not in our hearts ill-will towards those who
believe-our Lord! verily, thou art kind, compassionate!'
Dost thou not look on those
who were hypocritical, saying to their brethren who misbelieved amongst the
people of the Book 4, 'If ye be driven forth we will go forth with you; and we will never
obey any one concerning you; and if ye be fought
against we will help you.'
But God bears witness that they are surely liars!
If they be driven forth,
these will not go forth with them; and if they be fought against, these will
not help them; or if they do help them, they will turn their backs in
flight;-then shall they not be helped!
Ye indeed are a keener
source of fear in their hearts than God; that is because they are a people who
do not understand! They will not fight against you in a body save in fortified
cities, or from behind walls; their valour is great amongst themselves;-thou
dost reckon them as one body, but their hearts are separated. This is because
they are a people who have no sense!
[15] Like unto those before
them, recently 1; they tasted the evil result of their affair, and for them is grievous
woe.
Like unto the devil when he
said to man, 'Disbelieve.' But when he disbelieved, he said, 'Verily, I am
clear of thee! Verily, I fear God the Lord of the worlds!' And the end of them
both shall be that they shall both be in the Fire, to dwell therein for aye!
for that is the reward of the unjust!
O ye who believe! fear God;
and let each soul look to what it sends on for the morrow; and fear God; verily,
God is well aware of what ye do!
And be ye not like those
who forget God, and He makes them forget themselves; they are the workers of
abomination!
[20] Not deemed alike shall
be the fellows of the
[paragraph continues] Fire and the fellows of Paradise:
the fellows of Paradise they are the blissful!
Had we sent down this
Qur'ân upon a mountain, thou wouldst have seen it humbling itself, splitting
asunder from the fear of God! These parables do we strike out for men; haply
they may reflect!
He is God than whom there
is no god; who knows the unseen and the visible; He is the merciful, the
compassionate! He is God than whom there is no god; the King, the Holy, the
Peace-Giver, the Faithful, the Protector, the Mighty, the Repairer, the
Great!-celebrated be the praises of God above what they join with Him.
He is God, the Creator, the
Maker, the Fashioner; His are the excellent names 1! His praises, whatever are in the
heavens and the earth do celebrate; for God is the mighty, the wise!