التفسير المحرر

Al-Fātihah

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Meaning: I begin my reading and recitation, seeking blessings in the name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (the Most Compassionate): the One with vast mercy that encompasses all His creation, and Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful): the One with special mercy, which He bestows exclusively upon His believing servants.

All praise be to Allah[1], the Lord[2] of the worlds[3],

Al-Hamd: Used to describe the Praised One, Glorified is He, with perfection, along with love and veneration for Him, the Mighty and Majestic. All praises are due to Him, none deserves them except Allah alone, as He is the Master, the Owner, and the Disposer of all His creation.

the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful[4],

Ar-Rahmān: The One Whose extensive mercy encompasses all His creation, and Ar-Rahīm: The One with special mercy, which He bestows exclusively upon His believing servants.

Master[5] of the Day of Judgment.

The Disposer of all His creation by His command and decree on the Day of Recompense and Reckoning.

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

We worship none but You, humbling ourselves to You alone, with no partner, and we seek help from none but You alone, with no partner.

Guide us to the straight path,

Guide us to the clear path which has no crookedness, and grant us success in pursuing it, and make us firm upon it.

the path of those whom You have blessed[6]; not of those who incurred Your Wrath[7], or of those who went astray[8].

The path of those whom Allah has blessed with guidance, who recognized the truth and acted upon it; they are not like the Jews who incurred Allah's wrath, nor like the Christians who were ignorant of the truth and thus worshipped Allah without knowledge.

Al-Baqarah

Alif Lām Mīm[1].

These disjointed letters with which this Surah and others begin are meant to demonstrate the miraculous nature of the Qur’an; they show the inability of creation to produce anything like it, even though it is composed of these Arabic letters that they speak with.

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for the righteous[2],

This is the Qur’an. There is no doubt that it is true in itself and that it was revealed from Allah Almighty, as it does not contain anything that gives rise to doubt. It is guidance away from misguidance, and light and clarification for those who guard themselves from Allah Almighty's wrath and punishment, by fulfilling what Allah Almighty has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden.

those who believe in the unseen, establish prayer[3], and spend out of what We[4] have provided for them,

Among the traits of the righteous believers is their belief in and acknowledgment of the unseen, such as faith in Allah Almighty, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day. They perform the prayers with their prescribed limits, essential pillars, and obligations as Allah Almighty has commanded, and they give out (in charity) from the good provision of what their Lord has granted them.

and those who believe in what has been sent down to you [O Prophet] and in what was sent down before you[5], and in the Hereafter they believe with certainty.

Among the traits of the righteous is that they believe in the Qur’an, which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they also believe in all the previous divine scriptures before the mission of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They have an unwavering belief in the resurrection and the rising, the reward and punishment, the reckoning and the scale (of deeds), and other matters that Allah Almighty has prepared for His creation on the Day of Judgment.

It is they who are upon guidance from their Lord, and it is they who are successful.

Indeed, those who possess all the aforementioned qualities of the righteous are upon light, clear evidence, and insight from their Lord Almighty. They are also successful in attaining what they sought to attain and in being saved from what they sought to escape.

Those who persist in disbelief, it is the same whether you warn them or not, they will not believe.

Indeed, those who disbelieve, it is the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe in what you have brought them of the truth, O Messenger.

Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered[6]; and for them there will be a great punishment.

Allah has sealed their hearts, so they do not benefit from guidance, and upon their eyes is a covering, so they do not see guidance, and for them is the punishment of the Fire.

There are some people[7] who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day,” whereas they are not believers.

The hypocrites say with their tongues, "We believe in Allah and the resurrection on the Day of Judgment," but it is merely a statement without true faith.

They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, while they deceive none but themselves, but they do not realize.

These hypocrites seek to deceive Allah and the believers by revealing faith outwardly while concealing disbelief inwardly. In reality, they are the ones deceived by their actions, thinking they are deceiving their Lord and the believers. This is due to Allah's forsaking them in this world and the Hereafter, and yet they do not realize that they are deceived.

In their hearts is a sickness[8], and Allah increased their sickness, and they will have a painful punishment for their persistent lying.

In the hearts of these hypocrites is doubt and hypocrisy; so Allah increased them in doubt and hypocrisy. And for them is a painful punishment because of their lies in their claim of faith, and because of their denying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

When it is said to them, “Do not spread corruption in the land,” they say, “We are only reformers.”

When it is said to the hypocrites, "Do not spread corruption on the earth by hypocrisy, disbelief, disobedience to Allah, taking disbelievers as allies, and hindering from the path of Allah, among other things," they claim that their acts of corruption are acts of reform.

Indeed, it is they who spread corruption, but they do not realize it.

Unquestionably, it is they who truly defy the command of Allah Almighty, with disbelief and sins, but they do not know nor realize that their actions are corruption in reality.

When it is said to them, “Believe as the people have believed,” they say, “Shall we believe as the fools[9] have believed?” Indeed, it is they who are the fools, but they do not know.

When it is said to the hypocrites, "Believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and what he has brought from Allah Almighty, as the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and all who have believed in him have done," they say, "Shall we believe as the ignorant, those with weak judgment and little knowledge of benefits and harms, have believed, and thus be on the same path as them?"—meaning the companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Indeed, these hypocrites are the true fools, for they spread corruption on earth while thinking that they are doing good, and this itself is the foolishness.

When they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe.” But when they are alone with their evil ones[10], they say, “We are certainly with you; we were only mocking.”

When the hypocrites meet the believers, they declare their belief to them in hypocrisy. But when they are alone with their leaders, from the chiefs of the disbelievers, polytheists, and hypocrites, they say, "Indeed, we are with you on your religion; we were only mocking them by saying to them: We believe in Allah and the Last Day."

Allah will mock them[11] and prolong them to wander blindly in their transgression.

Allah Almighty mocks them by granting them the outward rulings given to the believers, such as the protection of their lives and wealth. However, He distinguishes between them and the believers in the Hereafter, casting them into the lowest depths of the Fire. This is Allah's recompense for their mockery of the believers. He increases them—in terms of respite and leaving them—in their obstinacy and rebellion in disbelief, wandering in confusion and misguidance, unable to find a way out of it.

They are those who purchased misguidance for guidance, but their trade was profitless, and they were not guided.

Those are the hypocrites who exchanged guidance for misguidance, so they lost by taking misguidance and leaving guidance; and, in doing so, they were not rightly guided.

Their likeness is that of someone who kindles a fire. When it illuminates all around him, Allah takes away their light, leaving them in utter darkness, unable to see[12].

The likeness of the hypocrites who believed or outwardly professed faith and then disbelieved is like that of someone who kindles a fire to illuminate and benefit from it. When the fire lights up what is around the kindler, allowing him to see what benefits and harms him, the light is extinguished, taking away what benefits them—the light—and leaving them with what harms them—burning and smoke. They remain in multiple layers of darkness, including the darkness of night and the darkness that follows the loss of light, which is more intense than the initial darkness. This signifies that the hypocrites saw the truth or benefited from it temporarily, as they preserved their lives and secured their wealth. Yet, they disbelieved after their belief, leaving in their hearts the heat of disbelief and doubts, and they remain in the darkness of disbelief, doubts, and hypocrisy.

Deaf, dumb, and blind; they will not return [to the straight path].

They do not hear guidance, nor do they speak it, nor do they perceive it with their hearts, nor do they return to the guidance they sold for misguidance.

Or like a downpour from the sky accompanied by darkness, thunder, and lightning. They put their fingers into their ears out of thunderclaps, for fear of death. But Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

Or the likeness of the hypocrites is that of rainfall from the sky. This signifies the Qur’an, which was sent down from Allah Almighty, and in which the hypocrites profess belief with their tongues. With this rain are layers of darkness: the darkness of the night, the darkness of the clouds, and the darkness of the rain, i.e., the doubt, disbelief, and hypocrisy of the hypocrites. Along with it is thunder, i.e., the warnings and prohibitions of the Qur’an, and lightning, i.e., the arguments and proofs of the Qur’an that dazzle them. They put their fingers in their ears to avoid hearing the sounds of the thunderbolts, i.e., the verses of the Qur’an that contain legal obligations, warnings, and others. It means that they avoid hearing the warnings and threats of the Noble Qur’an, fearing the fulfillment of the warning that Allah has promised them in the Qur’an, and fearing the punishment of Allah upon them for their hypocrisy, either immediately in this world or later in the Hereafter. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers with His power and knowledge, so they cannot escape Him, and their caution avails them nothing.

The lightning almost snatches away their eyesight. Every time lightning[13] strikes, they walk in its light, but when it becomes dark, they stand still. If Allah had willed, He would have taken away their hearing and their sight; for Allah is Most Capable of all things.

The lightning, due to its intense brightness and strong light, with their weak eyesight, is almost about to take away their sight and blind them. Meaning: the intense light of the Qur’an—with its clear proofs and shining evidence, with which they see the truth very clearly—is unbearable for their weak insights. When the light of truth appears to them and shines in their hearts, they walk by its light and take a few steps, but it does not settle in their hearts, which are darkened by strong doubts and suspicions, so it soon extinguishes, leaving them standing in confusion, returning to their denial. In this state, they are in doubt and hesitation. This is a threat and warning to them of taking away their hearing and sight as a punishment for their hypocrisy and disbelief. Allah is capable of inflicting what He has promised upon this group of hypocrites, so let them beware of Allah's wrath and punishment, sooner or later, for indeed, nothing ever can escape Him, glorified and exalted be He.

O people, worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may become righteous;

O people, worship Allah Almighty for He is the One Who brought you and those before you into existence from nothingness, so that you may attain the rank of piety.

He Who made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky a canopy; and sends down rain from the sky, and brings forth fruits thereby as a provision for you. So do not set up rivals to Allah while you know[14].

Worship your Lord also, for it is He Who made the earth spread out like a bed, firm and stable for mankind to settle upon, and made the sky a ceiling, and sent down rain from the clouds; thereby producing various kinds of fruits for people as provision. So do not set up equals or, as you claim, rivals to Allah, for He is the One Who created you and provided for you; so He alone is deserving of your sincere worship, without any partners, while you know that He is the One God, with no equal or partner in creation, provision, or anything else.

If you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down upon Our slave[15], then produce a chapter like it and call upon your helpers other than Allah, if you are truthful.

If you—O disbelievers and hypocrites—are in doubt concerning the revelation of the Qur’an from Allah Almighty upon Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), then produce a chapter like it from yourselves, and seek help from whoever you wish other than Allah Almighty, from all those who would testify for you and agree with you in denying that this Qur’an is from Allah, such as your allies and partners, if you are truthful in your claim that the Qur’an is fabricated speech made up by a human.

But if you did not do it, and you can never do it; then beware of the Fire whose fuel will be people and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.

If you cannot produce a chapter like that of the Qur’an—and you will never be able to do so—then shield yourselves from the torment of the Fire by adhering to His commands and avoiding His prohibitions, so that you may save yourselves from the Fire into which the disobedient among people and stones will be cast to fuel and kindle it. This Fire has been prepared in advance for all those who disbelieve, who reject the truth, and refuse to submit to it. As for the stones, it is said they are sulfur stones, which are the hottest when heated, and it is also said they refer to the idols.

And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens under which rivers flow. Every time they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before,” for they will be given fruit that resemble one another. They will have purified spouses, and they will abide therein forever.

O Messenger, inform those who have believed in Allah, the Almighty, and have believed in you and in what you have brought from Allah Almighty and have affirmed their belief with righteous deeds—inform them with glad tidings that in the Hereafter they will have Gardens beneath which rivers flow, under their trees, plantations, and chambers. Every time they are provided with a fruit from the trees of Paradise, they will think it is the same fruit they were given before in the world due to its resemblance in appearance, or that it is what they were given earlier in Paradise. However, they are given fruits that resemble each other in color and appearance, but the taste is different. And those who believe and do righteous deeds will have purified spouses in the Gardens, free from any harm, dislike, or suspicion, both physically and spiritually purified. They will abide in the Gardens forever, secure from death and the cessation of bliss.

Allah is not ashamed to give a similitude of a mosquito or even something less [significant][16]. As for those who believe, they know that this is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say, “What does Allah mean by this similitude?” He causes many to go astray thereby and guides many thereby, but He causes none to go astray except the evildoers –

Verily, Allah Almighty is not restrained by modesty from setting forth any parables, regardless of what it may be, even if it is as insignificant and small as a mosquito or anything larger than it, or smaller. This is due to the wisdom contained within parables and the clarification of the truth. As for those who have affirmed and believed with their hearts and limbs, they know that this parable is indeed the truth, so they believe in it and reflect upon it. However, those who disbelieve, they object and are bewildered, saying, "What did Allah intend by this parable?" Indeed, setting forth an example in the Qur’an with something insignificant is a test that distinguishes the believer from the disbeliever. It is a means of misguidance for many people, namely the hypocrites and disbelievers, and a means of guidance for many people, namely the believers. Allah, the Glorified, does not misguide by this parable except those who deviate from His obedience, from among the people of disbelief and hypocrisy, and this is what His wisdom and justice necessitate.

those who break the covenant of Allah after it has been ratified, sever bonds that Allah has commanded to be maintained[17], and spread corruption in the land. It is they who are the losers.

Allah Almighty describes those who deviate from the truth with the parable given, stating that they are the ones who break the covenant made with them after it has been affirmed. This is the command of Allah Almighty to believe in Him and all His messengers, including Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as He enjoined upon the Children of Israel, which their disbelievers broke. They sever all that Allah Almighty has commanded to be joined, such as kinship ties, belief in the prophets, and other religious obligations, and they spread corruption on earth through disbelief and sins. By their disbelief and actions they commit, they have gone astray, depriving themselves of the true gain of attaining Allah's mercy and achieving eternal success.

How can you disbelieve in Allah, when you were lifeless then He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life again, then to Him you will be returned?

How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were nothing and He brought you into existence, creating you from nothingness? He brought you into this world and bestowed upon you various blessings. Then He will cause you to die upon the completion of your appointed terms, and then He will bring you back to life for resurrection and gathering. Then you will return to Him, and He will recompense you for your deeds.

It is He Who created for you all that is in the earth, then He turned towards the heaven and made them seven heavens, and He is All-Knowing of everything.

Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is the One Who, out of His grace and generosity, brought into existence everything on earth for your benefit, enjoyment, and reflection. After Allah Almighty created the earth, He rose and ascended to create the heavens, fashioning them with precision and perfection. He is All-Knowing of what He creates and how He creates it, and His knowledge encompasses all that He has created.

And [remember] when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to appoint a vicegerent on earth.” They said, “Will You appoint on it someone who will spread corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?” He said, “I know that which you do not know.”

And remember, O Muhammad, when your Lord said to the angels that He would place a vicegerent on earth, namely Adam (peace be upon him), and his progeny after him, succeeding one another, generation after generation. The angels asked their Lord, seeking understanding and not objecting: What is the wisdom in establishing the progeny of Adam on earth, when they will spread corruption therein and shed blood among themselves, while we are not appointed as successors on earth, even though we constantly glorify You with praises and sanctify You, describing You as pure from all impurities? Allah said to the angels: I know what is hidden from you of the benefits and wisdom that will result from the creation of humankind, including that there will be among them messengers, prophets, the truthful, and others who will fulfill the servitude to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.

And He taught Adam the names of everything; then He presented them to the angels, and said, “Tell Me the names of these, if what you say is true?”

Allah taught Adam (peace be upon him) the names of everything. Then Allah presented those named things to the angels, challenging them, and commanded them to inform Him of the names of what was shown to them, if they were really truthful in their claim of having knowledge of things and deserving superiority over Adam.

They said, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You Who are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

The angels said, Glory be to You! We do not know anything except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You Who are the All-Knowing without being taught, the All-Wise Who places things in their proper places, for He is Wise in His creation and command, and in teaching whom He wills.

He said, “O Adam, inform them of their names.” When he informed them of their names, Allah said, “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”

Allah said, "O Adam, inform the angels of the names of the things they did not know." When Adam informed them of those names, naming each thing by its name, his virtue and honor (peace be upon him) became evident over the angels. Allah then affirmed that He had previously told them that He knows everything hidden from creation, whether in the heavens or on the earth, as He knows what the angels reveal and what they conceal.

And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam[18],” and they prostrated except Iblīs[19]; he refused and was arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers.

And remember when We said to all the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"—as an honor and veneration for him and an act of worship to Allah—so they all hastened to prostrate, except Iblīs; he refused to prostrate, was arrogant towards the command of Allah and towards Adam, and was one of the disbelievers.

We said, “O Adam, dwell in Paradise, you and your wife; and eat pleasantly from wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree, or else you will both become the wrongdoers.”

Allah said, "O Adam! Live with your wife, Eve, in Paradise and eat both of you from its abundant and delightful provisions without hardship, enjoying the variety of fruits and its produce wherever you please. But do not approach this tree, which I have forbidden you to eat from, or else you both will be among the wrongdoers for disobeying My command."

Then Satan tempted them and drove them out of the state they were in, and We said, “Go down [to the earth], as enemies to one another. You will have abode on earth and provision for an appointed time[20].”

Satan led them into sin and error, thus distancing them from the Garden and removing them from the abundant provision and blissful life they had enjoyed there, by their eating from the tree. Allah Almighty said to Adam, Eve, and Iblīs, "Descend to the earth, as enemies to one another. You will settle upon its surface, living and enjoying what I provide for you, until an appointed term, which is the end of your lifespans. And you will settle within its belly, buried until a specified time, which is the coming of the Hour."

Then Adam received some words[21] from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance. He is the Accepter of repentance, the Most Merciful.

Allah, the Almighty, taught Adam words through which his repentance would be achieved. Adam (peace be upon him) received them with acceptance, acknowledged his sin, and sought forgiveness and mercy from Allah Almighty. Thus, Allah accepted his repentance and showed him mercy. Indeed, He is ever accepting of repentance, guiding His servant to repentance first and accepting it thereafter. He is the Most Merciful towards His believing servants, singling them out for His mercy, Exalted is He.

We said, “Go down all of you from here[22]! Then when My guidance comes to you; whoever follows My guidance, will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

Speaking to Adam, Hawa‘, and Iblis, Allah said: "Descend all together from Paradise. Whenever a scripture or a messenger comes to you or your descendants, clarifying the path and guiding you to it, and you follow it, you will have complete security and everlasting joy. You will not fear what lies ahead, nor will you grieve over what you have missed of worldly matters."

But those who disbelieve and reject Our signs, they are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.”

As for those who disbelieve and do not follow the guidance of Allah Almighty, and deny the truth, rejecting the divine or cosmic signs, they are the dwellers of the Fire, remaining there forever, never to exit therefrom.

O Children of Israel[23], remember My favor that I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant; I will fulfill your covenant[24], and fear none but Me.

O Children of Ya‘qub (Jacob), remember the blessings of Allah upon you, including those blessings that will be mentioned in this noble Surah. Mentioning these blessings requires that they be grateful to Allah for them by entering His religion and following His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Do not go against the covenant of Allah Almighty, which He entrusted to you: to believe in Him, Exalted be He, and in His messengers, including Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And to establish His laws and declare the truth that you know. For surely, if you fulfill Allah's covenant to you, He will fulfill what He promised you: the expiation of sins and entry into Paradise. And fear Me alone.

And believe in what I have sent down[25] which confirms that [Scripture] which is with you, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it, nor trade my verses for a small price, and fear Me alone.

And believe in the Qur’an which Allah has revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), confirming what is with you from the Torah, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it and in the one upon whom it was revealed, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And do not exchange My verses for a fleeting worldly gain, such as retaining positions and wealth, and thus abandoning faith in Me and following My Messenger for the sake of the world and its desires. And fear Me alone, for this necessitates prioritizing faith in Allah’s verses over any fleeting desires.

And do not mix the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth knowingly[26].

And do not mix the truth that Allah Almighty has revealed with the falsehood that you have fabricated, so that they become indistinguishable, or show falsehood in the guise of truth. And do not conceal the truth—including the prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—while you know it, and you know the great harm this act of yours causes to the people.

And establish prayer, give zakah, and bow [to Allah] with those who bow[27].

And perform the prayer with its pillars and obligations in the best manner, give the obligatory charity to its deserving recipients, and pray with those who pray—including Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them)—and be one of them.

Do you enjoin righteousness upon people while you forget yourselves, even though you recite the Scripture[28]? Do you not understand?

Do you enjoin people to believe and do good, while you neglect yourselves and do not command yourselves with that, while you read and study the Torah among you, knowing from it what you have been commanded of good, and what befalls you if you fall short? Do you not have minds to perceive your misguidance and deter you from falling into it?

Seek help through patience and prayer. It is strenuous except for the humble,

And seek help in all matters of this world and the Hereafter with patience and prayer. Prayer is burdensome and arduous on the soul, but it is easy and light for those who are humble and submissive to Allah, and the effect of this humility is evident on their limbs.

those who are sure that they are going to meet their Lord, and that they will return to Him.

And these humble ones are those who are certain of their return to Allah Almighty and their gathering unto Him on the Day of Judgement.

O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you and that I favored you over all other people[29].

O Children of Jacob, remember the blessings of Allah upon you in a manner that leads you to gratitude, including entering His religion and following His noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And remember that I favoured you over all other nations of your time by sending messengers from among you and revealing scriptures to you, along with other special blessings.

And fear a Day when no soul will avail another anything, nor intercession will be accepted, nor compensation taken, nor will they be helped.

Seek protection against the Day when no soul will settle a debt owed by another, and no one—no matter who they are—will be able to help anyone else, even if they are from their closest kin, in the slightest way. No intercession will ever be accepted from any soul on behalf of another if it is a disbeliever. As for the believer, intercession will be accepted with Allah’s permission for the intercessor and His approval of the one for whom intercession is made. No ransom will be accepted from them, and they will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah Almighty.

And [remember] when We saved you from Pharaoh’s people, who were inflicting dreadful torment upon you: slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. That was a great trial from your Lord.

And O Children of Israel, remember My favor upon you when I saved your forefathers from the followers of Pharaoh and his people and his assembly, who were subjecting them to the worst and severe torment, by slaughtering the male children and keeping the females alive; to humiliate them, disgrace them, and weaken them. And the saving of the forefathers is a saving for them; and in Our saving of your forefathers from your enemy is a great favor for you from your Lord.

And [remember] when We parted the sea for you and saved you, while We drowned the people of Pharaoh while you were looking on.

And remember, O Children of Israel, when We parted the sea for you and separated its parts so that you could walk on dry land between the parts of the sea. Allah Almighty saved you from Pharaoh and his people, and Allah Almighty drowned them all, allowing the Children of Israel to witness them with their own eyes as they were drowning.

And [remember] when We appointed for Moses forty nights. Then you took the calf [for worship] in his absence, while you were wrongdoers.

And remember, O Children of Israel, the appointment We made with Moses for the completion of forty nights. Then you worshipped the calf after Moses had departed to the appointment, and you were wrongdoers by placing worship in its improper place.

Yet We pardoned you after that, so that you may be grateful.

Then We forgave you by erasing the trace of your sin of worshiping the calf, and We did not punish you, so that you may be among the grateful for the favor of Allah Almighty upon you by pardoning.

And [remember] when We gave Moses the Scripture and the criterion[30], so that you may be guided.

And remember Our giving Moses the Torah, which distinguishes between truth and falsehood, so that you may be guided by following the truth within it.

And [remember] when Moses said to his people, “O my people, you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf [for worship]. So repent to your Creator and kill yourselves [i.e., the guilty among you]; that is best for you with your Creator.” Then He accepted your repentance, for He is the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful.

And remember when Moses (peace be upon him) called out to his people, "O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by taking the calf as a god to worship. Therefore, repentance is incumbent upon you, so repent from this heinous crime against the One Who brought you into existence from nothing, for He alone is worthy of worship. This is to be done by killing each other; that is better for you in the sight of Allah Almighty." Then He accepted your repentance, for He is accepting of repentance, the Possessor of vast mercy.

And [remember] when you said, “O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah openly,” so a thunderbolt struck you while you were looking on.

And remember when you said to Moses (peace be upon him), "We will not believe you nor acknowledge what you have brought us until we see Allah openly, looking at Him with our own eyes." So Allah punished you with the thunderbolt, and you died while looking at one another when death overtook you.

Then We raised you back to life after your death, so that you may be grateful.

Then We brought you back to life after your death by the thunderbolt that destroyed you, so that you may be grateful for My favor upon you by reviving you.

And We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails[31], [saying], “Eat of the good things We have provided for you.” They did not wrong Us, but they wronged themselves.

And We made the thin white cloud to shade you, to protect you from the heat of the sun in the wilderness, and We sent down to you a good and easy provision: manna and quails. "Al-mann" (manna) is said to be everything Allah Almighty bestowed upon them of food and drink, which is obtained without effort or hardship. It is also said to be something resembling white honey, sweet, descending on the trees like dew. "Al-salwa" (quails) is a bird, said to be the quail, or resembling the quail. And We said to them: Eat of the good things We have provided for you, like this manna and quails, but they did not respond to Our blessings with gratitude, so they wronged themselves by exposing themselves to the wrath of Allah Almighty and His punishment. They did not wrong Us, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is not harmed by the disobedience of His creation, nor is He benefited by their obedience.

And [remember] when We said, “Enter this town [of Jerusalem] and eat freely from wherever you wish, and enter the gate bowing down humbly and say, ‘Absolve us[32].’ We will forgive you your sins and increase [the reward of] those who do good.”

And remember when We said to the Children of Israel, Enter the city of Bait al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and eat from it wherever you wish, in abundance and ease. Enter one of its gates bowing humbly, and ask Allah to relieve you of your sins and transgressions. If you, O Children of Israel, do as you have been commanded, We will cover your sins and forgive them, and We will increase in faith or good deeds, by Our grace—sooner or later—those who excel in worshiping Allah and those who excel in kindness to creation in various ways of goodness.

But the wrongdoers changed the words to other than what they were told[33]; so We sent down upon the wrongdoers a torment from the heaven for their rebelliousness.

The wrongdoers among them changed the word they were commanded to say with something else, saying instead of "Hittah" (Absolve us): "Hintah" (A grain in a hair). If they altered the word despite its simplicity, then altering the action was even more likely; thus, they entered, dragging themselves on their rears. So Allah sent down upon those who replaced the word they were commanded with another, a punishment from the heavens due to their turning away from obedience to Allah to His disobedience.

And [remember] when Moses asked for water for his people, and We said, “Strike the rock with your staff,” Then twelve springs gushed forth from it; each tribe knew its drinking place[34]. “Eat and drink from Allah’s provision, and do not spread corruption in the land.”

And remember when Moses asked Us for water for the Children of Israel to drink, so We said to him, "Strike the stone with your staff." He did so, and twelve springs of fresh water gushed forth from the stone, as a facilitation for them and a blessing from Allah upon them. Each of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel knew its place to drink from these springs that emerged from the stone, so they did not compete with one another over water, but drank in contentment. Allah said, "Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not act wickedly, spreading corruption on the earth."

And [remember] when you said, “O Moses, we cannot bear the same meal. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from what the earth produces – its herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” Moses said, “Would you exchange what is better for what is inferior? Go down to any town and you will have what you have asked for.” They were struck with humiliation and destitution, and incurred the wrath of Allah. That was because they used to reject the signs of Allah and kill the prophets unjustly. That was because they disobeyed and were transgressors.

And remember, O Children of Israel, when you expressed to Moses (peace be upon him) your weariness and dislike for the manna and quails, saying, "We cannot endure this food. So, call upon your Lord for us to bring forth from the earth its herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions." Moses said to them, "Would you take what is inferior in value and worth in life, in exchange for what is better in value and worth? These foods you requested are not rare, but abundant; in any town you enter, you will find this sustenance you seek." Thus, humiliation and disgrace were imposed upon them, and the mark of poverty, need, and greed became attached to them. They also incurred the wrath of Allah. This was their recompense for their disbelief in the signs of Allah, both cosmic and legislative, and their unjust killing of the prophets of Allah. This recompense, or their disbelief in the signs of Allah and the killing of His prophets, was due to their disobedience to Allah—either by committing the prohibitions or by neglecting the commandments—and their persistence in transgressing the limits set by Allah.

The believers and those who were Jews, Christians, and the Sabians [before Prophet Muhammad] – whoever believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteous deed, they will have their reward with their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

Indeed, those who have believed refers to the nation of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the Jews who followed Moses (peace be upon him) before their religion was abrogated and altered, and the Christians who followed Jesus (peace be upon him) before their religion was abrogated and altered, and the Sabians, referring to the devoted Sabians who remained upon their natural disposition of Tawhīd (monotheism) and prohibited injustice, indecency, and other immoral acts, without adhering to a specific creed or sect, and without introducing disbelief. Whoever among these past communities did good and obeyed, they will have their reward with Allah Almighty, and they will have eternal happiness. They will not fear for what awaits them, nor will they grieve over what they leave behind.

And [remember] when We took your covenant [O Children of Israel] and raised above you the mountain [saying], “Hold firmly to what We have given you and observe its teachings, so that you may become righteous.”

And remember when We took a solemn covenant from you to believe in Him and His messengers, and to adhere to His laws, and We raised the mountain above you to frighten you, so that you would acknowledge what you took the covenant upon, and act upon it. And We said to you: Receive the Torah which We have given you, with determination and resolve, diligence and activity, and remember what is in it by reciting it, learning what is in it, contemplating it, and acting according to its requirements, so that you may be among the righteous.

But then you turned away after that. If it had not been for the grace and mercy of Allah upon you, you would have surely been among the losers.

Then you turned away after this firm covenant, breaking it by neglecting to act upon it. Had it not been for Allah's honor upon you, and His acceptance of your repentance, and sending the messengers, the last of whom is Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), you would have been among the doomed in this world and the Hereafter.

And you know about those among you who broke the Sabbath, whereupon We said to them, “Be apes, despised.”

And indeed, O assembly of Jews, you knew what befell those among you who transgressed the command to refrain from fishing on the Sabbath. They resorted to trickery, overstepping the bounds set by Allah, the Almighty. When they did so, Allah transformed them by His power into apes, despised and humiliated.

So We made it a deterrent punishment for those alive and for those who succeeded them, and an admonition for the righteous.

We made this punishment a deterrent for those in their time and those who came after them, and a beneficial reminder for the mindful, so that they may be restrained by it and take heed.

And [remember] when Moses said to his people, “Allah commands you to slaughter a cow.” They said, “Are you mocking us?” Moses said, “I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant!”

And remember, O Children of Israel, when Moses (peace be upon him) said to your forefathers, "Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow so that they may strike the dead man with part of it, and he will come to life and inform them of his murderer." They said, "Do you make fun of us?" Moses (peace be upon him) replied, "I seek refuge in Allah from being ignorant, speaking without benefit, or mocking people."

They said, “Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what [type of cow] it is.” He said, “Allah says, ‘It is a cow that is neither too old nor too young, but somewhere in between. So do as you are commanded!’”

The people of Moses, being obstinate and making things difficult for themselves, said, Ask your Lord for us, O Moses, to clarify for us the nature of this cow. Moses (peace be upon him) said to them: Allah Almighty says, The cow you inquire about is neither old and decrepit nor young, but is of middle age, between extremely old and extremely young. Now that you have been given the knowledge, sacrifice the cow you have been commanded to sacrifice, so that you may find the killer of your slain one.

They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us its color.” He said, “Allah says, ‘It is a yellow cow, bright in color – pleasing to the beholders.’”

The people of Moses said to him, Ask your Lord to make clear to us the color of the cow to be sacrificed. Moses said, Allah says: It is a yellow cow, pure and bright in color, bringing joy to those who look at it due to its great beauty and appearance.

They again said, “Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is. All cows look alike to us. If Allah wills, we will surely be guided.”

They said, Ask your Lord, O Moses, to clarify for us more about the description of the cow to be sacrificed, for the matter of the cows has become confusing to us. And indeed, if Allah wills, we will be guided to this cow.

He said, “Allah says, ‘It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor water the field; sound, without blemish.’” They said, “Now you have come with the truth.” Then they slaughtered it, although they were almost not doing it.

Moses (peace be upon him) said to them: Indeed, Allah Almighty says, "The cow you have been commanded to sacrifice is not one trained for work; it is not prepared for tilling the earth or watering the crops. It is free from any defect, and its bright yellow skin is not mixed with any other color." They said, "Now the truth concerning the cow has become clear, and you, O Moses, have brought us its distinguishing features, so we can recognize it." So they found it and sacrificed it, although they were about to leave it unslaughtered.

And [remember] when you [Israelites] slew a man and disputed as to who the killer was, but Allah exposed what you were concealing.

And remember, O Children of Israel, when you killed a soul and disputed among yourselves about it, each denying the murder and blaming others. But Allah Almighty was to reveal what you were concealing regarding the matter of the murder and the identification of the killer.

We said, “Strike the slain with a piece of it.” This is how Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His signs, so that you may understand.

So We said, "Strike the slain man with a part of the cow." They struck him, and he was brought to life by the permission of Allah, the Almighty, and he informed them of his murderer. Just as Allah Almighty brought this slain man to life in this world, so will He bring the dead to life after their death, resurrecting them on the Day of Judgement. Allah Almighty shows you clear signs of His perfect power in reviving the dead and resurrecting them after their demise, so that you may understand and refrain from what harms you, and abstain from disobeying Him, the Glorious and Exalted.

Then your hearts became hardened after that, like rocks or even harder. There are rocks from which rivers gush forth, and there are others that split open from which water comes out, while others fall down out of humility to Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Then your hearts became hardened after witnessing the revival of the slain man and other signs. Your hearts, in their hardness and rigidity, are like stones, or even harder than stones. Indeed, stones, despite their hardness, are better than the hearts of those people; those whose hearts do not soften or show humility. This is because there are types of stones from which rivers of water flow, and there are types that soften and crack, allowing water to emerge, and there are those that fall from heights out of fear of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted. And indeed, Allah, the Glorified, is not unaware of their wicked deeds, nor is He heedless of them. Rather, He keeps full account of them and will repay them in full measure.

Do you [O believers] hope that they would respond to your call to believe, while a party of them used to hear the word of Allah[35] then distort it knowingly after understanding it?

Do you expect, O believers, that the Jews will believe you concerning what your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has brought, when a group of them used to hear the word of Allah recited in His Book, the Torah, and then alter it, change it, and divert its meanings to other than what Allah intended, while they know that they are false and fabricating lies against Allah?

And when they meet the believers they say, “We believe.” But when they[36] meet one another in private they say, “Are you telling them what Allah has revealed to you [about Mohammad], so that they may argue against you before your Lord? Have you no sense?”

When the hypocrites among the Jews meet the believers—the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions—they say, "We believe," with their tongues in hypocrisy, explaining to them that the awaited Prophet, who was foretold, matches the descriptions found in their books with this Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And when these hypocrites among the Jews depart, and are alone with their companions, those who do not practice hypocrisy among them say, disapprovingly to those who do, "Do you inform the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions of what Allah has taught us in the Torah and decreed upon us?! So that this acknowledgment becomes a proof for these believers against us before Allah on the Day of Judgment, that we knew the truth and abandoned acting upon it. Do you not have understanding in your minds, so you know that you should not inform them of this, so it does not become a proof against you?"

Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal?

Do they say such things and not know that their secrets and declarations are the same to Allah Almighty? For Allah knows what the Jews conceal of disbelief and denial, and what they hide of mutual blame for revealing what they have shown to the believers, just as He knows what they declare to the believers by saying: We have believed.

And among them, there are illiterate people, who know nothing of the Scripture except wishful thinking, and they do nothing but guesswork.

Among the Jews are those who do not know how to read or write and have no knowledge of the Torah. They have only tales and false hopes they have invented themselves, such as their claim, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian," and their saying, "The Fire will not touch us except for a few days," and other such claims. They have nothing but mere conjectures.

So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, and then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to trade it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.

A great destruction and a terrible punishment will befall those who distort the Torah, writing false and fabricated things with their own hands, then falsely and deceitfully claim that it is the truth from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, in order to gain worldly benefits. For them is a severe punishment and a great destruction due to what their hands have written of lies and fabrications against Allah, the Almighty. They will also face punishment and destruction as a recompense for taking the unlawful in exchange for what their hands have done of falsification and distortion.

And they say, “The Fire will never touch us except for a few days.” Say, “Have you taken a covenant from Allah; for Allah will never break His covenant, or are you saying about Allah what you do not know?”

And the Jews said, "Our bodies will not meet the Fire of the Hereafter except for a few days, then we will be saved from it." Say, O Muhammad, to those Jews who claimed for themselves what they claimed, "Do you have a covenant from Allah that proves the truth of your claim? If there has been a covenant, then you have an excuse for what you said; for Allah does not break His covenant, nor does He fail in His promise. Or do you attribute falsehood to Allah and fabricate lies out of audacity against Him, Exalted is He?"

No indeed! Those who do evil and are surrounded by their sins – they are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.

It is not as you wished, O Jews. But whoever associates partners with Allah and is surrounded by sins and transgressions from every side, with no escape, and dies without repenting, they will be the ones dwelling in the Fire eternally; they will never be taken out of it.

But those who believe and do righteous deeds – they are the people of Paradise; they will abide therein forever.

But those who believed and affirmed with their tongues and hearts, and confirmed that with their limbs, so they performed righteous deeds sincerely for Allah the Exalted, and in following the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) these are the inhabitants of Paradise, residing therein forever; they will never be taken out of it.

And [remember] when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, “Do not worship except Allah; be kind to parents and kindred, and to orphans and those in need; speak good words to people; establish prayer; and give Zakah.” But then you turned away paying no heed, except a few of you.

And remember, O assembly of Jews, when We took a solemn covenant from you to believe in Allah Almighty, and His messengers, and to adhere to His law, and We raised the mountain above you to frighten you; so that you would acknowledge what you were covenanted to and act upon it. And We said to them: Receive the Torah which We have given you with determination and resolve, as well as diligence and vigor. Listen to the words of Allah Almighty with acceptance, responsiveness, and compliance. Their response to all that was: "We heard Your words with our ears, and we disobeyed what we were commanded with our actions. The love of the calf and its worship mingled with their hearts and penetrated their depths, and this occurred to them due to their disbelief and denial of the truth. Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews who claim to believe in what was revealed to them, "How evil is that which your 'faith' commands you: the killing of prophets, the worship of the calf, and disobedience, if you are truthful in your claim of faith."

And [remember] when We took a covenant from you that you should neither shed blood of one another, nor expel one another from your homes. Then you acknowledged it, while bearing and you bear witness to it.

And remember when We took a covenant from you and from your forefathers before, that you shall not kill one another, nor expel one another from your homes unjustly. After taking this covenant upon you, you remained upon it, and you acknowledged its knowledge and validity, and you bore witness to it. Thus, it remains with you, neither forgotten nor denied.

Then here you are, killing one another and expelling a group of your people from their homes, aiding one another against them in sin and aggression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their expulsion was forbidden to you[37]. Do you then believe in part of the Scripture and deny another part? Then what is the recompense for those who do so among you except disgrace in this life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be subjected to the severest torment? For Allah is not unaware of what you do.

After that covenant, and your acknowledgment and testimony to it, you broke the covenant that was taken from you: some of you killing others, and some of you driving others from their homes without right, and you assisted against your own people in disobedience to Allah, exceeding His limits. And if they come to you as captives, you strive to free them from captivity by paying the ransom, in compliance with what you were commanded in your Book regarding the ransom of captives, even though it was also forbidden to you in your Book to expel them from their homes and to kill them. Do you then believe in some of the Torah's rulings and disbelieve in some? For those among you, O Jews, who fall into this, there is nothing but disgrace as an immediate punishment in this world. Among such punishments was the empowerment of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) over them, who killed some of them, took others as captives, and expelled the rest from their homes. And on the Day of Resurrection, those of you who did this, O Jews, will return from the disgrace of this world to the greatest torment in the Hereafter. And Allah, in His perfect knowledge and watchfulness, nothing is hidden from Him, nor does He forget anything, Glorified and Exalted is He, but He preserves your deeds and enumerates them for you, so that He may recompense you for them.

These are the people who have purchased the life of this world for the Hereafter; their punishment will not be lightened, nor will they be helped.

Those who have exchanged the fleeting pleasures of this world for the everlasting bliss of the Hereafter, no alleviation will be given to them from the punishment of the Day of Judgment, neither in time nor in severity, and no one will rescue them from the punishment of Allah Almighty.

We gave Moses the Scripture and sent a succession of messengers after him. We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear signs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit[38]. Is it that every time a messenger comes to you [O Israelites] with something against your desires, you become arrogant; some of them you rejected, and others you killed?

Indeed, We gave Moses (peace be upon him) the Torah, and after him, We sent prophets to the Children of Israel, following one another on the path and law of Moses. We gave Jesus (peace be upon him) miracles that demonstrated his truthfulness and affirmed his prophethood, such as bringing the dead back to life and healing the sick, among others, and We supported him with Gabriel (peace be upon him), strengthening and assisting him. Is it that whenever a prophet came to you, O Children of Israel, to bind you to laws contrary to your desires, it became difficult for you, and you acted arrogantly and transgressed against them, preferring your whims over their guidance, so you denied a group of them and killed another group?

They say, “Our hearts are wrapped.” Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, little is it that they believe.

The Jews claimed as an excuse for their disbelief, "Our hearts are wrapped in coverings, so we do not understand." But it is not as they falsely claimed. Rather, Allah has expelled them from His mercy due to their disbelief. They believed in only a small part of what they were obligated to believe, but such belief does not benefit them.

Now that there has come to them a Book from Allah[39], confirming that which is with them[40] – although they used to pray for victory over the disbelievers in the past. But when there came to them what they recognize [to be true], they rejected it. May the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers!

When the Qur’an, which Allah revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), came to the Jews, confirming what they had in the Torah, and before the coming of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with the Qur’an, they used to seek victory through his coming over their enemies from among the idolaters when they fought them, and they threatened them with his aid. But when what they recognized of the truth and the description of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to them, they disbelieved and denied him out of envy and spite. Allah curses them for their disbelief; thus, Allah expelled them and distanced them from His mercy. This judgment applies to every disbeliever.

How miserable is the price for which they sold their souls – disbelieving in Allah’s revelation out of jealous hatred that Allah would send down His grace to whom He wills of His slaves! Thus they have incurred wrath upon wrath[41], and for the disbelievers, there will be a disgracing punishment.

How evil is the thing for which they sold themselves: disbelief! They chose disbelief and took it, and they offered themselves to the Fire, knowing the truth of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and that whoever denies him, the Fire is his end. They chose disbelief and surrendered themselves to the Fire, driven by their transgression and envy of those whom Allah Almighty chose to bestow His great favor upon, apart from His servants. They envied Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for being from the descendants of Ishmael and not from the Children of Israel. The Jews returned deserving and carrying another wrath from Allah upon them due to their denial of the message of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in addition to the first wrath they earned for past sins. For those who deny the prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from all people, there is a punishment from Allah in which they are humiliated and disgraced.

When it is said to them, “Believe in what Allah has sent down[42],” they say, “We only believe in what was sent down to us[43],” and they deny what came afterwards, although it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, “Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you were truly believers?”

When it was said to the Jews during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), "Believe in the Qur’an which Allah has revealed," they replied, "Our belief in the Torah suffices us," and they denied what came after the Torah from the Books of Allah that He sent to His messengers (peace be upon them). Yet, what Allah Almighty revealed is the truth, confirming what is with them in the Torah. So why do they believe in what was revealed to them and disbelieve in its counterpart?! Their disbelief in the Qur'an is disbelief in what is in their hands. Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews: If you are truthful in your claim of faith in the Torah, then why did you kill—referring to their forefathers—the prophets who came to you, while you knew their truthfulness, and the Torah commanded you to follow and obey them?! This is a refutation of their claim, "We believe in what was sent down to us."

Moses came to you with clear signs, yet you took the calf [for worship] in his absence, while you were wrongdoers.

O assembly of Jews, indeed, your prophet Moses (peace be upon him) brought you clear signs and decisive proofs of his truthfulness, such as the staff and the hand, among other miracles. Yet, you disbelieved in what Moses (peace be upon him) brought to you of the oneness of Allah, and you made the calf into a god and worshipped it after Moses had gone to Mount Sinai to speak with his Lord. By doing so, you transgressed the limits set by Allah, the Almighty. The Torah, which you claim to adhere to, does not command you to worship the calf; thus, your claim of faith in the Torah is false.

And [remember] when We took a covenant from you and We raised above you the mountain [saying], “Hold firmly to what We have given you and obey,” they said, “We hear and disobey.” The love of [worshiping] the calf was engraved in their hearts because of their disbelief. Say, “How wretched is what your faith enjoins you, if you are believers!”

And remember, O assembly of Jews, when We took a solemn covenant from you to believe in Allah Almighty, and His messengers, and to adhere to His law, and We raised the mountain above you to frighten you; so that you would acknowledge what you were covenanted to and act upon it. And We said to them: Receive the Torah which We have given you with determination and firmness, and diligence and activity, and listen to the words of Allah Almighty with acceptance, response, and compliance. And their response to what preceded was that they said, We heard with our ears Your words, and we disobeyed with our actions what we were commanded. The love of the calf and its worship mingled with their hearts and penetrated their depths, and this occurred to them due to their disbelief and denial of the truth. Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews who claim to believe in what was revealed to them: How evil is that which your faith commands you, the killing of prophets, the worship of the calf, and disobedience, if you are truthful in your claim of faith.

Say, “If the Home of the Hereafter with Allah is only for you [O Israelites] among all humans, then wish for death, if you are truthful.”

Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews, "If the bliss of the Hereafter is exclusively for you alone, apart from the rest of humanity, as you claim, then wish for death, and ask for it, if you are truthful in your claim."

But they will never wish for that because of what their hands have sent forth. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.

The Jews will never wish for death because of what they have earned from disbelief and sins, including their rejection of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and concealing his description found in their Torah. Allah knows the wrongdoers; He is neither unaware of them nor heedless, but rather He is preserving their deeds, and He will recompense them for their wrongdoing.

And you will surely find them the most greedy people for life, even more than the polytheists. Each one of them wishes to have a life of a thousand years. Even if they were granted such a long life, it would not save them from the punishment; for Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

It is certain, O Muhammad, that you will find these Jews the most eager of people for life in this world, and the most averse to death, because they know what awaits them in the Hereafter of punishment. And you will find their love for staying and long life in this world surpasses even the polytheists. One of them wishes—it is said, any one of the Jews, and it is said, any one of the polytheists—out of his eagerness to remain in this transient life, that his life would be extended to a thousand years. However, even if they were to live for the mentioned lifespan, it would not benefit them in any way nor avert any punishment from them. And Allah Almighty sees all that they do; nothing of it is hidden from Him, and He will recompense them for it.

Say [O Prophet], “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – it is he who brings down this [Qur’an] to your heart by Allah’s permission, confirming what came before it, and a guidance and glad tidings for the believers.”

Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews who claimed that what prevented them from believing in your message was that your ally, Gabriel (peace be upon him), is their enemy—say to them, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (peace be upon him), let him know that it is he who has brought down the Qur’an to your heart." Gabriel only descends by the command of Allah Almighty, and this means that by saying this, they are indeed opposing Allah Almighty in truth. The Qur’an was revealed in a manner that is consistent with the other divine scriptures that preceded it, such as the Torah, and is in agreement with them. It is an indication of the truth and glad tidings from Allah Almighty specifically for the believers. Among its glad tidings is what Allah Almighty has informed them of the eternal bliss prepared for them in the Hereafter.

Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, and to Gabriel and Michael – then Allah is indeed an enemy to the disbelievers.

Whoever opposes Allah Almighty, or any of those mentioned from the angels in general, or specifically Jibrīl (Gabriel) and Mīkā’īl (Michael), or from the rest of Allah's noble messengers among mankind, such as Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), whoever opposes them or any one of them is indeed a disbeliever, and Allah Almighty takes him as an enemy; for He, Exalted is He, opposes every disbeliever.

We have sent down to you clear proofs, and none will reject them except the evildoers.

We have sent down to you, O Muhammad, in what has been revealed to you from the Qur’an, verses that are clear signs of the truth of your prophethood. These clear verses have reached a great level of clarity and evidence of the truth, and have reached a state where none rejects them or denies them except those who have departed from the obedience of Allah and refrained from adhering to His Sharia.

Is it that every time they ratify a covenant, a party of them cast it aside? In fact, most of them do not believe.

Is it that whenever the Jews made a commitment to uphold a covenant, a group among them would break it and cast it aside, abandoning its fulfillment? Indeed, most of the Jews do not truly affirm the truth, neither in terms of belief, speech, or action. Their lack of faith is what led them to reject the covenants, including their rejection of the covenant to believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and follow him.

And when a messenger[44] from Allah came to them – confirming what was with them, a party of the People of the Book cast Allah’s Scripture behind their backs as if they did not know.

When a messenger sent by Allah Almighty came to the Jews, namely Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who came to them with his description matching what is in the Torah, a group of the Jews, the people of the Torah, abandoned the Torah which Allah had revealed to them, by not entering the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); they ignored it, as if they did not know what is in the Torah about the prophecy of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the command to follow him.

They followed what was recited by the devils during the kingdom of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels Hārūt and Mārūt in Babylon. But these two angels did not teach anyone without telling them, “We are only a test, so do not disbelieve.” Yet they would learn from them what would cause separation between a man and his wife. But they could not harm anyone except by Allah’s permission. They would learn what harmed them and did not benefit them, although they already knew that whoever gets into it would not have any share in the Hereafter. How terrible was the price for which they sold themselves, if only they knew!

The Jews followed what the devils fabricated and falsely attributed to Solomon, claiming that he practiced magic and that his great kingdom was established through it. Solomon (peace be upon him) was not a disbeliever practicing magic or teaching it to others, for magic is disbelief. Rather, those who disbelieved due to magic were the devils who taught it to people, leading them astray. The Jews also followed the magic that was revealed to the two angels, Hārūt and Mārūt, in Babylon, Iraq. These two angels did not teach anyone magic without first advising them, saying, "We are here to teach magic as a test and trial for the children of Adam, so do not disbelieve in Allah by learning and practicing magic." People learned magic from the two angels, using it for reprehensible acts, the greatest of which was causing separation between a husband and wife, despite the love and mercy between them. However, these learners of magic from the angels and those who performed such vile acts could not harm anyone except by Allah’s universal permission, meaning by His power and will. The magic that these practitioners learned was pure harm to them in this world, with no benefit whatsoever. Those Jews knew that whoever exchanged the Book of Allah and the following of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for magic would have no share in the Hereafter. What an evil substitute was the magic they learned, in place of the Book of Allah and following His messengers (peace be upon them), if they only knew that they sold themselves and their share in the Hereafter for what harms them in this world as well, and does not benefit them.

If only they had believed and feared Allah, they would have had a better reward from Allah, if only they knew!

And if they had chosen faith and piety instead of sorcery, Allah would have rewarded them with what is far better for them than what they sought in this world, if they but knew, they would have believed and feared Allah.

O you who believe, do not say, “Rā‘inā,” [i.e., consider our situation!] But say, “Unzhurnā,” [i.e., wait for us!] and listen. And for the disbelievers there will be a painful torment.

O you who believe! Do not say to your Prophet, "Rā‘inā," for although you may mean it as a request for consideration, the Jews used it to mean "foolish" in mockery of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). So Allah forbade it to prevent such a mockery. Instead, say "Unzhurnā," meaning "wait for us and give us time to understand and learn from you." And listen to his commands with the intent to respond and obey. And for the disbelievers among the Jews and others, there is a painful torment in the Hereafter.

Neither those who disbelieved from the People of the Book nor the polytheists wish that your Lord sends down any good to you [O Muslims]. But Allah chooses for His mercy whom He wills, for Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

The disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists do not like that Allah should send down any good to the believers from Him, and among that is the Qur’an revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And Allah favors with His mercies whom He wills from His servants with His knowledge and wisdom, and among that is granting prophethood and the message to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); for he is a mercy to him and others, and He Almighty is the possessor of vast and abundant bounty.

We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring a better one or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is Most Capable of all things?

Whatever ruling of a verse We abrogate and replace or change, or whatever revelations We erase from the heart of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), We bring forth something better than what We have abrogated or erased from the heart of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), or something similar in its goodness and benefits. You have come to know and it has become clear to you that Allah has power over all things, including His ability to abrogate what He wills and confirm what He wills, and He rules as He wills.

Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth, and that you have no protector or supporter besides Allah?

You know that Allah Almighty is the Owner of all His creation and disposes of them as He wills; for to Him belongs the creation and the command. Likewise, He judges among His servants as He wills, and there is none to overturn His judgment. And you have none besides Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, to take charge of you, to bring you good, and you have none besides Allah Almighty to help you and to ward off evil from you.

Or would you like to question your Messenger as Moses was questioned before? Whoever exchanges faith for disbelief has indeed strayed from the sound path.

Do you wish to question your Messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who was sent to all of mankind, with questions of obstinacy or objection, or by proposing to produce signs, as the predecessors of the Jews questioned Mūsā (Moses) (peace be upon him) with similar questions? And whoever takes disbelief in exchange for faith has strayed from the middle path and turned to its sides, which lead him to the ways of destruction.

Many of the people of the Book wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of the envy in their hearts, after the truth has become evident to them. But pardon and overlook until Allah passes His decree[45], for Allah is Most Capable of all things.

Many of the People of the Book wish that the believers would turn back from their faith and disbelieve, and they have strived for that, employing schemes. This wish stems from the envy deeply rooted in their hearts towards the believers for what Allah has granted them of His bounty, guiding them to His straight path. This envy only arose after the clear truth became evident to them. So leave the punishment of the People of the Book for their vile words, the malice in their hearts, and the deceit of their actions; refrain from blaming and reproaching them, and turn away from all of that, as if nothing had happened, until Allah brings about His command for you regarding them, and decrees for them what He wills, which will soothe your hearts and remove the anger from your chests. Indeed, Allah is capable of all things, and nothing ever escapes His power.

And establish prayer and give zakah. Whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah, for Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.

And establish the prayer with its limits and obligations completely as Allah, the Almighty, has commanded, and give the Zakah as it has been prescribed. And whatever good you do, it will not be lost; rather, it is preserved and stored for them with the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, who is not unaware of any of your apparent and hidden deeds.

And they say, “None will enter Paradise except a Jew or a Christian.” That is their wishful thinking. Say, “Produce your proof, if you are truthful.”

The Jews said, "None shall enter Paradise except one who is a Jew," and the Christians said, "None shall enter Paradise except one who is a Christian." These claims made by the Jews and the Christians are merely falsehoods and vain desires they wish upon Allah without any right. Say to them, O Muhammad, "Bring forth your proof for these claims if you are truthful in what you assert."

On the contrary, whoever submits himself to Allah and is a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. They will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

It is not as they claimed. Rather, whoever sincerely dedicates their deeds to Allah alone, without associating any partners with Him, and follows the Sharia of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) will have their reward with Allah, the Almighty. They are the people of Paradise alone. They will have no fear about what awaits them in the Afterlife, and they will be in perpetual joy, not grieving over what they have missed in this world.

The Jews say, “The Christians have nothing to stand on” and the Christians say, “The Jews have nothing to stand on[46],” although they both recite the Scripture. And those [pagans] who have no knowledge say something similar. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.

The Jews said, The religion of the Christians is false, and there is no truth in it whatsoever. And the Christians said, The religion of the Jews is false, and there is no truth in it whatsoever. However, these claimants from the Jews and Christians read their books and know what truth is in them. The Jews read the Torah, which includes the prophecy of Jesus and the truth of his prophethood, and the Christians read the Gospel, which includes the truth of Moses and the affirmation of the Torah. So how can each of them claim that there is no truth in the other's religion whatsoever?! And just as these said, the ignorant among the Arab polytheists and others said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his Companions: You are upon nothing. So Allah Almighty will judge and decide between these differing ones—those who say to each other: You are upon nothing of the truth—on the Day of Resurrection, and He will recompense every false claimant for their falsehood.

Who does greater wrong than the one who prevents Allah’s name to be mentioned in His mosques and strives for their destruction? Such people do not deserve to enter them except in fear[47]. There is a disgrace for them in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter.

No one does greater wrong than those who prevent worship in the Houses of Allah, striving with all their might to corrupt them both physically and spiritually. Allah has forbidden those who endeavor to ruin His Houses, both physically and spiritually, from entering them except with hearts filled with fear—fear of a divine punishment befalling them, or fear of the believers punishing them. For them is disgrace and humiliation in this world, whether through killing, captivity, paying the jizyah (poll tax), public disgrace, or otherwise. As for the Hereafter, they will have a great punishment and severe torment.

To Allah belong the east and the west; wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah[48]. For Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.

To Allah, Blessed and Exalted, belongs the dominion of the direction from which the sun rises and the dominion of the direction where it sets, and to Him belongs all that lies between them of directions and creations. Wherever you are and wherever you turn in your prayers towards the direction ordained by Allah, you are indeed turning towards Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in truth. For when the worshiper turns towards the Qiblah, he truly faces the Face of Allah, Glorified and Exalted. Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is vast in mercy, forgiveness, and knowledge, abundant in generosity and bounty, and possesses other beautiful attributes. He is the All-Knowing, encompassing all things, and nothing ever escapes His knowledge.

They say, “Allah has taken a son[49]”. Glory be to Him! Rather, to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and earth – all are devoutly obedient to Him.

They say, "Allah has taken a son for Himself." The Jews said, "Uzair" (Ezra) is the son of Allah," and the Christians said, "The Messiah is the son of Allah," and the idolaters said, "The angels are the daughters of Allah." Exalted is Allah and greatly above having a son, as they fabricated. Rather, He is the Owner of all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. He is their Creator and He manages them as He wills, and all are His servants without exception, in submission to His command. How then could He have a son from among them?!

The Originator of the heavens and earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.

The Creator of the heavens and the earth from nothing, without any prior example; how can they claim He has a son and make for Him an equal, a partner, or a part of Him? Exalted is He, Glorious is His majesty! Indeed, when He wills something, it suffices Him to say to it, "Be," and it is, according to what Allah Almighty wills. Among such creations is the Messiah, Jesus (peace be upon him), whom He created by the word "Be."

Those who have no knowledge[50] say, “If only Allah would speak to us or a sign be given to us.” Those who came before them said similar words. Their hearts are all alike. We have made the signs clear to people who have sure faith.

The ignorant ones—i.e., the Arab idolaters or the Jews and Christians—demanded, "Why does Allah not speak to us to confirm His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? Or why is a miracle not sent to us to prove the truth of what he has brought?" This request was made out of obstinacy and stubbornness, for indeed many signs have already come to them proving the truth of the Prophet’s mission (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) including the Noble Qur’an. Their words echo those of the previous nations, such as the Jews and Christians and others. The hearts of the disbelievers are alike in rejecting the truth, obstinacy, and stubbornness; hence, their statements are similar, even if their sects and methods differ. We have indeed made clear the signs proving the truth of the messengers (peace be upon them)—including Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—but this is for those whose constant trait is certainty; it is they who benefit from the signs, not those who doubt them.

We have sent you with the truth [O Prophet] as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, and you will not be questioned about the people of the Blazing Fire.

Indeed, We have sent you with the truth, O Muhammad, so your mission is true, and what you have brought from Allah Almighty is true. You are a bearer of glad tidings to those who obey you, of attaining happiness in this world and the Hereafter, and a warner and admonisher to those who disobey you, of misery in this world and the Hereafter. And you are not accountable, O Muhammad, for the persistence of the disbelievers—the dwellers of the Fire who will remain therein—upon their disbelief; you will not be questioned about them after you have conveyed the truth to them; your duty is only to convey, and their reckoning is with Allah Almighty.

The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion. Say, “The guidance of Allah is the [true] guidance.” If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you would have no protector or helper against Allah.

The Jews will never be pleased with you until you leave the religion of Islam and embrace their religion, and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you leave the religion of Islam and embrace their religion. Say, O Muhammad, in response to them for not following their creed: Guidance is not what you are upon as you claim, but what I have been sent with is the true guidance of Allah; for it is the straight, sound, and complete religion. Allah Almighty addresses His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the nation follows him in this, saying: If you follow their desires, O Muhammad, then know that you will have none to take charge of your affairs; to bring you good, or any helper to support you against Allah Almighty; to ward off harm from you.

Those to whom We have given the Book recite it as it should be recited, it is they who believe in it. As for those who disbelieve in it, it is they who are the losers.

Allah praises those among the People of the Book who uphold His scripture, saying, "Those to whom We have given the Book follow it as it should be followed, not daring to alter it or deny the glad tidings of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned therein with his attributes and descriptions. They are the ones who believe in the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). But those among the People of the Book who disbelieve in their scripture given to them by Allah Almighty—by distorting it, altering it, and denying the established prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)—have indeed deprived themselves of Allah’s mercy.

O Children of Israel, remember My blessings that I bestowed upon you, and that I favored you over all other people.

O Children of Jacob, remember the blessings I bestowed upon your forefathers, a remembrance that leads you to gratitude through submission to Allah, by entering His religion and following His noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Among these are the blessings mentioned in this noble Surah. Remember that I favoured you over all other nations of your time by sending messengers from among you, revealing scriptures to you, and other special blessings.

And beware of the Day when no one will avail another in any way; no compensation will be accepted, and no intercession will benefit it, nor will they be helped.

Protect yourselves against the Day of Judgement by shielding yourselves from the torment of Allah Almighty. On that day, no soul shall fulfill the due right of another, nor will anyone—no matter who they are—be able to help anyone else, even if they are their closest kin, in the slightest way. No ransom will be accepted from them, and no intercession will benefit any soul for another if it is an outright disbeliever. However, for the believer, intercession will be accepted by Allah’s permission for the intercessor and His approval of the one interceded for. They will have no one to save them from the torment of Allah Almighty.

And [remember] when Abraham was tested by his Lord with certain words, which he fulfilled[51]. Allah said, “I will make you a leader for mankind.” He said, “And from among my descendants?” Allah said, “My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.”

And remember, O Muhammad, when Allah tested His close friend Abraham (peace be upon him) with duties He prescribed upon him, and Abraham (peace be upon him) fulfilled them completely. Allah said to him, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people to follow and emulate you." Abraham said, "My Lord, and also from my descendants, make leaders." Allah Almighty said, "The rank of leadership in religion will not be attained by any of the wrongdoers from among your descendants."

And [remember] when We made the House [i.e., Ka‘bah] a focal point and a sanctuary for the people. “[O believers], take the Station of Abraham as a place for prayer.” We charged Abraham and Ishmael to purify My House for those who perform circumambulation[52] or stay for worship, or those who bow down and prostrate.

And remember, O Muhammad, when We made the Sacred House a place that people long for continuously, returning to it even if they visit it multiple times. We made it a sanctuary for them, where they feel secure regarding their lives and possessions, and even animals and inanimate objects are safe within it. Take from the stations of Abraham (peace be upon him), which are the rites of Hajj, such as Arafat, Muzdalifah, and the stoning of the Jamarat, among others, as places for worship, remembrance, and supplication. This includes performing the two Rak‘ahs of Tawaf behind the Station of Abraham (peace be upon him). We revealed to Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) a confirmed command to purify the House of Allah from polytheism, disbelief, idols, filth, and impurities for those who perform Tawaf around the Ka‘bah, those who stay in the Sacred Mosque, and those who pray therein.

And [remember] when Abraham said, “My Lord, make this city [of Makkah] a sanctuary and provide its people with fruits – those among them who believe in Allah and the Last Day.” [Allah] said, “As for those who disbelieve, I will grant them enjoyment for a short while, then I will force them into the punishment of the Fire. What a terrible destination!”

And remember when Abraham (peace be upon him) said, "My Lord, make Makkah a place where its people are safe from fear, and provide the believers among its people with various kinds of fruits." Allah Almighty said, "And indeed, the disbeliever will also receive his worldly provision, but it is little in both time and quality compared to the complete and everlasting bliss of the Hereafter. Then I will compel him, against his will, to the Fire, and how wretched is the return to the torment of the Fire!

And [remember] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept this from us, for You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

And remember when Abraham was raising the foundations of the Ka‘bah, and Ishmael was assisting him by carrying the stones, they both said, "Our Lord, accept the building of this House from us; indeed, You are the All-Hearing of our words, the All-Knowing of our deeds and intentions."

Our Lord, make us both submitted to You and from our descendants a nation submitted to You; and show us our rituals[53] and accept our repentance. You are the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

Our Lord, make us perpetually humble towards You, glorified are You, in obedience to You, compliant with Your decree, and surrendered to Your command. And make some of our descendants a community surrendered to You, obedient to Your command, and humble towards Your decree, exalted and sublime. Show us the rites of pilgrimage and the places of worship therein, and make them known to us so that we may perceive them. Guide us to repentance, so we may return from disobedience to obedience to You. You alone, glorified are You, are the Accepter of Repentance, by first guiding Your servant to repentance and then accepting it from him. You alone are the Most Merciful, bestowing Your mercy upon Your believing servants.

Our Lord, send among them a messenger[54] to recite to them Your revelations, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”

Our Lord, and raise among our descendants a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your Book which You reveal to him, and teach them the meanings of the Qur’an, and teach them the Sunnah, and purify them from associating partners with Allah, and nourish their morals with the oneness of Allah Almighty, and obedience to Him. Indeed, You alone are the All-Mighty, Whom nothing can overpower in what He wills, so grant us and our descendants what we have requested from You. And You alone are the All-Wise, who places everything in its appropriate place, so grant us what benefits us and benefits our descendants.

Who would forsake the religion of Abraham[55] except a fool! We have chosen him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous.

No one deviates from al-Hanīfīyyah (the pure monotheism), the religion of Abraham, the close friend of Allah (peace be upon him), except those whose souls are ignorant, reckless, and misguided. Indeed, We chose and selected Abraham in this world, and he is among the successful and blessed in the Hereafter, in the highest company with his fellow messengers and prophets (peace and blessings be upon them).

When his Lord said to him, “Submit[56],” he said, “I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.”

And remember when his Lord Almighty said to Abraham, "Devote your religion and monotheism sincerely to Me, and submit to it with all humility, submission, and love." Abraham immediately responded, saying, "I have submitted to Allah, the Creator of the slaves, their Provider, and the Disposer of their affairs."

This was enjoined by Abraham and Jacob to their offspring, “O my children, Allah has chosen for you this religion; so do not die except as Muslims.”

Abraham (peace be upon him) entrusted this word, "I have surrendered to the Lord of the worlds," which represents the Hanīfism, to his sons, and likewise did his grandson Jacob, son of Isaac, entrust it to his sons. Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has chosen for you this religion that you know, so do not neglect it, nor abandon it in your lives. Rather, adhere to it and uphold it, so that Allah Almighty may grant you death while adhering to it.

Or were you present when death approached Jacob, when he said to his children, “What will you worship after me”? They said, “We will worship your God and the God of your fathers – Abraham, Ishmael[57], and Isaac – the One God. And to Him we submit.”

Were you, O assembly of Jews who deny Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), witnesses present when the signs of death approached your father Jacob (peace be upon him)? And did you witness Jacob as he questioned his sons, testing them, "What will you worship after my death?" They said, "We will worship Allah, your deity and the deity of your fathers: Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac (peace be upon them)—He who alone is worthy of worship. We associate none with Him in worship, submitting to Him, yielding to His command, and being devoted to His worship.

That was a nation that has passed on; they will have what they earned and you will have what you earned, and you will not be questioned concerning what they used to do.

That was a group that has passed away, and your affiliation with them will not benefit you, O Jews and Christians, if you do not do good that benefits you. Each of you has their own deeds, whether good or evil, and no one else will share in them. You will not be held accountable for the deeds of your predecessors, but you will be held accountable for your own deeds.

They say, “Be Jews or Christians to be guided.” Say, “Rather [we follow] the religion of Abraham, the monotheist, and he was not one of the polytheists[58].”

The Jews said to the believers, "Be Jews, and you will be guided," and the Christians said to them, "Be Christians, and you will be guided." Say to them, O Muhammad, that true guidance is not found in your religion of Judaism or Christianity, but rather in embracing the religion of Abraham (peace be upon him), whose essence is steadfastness on the path of monotheism and turning away from the path of polytheism. Abraham (peace be upon him) was not among the idol worshippers, nor was he a Jew or a Christian.

Say [O believers], “We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob][59]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.”

Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and the Qur’an which has been revealed to us, and in what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets from the descendants of Jacob. We believe in what Allah Almighty gave to Moses of the Torah and miracles, and what He gave to Jesus of the Gospel and miracles, and what was given to the rest of the prophets (peace be upon them all). We make no distinction between any of them in faith—believing in some and rejecting others; rather, we have faith in all of them. We submit to Allah Almighty alone, both outwardly and inwardly, and we humbly surrender to Him in obedience and yield to Him in servitude.

If they believe as you have believed, then they are guided. But if they turn away, then they are in plain dissension. Allah will suffice you against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

If the Jews and the Christians believe in every aspect as you have believed, O Muslims, including belief in all the Books of Allah and all His Messengers (peace be upon them), then they are rightly guided to truth and goodness. Yet if they turn away from the truth after the evidence has been established against them, and do not believe as you believed, then know, O believers, that they intend to oppose and be hostile towards you. However, Allah will suffice you, O Muhammad, against them, protect you from their harm, and grant you victory over them. He is indeed the All-Hearing of what they say, and the All-Knowing of what they conceal and reveal, of their schemes and various evils.

This is the natural religion[60] of Allah. Who is better than Allah in [enjoining a] religion? And it is He Whom we worship.

Hold firmly to the religion of Allah, Islam, and uphold it in the best manner. For none has a religion better than that of Allah. We are sincere, submissive, and humble to Him alone, with the obligatory love due to Him, exalted is He.

Say, “Do you [People of the Book] argue with us concerning Allah, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We are responsible for our deeds and you for yours, and we are sincerely devoted to Him.

Say, O Muhammad, to these Jews and Christians, "Do you argue with us and dispute regarding the Oneness of Allah to invalidate the religion of Islam, claiming that you have more right to Allah than we do? How can you claim this when the Lord of all is One, for He is our Lord and your Lord? Each of us has our deeds for which Allah will recompense us. You are not better than us; rather, we have more right to Allah than you, for we do not associate anything with Him in worship, whereas you associate others with Him."

Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob] were Jews or Christians?” Say, “Are you more knowledgeable or Allah?” Who does greater wrong than the one who hides a testimony he has from Allah? But Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Or do you say, O People of the Book, that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets from Jacob’s descendants were on your religion, either Judaism or Christianity, claiming thereby that you are more entitled to those noble messengers than the Muslims?! Say to them, O Muhammad, if they claim that, "Are you more knowledgeable about the religion they were upon, or is Allah?" And no one does greater wrong in concealing the testimony than those who hide what Allah has revealed in His Books, that these mentioned prophets were Muslims. And Allah is not unaware of you; rather, He is fully aware of your deeds, and He has recorded them, both small and great. Nothing is hidden from Him, and He will recompense you for them.

That was a nation that has passed on; they will have what they earned and you will have what you earned, and you will not be questioned concerning what they used to do.

That was a group that has passed away, and your affiliation with them will not benefit you, O Jews and Christians, if you do not do good that benefits you. Each of you has their own deeds, whether good or evil, and no one will be affected by the deeds of another. You will not be held accountable for the actions of your predecessors, but you will be held accountable for your own actions.