disbelievers among
the people of the Book and
the polytheists don’t ever wish
anything good to be sent down
to you from your Lord. But God
chooses for His mercy whom He will;
for God’s grace is great.
106Whenever We abrogate a verse,°
or let it be forgotten, We bring
one better than it or similar.
Do you not know that God
has Power over all things?
107Do you not know
that God holds dominion
over the heavens and the earth,
and that beyond Him you will find
no protector or helper?
108Would you question
your messenger, as Moses
was questioned earlier?
Whoever exchanges belief
for disbelief undoubtedly
strays from the even path.
109Among the people of the Book
many wish they could turn you
back from belief to disbelief—
out of envy in themselves—even after
receiving the clear truth.
But forgive them and forbear
until God’s command comes,
for God has Power over all things.
110Be steadfast in prayer,
and practice due charity,
for whatever good you do
for yourselves, you will find it
laid up with God°—
God Sees all that you do.
111And they say, “No one
shall ever enter paradise unless
they are Jews or Christians.” This
is nothing but their fancy. Say,
“Bring your proof, if
what you say is true.”
112Rather, it is those who
submit their entire self° to God,
and do good, who shall have
their reward with their Lord;
they shall have no fear,
nor shall they grieve.
SECTION 13
113The Jews say, “Christians
have no basis [for their beliefs],”°
while the Christians say, “Jews
have no basis [for their beliefs].”
Yet they both read the Book,
and those with no knowledge
say the same thing.
But God will judge between them
on the day of resurrection,
about the issues they dispute.
114And who is more unjust
than someone who prevents
the remembrance of God’s name
in houses of worship,
and strives to desolate them?
Such people should enter
these houses only with awe;
they will face disgrace
in this world, and great torment
and in the hereafter.
115To God belong the East
and the West. Wherever you turn—
there is His Face—God,
the All Embracing, All Knowing.
116They say,
“God has begotten a child.”
Wrong—Glory be to Him—
to Him belongs all
that is in the heavens and the earth.
All things devoutly obey Him.
117He is the Originator
of the heavens and the earth.
When He decrees something,
He says to it, “Be!”—and it is.
118And those with no knowledge say,
“Why does God not speak to us?”
or “Why does no sign come to us?”
Those before them said the same—
their hearts are alike.
We have indeed made the signs
clear to people of firm faith.
119Yes, We have sent you,
[Prophet,] with the truth,
to give joyous news and
to give warning. But it’s not you
who must answer for
the inmates of the blazing fire.
120The Jews and Christians will
never be content until you adopt
their creed. Say, “The only guidance
is God’s guidance.”
If you were to comply with their desires
after the knowledge that has come to you,
you would have neither protector
nor helper against God.
121Those to whom We gave the Book,
those who recite it rightly—
they are the ones who believe in it;
but those who deny it—
they will be the ones who lose.
SECTION 14
122Children of Israel, remember
the favor I showed you,
choosing you over all peoples—
123so be fearful of a Day
when no soul can help another,
nor shall any compensation
from it be accepted,
nor shall any intercession
be of benefit to it—
none shall be helped.
124When Abraham was tried
by his Lord with certain commands,
which he fulfilled, God said,
“I will make you a leader of nations.”
Abraham asked,
“And my descendants also?”
God responded,
“My promise does not extend
to those who do wrong.”
125And We made the House [in Mecca]
a place of assembly for people,
and of sanctuary, saying,
“Take the station of Abraham°
as your place of prayer,” and
We made a covenant
with Abraham and Ishmael
that they should purify My House
for those who walk around it,
or stand there in devotion,
or bow and prostrate
themselves in prayer.
126And when Abraham said,
“My Lord, make this town
a sanctuary, and sustain its people
with fruits—those of them
who believe in God
and the last day,” God responded,
“As for those who disbelieve,
I will grant them enjoyment
for a short while, and then
drive them to the torment
of the fire—an evil end.”
127So Abraham and Ishmael
erected the foundations
of the House, saying, “Our Lord,
accept this from us, for You
are the All Hearing, All Knowing.”
128“Our Lord, make us both,
and our descendants,
a community that submits
to Your will.° Show us
the due rites of pilgrimage,
and relent to us.
You are the Ever Relenting,
Ever Merciful.”
129“Our Lord, raise among them
a messenger of their own, reciting
to them Your verses, teaching
them the Book and wisdom,
purifying them. You—
You alone are Almighty, All Wise.”°
SECTION 15
130And who would turn away
from the creed of Abraham
but those who fool themselves?
We chose him in this world,
and in the hereafter he will be
among the righteous.
131When his Lord said to him,
“Submit to My will,” he complied:
“I submit to the Lord
of the universe.”
132And Abraham urged his sons,
as did Jacob, “My sons,
God has chosen this religion for you,°
so be sure that you die
submitting [to His will].”
133Did you witness Jacob’s death?°
In fact, when he asked his sons,
“What will you worship after me?”
They said, “We will worship
your God, and the God
of your fathers, of Abraham,
Ishmael, and Isaac—the One God—
and to Him we submit our will.”
134That community° is gone;
what they earned was for them,
and what you earn is for you;
you shall not be questioned
about their deeds.
135They say, “Become Jews
or Christians—to be rightly guided.”
Say, “No—ours is the creed
of Abraham, the upright, who
never ascribed partners to God.”
136Say, “We believe in God,
in what has been revealed to us,
and what was revealed to Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes,
and in the Books given to Moses,
Jesus, and the prophets,
from their Lord;
we make no distinction between
any among them,
and to God we submit our will.”
137If they believe as you believe,
they will be rightly guided; but if
they turn back, they will quarrel.
God is enough to guard you
against them, for He is
All Hearing, All Knowing.
138[Our religion takes its] color
from God—and who better
to imbue color than God?°
So we worship Him alone.
139Say [to the Jews and Christians],
“Do you dispute with us about God
when He is our Lord and your Lord?
Your deeds are yours,
and our deeds are ours,
and we are true to Him alone.
140“Or do you say that Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and
the tribes were Jews or Christians?”
Say, “Do you know better
than God? Who is more unjust
than someone who hides
the testimony he has from God?
For God is not unmindful
of what you do.”
141That community is gone—
what they earned was for them,
and what you earn is for you;
you shall not be asked
about their deeds.
SECTION 16
142The fools among the people
will say, “What has turned them
from the direction of prayer
they used to face?”°
Say, “To God belong the East
and the West; He guides
whom He will to a straight path.”
143And so We made you
a community of moderation°—
to witness the truth
against humankind,
and the messenger a witness
against you.
And We set the direction
you used to face in prayer
that We might set apart°
those who followed the messenger
from those who turned on their heels;
that test was hard except for those
whom God guided;
God would never let your faith
go to waste—
God is Most Kind, Ever Merciful,
toward humankind.
144We see you [Prophet] turning
your face for guidance toward
the heavens. We will turn you toward
a direction that will please you—
turn your face
toward the sacred mosque [in Mecca];
wherever you are,
turn your faces toward it.
And those granted the Book
know it is the truth from their Lord.
Nor is God heedless of what they do.
145Even if you brought all the signs
to those granted the Book,
they would not follow
your direction,
nor shall you follow
their direction,
nor will they follow
one another’s direction.
Were you to follow their desires,
after the knowledge
that has come to you,
you would be among
those who do wrong.
146Those to whom
We granted the Book
know the Prophet
as well as they know
their own sons; but a group
of them conceal the truth
even though they know it.
147The truth is from your Lord,
so don’t be one of those who doubt.
SECTION 17
148Each community° has
a direction toward which it turns;
so compete in good works.
Wherever you are, God shall
finally bring you all together—
God has Power over all things.
149Wherever you start from,
turn your face toward
the sacred mosque—
this is the truth from your Lord,
nor is God heedless
of what you do.
150Wherever you start from,
turn your face toward
the sacred mosque; wherever you are,
turn your faces toward it, so that
people have no dispute with you,
except the wrongdoers among them;
and do not fear them, but fear Me,
that I might perfect My favor to you,
and that you might be rightly guided,
151just as We have sent you
a messenger, from among you,
reciting Our signs, purifying you,
teaching you
the Book and wisdom,
and teaching you
what you did not know.
152So, remember Me—
and I will remember you.
Show thanks to Me, and
do not be ungrateful.
SECTION 18
153You who believe, seek help
through patience and prayer;
God is with those who show patience.
154And do not say of those
killed in the cause of God
that they are dead. No—
they are living, though
you don’t perceive it.
155We will try you
with fear and hunger, with loss
of wealth and life and crops;
but give joyous news to
those who show patience,
156who say, when struck
by calamity, “To God we belong,
and to God we shall return.”°
157They are the ones on whom
their Lord sends blessings and mercy;°
they are the rightly guided ones.
158The hills of Safa and Marwa
are among the symbols of God,°
so for those performing
the major or minor pilgrimage,°
there is no fault in walking
between them; and if anyone
does good of his own accord,
God is Appreciative, All Knowing.
159As for those who conceal
the clear signs and guidance
We have revealed
—after We made them clear
in the Book for humankind—
they are the ones whom
God curses and others curse,
160except those who repent,
reform themselves, and openly
declare [the truth]. To those I relent,
for I am Relenting, Ever Merciful.
161The curse of God, the angels,
and all humankind shall fall
upon those who disbelieve,
and die as disbelievers.
162They shall endure this state
forever, without any lightening
of their torment or respite.
163Your God is One God—
there is no god but He,
the Most Merciful, Ever Merciful.
SECTION 19
164In the creation
of the heavens and earth,
in the revolving
of night and day,
in the ships that sail upon the sea
for the gain of humankind,
in the rain that
God sends from the sky,
bringing life to the earth
after its death,
in the spreading of every
kind of beast through it,
in the directing of the winds
and clouds, floating
between heaven and