Day
when there will be
no bargaining,
nor friendship,
nor intercession;
for the disbelievers are wrongdoers.
255God—there is no god but He,°
the Living, the Self-Subsisting.
Never can slumber seize Him,
nor sleep. To Him belongs
all that is in the heavens, and
all that is on the earth.
Who can intercede with Him
except by His leave? He knows
what lies ahead, and
what lies behind.
None can approach His knowing,
only as He wills.
His throne extends
over the heavens and the earth,
which He guards and preserves
with no fatigue,
for He is Most High,
Supreme.
256There shall be no compulsion
in religion; true guidance is now
distinct from error.
Whoever denies false gods
and believes in the One God
has grasped the firmest handhold,
which shall never break—for God
is All Hearing, All Knowing.
257God is the Protector of those
who believe, Who leads them
from darkness into light;
but the protectors of those
who disbelieve are false gods,
who lead them from light
into darkness. They shall be
inmates of the fire—forever.
SECTION 34
258Have you reflected on the man
who argued with Abraham about
his Lord because He granted him
sovereignty?° When Abraham said,
“My Lord is He Who brings life
and death,” he replied, “I bring life
and death.” Abraham responded,
“My Lord brings up the sun
from the East—why don’t you
try to bring it from the West?”
So the disbeliever was speechless;
God does not guide
a people who do wrong.
259Or like the man who passed by
a ruined city, its roofs overturned,
and remarked, “How will God
bring it to life after its death?”
Then God made him die
for a hundred years, and
raised him up again.
God asked him,
“How long have you been here?”
He answered,
“I have been here a day or part
of a day.” God said,
“No, you have been here
a hundred years;
look at your food and drink—
they have not changed;
and look at your donkey.
“We shall make you a sign
for people.
And look at the bones,
how We raise them and cover
them with flesh.”
When it was made clear to him,
he said, “I know that God
has Power over all things.”
260When Abraham said,
“My Lord, show me how
you give life to the dead,”
He said, “Do you not believe?”
He replied, “Yes, but to satisfy
my heart.” God said,
“Take four birds, train them
to return to you, then
place pieces of them
on each hill, and call to them.
They will fly back to you in haste—
know that God is Almighty, All Wise.”
SECTION 35
261A parable: those who spend
their wealth in God’s cause are like
a grain of corn that grows seven ears,
and each ear bears a hundred grains.
God gives in abundance
to whom He will,
for He is Expansive, All Knowing.
262Those who spend their wealth
in God’s cause—without reminders
of their kindness or words that hurt—
their reward is with their Lord;
they shall not fear, nor grieve.
263Kind words and forgiveness
are better than charity followed
by hurt—and God
is Self-Sufficient, Forbearing.
264You who believe, don’t annul
your acts of charity by reminders
or hurtfulness, like those who
spend their wealth only to be seen
of people—those who don’t
believe in God and the last day.
They are like a smooth rock
covered with soil;
heavy rain falls on it
and leaves it bare.
They have no power
over what they reap,
for God does not guide
a people who disbelieve.
265Another parable: those
who spend their wealth seeking
to please God and assure their souls
are like a garden lodged on a height;
heavy rain falls on it and its yield
is doubled; and if not heavy rain,
even the dew will water it—
God Sees all that you do.
266Would any of you wish
to have a garden with date palms
and grapevines, and rivers
flowing beneath, in which they have
all kinds of fruit, only to be struck
by old age while their children
are vulnerable, and for it to be
engulfed by a whirlwind of fire
and burned up? This is how
God makes clear for you His signs,
that you might reflect.
SECTION 36
267You who believe, give
charitably of the good things
you have earned, and of what
We have brought out for you
from the earth; and don’t aim
to give shabby things which you
yourselves would only accept
with closed eyes;
and know that God
is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.
268Satan promises you poverty,
and incites you to indecency;
but God promises you His grace
and forgiveness; for God is
All Embracing, All Knowing.
269He grants wisdom to whom
He will, and whoever gains wisdom
has been granted great good;
but only those with insight
will take heed.
270Whatever you spend
or vow to spend in charity,
God knows it; and the wrongdoers
shall have none to help.
271If you reveal your deeds
of charity, that is fine; but if you
conceal them, and give to the poor,
this is better for you, and will atone
for some of your bad deeds,
for God is Aware of all that you do.
272It is not for you, Prophet,
to guide them; God guides whom
He will. Whatever you spend
for good, it is for your own souls,
if you spend it solely seeking
the Face of God.
Whatever you spend for good
shall be fully returned to you
and you shall not be wronged.
273Give in charity to the poor
who are committed to God’s cause
and unable to travel in the land.
The ignorant might think them rich
on account of their self-restraint
but you will recognize them
by their trait of refraining from
begging insistently; and whatever
you spend for good, God Knows it.
SECTION 37
274Those who spend of their wealth
in charity, by night and by day,
in private and in public—
they shall have a reward
with their Lord;
they shall not fear,
nor shall they grieve.
275Those who devour money
through usury° will stand on the day
of resurrection as people confounded
by Satan’s touch. That is because
they say, “Usury is merely like trade.”
But God has allowed trade
and forbidden usury. Those who desist
after receiving admonition
may retain their previous gains,
and their case shall be judged by God.
But those who persist in its practice
shall be inmates of the fire; there
they shall stay forever.
276God will nullify gain from usury
and bless deeds of charity
with increase, for God
dislikes ungrateful sinners.
277Those who believe,
and do good deeds,
are steadfast in prayer,
and practice charity,
shall have a reward with their Lord;
they shall not fear, nor grieve.
278You who believe,
be mindful of God
and give up any
gain left from usury
if you are truly believers.
279If you do not, be warned of
war from God and His messenger.
But if you repent, you can keep
your capital, without wronging
others or being wronged.
280If the debtor is in hardship,
grant postponement
until their plight is eased.
But if you charitably
forgo the loan,
this is better for you,
if only you knew.
281And fear the day
when you shall be
brought back to God.
Then every soul shall
be paid what it earned,
and none shall be wronged.
SECTION 38
282You who believe, when you
contract a debt for a fixed term,
put it in writing;° let a scribe
write it down equitably
between you, and let the scribe
not refuse to write it; let him inscribe
as God has taught him.
So let him write, and
let the debtor dictate and let him
be mindful of God, his Lord,
and not reduce [the debt] at all.
If the debtor is mentally disabled
or weak or unable to dictate, then
let his guardian dictate equitably,
and call two witnesses from your men.
If there are not two men, then one man
and two women whom you approve
as witnesses; if one forgets,
the other can refresh her memory.
The witnesses should not refuse,
when called. And do not neglect
to write the debt down, whether
small or large, and its term.
This is more equitable in the sight
of God, more upright as testimony,
and more apt to forestall doubts
between you—unless it is
a transaction you conduct
on the spot between you—
then there is no blame on you
if you don’t write it down.
And be sure to summon witnesses when you
conduct a commercial transaction,
and neither the scribe nor the witness
should be harmed; doing this
is a sin for you. So, be mindful
of God, for it is God
Who will teach you—
God Knows all things.
283If you are on a journey,
and cannot find a scribe,
then some goods should be
handed over as surety;
but if you trust one another,
let the trustee fulfill his trust and
let him be mindful of God, his Lord.
And do not conceal testimony, for
whoever does so has a sinful heart;
and God Knows all that you do.
SECTION 39
284To God belongs
all that is in the heavens, and
all that is on the earth;
and whether you reveal
what is within you or conceal it,
God will call you to account for it.
He forgives whom He will, and
He punishes whom He will,
for God has Power over all things.
285The messenger believes
in what was revealed to him
by His Lord, as do the true believers.
They all believe in God, His angels,
His Books, and His messengers.
[They say], “We make no distinction
between any of His messengers.”
And they say, “We hear and we obey.
We seek your forgiveness, our Lord,
and to you is our final journey.”
286God burdens no soul beyond
its means; what it earns
will be for it or against it.
“Our Lord, don’t take us to task
if we forget or err.
Don’t burden us with the load
you laid upon those before us.
Our Lord, don’t lay a burden on us
which we lack strength to bear.
Pardon us, forgive us, and
show mercy to us.
You are our Protector, so help us
against people who disbelieve.”

SURA 3
The Family of ʿImran (Al ʿImran)
The Family of ʿImran, named after the family of Moses and Jesus (v. 33), numbers 200 verses. It was revealed in Medina following two early battles against Meccan opponents (Badr, 624, and Uhud, 626), though only the first, Badr, is mentioned by name (v. 123). After addressing the divine origin of the Quran, it narrates stories of Zachariah, Mary, and Jesus, before critiquing unobservant Jews, then exhorting believers to persist in the face of expulsion, warfare, and also the death of some companions.
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1Alif. Lam. Mim.°
2God—there is no god but He,
the Living, the Self-Subsisting.
3He revealed to you the Book
bearing the truth, confirming
what had come before.
He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
4before, as guidance for humankind.
And He revealed the criterion
[of right and wrong]. Those
who deny the signs of God
shall face severe torment,
for God is Almighty,
Lord of Requital.
5Nothing on the earth
or in the heavens
is hidden from God.
6It is He who shapes you
in the womb as He wishes.
There is no god but He,
the Almighty, the Wise.
7It is He who revealed to you
the Book. Some of its verses
are clear in meaning—these
are the basis of the Book°—
while others are allegorical.
The perverse in heart
follow what is allegorical,
seeking