2al-BaqarahThe Cowسُورَةُ البقرة

Alif-Lām-Mīm [A-L-M].

This [seemingly remote] divine Book — let there be no doubt about it — is meant to be a guidance for those who are on guard [pertaining to Allah’s power presence and prevailing authority] —

Those who affirm the existence of all that is beyond human detection, and [socially] standardize the prayer [relationship with Allah] and spend of what We have provided them [on others],

And those who affirm that which has been bestowed upon you [O Muhammad] from on high and that which has been bestowed [upon other prophets] before you, and who are [absolutely] certain of the final life [in the hereafter]!

It is they who walk a course of guidance coming to them from their Sustainer; and it is they who are successful!

Behold, as for those who are in denial [of Allah’s direct power and urgent authority], it is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them: they will not acknowledge [and commit to Allah].

Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and over their eyes is a film; and theirs is a magnitude of misery.

And from among the people there are those who say, “We commit ourselves to Allah and [affirm] the Last Day,” but [in reality] they are not committed [to Allah].

They [attempt to] delude [deceive] Allah and those committed [to Allah] — and they only deceive themselves, and cannot realize it.

In their hearts there is a disease, and so Allah causes their disease [malady] to intensify; and for them a painful suffering awaits due to their lying [borne of deceit].

And if they [the political hypocrites] are told, “Do not cause corruption on earth,” they answer, “We are but resolving issues!”

Oh, assuredly, it is they, they who are spreading corruption — but they do not realize [the harm they are doing]!

And if they are told, “Commit yourselves [to Allah] as people commit themselves [to Allah],” they answer, “Shall we commit ourselves [to Allah] in the same manner as fools commit themselves [to Allah]?” Oh, assuredly, it is they, they who are the fools — but they do not know [that they are]!

And when they [the political hypocrites] encounter the committed muslims1 they declare, “We have committed ourselves [to Allah]”; but when they are in seclusion with their demons [their God-denying associates and mischievous mushrik superiors] they assert, “Of course, we are with you; we were only joking [when speaking to the committed muslims]!”

[It is] Allah [who] will make a joke out of them and will cause them to blindly prolong their directionless behavior:

Those [political hypocrites] have bought into misguidance in exchange for guidance; and neither did their deal bring them any gain, nor have they turned out to be guided.

They [the political hypocrites] are like he who ignites a fire; and so when the fire radiates his surroundings with light, Allah takes away their enlightenment and leaves them in darkness, unable to see:

Deaf, dumb, blind — and now they cannot go back [to their initial position].

Or [they, the political hypocrites’ condition is] like a heavy downpour of rain from the sky accompanied with gloominess and thunder and lightning: they put their fingers in their ears to avoid the explosion of thunder, averting [possible] death: but Allah encircles all God-deniers.

The [strength of] the lightening threatens to take away their sight; whenever it gives them light they walk forward, and whenever it is dark they stand still. And had Allah willed it, He could have taken control of their hearing and their sight: for, indeed, Allah is capable of everything.

O people! Conform to your Sustainer who created you and [created] those before you so that you may avoid [His corrective power measures],

Who has made for you the earth a [virtual] mat and the sky a [virtual] canopy, and brought down from the skies water out of which He unearthed outgrowths [and buds] as sustenance for you: so, do not set up with Allah [any] equivalents while you know [these facts].

And if you [the skeptics and cynics] are in doubt concerning what We have bestowed from on high upon Our subject [Muhammad] then produce a sūrah of its kind [and quality] and call forth any of your witnesses to the exclusion of Allah — if what you say is true!

And if you cannot do so — and you will never be able to do so — then it behooves you to avoid the fire that has as its fuel people and stones and that is prepared for the God-deniers.

And break good news to those who have committed themselves [to Us] and did what is right and righteous that they will, indeed, have gardens [in Paradise] underneath which rivers flow; every time they are offered a provision of foodstuff they would say, “This [type of food] is what we were provided for [when we were in the world] in times past; but they are presented with a resemblance [of much higher and better quality]. And therein they shall have immaculate mates as they will be there forever.

Indeed, Allah is not shy to coin a similitude pertaining to [something as insignificant as] a flea or anything more trivial [in man’s eye] than that! Now, as for those who have committed themselves [to Allah’s power and authority] they [are in a position to] know that such a similitude is [a matter of] truth and justice coming from their Sustainer; as for those who are God-deniers, they will [deridingly] comment, “What does Allah intend this similitude to mean?” [By this similitude] He causes many people to go astray and He causes many people to be guided — but none other does He cause to go astray except for the [morally] degenerate,

Those who revoke [their] pledge with Allah after entering a covenant with Him and who sever the God-ordained continuity [of prophetic history] and who run amok on earth — those are the ones who are the losers.

How is it that you become God-deniers when [you should know that] you were lifeless and then He brought you into life; then after that He caused you to die, then afterward He brings you back to life; then again to Him you shall all return.

He it is who created for you all that is on earth and then focused on the celestial sphere and patterned them into seven firmaments; and He is most knowledgeable about everything.

And, bear in mind, when your Sustainer said to the angels, “Verily, I am rendering on earth a successor.” They said, “Are you going to have on it such as will cause corruption on it and shed blood the while we exalt Your unique glory, praising You, and sanctify Your name?” [Allah] answered, “Certainly, I know what you do not know.”

And He taught Adam the [linguistic] designation of all things; then He displayed them to the angels and said, “Proclaim to Me the names of these [things], if what you say [about a successor on earth] is true.”

They replied, “Distinctively exalted are You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us; indeed, You are the Most Knowledgeable, the Ever-Wise.”

Said [He], “O Adam! Inform them [the angels] of their names.” And when he informed them of their names, [Allah] said, “Did I not tell you that ‘indeed I know the unspecified reality of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you would divulge and what you would conceal’?”

And bear in mind that We said to the angels, “Pay respect to Adam!” — whereby they all paid their respect by bowing to him, except for Iblīs: he refused and he acted arrogantly, and thus he turned into one of those who refuse [to obey Allah].

And We said, “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden [of bliss], and savor — both of you — whatever you may delight in; but do not approach this tree, lest you become transgressing wrongdoers.”

Subsequently Satan caused them to slip [into sin], which resulted in his [Satan’s] driving them out of [their blissful] condition. And We said, “Descend [from where you are], some of you are enemies of others; and you shall have on earth a place to settle down and [a place to] get pleasure from, for a while.”

Thereupon Adam grasped words [of comfort] from his Sustainer who accepted his repentance: for, indeed, He [alone] is the Ever-Forgiving, Always Merciful.

We said, “Descend out of it [the garden of bliss] — all of you; and when guidance assuredly comes to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance shall not fear and shall not grieve;

And those who deny and disapprove of Our illustrations [of power and authority] they are the attendees of the fire; they will be in it forever.

O Children of Israel! Bear in mind My bounty that I blessed you with, and honor your [side of the] covenant for Me to honor [my side of] the covenant; and it is only Me whom you should be alarmed about!

And commit yourselves to what I have bestowed [upon Muhammad], which confirms what you have [of scripture] and do not be the first to deny it; and do not barter away My illustrations [of power and authority] for a trifling price; and it is only Me [and My justice-centered power and authority] whom you should shield yourselves from!

And do not mask truth and justice with falsehood and unfairness while you knowingly conceal the truth of this matter;

And standardize [and socialize] your ritual relationship [with Allah] and methodically distribute [monetary] offerings and bow down [to Allah] with those who thus bow down [to Him].

Do you [the Children of Israel] demand virtue from people the while you forget [the virtue of] yourselves in the course of your tracking scripture? Do you not apply your mind [to what you are doing]?

And seek help by [adherence to] patience and by [proper performance of your] prayer interaction [with Allah]: and, indeed, this [advice] is very demanding except for those who are emotionally attached [to Allah],

Those who deem and have confidence that they are to meet their Sustainer and that they, indeed, will revert to Him.

O Children of Israel! Bear in mind My bounty, which I blessed you with, and that I have favored you above all other assemblies of people;

And avoid [the terrible consequences of] a Day when a living being cannot avail another and when there shall be no acceptance of mediation, and no ransom shall be accepted from any living being, and none shall be supported [to the end of avoiding Allah’s course of justice].

And bear in mind the time when We rescued you [the Children of Israel] from the affiliates of Pharaoh who were subjecting you to the worst [types] of torment — they killed off your children, while sparing the lives of your women — and in that there was a tremendous tribulation from your illustrious Sustainer;

And bear in mind when We cleft the sea because of you [to save you from Pharaoh] and We rescued you and [in doing that] We drowned the [military] affiliates of Pharaoh while you watched [this whole event].

And bear in mind the time when We allocated forty nights and during his absence you religiously identified with the [golden] calf, and thus became offenders [of truth and justice]:

Yet, then, We pardoned you after that so that you may be appreciative [of Our grace].

And bear in mind [the fact] that We conferred upon Mūsā the scripture and an endowment [of wisdom] that distinguishes what is right from wrong — so that you might be guided [in your lives];

And bear in mind [the time] when Mūsā said to his people, “O my people! You have wronged yourselves by your religious regard for the [golden] calf, therefore turn to your Maker in repentance and eradicate [the ego in] yourselves; that would be the best thing to do in your Maker’s sight.” And thereupon He accepted your repentance: for, behold, He is forever the One to accept repentance and all the time merciful.

And [remember] when you said, “O Mūsā! We will not go along with your divine commitment until we see Allah in broad daylight!” Whereupon the thunderbolt [of punishment] overtook you while you were watching [and anticipating the visualization of God].

Then We brought you back to life [to assume a new phase of divine responsibilities] after your demise [in your self-destructive history] so that you may have cause to be thankful.

And We shaded you with clouds [for your comfort] and We brought down to you manna [choice vegetation] and quails [choice meat], [saying], “Eat of the wholesome food that We provided for you as sustenance.” And [by all the wrong things the Children of Israel did] they did no harm to Us — rather it was their own selves that they were doing harm to.

And [remember the time] when We said, “Enter this urban center and eat abundantly therein of what you desire; but enter the gate [of that city] in a humble manner and say, ‘Remove You from us the burden of our sins,’ [whereupon] We shall forgive you your sins, and shall amply reward those who seek to perfect the good things they do.”

But those who are offending wrongdoers substituted another saying for that which was given to them and We sent down upon those offensive wrongdoers a punishing plague from the sky in requital for their iniquity.

And [remember] when Mūsā prayed for water for his people and We replied, “Strike the rock with your cane!” Whereupon twelve springs of water gushed forth from it, so that all people knew where to go for their drink. [And they were told], “Eat and drink of Allah’s sustenance, and do not traverse lands in a roguish manner causing a diffusion of corruption.”

And [remember] when you said, “O Mūsā, we will not be patient with having only one [type of] food [to eat]; pray, then, to your Sustainer for us to [have Him] bring forth from the earth’s produce [such as] its herbs, its cucumbers, its lentils, and its onions.” [Mūsā] said, “Do you want to exchange something that is better for something that is worse? [If that is what you want, then] go back in shame to Egypt; that way you will certainly have what you are asking for [that is, the variety of gourmet food that you desire]!” And so, [as a result], degradation and humiliation were cast on them, and they wound up incurring wrath from Allah; that is because they [the Children of Israel] were apt to reject Allah’s illustrations [of power and authority] and to kill the prophets [of Allah] without the basis of truth and justice; all that was due upon them because of their disobedience [of Allah and His prophets] and their transgression [against Allah and His prophets].

Verily, those who commit themselves [to Allah according to this divine Scripture], as well as those who adhere to the Jewish faith [without the distortions that crept into it], and the Christians [in accordance with Christ and his divine message], and the Sabians — all who commit themselves to Allah [on Allah’s terms] and affirm the Last Day and do what is right and righteous — shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and will have no fear [that disturbs them] nor will they grieve [in agony].

And think of [the time] when We accepted your solemn pledge, raising the Mountain of Ṭūr above you, [and saying], “Be very serious about what We have endowed you with [of scripture], and be conscious of its contents, so that you may avoid [Allah’s power presence for justice]!”

But then you abdicated [such responsibilities of divine origin] after that! And had it not been for Allah’s magnanimity toward you, you would have been counted as losers;

For you are well aware of those who profaned the Sabbath from among you, whereupon We said to them, “Be as restrained apes!” —

And so We made it [such punishment] a lesson of caution to those in their time and in times to come and as an admonition to all who are on guard [pertaining to Allah’s power and authority].

And recall [the episode] when Mūsā said to his people, “Behold, Allah orders you to butcher a cow.” They said, “Are you mocking us?” He answered, “I seek refuge with Allah against being so unenlightened!”

They said, “Call upon your Sustainer for us so as to have Him explain to us [the particular features of] this cow [that we are ordered to slaughter].” [Mūsā] replied, “Behold, He says it is to be a cow neither old nor young, but of an age in-between. Do, then, what you are ordered [by Allah] to do.”

They said, “Call upon your Sustainer to explain to us what her color should be.” [Mūsā] answered, “Behold, He says it is to be a yellow cow, bright of hue, pleasing to the viewers’ [eyes].”

They said, “Call upon your Sustainer to explain to us what, exactly, are her particular minutiae, as, indeed, the cows look the same to us [because they have many things in common]; and, if Allah wills it, we will be guided [to what He is asking of us]!”

[Mūsā] answered, “Behold, He ardently says it is to be a cow not overworked, does not till the earth nor [is used for] watering the crops, without streaks of another color.” [Finally] they said, “Now, at last, you have come with the truth and fairness [of this matter]!” whereupon they butchered her, as this was done when everyone was at the end of their rope [in this long, extended, and unmerited inquest].

And harken back to the time when you [the Children of Israel] killed a living person and then [fudged the issue by] casting blame on one another [for this crime] — although Allah will divulge what you [attempted to] conceal —

We said, “Strike him [the dead body] with parts of it [the butchered cow]: in this manner Allah brings the deceased to life and shows you His illustrations [of power and authority], so that you may think responsibly.”

Then [after such finagling incidents] your hearts calcified from there on and became like rocks or more fossilized: for, behold, there are rocks out of which streams of water gush forth; and, behold there are some from which, when they are split, water springs out; and, behold, there are some that fall down for awe of Allah. And Allah is not unmindful of what you do!

Do you [the committed muslims] entertain the ambition that they [the Children of Israel and their likes] will come along and commit themselves [to Allah] along with you, when a segment of them would listen to Allah’s words [and] then, after having understood it, pervert it knowingly?

For when they [the Children of Israel and their types] meet the committed muslims they say, “We believe [as you believe]” but when they are in the privacy of their own selves they say, “Do you inform them [the committed muslims] of what God has disclosed to you, so that they might use it in argument against you, quoting the words of your Sustainer? Will you not use your reason?”

Do they not know, then, that Allah knows everything they conceal and everything they disclose?

And among them [the racist Jews] there are the uninitiated who know nothing of scripture except for wishful thinking, and theirs [wishful thinking] amounts to nothing but conjecture.

Pity those who write down with their own hands [something they claim to be] scripture, and then say, “This comes from God,” in order to acquire a negligible amount [of money]; pity them for what their hands had composed and pity them for what they [thought they have] gained!

And they [the religious leaders] say, “The Fire will not touch us except for a limited number of days.” Say [in response to them], “Have you concluded a pledge with God [to that effect] in which case God will not revoke His pledge — or do you attribute to God what you do not know?”

Of course! Those who procure a malevolent deed and are surrounded by its evil effects — those are the attendees of the Fire; they will be in it forever;

And those who do what is right and righteous — they are the attendees of the garden of bliss; they will be there forever.

And think [through the time] of when We accepted the solemn pledge from the Children of Israel, “You shall not conform to any except Allah; and you shall be ever better to your parents and kinsfolk, and the orphans, and the needy; and you shall speak to people with enhanced courtesy; and you shall standardize [and socialize] your prayer relationship with Allah; and you shall organize [and systemize] your monetary contributions.” But then, except for a few of you, you abdicated [such pledges] as you are people who sidetrack [your covenants].

And recall when We accepted your solemn pledge that you will not shed your blood, and would not expel yourselves from your homelands — whereupon you acknowledged it — and were witnesses [to that bond].

But then here you are slaying your own selves and expelling a segment belonging to you out of their homelands, riding roughshod over one another in sin and hatred; but if they come to you as captives, you ransom them — although the very act of ousting them has been made unlawful to you! Do you pledge yourselves to parts of scripture and reject [other] parts? The only recompense for whoever does that is disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection they will be consigned to most grievous agony. And Allah is not oblivious of what you do.

Those are the ones who purchased this life [and its merriment] in exchange for the final life [and its bliss]; there will be no easing of the agony, nor shall they be supported.

For, indeed, We have endowed Mūsā with the scripture [the Torah] and had apostle after apostle trek after him; and We endowed ‘Īsā, the son of Maryam, with evidences of truth and justice [of divine origin] and We bolstered him with the spirit of holiness. Why is it that every time an apostle comes to you [Israelis] with a message that is not to your liking, you behave arrogantly; thus, refuting some of them and killing others?

But they say, “Our hearts are tightly packed [with scriptural knowledge].” More exactly, Allah has condemned them due to their denial [of Him]: for, their God-loyalty is shallow.

And when a scripture came to them from Allah that endorses what they have [of scripture] — and [bear in mind that] in times past they used to badger the God-deniers [by championing the advent of their soon-to-arrive prophet] — when what they knew actualized [in the coming of the Prophet] they rejected him. And, so, Allah’s curse is due to God-deniers.

What an awful price they paid for selling away their own souls by rejecting what Allah has revealed as a matter of transgression, having been upset that Allah allocates of His magnanimity to whomever of His subjects He decides: and thus they wound up with layer upon layer of condemnation. And for the God-deniers there is a humiliating torment.

And if they are told, “Commit yourselves to that which Allah has bestowed from on high,” they reply, “We compel ourselves to what has been revealed to us,” and they reject anything beyond that, although it be truth and justice verifying what they have [of divine revelation]. Say, “Why, then, do you kill Allah’s prophets who preceded you, if you were [truly] obligated [to Allah]?”

And, to be sure, Mūsā came to you [Israelis] with evidences [of truth and justice] — but then you took to reverence of the [golden] calf, in his absence, and behaved wrongly.

And, lo, We accepted your solemn pledge, raising above you Mount Ṭūr, [saying], “Take hold of what We revealed to you in a very firm and serious manner and listen [to Us]!” But they replied, “We have listened and we have disobeyed” — for their hearts were saturated with attraction to the [golden] calf due to their denial [of Allah and the truth coming from Him]. Say, “Vile is that which your [type of] commitment compels you to do — if indeed you are committed [to the Almighty].”

Say, “If the final abode [in the afterlife] is yours to have from God to the exclusion of [other] people, then [you are challenged to] yearn for death — if what you say is true [about your chosen race assertion]!”

But they will never yearn for it due to what they have procured with their own hands: and Allah is very knowledgeable of the wrongdoers.

And you will find them [the Israeli racists] to be, of all people, the ones most attached to life, and so is the case with some who ascribe divinity/authority to other than Allah: every one of them would love to live for a thousand years, although such extension of life will not nudge him from painful punishment — for Allah is observant of all that they do.

Say [O Prophet], “Whosoever is an enemy of [angel] Gabriel” — who, verily, by Allah’s permission brought down upon your heart this [Qur’anic scripture] that confirms the validity of earlier revelations, and is a guidance and good news for committed muslims —

“Whosoever is an enemy of Allah and His angels and His message bearers, including Gabriel and Michael, [should know that], verily, Allah is the enemy of all who deny Allah’s truth and justice.”

And We indeed have bestowed upon you [O Muhammad] clear illustrations [of Our power and authority]; and none rejects them except those who are degenerate [in their internal composition and in their divine commitment].

Is it not that every time they [the Israeli claimants of Judaism] make a promise [unto God], some of them toss it aside? More readily, most of them have no faith commitment.

And when an apostle sent by God comes to them confirming what they have [of scripture in their possession] a contingent of these people of scripture eject Allah’s scripture [from further consideration and hurl it] behind their backs as if they know nothing about it!

And they follow that which the demons enumerated during the reign of Sulaymān — for it was not Sulaymān who denied [the truth about Allah], but those demons were the ones who denied [the truth about Allah], by teaching people sorcery — and [they follow] that which has come down through the two angels in Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt, although these [two] never taught it to anyone before declaring, “We are but a temptation to evil: do not, then, deny Allah [His truth and justice, His power and authority]!” And they learn from these two how to create discord among a man and his wife; but they cannot harm anyone except by Allah’s leave. They acquire a knowledge that only harms themselves and does not benefit them — although they know, indeed, that he who acquires this [type of knowledge] shall have no share in the good of the life to come. For, contemptible indeed is that [art] for which they have sold their own selves — had they but known it!

And had they committed themselves [to Allah] and been on guard [concerning His ever power presence], reward from Allah would have been [much] better for them — had they but known it!

O you who are securely committed [to Allah]! Do not say [to the Prophet], “Listen to us [when we are talking to you,” but rather say, “Have patience with us [as we explain ourselves to you],” and listen [to what the Prophet has to say], since grievous punishment awaits those who are deniers [of Allah, truth, and justice].

The God-deniers from among people of scripture along with those who equate other deities and authorities with Allah — none of them would ever desire that you [the committed muslims] receive any prosperity from your Sustainer; but Allah singles out for His grace whoever He wants: for Allah is of immense bounty.

Any message that We annul or supersede We replace with a better or similar one. Do you not know that Allah is capable of doing anything?

Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and besides Allah you have no one as your foremost and no one as your supporter?

Or would you rather ask of your Apostle as Mūsā was asked in the past? And whoever switches from commitment [to Allah] to denial [of Allah] has wandered from the straight path.

Many people of [previous divine] scripture would love to cause you to relapse into God-denial after your assumption of divine commitment [to Allah]; [they desire to do that] out of their selfish envy — even after they fathom the truth [about Allah]. Even so, forgive and deflect [from their attitude] until Allah brings forth His [dominant] will: behold, Allah has power over everything.

And standardize [and socialize] your contemplation with Allah and systemize the distribution of your worthy [monetary] disbursement of wealth, for, whatever good you send forth you will find it with Allah: behold, Allah is watchful of all that you do.

And they [Jews and Christians] maintain that no one will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian. Such are their wishful beliefs! Say, “Present your evidence if you are saying the truth!”

But of course, anyone who orients himself toward Allah, and while doing his best withal, shall have his reward with his Sustainer and they shall not fear, nor shall they grieve.

Furthermore, the Jews assert, “The Christians have no valid grounds for their belief,” while the Christians assert, “The Jews have no valid ground for their beliefs” — and both narrate the divine writ! Similarly, comparable statements were made by those who were void of knowledge; but it is Allah who will judge among them on the Day of Resurrection pertaining to matters of dispute among them.

And who could be more offensive than he who bars the mindfulness of Allah’s name in Allah’s masjids and strives to bring them [the masjids] to ruin? Does it not befit them except to enter into them [the masjids] in [a state of] fear? For them there is disgrace in this world, and for them there is in the world to come a tremendous suffering.

And to Allah belong the east and the west: and wherever you may turn you will find Allah’s visage. Behold, Allah is extensive, all-knowing.

And [some] say, “God has taken unto himself a [created] son!” Uniquely exalted is He! Rather to Him belongs what is in the heavens and earth; everything is acquiescent to Him.

He is the finessing Originator of the heavens and earth: and if He decrees something to exist, He but says to it, “Be” — and it becomes.

And those who are void of knowledge say, “If only Allah could speak to us or if a miracle could come to us [from Him]!” In the same way, the same thing was said by those who preceded them: their hearts resemble each other. Indeed, We have made evident the manifestation of power and authority for people of [transcending] certainty.

Verily, We have sent you [O Muhammad] with and by virtue of truth and justice to break good news [for those who will commit themselves to Allah] and to sound the alarm [for those who will defy and deny Allah]. And you [Muhammad] shall not be held responsible for those who will become the attendees of the blazing Fire.

And the [political] Jews and the [political] Christians will not be satisfied with you [O Muhammad] unless you trail their worldview. Say, “Behold, Allah’s guidance [in ideological and political affairs] is the [only] guidance.” And, if you parrot their errant views after what has come to you of knowledge [from Allah], you will have no forerunner or supporter to the exclusion of Allah.

Those upon whom We have bestowed scripture and who follow it as it ought to be followed — it is they who are truly committed to it; whereas those who take issue with it to the extent of denial — it is they who are the losers.

O Children of Israel! Bear in mind the bounty I have blessed you with and [the fact] that I have favored you above all other people;

And avoid [the terrible consequences brought about by the demands of justice on] the Day when no soul can stand in for another soul and no redemption shall be accepted and no mediation shall be of any value, and none shall be supported [through any arbitration].

And [bring to mind] when his Sustainer tried Ibrāhīm by [His] commandments and the latter fulfilled them, He said, “Behold, I shall make you a leader for people.” Ibrāhīm asked, “And [will You make leaders] of my offspring as well?” [Allah] answered, “My covenant does not extend to include the evildoers [the violators of justice].”

And lo! We made the House [of Allah, in Makkah] a retreat [and refuge] for people and a safe place: take, then, the platform of Ibrāhīm as your place of prayer. And thus did We oblige Ibrāhīm and [his son] Ismā‘īl to purify My House for those who will surge around it, and those who will go to it as a retreat, and those who will bow and prostrate themselves [in prayer].”

And, lo, Ibrāhīm prayed, “O my Sustainer! Make this a safe land, and grant its folks of all fruitful sustenance — such of them as are committed to Allah and affirm the Last Day.” [Allah] answered, “And whoever shall deny [My power and authority], him I will let indulge [the materialism of the world] then I will compel him into suffering through the fire: and what a tragic fate!”

And recall when Ibrāhīm and Ismā‘īl were raising the foundations of the House [of Allah], [they prayed], “O our Sustainer! Accept from us [our efforts]: for, verily, You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

“O our Sustainer! And make us surrender ourselves to You, and make out of our offspring a consolidated populace that surrenders itself to You, and show us our devoted ways unto You, and accept our repentance: for, verily, You alone are ever accepting of repentance, the Very Merciful.

“O our Sustainer! And send to them [the future generations of ours] an apostle who will correlate for them Your illustrations [of power and authority], and teach them scripture and wisdom and raise their purity of status: for, verily, You alone are the Grand, the Very Wise.”

And who, unless he is selfishly foolish, would want to forsake the worldview of Ibrāhīm, seeing that We have indeed specifically chosen him [for an important role] in this world, and that, verily, in the life of the hereafter he shall be among the righteous?

When his Sustainer said to him, “Surrender yourself to Me!” he answered, “I have surrendered myself to [You], the Sustainer of all the worlds.”

And this very thing did Ibrāhīm confer on his children, and [so did] Jacob, “O my children! Behold, Allah has particularly chosen for you the purest faith; so do not die except in a state of submission [to the will of Allah].”

Or were you witnesses when death befell Ya‘qūb during which he said to his children, “Who do you conform to after me?” They replied, “We conform to your God and the God of your forefathers Ibrāhīm, Ismā‘īl, Isḥāq — One God and [in conforming ourselves to Him] we surrender ourselves to Him.”

That was a consolidated community that has passed away; they shall have whatever they earned, and you shall have whatever you earn and you will not be held responsible for what they did.

And they say, “Be Jews — or, Christians — and you shall be guided.” Say, “No, rather [guidance is] the worldview of Ibrāhīm, independent [of all worldly powers and imposing authorities] who was not one to assign divinity/authority to anyone besides Allah.

Say, “We commit ourselves to Allah, and affirm that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Ibrāhīm, and Ismā‘īl, and Isḥāq, and Ya‘qūb, and the [non-racist] descendants [of Ibrāhīm, Isḥāq, and Ya‘qūb], and that which has been offered [from Allah] to Mūsā and ‘Īsā, and that which has been offered to all [other] prophets by their Sustainer: we make no [prejudicial] distinction among them. And we remain yielding unto Him.”

Therefore, if they commit themselves to what you have committed yourselves to, they will indeed be guided; and if they turn away, it is but they who will be in a [fallacious] contra-position, and Allah will watch out for you [against any potential mischief coming from them]: for He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

[This amounts to] Allah’s hue [of life]. And who could give a better hue [to life] than Allah, and we remain in compliance with Him.

Say [to the Jews and the Christians], “Do you argue with us concerning God [when you should know] that He is our Sustainer and your Sustainer, and belonging to us are our deeds and belonging to you are your deeds; and we devote ourselves to Him [alone].

“Or do you claim that Ibrāhīm and Ismā‘īl and Isḥāq and Ya‘qūb and the [non-racist] descendants [of theirs] were ‘Jews’ or ‘Christians’?” Say, “Do you know more [about this matter] than Allah? And who could be more offensively wicked than he who suppresses a testimony given to him by Allah? And [remember that] Allah is not unconscious of what you do.

“That was a consolidated community that has passed on; belonging to it is what it earned [of good or bad deeds], and belonging to you is what you earn; and you will not be held accountable for what they were doing.”2

In the general public, there are fools who will say, “What has turned them away from their qiblah that they have hitherto observed?” Say, “Allah’s is the east and the west; He guides whom He wills to a straight way.”

And thus have We willed you to be a central ummah, so that [with your lifetime experiences and assumption of the responsibilities of all prophets] you become attestants to other peoples, and the Apostle becomes a witness over you. And We have not rendered [to be nonoperational] a previous qiblah for you [O Prophet] except to distinguish those who follow the Apostle from those who are inclined to retreat [into tradition and preference of ethos]. This was a hard test indeed [for those who did accept such a radical departure from their non-Islamic culture] except for those whom Allah has guided; for Allah does not disregard your īmān. Surely Allah is most compassionate toward people, very beneficent.

We have seen you [O Prophet] turn your face [in a mystified manner] toward the sky [for guidance]; and now We shall indeed have you turn to a qiblah that will fulfill your hope. Turn, then, your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces toward it [in ṣalāh]. And, verily, those who have received [earlier] scriptures know well that this [commandment] comes in truth and justice from their Sustainer; and Allah is not oblivious of what they do.

And yet, even if you were to place all evidence [of Allah’s power and authority] before those who received [earlier] scriptures, they would not adopt your qiblah; and neither are you to latch onto their qiblah, nor even are they abiding by each others’ qiblah. And if you [O Muhammad] should follow their erring views after [all] the knowledge that has come unto you, you would surely be among the violators of justice.

People of [earlier] scriptures know [the Qur’anic] scripture as they know their own children; but, behold, some of them suppress the truth and they know [they are suppressing the truth].

The truth [and its justice corollary] is from your Sustainer. Be not, then, among the vacillators.

For everyone [with direction in life] has a [conceptual] direction of his own that he embarks upon. Vie, therefore, with one another in doing good [and prosperous] works. Wherever you may be, Allah will gather you all unto Himself, for, verily, Allah overpowers everything.

Thus, from wherever you may move forward, turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām for, behold, this [commandment] comes in truth [and for justice] from your Sustainer; and Allah is not unenlightened of what you do.

Hence, from wherever you may come forth, turn your face [in devout orientation] toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces toward it, so that people should have no [valid] argument against you unless they are bent on unfairness. And do not hold them in awe, but stand in awe of Me, [and be concerned with Me], so that I may bestow upon you the full measure of My blessings, so that you might be guided.

Likewise, We have sent unto you an apostle from among yourselves to impart to you Our [authority and power] involvement [in your world], and to cause you to grow in prudence, and to teach you scripture and wisdom, and to teach you that which you knew not:

So, consciously remember Me, and I shall [determinedly] remember you; and be grateful to Me, and deny [Me] not.

O you who are committed to Allah! Seek aid in steadfast patience and ṣalāh; for behold, Allah is with those who are patient [in hard times].

And say not of those who are slain [on a course to Him] for Allah’s cause, “They are dead;” nay, they are alive, but you perceive it not.

And most certainly shall We try you by means of danger, and hunger, and a deficiency of worldly wealth, of lives, and of [labor’s] fruits. But give glad tidings to those who are patient in trying times —

Who, when calamity befalls them, say, “Verily, to Allah we belong and verily, to Him we shall return.”

It is they upon whom their Sustainer’s blessings and grace are bestowed, and it is they, they who are guided.

[Hence], behold, [the hills of] al-Ṣafā and al-Marwah are among the [meaningful] symbols set up by Allah; and thus, no wrong accrues to he who, having come to the House on pilgrimage or on a religious quest, strides to and fro between these two [places]; for, if one does more good than he is bound to do — behold, Allah is responsive to gratitude, all-knowing.

Behold, as for those who suppress evidence of the truth and of the guidance that We have bestowed from on high, after We have made it clear to mankind through the divine Writ — these it is whom Allah will condemn and whom all who qualify [to condemn] will condemn.

Excepted, however, shall be they who repent, and make progress, and make the truth evident; and it is they whose repentance I shall accept, for I alone am the Acceptor of repentance, the Very Merciful.

Behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth [of Allah and His power] and die in that state of denial their due is rejection by God, and by the angels, and by all [righteous] people.

In this state shall they abide; [and] neither will their suffering be lightened, nor will they be granted respite.

And your God is the One God: there is no deity/authority save Him, the Most Gracious Mercy-Giver, the Most Merciful.

Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth; and the succession [and time variations] of night and day; and in the ships that sail through the sea with what is useful to man; and in the waters that Allah sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon; and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between sky and earth; [in all this] there are āyāt [displays of power and authority] indeed for people who use their reason.

And yet there are people who choose to believe in beings that allegedly rival Allah, loving them as [only] Allah should be loved; whereas those who have attained to faith-responsibilities love Allah more than all else. If they who are bent on offense could but see — as see they will when they are made to suffer [on Resurrection Day] — that all power [physical and social] belongs to Allah alone, and that Allah is severe in [meting out] punishment!

[On that Day] it will come to pass that those who had been falsely adored [and obeyed] shall disown their followers, and the latter shall see the suffering [that awaits them], with all their hopes cut to pieces [and all their worldly connections dead-ended].

And then those followers shall say, “Would that we had a second chance [in life], so that we could disown them as they have disowned us!” Thus will Allah show them their works [in a manner that will cause them] bitter regrets; but they will not come out of the Fire.

O mankind! Partake of what is permissible and wholesome on earth, and follow not Satan’s footsteps: for, verily, he is your open foe,

And bids you only to do evil, and to commit deeds of abomination, and to attribute to Allah something of which you have no knowledge.

But when they are told, “Follow what Allah has bestowed from on high,” some answer, “No, we shall follow [only] that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing.” Why, even if their forefathers did not use their reason at all, and were devoid of any guidance?

And so, the parable of those who are bent on denying the truth [and its justice] is that of the beast as it hears the shepherd’s cry, and hears in it nothing but the sound of a noise and a voice. Deaf are they, and dumb, and blind — for they do not use their reason.

O you who are committed to Allah! Partake of the wholesome and healthy things We have provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks to Allah, if it is [truly] Him you conform to.

He has forbidden to you only carrion, and blood, and the meat of swine, and that over which any name other than Allah’s has been invoked; but if one is driven by necessity — neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need — no sin shall be upon him; for, behold, Allah is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

Verily, as for those who suppress any part of the revelation that Allah has bestowed from on high, and barter it away for a trifling gain — they but fill their bellies with fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He raise their status [by cleansing them of their sins]; and grievous suffering awaits them.

It is they who take misguidance in exchange for guidance, and suffering in exchange for forgiveness; yet how little do they seem to fear the Fire!

Thus it is: since it is Allah who bestows the divine Writ from on high, setting forth truth and justice, all those who set their own views against the divine Writ are, verily, most deeply in the wrong.

Virtue does not mean turning your faces toward the east or the west — but truly virtuous is he who is committed to [the reality of] Allah; and the Last Day; and the angels; and scripture; and the prophets; and distributes money, however much he himself may cherish it, upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and upholds [the standards of] divine communion, and renders the purifying dues [zakāh]; and [truly virtuous are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they who have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are consciously defensive [vis-à-vis Allah’s power].

O you who have committed to Allah! Just requital is ordained for you in cases of murder: a freeman for a freeman, and the bondsman for the bondsman, and the female for the female. And if something [of his guilt] is remitted to a guilty person by his brother, this [remission] shall be adhered to with fairness, and compensation shall be in a goodly manner. This is an alleviation [of legal arguments among you] from your Sustainer, and an act of His grace. And for him who, nonetheless, willfully transgresses the bounds [of what is right], there is grievous suffering in store;

For in [the law of just] requital, O you who are endowed with insight, there is life for you, so that you might remain secure [against Allah’s ultimate power].

It is ordained for you, when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind [much] wealth, to make bequests in favor of his parents and other near of kin in accordance with what is fair; this is binding on all who are conscious of Allah.

And if anyone alters such a provision after having come to know it, the sin of acting thus shall fall only upon those who have altered it. Verily, Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.

If, however, one has reason to fear that the testator has committed a mistake or a [deliberate] wrong, and thereupon brings about a settlement between the heirs, he will incur no sin [thereby]. Verily, Allah is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

O you who have committed to Allah! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might remain conscious of Allah [and his power to implement justice].

[Fasting lasts but] a certain number of days. But whoever is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days; and [in such cases] it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to make sacrifice by feeding a needy person. And whoever does more good than he is bound to do does good for himself thereby; for to fast is to do good for yourselves — if you but knew it.

It was the month of Ramaḍān in which the Qur’an was [first] made accessible from on high as a guidance for people and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. Allah wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires that] you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol Allah for His guiding you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him].

And when my obliging subjects ask you about Me, behold, I am near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls upon Me; let them, then, respond to Me, and commit themselves to Me, so that they might [maturely] follow the right way.

It is lawful for you to [sexually] go to your wives during the night preceding the day’s fast; they are as a garment for you, and you are as a garment for them. Allah is aware that you would have deprived yourselves of this right, and so He has turned to you in His mercy and removed this hardship from you. Now, then, you may draw near to them skin-to-skin, and avail yourselves of that which Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink until you can discern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of night during fajr time, and then resume fasting until nightfall; but do not approach them skin-to-skin when you are about to abide in meditation in masjids [i‘tikāf]. These are the bounds set by Allah; do not, then, offend against them, [for] it is thus that Allah makes clear His messages to mankind, so that they might remain cautious [of Him].

And devour not one another’s wealth wrongfully, nor approach with it decision makers with a view to devouring sinfully, and knowingly, anything that by right belongs to others.

They will ask you [O Muhammad] about the crescent moons. Say, “They indicate the [time] periods for [various doings of mankind], including the pilgrimage.” However, virtue does not consist in your entering houses from the rear, [as it were], but truly virtuous is he who is conscious of Allah and His power presence. Hence enter houses through their doors, and remain conscious of Allah, so that you might [successfully] attain to a happy state.

And engage in battle for Allah’s cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression, for verily Allah does not love aggressors.

And slay them wherever you may come upon them, and drive them away from wherever they drove you away — for oppression is even worse than killing. And fight not against them near the Inviolable House [of ‘ibādah] unless they fight against you there first, but if they fight against you, slay them; such shall be the recompense of those who deny the truth [of Allah’s power].

But if they desist — behold, Allah is much-forgiving, a merciful dispenser of grace.

So fight against them until there is no more oppression and all the dīn is devoted to Allah alone; but if they desist, then all hostility shall cease, save against those who [willfully] do wrong.

Fight during the sacred months if you are attacked, for a violation of sanctity is [subject to the law of] just retribution. Thus, if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him just as he has attacked you, but remain conscious of Allah [and His power presence], and know that Allah is with those who are conscious of Him [and His power presence].

And spend [freely] in Allah’s cause, and let not your own hands throw you into destruction; and persevere in doing good — behold, Allah loves the doers of good [to perfection].

And perform the pilgrimage and the reverent visit [to Makkah during the other months of the year] in honor of Allah; and if you are held back, give instead whatever offering you can easily afford. And do not shave your heads until the offering has been sacrificed, but he from among you who is ill or suffers from an ailment of the head shall redeem himself by fasting, or alms, or [any other] act of conformity [to Allah]. And if you are robust and secure, then he who takes advantage of a reverent visit [‘umrah] before the [time of] pilgrimage shall give whatever offering he can easily afford; whereas he who cannot afford it shall fast for three days during the pilgrimage and for seven days after his return, that is, ten full [days]. All this relates to him who does not live near the Inviolable House. And remain conscious of Allah, and know that Allah is severe in retribution.

The pilgrimage shall take place in the months appointed for it. And whoever undertakes the pilgrimage in those [months] shall, while on pilgrimage, abstain from lewd speech, from all wicked conduct, and from quarreling; and whatever good you may do, Allah is aware of it. And make provisions for yourselves — but, verily, the best of all provisions is taqwā [the human precautions against Allah’s power for justice]. Remain, then conscious of Me [and My power], O you who are endowed with insight!

[However], you will be committing no sin if [during the pilgrimage] you seek to obtain any [livelihood] bounty from your Sustainer. And when you surge downward in multitudes from ‘Arafāt, remember Allah at the holy place, remember Him as the one who guided you after you had indeed been lost on your way.

And surge onward together with the multitude of all the other people who surge onward, and ask Allah to forgive you your sins, for, verily, Allah is much-forgiving, a gracious dispenser of mercy.

And when you have finished performing your [Hajj] ceremonial rites, [continue to] bear Allah in mind as you would bear your own fathers in mind — nay, with a yet keener remembrance! For there are people who [merely] pray, “O our Sustainer! Give us in this world;” and such shall not partake in the blessings of the life to come.

But there are among them such as pray, “O our Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come, and keep us safe from suffering through the fire;”

It is these who shall have their portion [of happiness] in return for what they have earned. And Allah is swift in reckoning.

And bear Allah in mind during the appointed days [of the Hajj]; but he who hurries away within two days shall incur no sin, and he who tarries longer shall incur no sin, provided that he is conscious of Allah. Hence remain conscious of Allah [His power and authority], and know that unto Him shall you be gathered.

And among people [you will find] a kind of person whose manner of speaking about this life impresses you, and [the more so as] he cites Allah as witness to what is in his heart, while [in fact] his contestation is intensely offensive.

And whenever he prevails, he goes about the earth to wreak havoc, and to devitalize food production and progeny: and Allah does not love corruption.

And whenever he is told, “Be conscious of Allah’s [power],” his false pride drives him to sin, wherefore Hell will be his allotted portion — and how deplorable a resting place!

But among people there is [also] a [kind of] person who would willingly exchange his own self for the gratification of Allah: and Allah is most sympathetic toward His attendants.

O you who are firmly committed to Allah! Enter, all together, into a state of serenity and harmony [with Allah], and follow not Satan’s footsteps, for verily he is your obvious enemy.

And if you should stumble after evidence of the truth has come to you, then know that indeed Allah is exalted in His glory, wise.

Are these people waiting, perchance, for Allah to reveal Himself to them in the shadows of the clouds, together with the angels; although [by then] all will have been decided, and unto Allah all issues [of concern] will revert?

Ask the Children of Israel how many perceivable demonstrations of Our power and authority We have given them! But if one alters Allah’s sacred sign after it has reached him, verily, Allah is severe in retribution!

For those who are bent on denying the truth [pertaining to Our power and authority], the life of this world [alone] seems attractive; hence they scoff at those who are securely committed [to Allah]; but they who are conscious of Allah’s [power presence] shall be above them on Resurrection Day. And Allah grants sustenance to whom He wills, beyond all reckoning.

All mankind was once a single community; [then they began to differ] whereupon Allah raised up the prophets as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, and through them bestowed revelation from on high, setting forth the truth, so that it might decide between people with regard to all on which they had come to hold divergent views. Yet none other than the selfsame people who had been granted this [revelation] began, out of a mutual warlike nature, to disagree about its meaning after all evidence of the truth had come to them. But Allah guided those who are securely committed [to Him] to the truth and justice about which, by His leave, they had disagreed, for Allah guides onto a straight way him who wills [to be guided].

[But] do you think that you could enter Paradise without suffering like those [committed devotees] who passed away before you? Social and physical hardship befell them, and so shaken were they that the apostle, and the committed disciples with him, would exclaim, “When will Allah’s support come?” Oh, certainly, Allah’s support is [always] near!

They will ask you what they should spend [on others]. Say, “Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the homeless; and whatever good you do, verily, Allah has full knowledge thereof.”

Fighting is ordained for you, even though it be hateful to you; but it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you; and Allah knows, whereas you do not know.

They will ask you about fighting in the sacred month. Say, “Fighting in it is a terrible thing; but blocking access to the path of Allah and denying Him, and [denying access to] the Inviolable Sanctuary and expelling its people therefrom — [all this] is yet more terrible in the sight of Allah, since the tumult of oppression is much worse than killing.” [Your enemies] will not cease fighting against you until they have turned you away from you dīn, if they can. But if any of you should turn away from his dīn and die as a denier of the truth [about Allah], [then] these it is whose works will have been aborted in this world and in the life to come; and these it is who are destined for the Fire, therein to abide.

Certainly, they who are securely committed to Allah, and they who have forsaken the state-of-affairs of evil and are striving hard in Allah’s cause, these it is who may look forward to Allah’s grace; for Allah is much-forgiving, tremendously merciful.

They will ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say, “In both there is great evil as well as some benefit for people; but the evil they cause is greater than the benefit they bring.” And they will ask you as to what they should spend [in Allah’s cause]. Say, “Whatever you can spare.” In this way Allah makes clear to you āyāt [His concealed but demonstrable presence in people’s affairs], so that you may think,

About this world and the life to come. And they will ask you about [how to deal with] orphans. Say, “To improve their condition is best.” And if you share their life, [remember that] they are your brethren, for Allah distinguishes between him who spoils [things] and him who improves. And had Allah so willed, He would indeed have imposed on you hardships that you would not have been able to bear, [but], behold, Allah is cherished, wise!

And do not marry women who renounce allegiance to and forcefully resist Allah (mush- rikāt) unless they [abandon that and] commit themselves to Allah, for any committed [female] subordinate [to Allah] is certainly better than a woman void of allegiance to Allah, even though she may be attractive to you. And do not give your women in marriage to men who renounce allegiance to and forcefully resist Allah (mushriks) unless they [abandon that and] commit themselves to Allah, for any committed [male] subordinate [of Allah] is certainly better than a man void of allegiance to Allah, even though he may be attractive to you. [Such as] these summon to the Fire, whereas Allah summons to Paradise, and to [the achievement of] forgiveness by His leave; and He makes clear His āyāt to mankind, so that they might determinedly bear them in mind.

And they will ask you about [women’s] monthly courses. Say, “It is an injurious condition.” Keep, therefore, aloof from women during their monthly courses, and do not come onto them until they are cleansed; and when they are cleansed, go into them as Allah has bidden you to do. Verily, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance, and He loves those who keep themselves pure.

Your wives are your tilth; go, then, unto your tilth as you may desire, but first provide something [of a foreplay] for your souls, and remain on your guard [concerning Allah’s presence], and know that you are destined to meet Him. And give glad tidings to those who are secure in their commitment [to Allah].

And do not allow your oaths in the name of Allah to become an obstacle to virtue and God-commitment and the promotion of reconciliation between people: for Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.

Allah will not take you to task for oaths that you may have uttered without thought, but will take you to task [only] for what your hearts have conceived [in earnest]: for Allah is much-forgiving, forbearing.

Those who take an oath that they will not approach their wives shall have four months of grace; and if they go back [on their oath], behold, Allah is much-forgiving, extremely merciful.