A believer killeth not a believer but by mischance: and whoso killeth a believer by mischance shall be bound to free a believer from slavery; and the blood-money shall be paid to the family of the slain, unless they convert it into alms. But if the slain believer be of a hostile people, then let him confer freedom on a slave who is a believer; and if he be of a people between whom and yourselves there is an alliance, then let the blood-money be paid to his family, and let him set free a slave who is a believer: and let him who hath not the means, fast two consecutive months. This is the penance enjoined by G.o.d; and G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!
But whoever shall kill a believer of set purpose, his recompense shall be h.e.l.l; for ever shall he abide in it; G.o.d shall be wrathful with him, and shall curse him, and shall get ready for him a great torment.
O believers! when ye go forth to the fight for the cause of G.o.d, be discerning, and say not to every one who meeteth you with a greeting, "Thou art not a believer"18 in your greed after the chance good things of this present life! With G.o.d are abundant spoils. Such hath been your wont in times past; but G.o.d hath been gracious to you. Be discerning, then, for G.o.d well knoweth what ye do.
Those believers who sit at home free from trouble, and those who do valiantly in the cause of G.o.d with their substance and their persons, shall not be treated alike. G.o.d hath a.s.signed to those who contend earnestly with their persons and with their substance, a rank above those who sit at home. Goodly promises hath He made to all. But G.o.d hath a.s.signed to the strenuous a rich recompense, above those who sit still at home,
Rank of his own bestowal, and forgiveness, and mercy; for G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful.
The angels,19 when they took the souls of those who had been unjust to their own weal, demanded, "What hath been your state?"20 They said, "We were the weak ones21 of the earth." They replied, "Was not G.o.d"s earth broad enough for you to flee away in?" These! their home shall be h.e.l.l, and evil the pa.s.sage to it-
Except the men and women and children who were not able, through their weakness, to find the means of escape, and were not guided on their way.
These haply G.o.d will forgive: for G.o.d is Forgiving, Gracious.
Whoever flieth his country for the cause of G.o.d, will find in the earth many under like compulsion, and abundant resources; and if any one shall quit his home and fly to G.o.d and his apostle, and then death overtake him,-his reward from G.o.d is sure: for G.o.d is Gracious, Merciful!
And when ye go forth to war in the land, it shall be no crime in you to cut short your prayers,22 if ye fear lest the infidels come upon you; Verily, the infidels are your undoubted enemies!
And when thou, O apostle! shalt be among them, and shalt pray with them, then let a party of them rise up with thee, but let them take their arms; and when they shall have made their prostrations, let them retire to your rear: then let another party that hath not prayed come forward, and let them pray with you; but let them take their precautions and their arms. Pleased would the infidels be for you to neglect your arms and your baggage, that they might turn upon you at once! And it shall be no crime in you to lay down your arms if rain annoy you, or if ye be sick. But take your precautions.23 Verily, G.o.d hath made ready a shameful torment for the infidels.
And when ye shall have ended the prayer, make mention of G.o.d, standing, and sitting, and reclining: and as soon as ye are secure, observe prayer; for to the faithful, prayer is a prescribed duty, and for stated hours.
Slacken not in pursuit of the foe. If ye suffer, a.s.suredly they suffer also as ye suffer; but ye hope from G.o.d for what they cannot hope! And G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!
Verily, we have sent down the Book to thee with the truth, thou that mayest judge between men according as G.o.d hath given thee insight: But with the deceitful ones dispute not: and implore pardon of G.o.d. Verily, G.o.d is Forgiving, Merciful.24
And plead not with us for those who are self-deceivers; for G.o.d loveth not him who is deceitful, criminal.
From men they hide themselves; but they cannot hide themselves from G.o.d: and when they hold nightly discourses which please Him not, He is with them. G.o.d is round about their doings!
Oh! ye are they who plead in their favour in this present life; but who shall plead with G.o.d for them on the day of the resurrection? Who will be the guardian over them?
Yet he who doth evil, or shall have acted against his own weal, and then shall ask pardon of G.o.d, will find G.o.d Forgiving, Merciful:
And whoever committeth a crime, committeth it to his own hurt. And G.o.d is Knowing, Wise!
And whoever committeth an involuntary fault or a crime, and then layeth it on the innocent, shall surely bear the guilt of calumny and of a manifest crime.
But for the grace and mercy of G.o.d upon thee, a party among them had resolved to mislead thee, but they shall only mislead themselves; nor in aught shall they harm thee. G.o.d hath caused the Book and the wisdom to descend upon thee: and what thou knowest not He hath caused thee to know: and the grace of G.o.d toward thee hath been great.
In most of their secret talk is nothing good; but only in his who enjoineth almsgiving, or that which is right, or concord among men. Whoso doth this, out of desire to please G.o.d, we will give him at the last a great reward:
But whoso shall sever himself from the prophet after that "the guidance" hath been manifested to him, and shall follow any other path than that of the faithful, we will turn our back on him as he hath turned his back on us, and we will cast him into h.e.l.l;-an evil journey thither!
G.o.d truly will not forgive the joining other G.o.ds with Himself. Other sins He will forgive to whom He will: but he who joineth G.o.ds with G.o.d, hath erred with far-gone error.
They call, beside Him, upon mere G.o.ddesses! they invoke a rebel Satan!
On them is the malison of G.o.d. For he said, "A portion of thy servants will I surely take, and will lead them astray, and will stir desires within them, and will command them and they shall cut the ears of animals;25 and I will command them, and they shall alter the creation of G.o.d."26 He who taketh Satan rather than G.o.d for his patron, is ruined with palpable ruin:
He hath made them promises, and he hath stirred desires within them; but Satan promiseth, only to beguile!
These! their dwelling h.e.l.l! no escape shall they find from it!
But they who believe and do the things that are right, we will bring them into gardens beneath which the rivers flow; For ever shall they abide therein. Truly it is the promise of G.o.d: And whose word is more sure than G.o.d"s?
Not according to your wishes, or the wishes of the people of the Book, shall these things be. He who doth evil shall be recompensed for it. Patron or helper, beside G.o.d, shall he find none.
But whoso doth the things that are right, whether male or female, and he or she a believer,-these shall enter Paradise, nor shall they be wronged the skin of a date stone.
And who hath a better religion than he who resigneth himself to G.o.d, who doth what is good, and followeth the faith of Abraham in all sincerity? And G.o.d took Abraham for his friend.
All that is in the Heavens and all that is on the Earth is G.o.d"s: and G.o.d encompa.s.seth all things!
Moreover, they will consult thee in regard to women: SAY: G.o.d hath instructed you about them; and His will is rehea.r.s.ed to you, in the Book, concerning female orphans to whom ye give not their legal due, and whom ye refuse to marry; also with regard to weak children; and that ye deal with fairness towards orphans. Ye cannot do a good action, but verily G.o.d knoweth it.
And if a wife fear ill usage or aversion on the part of her husband, then shall it be no fault in them if they can agree with mutual agreement, for agreement is best. Men"s souls are p.r.o.ne to avarice; but if ye act kindly and fear G.o.d, then, verily, your actions are not unnoticed by G.o.d!
And ye will not have it at all in your power to treat your wives alike, even though you fain would do so; but yield not wholly to disinclination, so that ye leave one of them as it were in suspense; if ye come to an understanding, and fear G.o.d, then, verily, G.o.d is Forgiving, Merciful;
But if they separate, G.o.d can compensate both out of His abundance; for G.o.d is Vast, Wise;
And whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earth is G.o.d"s! We have already enjoined those to whom the Scriptures were given before you, and yourselves, to fear G.o.d. But if ye become unbelievers, yet know that whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earth is G.o.d"s: and G.o.d is Rich, Praiseworthy.
All that is in Heaven and all that is in Earth is G.o.d"s! G.o.d is a sufficient protector!
If he pleased, he could cause you to pa.s.s away, O mankind! and create others in your stead: for this hath G.o.d power.
If any one desire the reward of this world, yet with G.o.d is the reward of this world and of the next! And G.o.d Heareth, Beholdeth.
O ye who believe! stand fast to justice, when ye bear witness before G.o.d, though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kindred, whether the party be rich or poor. G.o.d is nearer than you to both. Therefore follow not pa.s.sion, lest ye swerve from truth. And if ye wrest your testimony or stand aloof, G.o.d verily is well aware of what ye do.
O ye who believe! believe in G.o.d and his Apostle, and the Book which he hath sent down to his Apostle, and the Book which he hath sent down aforetime.
Whoever believeth not on G.o.d and his Angels and his Books and his Apostles, and in the last day, he verily hath erred with far-gone error.
Verily, they who believed, then became unbelievers, then believed, and again became unbelievers, and then increased their unbelief-it is not G.o.d who will forgive them or guide them into the way.
Announce27 to the hypocrites that a dolorous torment doth await them.
Those who take the unbelievers for friends besides the faithful-do they seek honour at their hands? Verily, all honour belongeth unto G.o.d!
And already hath He sent this down to you in the Book28 "WHEN YE SHALL HEAR THE SIGNS OF G.o.d THEY SHALL NOT BE BELIEVED BUT SHALL BE MOCKED AT." Sit ye not therefore with such, until they engage in other discourse; otherwise, ye will become like them. Verily G.o.d will gather the hypocrites and the infidels all together in h.e.l.l.
They watch you narrowly. Then if G.o.d grant you a victory, they say, "Are we not with you?" and if the infidels meet with a success, they say to them, "Were we not superior to you: and did we not defend you from those believers?" G.o.d shall judge betwixt ye on the day of the resurrection, and G.o.d will by no means make a way for the infidels over the believers.
The hypocrites would deceive G.o.d, but He will deceive them! When they stand up for prayer, they stand carelessly, to be seen of men, and they remember G.o.d but little:
Wavering between the one and the other-belonging neither to these nor those!
and by no means shalt thou find a path for him whom G.o.d misleadeth.