There is no god but He
That is the witness of God,
His angels, and those endued
With knowledge, standing firm
On justice. There is no god but He,
The Exalted in Power,
The Wise.
While he was standing
In prayer in the chamber,
The angels called unto him:
"God doth give thee
Glad tidings of Yaḥyā,
Witnessing the truth
Of a Word from God, and (be
Besides) noble, chaste,
And a Prophet,
Of the (goodly) company
Of the righteous."
Among the People of the Book
Are some who, if entrusted
With a hoard of gold,
Will (readily) pay it back;
Others, who, if entrusted
With a single silver coin,
Will not repay it unless
Thou constantly stoodest
Demanding, because,
They say, "there is no call
On us (to keep faith)
With these ignorant (Pagans)."
But they tell a lie against God,
And (well) they know it.
Men who celebrate
The praises of God,
Standing, sitting,
And lying down on their sides,
And contemplate
The (wonders of) creation
In the heavens and the earth,
(With the thought):
"Our Lord! not for naught
Hast Thou created (all) this!
Glory to Thee! Give us
Salvation from the Penalty
Of the Fire.
To those weak of understanding
Make not over your property,
Which God hath made
A means of support for you,
But feed and clothe them
Therewith, and speak to them
Words of kindness and justice.
When ye pass
(Congregational) prayers,
Celebrate God's praises,
Standing, sitting down,
Or lying down on your sides;
But when ye are free
From danger, set up
Regular Prayers:
For such prayers
Are enjoined on Believers
At stated times.
God made the Ka’ba,
The Sacred House, an asylum
Of security for men, as
Also the Sacred Months,
The animals for offerings,
And the garlands that mark them:
That ye may know
That God hath knowledge
Of what is in the heavens
And on earth and that God
Is well acquainted
With all things.
When trouble toucheth a man,
He crieth unto Us
(In all postures)—lying down
On his side, or sitting,
Or standing. But when We
Have solved his trouble,
He passeth on his way as if
He had never cried to Us
For a trouble that touched him!
Thus do the deeds of transgressors
Seem fair in their eyes!
These are some of the stories
Of communities which We
Relate unto thee: of them
Some are standing, and some
Have been mown down
(By the sickle of time.
Is then He Who standeth
Over every soul (and knoweth)
All that it doth,
(Like any others)? And yet
They ascribe partners to God.
Say: "But name them!
Is it that ye will
Inform Him of something
He knoweth not on earth,
Or is it (just) a show
Of words?" Nay! to those
Who believe not, their pretence
seems pleasing, but they are
Kept back (thereby) from the Path.
And those whom God leaves
To stray, no one can guide.
Behold! We gave the site,
To Abraham, of the (Sacred) House,
(Saying): "Associate not anything
(In worship) with Me;
And sanctify My House
For those who compass it round,
Or stand up,
Or bow, or prostrate themselves
(Therein in prayer).
Is one who worships devoutly
During the hours of the night
Prostrating himself or standing
(In adoration), who takes heed
Of the Hereafter, and who
Places his hope in the Mercy
Of his Lord—(like one
Who does not)? Say:
"Are those equal, those who know
And those who do not know?
It is those who are
Endued with understanding
That receive admonition.
The Trumpet will (just)
Be sounded, when all
That are in the heavens
And on earth will swoon,
Except such as it will
Please God (to exempt).
Then will a second one
Be sounded, when, behold,
They will be standing
And looking on!
But when they see
Some bargain or some
Amusement, they disperse
Headlong to it, and leave
Thee standing. Say:
"The (blessing) from the Presence
Of God is better than
Any amusement or bargain!
And God is the Best
To provide (for all needs)."