Sūra II.: Baqara, or the Heifer.

Section 3

21. Ya ayyuha alnnasu oAAbudoo rabbakumu allathee khalaqakum waallatheena min qablikum laAAallakum tattaqoona

21. O ye people!
Adore your Guardian-Lord,
Who created you
And those who came before you,
That ye may have the chance
To learn righteousness;

22. Allathee jaAAala lakumu al-arda firashan waalssamaa binaan waanzala mina alssama-i maan faakhraja bihi mina alththamarati rizqan lakum fala tajAAaloo lillahi andadan waantum taAAlamoona

22. Who has made the earth your couch,
And the heavens your canopy;
And sent down rain from the heavens;
And brought forth therewith
Fruits for your sustenance;
Then set not up rivals unto God
When ye know (the truth).

23. Wa-in kuntum fee raybin mimma nazzalna AAala AAabdina fa/too bisooratin min mithlihi waodAAoo shuhadaakum min dooni Allahi in kuntum sadiqeena

23. And if ye are in doubt
As to what We have revealed
From time to time to Our servant,
Then produce a Sūra
Like thereunto;
And call your witnesses or helpers
(If there are any) besides God,
If your (doubts) are true.

24. Fa-in lam tafAAaloo walan tafAAaloo faittaqoo alnnara allatee waqooduha alnnasu waalhijaratu oAAiddat lilkafireena

24. But if ye cannot
And of a surety ye cannot—
Then fear the Fire
Whose fuel is Men and Stones,—
Which is prepared for those
Who reject Faith.

25. Wabashshiri allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati anna lahum jannatin tajree min tahtiha al-anharu kullama ruziqoo minha min thamaratin rizqan qaloo hatha allathee ruziqna min qablu waotoo bihi mutashabihan walahum feeha azwajun mutahharatun wahum feeha khalidoona

25. But give glad tidings
To those who believe
And work righteousness,
That their portion is Gardens,
Beneath which rivers flow.
Every time they are fed
With fruits therefrom,
They say: "Why, this is
What we were fed with before,"
For they are given things in similitude;
And they have therein
Companions pure (and holy);
And they abide therein (for ever).

26. Inna Allaha la yastahyee an yadriba mathalan ma baAAoodatan fama fawqaha faamma allatheena amanoo fayaAAlamoona annahu alhaqqu min rabbihim waamma allatheena kafaroo fayaqooloona matha arada Allahu bihatha mathalan yudillu bihi katheeran wayahdee bihi katheeran wama yudillu bihi illa alfasiqeena

26. God disdains not to use
The similitude of things,
Lowest as well as highest.
Those who believe know
That it is truth from their Lord;
But those who reject Faith say:
"What means God by this similitude?"
By it He causes many to stray,
And many He leads into the right path;
But He causes not to stray,
Except those who forsake (the path),—

27. Allatheena yanqudoona AAahda Allahi min baAAdi meethaqihi wayaqtaAAoona ma amara Allahu bihi an yoosala wayufsidoona fee al-ardi ola-ika humu alkhasiroona

27. Those who break God's Covenant
After it is ratified,
And who sunder what God
Has ordered to be joined,
And do mischief on earth:
These cause loss (only) to themselves.

28. Kayfa takfuroona biAllahi wakuntum amwatan faahyakum thumma yumeetukum thumma yuhyeekum thumma ilayhi turjaAAoona

28. How can ye reject
The faith in God?—
Seeing that ye were without life,
And He gave you life
Then will He cause you to die,
And will again bring you to life;
And again to Him will ye return.

29. Huwa allathee khalaqa lakum ma fee al-ardi jameeAAan thumma istawa ila alssama-i fasawwahunna sabAAa samawatin wahuwa bikulli shay-in AAaleemun

29. It is He Who hath created for you
All things that are on earth;
Moreover His design comprehended the heavens,
For He gave order and perfection
To the seven firmaments;
And of all things
He hath perfect knowledge.

Next: Section 4 (30-39)