The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

part of God’s sacred rites for you. There
is much good in them for you, so invoke God’s name over them as
they are lined up for sacri
fice, then, when they have fallen down
dead, feed yourselves and those who do not ask, as well as those who
do. We have subjected them to you in this way so that you may be
thankful.
37It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God
a
Dedicating animals to idols.
b
The term budn can refer to either camels or cows.
The Pilgrimage
211
22: 37

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but your piety. He has subjected them to you in this way so that you
may glorify God for having guided you.
Give good news to those who do good: 
38God will defend the
believers; God does not love the unfaithful or the ungrateful.
39Those who have been attacked are permitted to take up arms
because they have been wronged –
– God has the power to help
them –
–
40those who have been driven unjustly from their homes only
for saying, ‘Our Lord is God.’ If God did not repel some people by
means of others, many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and
mosques, where God’s name is much invoked, would have been
destroyed. God is sure to help those who help His cause –
– God is
strong and mighty –
–
41those who, when We establish them in the
land, keep up the prayer, pay the prescribed alms, command what
is right, and forbid what is wrong: God controls the outcome of
all events.
42If they reject you [Prophet], so did the people of Noah before
them, and those of 
 Ad, Thamud, 43Abraham, Lot, 44Midian. Moses
too was called a liar. I gave the disbelievers time, but in the end I
punished them. How I condemned them! 
45How many towns
steeped in wrongdoing We have destroyed and left in total ruin; how
many deserted wells; how many lofty palaces! 
46Have these people
[of Mecca] not travelled through the land with hearts to understand
and ears to hear? It is not people’s eyes that are blind, but their hearts
within their breasts.
47They will challenge you [Prophet] to hasten the punishment.
God will not fail in His promise –
– a Day with your Lord is like a
thousand years by your reckoning. 
48To many a town steeped in
wrongdoing I gave more time and then struck them down: they all
return to Me in the end.
49Say [Prophet], ‘People, I am sent only to give you clear warning.’
50Those who believe and do good deeds will be forgiven and have a
generous reward, 
51but those who strive to oppose Our messages and
try in vain to defeat Us are destined for the Blaze. 
52We have never
sent any messenger or prophet before you [Muhammad] into whose
wishes Satan did not insinuate something, but God removes
a
what
Satan insinuates and then God a
ffirms His message. God is all
a
The basic meaning of nasakha is ‘removed’ rather than ‘abrogated’ (al-Mu
 jam
al-Wasit).
The Qur
an
22: 38
212

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knowing and wise: 
53He makes Satan’s insinuations a temptation
only for the sick at heart and those whose hearts are hardened –
– the
evildoers are profoundly opposed [to the Truth] –
–
54and He causes
those given knowledge to realize that this Revelation is your
Lord’s Truth, so that they may believe in it and humble their
hearts to Him: God guides the faithful to the straight path. 
55The
disbelievers will remain in doubt about it until the Hour suddenly
overpowers them or until torment descends on them on a Day
devoid of all hope. 
56On that Day control will belong to God:
He will judge between them. Those who believe and do good
deeds will be admitted to Gardens of Delight, 
57while those who
disbelieve and reject Our revelations will receive a humiliating
torment.
58He will give a generous provision to those who migrated in
God’s way and were killed or died. He is the Best Provider. 
59He will
admit them to a place that will please them: God is all knowing and
most forbearing. 
60So it will be. God will help those who retaliate
against an aggressive act merely with its like and are then wronged
again: God is pardoning and most forgiving. 
61So it will be, because
God makes night pass into day, and day into night, and He is all
hearing and all seeing. 
62So it will be, because it is God alone who is
the Truth, and whatever else they invoke is sheer falsehood: it is God
who is the Most High, the Most Great.
63Have you [Prophet] not considered how God sends water down
from the sky and the next morning the earth becomes green? God is
truly most subtle, all aware; 
64everything in the heavens and earth
belongs to Him; God alone is self-su
fficient, worthy of all praise.
65Have you not considered how God has made everything on the
earth of service to you? That ships sail the sea at His command?
That He keeps the heavens from falling down on the earth without
His permission? God is most compassionate and most merciful to
mankind –
–
66it is He who gave you [people] life, will cause you to die,
then will give you life again –
– but man is ungrateful.
67We have appointed acts of devotion for every community to
observe, so do not let them argue with you [Prophet] about this
matter. Call them to your Lord –
– you are on the right path –
–
68and if
they argue with you, say, ‘God is well aware of what you are doing.’
69On the Day of Resurrection, God will judge between you regard-
ing your di
fferences. 70Are you [Prophet] not aware that God knows