The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

 Izz al-Din Ibn  Abdul-Salam (London: Al-Furqan Foundation, 1999), 194, and E. W.
Lane, Arabic–English Lexicon (Beirut: Librairie du Liban, 
1968).
The Cow
5
2: 20

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them they walk on and when darkness falls around them they stand
still. If God so willed, He could take away their hearing and sight:
God has power over everything.
21People, worship your Lord, who created you and those before
you, so that you may be mindful [of Him] 
22who spread out the earth
for you and built the sky; who sent water down from it and with that
water produced things for your sustenance. Do not, knowing this, set
up rivals to God. 
23If you have doubts about the revelation We have
sent down to Our servant, then produce a single sura like it –
– enlist
whatever supporters
a
you have other than God –
– if you truly [think
you can]. 
24If you cannot do this–– and you never will–– then beware
of the Fire prepared for the disbelievers, whose fuel is men and
stones.
25[Prophet], give those who believe and do good the news that
they will have Gardens graced with 
flowing streams. Whenever
they are given sustenance from the fruits of these Gardens, they will
say, ‘We have been given this before,’ because they were provided
with something like it.
b
They will have pure spouses and there they
will stay.
26God does not shy from drawing comparisons even with some-
thing as small as a gnat, or larger:
c
the believers know it is the truth
from their Lord, but the disbelievers say, ‘What does God mean by
such a comparison?’ Through it He makes many go astray and leads
many to the right path. But it is only the rebels He makes go astray:
27those who break their covenant with God after it has been con-
firmed, who sever the bonds that God has commanded to be joined,
who spread corruption on the earth –
– these are the losers. 
28How can
you ignore God when you were lifeless and He gave you life, when
He will cause you to die, then resurrect you to be returned to Him?
29It was He who created all that is on the earth for you, then turned
to the sky and made the seven heavens; it is He who has knowledge
of all things.
a
Literally ‘whatever witnesses’. Razi interprets this as referring either to their idols
or to their leaders.
b
One interpretation is that they enjoy each meal so much that they are delighted to
see favourite dishes again; another interpretation is that the food of Paradise resembles
the delicacies of this world in appearance.
c
Comparisons such as those given here were seen by some as inappropriate for God,
and this is an answer to these critics.
The Qur
an
2: 21
6

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30[Prophet], when your Lord told the angels, ‘I am putting a suc-
cessor
a
on earth,’ they said, ‘How can
b
You put someone there who
will cause damage and bloodshed, when we celebrate Your praise and
proclaim Your holiness?’ but He said, ‘I know things you do not.’
31He taught Adam all the names [of things], then He showed them to
the angels and said, ‘Tell me the names of these if you truly [think
you can].’
32They said, ‘May You be glorified! We have knowledge
only of what You have taught us. You are the All Knowing and All
Wise.’
33Then He said, ‘Adam, tell them the names of these.’ When
he told them their names, God said, ‘Did I not tell you that I know
what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what
you reveal and what you conceal?’
34When We told the angels, ‘Bow down before Adam,’ they all
bowed. But not Iblis, who refused and was arrogant: he was one of
the disobedient. 
35We said, ‘Adam, live with your wife in this garden.
Both of you eat freely there as you will, but do not go near this tree,
or you will both become wrongdoers.’
36But Satan made them slip,
and removed them from the state they were in. We said, ‘Get out, all
of you! You are each other’s enemy.