The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

The Qur
an
6: 55
84

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revelations, turn away from them until they move on to another
topic. If Satan should make you forget, then, when you have remem-
bered, do not sit with those who are doing wrong. 
69The righteous
are not in any way held accountable for the wrongdoers; their only
duty is to remind them, so that they may be mindful of God. 
70Leave
to themselves those who take their religion for a mere game and
distraction and are deceived by the life of this world, but continue to
remind them with the [Qur
an], lest any soul be damned by what it
has done –
– it will have no one to protect it from God and no one to
intercede; whatever ransom it may o
ffer will not be accepted. Such
are those who are damned by their own actions: they will have boil-
ing water to drink and a painful punishment, because they used to
defy [God].
71Say, ‘Instead of God, are we to call on what neither profits nor
harms us? [Are we to] turn on our heels after God has guided us, like
someone bewildered, having been tempted by devils into a desert
ravine,
a
though his companions call him to guidance [saying], “Come
to us”?’ Say, ‘God’s guidance is the true guidance. We are commanded
to devote ourselves to the Lord of the Worlds, 
72to establish regular
prayers and be mindful of Him.’ It is to Him that you will all be
gathered. 
73It is He who created the heavens and the earth for a true
purpose. On the Day when He says, ‘Be,’ it will be: His word is the
truth. All control on the Day the Trumpet is blown belongs to Him.
He knows the seen and the unseen: He is the All Wise, the All Aware.
74Remember when Abraham said to his father, Azar, ‘How can you
take idols as gods? I see that you and your people have clearly gone
astray.’
75In this way We showed Abraham [God’s] mighty dominion
over the heavens and the earth, so that he might be a 
firm believer.
76When the night grew dark over him he saw a star and said, ‘This is
my Lord,’ but when it set, he said, ‘I do not like things that set.’
77And when he saw the moon rising he said, ‘This is my Lord,’ but
when it too set, he said, ‘If my Lord does not guide me, I shall be
one of those who go astray.’
78Then he saw the sun rising and cried,
‘This is my Lord! This is greater.’ But when the sun set, he said,
‘My people, I disown all that you worship beside God. 
79I have
turned my face as a true believer towards Him who created the
heavens and the earth. I am not one of the polytheists.’
a
This interpretation of the literal ‘in the land’ is preferred by Razi.
Livestock
85
6: 79

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80His people argued with him, and he said, ‘How can you argue
with me about God when He has guided me? I do not fear anything
you associate with Him: unless my Lord wills [nothing can happen].
My Lord encompasses everything in His knowledge. How can you
not take heed? 
81Why should I fear what you associate with Him?
Why do you not fear to associate with Him things for which He has
sent you no authority? Tell me, if you know the answer, which side
has more right to feel secure? 
82It is those who have faith, and do not
mix their faith with idolatry,
a
who will be secure, and it is they who
are rightly guided.’
83Such was the argument We gave to Abraham
against his people –
– We raise in rank whoever We will –
– your Lord is
all wise, all knowing.
84We gave him Isaac and Jacob, each of whom We guided, as We
had guided Noah before, and among his descendants were David,
Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron –
– in this way We reward
those who do good –
–
85Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elijah–– every
one of them was righteous –
–
86Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot. We
favoured each one of them over other people, 
87and also some of
their forefathers, their o
ffspring, and their brothers: We chose them
and guided them on a straight path. 
88Such is God’s guidance, with
which He guides whichever of His servants He will. If they had
associated other gods with Him, all their deeds would have come to
nothing. 
89Those are the ones to whom We gave the Scripture, wis-
dom, and prophethood. Even if these people now disbelieve in them,
We have entrusted them to others who do not disbelieve. 
90Those
were the people God guided, ‘[Prophet], follow the guidance they
received.’ Say, ‘I ask no reward for it from you: it is a lesson for all
people.’
91They have no grasp of God’s true measure when they say, ‘God
has sent nothing down to a mere mortal.’ Say, ‘Who was it who sent
down the Scripture, which Moses brought as a light and a guide to
people, which you made into separate sheets, showing some but
hiding many? You were taught things that neither you nor your
forefathers had known.’ Say, ‘God [sent it down],’ then leave them
engrossed in their vain talk. 
92This is a blessed Scripture that We
have sent down to con
firm what came before it and for you to warn
a
The Prophet explained zulm (evildoing) here to be shirk (idolatry), referring to
31: 13.
The Qur
an
6: 80
86

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the Mother of Cities
a
and all around it. Those who believe in the
Hereafter believe in this Scripture, and do not neglect their prayers.
93Who could be more wicked than someone who invents a lie
against God, or claims, ‘A revelation has come to me,’ when no
revelation has been sent to him, or says, ‘I too can reveal something
equal to God’s revelation’? If you could only see the wicked in their
death agonies, as the angels stretch out their hands [to them],
saying, ‘Give up your souls. Today you will be repaid with a
humiliating punishment for saying false things about God and
for arrogantly rejecting His revelations.’
94[God will say], ‘Now
you return to Us, alone, as We 
first created you: you have left
behind everything We gave you, nor do We see those intercessors
of yours that you claimed were partners of God. All the bonds
between you have been severed, and those about whom you made
such claims have deserted you.’
95It is God who splits open the seed and the fruit stone: He brings
out the living from the dead and the dead from the living –
– that is
God –
– so how can you turn away from the truth? 
96He makes the
dawn break; He makes the night for rest; and He made the sun and
the moon to a precise measure. That is the design of the Almighty,
the All Knowing. 
97It is He who made the stars, so that they can
guide you when land and sea are dark: We have made the signs clear
for those who have knowledge. 
98It is He who first produced you
from a single soul, then gave you a place to stay [in life] and a resting
place [after death]. We have made Our revelations clear to those who
understand. 
99It is He who sends down water from the sky. With it
We produce the shoots of each plant, then bring greenery from
it, and from that We bring out grains, one riding on the other in
close-packed rows.
From the date palm come clusters of low-hanging dates, and there
are gardens of vines, olives, and pomegranates, alike yet di
fferent.
Watch their fruits as they grow and ripen! In all this there are signs
for those who would believe. 
100Yet they made the jinn
b