The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

 ina [Look at
us],’
d
twisting it abusively with their tongues so as to disparage
religion. If they had said, ‘We hear and obey,’ ‘Listen,’ and ‘Unzurna
[Look at us],’ that would have been better and more proper for them.
But God has spurned them for their de
fiance; they believe very little.
47People of the Book, believe in what We have sent down to con-
firm what you already have before We wipe out [your sense of]
direction,
e
turning you back, or reject you, as We rejected those who
broke the Sabbath: God’s will is always done. 
48God does not forgive
the joining of partners with Him: anything less than that He forgives
to whoever He will, but anyone who joins partners with God has
concocted a tremendous sin. 
49[Prophet], have you considered those
who claim purity for themselves? No! God puri
fies whoever He
will: no one will be wronged by as much as the husk of a date stone.
50See how they invent lies about God, this in itself is a flagrant
sin!
51Do you not see how those given a share of the Scripture,
[evidently] now believe in idols and evil powers? They say of the
disbelievers, ‘They are more rightly guided than the believers.’
f
52Those are the ones God has rejected: you [Prophet] will not find
a
The prohibition of intoxicants was introduced by stages, and they were eventually
made completely unlawful. Cf. 
2: 219; 5: 90–1.
b
or ‘unless you are on a journey’.
c
The term sa
 id means dust or earth or soil or sand.
d
Cf. note to 
2: 104.
e
Literally ‘obliterate faces’. Another meaning of wujuh (faces) is ‘directions’ (Razi).
f
This is taken to refer to an actual event in which a group of disbelieving Meccans
went to two eminent Jewish 
figures for counsel on the truth of Muhammad’s teachings
and were told that the pagans were more rightly guided than the Muslims.
Women
55
4: 52

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anyone to help those God has rejected. 
53Do they have any share
of what He possesses? If they did they would not give away so
much as the groove of a date stone. 
54Do they envy [other] people
for the bounty
a
God has granted them? We gave the descendants of
Abraham the Scripture and wisdom –
– and We gave them a great
kingdom –
–
55but some of them believed in it
b
and some turned away
from it. Hell blazes 
fiercely enough. 56We shall send those who reject
Our revelations to the Fire. When their skins have been burned away,
We shall replace them with new ones so that they may continue to
feel the pain: God is mighty and wise. 
57As for those who believe and
do good deeds, We shall admit them into Gardens graced with 
flow-
ing streams and there they will remain forever. They will have pure
spouses there, and We shall admit them into cool refreshing shade.
58God commands you [people] to return things entrusted to you
to their rightful owners, and, if you judge between people, to do so
with justice: God’s instructions to you are excellent, for He hears
and sees everything. 
59You who believe, obey God and the Messen-
ger, and those in authority among you. If you are in dispute over any
matter, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you truly believe in
God and the Last Day: that is better and fairer in the end. 
60Do you
[Prophet] not see those who claim to believe in what has been sent
down to you, and in what was sent down before you, yet still want to
turn to unjust tyrants
c
for judgement, although they have been
ordered to reject them? Satan wants to lead them far astray. 
61When
they are told, ‘Turn to God’s revelations and the Messenger [for
judgement],’ you see the hypocrites turn right away from you
[Prophet].
62If disaster strikes them because of what they them-
selves have done, then they will come to you, swearing by God, ‘We
only wanted to do good and achieve harmony.’
63God knows well
what is in the hearts of these people, so ignore what they say,
instruct them, and speak to them about themselves using penetrating
words.
64All the messengers We sent were meant to be obeyed, by God’s
leave. If only [the hypocrites] had come to you [Prophet] when they