SURAH ALI 'IMRAN

Alif, Lām, Meem.¹¹³

Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining.¹¹⁴

He has sent down upon you, [O Muḥammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel

Before, as guidance for the people. And He revealed the Criterion [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allāh will have a severe punishment, and Allāh is Exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution.¹¹⁵

Indeed, from Allāh nothing is hidden in the earth nor in the heaven.

It is He who forms you in the wombs however He wills. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific.¹¹⁶ As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allāh. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding,

[Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.¹¹⁷

Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allāh does not fail in His promise."

Indeed, those who disbelieve - never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allāh at all. And it is they who are fuel for the Fire.

[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied Our signs, so Allāh seized them for their sins. And Allāh is severe in penalty.

Say to those who disbelieve, "You will be overcome and gathered together to Hell, and wretched is the resting place."

Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met [in combat at Badr] - one fighting in the cause of Allāh and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight.¹¹⁸ But Allāh supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.

Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allāh has with Him the best return [i.e., Paradise].

Say, "Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allāh will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allāh. And Allāh is Seeing [i.e., aware] of [His] servants -

Those who say, 'Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire,' "

The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allāh], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.

Allāh witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allāh is Islām. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allāh, then indeed, Allāh is swift in [taking] account.

So if they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself to Allāh [in Islām], and [so have] those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned,¹¹⁹ "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islām], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away - then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allāh is Seeing of [His] servants.

Those who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and kill the prophets without right and kill those who order justice from among the people - give them tidings of a painful punishment.

They are the ones whose deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and for them there will be no helpers.

Do you not consider, [O Muḥammad], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allāh that it should arbitrate between them;¹²⁰ then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing.

That is because they say, "Never will the Fire touch us except for [a few] numbered days," and [because] they were deluded in their religion by what they were inventing.

So how will it be when We assemble them for a Day about which there is no doubt? And each soul will be compensated [in full for] what it earned, and they will not be wronged.

Say, "O Allāh, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand¹²¹ is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.

You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account [i.e., limit or measure]."

Let not believers take disbelievers as allies [i.e., supporters or protectors] rather than believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing [i.e., no association] with Allāh, except when taking precaution against them in prudence.¹²² And Allāh warns you of Himself, and to Allāh is the [final] destination.

Say, "Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allāh knows it. And He knows that which is in the heavens and that which is on the earth. And Allāh is over all things competent.

The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allāh warns you of Himself, and Allāh is Kind to [His] servants."

Say, [O Muḥammad], "If you should love Allāh, then follow me, [so] Allāh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful."

Say, "Obey Allāh and the Messenger. But if you turn away - then indeed, Allāh does not like the disbelievers."

Indeed, Allāh chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of ʿImrān over the worlds -

Descendants, some of them from others. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.

[Mention, O Muḥammad], when the wife of ʿImrān said, "My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing."

But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allāh was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female. "And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]."

So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?" She said, "It is from Allāh. Indeed, Allāh provides for whom He wills without account."

At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication."

So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allāh gives you good tidings of John, confirming a word¹²³ from Allāh and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from women], and a prophet from among the righteous."

He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" He [the angel] said, "Such is Allāh; He does what He wills."

He said, "My Lord, make for me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."

And [mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allāh has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.

O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer]."

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muḥammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens¹²⁴ as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allāh gives you good tidings of a word¹²⁵ from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allāh].

He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous."

She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allāh; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.

And He will teach him writing and wisdom¹²⁶ and the Torah and the Gospel

And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allāh. And I cure the blind [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allāh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.

And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allāh and obey me.