And some4 there are who say, "We believe in God, and in the latter day:" Yet
are they not believers!
Fain would they deceive God and those who have believed; but they deceive
themselves only, and know it not.
Diseased are their hearts! And that disease hath God increased creased to
them. Their's a sore chastisement, for that they treated their prophet as a
liar!
And when it is said to them, "Cause not disorders in the earth:" they say,
"Nay, rather do we set them right."
Is it not that they are themselves the authors of disorder? But they perceive
it not!
And when it is said to them, "Believe as other men have believed;" they say,
"Shall we believe as the fools have believed?" Is it not that they are
themselves the fools? But they know it not!
And when they meet the faithful they say, "We believe;" but when they are
apart with their Satans5 they say, "Verily we hold with you, and at them we
only mock."
God shall mock at them, and keep them long in their rebellion, wandering in
perplexity.
These are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance: but their
traffic hath not been gainful, neither are they guided at all.
They are like one6 who kindleth a fire, and when it hath thrown its light on
all around him. . . . God taketh away their light and leaveth them in
darkness-they cannot see!-
Deaf, dumb, blind: therefore they shall not retrace their steps from error!
Or like those who, when there cometh a storm-cloud out of the Heaven, big
with darkness thunder and lightning, thrust their fingers into their ears
because of the thunder-clap, for fear of death! God is round about the
infidels.
The lightning almost snatcheth away their eyes! So oft as it gleameth on them
they walk on in it, but when darkness closeth upon them, they stop! And if
God pleased, of their ears and of their eyes would he surely deprive them:
verily God is Almighty! O men of Mecca7 adore your Lord, who hath created you
and those who were before you: haply ye will fear Him
Who hath made the earth a bed for you, and the heaven a covering, and hath
caused water to come down from heaven, and by it hath brought forth fruits
for your sustenance! Do not then wittingly give peers to God.
And if ye be in doubt as to that which we have sent down to our servant, then
produce a Sura like it, and summon your witnesses, beside God, if ye are men
of truth:
But if ye do it not, and never shall ye do it, then fear the fire prepared
for the infidels, whose fuel is men and stones:8
But announce to those who believe and do the things that are right, that for
them are gardens 'neath which the rivers flow! So oft as they are fed
therefrom with fruit for sustenance, they shall say, "This same was our
sustenance of old:" And they shall have its like given to them.9 Therein
shall they have wives of perfect purity, and therein shall they abide for
ever.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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