The Column (Al-Suff)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allah, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. 1 O you who believe! why do you say that which you do not do? 2 How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you may preach what you do not practice. 3 Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure. 4 Now when Moses spoke to his people, [it was this same truth that he had in mind:] "O my people! Why do you cause me grief, the while you know that I am an apostle of God sent unto you?" And so, when they swerved from the right way, God let their hearts swerve from the truth: for God does not bestow His guidance upon iniquitous folk. 5 And when Jesus, son of Mary, said: "O children of Israel, I am sent to you by God to confirm the Torah (sent) before me, and to give you good tidings of an apostle who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad (the praised one)." Yet when he has come to them with clear proofs, they say: "This is only magic." 6 And who could be more wicked than one who invents [such] a lie about [a message from] God, seeing that he is [but] being called to self-surrender unto Him? But God does not bestow His guidance upon evil-doing folk. 7 They seek to extinguish Allah's light (by blowing) with their mouths, but Allah shall spread His light in all its fullness, howsoever the unbelievers may abhor this. 8 It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the true religion to stand supreme over all religions, even though the pagans may dislike it. 9