The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies God; He is the All-mighty; the All-wise. 1 O you who believe, why do you profess what you do not practise? 2 Most odious it is unto Allah that ye should say that which ye do not. 3 God loves those who fight in His way in ranks, as though they were a building well-compacted. 4 When Moses said to his people: "O my people, why do you afflict me though you know that I have been sent to you by God?" But when they turned aside God made their hearts turn farther away; for God does not show the transgressors the way. 5 And [this happened, too,] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O children of Israel! Behold, I am an apostle of God unto you, [sent] to confirm the truth of whatever there still remains of the Torah, and to give [you] the glad tiding of an apostle who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad." But when he [whose coming Jesus had foretold] came unto them with all evidence of the truth, they said: "This [alleged message of his] is [nothing but] spellbinding eloquence!" 6 Who could be more wicked than one who invents lies about God when called to submit to Him? God does not guide the wrongdoers: 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 He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much idolaters may be averse. 9