The Column (Al-Suff)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
ALL THAT IS in the heavens and the earth sings the praises of God. He is all-mighty and all-wise. 1 O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? 2 How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you may preach what you do not practice. 3 Lo! Allah loveth them who battle for His cause in ranks, as if they were a solid structure. 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 And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam, and Allah does not guide the unjust people. 7 They aim to extinguish God's light with their utterances: but God has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth 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