The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
All that is in the heavens and all that is on earth extols Allah's glory. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Wise. 1 Believers, why do you profess that which you do not practise? 2 Very hateful is it to God, that you say what you do not. 3 Surely God loves those who fight in His cause in full formations as though they were a compact wall. 4 And recall what time Musa said unto his people: O my people! wherefore hurt ye me, when surely ye know that verily I am Allah's apostle unto you? Then when they swerved, Allah made their hearts swerve; and Allah guideth not a transgressing people. 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 does greater evil than he who forges against God falsehood, when he is being called unto surrender? And God guides never the people of the evildoers. 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 sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it. 9