YOU ARE indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God. Now if the followers of earlier revelation had attained to [this kind of] faith, it would have been for their own good; [but only few] among them are believers, while most of them are iniquitous: 110 They will do you no harm, barring a trifling annoyance; if they come out to fight you, they will show you their backs, and no help shall they get. 111 Overshadowed by ignominy are they wherever they may be, save [when they bind themselves again] in a bond with God and a bond with men; for they have earned the burden of God's condemnation, and are overshadowed by humiliation: all this [has befallen them] because they persisted in denying the truth of God's messages and in slaying the prophets against all right: all this, because they rebelled [against God,] and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right. 112 ۞ The People of the Book are not all the same. Some of them are straightforward. They recite the words of God in prostration at night. 113 They believe in Allah and in the Last Day and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and hasten to excel each other in doing good. These are among the righteous. 114 And whatsoever they do of virtue shall not be denied. And Allah is Knower of the God - fearing. 115 Verily those who disbelieve, neither their riches nor their progeny shall avail them aught against Allah. And these are the fellows of the Fire; thereinto they shall be abiders. 116 The likeness of that which they expend in this life of the world is as the likeness of a wind wherein is intense cold, it befalleth the tilth of a people who have wronged themselves, and destroyeth it. Allah wronged them not, but themselves they wrong. 117 O Ye who believe! take not for an intimate anyone besides yourselves; they shall not be remiss in doing you mischief. Fain would they that which distresseth you. Surely their malice hath shewn itself by their mouths, and that which their breasts conceal is greater still. Surely We have expounded unto you the signs, if ye will but reflect. 118 There you are loving them, and they do not love you. You believe in the entire Book. When they meet you they say: 'We, believe' But when alone, they bite their fingertips at you out of rage. Say: 'Die in your rage! Allah has knowledge of what is in your chests' 119 When you are touched with good fortune, they grieve, but when evil befalls you, they rejoice. If you are patient and cautious, their guile will never harm you. Allah encompasses what they do. 120