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 cannot harm you except cause some trouble; and if they fight against you, they will turn their backs on you; then they will not be helped. 111 Abasement shall be pitched upon them wherever they are found, except they are in a bond from Allah, and a bond of the people. They have incurred the anger of Allah and have been humiliated, because they disbelieved the verses of Allah and unjustly slew His Prophets and because they disobeyed and were transgressors. 112 ۞ They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him). 113 They accept faith in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin good deeds and forbid immorality, and hasten to perform good deeds; and they are the righteous. 114 And whatever good they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for Allah knows well those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2). 115 As for those who disbelieve, neither their riches nor their children shall help them a thing from Allah. They are the people of the Fire, and there they shall remain for ever. 116 The parable of what they spend on the life of this world is that of an icy wind which smites the tilth of people who have sinned against themselves, and destroys it: for, it is not God who does them wrong, but it is they who are wronging themselves. 117 O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason. 118 Here you are loving them but they are not loving you, while you believe in the Scripture - all of it. And when they meet you, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you in rage. Say, "Die in your rage. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts." 119 If there happeneth unto you any good it grieveth them, and if there happeneth unto you an ill, they rejoice thereat. And if ye remain persevering and God - fearing their guile shall not harm you at all. Verily Allah is of that which they work Encompasser. 120