The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. 1 Believers, why do you preach what you do not practice? 2 Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. 3 Verily, God loves [only] those who fight in His cause in [solid] ranks, as though they were a building firm and compact. 4 Now when Moses spoke to his people, [it was this same truth that he had in mind:] "O my people! Why do you cause me grief, the while you know that I am an apostle of God sent unto you?" And so, when they swerved from the right way, God let their hearts swerve from the truth: for God does not bestow His guidance upon iniquitous folk. 5 And recall what time Isa, son of Maryam, said: children of Israi'l! verily I am Allah's apostle unto you, confirming the Taurat which was before me, and giving the glad tidings of an apostle who cometh after me; his name will be Ahmad. Then when he brought unto them evidences, they said: this is magic manifest. 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 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 He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with [the task of] spreading guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He make it prevail over all [false] religion, however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught but God. 9