The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God -- He is the Almighty, the Wise. 1 O you who believe, why do you profess what you do not practise? 2 How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you may preach what you do not practice. 3 Allah indeed loves those who fight in His Way as though they are a solid wall cemented with molten lead. 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 when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic. 6 And who could be more wicked than one who invents [such] a lie about [a message from] God, seeing that he is [but] being called to self-surrender unto Him? But God does not bestow His guidance upon evil-doing folk. 7 they wish to put His light out with their mouths. But He will perfect His light, much as those who deny the truth may dislike it; 8 it is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the true religion, so that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, however much the polytheists may dislike it. 9