The Column (Al-Suff)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth glorifies Allah. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. 1 O you who believe, why do you profess what you do not practise? 2 It is most hateful to Allah that you should say that which you do not do. 3 Indeed Allah likes those who fight in His cause, positioned in rows, as if they were an edifice fortified. 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 [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 is a greater wrong-doer than he who fabricateth against Allah a lie even as he is summoned unto Islam? And Allah guideth not a wrongdoing people. 7 Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse. 8 It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the true religion to stand supreme over all religions, even though the pagans may dislike it. 9