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 People who Believe! Why do you preach what you do not practice? 2 It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not. 3 Allah indeed loves those who fight in His Way as though they are a solid wall cemented with molten lead. 4 When Moses said to his people: "O my people, why do you afflict me though you know that I have been sent to you by God?" But when they turned aside God made their hearts turn farther away; for God does not show the transgressors the way. 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 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 to stand supreme over all religions, even though the pagans may dislike it. 9