The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth halloweth Allah. And He is the Mighty, the Wise. 1 O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? 2 Most odious it is unto Allah that ye should say that which ye do not. 3 Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure. 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 more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam, and Allah does not guide the unjust people. 7 They want to put out the light of God with their mouths, but God will certainly make His light shine forever - even though the disbelievers may dislike this. 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