The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God -- He is the Almighty, the Wise. 1 Believers, why do you profess that which you do not practise? 2 How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you may preach what you do not practice. 3 Surely God loves those who fight in His cause in full formations as though they were a compact wall. 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 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 desire to extinguish with their mouths, the light of God; but God will perfect His light, though the unbelievers be averse. 8 It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allah dislike it. 9