The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies God; He is the All-mighty; the All-wise. 1 Believers, why do you profess that which you do not practise? 2 It is most hateful to God that you do not practise what you preach; 3 Lo! Allah loveth them who battle for His cause in ranks, as if they were a solid structure. 4 And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people. 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 Who is more unjust than he who invents a lie against God when he is called to submit? God does not show the evil-doers the way. 7 They seek to extinguish Allah's light (by blowing) with their mouths, but Allah shall spread His light in all its fullness, howsoever the unbelievers may abhor 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