The Column (Al-Suff)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies God -- He is the Almighty, the Wise. 1 O you who believe, why do you profess what you do not practise? 2 How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you may preach what you do not practice. 3 Allah loves those who fight in His Way lining up as if they were a stacked building. 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 And who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah when he is summoned unto Al-Islam? And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. 7 They seek to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths; but Allah will complete His Light, much as the unbelievers dislike it. 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