Verse 2:12 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

8 وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن یَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡیَوۡمِ ٱلۡءَاخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤۡمِنِینَ ۝٨ wamina l-nāsi man yaqūlu āmannā bil-lahi wabil-yawmi l-ākhiri wamā hum bimu'minīn Some people say, ‘We believe in God and the Last Day,’ when really they do not believe 9 یُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَمَا یَخۡدَعُونَ إِلَّاۤ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَمَا یَشۡعُرُونَ ۝٩ yukhādiʿūna l-laha wa-alladhīna āmanū wamā yakhdaʿūna illā anfusahum wamā yashʿurūn They seek to deceive God and the believers but they only deceive themselves, though they do not realize it 10 فِی قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضࣱ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضࣰاۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِیمُۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ یَكۡذِبُونَ ۝١٠ fī qulūbihim maraḍun fazādahumu l-lahu maraḍan walahum ʿadhābun alīmun bimā kānū yakdhibūn There is a disease in their hearts, to which God has added more: agonizing torment awaits them for their persistent lying 11 وَإِذَا قِیلَ لَهُمۡ لَا تُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ ۝١١ wa-idhā qīla lahum lā tuf'sidū fī l-arḍi qālū innamā naḥnu muṣ'liḥūn When it is said to them, ‘Do not cause corruption in the land,’ they say, ‘We are only putting things right,’

12 أَلَاۤ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا یَشۡعُرُونَ ۝١٢ alā innahum humu l-muf'sidūna walākin lā yashʿurūn but really they are causing corruption, though they do not realize it

13 وَإِذَا قِیلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُوا۟ كَمَاۤ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوۤا۟ أَنُؤۡمِنُ كَمَاۤ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَاۤءُۗ أَلَاۤ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَاۤءُ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝١٣ wa-idhā qīla lahum āminū kamā āmana l-nāsu qālū anu'minu kamā āmana l-sufahāu alā innahum humu l-sufahāu walākin lā yaʿlamūn When it is said to them, ‘Believe, as the others believe,’ they say, ‘Should we believe as the fools do?’ but they are the fools, though they do not know it 14 وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوۡا۟ إِلَىٰ شَیَـٰطِینِهِمۡ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُمۡ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ ۝١٤ wa-idhā laqū alladhīna āmanū qālū āmannā wa-idhā khalaw ilā shayāṭīnihim qālū innā maʿakum innamā naḥnu mus'tahziūn When they meet the believers, they say, ‘We believe,’ but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, ‘We’re really with you; we were only mocking.’ 15 ٱللَّهُ یَسۡتَهۡزِئُ بِهِمۡ وَیَمُدُّهُمۡ فِی طُغۡیَـٰنِهِمۡ یَعۡمَهُونَ ۝١٥ al-lahu yastahzi-u bihim wayamudduhum fī ṭugh'yānihim yaʿmahūn God is mocking them, and allowing them more slack to wander blindly in their insolence 16 أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱشۡتَرَوُا۟ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُهۡتَدِینَ ۝١٦ ulāika alladhīna ish'tarawū l-ḍalālata bil-hudā famā rabiḥat tijāratuhum wamā kānū muh'tadīn They have bought error in exchange for guidance, so their trade reaps no profit, and they are not rightly guided