Verse 2:217 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

213 كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةࣰ وَ ٰحِدَةࣰ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِینَ وَمُنذِرِینَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِیَحۡكُمَ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِیمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِۚ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ فِیهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ بَغۡیَۢا بَیۡنَهُمۡۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ یَهۡدِی مَن یَشَاۤءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰطࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمٍ ۝٢١٣ kāna l-nāsu ummatan wāḥidatan fabaʿatha l-lahu l-nabiyīna mubashirīna wamundhirīna wa-anzala maʿahumu l-kitāba bil-ḥaqi liyaḥkuma bayna l-nāsi fīmā ikh'talafū fīhi wamā ikh'talafa fīhi illā alladhīna ūtūhu min baʿdi mā jāathumu l-bayinātu baghyan baynahum fahadā l-lahu alladhīna āmanū limā ikh'talafū fīhi mina l-ḥaqi bi-idh'nihi wal-lahu yahdī man yashāu ilā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmi Mankind was a single community, then God sent prophets to bring good news and warning, and with them He sent the Scripture with the Truth, to judge between people in their disagreements. It was only those to whom it was given who disagreed about it after clear signs had come to them, because of rivalry between them. So by His leave God guided the believers to the truth they had differed about: God guides whoever He will to a straight path 214 أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُوا۟ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا یَأۡتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ خَلَوۡا۟ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۖ مَّسَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَأۡسَاۤءُ وَٱلضَّرَّاۤءُ وَزُلۡزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَاۤ إِنَّ نَصۡرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ ۝٢١٤ am ḥasib'tum an tadkhulū l-janata walammā yatikum mathalu alladhīna khalaw min qablikum massathumu l-basāu wal-ḍarāu wazul'zilū ḥattā yaqūla l-rasūlu wa-alladhīna āmanū maʿahu matā naṣru l-lahi alā inna naṣra l-lahi qarību Do you suppose that you will enter the Garden without first having suffered like those before you? They were afflicted by misfortune and hardship, and they were so shaken that even [their] messenger and the believers with him cried, ‘When will God’s help arrive?’ Truly, God’s help is near 215 یَسۡءَلُونَكَ مَاذَا یُنفِقُونَۖ قُلۡ مَاۤ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَیۡرࣲ فَلِلۡوَ ٰلِدَیۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِینَ وَٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِینِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِیلِۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُوا۟ مِنۡ خَیۡرࣲ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِیمࣱ ۝٢١٥ yasalūnaka mādhā yunfiqūna qul mā anfaqtum min khayrin falil'wālidayni wal-aqrabīna wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wa-ib'ni l-sabīli wamā tafʿalū min khayrin fa-inna l-laha bihi ʿalīmu They ask you [Prophet] what they should give. Say, ‘Whatever you give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good you do 216 كُتِبَ عَلَیۡكُمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرۡهࣱ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰۤ أَن تَكۡرَهُوا۟ شَیۡءࣰا وَهُوَ خَیۡرࣱ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰۤ أَن تُحِبُّوا۟ شَیۡءࣰا وَهُوَ شَرࣱّ لَّكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ یَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٢١٦ kutiba ʿalaykumu l-qitālu wahuwa kur'hun lakum waʿasā an takrahū shayan wahuwa khayrun lakum waʿasā an tuḥibbū shayan wahuwa sharrun lakum wal-lahu yaʿlamu wa-antum lā taʿlamūn Fighting is ordained for you, though you dislike it. You may dislike something although it is good for you, or like something although it is bad for you: God knows and you do not.’

217 یَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّهۡرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ قِتَالࣲ فِیهِۖ قُلۡ قِتَالࣱ فِیهِ كَبِیرࣱۚ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ وَكُفۡرُۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَإِخۡرَاجُ أَهۡلِهِۦ مِنۡهُ أَكۡبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَكۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۗ وَلَا یَزَالُونَ یُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ یَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِینِكُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُوا۟ۚ وَمَن یَرۡتَدِدۡ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِینِهِۦ فَیَمُتۡ وَهُوَ كَافِرࣱ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِیهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ۝٢١٧ yasalūnaka ʿani l-shahri l-ḥarāmi qitālin fīhi qul qitālun fīhi kabīrun waṣaddun ʿan sabīli l-lahi wakuf'run bihi wal-masjidi l-ḥarāmi wa-ikh'rāju ahlihi min'hu akbaru ʿinda l-lahi wal-fit'natu akbaru mina l-qatli walā yazālūna yuqātilūnakum ḥattā yaruddūkum ʿan dīnikum ini is'taṭāʿū waman yartadid minkum ʿan dīnihi fayamut wahuwa kāfirun fa-ulāika ḥabiṭat aʿmāluhum fī l-dun'yā wal-ākhirati wa-ulāika aṣḥābu l-nāri hum fīhā khālidūn They ask you [Prophet] about fighting in the prohibited month. Say, ‘Fighting in that month is a great offence, but to bar others from God’s path, to disbelieve in Him, prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and expel its people, are still greater offences in God’s eyes: persecution is worse than killing.’ They will not stop fighting you [believers] until they make you revoke your faith, if they can. If any of you revoke your faith and die as disbelievers, your deeds will come to nothing in this world and the Hereafter, and you will be inhabitants of the Fire, there to remain

218 إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِینَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ یَرۡجُونَ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝٢١٨ inna alladhīna āmanū wa-alladhīna hājarū wajāhadū fī sabīli l-lahi ulāika yarjūna raḥmata l-lahi wal-lahu ghafūrun raḥīmu But those who have believed, migrated, and striven for God’s cause, it is they who can look forward to God’s mercy: God is most forgiving and merciful 219 ۞ یَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡخَمۡرِ وَٱلۡمَیۡسِرِۖ قُلۡ فِیهِمَاۤ إِثۡمࣱ كَبِیرࣱ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثۡمُهُمَاۤ أَكۡبَرُ مِن نَّفۡعِهِمَاۗ وَیَسۡءَلُونَكَ مَاذَا یُنفِقُونَۖ قُلِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَۗ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۝٢١٩ yasalūnaka ʿani l-khamri wal-maysiri qul fīhimā ith'mun kabīrun wamanāfiʿu lilnnāsi wa-ith'muhumā akbaru min nafʿihimā wayasalūnaka mādhā yunfiqūna quli l-ʿafwa kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti laʿallakum tatafakkarūn They ask you [Prophet] about intoxicants and gambling: say, ‘There is great sin in both, and some benefit for people: the sin is greater than the benefit.’ They ask you what they should give: say, ‘Give what you can spare.’ In this way, God makes His messages clear to you, so that you may reflec 220 فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۗ وَیَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡیَتَـٰمَىٰۖ قُلۡ إِصۡلَاحࣱ لَّهُمۡ خَیۡرࣱۖ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَ ٰنُكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ یَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِۚ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعۡنَتَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِیزٌ حَكِیمࣱ ۝٢٢٠ fī l-dun'yā wal-ākhirati wayasalūnaka ʿani l-yatāmā qul iṣ'lāḥun lahum khayrun wa-in tukhāliṭūhum fa-ikh'wānukum wal-lahu yaʿlamu l-muf'sida mina l-muṣ'liḥi walaw shāa l-lahu la-aʿnatakum inna l-laha ʿazīzun ḥakīmu on this world and the next. They ask you about [the property of] orphans: say, ‘It is good to set things right for them. If you combine their affairs with yours, remember they are your brothers and sisters: God knows those who spoil things and those who improve them. Had He so willed, He could have made you vulnerable too: He is almighty and wise.’ 221 وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ یُؤۡمِنَّۚ وَلَأَمَةࣱ مُّؤۡمِنَةٌ خَیۡرࣱ مِّن مُّشۡرِكَةࣲ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ حَتَّىٰ یُؤۡمِنُوا۟ۚ وَلَعَبۡدࣱ مُّؤۡمِنٌ خَیۡرࣱ مِّن مُّشۡرِكࣲ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكُمۡۗ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ یَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِۖ وَٱللَّهُ یَدۡعُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۖ وَیُبَیِّنُ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَذَكَّرُونَ ۝٢٢١ walā tankiḥū l-mush'rikāti ḥattā yu'minna wala-amatun mu'minatun khayrun min mush'rikatin walaw aʿjabatkum walā tunkiḥū l-mush'rikīna ḥattā yu'minū walaʿabdun mu'minun khayrun min mush'rikin walaw aʿjabakum ulāika yadʿūna ilā l-nāri wal-lahu yadʿū ilā l-janati wal-maghfirati bi-idh'nihi wayubayyinu āyātihi lilnnāsi laʿallahum yatadhakkarūn Do not marry idolatresses until they believe: a believing slave woman is certainly better than an idolatress, even though she may please you. And do not give your women in marriage to idolaters until they believe: a believing slave is certainly better than an idolater, even though he may please you. Such people call [you] to the Fire, while God calls [you] to the Garden and forgiveness by His leave. He makes His messages clear to people, so that they may bear them in mind