Verse 2:256 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

252 تِلۡكَ ءَایَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتۡلُوهَا عَلَیۡكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِینَ ۝٢٥٢ til'ka āyātu l-lahi natlūhā ʿalayka bil-ḥaqi wa-innaka lamina l-mur'salīn These are the revelations of God which We recite to you [Muhammad] with the truth, and you truly are one of the messengers 253 ۞ تِلۡكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۘ مِّنۡهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ دَرَجَـٰتࣲۚ وَءَاتَیۡنَا عِیسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَأَیَّدۡنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِۗ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقۡتَتَلَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ ءَامَنَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن كَفَرَۚ وَلَوۡ شَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقۡتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَفۡعَلُ مَا یُرِیدُ ۝٢٥٣ til'ka l-rusulu faḍḍalnā baʿḍahum ʿalā baʿḍin min'hum man kallama l-lahu warafaʿa baʿḍahum darajātin waātaynā ʿīsā ib'na maryama l-bayināti wa-ayyadnāhu birūḥi l-qudusi walaw shāa l-lahu mā iq'tatala alladhīna min baʿdihim min baʿdi mā jāathumu l-bayinātu walākini ikh'talafū famin'hum man āmana wamin'hum man kafara walaw shāa l-lahu mā iq'tatalū walākinna l-laha yafʿalu mā yurīd We favoured some of these messengers above others. God spoke to some; others He raised in rank; We gave Jesus, son of Mary, Our clear signs and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If God had so willed, their successors would not have fought each other after they had been brought clear signs. But they disagreed: some believed and some disbelieved. If God had so willed, they would not have fought each other, but God does what He will 254 یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ أَنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن یَأۡتِیَ یَوۡمࣱ لَّا بَیۡعࣱ فِیهِ وَلَا خُلَّةࣱ وَلَا شَفَـٰعَةࣱۗ وَٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ۝٢٥٤ yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū anfiqū mimmā razaqnākum min qabli an yatiya yawmun lā bayʿun fīhi walā khullatun walā shafāʿatun wal-kāfirūna humu l-ẓālimūn You who believe, give from what We have provided for you, before the Day comes when there is no bargaining, no friendship, and no intercession. It is the disbelievers who are wrong 255 ٱللَّهُ لَاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَیُّ ٱلۡقَیُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةࣱ وَلَا نَوۡمࣱۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَمَا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِی یَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥۤ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ یَعۡلَمُ مَا بَیۡنَ أَیۡدِیهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا یُحِیطُونَ بِشَیۡءࣲ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦۤ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاۤءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِیُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا یَءُودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِیُّ ٱلۡعَظِیمُ ۝٢٥٥ al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīm God: there is no god but Him, the Ever Living, the Ever Watchful.Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. All that is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him. Who is there that can intercede with Him except by His leave? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not comprehend any of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth; it does not weary Him to preserve them both. He is the Most High, the Tremendous

256 لَاۤ إِكۡرَاهَ فِی ٱلدِّینِۖ قَد تَّبَیَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَیِّۚ فَمَن یَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَیُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِیعٌ عَلِیمٌ ۝٢٥٦ lā ik'rāha fī l-dīni qad tabayyana l-rush'du mina l-ghayi faman yakfur bil-ṭāghūti wayu'min bil-lahi faqadi is'tamsaka bil-ʿur'wati l-wuth'qā lā infiṣāma lahā wal-lahu samīʿun ʿalīmu There is no compulsion in religion: true guidance has become distinct from error, so whoever rejects false gods and believes in God has grasped the firmest hand-hold, one that will never break. God is all hearing and all knowing

257 ٱللَّهُ وَلِیُّ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ یُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِۖ وَٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوۤا۟ أَوۡلِیَاۤؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ یُخۡرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِۗ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِیهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ۝٢٥٧ al-lahu waliyyu alladhīna āmanū yukh'rijuhum mina l-ẓulumāti ilā l-nūri wa-alladhīna kafarū awliyāuhumu l-ṭāghūtu yukh'rijūnahum mina l-nūri ilā l-ẓulumāti ulāika aṣḥābu l-nāri hum fīhā khālidūn God is the ally of those who believe: He brings them out of the depths of darkness and into the light. As for the disbelievers, their allies are false gods who take them from the light into the depths of darkness, they are the inhabitants of the Fire, and there they will remain 258 أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِی حَاۤجَّ إِبۡرَ ٰهِـۧمَ فِی رَبِّهِۦۤ أَنۡ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكَ إِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَ ٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّیَ ٱلَّذِی یُحۡیِۦ وَیُمِیتُ قَالَ أَنَا۠ أُحۡیِۦ وَأُمِیتُۖ قَالَ إِبۡرَ ٰهِـۧمُ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ یَأۡتِی بِٱلشَّمۡسِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ فَأۡتِ بِهَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ فَبُهِتَ ٱلَّذِی كَفَرَۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا یَهۡدِی ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ ۝٢٥٨ alam tara ilā alladhī ḥājja ib'rāhīma fī rabbihi an ātāhu l-lahu l-mul'ka idh qāla ib'rāhīmu rabbiya alladhī yuḥ'yī wayumītu qāla anā uḥ'yī wa-umītu qāla ib'rāhīmu fa-inna l-laha yatī bil-shamsi mina l-mashriqi fati bihā mina l-maghribi fabuhita alladhī kafara wal-lahu lā yahdī l-qawma l-ẓālimīn [Prophet], have you not thought about the man who disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because God had given him power to rule? When Abraham said, ‘It is my Lord who gives life and death,’ he said, ‘I too give life and death.’ So Abraham said, ‘God brings the sun from the east; so bring it from the west.’ The disbeliever was dumbfounded: God does not guide those who do evil 259 أَوۡ كَٱلَّذِی مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرۡیَةࣲ وَهِیَ خَاوِیَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ یُحۡیِۦ هَـٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَاۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامࣲ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُۥۖ قَالَ كَمۡ لَبِثۡتَۖ قَالَ لَبِثۡتُ یَوۡمًا أَوۡ بَعۡضَ یَوۡمࣲۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثۡتَ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامࣲ فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمۡ یَتَسَنَّهۡۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجۡعَلَكَ ءَایَةࣰ لِّلنَّاسِۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَى ٱلۡعِظَامِ كَیۡفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكۡسُوهَا لَحۡمࣰاۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُۥ قَالَ أَعۡلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ قَدِیرࣱ ۝٢٥٩ aw ka-alladhī marra ʿalā qaryatin wahiya khāwiyatun ʿalā ʿurūshihā qāla annā yuḥ'yī hādhihi l-lahu baʿda mawtihā fa-amātahu l-lahu mi-ata ʿāmin thumma baʿathahu qāla kam labith'ta qāla labith'tu yawman aw baʿḍa yawmin qāla bal labith'ta mi-ata ʿāmin fa-unẓur ilā ṭaʿāmika washarābika lam yatasannah wa-unẓur ilā ḥimārika walinajʿalaka āyatan lilnnāsi wa-unẓur ilā l-ʿiẓāmi kayfa nunshizuhā thumma naksūhā laḥman falammā tabayyana lahu qāla aʿlamu anna l-laha ʿalā kulli shayin qadīru Or take the one who passed by a ruined town. He said, ‘How will God give this life when it has died?’ So God made him die for a hundred years, and then raised him up, saying, ‘How long did you stay like that?’ He answered, ‘A day, or part of a day.’ God said, ‘No, you stayed like that for a hundred years. Look at your food and drink: they have not gone bad. Look at your donkey- We will make you a sign for the people- look at the bones: see how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh!’ When all became clear to him, he said, ‘Now I know that God has power over everything.’ 260 وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَ ٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِی كَیۡفَ تُحۡیِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰۖ قَالَ أَوَ لَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّیَطۡمَىِٕنَّ قَلۡبِیۖ قَالَ فَخُذۡ أَرۡبَعَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱلطَّیۡرِ فَصُرۡهُنَّ إِلَیۡكَ ثُمَّ ٱجۡعَلۡ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلࣲ مِّنۡهُنَّ جُزۡءࣰا ثُمَّ ٱدۡعُهُنَّ یَأۡتِینَكَ سَعۡیࣰاۚ وَٱعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِیزٌ حَكِیمࣱ ۝٢٦٠ wa-idh qāla ib'rāhīmu rabbi arinī kayfa tuḥ'yī l-mawtā qāla awalam tu'min qāla balā walākin liyaṭma-inna qalbī qāla fakhudh arbaʿatan mina l-ṭayri faṣur'hunna ilayka thumma ij'ʿal ʿalā kulli jabalin min'hunna juz'an thumma ud'ʿuhunna yatīnaka saʿyan wa-iʿ'lam anna l-laha ʿazīzun ḥakīmu And when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead,’ He said, ‘Do you not believe, then?’ ‘Yes,’ said Abraham, ‘but just to put my heart at rest.’ So God said, ‘Take four birds and train them to come back to you. Then place them on separate hilltops, call them back, and they will come flying to you: know that God is all powerful and wise.’