Verse 2:261 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

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.’

261 مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ یُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِی كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةࣲ مِّا۟ئَةُ حَبَّةࣲۗ وَٱللَّهُ یُضَـٰعِفُ لِمَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَ ٰسِعٌ عَلِیمٌ ۝٢٦١ mathalu alladhīna yunfiqūna amwālahum fī sabīli l-lahi kamathali ḥabbatin anbatat sabʿa sanābila fī kulli sunbulatin mi-atu ḥabbatin wal-lahu yuḍāʿifu liman yashāu wal-lahu wāsiʿun ʿalīmu Those who spend their wealth in God’s cause are like grains of corn that produce seven ears, each bearing a hundred grains. God gives multiple increase to whoever He wishes: He is limitless and all knowing

262 ٱلَّذِینَ یُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمۡ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا یُتۡبِعُونَ مَاۤ أَنفَقُوا۟ مَنࣰّا وَلَاۤ أَذࣰى لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ یَحۡزَنُونَ ۝٢٦٢ alladhīna yunfiqūna amwālahum fī sabīli l-lahi thumma lā yut'biʿūna mā anfaqū mannan walā adhan lahum ajruhum ʿinda rabbihim walā khawfun ʿalayhim walā hum yaḥzanūn Those who spend their wealth in God’s cause, and do not follow their spending with reminders of their benevolence or hurtful words, will have their rewards with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve 263 ۞ قَوۡلࣱ مَّعۡرُوفࣱ وَمَغۡفِرَةٌ خَیۡرࣱ مِّن صَدَقَةࣲ یَتۡبَعُهَاۤ أَذࣰىۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِیٌّ حَلِیمࣱ ۝٢٦٣ qawlun maʿrūfun wamaghfiratun khayrun min ṣadaqatin yatbaʿuhā adhan wal-lahu ghaniyyun ḥalīmu A kind word and forgiveness is better than a charitable deed followed by hurtful [words]: God is self-sufficient, forbearing 264 یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُبۡطِلُوا۟ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ كَٱلَّذِی یُنفِقُ مَالَهُۥ رِئَاۤءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا یُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡیَوۡمِ ٱلۡءَاخِرِۖ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ صَفۡوَانٍ عَلَیۡهِ تُرَابࣱ فَأَصَابَهُۥ وَابِلࣱ فَتَرَكَهُۥ صَلۡدࣰاۖ لَّا یَقۡدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَیۡءࣲ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا یَهۡدِی ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ ۝٢٦٤ yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā tub'ṭilū ṣadaqātikum bil-mani wal-adhā ka-alladhī yunfiqu mālahu riāa l-nāsi walā yu'minu bil-lahi wal-yawmi l-ākhiri famathaluhu kamathali ṣafwānin ʿalayhi turābun fa-aṣābahu wābilun fatarakahu ṣaldan lā yaqdirūna ʿalā shayin mimmā kasabū wal-lahu lā yahdī l-qawma l-kāfirīn You who believe, do not cancel out your charitable deeds with reminders and hurtful words, like someone who spends his wealth only to be seen by people, not believing in God and the Last Day. Such a person is like a rock with earth on it: heavy rain falls and leaves it completely bare. Such people get no rewards for their works: God does not guide the disbelievers 265 وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ یُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَ ٰلَهُمُ ٱبۡتِغَاۤءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ وَتَثۡبِیتࣰا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةِۭ بِرَبۡوَةٍ أَصَابَهَا وَابِلࣱ فَءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا ضِعۡفَیۡنِ فَإِن لَّمۡ یُصِبۡهَا وَابِلࣱ فَطَلࣱّۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِیرٌ ۝٢٦٥ wamathalu alladhīna yunfiqūna amwālahumu ib'tighāa marḍāti l-lahi watathbītan min anfusihim kamathali jannatin birabwatin aṣābahā wābilun faātat ukulahā ḍiʿ'fayni fa-in lam yuṣib'hā wābilun faṭallun wal-lahu bimā taʿmalūna baṣīru But those who spend their wealth in order to gain God’s approval, and as an affirmation of their own faith, are like a garden on a hill: heavy rain falls and it produces double its normal yield; even if no heavy rain falls, it will still be watered by the dew. God sees all that you do