Verse 2:90 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

86 أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱشۡتَرَوُا۟ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡیَا بِٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۖ فَلَا یُخَفَّفُ عَنۡهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمۡ یُنصَرُونَ ۝٨٦ ulāika alladhīna ish'tarawū l-ḥayata l-dun'yā bil-ākhirati falā yukhaffafu ʿanhumu l-ʿadhābu walā hum yunṣarūn These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter: their torment will not be lightened, nor will they be helped 87 وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَیۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَقَفَّیۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِۖ وَءَاتَیۡنَا عِیسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَأَیَّدۡنَـٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلۡقُدُسِۗ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاۤءَكُمۡ رَسُولُۢ بِمَا لَا تَهۡوَىٰۤ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ فَفَرِیقࣰا كَذَّبۡتُمۡ وَفَرِیقࣰا تَقۡتُلُونَ ۝٨٧ walaqad ātaynā mūsā l-kitāba waqaffaynā min baʿdihi bil-rusuli waātaynā ʿīsā ib'na maryama l-bayināti wa-ayyadnāhu birūḥi l-qudusi afakullamā jāakum rasūlun bimā lā tahwā anfusukumu is'takbartum fafarīqan kadhabtum wafarīqan taqtulūn We gave Moses the Scripture and We sent messengers after him in succession. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear signs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. So how is it that, whenever a messenger brings you something you do not like, you become arrogant, calling some impostors and killing others 88 وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفُۢۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَقَلِیلࣰا مَّا یُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝٨٨ waqālū qulūbunā ghul'fun bal laʿanahumu l-lahu bikuf'rihim faqalīlan mā yu'minūn They say, ‘Our hearts are impenetrably wrapped [against whatever you say],’ but God has rejected them for their disbelief: they have little faith 89 وَلَمَّا جَاۤءَهُمۡ كِتَـٰبࣱ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقࣱ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبۡلُ یَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَاۤءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦۚ فَلَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ ۝٨٩ walammā jāahum kitābun min ʿindi l-lahi muṣaddiqun limā maʿahum wakānū min qablu yastaftiḥūna ʿalā alladhīna kafarū falammā jāahum mā ʿarafū kafarū bihi falaʿnatu l-lahi ʿalā l-kāfirīn When a Scripture came to them from God confirming what they already had, and when they had been praying for victory against the disbelievers, even when there came to them something they knew [to be true], they disbelieved in it: God rejects those who disbelieve

90 بِئۡسَمَا ٱشۡتَرَوۡا۟ بِهِۦۤ أَنفُسَهُمۡ أَن یَكۡفُرُوا۟ بِمَاۤ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغۡیًا أَن یُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن یَشَاۤءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ فَبَاۤءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبࣲۚ وَلِلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ عَذَابࣱ مُّهِینࣱ ۝٩٠ bi'samā ish'taraw bihi anfusahum an yakfurū bimā anzala l-lahu baghyan an yunazzila l-lahu min faḍlihi ʿalā man yashāu min ʿibādihi fabāū bighaḍabin ʿalā ghaḍabin walil'kāfirīna ʿadhābun muhīnu Low indeed is the price for which they have sold their souls by denying the God-sent truth, out of envy that God should send His bounty to any of His servants He pleases. The disbelievers have ended up with wrath upon wrath, and a humiliating torment awaits them

91 وَإِذَا قِیلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَاۤ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ نُؤۡمِنُ بِمَاۤ أُنزِلَ عَلَیۡنَا وَیَكۡفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَاۤءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مُصَدِّقࣰا لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡۗ قُلۡ فَلِمَ تَقۡتُلُونَ أَنۢبِیَاۤءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبۡلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ ۝٩١ wa-idhā qīla lahum āminū bimā anzala l-lahu qālū nu'minu bimā unzila ʿalaynā wayakfurūna bimā warāahu wahuwa l-ḥaqu muṣaddiqan limā maʿahum qul falima taqtulūna anbiyāa l-lahi min qablu in kuntum mu'minīn When it is said to them, ‘Believe in God’s revelations,’ they reply, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us,’ but they do not believe in what came afterwards, though it is the truth confirming what they already have. Say [Muhammad], ‘Why did you kill God’s prophets in the past if you were true believers 92 ۞ وَلَقَدۡ جَاۤءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمۡ ظَـٰلِمُونَ ۝٩٢ walaqad jāakum mūsā bil-bayināti thumma ittakhadhtumu l-ʿij'la min baʿdihi wa-antum ẓālimūn Moses brought you clear signs, but then, while he was away, you chose to worship the calf- you did wrong.’ 93 وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِیثَـٰقَكُمۡ وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَاۤ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةࣲ وَٱسۡمَعُوا۟ۖ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَیۡنَا وَأُشۡرِبُوا۟ فِی قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡۚ قُلۡ بِئۡسَمَا یَأۡمُرُكُم بِهِۦۤ إِیمَـٰنُكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ ۝٩٣ wa-idh akhadhnā mīthāqakum warafaʿnā fawqakumu l-ṭūra khudhū mā ātaynākum biquwwatin wa-is'maʿū qālū samiʿ'nā waʿaṣaynā wa-ush'ribū fī qulūbihimu l-ʿij'la bikuf'rihim qul bi'samā yamurukum bihi īmānukum in kuntum mu'minīn Remember when We took your pledge, making the mountain tower above you, and said, ‘Hold on firmly to what We have given you, and listen to [what We say].’ They said, ‘We hear and we disobey,’ and through their disbelief they were made to drink [the love of] the calf deep into their hearts 94 قُلۡ إِن كَانَتۡ لَكُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةࣰ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ ۝٩٤ qul in kānat lakumu l-dāru l-ākhiratu ʿinda l-lahi khāliṣatan min dūni l-nāsi fatamannawū l-mawta in kuntum ṣādiqīn Say, ‘How evil are the things your belief commands you to do, if you really are believers!’ Say, ‘If the last home with God is to be for you alone and no one else, then you should long for death, if your claim is true.’