Verse 3:17 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

13 قَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ ءَایَةࣱ فِی فِئَتَیۡنِ ٱلۡتَقَتَاۖ فِئَةࣱ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخۡرَىٰ كَافِرَةࣱ یَرَوۡنَهُم مِّثۡلَیۡهِمۡ رَأۡیَ ٱلۡعَیۡنِۚ وَٱللَّهُ یُؤَیِّدُ بِنَصۡرِهِۦ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةࣰ لِّأُو۟لِی ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرِ ۝١٣ qad kāna lakum āyatun fī fi-atayni l-taqatā fi-atun tuqātilu fī sabīli l-lahi wa-ukh'rā kāfiratun yarawnahum mith'layhim raya l-ʿayni wal-lahu yu-ayyidu binaṣrihi man yashāu inna fī dhālika laʿib'ratan li-ulī l-abṣār You have already seen a sign in the two armies that met in battle, one fighting for God’s cause and the other made up of disbelievers. With their own eyes [the former] saw [the latter] to be twice their number, but God helps whoever He will. There truly is a lesson in this for all with eyes to see.’ 14 زُیِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَ ٰتِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ وَٱلۡبَنِینَ وَٱلۡقَنَـٰطِیرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ وَٱلۡخَیۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ وَٱلۡحَرۡثِۗ ذَ ٰلِكَ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَءَابِ ۝١٤ zuyyina lilnnāsi ḥubbu l-shahawāti mina l-nisāi wal-banīna wal-qanāṭīri l-muqanṭarati mina l-dhahabi wal-fiḍati wal-khayli l-musawamati wal-anʿāmi wal-ḥarthi dhālika matāʿu l-ḥayati l-dun'yā wal-lahu ʿindahu ḥus'nu l-maāb The love of desirable things is made alluring for men- women, children, gold and silver treasures piled up high, horses with fine markings, livestock, and farmland- these may be the joys of this life, but God has the best place to return to 15 ۞ قُلۡ أَؤُنَبِّئُكُم بِخَیۡرࣲ مِّن ذَ ٰلِكُمۡۖ لِلَّذِینَ ٱتَّقَوۡا۟ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣱ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَا وَأَزۡوَ ٰجࣱ مُّطَهَّرَةࣱ وَرِضۡوَ ٰنࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِیرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ۝١٥ qul a-unabbi-ukum bikhayrin min dhālikum lilladhīna ittaqaw ʿinda rabbihim jannātun tajrī min taḥtihā l-anhāru khālidīna fīhā wa-azwājun muṭahharatun wariḍ'wānun mina l-lahi wal-lahu baṣīrun bil-ʿibād [Prophet], say, ‘Would you like me to tell you of things that are better than all of these? Their Lord will give those who are mindful of God Gardens graced with flowing streams, where they will stay with pure spouses and God’s good pleasure- God is fully aware of His servants 16 ٱلَّذِینَ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّنَاۤ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ۝١٦ alladhīna yaqūlūna rabbanā innanā āmannā fa-igh'fir lanā dhunūbanā waqinā ʿadhāba l-nār those who say, “Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us our sins and protect us from suffering in the Fire,”

17 ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ وَٱلۡقَـٰنِتِینَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِینَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِینَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ ۝١٧ al-ṣābirīna wal-ṣādiqīna wal-qānitīna wal-munfiqīna wal-mus'taghfirīna bil-asḥār those who are steadfast, truthful, truly devout, who give [in God’s cause] and pray before dawn for forgiveness.’

18 شَهِدَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّهُۥ لَاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ قَاۤىِٕمَۢا بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ لَاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِیزُ ٱلۡحَكِیمُ ۝١٨ shahida l-lahu annahu lā ilāha illā huwa wal-malāikatu wa-ulū l-ʿil'mi qāiman bil-qis'ṭi lā ilāha illā huwa l-ʿazīzu l-ḥakīm God bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and those who have knowledge. He upholds justice. There is no god but Him, the Almighty, the All Wise 19 إِنَّ ٱلدِّینَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُۗ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَهُمُ ٱلۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡیَۢا بَیۡنَهُمۡۗ وَمَن یَكۡفُرۡ بِءَایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِیعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ۝١٩ inna l-dīna ʿinda l-lahi l-is'lāmu wamā ikh'talafa alladhīna ūtū l-kitāba illā min baʿdi mā jāahumu l-ʿil'mu baghyan baynahum waman yakfur biāyāti l-lahi fa-inna l-laha sarīʿu l-ḥisāb True Religion, in God’s eyes, is islam: [devotion to Him alone]. Those who were given the Scripture disagreed out of rivalry, only after they had been given knowledge- if anyone denies God’s revelations, God is swift to take account 20 فَإِنۡ حَاۤجُّوكَ فَقُلۡ أَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡهِیَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡأُمِّیِّـۧنَ ءَأَسۡلَمۡتُمۡۚ فَإِنۡ أَسۡلَمُوا۟ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَوا۟ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَیۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَـٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِیرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ۝٢٠ fa-in ḥājjūka faqul aslamtu wajhiya lillahi wamani ittabaʿani waqul lilladhīna ūtū l-kitāba wal-umiyīna a-aslamtum fa-in aslamū faqadi ih'tadaw wa-in tawallaw fa-innamā ʿalayka l-balāghu wal-lahu baṣīrun bil-ʿibād if they argue with you [Prophet], say, ‘I have devoted myself to God alone and so have my followers.’ Ask those who were given the Scripture, as well as those without one, ‘Do you too devote yourselves to Him alone?’ If they do, they will be guided, but if they turn away, your only duty is to convey the message. God is aware of His servants 21 إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَكۡفُرُونَ بِءَایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَیَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ بِغَیۡرِ حَقࣲّ وَیَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلَّذِینَ یَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِیمٍ ۝٢١ inna alladhīna yakfurūna biāyāti l-lahi wayaqtulūna l-nabiyīna bighayri ḥaqqin wayaqtulūna alladhīna yamurūna bil-qis'ṭi mina l-nāsi fabashir'hum biʿadhābin alīmi Give news of agonizing torment to those who ignore God’s revelations, who unjustifiably kill prophets, who kill those who command that justice is done