Think these men of diseased hearts, that God will not bring out their malice to light?

If such were our pleasure, we could point them out to thee, and thou surely know them by their tokens:  and know them thou shalt, by the strangeness of their words.7 God knoweth your doings.

And we will surely test you, until we know the valiant and the steadfast among you:  and we will test the reports of your conduct.

Verily they who believe not, and turn others from the way of God, and separate from the Apostle after that “the guidance” hath been clearly shewn them, shall in no way injure God:  but their works shall he bring to nought.

Believers! obey God and the Apostle:  and render not your works vain.

Verily those who believe not, and who pervert others from the way of God, and then die in unbelief, God will not forgive.

Be not fainthearted then; and invite not the infidels to peace when ye have the upper hand:  for God is with you, and will not defraud you of the recompense of your works.

Surely this present life is only a play, and pastime! but if ye believe, fear God; He will give you your rewards:  but He will not ask all your riches of you.

Should He ask them of you, and urge you, ye would shew yourself niggards:  and He would bring your grudges to light.

Lo! ye are they, who are called to expend for the cause of God:  and some of you are niggards:  but whoso is niggardly shall be niggard only to his own loss; for God is the Rich, and ye are the poor:  and if ye turn back, He will change you for another people,8 and they shall not be your like!

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1 This Sura was revealed at a period after the victory at Bedr, when there was still some hesitation on the part of Muhammad’s followers to take decided steps for securing their position.  See 37.

2 Lit. will He cause to wander, that is, from their proper aim and end, the rewards of Paradise.  See verse 5 ad f.

3 The Meccans and other unbelievers of Muhammad’s time.  The Hanefites suppose this law to apply only to the battle of Bedr.  The Shiites take it as of universal obligation.

4 This verse is said (by Omar b.  Muhammad, and Itq. 43) to be the expression of Muhammad’s feelings at the injuries inflicted on Mecca.  He is reported to have wept over it.

5 The first sign being the mission of Muhammad; the second, the splitting of the moon; the third, the smoke mentioned in Sura xliv. p. 89.

6 That is, commanding war against the infidels.

7 Unintelligible or affected words, applied to the new religion in contempt.  See Sura [xci.] ii. 56, p. 343.

8 Matt. xxi. 43.

SURA III.-THE FAMILY OF IMRAN1 [XCVII.]

Medina.-200 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

ELIF.  Lam.  Mim.2 God! there is no god but He, the Living, the Merciful!