O Muhammad, many a time We noticed you turning your face towardsheaven; now We will make you turn towards a Qiblah that willplease you. Turn your face during Salah towards the Sacred Mosque(Ka'bah); wherever you are turn your face in that direction. Thepeople of the Book know this to be the truth from their Rabb.Allah is not unaware of what they do.

From whatever place you come forth, turn your face during Salahtowards the Sacred Mosque; this is in fact a commandment fromyour Rabb. Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Again, whatever place you come forth, turn your face during Salahtowards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, face towards it,so that people will not have any argument against you, exceptthose among them who are wrongdoers. Do not fear them; fear Me,so that I may perfect My favors to you and that you may berightly guided,

It is guarded by nineteen guards.

We have appointed none but angels as wardens of the fire; and Wehave made their number a trial for the unbelievers, so that thePeople of the Book may be convinced and the faith of the truebelievers may be increased, and that no doubts will be left forthe People of the Book and the believers, and that those in whosehearts there is a disease and the disbelievers may say: "Whatcould Allah mean by this parable?" Thus, Allah leaves to straywhom He wills and guides whom He pleases. No one knows the forcesof your Rabb except Himself, and this (Qur'an) is nothing but areminder to mankind.

Therefore, do not be fainthearted crying for peace, for you willsurely gain the upper hand. Allah is on your side and will neverlet your deeds be wasted.

There are some who worship other deities besides Allah(mushrikin), they love them as they should love Allah, whereasthe believers are strong in love for Allah. If those who areunjust could visualize (the Day of Judgement) when they will seethe chastisement, they would come to know for sure that allpowers belong to Allah and that Allah is stern in retribution.

The Rasool has believed in the Guidance which has been revealedto him from his Rabb and so do the Believers. They all believe inAllah, His angels, His books and His Rasools. They say we do notdiscriminate against anyone of His Rasools. And they say: "Wehear and we obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, O Rabb; to You weshall all return."

and who, when the people told them: "Your enemies have mustered agreat force against you: fear them," grew more firm in theirfaith and replied: "Allah's help is all-sufficient for us. He isthe best protector."

Certainly they have disbelieved who say: "Allah is Christ the sonof Maryam (Mary)." While Christ himself said: "O children ofIsrael! Worship Allah, my Rabb and your Rabb." Whoever commitsshirk (joins partners with Allah), Allah will deny him theparadise, and the hellfire will be his home. There will be nohelper for the wrongdoers.

Have they not seen how many generations We have destroyed beforethem? We had made those nations more powerful in the land thanyourselves. We sent down for them abundant rain from the sky andmade the rivers to flow beneath their feet: yet for their sins Wedestroyed them all and raised up other generations in theirplaces.

See how they will lie against their own souls, and how thedeities of their own inventions will leave them in the lurch.

We will turn away their hearts and their eyes from the Truthbecause of their attitude which prompted them to disbelieve inthe first place, and We will leave them to wander in theirrebellious wrongdoing.

Anyone who is forced to deny faith after its acceptance, whilehis heart remains loyal to the faith shall be absolved; but anywho denies faith willingly after its acceptance and open hisbreast to unbelief, shall incur the wrath of Allah and shall besternly punished.

Have you not heard of those who disbelieved before you? So theytasted the evil result of their deeds, and in the Hereafter thereshall be a painful punishment for them.

But those who have played blind in this world will be blind inthe hereafter, rather worse than blind in finding the Way toSalvation.

O Muhammad, forewarn them about the Day of intense regret whenthis matter will be decided, even though at present they arepaying no heed and do not believe.

Some of the People of the Book say to one another: "Believe inwhat is revealed to the believers (Muslims) in the morning anddeny it in the evening; so that they (the Muslims) may followsuit and abandon their faith.

Do not follow anyone except the one who follows your ownreligion." O Muhammad, tell them: "The only true guidance is theguidance of Allah." These people of the Book do not believe thatrevelation could be sent to anyone besides themselves, like thatwhich has been sent to you; or that they will ever argue with youin the presence of your Rabb. Tell them: "For sure, grace is inthe hands of Allah: He bestows it on whom He pleases; Allah hasboundless knowledge."

Today all good clean things have been made lawful for you; andthe food of the People of the Book is also made lawful for youand your food is made lawful for them. Likewise, marriage withchaste free believing women and also chaste women among thePeople who were given the Book before you is made lawful for you,provided that you give them their dowries and desire chastity,neither committing fornication nor taking them as mistresses.Anyone who commits Kufr with Iman (rejects faith), all his gooddeeds will be in vain and in the Hereafter he will be one of thelosers.

The true believers are those who believe in Allah and His Rasool,then never doubt; and make Jihad (exert their efforts) with theirwealth and their persons in the cause of Allah. Such are the oneswho are truthful in their claim to be the believers.

On that Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to thetrue believers: "Wait for us, that we may borrow some of yourlight." But they will be told: "Go away! Seek your lightelsewhere." So a wall with a gate shall be set up between them.Inside there shall be mercy, and outside all along there shall bepunishment of hell.

They will call out the believers, saying: "Were we not on yourside?" "Yes," they will reply, "but you led yourselves intotemptation, you wavered, you doubted, and were deceived by yourvain desires until Allah's command came, while the arch-deceiver(shaitan) deceived you concerning Allah till the last moment."

They will be told, "Today no ransom shall be accepted from you,or from the unbelievers. Your abode is the fire: which you havejustly earned, and it is an evil refuge."

O believers! When the believing women seek refuge with you, testthem. Allah best knows their faith. If you find them truebelievers, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are notlawful to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers lawful tothem. Return to their unbelieving husbands what they have spenton them. There is no blame on you if you marry such women,provided you give them their dowers. Do not hold on to yourmarriages with unbelieving women. Demand what you have spent onthem and let the unbelievers do the same. This is the order ofAllah which He has decreed between you. Allah is All-Knowing,All-Wise.

If you do not get back the demanded amount that you have spent onyour disbelieving wives from the unbelievers, and your turncomes, to pay the demanded amount of Muslim wives to theunbelievers, you can offset the amount and pay those whose wiveshave fled the equivalent of the amount they have spent on theirdisbelieving wives. Fear Allah, in Whom you believe.

O Prophet! When the believing women come to you to take the oathof allegiance , take their pledge: that they will not commitshirk with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will notcommit adultery, that they will not kill their children, thatthey will not give any cause for scandal which they may inventbetween either their hands or legs (a woman accusing anotherwoman of having an illicit relationship with a man and spreadssuch stories - or - a woman carrying an illegitimate child andmakes her husband believe that it is his), and that they will notdisobey you in any just matter, then accept their allegiance andpray to Allah for the forgiveness. Surely Allah is Oft-Forgiving,most Merciful.

O Muhammad tell them: "Should we tell you the worst kind of losers relating to their deeds?

Those whose all efforts in this worldly life had gone astray from the Right Way, but all along they were under the delusion that they were doing good deeds;

they are the ones who are disregarding the revelations of their Rabb and the fact that they will meet Him for accountability of their deeds in the Hereafter, so their deeds will become null and will not carry any weight on the Day of Judgment.

Thus the reward of such people will be Hell; because they had no faith and because they took My revelations and My Rasools as a joke.

Musa (Moses) came to you with clear Signs, no sooner was he awayfrom you, then you committed evil by worshipping the calf.

Some of the People of the Book say to one another: "Believe inwhat is revealed to the believers (Muslims) in the morning anddeny it in the evening; so that they (the Muslims) may followsuit and abandon their faith.

Do not follow anyone except the one who follows your ownreligion." O Muhammad, tell them: "The only true guidance is theguidance of Allah." These people of the Book do not believe thatrevelation could be sent to anyone besides themselves, like thatwhich has been sent to you; or that they will ever argue with youin the presence of your Rabb. Tell them: "For sure, grace is inthe hands of Allah: He bestows it on whom He pleases; Allah hasboundless knowledge."

These unbelievers of Makkah are plotting a scheme:

and I, too, am plotting a scheme.

Therefore, leave the unbelievers alone. Leave them alone for awhile.

Those who barter away faith for unbelief will in no way harmAllah. They shall have a painful punishment.

How it can be that Allah would guide those people who commit Kufr(reject faith) after their Iman (acceptance of faith),acknowledge that the Rasool is true, and clear proofs have cometo them? Allah does not guide such wrongdoers.

The reward of such people is that upon them is the curse ofAllah, the angels and all mankind.

They shall remain under it for ever; neither will theirpunishment be lightened nor will they be given respite.

However, those who repent after this and mend their ways, thenverily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

However, those who disbelieve after their belief (acceptance ofIslam) then go on adding to their disbelief, their repentancewill never be accepted; because they intentionally chose to goastray.

They use their faith as a disguise, and thus debar others fromthe Way of Allah. Evil is indeed what they do.

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble with fear, whenthe name of Allah is mentioned, and whose faith grows stronger asthey listen to His revelations and they put their trust in theirRabb,

On the other hand, Allah is most surely forgiving andcompassionate towards those who had to leave their homes afterbeing persecuted because of their faith, struggled hard andremained steadfastly patient.

Do the people think that they will be left alone on saying "Webelieve," and that they will not be tested?

We did test those who have gone before them. Allah has to see(for the purpose of reward and punishment) who are the truthfuland who are the liars.

There are some among people, who say: "We believe in Allah;" yetwhen they suffer in the cause of Allah they confuse thepersecution of people with the punishment of Allah. But whenthere comes help in the shape of a victory from your Rabb, theyare sure to say: "We have always been with you." Is not Allahfully aware of what is in the hearts of the people of the world?

Also tell them, "Obey Allah and His Rasool." Inspite of this, ifthey turn back then warn them, that Allah does not love thedisobedient.

So O Prophet, have patience: surely the promise of Allah is true;and do not let those, who themselves have no certainty of faith,shake your firmness.

He that has no slave, shall fast two consecutive months beforethey touch each other. He that cannot fast, shall feed sixty poorpeople. This is enjoined so that you may have faith in Allah andHis Rasool. These are the limits set by Allah, and the violatorsshall have a painful punishment.

Establish Salah from the decline of the sun till the darkness ofthe night (Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha) and read at Fajr (dawn);for the reading at Fajr is witnessed (by the angels).

those on the left hand - how damned shall be the people of theleft hand;

Therefore, you also establish weight with justice and do not give less measure.

Have you ever seen Lat and Uzza

and another, the last third Manat (names of Arabian idols,claimed by the pagans of Makkah to be the daughters of Allah)?

Are you to have sons, and He the daughters?

This indeed is an unfair division!

These (Lat, Uzza and Manat) are nothing but names which you andyour forefathers have invented, for Allah has vested no authorityin them. The unbelievers follow nothing but mere conjecture andthe whims of their own souls, even though right guidance hasalready come to them from their Rabb.

Ask the mushrikin: "Should we call on those, instead of Allah,who can neither benefit us nor harm us? Should we turn upon ourheels after Allah has guided us to the Right Way? Like the onewhom Shaitan has misled and is wandering around in the land,while his friends are calling him to the right way, shouting:"Come this way!" Tell them: "Allah's guidance is the onlyguidance. We are commanded to surrender (become Muslims) to theRabb of the worlds,

Whenever any adversity strikes you at sea, all those to whom youpray besides Him forsake you except He; yet when He brings yousafe to the land, you turn your backs upon Him. Indeed, man isever ungrateful.

Then instead of Allah, he starts calling those deities who canneither harm nor help him; now that is going too far off indeviation from the Right Way.

He is calling upon those who are more likely to harm than help;what an evil master and what an evil friend he chooses for help!

That is because Allah is the One Who is Real; and all thosedeities besides Him, whom they invoke, are false; indeed it isAllah Who is the Supreme, the Great.

So do not call on other gods besides Allah, lest you become oneof those who incur His punishment.

Invoke no other god besides Allah. There is no god but Him.Everything is perishable except Him. To him belongs the judgementand to him will you all be returned.

He causes the night to pass into the day and the day into thenight, and He has made the sun and the moon to serve you; eachone follows its course for an appointed term. Such is Allah, yourRabb; His is the kingdom; and those to whom you pray besides Himdo not even own a thread of a date-stone.

If you pray to them they cannot hear your prayers and even ifthey could hear you they could not answer you. On the Day ofResurrection they will deny your associating them with Allah. Omankind! None can inform you about all this except the One Who isAll-Aware.

O Prophet, tell them: "I have been forbidden to invoke those whomyou invoke besides Allah. How can I do this when clearrevelations have come to me from my Rabb, and I have beencommanded to submit myself to the Rabb of the worlds."

Ask them: "Have you pondered on those whom you invoke besidesAllah? Show me anything that they have created in the earth, ordo they have any share in the creation of the heavens? Bring meany Book revealed before this, or some remnant of divineknowledge in support of your beliefs if you are telling thetruth."

And who could be more astray than the one who invokes thosedeities besides Allah who cannot answer him till the Day ofResurrection - which, in fact, are not even aware that they arebeing invoked?

And when mankind shall be assembled on the Day of Judgement, theywill become enemies of those who invoked them and deny theirworship altogether.

Do not set up another god besides Allah, surely I am assigned byHim as a plain Warner to you all."

Do they have a god other than Allah? Exalted is Allah, far abovethose deities they associate with Him.

They set aside a portion of what We have provided them with, forthose deities about whom they know nothing. By Allah! You shallmost certainly be questioned about the lies you fabricate.

They shall tender their submission to Allah that Day: and thegods of their own inventions will leave them in the lurch.

We have destroyed the towns which were once flourished around you- and We repeatedly sent them Our revelations so that they mayturn to the Right Way.

- Then Why did not those whom they worshipped besides Allahhelped them who they regarded as a means of attaining nearness toHim? But those deities utterly forsake them, because those werenothing but their lies and their false inventions.

while hell shall be spread open to the straying

and they will be asked: "Now, where are those whom you worshipped

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?"

Then they will be toppled into it, both they and those who misledthem,

together with all the armies of Iblees.

Wherein they will argue with one another

saying: " By Allah, we were indeed in manifest error,

when we made you equals with the Rabb of the Worlds.

It was the criminals who led us astray.

Now we have no intercessors,

and no loving friends.

If we could but once return to our worldly life, we would be ofthe true believers."

Surely in this narration there is a great lesson, but most ofthese people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

There is no compulsion in religion. True guidance has been madeclearly distinct from error. Therefore, whoever renounce 'Taghut'(forces of Shaitan) and believes in Allah has grasped the firmhand-hold that will never break. Allah, Whose hand-hold you havegrasped, hears all and knows all.

Ask them: "Would you worship besides Allah someone who canneither harm nor benefit you? While Allah is He who hears all andknows all."

O Muhammad, tell them: "I am forbidden to worship those whom youcall upon besides Allah." Say: "I am not going to follow yourwishes: if I do, I would be lost and cease to be from the rightlyguided."

Say: "O people! Doubt my Deen (religion) if you will, but neverwill I worship those that you worship besides Allah. I worshipAllah, Who has the power to cause your death, and I am commandedto be one of the believers."

As for those who are blessed, they shall be in paradise. Theywill dwell therein as long as the heavens and the earth shalllast, unless your Rabb ordain otherwise; an award which shallnever be taken away.

They worship those deities other than Allah, who neither providethem anything for sustenance from the heavens or the earth, norhave any power to do so?

Do not associate another deity with Allah, lest you sit back,condemned, forsaken.

This is but a part of the wisdom which your Rabb has revealed toyou. Do not associate other deities as object of worship, lestyou should be cast into hell, blameworthy rejected.

They have taken other deities for worship besides Allah, so thatthey should be a source of strength to them.

By no means! Those very deities will renounce their worship andturn against them on the Day of Judgement.

Yet they worship besides Allah those deities for which He hasrevealed no sanction, nor they themselves have any knowledgeabout them; certainly the wrongdoers shall have no helper.

On that Day, He will gather all these people together along withthe deities whom they worshiped besides Allah, and ask: "Was ityou who misled these servants of Mine, or did they choose to goastray themselves?"

Those deities will answer: "Glory be to You! It was not befittingfor us that we could take any guardian besides You, but You letthem and their forefathers enjoy the comforts of worldly lifeuntil they forgot the Reminder, and thereby became worthlesspeople."

Thus your gods will deny all that you profess today. Then youshall neither be able to avert your punishment nor shall you getany help from anywhere; and every one among you who is guilty ofwrongdoing, We shall make him taste the mighty punishment.

Yet they have taken other gods besides Allah hoping to get theirhelp.

But they do not have the ability to help them yet theirworshippers stand like warriors ready to defend them.

As for those who refrain from worshipping Taghut (Satanic forces)and turn to Allah in repentance, there is good news. So OProphet, give good news to My servants

Is Allah not all-sufficient for His servants? Yet they try tofrighten you with others besides Him! For such whom Allahconfounds, there can be no guide.

If you ask them: "who created the heavens and the earth?" Theywill surely say: "Allah." Ask them: "Do you think then, that ifAllah intends to harm me, can they (your goddesses) - to whom youinvoke besides Allah - save me from His harm or if He wants tobestow on me His blessings, can they withhold His blessings?"Tell them: "Allah is all-sufficient for me. On Him do the reliantrely."

O Prophet, tell them: "I have been forbidden to invoke those whomyou invoke besides Allah. How can I do this when clearrevelations have come to me from my Rabb, and I have beencommanded to submit myself to the Rabb of the worlds."

Say: O unbelievers!

I worship not that you worship,

nor will you worship that which I worship.

I shall never worship those gods whom you worship,

nor it appears will you ever worship Allah, whom I worship.

to you be your religion, and to me mine.

Before this we used to find a seat in heaven for eavesdropping,but now eavesdroppers find shooting stars lying in ambush forthem.

Who can be more wicked than the one who invents a lie againstAllah, or says: "This was revealed to me," while nothing wasrevealed to him? Or the one who says: "I can reveal the like ofwhat Allah has revealed?" If you could only see these wrongdoerswhen they are in the agonies of death and the angels stretchforth their hands saying, "Take out your soul! Today you will berewarded with a disgraceful punishment for saying falsehoodagainst Allah which you had no right to say and showing arroganceagainst His revelations!"

Allah adds to what the angels said, "So you have come back to UsAlone as We created you at the first time, leaving behind allthat which We gave you in that world and We don't see with youyour intercessors, whom you claimed to be Allah's partners inyour affairs; all your ties have been cut off and what youpresumed has failed you."