So if they argue with you (O Muhammad), tell them: "I havesubmitted myself entirely to Allah and so have those who followme." Then ask those who are given the Book and those who areilliterates: "Will you also submit yourselves to Allah?" If theybecome Muslims they shall be rightly guided but if they turnback, you need not worry, because your sole responsibility is toconvey the Message. Allah is watching all His servants veryclosely.

He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed thereonmountains and rivers, created fruits of every kind in pairs, twoand two and makes the night cover the day. Certainly in thesethings there are signs for those who use their common sense.

Glory be to Allah Who created all things in pairs: the plants ofthe earth, mankind themselves and other living things which theydo not know.

The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for youmates from among yourselves and also mates among the cattle fromtheir own kind; by this means does He multiply you. There is noone like Him. He Alone hears all and sees all.

that it is He Who has created in pairs, the male and the female,

Righteousness is not whether you turn your face towards East orWest; but the righteousness is to believe in Allah, the Last Day,the Angels, the Books and the Prophets, and to spend wealth outof love for Him on relatives, orphans, helpless, needytravellers, those who ask for and on the redemption of captives;and to establish Salah (prayers), to pay Zakah (alms), to fulfillpromises when made, to be steadfast in distress, in adversity,and at the time of war. These people are the truthful and theseare the pious.

Or take another example of the one (Prophet Ezra) who passed by atown which has fallen down upon its roofs. He exclaimed: "How canAllah bring this dead township back to life?" Thereupon Allahcaused him to die, and after one hundred years brought him backto life. Allah asked: "How long did you remained here?" Ezrareplied: "Perhaps a day or part of a day." Allah said: "Nay! Youhave remain here for one hundred years: now just have a look atyour food and drink; they have not rotten; and then look at yourdonkey and see that his very bones have decayed. We have donethis to make you a Sign for mankind. Look at the bones of yourdonkey how We bring them together then clothe them with flesh andbring him back to life! When this all was shown clearly to him hesaid: "Now I know that Allah has power over everything."

The example of those who spend their wealth to seek the pleasureof Allah and to strengthen their souls is like a garden on a highand fertile ground: when heavy rain falls on it, it yields uptwice its normal produce; and if no rain falls, a light moistureis sufficient. Whatever you do is in the sight of Allah.

Had it been Our will, We would have exalted him through thoserevelations; but he clung to this earthly life and followed hisown desires. His similitude is that of a dog: if you chase him helolls out his tongue and if you leave him alone he still lollsout his tongue. Such are those who deny Our revelations, tellthem these parables, so that they might think over their behaviorto Our revelations.

The example of this worldly life (which you love so much that youhave even become neglectful of Our signs) is like the water whichWe send down from the sky; it mingles with the soil and producesvegetation which becomes the food for men and animals. Then, atthe very time when the crops are ripened and the land looksattractive, the people to whom it belongs think that they areable to cultivate it, and there comes Our scourge upon it, bynight or in broad day, and We mow it down thoroughly as ifnothing existed there yesterday! Thus do We spell out Our signsfor those who are thoughtful.

As for the paradise which the righteous have been promised, it islike this: rivers flow beneath it; eternal are its fruits, andeternal are its shades; such is the reward of the righteous. Butthe reward of unbelievers is the fire.

Do you not see how Allah gave the example of comparing a goodword with a good tree, whose roots are firm and its branches arein the sky?

Allah gives you another example of two men: one of them is aslave, the property of the other, and has no power over anything;and the other man is one on whom We have bestowed Our bounty,from which he freely spends secretly and openly. Ask them: "Arethose two men equal?" Praise be to Allah - most of them do notunderstand this simple thing.

Do not behave like that woman who had spun her yarn strongly andthen had herself broken it into pieces; nor take your oaths formutual deceit so that one people may take undue advantage overthe other, for Allah puts you to trial by these oaths; and on theDay of Judgment He will certainly reveal to you the truth aboutwhich you differed.

O Prophet! Give them this parable. Once there were two men. To one of them We had given two gardens of grapevines surrounded with palm-trees and put between them land for cultivation.

Dedicate yourselves to Allah and do not commit shirk with Him:for anyone who commits shirk, it is as though he had fallen fromthe sky; then his body is either snatched away by birds orcarried away by the wind to some far-off place,

Or another parable of unbelievers' efforts is that of persontrying to swim in a bottomless ocean overwhelmed with billows,one over the other, overcast with dark clouds - layers of utterdarkness one above another - so much so that if he stretches outhis hand, he can hardly see it. The one to whom Allah does notgive light, will have no light!

We give you an example from your own lives. Do you let yourslaves be equal partners in the wealth which We have given you?Do you fear them as you fear each other? Thus do We spell out Ourrevelations for those who use their common sense.

Allah cites you a parable - there is a slave man who is shared bymany masters, each pulling this man to himself (like the man whoworship other deities along with Allah), and there is anotherslave man who entirely belongs to one master (like the man whoworship Allah Alone)- are the two alike in comparison? Praise beto Allah! But most of them do not know.

Surely We shall try them as We tried the owners of the gardenwhen they swore that they would pluck its fruit the next morning,

Rush towards the forgiveness from your Rabb to a Paradise as vastas the Heavens and the earth which is prepared for the righteouspeople;

Therefore, hastenly strive for the forgiveness of your Rabb andfor the paradise which is as vast as the heaven and the earth,prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Rasools. Such isthe grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He pleases, andAllah is the Owner of mighty grace.

Indeed Allah has purchased from the believers their persons andtheir wealth and in return has promised them paradise; they fightin the cause of Allah and slay and are slain. This is a truepromise which is binding on Him mentioned in Taurat (Torah), theInjeel (Gospel) and the Qur'an; and who is more true infulfilling his promise than Allah? Rejoice, therefore, in thebargain which you have made, and that is a mighty achievement.

But those who rebukes his parents and say: "Uff (as if to say, donot bothering me)! Do you threaten me with a resurrection,whereas many a generations have passed before me and none hascome back from among them?" And they both cry for Allah's helpand say: "Woe to you! Be a good believer. Surely the promise ofAllah is true." But he replies: "This is nothing but tales of theancients."

Such are the people against whom the verdict of torment hasproved true and they will be among the prior people of the jinnsand the men that have passed away before them. Indeed they willbe the losers.

The mothers shall breast-feed their offspring for two whole yearsif the father wishes the breast-feeding to be completed. Thereasonable cost of their maintenance and clothing will be theresponsibility of the child's father. No one should be chargedwith more than they can afford. Neither a mother should be madeto suffer on account of her child nor a father on account of hischild. The father's heirs are under the same obligation. But ifwith mutual agreement they both decide to wean the child there isno blame on them. If you decide to have a foster-mother for youroffspring there is no blame on you provided you pay what you havepromised to pay in an honorable manner. Fear Allah and bewarethat Allah observes your actions.

But those who rebukes his parents and say: "Uff (as if to say, donot bothering me)! Do you threaten me with a resurrection,whereas many a generations have passed before me and none hascome back from among them?" And they both cry for Allah's helpand say: "Woe to you! Be a good believer. Surely the promise ofAllah is true." But he replies: "This is nothing but tales of theancients."

Such are the people against whom the verdict of torment hasproved true and they will be among the prior people of the jinnsand the men that have passed away before them. Indeed they willbe the losers.

We have enjoined man to show kindness to his parents; but if they(your parents) force you to commit shirk with Me, of which youhave no knowledge, do not obey them. To Me is your return and Iwill inform you of what you have done.

If they argue with you to commit shirk, of which you have noknowledge, then do not obey them; however you should still treatthem kindly in this world, but follow the way of that individualwho has turned to Me. After all, to Me is your return; then Iwill inform you about the reality of all that you have done."

We have enjoined man to treat his parents with kindness. Withmuch trouble his mother bore him, and much pain did she give himbirth. His bearing and his weaning took thirty months. When hereaches the age of full strength and becomes forty years old, hesays: "My Rabb! Grant me the grace that I may thank you for thefavors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and thatI may do good deeds that will please You, and grant me goodchildren. Surely I turn to You in repentance and surely I am ofthose who are Muslims."

Such are the people from whom We shall accept the best of theirdeeds and overlook their misdeeds. They shall be among theresidents of paradise: true is the promise that has been made tothem in this life.

You shall lower to them your wings of humility and pray: "O Rabb!Bestow on them Your blessings just as they cherished me when Iwas a little child."

Remember, We took a covenant (firm commitment) from the childrenof Israel: "You shall worship none but Allah; be good to yourparents, relatives, orphans and destitute, speak fair to thepeople, establish 'Salah', and pay 'Zakah.'" But you broke thecovenant, except a few of you, and you paid no heed.

Serve Allah and do not commit shirk (associate any partner) withHim, and be good to your parents, kinfolks, orphans, thehelpless, near and far neighbors who keep company with you, thetravellers in need, and the slaves you own. Allah does not lovethose who are arrogant and boastful,

Your Rabb has decreed to you that: You shall worship none butHim, and you shall be kind to your parents; if one or both ofthem live to their old age in your lifetime, you shall not say tothem any word of contempt nor repel them and you shall addressthem in kind words.

We have enjoined man to show kindness to his parents; but if they(your parents) force you to commit shirk with Me, of which youhave no knowledge, do not obey them. To Me is your return and Iwill inform you of what you have done.

We have enjoined man concerning his parents - his mother carrieshim in her womb while suffering weakness upon weakness and thenweans him for two years - That's why We commanded him: "Givethanks to Me and to your parents, and keep in mind that, to Me isyour final goal.

If they argue with you to commit shirk, of which you have noknowledge, then do not obey them; however you should still treatthem kindly in this world, but follow the way of that individualwho has turned to Me. After all, to Me is your return; then Iwill inform you about the reality of all that you have done."

You shall lower to them your wings of humility and pray: "O Rabb!Bestow on them Your blessings just as they cherished me when Iwas a little child."

In regard to inheritance Allah commands you concerning yourchildren: that the share of a boy shall be twice that of a girl.In the case where there are more than two girls, their share willbe two thirds of the estate; but if there is only one girl, hershare will be one half of the estate. If the deceased leftchildren behind, each of the parents shall get one sixth of theestate, but if the deceased left no children and the parents arethe only heirs, the mother shall get one third of the estate, butif the deceased left brothers and sisters, then the mother willget one sixth of it. The distribution in all cases shall be afterfulfilling the terms of the last will and the payment of debts.With regards to your parents and your children, you do not knowwho is more beneficial to you, therefore, Allah issued thisordinance. Surely Allah is the Knowledgeable, Wise.

We have enjoined man concerning his parents - his mother carrieshim in her womb while suffering weakness upon weakness and thenweans him for two years - That's why We commanded him: "Givethanks to Me and to your parents, and keep in mind that, to Me isyour final goal.

O Prophet, some of those to whom We have given the Book rejoiceat what is revealed to you, while there are some factions whodeny a part of it. Tell them: "I am commanded to worship Allahand to associate none with Him. To Him I invite you and to Him Ishall return."

Jews and Christians say: "Be Jews or Christians, you shall thenbe rightly guided." O Muhammad, say: "By no means! We follow thefaith of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of themushrikin."

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.

On that Day those leaders who were being followed, when facedwith their punishment, will renounce those who followed them andthe bonds which united them will break asunder.

The followers will say: "If it could be possible for us to liveagain, we would renounce them as they have renounced us today."Thus Allah will show them the fruits of their deeds. They willsigh with regret, and shall not be able to come out of the Hellfire.

There are some among them who twist their tongues pretending aquote from their Holy Book; so that you may think that what theyread is a part of the Book, whereas, in fact it is not a part ofthe Book. They also assert, "It is from Allah" whereas, in factit is not from Allah. Thus they deliberately ascribe a lie toAllah.

It is not possible for a man whom Allah has given the Book, theWisdom and the Prophethood, that he would say to the people:"Worship me instead of Allah." On the contrary he would say: "Bedevoted worshippers of your Rabb in accordance with the Holy Bookyou have been teaching and reading."

He would never ask you to take angels and prophets as your lords.Would he ask you to become kafir (unbelievers) after you havebecome Muslims (believers)?

Soon We shall cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers forthey commit shirk with Allah, for whom He has revealed noauthority. The hellfire shall be their home; and evil is the homeof the wrongdoers.

If you fear a breach of marriage between a man and his wife,appoint one arbiter from his family and another from hers; ifthey wish to reconcile, Allah will create a way of reconciliationbetween them. Allah is the Knowledgeable, Aware.

Surely Allah does not forgive shirk (associating any partner withHim); and may forgive sins other than that if He so pleases. Thisis because one who commits shirk with Allah, does indeed invent agreat sinful lie.

Surely Allah will never forgive the one who commits the sin ofshirk and may forgive anyone else if He so pleases. One whocommits shirk has indeed gone far away from the Right Way.

Indeed those have committed Kufr (rejected faith) who said, "Godis the Messiah, son of Maryam." O Muhammad, ask them, "Who hasthe power to prevent Allah if He chose to destroy the Messiah theson of Maryam, his mother and all that is in the earth? Allah hasthe sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and all that isbetween them. He creates what He pleases and has power overeverything".

The Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allahand His beloved ones." Ask them, "Why then does He punish you foryour sins? Nay! In fact you are human beings like others which Hehas created. He forgives whom He pleases and He punishes whom Hepleases. To Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and theearth and all that is between them, and to Him is the finalrefuge."

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.

Certainly they are unbelievers who say: "Allah is one of three ina Trinity." There is no god except One Allah. If they do not stopsaying what they say, a painful punishment will befall thedisbelievers among them.

Will they not then turn to Allah and seek His forgiveness? Allahis Forgiving, Merciful.

Christ, the son of Maryam, was no more than a Rasool; manyRasools had already passed away before him. His mother was atruthful woman; they both ate earthly food like other humanbeings. See how the Revelations are made clear to them to knowreality; yet see how they ignore the truth!

After reminding him of these favors, Allah will say: "O Isa(Jesus) son of Maryam (Marry), Did you ever say to the people,"worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?" He will answer:"Glory to You! How could I say what I had no right to say? If Ihad ever said so, you would have certainly known it. You knowwhat is in my heart, but I know not what is in Yours; for Youhave full knowledge of all the unseen.

I never said anything other than what You commanded me to say,that is to worship Allah, Who is my Rabb and your Rabb. I was awitness over them as long as I remained among them; but when Youcalled me off, You were the Watcher over them and You are aWitness to everything.

If You punish them, they surely are Your servants; and if Youforgive them, You are Mighty, Wise."

Say: "Should I take as my protector anyone other than Allah, whois the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Who feeds all and isfed by none?" Say: "Nay! I am commanded to be the first of thosewho submit to Allah in Islam and not of those who commit shirk."

Ask them: " Whose testimony is the most reliable? " When they sayAllah, then tell them: "Let Allah be Witness between me and you(that I am the Rasool of Allah) and this Qur'an has been revealedto me by Him so that I may warn you thereby and all those whom itmay reach. Can you really testify that there are other godsbesides Allah?" Tell them: "As far as I am concerned I will nevertestify to this!" Say: "Indeed He is the One and the Only God andI am absolutely disgusted with the shirk you commit.

On the Day of Judgement when We shall gather them all together,We shall ask the mushrikin: "Where are those deities whom youascribed to be My partners?"

They will have no argument but to say: "By Allah, our Rabb, wewere not at all mushrik."

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

Ask them to think carefully and answer: "When you face a disasteror the last Hour approaches you, do you call for help anyoneother than Allah? Answer me if you are truthful!"

No, on Him Alone you will call, and forget those whom you haveset up as His partners; then if He pleases, He relieves you fromthe affliction about which you have prayed to Him.

Ask them: "Just think, if Allah takes away your hearing and yoursight and seals up your hearts, is there any deity other thanAllah who could restore them to you?" See how We present Ourrevelations over and over again and yet they turn away.

Ask them: "Who delivers you from calamities in the darkness ofthe land and of the sea, when you call upon Him in open humilityand silent terror: If You deliver us from this affliction, weshall become truly grateful."

Say: "Allah delivers you from these and all other calamities, yetyou commit shirk (worship false gods)!"

Say: "He has the power to send calamities on you from above andfrom below or to split you into discordant factions to make youtaste the violence of one another. See how We present Ourrevelations over and over again so that they may understand thereality.

Yet they make the Jinns (Genies: creature which has been createdout of fire) as the partners with Allah, whereas He is theirCreator; and also ascribe to Him sons and daughters withouthaving any knowledge. Glory to Him! He is highly exalted farabove what they ascribe.

He is the creator of the heavens and the earth. How could He havea son when He has no consort? He has created everything and isaware of everything.

They set aside a share of their produce and of their cattle forAllah, saying: "This is for Allah" - so they pretend - "and thisfor our shoraka' (their assigned partners of Allah)." Theirshoraka's share does not reach Allah, but the share of Allah iswholly given to shoraka'. What an evil decision they make!

Their shoraka' have induced many mushrikin to kill their ownchildren in order to ruin them and confuse them in theirreligion. If Allah wanted, they would not have done so.Therefore, leave them alone with their false inventions.

In response to this the mushrikin will promptly say: "If Allahwanted, neither we nor our forefathers would have been mushrikin,or we could have made anything unlawful." That is how theirancestors rejected the truth in the past until they tasted of Ourpunishment. If they say so, then ask them: "Do you have anyevidence that you can put before us? The fact of the matter is,you believe in nothing but conjecture and follow nothing butfalsehood."

O Muhammad, say: "Come, I will recite what your Rabb hasforbidden to you: not to commit shirk with Him, to be kind toyour parents, not to kill your children making the excuse ofinability to support them - We provide sustenance for you and forthem - not to commit shameful deeds whether open or secret, notto kill any soul forbidden by Allah except for the requirementsof justice. These are the things which He enjoined you so thatyou may learn wisdom.

O Muhammad, tell them: "As for me, surely my Rabb has guided meto the Right Way, the ever true Deen, the faith of Ibrahim(Abraham) the upright and he was not of the mushrikin."

He has no peer; thus am I commanded and I am the first of theMuslims."

Say: "Should I seek another Rabb besides Allah when He is theRabb of everything?" Every soul will reap the fruits of its owndeeds; no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another.Ultimately you will return to your Rabb, and He will resolve foryou your disputes.

Say: "My Rabb has forbidden all indecencies whether open orsecret, sin and rebellion against justice, committing shirk withAllah for which He has granted no sanction, and saying thingsabout Allah of which you have no knowledge.

or lest you should say: "Our forefathers started the practice ofshirk and we just followed, being their descendants. Will youthen destroy us on account of following the sin committed bythose wrongdoers?"

But when He gives them a healthy child they both began toassociate partners with Him in what He has given them; but Allahis exalted far above the shirk they commit of associating otherdeities with Him as His partners.

Do they associate with Him those deities who can create nothingbut are themselves created,

they have neither the ability to help them, nor can they helpthemselves?

If you invite them to guidance they will not follow you. It willbe all the same for you whether you call them or hold your peace.

In fact those whom you call besides Allah are bondmen, likeyourselves. Well call them, and let them answer you, if what yousay is true!

Have they feet to walk with? Have they hands to hold with? Havethey eyes to see with? Have they ears to hear with? O Muhammad,say: "Call on your shoraka' (partners you have set up besidesAllah) and collectively plot against me and give me no respite!

On the contrary, those whom you call besides Him have neither theability to help you, nor can they help themselves.

They worship other deities besides Allah, who can neither harmthem nor benefit them, and they say: "These are our intercessorswith Allah." O Muhammad, say to them: "Are you informing Allah ofwhat He knows to exist neither in the heavens nor on the earth?Glory to Him! He is far above from having the partners theyascribe to Him!"

On the Day when We shall gather them all together, We shall sayto those who committed shirk (associated other deities with Us):"Stay where you are, you and those whom you set as partners withUs." We will separate them from one another, then the shoraka'(partners they had set up with Us) will say: "It was not us thatyou worshipped!

Allah is an all-sufficient witness between you and us, (even ifyou worshipped us) we were quite unaware of your worship."

Ask them: "Can any of your shoraka' (the deities you worshipbesides Allah) create anything and then repeat its process?" Ifthey do not answer, then tell them: "Well, Allah creates and thenrepeats the process. Then how is that you are so misled?"

Again ask them: "Is there any of your shoraka' who can guide youto the truth?" If they do not answer, then tell them: "Well,Allah can guides you to the truth. Then who is more worthy to befollowed: He that can guide to the truth, or he that cannot andis himself in need of guidance? What is the matter with you? Whatkind of judgement do you make?"

The fact is that most of them follow nothing but mere conjectureand conjecture is in no way a substitute for the truth. SurelyAllah is well aware of all that they do.

Be aware! Indeed whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earthbelongs to Allah. Those who invoke other deities besides Allahfollow nothing but conjectures and preach nothing but falsehood.

They (Jews and Christians) say: "Allah has begotten a son!" Glorybe to Him! He is self-sufficient! His is all that is in theHeavens and in the Earth! Have you any proof for what you say?Would you ascribe to Allah something about which you have noknowledge?

O Prophet, tell them: "Those who ascribe false things to Allahwill never prosper."

Well, they may have a little enjoyment in this world, buteventually they have to return to Us and then We will make themtaste the severest punishment for their unbelief.

I am further commanded: " Dedicate yourself to the Deen(religion) in all uprightness and be not of the mushrikin (whoassociate other gods with Allah).

You shall not pray to others than Allah who can neither benefitnor harm you, for if you do, you shall certainly become one ofthe wrongdoers.

As a result most of them who believe in Allah also commit shirk.

Do they feel secure that Allah's scourge will not fall on them,or that the Hour of Doom will not come upon them suddenly whilethey do not suspect it?

Tell them plainly: "This is my way. I invite you to Allah withsure knowledge which I and my followers possess. Glory be toAllah, and I am not one of the mushrikin."

Ask them: "Who is the Rabb of the heavens and the earth?" If theyhesitate to respond, say: "Allah." Then ask them: "When this isthe fact, why do you take other deities, besides Him, who do notcontrol any benefit or harm even to themselves, as yourprotectors?" Say: "Are the blind and the seeing equal? Or can thedarkness and light be equal?" If that is not so, then, have theirshoraka' (other deities they worship) created any thing like Hiscreation which has made the matter of creation doubtful for them?Say: "Allah Alone is the Creator of everything and He is the One,the Irresistible."

What! Are they so audacious that they ascribe partners to Allah,Who watches minutely over each and every soul and knows all thatit does? O Prophet ask them: If Allah Himself has set them up asHis partners then tell me their names! Do you mean to inform Himof something new that He Himself does not know on this earth, ordo you merely utter empty words?" Nay! Indeed their foul devicesseem fair to the unbelievers, for they have been debarred fromthe Right Way; and there is none to guide those whom Allah haslet go astray.

They shall be punished in the life of this world, still moregrievous is the punishment of the hereafter, and there is none toprotect them from Allah.

O Prophet, some of those to whom We have given the Book rejoiceat what is revealed to you, while there are some factions whodeny a part of it. Tell them: "I am commanded to worship Allahand to associate none with Him. To Him I invite you and to Him Ishall return."

Surely We Ourself will suffice you against the scoffers;

those who place other deities alongside Allah, will soon come toknow their folly.

Allah's commandment has come, so do not seek to hurry it on.Glory be to Him and Exalted be He above the shirk (associatingother gods with Allah) that they practice!

He sends down His angels with inspiration of His Command to whomHe pleases of His servants, saying: "Warn the people that thereis no one else worthy of worship except Me, therefore fear Me."

He has created the heavens and the earth to manifest the Truth;Exalted be He above the shirk that they practice.

He created man from a drop of semen, yet he is an open contender.

He created cattle, which provide you clothing, food, and otherbenefits.

How pleasant they look to you when you bring them home in theevening and drive them to pasture in the morning.

They carry your heavy loads to far-off towns that you could nototherwise reach without painful toil; indeed your Rabb is Kindand Merciful.

He has also created horses, mules, and donkeys for you to rideand put on show, and He has created other things which are beyondyour knowledge.

It is up to Allah to show the Right Way, when there exist somecrooked ways. If Allah wanted He could have guided you all.

It is He Who sends down water from the sky, which providesdrinking water for you and brings forth fodder to pasture yourcattle.

With it He grows for you crops, olives, date-palms, grapes, andevery kind of fruit: surely there is a great sign in this forthose who think.

He has subjected to your service the night and the day, the sunand the moon: and likewise the stars also serve you by Hiscommand: surely there are signs in this for people who use theircommon sense.

In the Earth He has created things of different colors: surelythere is a sign in this for those who want to learn a lesson.

It is He Who has subjected the sea to your service, that you mayeat fresh meat therefrom and that you may bring out of itornaments to wear; and you see that ships plough their coursethrough it. He has done all this so that you may seek His bountyand so that you may pay thanks to Him.

He has set mountains on the earth - lest it should move away withyou. He also made rivers and roads so that you may find your way;

and likewise made landmarks and the stars for your guidance.

Is then, He, Who has created all this, like one who cannotcreate? Why don't you understand?

Those whom they invoke besides Allah have created nothing, butare themselves created.

They are dead, not living; they do not even know when they willbe raised to life again.

Your God is One God; as for those who do not believe in thehereafter, they have faithless hearts and are puffed up witharrogance.

Allah surely knows what they conceal and what they reveal;certainly He does not love the arrogant.

Then on the Day of Judgment He will humiliate them and say:"Where are those deities you associated with Me concerning whomyou used to dispute with the true believers?" Those who have beengiven knowledge will say: "Today there will be shame and sorrowfor the unbelievers,"

- those whom the angels cause to die while they were stillengaged in doing injustice to their own souls. At the time ofdeath they offer submission, saying: "We were not doing anythingwrong." The angels will reply: "O Yea! How dare you deny!Certainly Allah is aware of what you were doing.

Now go ahead and enter the gates of Hell, there you will abideforever." In fact, very awful will be the abode of the arrogant.

Allah has commanded: "You shall not worship two gods: thereexists only One God, I am the One Whom you should fear."

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth and HisDeen (laws or ways of life) is followed in the universe - wouldyou then fear any one other than Allah?

Whatever blessings you enjoy are from Allah, and when touched bydistress, He is the One to Whom you cry for help.

Yet no sooner does He relieve you from the distress than some ofyou begin to associate others with Him,

as if to show their ingratitude for the favors that We bestow onthem! Enjoy yourselves; soon you will come to know theconsequences.

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 attribute to Allah what they themselves hate. Their tonguesmouth the lie that they will have a good reward. Let there be nodoubt: the only thing they will have is hell, and they will besent ahead of the others.

When the mushrikin see their deities whom they associated withAllah, they will say: "Our Rabb! Here are our 'associate gods'whom we used to invoke besides You." At this their deities willtoss their statement back at them saying: "You are liars!"

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

His authority is only over those who befriend him and commitshirk by his temptation.

And now We have revealed to you Our will, saying: "Follow thefaith of Ibrahim the upright, he was not of the mushrikin."

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.

What! Has your Rabb preferred to give you sons and adopted angelsas daughters for Himself? Certainly you are uttering a monstrousstatement.

Tell them: If there were other gods besides Him as the mushrikinsay, they would have certainly tried to find a way to dethronethe Master of the Throne.

Glory be to Him! He is far above the things that they say aboutHim.

Say: "Pray if you will to those whom you assert besides Him; theyhave neither the power to relieve you from any distress nor tochange it."

Those to whom they pray, themselves seek the means of access totheir Rabb - trying as to who can be more near - they hope forHis Mercy and fear His punishment, for the punishment of yourRabb is terrible indeed.

and say: "Praise be to Allah, the One Who has begotten no son andWho has no partner in His Kingdom; nor He is helpless to need aprotector, and glorify His greatness in the best possible way."

O Prophet, say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed; He is the One Who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth; sharp is His sight and keen His hearing! They have no protector besides Him and He does not let anyone share in His command.

O Prophet! Give them this parable. Once there were two men. To one of them We had given two gardens of grapevines surrounded with palm-trees and put between them land for cultivation.

Both of those gardens yielded abundant produce and did not fail to yield its best. We had even caused a river to flow between the two gardens.

He had abundant produce, he said to his companion while conversing with him: "I am richer than you and my clan is mightier than yours."

When, having thus wronged his soul, he entered his garden and said: "I do not think that this garden will ever perish!

Nor do I believe that the Hour of Judgment will ever come. Even if I am returned to my Rabb, I will surely find even a better place than this."

His companion replied while still conversing with him: "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, from a drop of semen, and fashioned you into a perfect man?

As for myself, Allah is the One Who is my Rabb and I do not associate anyone with Him.

When you entered your garden why did you not say: `It is as Allah pleased, no one has power except Allah!' Though you see me poorer than yourself in wealth and children,

yet my Rabb may give me a garden better than yours, and may send down thunderbolts from sky upon your garden, turning it into a barren wasteland.

Or its' water may dry out and you may never be able to find it."

It so happened that all his fruit produce was destroyed and the vines tumbled down upon their trellises, so he wrung his hands with grief for all that he had spent on it. He cried: "I wish I had not associated anyone with my Rabb!"

He was so helpless that he could neither find anyone to help him beside Allah, nor could he himself avert that catastrophe

it was then that he realized that the real protection comes only from Allah. His is the best reward and His is the best requital.

I did not call them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation, nor do I take those who lead mankind astray as My supporters.

On the Day of Judgement Allah will say to them: "Call on those whom you thought to be My partners." They will call them but will receive no answer; and We shall cause animosity between them.

O Muhammad, tell them: "I am but a human being like you; the revelation is sent to me to declare that your God is One God; therefore, whoever hopes to meet his Rabb, let him do good deeds and join no other deity in the worship of his Rabb."

Nay! We give falsehood a violent blow with the Truth to knock itout and behold! Falsehood vanishes away. Woe be to you, for allthe false gods you have invented.

Have the earthly deities, that they have taken for worship, thepower to raise the dead?

If there were other gods in the heavens or in the earth besidesAllah, both the heavens and earth would have been in a state ofdisorder. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, absolutelyfree is He from the falsehood that they attribute to Him.

He is accountable to none about what He does, but they areaccountable to Him.

Even then, have they taken other deities for worship besides Him?Ask them: "Show us your proof: here is this reminder (Al-Qur'an)for the people of my time and it also contains the reminder ofthose before me." But most of them have no knowledge of Reality,and that is why they have turned away.

The fact is that to every Rasool whom We sent before you, Werevealed the same Message: "there is no god but Me, so worship MeAlone."

Remember! We identified the site of the Sacred House to Ibrahim(Abraham), saying, "Worship none besides Me, sanctify My Housefor those worshippers who make Tawaf (walking counterclockwisearound it as a part of the Hajj rituals), and stand in prayer,bow, and prostrate themselves,

Never has Allah begotten a son, nor is there any god besides Him.Had it been so, each god would govern his own creation, and eachwould have tried to overpower the others. Exalted be Allah, abovethe sort of things they attribute to Him!

He knows what is hidden and what is open: far above is He fromthe shirk of these people.

Therefore, exalted be Allah, the Real King; there is no god butHim, the Lord of the Honorable Throne.

Whoever invokes another god besides Allah - about whose divinityhe has no proof -he will have to give an account to his Rabb.Surely such unbelievers will never attain salvation.

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deedsthat He will most surely make them vicegerent in the earth as Hemade their ancestors before them, and that He will establish forthem their religion, the one which He has chosen for them, andthat He will change their present state of fear into peace andsecurity. Let them worship Me Alone and not to commit shirk withMe; and if anyone rejects faith after this, it is they who arethe transgressors.

He is the One to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and theearth, has begotten no son and has no partner in His kingdom; Hehas created everything and ordained them in due proportions.

Yet the unbelievers have taken besides Him other gods which cancreate nothing but are themselves created, which can neither harmnor help even themselves, and which have no power over life ordeath, or raising the dead to life.

Is not He (Allah), Who has created the heavens and the earth,sends down rain from the sky and with it brings forth thebeautiful gardens not better than the false gods that theyworship? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of treesfor those gardens. Is there another god besides Allah who coulddo that? No doubt they are a people who have swerved from justicein ascribing equals to Him.

Just think who has made the earth a place for your residence,caused in it the rivers to flow, set mountains upon it and placeda barrier between the two seas? Is there another god besidesAllah? Nay, most of them have no knowledge.

Just think who answers the oppressed person when he cries out toHim and relieves his affliction, and makes you, O mankind,inheritors of the earth? Is there another god besides Allah? Howlittle do you reflect!

Just think who guides you in darkness on the land and the sea,and who sends the winds as heralds of good news of His mercy? Isthere another god besides Allah? Exalted be Allah above what theyassociate with Him!

Just think who originates creation and then repeats itsproduction, and who gives you sustenance from the heavens and theearth? Is there another god besides Allah? Say: "Show us yourproof if you are telling the truth!"

Let them not forget that Day when We shall call them and ask:"Where are those whom you deemed to be My associates?"

Those who are proven guilty as charged will say: "Our Rabb! Theseare the ones whom we led astray; we led them astray as we wereastray ourselves. However, we plead our innocence before You; itwas not us that they worshipped."

Then they will be told: "Appeal to your shoraka' (associategods)," so they will appeal them but will get no answer. Theywill see the punishment and wish that they had accepted guidance.

Your Rabb creates whatever He wills and chooses for His work whomHe pleases. It is not for them (mushrikin) to choose and assignthe powers of Allah to whom they want. Glory be to Allah! He isfar above the shirk that these people commit.

They should be mindful of that Day when He will call them andask: "Where are those deities whom you deemed My associates?"

And We shall bring forth a witness from every nation and ask:"Bring your proof about other deities besides Me." Then theyshall come to know that in reality there is only One God, Allah,and gods of their own inventions have left them in the lurch."

Let no one turn you away from the revelations of Allah now thatthey have been revealed to you. Invite people to your Rabb and benot of the mushrikin (who join other deities with Allah).

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.

If they embark on a ship, and the ship gets into trouble, theycall upon Allah, being sincerely obedient to Him; but when Hebrings them safely to land, they start committing shirk (givingcredit for their safe arrival to others);

so that they may become ungrateful for the blessing that We havebestowed on them and enjoy the life of this world! They will sooncome to know the result of this behavior.

On the Day when the Hour of Judgement will be established, thecriminals shall be in despair.

None of their shoraka' (gods which they had set up besidesAllah), will be there to intercede for them and they themselveswill disown their shoraka'.

We give you an example from your own lives. Do you let yourslaves be equal partners in the wealth which We have given you?Do you fear them as you fear each other? Thus do We spell out Ourrevelations for those who use their common sense.

Turn in repentance to Him, fear Him, establish Salah (regularfive times daily prayers) and do not be of the mushrikin

When an affliction befalls the people, they turn in prayer totheir Rabb in repentance. But when He let them taste a blessingfrom Him, lo! Some of them start committing shirk,

showing no gratitude for What We have given them. Enjoyyourselves; soon you will find out your folly.

Have We sent down to them an authority, that speaks of the shirkwhich they are committing?

It is Allah Who has created you, then provides you your dailybread, then He causes you to die, and then He will bring you backto life. Is there any of your shoraka' (associates you have setup besides Allah) who can do any of these things? Glory be toHim, and exalted be He above the shirk these people commit.

The fact is that We offered the Trust ( "freedom of choice" andto voluntarily use this option according to the will of Allah) tothe heavens, to the earth and to the mountains, but they refusedto undertake it and were afraid, but man undertook it. He wasindeed unjust and foolish.

(The inevitable result of bearing the burden of Allah's Trust is)that Allah will punish the hypocrite men, the hypocrite women,the mushrik men and the mushrik women, and that Allah will turnin mercy to the believing men and the believing women: for Allahis Forgiving, Merciful.

Say: "Show me those whom you have made associate gods with Him.Nay! By no means can you do it. Allah Alone is the Almighty, theWise".

Those despised weaklings will say to the arrogant: "No! It wasyou who plotted day and night, bidding us to disbelieve in Allahand to set up equals with Him," - They will feel ashamed oncethey see the punishment, and We shall put yokes on the necks ofthose disbelievers; can there be any other reward except for whatthey did?

O Prophet, say: "Have you ever considered your associate gods towhom you call upon besides Allah? Show me anything that they havecreated in the earth! Or what is their share in the creation ofthe heavens? Or have We given them a Book from which they derivea provision of shirk? Nay, in fact the wrongdoers promise eachother nothing but delusions.

It is Allah Who keeps the heavens and the earth from slipping outof their places. Should they ever slip, none can hold them backbesides Him; certainly He is Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.

They assert blood-relationship between Him and the jinns; and thejinns know quite well that they will be called to account.

Glory be to Allah! He is free from what they ascribe to Him

Glory be to your Rabb, the Lord of Honor, He is free from whatthey ascribe to Him!

Beware! Sincere true obedience is due to Allah Alone! As forthose who take other guardians (worship the saints) besides Himand justify their conduct, saying: "We worship them only thatthey may bring us nearer to Allah." Surely Allah will judgebetween them concerning all that in which they differ. Allah doesnot guide him who is a liar and a disbeliever.

If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen anyoneHe pleased out of His creation: Glory be to Him! (He is abovesuch things.) He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible.

When some trouble befalls man, he cries to his Rabb and turns toHim in repentance; but no sooner does He bestow on him His favorthan he forgets what he has prayed for and sets up rivals toAllah, thus misleading others from His Way. Tell such people:"Enjoy your unbelief for a little while; certainly you will be ofthe inmates of hellfire."

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.

Tell them plainly because it has already been revealed to you asit was revealed to those before you that if you commit shirk, allyour deeds will become fruitless and you will surely be among thelosers."

Therefore, worship Allah and be among His thankful servants.

They have not recognized the worth of Allah as his worth shouldbe recognized. On the Day of Resurrection the whole earth shallbe in His grasp and all the heavens shall be rolled up in Hisright hand. Glory be to Him! Exalted be He above what theyassociate with Him.

They will say: "Our Rabb! Twice have You made us die and twicehave You given us life. We now confess our sins. Is there any wayout?"

They shall be answered: "You are facing this fate because whenyou were asked to believe in Allah, the One and Only, youdisbelieved; but when you were asked to commit shirk (associateother partners with Him), you believed. Today judgement restswith Allah, the Supreme, the Great."

and Allah will judge with all fairness. As for those whom theunbelievers invoke besides Him, will not be in a position tojudge at all. Surely it is Allah Alone Who Hears all and Seesall.

when, with yokes and chains around their necks, they shall bedragged

through scalding fluid and burned in the fire of hell.

Then they shall be asked: "Where are those gods whom you invokedin worship

besides Allah?" They will answer: "They have forsaken us, now wehave come to know that those to whom we used to invoke, were infact nothing." Thus Allah confounds the disbelievers.

It will be said: "You have met this fate because during your lifeon earth, you took delight in things other than the truth and youled a wanton life.

Now enter the gates of hell to live therein forever. What an evilabode will be for the arrogant!"

Have they never travelled through the earth and seen what was theend of those who have gone before them? They were more in numberand superior in strength than these and they have left behindgreat traces of their power in the land; yet all that they didwas of no avail to them.

When their Rasools came to them with clear revelations, theyproudly boasted about their own knowledge; but the veryforewarned scourge at which they mocked, hemmed them in.

When they saw Our scourge, they cried out: "We believe in Allah,the One and Only, and we reject all those gods whom we used toassociate with Him."

But after seeing Our scourge, their professing the faith (Islam)was of no use to them; such was the practice of Allah in dealingwith His servants in the past, and thus the disbelievers werelost.

O Prophet say: "I am but a man like yourselves. It is revealed tome that your God is One God, therefore take the Right Way towardsHim and implore His forgiveness. Woe to the mushrikin (those whoassociate other gods with Allah);

those who do not pay Zakah and they deny the hereafter.

Ask them: "Do you really deny the One Who created the earth intwo periods and do you set up rivals in worship with Him while Heis the Rabb of the worlds.

He Alone has the knowledge of the Hour of Doom. No fruit comesout of its sheath, nor does a female conceive, nor she givesbirth but with His knowledge. On the Day of Judgement when Allahwill ask the unbelievers: "Where are those partners that youassociated with Me?" They will answer: "We confess that none ofus can vouch for them."

Those deities whom they used to invoke will vanish from them andthey shall realize that there is no escape.

He has ordained for you the same Deen (way of life - Islam) whichHe enjoined on Nuh - and which We have revealed to you O Muhammad- and which We enjoined on Ibrahim and Musa (Moses) and Isa(Jesus): "Establish the Deen of Al-Islam and make no division(sects) in it." Intolerable for the mushrikin is that to whichyou O Muhammad call them. Allah chooses for His service whom Hewills, and guides to His Way only those who turn to Him inrepentance.

Have they made shoraka' (partners with Allah) who, in thepractice of their faith, have made lawful to them what Allah hasnot allowed? Had a decision of making the decision on the Day ofJudgement not been issued already, the matter would havecertainly been decided between them; surely the wrongdoers willhave a painful punishment.

Yet inspite of recognizing all this, they have made some of Hisservants to be a part of Him! Surely mankind is clearlyungrateful.

And that He may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocriticalwomen and the mushrik men and the mushrik women, who entertainedan evil thought about Allah. A turn of evil shall befall them,for Allah's wrath is upon them. He has laid His curse on them andprepared for them the fire of hell, which is a very evil abode.

who set up other gods besides Allah. Throw him into severepunishment."

His companion will say: "Our Rabb! I did not mislead him. Hehimself had gone far astray."

Allah will say: "Do not dispute with each other in My presence. Igave you warning beforehand.

My words cannot be changed, nor am I unjust to My servants."

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

Allah is He, besides Whom there is no god, the King, the Holy,the Giver of peace, the Granter of security, the Guardian, theAlmighty, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory be to Allah! He isfar above the shirk they commit (by associating other gods withHim).

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.

which guides to the Right Way. We have believed in it andhenceforth shall worship none besides Our Rabb.

Mosques are built for Allah's worship; therefore, invoke notanyone along with Allah.

Yet, when Allah's servant Muhammad stood up to invoke Him, they(unbelievers) were ready to attack him."

O Prophet, say: "I pray only to my Rabb and worship none besidesHim."

He begets not, nor is He begotten;

They assert blood-relationship between Him and the jinns; and thejinns know quite well that they will be called to account.

Glory be to Allah! He is free from what they ascribe to Him

except His sincere devotees who do not attribute such things toHim.

Therefore neither you nor those whom you worship

can deceive anyone about Allah

except him who is destined for hell.

The Jews say: "Uzair (Azra) is the son of Allah," and theChristians say: " Messiah (Christ) is the son of Allah." That iswhat they say with their mouths, imitating the sayings of theformer unbelievers. May Allah destroy them! How perverted theyare!

They (Jews and Christians) have taken their rabbis and priests tobe their Lords beside Allah and so they did with Messiah (Jesus)the son of Maryam (Mary), although they were commanded in theTorah and the Gospel to worship none but One Ilah (Allah);besides Whom there is none worthy of worship. Exalted be He abovethose whom they associate with Him.

They desire to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouthsbut Allah will not allow it to happen, for He seeks to perfectHis light even though the disbelievers may dislike it.

Yet they make the Jinns (Genies: creature which has been createdout of fire) as the partners with Allah, whereas He is theirCreator; and also ascribe to Him sons and daughters withouthaving any knowledge. Glory to Him! He is highly exalted farabove what they ascribe.

He is the one who created you from a single being and from thatbeing He created his mate, so that he might find comfort withher. When he covers her, she conceives a light burden and walksaround with it. When it grows heavy they both pray to Allah theirRabb saying: "If You will grant us a healthy child, we will betruly thankful."

Ask them: "Can any of your shoraka' (the deities you worshipbesides Allah) create anything and then repeat its process?" Ifthey do not answer, then tell them: "Well, Allah creates and thenrepeats the process. Then how is that you are so misled?"

Be aware! Indeed whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earthbelongs to Allah. Those who invoke other deities besides Allahfollow nothing but conjectures and preach nothing but falsehood.

When the mushrikin see their deities whom they associated withAllah, they will say: "Our Rabb! Here are our 'associate gods'whom we used to invoke besides You." At this their deities willtoss their statement back at them saying: "You are liars!"

Let them not forget that Day when We shall call them and ask:"Where are those whom you deemed to be My associates?"

O Prophet, ask them: "Have you ever considered that if Allah wereto make the night perpetual till the Day of Resurrection, whichdeity other than Allah could bring you light?" Will you notlisten?

It is Allah Who has created you, then provides you your dailybread, then He causes you to die, and then He will bring you backto life. Is there any of your shoraka' (associates you have setup besides Allah) who can do any of these things? Glory be toHim, and exalted be He above the shirk these people commit.

Have they made shoraka' (partners with Allah) who, in thepractice of their faith, have made lawful to them what Allah hasnot allowed? Had a decision of making the decision on the Day ofJudgement not been issued already, the matter would havecertainly been decided between them; surely the wrongdoers willhave a painful punishment.

Remember Allah's favor to you and the covenant which He ratifiedwith you when you said: "We hear and we obey." Have fear ofAllah; surely Allah knows the secrets of your hearts.

Have you ever seen the one who has taken his own desires as hisgod? Would you take the responsibility of guiding him?

When it is said to them: "Have fear of that which is before youand that which is behind you, so that you may receive mercy,"they pay no heed.