O believers! When you deal with each other in lending for a fixedperiod of time, put it in writing. Let a scribe write it downwith justice between the parties. The scribe, who is given thegift of literacy by Allah, should not refuse to write; he isunder obligation to write. Let him who incurs the liability(debtor) dictate, fearing Allah his Rabb and not diminishinganything from the settlement. If the borrower is mentally unsoundor weak or is unable to dictate himself, let the guardian of hisinterests dictate for him with justice. Let two witnesses fromamong you bear witness to all such documents, if two men cannotbe found, then one man and two women of your choice should bearwitness, so that if one of the women forgets anything the othermay remind her. The witnesses must not refuse when they arecalled upon to do so. You must not be averse to writing (yourcontract) for a future period, whether it is a small matter orbig. This action is more just for you in the sight of Allah,because it facilitates the establishment of evidence and is thebest way to remove all doubts; but if it is a common commercialtransaction concluded on the spot among yourselves, there is noblame on you if you do not put it in writing. You should havewitnesses when you make commercial transactions. Let no harm bedone to the scribe or witnesses; and if you do so, you shall beguilty of transgression. Fear Allah; it is Allah that teaches youand Allah has knowledge of everything.

There is no blame on you if you make a proposal of marriageduring their waiting period openly or keep it in your hearts.Allah knows that you will naturally cherish them in your hearts;however, be careful not to make any secret agreement, and if youwish to marry, speak to them in an honorable manner. Do notconfirm the marriage tie until the prescribed waiting periodexpires. You should know that Allah is aware of what is in yourhearts, so fear Him. Bear in mind that Allah is Forgiving,Forbearing.

We have decked the earth with all kinds of ornaments to test the people and to see which of them do the best deeds.

In the end We shall reduce all that is on it to a barren wasteland.

You should know that your wealth and your children are, in fact,a test for you, and that Allah is He with Whom is your mightyreward.

If any of your women are guilty of fornication, ask for fourreliable witnesses from among yourselves against them; and ifthey testify and their guilt is proved, confine them to theirhouses until they die or Allah opens some other way out for them.

If any of your women are guilty of fornication, ask for fourreliable witnesses from among yourselves against them; and ifthey testify and their guilt is proved, confine them to theirhouses until they die or Allah opens some other way out for them.

who stand firm in their testimonies

O believers! When death approaches any one of you, let two justmen from among yourselves act as witnesses at the time of makingyour last will; or from the non-Muslims if you are travellingthrough the land and the calamity of death overtakes you. If youdoubt their honesty, detain them after prayer and let them bothswear by Allah: "We will not sell our testimony for any price,even to a relative, and we will not hide the testimony which wewill be giving for the sake of Allah; for we shall be sinners ifwe do so."

Then, if it becomes known that those two were guilty of the sinof perjury, then let two others better qualified witnesses fromamong those who were deprived of their right come forward andtestify upon oath, "By Allah, our testimony is truer than theirs.We have not transgressed in our testimony; for we should bewrongdoers if we did so."

By this procedure, it is more likely that they will bear truewitness or at least fear that their oaths could be contradictedby subsequent oaths. Have fear of Allah and listen; Allah doesnot guide to those who are disobedient transgressors.

even though he had no authority over them. It all happenedbecause We wanted to see who among them believed in the hereafterand who is in doubt concerning it. Your Rabb is watching over allthings.

Have you not heard the story of the warriors

of Fir'on (Pharaoh) and of Thamud?

Yet the unbelievers persist in denying the truth,

although Allah has encircled them from all around.

If they deny you O Muhammad, remember that before them the peopleof Nuh (Noah), 'Ad and Thamud;

So did Thamud, the people of Lut and those of Aiykah (the peopleof Median) - all divided themselves into factions;

all charged their Rasools as liars, so just was my torment ofannihilating them.

The Thamud and the 'Ad people denied the striking calamity.

As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Thunderbolt.

As for 'Ad they were destroyed by a furious windstorm

- which He let loose on them for seven nights and eightsuccessive days. Had you been there, you would have seen themlying prostrate as though they were hollow trunks of thepalm-trees.

Now, do you see any of them alive?

The people of Thamud disbelieved Our warning,

saying: "Are we to follow a human who stands alone among us? Thatwould surely be an error and madness.

Was he the only person among us to receive this warning? Nay! Heis indeed an insolent liar."

To Our Rasool Saleh, We said: "Tomorrow they shall find out whois an insolent liar.

We are going to send the she-camel as a trial for them.Therefore, watch them and have patience.

Tell them that the water must be shared between them and theshe-camel, and each will come to the water at its own turn.

At last the people of Thamud called out to one of theircompanions, who took the responsibility and hamstrung her.

Then how terrible was My scourge and how clear My warning!

We let loose on them one mighty blast and they became like thetrampled twigs used by a fence builder.

The people of Thamud disbelieved Our warning,

saying: "Are we to follow a human who stands alone among us? Thatwould surely be an error and madness.

Was he the only person among us to receive this warning? Nay! Heis indeed an insolent liar."

To Our Rasool Saleh, We said: "Tomorrow they shall find out whois an insolent liar.

We are going to send the she-camel as a trial for them.Therefore, watch them and have patience.

Tell them that the water must be shared between them and theshe-camel, and each will come to the water at its own turn.

At last the people of Thamud called out to one of theircompanions, who took the responsibility and hamstrung her.

Then how terrible was My scourge and how clear My warning!

We let loose on them one mighty blast and they became like thetrampled twigs used by a fence builder.

Now if they turn away, say to them: "I have given you warning ofa thunderbolt, like the thunderbolt which struck Ad and Thamud."

When their Rasools came to them from before and from behind,saying: "Worship none but Allah." They replied: "If our Rabbwanted to send us a message, He would certainly have sent downangels, so we categorically deny the message with which you aresent."

As for `Ad, they conducted themselves with arrogance in the landwithout any justification and said: "Who is stronger than us inmight?" Could they not see that Allah Who created them, wasmightier than them? Yet they continued to reject Our revelations.

So, over a few ill-omened days, We let loose on them a furioushurricane to make them taste a shameful scourge in this life, butmore shameful still will be the punishment of the hereafter, andthey shall have none to help them.

As for Thamud, We offer them Our guidance, but they preferred toremain blind rather than to receive guidance towards the RightWay; so the thunderbolt of humiliating scourge seized them fortheir misdeeds,

but We saved those who believed and had the fear of Allah.

The Thamud and the 'Ad people denied the striking calamity.

As for Thamud, they were destroyed by the Thunderbolt.

As for 'Ad they were destroyed by a furious windstorm

- which He let loose on them for seven nights and eightsuccessive days. Had you been there, you would have seen themlying prostrate as though they were hollow trunks of thepalm-trees.

Now, do you see any of them alive?

Male or female, whoever is guilty of theft, cut off the hand(that was used in theft) of either of them as a punishment fortheir crime. This is exemplary punishment ordained by Allah.Allah is Mighty, Wise.

But whoever repents after committing the crime and reforms hisconduct, Allah will surely turn to him with forgiveness. Allah isForgiving, Merciful.

O believers, spend in Allah's Way the best portion of the wealthyou have lawfully earned and that which We have produced for youfrom the earth, and do not pick out for charity those worthlessthings that you yourselves would not accept but with closed eyes.Bear in mind that Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.

If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe to write downthe transaction, then transect your business by taking possessionof a pledge. If one of you entrust another with a pledge, let thetrustee deliver the pledged property to its owner, and let himfear Allah, his Rabb. Do not conceal testimony, and whoeverconceals it, his heart is surely sinful. Allah is aware of allyour actions.

O believers! Do not make unlawful those wholesome things whichAllah has made lawful for you. Do not transgress; Allah does notlove the transgressors.

The mushrikin say: "If Allah wanted, neither we nor ourforefathers would have worshipped any one else but Him, nor madeanything unlawful without His will." Such excuses were putforward also by those who went before them. Yet Rasools have nomore responsibility than to convey the Message clearly.

O Prophet! Why do you make something unlawful, which Allah hasmade lawful to you in seeking to please your wives? Allah isForgiving, Merciful.

Allah has already given you absolution from such oaths. Allah isyour Master and He is the Knowledgeable, the Wise.

Fight those people of the Book (Jews and Christians) who do notbelieve in Allah and the Last Day, do not refrain from what hasbeen prohibited by Allah and His Rasool and do not embrace thereligion of truth (Al-Islam), until they pay Jizya (protectiontax) with their own hands and feel themselves subdued.

Do you not know that Allah is aware of all that is in heaven andthe earth? Certainly all of this is recorded in a Book and it isvery easy for Allah to do so.

O believers! Do not ask questions about things that if revealedto you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask a question aboutsomething when the Qur'an is being revealed, it will be madeknown to you. Allah has forgiven you what you did to date, Allahis Forgiving, Forbearing.

Some people before you did ask such questions and later losttheir faith because of those very things.

Say: I seek refuge with the Rabb of the dawn

from the mischief of all that He has created;

those who break Allah's Covenant after accepting it, and who cutaside what Allah has ordered to be united and cause mischief onearth. It is they who are the losers.

so that they may witness the benefits which are made availablehere for them, and pronounce the name of Allah over the cattlewhich We have provided as food for them, on the appointed days,then eat meat themselves and feed the indigent and needy.

This thought of yours, which you entertained concerning yourRabb, has brought you to destruction and now you have become ofthose who are utterly lost."

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.

Say: "I do not claim that I possess the treasures of Allah, orthat I know the unseen nor do I claim that I am an angel. What Isay is, that I follow only that which is revealed to me." Askthem: "Are the blind and the seeing alike? Why don't you think?"

Behold! They cover up their chests to conceal their thoughts fromHim! Beware! Even when they cover themselves with their garments,He knows what they conceal and what they reveal; for He knowseven the inmost secrets of the chests.

O believers! If you fear Allah He will grant you a criterion (tojudge between right and wrong), do away with your sins andforgive you. Allah is the Lord of Mighty Grace.

Indeed your Rabb knows what their breasts conceal and what theyreveal.

Nor there is any secret in heaven or on earth which is notrecorded in a clear Book.

Your Rabb knows all that they conceal in their hearts and allthat they reveal.

O believers! Let your servants and those children who have notyet attained puberty ask your permission before coming in to seeyou on three occasions: before Fajr Salah (dawn prayer), at noonwhen you put off your clothes, and after the Isha Salah (nightprayer). These are your three times of privacy. At other times,there is no blame on you if you, or they, go around visiting oneanother. Thus Allah makes His revelations clear to you, for Allahis All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Has it not been the case that every time they made a covenant agroup of them threw it aside? But the fact is that most of themare faithless.

For every parent and relative We have appointed the rightfulheirs to inherit what they leave. As for those with whom you havemade firm agreements, give them their share. Surely Allah is aWitness to everything.