²⁰⁰ And when you have concluded your rites,¹ remember God like your remembrance² of your fathers,³ or with stronger remembrance.⁴ And among men is he who says: “Our Lord: give Thou to us in the World,” and he has no portion in the Hereafter.

²⁰¹ And among them is he who says: “Our Lord: give Thou to us in the World good, and in the Hereafter good, and protect Thou us from the punishment of the Fire.”

²⁰² Those have a portion¹ from what they earned; and God is swift in reckoning.

²⁰³ And remember God during days numbered.¹ And whoso makes haste in two days, no sin² is upon him; and whoso tarries, no sin³ is upon him — for him who is in prudent fear;⁴ and be in prudent fear⁵ of God, and know that to Him you will be gathered.

²⁰⁴ And among men is he whose speech concerning the life of this world impresses thee, and he calls God as witness to what is in his heart; and he is the most contentious of debaters.¹

²⁰⁵ And when he turns away, he strives in the land working corruption therein and destroying tilth and progeny;¹ and God loves not corruption.

²⁰⁶ And when it is said to him: “Be thou in prudent fear¹ of God,” pride² in his sin³ takes him. And sufficient for him is Gehenna; an evil resting-place.

²⁰⁷ And among men is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of God; and God is kind to His servants.¹

²⁰⁸ O you who heed warning:¹ enter into surrender² completely, and follow not the footsteps of the satan;³ he is to you an open enemy.

²⁰⁹ But if you slip after the clear signs have come to you, then know that God is exalted in might and wise.

²¹⁰ Look they save for God to come to them in shadows of the clouds, and the angels? But the matter is concluded,¹ and to God are matters² returned.

²¹¹ Ask thou the children of Israel how many a clear proof¹ We gave them. And whoso changes the favour of God² after it has come to him: God is severe in retribution.

²¹² Made fair is the life of this world for those who ignore warning;¹ and they deride those who heed warning.² But those who are in prudent fear³ will be above them on the Day of Resurrection. And God gives provision to whom He wills without reckoning.⁴

²¹³ Mankind was one community; then God raised up prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and sent down with them the Writ¹ with the truth,² that He might judge between men concerning that wherein they differed. And there differed therein only those who were given it, after clear signs had come to them, through sectarian zealotry³ between them. But God guided those who heeded warning⁴ to that of the truth⁵ concerning which they differed, by His leave; and God guides whom He wills to a straight path.

²¹⁴ If¹ you think that you will enter the Garden when there has not come to you the like² of those who passed away before you:³ affliction and adversity touched them, and they were shaken until the Messenger and those who heeded warning⁴ with him said: “When is the help of God?”⁵ In truth,⁶ the help of God is near.

²¹⁵ They ask thee what they should spend. Say thou: “Whatever you spend of good for parents and relatives, and the fatherless,¹ and the needy, and the wayfarer,[...].² And whatever you do of good, God knows it.”

²¹⁶ Fighting is prescribed for you,¹ though² it be hateful to you. And it may be that you hate a thing and it is good for you; and it may be that you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God knows, and you know not.

²¹⁷ They ask thee about the inviolable month,¹ fighting therein;² say thou: “Fighting therein is grave, but turning away from³ the path of God, and denial of Him⁴ and the inviolable place of worship,⁵ and the expulsion of its people therefrom is graver in the sight of God; and means of denial⁶ is worse than killing.”⁷ And they will not cease to fight you until they turn you from your doctrine,⁸ if they are able; and whoso among you turns from his doctrine,⁹ and dies a false claimer of guidance:¹⁰ those, their works are vain in the World and in the Hereafter; and those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide eternally.

²¹⁸ Those who heed warning,¹ and those who emigrate and strive in the cause of God: those hope for the mercy of God; and God is forgiving and merciful.

²¹⁹ They ask thee about wine and games of chance. Say thou: “In both is great sin,¹ and benefits for men; but their sin² is greater than their benefit.” And they ask thee what they should spend. Say thou: “The surplus.”³ Thus does God make plain⁴ to you the proofs,⁵ that you might reflect

²²⁰ Upon the World and the Hereafter. And they ask thee about the fatherless.¹ Say thou: “Improvement for them is best.” And if you associate with them, then are they your brothers. And God knows the worker of corruption from the doer of right. And had God willed, He would have caused distress for you;² God is exalted in might and wise.

²²² And they ask thee about menstruation. Say thou: “It is a hindrance;¹ so keep away from women during menstruation, and approach them not until they are clean. And when they have purified themselves, then approach them in what manner² God has commanded you; God loves those who repent and loves those who purify themselves.

²²³ “Your women are a tilth for you; so come to your tilth as you will, and send ahead for your souls; and be in prudent fear¹ of God, and know that you will meet Him.”² And bear thou glad tidings to the believers.³

²²⁴ And make not God a cover for your oaths, to keep you from virtue and prudent fear¹ and making right between men. And God is hearing and knowing.

²²⁵ God will not take you to task for the vain speech in your oaths, but He will take you to task for what your hearts earned.¹ And God is forgiving and clement.

²²⁶ For those who forswear their women is a wait of four months;¹ but if they return,² then God is forgiving and merciful.

²²⁷ And if they decide on divorce,¹ then God is hearing and knowing.

²²⁸ And divorced women shall wait by themselves three menstrual courses; and it is not lawful for them to conceal what God has created in their wombs, if they believe in¹ God and the Last Day. And their husbands are worthier² to take them back during that³ if they desire right ordering.⁴ And due to women⁵ is the like⁶ of what is due from them, according to what is fitting,⁷ but men have a degree⁸ over them.⁹ And God is exalted in might and wise.

²²⁹ Divorce is twice. Then retaining according to what is fitting,¹ or releasing with good conduct. And it is not lawful for you to take of what you have given women² unless they³ fear⁴ that they⁵ cannot uphold the limits of God. Then if you⁶ fear⁷ that they⁸ cannot uphold the limits of God, they⁹ do no wrong¹⁰ concerning that whereby she ransoms herself.¹¹ Those are the limits of God, so transgress them not. And whoso transgresses the limits of God, it is they who are the wrongdoers.¹²

²³⁰ And if he has divorced her,¹ she is not lawful to him thereafter until she marries a spouse other than him. Then if he² divorces her, they³ do no wrong⁴ to return to each other, if they⁵ think that they⁶ can uphold the limits of God. And those are the limits of God; He makes them plain⁷ for people who know.

²³¹ And when you divorce women, and they have reached their term, then retain them according to what is fitting¹ or release them according to what is fitting.² And retain them not through harm, to transgress; and whoso does that has wronged himself. And take not the proofs³ of God in mockery; and remember the favour of God upon you, and what He has sent down to you of the Writ⁴ and wisdom⁵ whereby He admonishes you. And be in prudent fear⁶ of God, and know that God knows all things.

²³² And when you divorce women, and they have reached their term, then constrain them not from marrying their spouses when they have come to terms according to what is fitting.¹ By that is admonished whoso among you believes in² God and the Last Day; that is purer and cleaner for you; and God knows, and you know not.

²³³ And mothers shall suckle their children two complete years, for such as wish to complete the suckling. And upon the father is their¹ provision and their² clothing, according to what is fitting.³ No soul is burdened save to its capacity. A mother shall not be hurt by her child, nor a father by his child. And upon the heir is the like of that.⁴ And if they⁵ desire weaning by mutual consent and consultation between them,⁶ then they⁷ do no wrong.⁸ And if you desire to seek one to suckle your children, then you do no wrong⁹ when you deliver¹⁰ what you have brought according to what is fitting.¹¹ And be in prudent fear¹² of God, and know that God sees what you do.

²³⁴ And those of you who die and leave behind wives: they¹ shall wait by themselves four months² and ten.³ And when they⁴ have reached their term, then you do no wrong⁵ in what they⁶ do concerning themselves according to what is fitting.⁷ And God is aware of what you do.

²³⁵ And you do no wrong¹ in what you intimate to women of proposal, or hide within yourselves; God knows that you will remember them.² But make not nor take an oath with them³ secretly save that you speak a fitting⁴ word.⁵ And do not decide upon the knot of marriage until the writ⁶ reaches its term.⁷ And know that God knows what is within your souls, so fear Him. And know that God is forgiving and clement.

²³⁶ You do no wrong¹ if you divorce women when you have neither touched them nor appointed for them an obligation.² But make them a gift: the wealthy according to his means, and the straitened according to his means; a provision according to what is fitting³ is binding upon⁴ the doers of good.

²³⁷ And if you divorce them before you have touched them and you have already appointed for them an obligation,¹ then half of what you appointed² unless they forgo it, or he in whose hand is the knot of marriage forgoes it;³ and that you forgo is nearer to prudent fear.⁴ And forget not bounty between you, God sees what you do.

²³⁸ Preserve the duties¹ — and the median² duty³ — and stand up for⁴ God, humbly obedient;⁵

²³⁹ And if you fear,¹ then walking or riding.² But when you are secure, then remember God as He taught you what you knew not.

²⁴⁰ And those among you who die and leave wives is a bequest for their wives: provision for a year without expulsion. But if they go forth,¹ you do no wrong² in what they do concerning themselves according to what is fitting;³ and God is exalted in might and wise.

²⁴¹ And for divorced women provision according to what is fitting¹ is binding upon² those of prudent fear.³

²⁴² Thus does God make plain¹ to you His proofs,² that you might use reason.³

²⁴³ Hast thou not considered¹ those who went forth² from their habitations in their thousands,³ fearing death? And God said to them: “Die”; then gave He them life. God is bountiful to mankind, but most men are not grateful.

²⁴⁴ And fight in the cause of God, and know that God is hearing and knowing.

²⁴⁵ Who is it that will lend to God a goodly loan¹ that He might multiply it by many multiples for him? And God constricts and expands; and to Him will you be returned.

²⁴⁶ Hast thou not considered¹ the eminent ones of the children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs: “Raise thou up for us a king; we will fight in the cause of God,” he said: “Would you, if fighting be prescribed for you, not fight?” They said: “And why should we not fight in the cause of God when we have been turned out of our homes, and our children?” But when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away save a few of them. And God knows the wrongdoers.²

²⁴⁷ And their prophet said to them: “God has raised up for you Saul¹ as king.” They said: “How can he have dominion over us when we are worthier² of dominion than he, when he has not been given abundance of wealth?” He said: “God has chosen him over you, and increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature.” And God gives His dominion to whom He wills; and God is encompassing and knowing.

²⁴⁸ And their prophet said to them: “A proof¹ of his dominion is that there will come to you the chest² wherein is tranquillity from your Lord, and a remnant of what the house of Moses and the house of Aaron³ left,⁴ borne⁵ by angels; in that is a proof⁶ for you, if you be believers.”⁷

²⁴⁹ Then when Saul¹ set out with the forces, he said: “God will try you with a river, so whoso drinks thereof is not of me; and whoso tastes it not is of me save he who scoops up a handful with his hand.” But they drank thereof save a few of them. Then when he had crossed it, he and those who heeded warning² with him, they said: “We have not power this day against Goliath³ and his forces.” Said those who knew that they should meet God: “How many a small host has overcome a mighty host by the leave of God! And God is with the patient.”⁴