Part 277

Yet, after this, will God be turned to whom He pleaseth; for God is Gracious, Merciful!

O Believers! only they who join gods with God are unclean! Let them not, therefore, after this their year, come near the sacred Temple. And if ye fear want,9 God, if He please, will enrich you of His abundance: for God is Knowing, Wise.

Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God, or in the last day, and who forbid not that which God and His Apostle have forbidden, and who profess not the profession of the truth, until they pay tribute out of hand,10 and they be humbled.11

The Jews say, "Ezra (Ozair) is a son of God";12 and the Christians say, "The Messiah is a son of God." Such the sayings in their mouths! They resemble the saying of the Infidels of old! God do battle with them! How are they misguided!

They take their teachers, and their monks, and the Messiah, son of Mary, for Lords13 beside God, though bidden to worship one God only. There is no God but He! Far from His glory be what they associate with Him!

Fain would they put out God's light with their mouths: but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the Infidels abhor it.

He it is who hath sent His Apostle with the Guidance and a religion of the truth, that He may make it victorious14 over every other religion, albeit they who assign partners to God be averse from it.

O Believers! of a truth, many of the teachers and monks do devour man's substance in vanity, and turn them from the Way of God. But to those who treasure up gold and silver and expend it not in the Way of God, announce tidings of a grievous torment.

On that day their treasures shall be heated in hell fire, and their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs, shall be branded with them. . . . "This is what ye have treasured up for yourselves: taste, therefore, your treasures!"

Twelve months is the number of months with God,15 according to God's book, since the day when He created the Heavens and the Earth: of these four are sacred: this is the right usage: But wrong not yourselves therein; attack those who join gods with God in all, as they attack you in all: and know that God is with those who fear Him.

To carry over a sacred month to another, is only a growth of infidelity. The Infidels are led into error by it. They allow it one year, and forbid it another, that they may make good the number of months which God hath hallowed, and they allow that which God hath prohibited. The evil of their deeds hath been prepared for them by Satan: for God guideth not the people who do not believe.

O Believers! what possessed you, that when it was said to you, "March forth on the Way of God," ye sank heavily earthwards? What! prefer ye the life of this world to the next? But the fruition of this mundane life, in respect of that which is to come, is but little.16

Unless ye march forth, with a grievous chastisement will He chastise you; and He will place another people in your stead, and ye shall in no way harm Him: for over everything is God potent.

If ye assist not your Prophet . . . God assisted him formerly, when the unbelievers drove him forth, in company with a second only!17 when they two were in the cave; when the Prophet said to his companion, "Be not distressed; verily, God is with us." And God sent down His tranquillity upon him, and strengthened him with hosts ye saw not, and made the word of those who believed not the abased, and the word of God was the exalted: for God is Mighty, Wise.

March ye forth the light and heavy armed,18 and contend with your substance and your persons on the Way of God. This, if ye know it, will be better for you.

Had there been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed thee; but the way seemed long to them.19 Yet will they swear by God, "Had we been able, we had surely gone forth with you:" they are self- destroyers! And God knoweth that they are surely liars!

God forgive thee! Why didst thou give them leave to stay behind, ere they who make true excuses had become known to thee, and thou hadst known the liars?

They who believe in God and in the last day will not ask leave of thee to be exempt from contending with their substance and their persons. But God knoweth those who fear Him!

They only will ask thy leave who believe not in God and the last day, and whose hearts are full of doubts, and who are tossed up and down in their doubtings.

Moreover, had they been desirous to take the field, they would have got ready for that purpose the munitions of war.20 But God was averse to their marching forth, and made them laggards; and it was said, "Sit ye at home with those who sit."

Had they taken the field with you, they would only have added a burden to you, and have hurried about among you, stirring you up to sedition; and some there are among you who would have listened to them: and God knoweth the evil doers.

Of old aimed they at sedition, and deranged thy affairs, until the truth arrived, and the behest of God became apparent, averse from it though they were.

Some of them say to thee, "Allow me to remain at home, and expose me not to the trial." Have they not fallen into a trial already? But verily, Hell shall environ the Infidels!

If a success betide thee, it annoyeth them: but if a reverse betide thee, they say, "We took our own measures before:" and they turn their backs and are glad.

SAY: Nothing can befall us but what God hath destined21 for us. Our liege- lord is He; and on God let the faithful trust!

SAY: Await ye for us, other than one of the two best things?22 But we await for you the infliction of a chastisement by God, from himself, or at our hands. Wait ye then; we verily will wait with you.

SAY: Make ye your offerings willingly or by constraint; it cannot be accepted from you, because ye are a wicked people:

And nothing hindreth the acceptance of their offerings, but that they believe not in God and His Apostle, and discharge not the duty of prayer but with sluggishness, and make not offerings but with reluctance.