The Clear Quran: A Thematic English Translation: English Only

by Anonymous

surely God is not in need of ˹any of His˺ creation.

103. And hold firmly together to the rope of God149 and do not be divided.

105. And do not be like those who split ˹into sects˺ and differed after clear proofs had come to them. It is they who will suffer a tremendous punishment.

110. You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in God. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious.

They can never inflict harm on you, except a little annoyance.150 But if they meet you in battle, they will flee and they will have no helpers. 112. They will be stricken with disgrace wherever they go, unless they are protected by a covenant with God or a treaty with the people. They have invited the displeasure of God and have been branded with misery for rejecting God’s revelations and murdering ˹His˺ prophets unjustly. This is ˹a fair reward˺ for their disobedience and violations.

113. Yet they are not all alike: there are some among the People of the Book who are upright, who recite God’s revelations throughout the night, prostrating ˹in prayer˺. 114. They believe in God and the Last Day, encourage good and forbid evil, and race with one another in doing good. They are ˹truly˺ among the righteous. 115. They will never be denied the reward for any good they have done. And God has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of those mindful ˹of Him˺.

Their prejudice has become evident from what they say—and what their hearts hide is far worse.

Here you are! You love them but they do not love you, and you believe in all Scriptures. When they meet you they say, “We believe.” But when alone, they bite their fingertips in rage. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “˹May you˺ die of your rage!” Surely God knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart. 120.

123. Indeed, God made you victorious at Badr when you were ˹vastly˺ outnumbered. So be mindful of God, perhaps you will be grateful.

128. You ˹O Prophet˺ have no say in the matter.152 It is up to God to turn to them in mercy or punish them, for indeed they are wrongdoers. 129. To God ˹alone˺ belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. He forgives whoever He wills, and punishes whoever He wills.

˹They are˺ those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And God loves the good-doers. 135. ˹They are˺ those who, upon committing an evil deed or wronging themselves, remember God and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except God?—and they do not knowingly persist in wrongdoing.

139. Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are ˹true˺ believers. 140. If you have suffered injuries ˹at Uḥud˺, they suffered similarly ˹at Badr˺. We alternate these days ˹of victory and defeat˺ among people so that God may reveal the ˹true˺ believers, choose martyrs from among you—and God does not like the wrongdoers—

146. ˹Imagine˺ how many devotees fought along with their prophets and never faltered despite whatever ˹losses˺ they suffered in the cause of God, nor did they weaken or give in! God loves those who persevere.

“Even if you were to remain in your homes, those among you who were destined to be killed would have met the same fate.” Through this, God tests what is within you and purifies what is in your hearts. And God knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.

“If they had stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed.” God makes such thinking a cause of agony in their hearts. It is God who gives life and causes death. And God is All-Seeing of what you do.

Whether you die or are martyred—all of you will be gathered before God.

160. If God helps you, none can defeat you. But if He denies you help, then who else can help you? So in God let the believers put their trust.

So what you suffered on the day the two armies met was by God’s Will, so that He might distinguish the ˹true˺ believers 167. and expose the hypocrites.

169. Never think of those martyred in the cause of God as dead. In fact, they are alive with their Lord, well provided for— 170. rejoicing in God’s bounties and being delighted for those yet to join them. There will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve. 171. They are joyful for receiving God’s grace and bounty, and that God does not deny the reward of the believers.

Those who were warned, “Your enemies have mobilized their forces against you, so fear them,” the warning only made them grow stronger in faith and they replied, “God ˹alone˺ is sufficient ˹as an aid˺ for us and ˹He˺ is the best Protector.” 174. So they returned with God’s favours and grace, suffering no harm. For they sought to please God. And surely God is ˹the˺ Lord of infinite bounty. 175. That ˹warning˺ was only ˹from˺ Satan, trying to prompt you to fear his followers.159 So do not fear them; fear Me if you are ˹true˺ believers.

God would not leave the believers in the condition you were in, until He distinguished the good from the evil ˹among you˺.

180. And do not let those who ˹greedily˺ withhold God’s bounties think it is good for them—in fact, it is bad for them!

185. Every soul will taste death. And you will only receive your full reward on the Day of Judgment.

the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment.

186. You ˹believers˺ will surely be tested in your wealth and yourselves,163 and you will certainly hear many hurtful words from those who were given the Scripture before you and ˹from˺ the polytheists. But if you are patient and mindful ˹of God˺—surely this is a resolve to aspire to.

˹They are˺ those who remember God while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth ˹and pray˺, “Our Lord! You have not created ˹all of˺ this without purpose. Glory be to You!

“I will never deny any of you—male or female—the reward of your deeds. Both are equal in reward. Those who migrated or were expelled from their homes, and were persecuted for My sake and fought and ˹some˺ were martyred—I will certainly forgive their sins and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow, as a reward from God. And with God is the finest reward!”

196. Do not be deceived by the prosperity of the disbelievers throughout the land. 197. It is only a brief enjoyment.

199. Indeed, there are some among the People of the Book who truly believe in God and what has been revealed to you ˹believers˺ and what was revealed to them. They humble themselves before God—never trading God’s revelations for a fleeting gain. Their reward is with their Lord.

O believers! Patiently endure, persevere, stand on guard,165 and be mindful of God, so you may be successful.

2. Give orphans their wealth ˹when they reach maturity˺, and do not exchange your worthless possessions for their valuables, nor cheat them by mixing their wealth with your own. For this would indeed be a great sin.

17. God only accepts the repentance of those who commit evil ignorantly ˹or recklessly˺ then repent soon after180—God will pardon them. And God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 18. However, repentance is not accepted from those who knowingly persist in sin until they start dying, and then cry, “Now I repent!” nor those who die as disbelievers.

O believers! Do not devour one another’s wealth illegally, but rather trade by mutual consent. And do not kill ˹each other or˺ yourselves. Surely God is ever Merciful to you.

31. If you avoid the major sins forbidden to you, We will absolve you of your ˹lesser˺ misdeeds and admit you into a place of honour.

Men will be rewarded according to their deeds and women ˹equally˺ according to theirs.

34. Men are the caretakers of women, as men have been provisioned by God over women and tasked with supporting them financially.

Some Jews take words out of context and say, “We listen and we disobey,” “Hear! May you never hear,” and “Râ’ina!”—playing with words and discrediting the faith.

God has condemned them for their disbelief, so they do not believe except for a few.

Let those who would sacrifice this life for the Hereafter fight in the cause of God. And whoever fights in God’s cause—whether they achieve martyrdom or victory—We will honour them with a great reward. 75. And what is it with you? You do not fight in the cause of God and for oppressed men, women, and children who cry out, “Our Lord! Deliver us from this land of oppressors! Appoint for us a saviour; appoint for us a helper—all by Your grace.”

“The enjoyment of this world is so little, whereas the Hereafter is far better for those mindful ˹of God˺.

Whatever good befalls you is from God and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself.206 We

Reflecting on the Quran 82. Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Had it been from anyone other than God, they would have certainly found in it many inconsistencies.

You are accountable for none but yourself.

Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share in the reward, and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in the burden.

Why are you ˹believers˺ divided into two groups regarding the hypocrites while God allowed them to regress ˹to disbelief˺ because of their misdeeds? Do you wish to guide those left by God to stray? And whoever God leaves to stray, you will never find for them a way. 89. They wish you would disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so you may all be alike. So do not take them as allies unless they emigrate in the cause of God.

do not take any of them as allies or helpers,208 90. except those who are allies of a people you are bound with in a treaty or those wholeheartedly opposed to fighting either you or their own people.

And do not say to those who offer you ˹greetings of˺ peace, “You are no believer!”—seeking

When you travel through the land, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer213—

111. And whoever commits a sin—it is only to their own loss.

135. O believers! Stand firm for justice as witnesses for God even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or close relatives. Be they rich or poor, God is best to ensure their interests. So do not let your desires cause you to deviate ˹from justice˺.