and their upholding wearies Him not. He is All-High, All- Glorious.
(256) There is no compulsion in religion.89 The Right Way stands clearly distinguished from the wrong. Hence he who rejects the evil ones90 and believes in Allah has indeed taken hold of the firm, unbreakable handle. And Allah (Whom he has held for support) is All-Hearing, All- Knowing. (257) Allah is the Guardian of those who believe, He brings them out of every darkness into light. And those who disbelieve, their guardians are the evil ones;91 they bring them out of light into all kinds of darkness. These are destined for the Fire, and there shall they abide.
89 The verse means that the Islamic system, embracing belief, morals and practical conduct cannot be enforced by compulsion. These are not things to which people can be yoked forcibly.
90 Literally taghut (pl. tawaghit) means anyone who exceeds his legitimate limits. In the Qur’anic terminology, however, it refers to the creature who exceeds the limits of his creatureliness and arrogates to himself Godhead and lordship.
91 Here taghut (see n. 90 above) has a plural connotation. This implies that by turning away from God a man is subjected not to the tyranny of one, but to the tyranny of many tawaghit (evil ones).
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Al-Baqarah 2: 258–9
(258) Did you not consider the case of the person who remonstrated with Abraham92 about who was Abraham’s Lord just because Allah had granted him dominion? When Abraham said: “My Lord is He Who grants life and causes death,” he replied: “I grant life and I cause death.” Abraham said: “But surely Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; now you cause it to rise from the west.” Thereupon the denier of the Truth was confounded. Allah does not direct the wrong-doers to the Right Way.
(259) Or consider him by way of example who passed by a town that was fallen down upon its turrets. He exclaimed: “How will Allah restore life to this town that is now dead?” Allah then caused him to remain dead for a hundred years and then raised him to life, and asked him: “How long did you remain in this state?” He replied: “I remained so for a day or a part of a day.” ▶
92 Here the reference is to Nimrod, the ruler of the land of Abraham’s birth, Iraq.
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Al-Baqarah 2: 260
Allah rejoined: “No, you have rather stayed thus for a hundred years. But look at your food and your drink, there is no deterioration in them. And look at your ass (how its entire skeleton has rotted)! And We did all this so that We might make you a token of instruction for people. And see how We will put the bones (of the ass) together and will clothe them with flesh.” Thus when the reality became clear to him, he said: “I know that Allah has power over everything.”
(260) And recal l when Abraham said: “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead,” Allah said: “Why! Do you have no faith?” Abraham replied: “Yes, but in order that my heart be at rest.”93 He said: “Then take four birds, and tame them to yourself, then put a part of them on every hill, and summon them; they will come to you flying. Know well that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”
93 That is, the rest and inner peace that one attains as a result of direct personal observation.
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Al-Baqarah 2: 261–4
(261) The example of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is like that of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, and in every ear there are a hundred grains. Thus Allah multiplies the action of whomsoever He wills. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing. (262) Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah and do not follow up their spending by stressing their benevolence and causing hurt, will find their reward secure with their Lord. They have no cause for fear and grief. (263) To speak a kind word and to forgive people’s faults is better than charity followed by hurt. Allah is All-Sufficient, All- Forbearing. (264) Believers! Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen by people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. The example of his spending is that of a rock with a thin coating of earth upon it: when a heavy rain smites it, the earth is washed away, leaving the rock bare; ▶
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Al-Baqarah 2: 265–6
such people derive no gain from their acts of charity. Allah does not set the deniers of the Truth on the Right Way.94 (265) The example of those who spend their wealth single- mindedly to please Allah is that of a garden on a high ground. If a heavy rain smites it, it brings forth its fruits twofold, and if there is no heavy rain, even a light shower suffices it. Allah sees all that you do.
(266) Would any of you desire that he should have a garden of palms and vines with rivers flowing beneath it – a garden in which he has every manner of fruit – and that it should then be struck by a fiery whirlwind and be utterly burnt down at a time when old age has overtaken him, and his offspring are still too small to look after their affairs?95 ▶
94 Here the term kafir is used in the sense of the ungrateful person who refuses to acknowledge the benevolence of his benefactor.
95 It is obvious that a man does not like to see that the earnings of his lifetime are destroyed when he is stricken with age and needs them badly and is no longer in a position to earn them. How is it, then, that he can contemplate stepping into the realm of the Hereafter and finding suddenly that he is empty-handed; that he has sown nothing whose fruit he can harvest?
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Al-Baqarah 2: 267–70
Thus does Allah make His teachings clear to you that you may reflect.
(267) Believers! Spend (in the Way of Allah) out of the good things you have earned and out of what We have produced for you from the earth, and choose not for your spending the bad things such as you yourselves would not accept or accept only by overlooking its defects. Know well that Allah is All- Munificent, Most Praise- worthy. (268) Satan frightens you with poverty and bids you to commit indecency whereas Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounty. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing. (269) He grants wisdom to those whom He wills; and whoever is granted wisdom has indeed been granted much good. Yet none except people of understanding take heed.
(270) Allah knows whatever you spend or whatever you vow (to spend).96 ▶
96 “Vow” means either a man’s pledge to spend something or to perform some act of goodness which is not obligatory upon him provided that a particular wish of his is fulfilled. It is essential, however, that this vow, should relate to some wish which is in itself permissible and good and that the person concerned makes
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Al-Baqarah 2: 271–3