The Holy Qur'an - Sūra IX: Repentance or Immunity. Part 2

 

Sūra IX: Tauba (Repentance) or Barāat (Immunity). 

SECTION 2.

            7. How can there be a league,
                Before God and His Apostle,
                With the Pagans, except those
                With whom ye made a treaty
                Near the Sacred Mosque?
                As long as these stand true
                To you, stand ye true to them:
                For God doth love the righteous.

 

            8. How (can there be such a league),
                Seeing that if they get an advantage
                Over you, they respect not
                In you the ties either of kinship

                Or of covenant? With (fair words

                From) their mouths they entice you,
                But their hearts are averse
                From you; and most of them
                Are rebellious and wicked.

 

            9. The Signs of God have they sold
                For a miserable price,
                And (many) have they hindered
                From His Way: evil indeed
                Are the deeds they have done.

 

          10. In a Believer they respect not
               The ties either of kinship
               Or of covenant! It is they
               Who have transgressed all bounds.

 

          11. But (even so), if they repent,
               Establish regular prayers,
               And practise regular charity,—
              They are your brethren in Faith:
              (Thus) do We explain the Signs
               in detail, for those who understand.

 

        12.  But if they violate their oaths
              After their covenant,
              And taunt you for your Faith,—
              Fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith:
              For their oaths are nothing to them:
              That thus they may be restrained.

 

        13. Will ye not fight people
              Who violated their oaths,

              Plotted to expel the Apostle,

              And took the aggressive
              By being the first (to assault) you?
              Do ye fear them? Nay,
              It is God Whom ye should
              More justly fear, if ye believe!

 

        14. Fight them, and God will
             Punish them by your hands,
             Cover them with shame,
             Help you (to victory) over them,
             Heal the breasts of Believers,

 

       15.  And still the indignation of their hearts!
             For God will turn (in mercy)
             To whom He will; and God
             Is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

 

       16. Or think ye that ye
            Shall be abandoned,
            As though God did not know'
            Those among you who strive
            With might and main, and take
            None for friends and protectors
            Except God, His Apostle,
            And the (community of) Believers?
            But God is well-acquainted
            With (all) that ye do.

 

(to be continued)

The Holy Quran, translated by Yusuf Ali, p. 440-443  

Source: sacred-texts.com