Sūra II.: Baqara, or the Heifer.

Section 36

261. Mathalu allatheena yunfiqoona amwalahum fee sabeeli Allahi kamathali habbatin anbatat sabAAa sanabila fee kulli sunbulatin mi-atu habbatin waAllahu yudaAAifu liman yashao waAllahu wasiAAun AAaleemun

261. The parable of those
Who spend their substance
In the way of God is that
Of a grain of corn: it groweth
Seven ears, and each ear
Hath a hundred grains.
God giveth manifold increase
To whom He pleaseth:
And God careth for all
And He knoweth all things

262. Allatheena yunfiqoona amwalahum fee sabeeli Allahi thumma la yutbiAAoona ma anfaqoo mannan wala athan lahum ajruhum AAinda rabbihim wala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoona

262. Those who spend
Their substance in the cause
Of God, and follow not up
Their gifts with reminders
Of their generosity
Or with injury,—for them
Their reward is with their Lord:
On them shall be no fear,
Nor shall they grieve.

263. Qawlun maAAroofun wamaghfiratun khayrun min sadaqatin yatbaAAuha athan waAllahu ghaniyyun haleemun

263. Kind words
And the covering of faults
Are better than charity
Followed by injury.
God is Free of all wants,
And He is most Forbearing.

264. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tubtiloo sadaqatikum bialmanni waal-atha kaallathee yunfiqu malahu ri-aa alnnasi wala yu/minu biAllahi waalyawmi al-akhiri famathaluhu kamathali safwanin AAalayhi turabun faasabahu wabilun fatarakahu saldan la yaqdiroona AAala shay-in mimma kasaboo waAllahu la yahdee alqawma alkafireena

264. O ye who believe!
Cancel not your charity
By reminders of your generosity
Or by injury,—like those
Who spend their substance
To be seen of men,
But believe neither
In God nor in the Last Day.
They are in Parable like a hard,
Barren rock, on which
Is a little soil: on it
Falls heavy rain,
Which leaves it
(Just) a bare stone.
They will be able to do nothing
With aught they have earned.
And God guideth not
Those who reject faith.

265. Wamathalu allatheena yunfiqoona amwalahumu ibtighaa mardati Allahi watathbeetan min anfusihim kamathali jannatin birabwatin asabaha wabilun faatat okulaha diAAfayni fa-in lam yusibha wabilun fatallun waAllahu bima taAAmaloona baseerun

265. And the likeness of those
Who spend their substance,
Seeking to please God
And to strengthen their souls,
Is as a garden, high
And fertile: heavy rain
Falls on it but makes it yield
A double increase
Of harvest, and if it receives not
Heavy rain, light moisture
Sufficeth it. God seeth well
Whatever ye do.

266. Ayawaddu ahadukum an takoona lahu jannatun min nakheelin waaAAnabin tajree min tahtiha al-anharu lahu feeha min kulli alththamarati waasabahu alkibaru walahu thurriyyatun duAAafao faasabaha iAAsarun feehi narun faihtaraqat kathalika yubayyinu Allahu lakumu al-ayati laAAallakum tatafakkaroona

266. Does any of you wish
That he should have a garden
With date-palms and vines
And streams flowing
Underneath, and all kinds
Of fruit, while he is stricken
With old age, and his children
Are not strong (enough
To look after themselves)—
That it should be caught
In a whirlwind,
With fire therein,
And be burnt up?
Thus doth God make clear
To you (His) Signs;
That ye may consider.

Next: Section 37 (267-273)