Sūra V.: Māïda, or The Table Spread.

Section 14

101. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tas-aloo AAan ashyaa in tubda lakum tasu/kum wa-in tas-aloo AAanha heena yunazzalu alqur-anu tubda lakum AAafa Allahu AAanha waAllahu ghafoorun haleemun

101. 104 O ye who believe!
Ask not questions
About things which,
If made plain to you,
May cause you trouble.
But if ye ask about things
When the Qur-ān is being
Revealed, they will be
Made plain to you,
God will forgive those:
For God is Oft-forgiving,
Most Forbearing.

102. Qad saalaha qawmun min qablikum thumma asbahoo biha kafireena

102. 105 Some people before you
Did ask such questions,
And on that account
Lost their faith.

103. Ma jaAAala Allahu min baheeratin wala sa-ibatin wala waseelatin wala hamin walakinna allatheena kafaroo yaftaroona AAala Allahi alkathiba waaktharuhum la yaAAqiloona

103. 106 It was not God
Who instituted (superstitions
Like those of) a slit-ear
She-camel, or a she-camel
Let loose for free pasture,
Or idol sacrifices for
Twin-births in animals,
Or stallion-camels
Freed from work
It is blasphemers
Who Invent a lie
Against God; but most
Of them lack wisdom.

104. Wa-itha qeela lahum taAAalaw ila ma anzala Allahu wa-ila alrrasooli qaloo hasbuna ma wajadna AAalayhi abaana awa law kana abaohum la yaAAlamoona shay-an wala yahtadoona

104. 107 When it is said to them:
"Come to what God
Hath revealed; come
To the Apostle":
They say: "Enough for us
Are the ways we found
Our fathers following."
What! even though their fathers
Were void of knowledge
And guidance?

105. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo AAalaykum anfusakum la yadurrukum man dalla itha ihtadaytum ila Allahi marjiAAukum jameeAAan fayunabbi-okum bima kuntum taAAmaloona

105. 108 O ye who believe!
Guard your own souls:
If ye follow (right) guidance,
No hurt can come to you
From those who stray.
The goal of you all
Is to God: it is He
That will show you
The truth of all
That ye do.

106. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo shahadatu baynikum itha hadara ahadakumu almawtu heena alwasiyyati ithnani thawa AAadlin minkum aw akharani min ghayrikum in antum darabtum fee al-ardi faasabatkum museebatu almawti tahbisoonahuma min baAAdi alssalati fayuqsimani biAllahi ini irtabtum la nashtaree bihi thamanan walaw kana tha qurba wala naktumu shahadata Allahi inna ithan lamina al-athimeena

106. 109 O ye who believe!
When death approaches
Any of you, (take) witnesses
Among yourselves when making
Bequests,—two just men
Of your own (brotherhood)
Or others from outside
If ye are journeying
Through the earth,
And the chance of death
Befalls you (thus).
If ye doubt (their truth),
Detain them both
After prayer, and let them both
Swear by God:
"We wish not in this
For any worldly gain,
Even though the (beneficiary)
Be our near relation:
We shall hide not
The evidence before God:
If we do, then behold!
The sin be upon us!"

107. Fa-in AAuthira AAala annahuma istahaqqa ithman faakharani yaqoomani maqamahuma mina allatheena istahaqqa AAalayhimu al-awlayani fayuqsimani biAllahi lashahadatuna ahaqqu min shahadatihima wama iAAtadayna inna ithan lamina alththalimeena

107. 110 But if it gets known
That these two were guilty
Of the sin (of perjury),
Let two others stand forth
In their places,—nearest
In kin from among those
Who claim a lawful right:
Let them swear by God:
"We affirm that our witness
Is truer than that
Of those two, and that we
Have not trespassed (beyond
The truth): if we did,
Behold! the wrong be
Upon us!"

108. Thalika adna an ya/too bialshshahadati AAala wajhiha aw yakhafoo an turadda aymanun baAAda aymanihim waittaqoo Allaha waismaAAoo waAllahu la yahdee alqawma alfasiqeena

108. 111 That is most suitable:
That they may give the evidence
In its true nature and shape,
Or else they would fear
That other oaths would be
Taken after their oaths.
Hut fear God, and listen
(To His counsel): for God
Guideth not a rebellious people:

Next: Section 15 (109-115)