The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

7: 162
The Heights 105
what the foolish among us have done? This is only a trial from You –
through it, You cause whoever You will to stray and guide whoever
You will – and You are our Protector, so forgive us and have
mercy on us. You are the best of those who forgive. 156 Grant us good
things in this world and in the life to come. We turn to You.’ God
said, ‘I bring My punishment on whoever I will, but My mercy
encompasses all things.
‘I shall ordain My mercy for those who are conscious of God and
pay the prescribed alms; who believe in Our Revelations; 157 who
follow the Messenger – the unlettered a prophet they find described
in the Torah that is with them, and in the Gospel – who commands
them to do right and forbids them to do wrong, who makes good
things lawful to them and bad things unlawful, and relieves them of
their burdens, and the iron collars b that were on them. So it is those
who believe him, honour and help him, and who follow the light
which has been sent down with him, who will succeed.’ 158 Say
[Muhammad], ‘People, I am the Messenger of God to you all,
from Him who has control over the heavens and the earth. There
is no God but Him; He gives life and death, so believe in God and
His Messenger, the unlettered prophet who believes in God and His
words, and follow him so that you may find guidance.’
159 There is a group among the people of Moses who guide with
truth, and who act justly according to it. 160 We divided them into
twelve tribes [as distinct] communities, and, when his people asked
him for water, inspired Moses to strike the rock with his staff [so
that] twelve springs gushed out. Each tribe knew its own drinking
place; We gave them the shade of clouds and sent down to them
manna and quails [saying], ‘Eat the good things We have provided for
you.’ They did not wrong Us; it was themselves they wronged.
161 When they were told, ‘Enter this town and eat freely there as you
will, but say, “Relieve us!” and enter its gate humbly: then We shall
forgive you your sins, and increase the reward of those who do good,’
162 the wrongdoers among them substituted another saying for that
which had been given them, so We sent them a punishment from
heaven for their wrongdoing.
a Ummi can mean ‘unlettered’ or ‘gentile’.
b Cf. 6: 146. This reference is said by interpreters to refer to the difficult obligations
imposed on the Children of Israel.