The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

23: 71
The Believers 217
destroyed them one after the other and made them into cautionary
tales. Away with the disbelievers!
45 Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron, with Our signs and
clear authority, 46 to Pharaoh and his prominent leaders, but they
responded with arrogance: they were a haughty people. 47 They said,
‘Are we to believe in two mortals like us? And their people are our
servants?’ 48 and so they called them both liars: they became another
ruined people. 49 We gave Moses the Scripture, so that they a might
be rightly guided. 50 We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign;
We gave them shelter on a peaceful hillside with flowing water. b
51 Messengers, eat good things and do good deeds: I am well aware
of what you do. 52 This community of yours is one – and I am your
Lord: be mindful of Me – 53 but they have split their community into
sects, each rejoicing in their own. 54 So [Muhammad] leave them for a
while steeped [in their ignorance]. 55 Do they reckon that, by giving
them wealth and sons, 56 We race to give them good things? They
really have no idea! 57 Those who stand in awe of their Lord, 58 who
believe in His messages, 59 who do not ascribe partners to Him, 60 who
always give with hearts that tremble at the thought that they must
return to Him, 61 are the ones who race toward good things, and they
will be the first to get them. 62 We do not burden any soul with more
than it can bear – We have a Record that tells the truth – they will
not be wronged. 63 But the disbelievers’ hearts are steeped [in ignorance
of ] all this; and there are other things besides this that they
do. 64 When We bring Our punishment on those corrupted with
wealth, they will cry for help: 65 ‘Do not cry out today: you will get
no help from Us. 66 Time and time again My messages were recited
to you, but you turned arrogantly on your heels, 67 and spent the
evening making fun of [the Quran].’
68 Have they not contemplated the Word of God? Has something
come to them that did not come to their forefathers? 69 Do they not
recognize their Messenger? So why do they reject him? 70 Why do
they say he is possessed? He has brought them the truth and most of
them hate it, 71 but if the truth were in accordance with their desires,
the heavens, the earth, and everyone in them would disintegrate.
We have brought them their Reminder and they turn away from it.
a ‘His people’––Moses was given the Scripture later, so ‘they’ only refers to the
children of Israel.
b Where Mary gave birth; see 19: 22–6.