The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

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The Quran 2: 114
knowledge say the same; God will judge between them on the Day of
Resurrection concerning their differences.
114 Who could be more wicked than those who prohibit the
mention of God’s name in His places of worship a and strive to have
them deserted? Such people should not enter them without fear:
there is disgrace for them in this world and painful punishment
in the Hereafter. 115 The East and the West belong to God: wherever
you turn, there is His Face. b God is all pervading and all knowing.
116 They c have asserted, ‘God has a child.’ May He be exalted! No!
Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him, everything
devoutly obeys His will. 117 He is the Originator of the heavens and
the earth, and when He decrees something, He says only, ‘Be,’ and it
is. 118 Those who have no knowledge also say, ‘If only God would
speak to us!’ or ‘If only a miraculous sign would come to us!’
People before them said the same things: their hearts are all alike. We
have made Our signs clear enough to those who have solid faith.
119 We have sent you [Prophet] with the truth, bearing good news and
warning. You will not be responsible for the inhabitants of the Blaze.
120 The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you unless
you follow their ways. Say, ‘God’s guidance is the only true guidance.’
If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has
come to you, you would find no one to protect you from God or help
you. 121 Those to whom We have given the Scripture, who follow it as
it deserves, d are the ones who truly believe in it. Those who deny its
truth will be the losers.
122 Children of Israel, remember how I blessed you and favoured
you over other people, 123 and beware of a Day when no soul can
stand in for another. No compensation will be accepted from it,
nor intercession be of use to it, nor will anyone be helped. 124 When
Abraham’s Lord tested him with certain commandments, which
he fulfilled, He said, ‘I will make you a leader of people.’ Abraham
asked, ‘And will You make leaders from my descendants too?’ God
answered, ‘My pledge does not hold for those who do evil.’
a Razi suggests that this probably alludes to the Jews’ objections to the change of
qibla (direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Mecca and their efforts to stop people
praying towards Mecca in the Prophet’s mosque in Medina (see 2: 115 and 142).
b Or ‘His direction’.
c Razi suggests that this refers to the pagan Arabs (see 16: 57) and (some of ) the
Christians and Jews (see 9: 30).
d This can also mean ‘who read it as it ought to be read’.