البقرة
The Cow
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
balā man kasaba sayyi-atan wa-aḥāṭat bihi khaṭīatuhu fa-ulāika aṣḥābu l-nāri hum fīhā khālidūna
Yes, [on the contrary], whoever earns evil and his sin has encompassed him - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
wa-alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti ulāika aṣḥābu l-janati hum fīhā khālidūna
But they who believe and do righteous deeds - those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.
wa-idh akhadhnā mīthāqa banī is'rāīla lā taʿbudūna illā l-laha wabil-wālidayni iḥ'sānan wadhī l-qur'bā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni waqūlū lilnnāsi ḥus'nan wa-aqīmū l-ṣalata waātū l-zakata thumma tawallaytum illā qalīlan minkum wa-antum muʿ'riḍūna
And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allāh; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakāh." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.
wa-idh akhadhnā mīthāqakum lā tasfikūna dimāakum walā tukh'rijūna anfusakum min diyārikum thumma aqrartum wa-antum tashhadūna
And [recall] when We took your covenant, [saying], "Do not shed your [i.e., each other's] blood or evict one another from your homes." Then you acknowledged [this] while you were witnessing.
thumma antum hāulāi taqtulūna anfusakum watukh'rijūna farīqan minkum min diyārihim taẓāharūna ʿalayhim bil-ith'mi wal-ʿud'wāni wa-in yatūkum usārā tufādūhum wahuwa muḥarramun ʿalaykum ikh'rājuhum afatu'minūna bibaʿḍi l-kitābi watakfurūna bibaʿḍin famā jazāu man yafʿalu dhālika minkum illā khiz'yun fī l-ḥayati l-dun'yā wayawma l-qiyāmati yuraddūna ilā ashaddi l-ʿadhābi wamā l-lahu bighāfilin ʿammā taʿmalūna
Then, you are those [same ones who are] killing one another and evicting a party of your people from their homes, cooperating against them in sin and aggression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their eviction was forbidden to you. So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? Then what is the recompense for those who do that among you except disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection they will be sent back to the severest of punishment. And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.
ulāika alladhīna ish'tarawū l-ḥayata l-dun'yā bil-ākhirati falā yukhaffafu ʿanhumu l-ʿadhābu walā hum yunṣarūna
Those are the ones who have bought the life of this world [in exchange] for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be aided.
walaqad ātaynā mūsā l-kitāba waqaffaynā min baʿdihi bil-rusuli waātaynā ʿīsā ib'na maryama l-bayināti wa-ayyadnāhu birūḥi l-qudusi afakullamā jāakum rasūlun bimā lā tahwā anfusukumu is'takbartum fafarīqan kadhabtum wafarīqan taqtulūna
And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel]. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.
waqālū qulūbunā ghul'fun bal laʿanahumu l-lahu bikuf'rihim faqalīlan mā yu'minūna
And they said, "Our hearts are wrapped." But, [in fact], Allāh has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe.
walammā jāahum kitābun min ʿindi l-lahi muṣaddiqun limā maʿahum wakānū min qablu yastaftiḥūna ʿalā alladhīna kafarū falammā jāahum mā ʿarafū kafarū bihi falaʿnatu l-lahi ʿalā l-kāfirīna
And when there came to them a Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] from Allāh confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers.
bi'samā ish'taraw bihi anfusahum an yakfurū bimā anzala l-lahu baghyan an yunazzila l-lahu min faḍlihi ʿalā man yashāu min ʿibādihi fabāū bighaḍabin ʿalā ghaḍabin walil'kāfirīna ʿadhābun muhīnun
How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allāh has revealed through [their] outrage that Allāh would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment.
wa-idhā qīla lahum āminū bimā anzala l-lahu qālū nu'minu bimā unzila ʿalaynā wayakfurūna bimā warāahu wahuwa l-ḥaqu muṣaddiqan limā maʿahum qul falima taqtulūna anbiyāa l-lahi min qablu in kuntum mu'minīna
And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allāh has revealed," they say, "We believe [only] in what was revealed to us." And they disbelieve in what came after it, while it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, "Then why did you kill the prophets of Allāh before, if you are [indeed] believers?"
walaqad jāakum mūsā bil-bayināti thumma ittakhadhtumu l-ʿij'la min baʿdihi wa-antum ẓālimūna
And Moses had certainly brought you clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in worship] after that, while you were wrongdoers.
wa-idh akhadhnā mīthāqakum warafaʿnā fawqakumu l-ṭūra khudhū mā ātaynākum biquwwatin wa-is'maʿū qālū samiʿ'nā waʿaṣaynā wa-ush'ribū fī qulūbihimu l-ʿij'la bikuf'rihim qul bi'samā yamurukum bihi īmānukum in kuntum mu'minīna
And [recall] when We took your covenant and raised over you the mount, [saying], "Take what We have given you with determination and listen." They said [instead], "We hear and disobey." And their hearts absorbed [the worship of] the calf because of their disbelief. Say, "How wretched is that which your faith enjoins upon you, if you should be believers."
qul in kānat lakumu l-dāru l-ākhiratu ʿinda l-lahi khāliṣatan min dūni l-nāsi fatamannawū l-mawta in kuntum ṣādiqīna
Say, [O Muḥammad], "If the home of the Hereafter with Allāh is for you alone and not the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful."
walan yatamannawhu abadan bimā qaddamat aydīhim wal-lahu ʿalīmun bil-ẓālimīna
But never will they wish for it, ever, because of what their hands have put forth. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
walatajidannahum aḥraṣa l-nāsi ʿalā ḥayatin wamina alladhīna ashrakū yawaddu aḥaduhum law yuʿammaru alfa sanatin wamā huwa bimuzaḥziḥihi mina l-ʿadhābi an yuʿammara wal-lahu baṣīrun bimā yaʿmalūna
And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for life - [even] more than those who associate others with Allāh. One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.
qul man kāna ʿaduwwan lijib'rīla fa-innahu nazzalahu ʿalā qalbika bi-idh'ni l-lahi muṣaddiqan limā bayna yadayhi wahudan wabush'rā lil'mu'minīna
Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - it is [none but] he who has brought it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down upon your heart, [O Muḥammad], by permission of Allāh, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers."
man kāna ʿaduwwan lillahi wamalāikatihi warusulihi wajib'rīla wamīkāla fa-inna l-laha ʿaduwwun lil'kāfirīna
Whoever is an enemy to Allāh and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allāh is an enemy to the disbelievers.
walaqad anzalnā ilayka āyātin bayyinātin wamā yakfuru bihā illā l-fāsiqūna
And We have certainly revealed to you verses [which are] clear proofs, and no one would deny them except the defiantly disobedient.
awakullamā ʿāhadū ʿahdan nabadhahu farīqun min'hum bal aktharuhum lā yu'minūna
Is it not [true] that every time they took a covenant a party of them threw it away? But, [in fact], most of them do not believe.