Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. ولما جاءهم كتاب من عند الله مصدق لما معهم وكانوا من قبل يستفتحون على الذين كفروا فلما جاءهم ما عرفوا كفروا به فلعنة الله على الكافرين

   89

   And when there came to them a Book from Allah, confirming that which is with them—and earlier they would pray for victory over the pagans—so when there came to them what they recognized, they denied it. So may the curse of Allah be on the faithless!

   wa-lammā jāʾahum kitābun min ʿindi llāhi muṣaddiqun li-mā maʿahum wa-kānū min qablu yastaftiḥūna ʿalā lladhīna kafarū fa-lammā jāʾahum mā ʿarafū kafarū bihī fa-laʿnatu llāhi ʿalā l-kāfirīna

2. بئسما اشتروا به أنفسهم أن يكفروا بما أنزل الله بغيا أن ينزل الله من فضله على من يشاء من عباده فباءوا بغضب على غضب وللكافرين عذاب مهين

   90

   Evil is that for which they have sold their souls, by defying what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should bestow His grace on any of His servants that He wishes. Thus, they earned wrath upon wrath, and there is a humiliating punishment for the faithless.

   biʾsamā shtaraw bihī ʾanfusahum ʾan yakfurū bi-mā ʾanzala llāhu baghyan ʾan yunazzila llāhu min faḍlihī ʿalā man yashāʾu min ʿibādihī fa-bāʾū bi-ghaḍabin ʿalā ghaḍabin wa-li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhābun muhīnun

3. وإذا قيل لهم آمنوا بما أنزل الله قالوا نؤمن بما أنزل علينا ويكفرون بما وراءه وهو الحق مصدقا لما معهم قل فلم تقتلون أنبياء الله من قبل إن كنتم مؤمنين

   91

   And when they are told, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us,’ and they disbelieve what is besides it, though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, ‘Then why would you kill the prophets of Allah formerly, should you be faithful?’

   wa-ʾidhā qīla lahum ʾāminū bi-mā ʾanzala llāhu qālū nuʾminu bi-mā ʾunzila ʿalaynā wa-yakfurūna bi-mā warāʾahū wa-huwa l-ḥaqqu muṣaddiqan li-mā maʿahum qul fa-li-ma taqtulūna ʾanbiyāʾa llāhi min qablu ʾin kuntum muʾminīna

4. ولقد جاءكم موسى بالبينات ثم اتخذتم العجل من بعده وأنتم ظالمون

   92

   Certainly Moses brought you manifest proofs, but then you took up the Calf in his absence and you were wrongdoers.

   wa-la-qad jāʾakum mūsā bi-l-bayyināti thumma ttakhadhtumu l-ʿijla min baʿdihī wa-ʾantum ẓālimūna

5. وإذ أخذنا ميثاقكم ورفعنا فوقكم الطور خذوا ما آتيناكم بقوة واسمعوا قالوا سمعنا وعصينا وأشربوا في قلوبهم العجل بكفرهم قل بئسما يأمركم به إيمانكم إن كنتم مؤمنين

   93

   And when We took covenant with you and raised the Mount above you, [declaring], ‘Hold on with power to what We have given you, and do listen!’ They said, ‘We hear, and disobey,’ and their hearts had been imbued with [the love of] the Calf, due to their unfaith. Say, ‘Evil is that to which your faith prompts you, should you be faithful!’

   wa-ʾidh ʾakhadhnā mīthāqakum wa-rafaʿnā fawqakumu ṭ-ṭūra khudhū mā ʾātaynākum bi-quwwatin wa-smaʿū qālū samiʿnā wa-ʿaṣaynā wa-ʾushribū fī qulūbihimu l-ʿijla bi-kufrihim qul biʾsa-mā yaʾmurukum bihī ʾīmānukum ʾin kuntum muʾminīna