Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. واتبعوا ما تتلو الشياطين على ملك سليمان وما كفر سليمان ولكن الشياطين كفروا يعلمون الناس السحر وما أنزل على الملكين ببابل هاروت وماروت وما يعلمان من أحد حتى يقولا إنما نحن فتنة فلا تكفر فيتعلمون منهما ما يفرقون به بين المرء وزوجه وما هم بضارين به من أحد إلا بإذن الله ويتعلمون ما يضرهم ولا ينفعهم ولقد علموا لمن اشتراه ما له في الآخرة من خلاق ولبئس ما شروا به أنفسهم لو كانوا يعلمون

   102

   And they followed what the devils pursued during Solomon’s reign —and Solomon was not faithless but it was the devils who were faithless—teaching the people magic and what was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut, who would not teach anyone without telling [him], ‘We are only a test, so do not be faithless.’ But they would learn from those two that with which they would cause a split between man and his wife—though they could not harm anyone with it except with Allah’s leave. They would learn that which would harm them and bring them no benefit; though they certainly knew that anyone who buys it has no share in the Hereafter. Surely, evil is that for which they sold their souls, had they known!

   wa-ttabaʿū mā tatlū sh-shayāṭīnu ʿalā mulki sulaymāna wa-mā kafara sulaymānu wa-lākinna sh-shayāṭīna kafarū yuʿallimūna n-nāsa s-siḥra wa-mā ʾunzila ʿalā l-malakayni bi-bābila hārūta wa-mārūta wa-mā yuʿallimāni min ʾaḥadin ḥattā yaqūlā ʾinnamā naḥnu fitnatun fa-lā takfur fa-yataʿallamūna minhumā mā yufarriqūna bihī bayna l-marʾi wa-zawjihī wa-mā hum bi-ḍārrīna bihī min ʾaḥadin ʾillā bi-ʾidhni llāhi wa-yataʿallamūna mā yaḍurruhum wa-lā yanfaʿuhum wa-la-qad ʿalimū la-mani shtarāhu mā lahū fī l-ʾākhirati min khalāqin wa-la-biʾsa mā sharaw bihī ʾanfusahum law kānū yaʿlamūna

2. ولو أنهم آمنوا واتقوا لمثوبة من عند الله خير لو كانوا يعلمون

   103

   Had they been faithful and Godwary, the reward from Allah would have been better, had they known!

   wa-law ʾannahum ʾāmanū wa-ttaqaw la-mathūbatun min ʿindi llāhi khayrun law kānū yaʿlamūna

3. يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تقولوا راعنا وقولوا انظرنا واسمعوا وللكافرين عذاب أليم

   104

   O you who have faith! Do not say Ra‘ina, but say Unzurna, and listen! And there is a painful punishment for the faithless.

   yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū lā taqūlū rāʿinā wa-qūlū nẓurnā wa-smaʿū wa-li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhābun ʾalīmun

4. ما يود الذين كفروا من أهل الكتاب ولا المشركين أن ينزل عليكم من خير من ربكم والله يختص برحمته من يشاء والله ذو الفضل العظيم

   105

   Neither the faithless from among the People of the Book nor the idolaters like that any good be showered on you from your Lord; but Allah singles out for His mercy whomever He wishes, and Allah is dispenser of a mighty grace.

   mā yawaddu lladhīna kafarū min ʾahli l-kitābi wa-lā l-mushrikīna ʾan yunazzala ʿalaykum min khayrin min rabbikum wa-llāhu yakhtaṣṣu bi-raḥmatihī man yashāʾu wa-llāhu dhū l-faḍli l-ʿaẓīmi