Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. وقالوا كونوا هودا أو نصارى تهتدوا قل بل ملة إبراهيم حنيفا وما كان من المشركين

   135

   They say, ‘Be either Jews or Christians, that you may be [rightly] guided.’ Say, ‘No, rather, [we will follow] the creed of Abraham, a Hanif, and he was not one of the polytheists.’

   wa-qālū kūnū hūdan ʾaw naṣārā tahtadū qul bal millata ʾibrāhīma ḥanīfan wa-mā kāna mina l-mushrikīna

2. قولوا آمنا بالله وما أنزل إلينا وما أنزل إلى إبراهيم وإسماعيل وإسحاق ويعقوب والأسباط وما أوتي موسى وعيسى وما أوتي النبيون من ربهم لا نفرق بين أحد منهم ونحن له مسلمون

   136

   Say, ‘We have faith in Allah and what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus were given, and that which the prophets were given from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them and to Him do we submit.’

   qūlū ʾāmannā bi-llāhi wa-mā ʾunzila ʾilaynā wa-mā ʾunzila ʾilā ʾibrāhīma wa-ʾismāʿīla wa-ʾisḥāqa wa-yaʿqūba wa-l-ʾasbāṭi wa-mā ʾūtiya mūsā wa-ʿīsā wa-mā ʾūtiya n-nabiyyūna min rabbihim lā nufarriqu bayna ʾaḥadin minhum wa-naḥnu lahū muslimūna

3. فإن آمنوا بمثل ما آمنتم به فقد اهتدوا وإن تولوا فإنما هم في شقاق فسيكفيكهم الله وهو السميع العليم

   137

   So if they believe in the like of what you believe in, then they are surely guided; but if they turn away, then [know that] they are only [steeped] in defiance. Allah will suffice you against them, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

   fa-ʾin ʾāmanū bi-mithli mā ʾāmantum bihī fa-qadi htadaw wa-ʾin tawallaw fa-ʾinnamā hum fī shiqāqin fa-sa-yakfīkahumu llāhu wa-huwa s-samīʿu l-ʿalīmu

4. صبغة الله ومن أحسن من الله صبغة ونحن له عابدون

   138

   ‘The baptism of Allah, and who baptizes better than Allah? And Him do we worship.’

   ṣibghata llāhi wa-man ʾaḥsanu mina llāhi ṣibghatan wa-naḥnu lahū ʿābidūna

5. قل أتحاجوننا في الله وهو ربنا وربكم ولنا أعمالنا ولكم أعمالكم ونحن له مخلصون

   139

   Say, ‘Will you argue with us concerning Allah, while He is our Lord and your Lord, and to us belong our deeds, and to you belong your deeds, and we worship Him dedicatedly?’

   qul ʾa-tuḥājjūnanā fī llāhi wa-huwa rabbunā wa-rabbukum wa-lanā ʾaʿmālunā wa-lakum ʾaʿmālukum wa-naḥnu lahū mukhliṣūna

6. أم تقولون إن إبراهيم وإسماعيل وإسحاق ويعقوب والأسباط كانوا هودا أو نصارى قل أأنتم أعلم أم الله ومن أظلم ممن كتم شهادة عنده من الله وما الله بغافل عما تعملون

   140

   [Ask them,] ‘Do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes were Jews or Christians?’ Say, ‘Is it you who know better, or Allah?’ And who is a greater wrongdoer than someone who conceals a testimony that is with him from Allah? And Allah is not oblivious of what you do.

   ʾam taqūlūna ʾinna ʾibrāhīma wa-ʾismāʿīla wa-ʾisḥāqa wa-yaʿqūba wa-l-ʾasbāṭa kānū hūdan ʾaw naṣārā qul ʾa-ʾantum ʾaʿlamu ʾami llāhu wa-man ʾaẓlamu mimman katama shahādatan ʿindahū mina llāhi wa-mā llāhu bi-ghāfilin ʿammā taʿmalūna

7. تلك أمة قد خلت لها ما كسبت ولكم ما كسبتم ولا تسألون عما كانوا يعملون

   141

   That was a nation that has passed: for it there will be what it has earned, and for you there will be what you have earned, and you will not be questioned about what they used to do.

   tilka ʾummatun qad khalat lahā mā kasabat wa-lakum mā kasabtum wa-lā tusʾalūna ʿammā kānū yaʿmalūna