Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) in English

1. في الدنيا والآخرة ويسألونك عن اليتامى قل إصلاح لهم خير وإن تخالطوهم فإخوانكم والله يعلم المفسد من المصلح ولو شاء الله لأعنتكم إن الله عزيز حكيم

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   about the world and the Hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans. Say, ‘It is better to set right their affairs, and if you intermingle with them, they are of course your brothers: Allah knows those who cause corruption from those who set things right, and had Allah wished He would have put you to hardship.’ Indeed Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.

   fī d-dunyā wa-l-ʾākhirati wa-yasʾalūnaka ʿani l-yatāmā qul ʾiṣlāḥun lahum khayrun wa-ʾin tukhāliṭūhum fa-ʾikhwānukum wa-llāhu yaʿlamu l-mufsida mina l-muṣliḥi wa-law shāʾa llāhu la-ʾaʿnatakum ʾinna llāha ʿazīzun ḥakīmun

2. ولا تنكحوا المشركات حتى يؤمن ولأمة مؤمنة خير من مشركة ولو أعجبتكم ولا تنكحوا المشركين حتى يؤمنوا ولعبد مؤمن خير من مشرك ولو أعجبكم أولئك يدعون إلى النار والله يدعو إلى الجنة والمغفرة بإذنه ويبين آياته للناس لعلهم يتذكرون

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   Do not marry idolatresses until they embrace faith. A faithful slave girl is better than an idolatress, though she should impress you. And do not marry [your daughters] to idolaters until they embrace faith. A faithful slave is better than an idolater, though he should impress you. Those invite [others] to the Fire, but Allah invites to paradise and pardon, by His will, and He clarifies His signs for the people so that they may take admonition.

   wa-lā tankiḥū l-mushrikāti ḥattā yuʾminna wa-la-ʾamatun muʾminatun khayrun min mushrikatin wa-law ʾaʿjabatkum wa-lā tunkiḥū l-mushrikīna ḥattā yuʾminū wa-la-ʿabdun muʾminun khayrun min mushrikin wa-law ʾaʿjabakum ʾulāʾika yadʿūna ʾilā n-nāri wa-llāhu yadʿū ʾilā l-jannati wa-l-maghfirati bi-ʾidhnihī wa-yubayyinu ʾāyātihī li-n-nāsi laʿallahum yatadhakkarūna

3. ويسألونك عن المحيض قل هو أذى فاعتزلوا النساء في المحيض ولا تقربوهن حتى يطهرن فإذا تطهرن فأتوهن من حيث أمركم الله إن الله يحب التوابين ويحب المتطهرين

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   They ask you concerning [intercourse during] menses. Say, ‘It is hurtful.’ So keep away from wives during the menses, and do not approach them till they are clean. And when they become clean, go into them as Allah has commanded you. Indeed Allah loves the penitent and He loves those who keep clean.

   wa-yasʾalūnaka ʿani l-maḥīḍi qul huwa ʾadhan fa-ʿtazilū n-nisāʾa fī l-maḥīḍi wa-lā taqrabūhunna ḥattā yaṭhurna fa-ʾidhā taṭahharna fa-ʾtūhunna min ḥaythu ʾamarakumu llāhu ʾinna llāha yuḥibbu t-tawwābīna wa-yuḥibbu l-mutaṭahhirīna

4. نساؤكم حرث لكم فأتوا حرثكم أنى شئتم وقدموا لأنفسكم واتقوا الله واعلموا أنكم ملاقوه وبشر المؤمنين

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   Your women are a tillage for you, so come to your tillage whenever you like, and send ahead for your souls, and be Godwary, and know that you will encounter Him; and give good news to the faithful.

   nisāʾukum ḥarthun lakum fa-ʾtū ḥarthakum ʾannā shiʾtum wa-qaddimū li-ʾanfusikum wa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʿlamū ʾannakum mulāqūhu wa-bashshiri l-muʾminīna

5. ولا تجعلوا الله عرضة لأيمانكم أن تبروا وتتقوا وتصلحوا بين الناس والله سميع عليم

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   Do not make Allah an obstacle, through your oaths, to being pious and Godwary, and to bringing about concord between people. And Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.

   wa-lā tajʿalū llāha ʿurḍatan li-ʾaymānikum ʾan tabarrū wa-tattaqū wa-tuṣliḥū bayna n-nāsi wa-llāhu samīʿun ʿalīmun