1 Alim. Lam. Mim.
2 Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal.
Trivia:
3:1-32
3 He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.
Allah revealed the Quran to you (Muhammad), which confirms what he previously revealed in the Torah and the Gospel. [1]
4 Aforetime, for a guidance to mankind; and hath revealed the Criterion (of right and wrong). Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a heavy doom. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).
5 Lo! nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.
6 He it is Who fashioneth you in the wombs as pleaseth Him. There is no God save Him, the Almighty, the Wise.
Those who disbelieve in Allah's revelations will face a heavy doom.
7 He it is Who hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture wherein are clear revelations - they are the substance of the Book - and others (which are) allegorical. But those in whose hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking (to cause) dissension by seeking to explain it. None knoweth its explanation save Allah. And those who are of sound instruction say: We believe therein; the whole is from our Lord; but only men of understanding really heed.
8 Our Lord! Cause not our hearts to stray after Thou hast guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Thy Presence. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Bestower.
9 Our Lord! Lo! it is Thou Who gatherest mankind together to a Day of which there is no doubt. Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.
Some scriptures are allegorical and some are not.
No one understands the allegorical stuff except for Allah.
10 (On that Day) neither the riches nor the progeny of those who disbelieve will aught avail them with Allah. They will be fuel for Fire.
Those who disbelieve will be fuel for Allah's fire.
11 Like Pharaoh's folk and those who were before them, they disbelieved Our revelations and so Allah seized them for their sins. And Allah is severe in punishment.
When Pharaoh's folk who disbelieved, Allah punished them with a severe punishment. [2]
12 Say (O Muhammad) unto those who disbelieve: Ye shall be overcome and gathered unto Hell, an evil resting-place.
Disbelievers are going to hell.
13 There was a token for you in two hosts which met: one army fighting in the way of Allah, and another disbelieving, whom they saw as twice their number, clearly, with their very eyes. Thus Allah strengtheneth with His succour whom He will. Lo! herein verily is a lesson for those who have eyes.
14 Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.
There a battle between muslims and disbelievers.
One side saw that the other side had twice as many soldiers.
There's a lesson here for those who have eyes. [3]
15 Say: Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who keep from evil, with their Lord, are Gardens underneath which rivers flow wherein they will abide, and pure companions, and contentment from Allah. Allah is Seer of His bondmen,
Those who avoid evil in this life will live in an underground garden with flowing rivers, with their Lord and pure companions. [4]
16 Those who say: Our Lord! Lo! we believe. So forgive us our sins and guard us from the punishment of Fire;
17 The steadfast, and the truthful, and the obedient, those who spend (and hoard not), those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night.
18 Allah (Himself) is Witness that there is no God save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witness). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no God save Him the Almighty, the Wise.
Those who believe say, "Guard us from the punishment of fire."
19 Lo! religion with Allah (is) the Surrender (to His Will and Guidance). Those who (formerly) received the Scripture differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among themselves. Whoso disbelieveth the revelations of Allah (will find that) lo! Allah is swift at reckoning.
Non-muslims will be swifly punished by Allah for their nonbelief.
20 And if they argue with thee, (O Muhammad), say: I have surrendered my purpose to Allah and (so have) those who follow me. And say unto those who have received the Scripture and those who read not: Have ye (too) surrendered? If they surrender, then truly they are rightly guided, and if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to convey the message (unto them). Allah is Seer of (His) bondmen.
Only those who surrender to Allah are rightly guided.
21 Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, and slay the prophets wrongfully, and slay those of mankind who enjoin equity: promise them a painful doom.
22 Those are they whose works have failed in the world and the Hereafter; and they have no helpers.
23 Hast thou not seen how those who have received a portion of the Scripture invoke the Scripture of Allah (in their disputes) that it may judge between them; then a faction of them turn away, being opposed (to it)?
Disbelievers will have a painful doom.
24 That is because they say: The Fire will not touch us save for a certain number of days. That which they used to invent hath deceived them regarding their religion.
25 How (will it be with them) when We have brought them all together to a Day of which there is no doubt, when every soul will be paid in full what it hath earned, and they will not be wronged.
26 Say: O Allah! Owner of Sovereignty! Thou givest sovereignty unto whom Thou wilt, and Thou withdrawest sovereignty from whom Thou wilt. Thou exaltest whom Thou wilt, and Thou abasest whom Thou wilt. In Thy hand is the good. Lo! Thou art Able to do all things.
Disbelievers say,
The fire will only burn us for a certain number of days.
(But they are wrong about that. They will burn forever.)
27 Thou causest the night to pass into the day, and Thou causest the day to pass into the night. And Thou bringest forth the living from the dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living. And Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou choosest, without stint.
You (Allah) make dead people live and live people dead.
28 Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security. Allah biddeth you beware (only) of Himself. Unto Allah is the journeying.
29 Say, (O Muhammad): Whether ye hide that which is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knoweth it. He knoweth that which is in the heavens and that which is in the earth, and Allah is Able to do all things.
30 On the Day when every soul will find itself confronted with all that it hath done of good and all that it hath done of evil (every soul) will long that there might be a mighty space of distance between it and that (evil). Allah biddeth you beware of Him. And Allah is Full of Pity for (His) bondmen.
Don't let believers be friends with disbelievers.
31 Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
32 Say: Obey Allah and the messenger. But if they turn away, lo! Allah loveth not the disbelievers (in His guidance).
Say this, Muhammad, to all mankind:
If you love Allah, follow me.
If you do that, Allah will love and forgive you.
Obey Allah and the messenger (Muhammad).
Allah doesn't love the disbelievers.
Notes
- He [Allah] revealed the Torah and the Gospel. (v.3)
If Allah revealed the Quran, Torah, and Gospel, then why does the Quran so often contradict the other two?
- Allah seized them for their sins. (v.11)
It's hard to know what Allah is talking about here. But maybe he's referring to the ten plagues of Egypt.
- Lo! herein verily is a lesson for those who have eyes. (v.13)
If you don't get the lesson here, that's because you don't have eyes and this story is allegorical. (Only Allah understands it. See v.7.)
- Pure companions (v.15)
Other translations say "spouses made pure" for "pure companions." But I think you get the idea.