Quran — Page 356

It is God who causes night and day to alter­nate: in this [too], behold, there is surely a lesson for all who have eyes to see!

And it is God who has created all animals out of water; and [He has willed that] among them are such as crawl on their bellies, and such as walk on two legs, and such as walk on four. God creates what He will: for, verily, God has the power to will anything.

INDEED, from on high have We bestowed messages clearly showing the truth; but God guides onto a straight way [only] him that wills [to be guided].

For, [many are] they [who] say, “We believe in God and in the Apostle, and we pay heed!” - but then, some of them turn away after this [assertion]: and these are by no means [true] believers.

And [so it is that] whenever they are summoned unto God and His Apostle in order that [the divine writ] might judge between them, lo! some of them turn away;

but if the truth happens to be to their liking, they are quite willing to accept it!

Is there disease in their hearts? Or have they begun to doubt [that this is a divine writ]? Or do they fear that God and His Apostle might deal unjustly with them? Nay, it is [but] they, they who are doing wrong [to themselves]!

The only response of believers, whenever they are summoned unto God and His Apostle in order that [the divine writ] might judge between them, can be no other than, “We have heard, and we pay heed!”- and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state:

for, they who pay heed unto God and His Apostle, and stand in awe of God and are conscious of Him, it is they, they who shall triumph [in the end]!

Now [as for those half-hearted ones,] they do swear by God with their most solemn oaths that if thou [O Apostle] shouldst ever bid them to do so, they would most certainly go forth [and sacrifice themselves]. Say: “Swear not! Reasonable compliance [with God’s message is all that is required of you]. Verily, God is aware of all that you do!”