Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

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Quran Text of Verse 217-221یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَThey ask youعَنِaboutالشَّهْرِthe monthالْحَرَامِ[the] sacredقِتَالٍ(concerning) fightingفِیْهِ ؕin itقُلْSayقِتَالٌFightingفِیْهِthereinكَبِیْرٌ ؕ(is) a great (sin)وَ صَدٌّbut hindering (people)عَنْfromسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ كُفْرٌۢand disbeliefبِهٖin Himوَ الْمَسْجِدِand (preventing access to) Al-Masjidالْحَرَامِ ۗAl-Haraamوَ اِخْرَاجُand driving outاَهْلِهٖits peopleمِنْهُfrom itاَكْبَرُ(is) greater (sin)عِنْدَnearاللّٰهِ ۚAllahوَ الْفِتْنَةُAnd [the] oppressionاَكْبَرُ(is) greaterمِنَthanالْقَتْلِ ؕ[the] killingوَ لَاAnd notیَزَالُوْنَthey will ceaseیُقَاتِلُوْنَكُمْ(to) fight with youحَتّٰیuntilیَرُدُّوْكُمْthey turn you awayعَنْfromدِیْنِكُمْyour religionاِنِifاسْتَطَاعُوْا ؕthey are ableوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّرْتَدِدْturns awayمِنْكُمْamong youعَنْfromدِیْنِهٖhis religionفَیَمُتْthen diesوَ هُوَwhile heكَافِرٌ(is) a disbelieverفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَfor thoseحَبِطَتْbecame worthlessاَعْمَالُهُمْtheir deedsفِیinالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ الْاٰخِرَةِ ۚand the Hereafterوَ اُولٰٓىِٕكَAnd thoseاَصْحٰبُ(are) companionsالنَّارِ ۚ(of) the Fireهُمْtheyفِیْهَاin itخٰلِدُوْنَ (will) abide forever اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelievedوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoهَاجَرُوْاemigratedوَ جٰهَدُوْاand stroveفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ ۙ(of) Allahاُولٰٓىِٕكَthoseیَرْجُوْنَthey hopeرَحْمَتَ(for) Mercyاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) Allahوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ All-Merciful یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَThey ask youعَنِaboutالْخَمْرِ[the] intoxicantsوَ الْمَیْسِرِ ؕand [the] games of chanceقُلْSayفِیْهِمَاۤIn both of themاِثْمٌ(is) a sinكَبِیْرٌgreatوَّ مَنَافِعُand (some) benefitsلِلنَّاسِ ؗfor [the] peopleوَ اِثْمُهُمَاۤBut sin of both of themاَكْبَرُ(is) greaterمِنْthanنَّفْعِهِمَا ؕ(the) benefit of (the) twoوَ یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَAnd they ask youمَا ذَاwhatیُنْفِقُوْنَ ؕ۬they (should) spendقُلِSayالْعَفْوَ ؕThe surplusكَذٰلِكَThusیُبَیِّنُmakes clearاللّٰهُAllahلَكُمُto youالْاٰیٰتِ[the] Versesلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَتَفَكَّرُوْنَۙponder 2. Al-Baqarah Page 35فِیConcerningالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ الْاٰخِرَةِ ؕand the Hereafterوَ یَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَThey ask youعَنِaboutالْیَتٰمٰی ؕthe orphansقُلْSayاِصْلَاحٌSetting right (their affairs)لَّهُمْfor themخَیْرٌ ؕ(is) bestوَ اِنْAnd ifتُخَالِطُوْهُمْyou associate with themفَاِخْوَانُكُمْ ؕthen they (are) your brothersوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahیَعْلَمُknowsالْمُفْسِدَthe corrupterمِنَfromالْمُصْلِحِ ؕthe amenderوَ لَوْAnd ifشَآءَ(had) willedاللّٰهُAllahلَاَعْنَتَكُمْ ؕsurely He (could have) put you in difficultiesاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahعَزِیْزٌ(is) All-Mightyحَكِیْمٌ All-Wise وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَنْكِحُوا[you] marryالْمُشْرِكٰتِ[the] polytheistic womenحَتّٰیuntilیُؤْمِنَّ ؕthey believeوَ لَاَمَةٌAnd a bondwomanمُّؤْمِنَةٌ(who is) believingخَیْرٌ(is) betterمِّنْthanمُّشْرِكَةٍa polytheistic womanوَّ لَوْ[and] even ifاَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۚshe pleases youوَ لَاAnd (do) notتُنْكِحُواgive in marriage (your women)الْمُشْرِكِیْنَ(to) [the] polytheistic menحَتّٰیuntilیُؤْمِنُوْا ؕthey believeوَ لَعَبْدٌand a bondmanمُّؤْمِنٌ(who is) believingخَیْرٌ(is) betterمِّنْthanمُّشْرِكٍa polytheistic manوَّ لَوْ[and] even ifاَعْجَبَكُمْ ؕhe pleases youاُولٰٓىِٕكَ[Those]یَدْعُوْنَthey inviteاِلَیtoالنَّارِ ۖۚthe Fireوَ اللّٰهُand AllahیَدْعُوْۤاinvitesاِلَیtoالْجَنَّةِParadiseوَ الْمَغْفِرَةِand [the] forgivenessبِاِذْنِهٖ ۚby His permissionوَ یُبَیِّنُAnd He makes clearاٰیٰتِهٖHis Versesلِلنَّاسِfor the peopleلَعَلَّهُمْso that they mayیَتَذَكَّرُوْنَ۠take heed

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Translation of Verse 217-221

217. They ⁸⁰ ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about fighting in the sacred months. ⁸¹ Say, "Fighting during these months is a great sin. But hindering ˹others˺ from the Path of Allah, rejecting Him, and expelling the worshippers from the Sacred Mosque is ˹a˺ greater ˹sin˺ in the sight of Allah. For persecution ⁸² is far worse than killing. And they will not stop fighting you until they turn you away from your faith-if they can. And whoever among you renounces their own faith and dies a disbeliever, their deeds will become void in this life and in the Hereafter. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever." ⁸³

218. Surely those who have believed, emigrated, and struggled in the Way of Allah-they can hope for Allah's mercy. And Allah is All-

219. They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about intoxicants and gambling. Say, "There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people-but the evil outweighs the benefit." ⁸⁴ They ˹also˺ ask you what they should donate. Say, "Whatever you can spare." This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you ˹believers˺, so perhaps you may reflect

220. upon this world and the Hereafter. And they ask you concerning orphans. Say, "Improving their condition is best. And if you partner with them, they are bonded with you ˹in faith˺. ⁸⁵ And Allah knows who intends harm and who intends good. Had Allah willed, He could have made it difficult for you. ⁸⁶ Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise."

221. Do not marry polytheistic women until they believe; for a believing slave-woman is better than a free polytheist, even though she may look pleasant to you. And do not marry your women to polytheistic men until they believe, for a believing slave-man is better than a free polytheist, even though he may look pleasant to you. They invite ˹you˺ to the Fire while Allah invites ˹you˺ to Paradise and forgiveness by His grace. ⁸⁷ He makes His revelations clear to the people so perhaps they will be mindful.

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Commentary

80. The pagans of Mecca.

81. See footnote for 2:194.

82. Persecuting Muslims to abandon their faith.

83. While many traditional scholars maintain that apostates are to be first invited to re-enter the fold of Islam then executed if the invitation is turned down, some traditional and modern scholars (like Sufyân Ath-Thawri, the late Grand Imâm of Al-Azhar Sheikh Maḥmûd Shaltût, and Dr. Jamal Badawi) are of the opinion that the Quran (2:256) guarantees freedom of religion and (2:217) promises no worldly punishment for leaving Islam. It is reported in a ḥadîth collected by Imâm Muslim that a man came to the Prophet ( ﷺ ) in Medina and retracted the allegiance he had pledged to him ( ﷺ ) - leaving Islam. The Prophet ( ﷺ ) did not punish the man. The narrations that command the killing of apostates refer only to those who fight against Muslims-so they are killed for treason, not for apostasy. Other aḥâdîth are meant to deter those who conspired to accept Islam then leave it soon after only to shake the faith of early Muslims, as mentioned in 3:72.

84. See footnote for 4:43.

85. Literal translation, "They are your brothers."

86. By not allowing partnership between you and orphans.

87. lit., "by His permission."