Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the Infidels abhor it.

He it is who hath sent His Apostle with the Guidance and a religion of the truth, that He may make it victorious¹⁴ over every other religion, albeit they who assign partners to God be averse from it.

O Believers! of a truth, many of the teachers and monks do devour man’s substance in vanity, and turn them from the Way of God. But to those who treasure up gold and silver and expend it not in the Way of God, announce tidings of a grievous torment.

On that day their treasures shall be heated in hell fire, and their foreheads, and their sides, and their backs, shall be branded with them. … “This is what ye have treasured up for yourselves: taste, therefore, your treasures!”

Twelve months is the number of months with God,¹⁵ according to God’s book, since the day when He created the Heavens and the Earth: of these four are sacred: this is the right usage: But wrong not yourselves therein; attack those who join gods with God in all, as they attack you in all: and know that God is with those who fear Him.

To carry over a sacred month to another, is only a growth of infidelity. The Infidels are led into error by it. They allow it one year, and forbid it another, that they may make good the number of months which God hath hallowed, and they allow that which God hath prohibited. The evil of their deeds hath been prepared for them by Satan: for God guideth not the people who do not believe.

O Believers! what possessed you, that when it was said to you, “March forth on the Way of God,” ye sank heavily earthwards? What! prefer ye the life of this world to the next? But the fruition of this mundane life, in respect of that which is to come, is but little.¹⁶

Unless ye march forth, with a grievous chastisement will He chastise you; and He will place another people in your stead, and ye shall in no way harm Him: for over everything is God potent.

If ye assist not your Prophet … God assisted him formerly, when the unbelievers drove him forth, in company with a second only!¹⁷ when they two were in the cave; when the Prophet said to his companion, “Be not distressed; verily, God is with us.” And God sent down His tranquillity upon him, and strengthened him with hosts ye saw not, and made the word of those who believed not the abased, and the word of God was the exalted: for God is Mighty, Wise.

March ye forth the light and heavy armed,¹⁸ and contend with your substance and your persons on the Way of God. This, if ye know it, will be better for you.

Had there been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed thee; but the way seemed long to them.¹⁹ Yet will they swear by God, “Had we been able, we had surely gone forth with you:” they are self-destroyers! And God knoweth that they are surely liars!

God forgive thee! Why didst thou give them leave to stay behind, ere they who make true excuses had become known to thee, and thou hadst known the liars?

They who believe in God and in the last day will not ask leave of thee to be exempt from contending with their substance and their persons. But God knoweth those who fear Him!

They only will ask thy leave who believe not in God and the last day, and whose hearts are full of doubts, and who are tossed up and down in their doubtings.

Moreover, had they been desirous to take the field, they would have got ready for that purpose the munitions of war.²⁰ But God was averse to their marching forth, and made them laggards; and it was said, “Sit ye at home with those who sit.”