They said, “O Moses! Therein are men of might. And verily, we can by no means enter it till they be gone forth. But if they go forth from it, then verily will we enter in.”

Then said two men of those who feared their Lord and to whom God had been gracious, “Enter in upon them by the gate: and when ye enter it, ye overcome! If ye be believers, put ye your trust in God.”

They said, “O Moses! never can we enter while they remain therein. Go thou and thy Lord and fight; for here will we sit us down.”

He said, “O my Lord, Verily of none am I master but of myself and my brother: put thou therefore a difference between us and this ungodly people.”

He said, “Verily the land shall be forbidden them forty years: they shall wander in the earth perplexed. Fret not thyself therefore for the ungodly people.”

Relate to them exactly the story of the sons of Adam¹⁴ when they each offered an offering; accepted from the one of them, and not accepted from the other. The one said, “I will surely slay thee.” Said the other, “God only accepted from those that fear Him.

“Even if thou stretch forth thine hand against me to slay me, I will not stretch forth my hand against thee to slay thee. Truly I fear God the Lord of the Worlds.

“Yea, rather would I that thou shouldest bear my sin¹⁵ and thine own sin, and that thou become an inmate of the Fire: for that is the recompense of the unjust doers.”

And his passion led him to slay his brother: and he slew him; and he became one of those who perish.

And God sent a raven which scratched upon the ground, to shew him¹⁶ how he might hide his brother’s wrong.¹⁷ He said: “O woe is me! am I too weak to become like this raven, and to hide away my brother’s wrong?” And he became one of the repentant.

For this cause have we ordained to the children of Israel that he who slayeth any one, unless it be a person guilty of manslaughter, or of spreading disorders in the land, shall be as though he had slain all mankind; but that he who saveth a life, shall be as though he had saved all mankind alive.¹⁸

Of old our Apostles came to them with the proofs of their mission; then verily after this most of them committed excesses in the land.

Only, the recompense of those who war against God and his Apostle, and go about to commit disorders on the earth, shall be that they shall be slain or crucified, or have their alternate hands and feet cut off, or be banished the land: This their disgrace in this world, and in the next a great torment shall be theirs—

Except those who, ere you have them in your power, shall repent; for know that God is Forgiving, Merciful.

O ye who believe! fear God. Desire union with Him. Contend earnestly on his path, that you may attain to happiness.

As to the infidels—if that they had twice the riches of the earth to be their ransom from torment on the day of resurrection, it should not be accepted from them! And a dolorous torment shall be their’s.

Fain would they come forth from the Fire; but forth from it they shall not come: and a lasting torment shall be their’s.

As to the thief, whether man or woman, cut ye off their hands in recompense for their doings.¹⁹ This is a penalty by way of warning from God himself. And God is Mighty, Wise.