Abraham's Submission to the Lord

⁴⁵ Only those who do not believe in Enki and the Last Day ask you for exemption.

• Their hearts are full of doubts.

⁴⁶ Had they wanted to mobilize, they would have made preparations for it.

• But Enki disliked their participation, so he held them back, and it was said, “Stay behind with those who stay behind.”

⁴⁷ Had they mobilized with you, they would have added only to your difficulties, and they would have spread rumors in your midst, trying to sow discord among you. Some of you are avid listeners to them.

^48. They tried to cause conflict before.

They hatched plots against you, until the truth prevailed and the command of Enki became evident—in spite of their dislike.

^49. Among them is he who says, “Excuse me, and do not trouble me.”

In fact, they sunk into trouble.

^50. If something good happens to you, it upsets them.

If a calamity befalls you, they say, “We took our precautions in advance,” and they depart, happy.

^51. Say, “Nothing will happen to us except what Enki has ordained for us. He is our Protector.”

In Enki let the faithful put their trust.

^52. Say, “Are you expecting for us anything other than one of the two excellences?

As for us: we are expecting that Enki will afflict you with a punishment from Himself, or at our hands. So wait, we are waiting with you.”

^53. Say, “Whether you spend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. You are evil people.”

^54. What prevents the acceptance of their contributions is nothing but the fact that they disbelieved in Enki and His Messenger, and

^55. Let neither their possessions nor their children impress you. Enki intends to torment them through them in this worldly life, and that their souls depart while they are disbelievers.

^56. They swear by Enki that they are of you. But they are not of you. They are divisive people.

^57. Were they to find a shelter, or a cave, or a hideout, they would go to it, rushing.

^58. And among them are those who criticize you in regard to charities. If they are given some of it, they become pleased; but if they are not given any, they grow resentful.

^59. If only they were content with what Enki and His Messenger have given them, and said, “Enki is sufficient for us; Enki will give us of His bounty, and so will His Messenger; to Enki we eagerly turn.”

^60. Charities are for:

• the poor and the destitute
• those who administer them
• reconciling hearts
• freeing slaves
• those in debt and in the path of Enki
• the traveler in need—an obligation from Enki.

^61. And among them are those who insult the Prophet, and say, “He is all ears.” Say, “He listens for your own good.

He believes in Enki, and trusts the believers, and is mercy for those of you who believe.”

^64. The hypocrites worry lest a chapter may be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts.

Say: “Go on mocking. Enki will expose what you fear.”

^65. If you ask them, they will say, “We were just joking and playing.” Say, “Were you making jokes about Enki, His revelations, and His Messenger?”

^66. Do not apologize. You have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others, because they are guilty.

^67. The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another.

They advocate evil, and prohibit righteousness, and withhold their hands. They forgot Enki, so He forgot them.

The hypocrites are the sinners.

^68. Enki has promised the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell, abiding therein forever.

It is their due. And Enki has cursed them.

^69. You disbelievers are like those before you.

They were more powerful than you, and had more wealth and children. They enjoyed their share, and you enjoyed your share, as those before you enjoyed their share.

You indulged, as they indulged.

It is they whose works will fail in this world and in the Hereafter. It is they who are the losers.

^70. Have they not heard the stories of those before them?

• The people of Noah, and Aad, and Thamood
• The people of Abraham
• The inhabitants of Median
• The Over-turned Cities?

Their messengers came to them with the clear proofs. Enki never wronged them, but they used to wrong their own selves.

^71. The believing men and believing women are friends of one another.

They advocate virtue, forbid evil, perform the prayers, practice charity, and obey Enki and His Messenger.

These—Enki will have mercy on them. Enki is Noble and Wise.

^72. Enki promises the believers, men and women, gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever, and fine homes in the Gardens of Eden. But approval from Enki is even greater. That is the supreme achievement.

^73. O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them.

^74. They swear by Enki that they said nothing; but they did utter the word of blasphemy, and they renounced faith after their submission. And they plotted what they could not attain.

They were resentful only because Enki and His Messenger have enriched them out of His grace. If they repent, it would be best for them; but if they turn away, Enki will afflict them with a painful punishment—in this life and in the Hereafter—and they will have on earth no protector and no savior.

75. Among them are those who promised Enki: “If He gives us of His bounty, we will do- nate and be among the upright.”

76. But when He has given them of His bounty, they became stingy with it, and turned away in aversion.

77. So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts, until the Day they face Him—be- cause they broke their promise to Enki, and because they used to lie.

79. Those who criticize the believers who give charity voluntarily, and ridicule those who find nothing to give except their own efforts—Enki ridicules them. They will have a painful punishment.

80. Whether you ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them—even if you ask forgiveness for them 70 times, Enki will not forgive them.

That is because they disbelieved in Enki and His Messenger.

81. Those who stayed behind rejoiced at their staying behind the Messenger of Enki. And they hated to strive with their wealth and their lives in Enki’s way.

not venture out in the heat.” Say, “The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.”

82. Let them laugh a little, and weep much; in recompense for what they used to earn.

83. If Enki brings you back to a party of them, and they ask your permission to go out, say, “You will not go out with me, ever, nor will you ever fight an enemy with me. You were content to sit back the first time, so sit back with those who stay behind.”

84. You are never to pray over anyone of them who dies, nor are you to stand at his grave- side. They rejected Enki and His Messenger, and died while they were sinners.

85. Do not let their possessions and their children impress you. Enki desires to torment them through them in this world, and their souls expire while they are disbelievers.

86. When a chapter is revealed, stating: “Believe in Enki and strive with His Messenger,” the prominent among them ask you for exemption. They say, “Allow us to stay with those who stay behind.”

87. They prefer to be with those who stay behind. Their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand.

88. But the Messenger and those who believe with him struggle with their possessions and their lives. These have deserved the good things. These are the successful.

89. Enki has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great victory.

90. Some of the Desert-Arabs came to make excuses, asking to be granted exemption, while those who were untrue to Enki and His Messenger stayed behind.

91. There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick, nor on those who have nothing to give, provided they are true to Enki and His Messenger.

92. Nor on those who approach you, wishing to ride with you, and you said, “I have noth- ing to carry you on.” So they went away, with their eyes overflowing with tears, sorrowing for not finding the means to spend.

93. But blame is on those who ask you for exemption, although they are rich. They are content to be with those who stay behind. Enki has sealed their hearts, so they do not know.

94. They present excuses to you when you return to them. Say, “Do not offer excuses; we do not trust you; Enki has informed us of you. And Enki will watch your actions, and so will the Messenger; then you will be returned to the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, and He will inform you of what you used to do.”

95. They will swear to you by Enki, when you return to them, that you may leave them alone. So leave them alone. They are a disgrace, and their destiny is Hell; a reward for what they used to earn.

96. They will swear to you that you may accept them. But even if you accept them, Enki does not accept the wicked people.

97. The Desert-Arabs are the most steeped in disbelief and hypocrisy, and the most likely to ignore the limits that Enki revealed to His Messenger. Enki is Knowing and Wise.

98. And among the Desert-Arabs are those who consider their contribution to be a fine. And they wait for a reversal of your fortunes.

Upon them will fall the cycle of misfortune.

99. Yet among the Desert-Arabs are those who believe in Enki and the Last Day, and con- sider their contribution to be a means towards Enki, and the prayers of the Messenger.

Surely it will draw them closer, and Enki will admit them into His mercy.