The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

48
The Quran
3: 180
would not show you [people] what is hidden; God chooses as His
messengers whoever He will. So believe in God and His messengers:
if you believe and stay mindful of God, you will have a great reward.
180 Those who are miserly with what God has granted them out of
His grace should not think that it is good for them; on the contrary,
it is bad for them. Whatever they meanly withhold will be hung
around their necks on the Day of Resurrection. It is God who will
inherit the heavens and earth: God is well aware of everything
you do.
181 God has certainly heard the words of those who sneer, ‘So God
is poor, while we are rich’. a We shall record everything they say –as
well as their killing of prophets in defiance of all that is right – and
We shall say to them, ‘Taste the torment of the scorching fire.
182 That is on account of what you stored up for yourselves with your
own hands: God is never unjust to His servants.’ 183 To those who
say, ‘God has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless
he brings us an offering that fire [from heaven] consumes,’ say
[Prophet], ‘Messengers before me have come to you with clear signs,
including the one you mention. If you are sincere, why did you kill
them?’ 184 If they reject you, so have other messengers been rejected
before you, even though they came with clear evidence, books of
wisdom and enlightening scripture. 185 Every soul will taste death
and you will be paid in full only on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever
is kept away from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have
triumphed. The present world is only an illusory pleasure: 186 you are
sure to be tested through your possessions and persons; you are sure
to hear much that is hurtful from those who were given the Scripture
before you and from those who associate others with God. If you are
steadfast and mindful of God, that is the best course.
187 God took a pledge from those who were given the Scripture –
‘Make it known to people; do not conceal it’– but they tossed the
pledge over their shoulders, they bartered it for a small price: what a
bad bargain they made! 188 Do not think [Prophet] that those who
exult in what they have done and seek praise for things they have not
done will escape the torment; agonizing torment awaits them.
189 Control of the heavens and earth belongs to God; God has
a A retort to 2: 245, which was often cited by the Prophet when asking for financial
contributions to the cause.