2 al-Baqarah [the Cow] early Medina [most within two years of Exodus to Medina, exception 281 is the last revelation] Medina 286

Ali’s version and the Arabic text

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَذَرُواْ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢٧٨﴾

2:278. O ye who believe! fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if ye are indeed believers.

فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُواْ فَأْذَنُواْ بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ...

2:279. If ye do it not, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger:

C328. This is not war for opinions, but an ultimatum of war for the liberation of debtors unjustly dealt with and oppressed.

... وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُؤُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لاَ تَظْلِمُونَ وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٧٩﴾

but if ye turn back, ye shall have your capital sums; deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.

وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ ...

280. If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay.

... وَأَن تَصَدَّقُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٨٠﴾

But if ye remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew.

وَاتَّقُواْ يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللّهِ ...

281. And fear the day when ye shall be brought back to Allah.

... ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٨١﴾

Then shall every soul be paid what it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly.

2: 279

Yusuf Ali If ye do it not take notice of war from Allah and his Apostle: but if ye turn back ye shall have your capital sums; deal not unjustly and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.

Pickthall And if ye do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger. And if ye repent, then ye have your principal (without interest). Wrong not, and ye shall not be wronged.

Transliteration Fa illam taf’alu_ fa’zanu_ bi harbim minalla_hi wa rasu_lih(i), wa in tubtum fa lakum ru’u_su amwa_likum, la_ tazlimu_na wa la_ tuzlamu_n(a)

2: 280

Yusuf Ali If the debtor is in a difficulty grant him time till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit if by way of charity that is best for you if ye only knew.

Pickthall And if the debtor is in straitened circumstances, then (let there be) postponement to (the time of) ease; and that ye remit the debt as almsgiving would be better for you if ye did but know.

Transliteration Wa in ka_na zu_ ‘usratin fanaziratun ila_ maisarah(tin), wa an tasaddaqu_ khairul lakum in kuntum ta’lamu_n(a).

Asad’s version

2:278

O you who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God. and give up all outstanding gains
from usury, if you are [truly] believers;[266] (2:279) for if you do it not, then know that you are
at war with God and His Apostle. But if you repent, then you shall be entitled to [the return of]
your principal:[267] you will do no wrong, and neither will you be wronged. (2:280) If,
however, [the debtor] is in straitened circumstances, [grant him] a delay until a time of ease; an

it would be for your own good - if you but knew it - to remit [the debt entirely] by way of charity.

2:281

And be conscious of the Day on which you shall be brought back unto God, whereupon every
human being shall be repaid in full for what he has earned, and none shall be wronged.[268]

[[Asad’s notes -

265 Lit., "whereas He causes [the merit of] charitable deeds to increase with interest (yurbi)".

266 This refers not merely to the believers at the time when the prohibition of usury was
proclaimed, but also to people of later times who may come to believe in the Qur'anic
message.

267 I.e., without interest.

268 According to the uncontested evidence of Ibn 'Abbas, the above verse was the last revelation granted to the Prophet, who died shortly afterwards (Bukhari: see also Fath al-Bari VIII. 164 f.). ]]