The Spoils of War
8. Al-Anfāl
الأنفال
Page #181
8:34
وَمَا
لَهُمْ
أَلَّا
يُعَذِّبَهُمُ
اللَّهُ
وَهُمْ
يَصُدُّونَ
عَنِ
الْمَسْجِدِ
الْحَرَامِ
وَمَا
كَانُوا
أَوْلِيَاءَهُ
إِنْ
أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ
إِلَّا
الْمُتَّقُونَ
وَلَكِنَّ
أَكْثَرَهُمْ
لَا
يَعْلَمُونَ
wa-mā lahum ʾallā yuʿadhdhibahumu llāhu wa-hum yaṣuddūna ʿani l-masjidi l-ḥarāmi wa-mā kānū ʾawliyāʾahū ʾin ʾawliyāʾuhū ʾillā l-muttaqūna wa-lākinna ʾaktharahum lā yaʿlamūna
What [excuse] have they that Allah should not punish them, when they bar [the faithful] from the Holy Mosque, and they are not its custodians? Its custodians are only the Godwary, but most of them do not know.
— Ali Quli Qarai
But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them, when they keep out (men) from the sacred Mosque - and they are not its guardians? No men can be its guardians except the righteous; but most of them do not understand.
