The Quran

Preface

لَيسَ عَلَى الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ جُناحٌ فيما طَعِموا إِذا مَا اتَّقَوا وَآمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوا وَآمَنوا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوا وَأَحسَنوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ المُحسِنينَ

Yusuf Ali

On those who believe and do deeds of righteousness there is no blame for what they ate (in the past), when they guard themselves from evil, and believe, and do deeds of righteousness,- (or) again, guard themselves from evil and believe,- (or) again, guard themselves from evil and do good. For God loveth those who do good.¹

There is a subtle symphony in what appears at first sight to be a triple repetition. The relation of such simple regulations as those of food, or game, or the reverence due to a sacred place or sacred institution, has to be explained vis-avis man’s higher duties. Baidawi is right in classifying such duties under three heads: those due to God, those due from a man to himself (his self-respect), and those due to other creatures of God. Or perhaps all duties have this threefold aspect. The first may be called believing or faith; the second, guarding ourselves from evil, or conscience, and the third, doing good or righteousness. But the simplest physical rules, e.g., those about eating, cleanliness, etc., if they are good, refer also to the higher aspects. If we eat bad food, we hurt ourselves, we cause offence to our neighbours, and we disobey God. If we have faith and righteousness, are we likely to be wanting in conscience? If we have conscience and faith, are we likely to fail in righteousness? If we have conscience and righteousness, what can be their foundation but faith? All three manifest themselves in a willing obedience to God, and love for Him. We realise His love in loving and doing good to His creatures, and our love to Him is meaningless without such good.