17. Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
انظُرْ
كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ
لَكَ الأَمْثَالَ...
17: 48. See what similes thy strike for thee;
...فَضَلُّواْ فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلاً ﴿٤٨﴾
but they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.
C2233. Note that the word used is "Sabilan" "a way", not "the way".
In going astray they have lost the way; but never can they find any means of getting back to that way, or of justifying themselves or making good their wicked similes.
وَقَالُواْ
أَئِذَا كُنَّا
عِظَامًا وَرُفَاتًا
أَإِنَّا
لَمَبْعُوثُونَ
خَلْقًا جَدِيدًا ﴿٤٩﴾
17: 49. They say:
"What! when we are reduced to bones and dust, should we really be raised up (to be) a new creation?"
C2234. They do not realise that Allah Who created them once out of nothing can create them again, with memories of their past, in order to render to Him an account of how they used or misused the talents and opportunities which they were given.
If it is to be a new Creation, what then?
Bones and dust or ashes may yet retain something of the personality which was enshrined in them. But even if they were reduced to stones or iron or anything which their minds can conceive of as being most unlike them, yet there is nothing impossible to Allah!
He has clearly sent a Message that we shall have to render an account of ourselves, and His Message is necessarily true. (R).
قُل
كُونُواْ حِجَارَةً
أَوْ حَدِيدًا ﴿٥٠﴾
17: 50. Say: "(Nay!) be ye stones or iron,
أَوْ خَلْقًا
مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ
فِي صُدُورِكُمْ...
17: 51. "Or created matter which, in your minds, is hardest (to be raised up) -- (yet shall ye be raised up)!"
...فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا ...
Then will they say: "Who will cause us to return?"
...قُلِ الَّذِي فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ...
Say: "He Who created you first!"
...فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُؤُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَى هُوَ...
Then will they wag their heads towards thee, and say, "When will that be?"
C2235. The skeptic shifts his ground when he is cornered in argument. It is no longer tenable for him to say that it cannot happen or that there is no one who can bring him back to life and memory. He now gets shaky, and says, "Well, when is that going to happen?"
The actual time no man can tell. Indeed that event will be on a plane in which there will be no Time. Our relative ideas of time and place will have been completely overthrown, and it will appear to us then, not that it has been postponed too long, but that it has come too soon!
See the next verse and note.
...قُلْ عَسَى أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا ﴿٥١﴾
Say, "Maybe it will be quite soon!
يَوْمَ
يَدْعُوكُمْ
فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ
بِحَمْدِهِ...
17: 52. "It will be on a Day when He will call you, and ye will answer (His call) with (words of) His praise,
...وَتَظُنُّونَ ...
and ye will think
C2236. It may be that this verse should not be in the inverted commas governed by the verb "say", in the last clause of the last verse. In that case, the answer to the skeptic would be finished in the last verse, and this verse would be a general statement applying also to the righteous, who will rise up celebrating the praises of Allah.
But on the whole, I think it is better to take this verse as part of the answer to the skeptic referred to in the last verse.
... إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ﴿٥٢﴾
that ye tarried but a little while!"
C2237. Whatever may have been your spiritual blindness in this life, the "new creation" will have opened your eyes to the Truth. No one will any longer be in any delusion as regards the Reality of Allah, and will be forced, by their new circumstances, to recognise the Truth and sing Allah's praises. And all will be surprised at the seemingly short flight of time since they had their little ephemeral life on this earth. They will now appraise its true worth.
17: 48
Pickthall See what similitudes they coin for thee, and thus are all astray, and cannot find a road!
Yuksel 17:48 See how they cite the examples for you. They have gone astray, and cannot come to the path.
Transliteration Unzur kaifa daraba_ lakal ama_la fa dallu_ fala_ yastati'u_na sabila_(n).
[[Ali’s note - 2233 Note that the word used is "Sabilan" "a way", not "the way". In going astray they have lost the way; but never can they find any means of getting back to that way, or of justifying themselves or making good their wicked similes. (17.48) ]]
17: 49
Pickthall And they say: When we are bones and fragments, shall we, forsooth, be raised up as a new creation?
Transliteration Wa qa_lu_ a'iza_ kunna_ 'iza_maw wa rufa_tan a'inna_ lamab'u_su_na khalqan jadida_(n).
17: 50
Pickthall Say: Be ye stones or iron
Yuksel Say, "Even if you be stones or iron."
Transliteration Qul ku_nu_ hija_ratan au hadida_(n),
17: 51
Pickthall Or some created thing that is yet greater in your thoughts! Then they will say: Who shall bring us back (to life)? Say: He who created you at the first. Then will they shake their heads at thee, and say: When will it be? Say: It will perhaps be soon;
Yuksel 17:51 "Or a creation that is held dear in your chests." They will say, "Who will return us?" Say, "The One who initiated you the first time." They will shake their heads to you and say, "When is this?" Say, "Perhaps it is near."
Transliteration Au khalqam mimma_ yakburu fi sudu_rikum, fa sayaqu_lu_na may yu'iduna_, qulil lazi fatarakum awwala marrah(tin), fa sayungidu_na ilaika ru'u_sahum wa yaqu_lu_na mata_ huw(a), qul 'asa_ ayyaku_na qariba_(n).
17: 52 [al-Israa, Mecca 50]
Pickthall A day when He will call you and ye will answer with His praise, and ye will think that ye have tarried but a little while.
Yuksel 17:52 The day He calls you and you respond by His grace, and you think that you only stayed a little while.
Transliteration Yauma yad'u_kum fa tastajibu_na bi hamdihi wa tazunnu_na il labistum illa_ qalila_(n).