6. Surah al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ ...

6:22. One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us):

... أَيْنَ شُرَكَآؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾

"Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about?"

ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ ...

6:23. There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say:

C851. Fitnah has various meanings, from the root idea of "to try , to test, to tempt;" e.g.

- a trial or temptation, as in 2:102;

- trouble, tumult, oppression, persecution, as in 2:191, 193, 217;

- discord, as in 3:7;

- subterfuge, an answer that amounts to a sedition, and excuse founded on a falsehood, as here.

Other shades of meaning will be noticed as they occur.

Those who blasphemed Allah in imagining false gods will now se the vanity of their imaginations for themselves.

What answer can they give now?

In their perversity they will deny that they ever entertained the notion of false gods.

... وَاللّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٢٣﴾

"By Allah, Our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with Allah."

انظُرْ كَيْفَ كَذَبُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾

6:24. Behold! how they lie against their own souls!

But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch.

C852. The lies which they used to tell have now "wandered" from the channels which they use to occupy, and left the liars in the lurch. In denying the indubitable fact that they took false gods, they admit the falsity of their notions and thus are practically convicted out of their own mouths.

Pickthall’s Version:

6: 22

Pickthall And on the Day We gather them together We shall say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Allah): Where are (now) those partners of your make believe?

Transliteration Wa yauma nahsyuruhum jami'an summa naqu_lu lillazina asyraku_ aina syuraka_'ukumul lazina kuntum taz'umu_n(a).

6: 23

Pickthall Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters.

Transliteration Summa lam takun fitnatuhum illa_ an qa_lu_ walla_hi rabbina_ ma_ kunna_ musyrikin(a).

6: 24

Pickthall See how they lie against themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them!

Transliteration Unzur kaifa kazabu_ 'ala_ anfusihim wa dalla 'anhum ma_ ka_nu_ yaftaru_n(a).

[[ Ali’s note - 851 Fitnat has various meanings, from the root idea of "to try , to test, to tempt;" e.g. (1) a trial or temptation, as in ii. 102; (2) trouble, tumult, oppression, persecution, as in ii. 191, 193, 217; (3) discord, as in iii. 7; (4) subterfuge, an answer that amounts to a sedition, and excuse founded on a falsehod, as here. Other shades of meaning wll be noticed as they occur. Those who blasphemed God in imagining false gods will now see the vanity of their imaginations for themselves. What answer can they give now? In their perverisity they will deny that they ever entertained the notion of false gods. (6.23) ]]

[[ Ruby’s note – I think what is emphasized here is sincerity of people’s heart and clarity of thinking. Often a lot of people would pass through this life without seriously thinking whom is the real Creator and Cause. If one passes through this life thinking there are more than one in any sense or on any level, one distorts the truth. If one is praying to the Unseen power, then are they thinking that they are praying to more than one power or if so who else is sharing that power. The entire creation and reality is pointing towards one Unseen creator because of the consistency and pattern. How then one devise this deviation from reason and wisdom? Who else possibly could be sharing this divine system? In essence each one of humans is responsible to figure out this truth through the capacity [‘fitra’] o reason and wisdom God has given him/her. ]]