17. Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text& Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
صَرَّفْنَا
فِي هَـذَا
الْقُرْآنِ
لِيَذَّكَّرُواْ...
17: 41. We have explained (things) in various (ways) in this Qur'án, in order that they may receive admonition,
C2227. Things are explained in the Quran from all points of view, individual and national, by means of stories, parables, and figures of speech, and by way of categorical commands.
But those who are evil, instead of profiting by such instruction, often go farther and farther away from the Truth.
...وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ نُفُورًا ﴿٤١﴾
but it only increases their flight (from the Truth)!
قُل
لَّوْ كَانَ
مَعَهُ آلِهَةٌ
كَمَا يَقُولُونَ
إِذًا لاَّبْتَغَوْاْ
إِلَى ذِي الْعَرْشِ
سَبِيلاً ﴿٤٢﴾
17: 42. Say:
if there had been (other) gods with Him -- as they say -- behold, they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!
C2228. There is only One True God. But if, as polytheists say, there had been subsidiary gods, they would yet have had to submit to the Throne of the Supreme God, for they could have done nothing without Him. Thus the Islamic idea of the unity of the Godhead is quite different from the polytheistic ideas of a supreme god, as in the Greek Pantheon, where Jupiter was often defied by the minor deities! But such ideas are absurd, as stated in the next verse.
سُبْحَانَهُ
وَتَعَالَى
عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ
عُلُوًّا
كَبِيرًا ﴿٤٣﴾
17: 43. Glory to Him!
He is high above all that they say! -- Exalted and Great (beyond measure)!
تُسَبِّحُ
لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ
السَّبْعُ
وَالأَرْضُ
وَمَن فِيهِنَّ...
17: 44. The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory:
...وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ...
there not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory!
C2229. All Creation, animate and inanimate, sings Allah's praises and celebrates His glory,
- animate, with consciousness, and
- inanimate, in the evidence which it furnishes of the unity and glory of Allah.
All Nature bears witness to His power, wisdom, and goodness. It is only "ye", i.e., those who reject the whole trend of your nature and deny Faith simply because ye have been given a limited amount of choice and free-will,
- it is only such as "ye" that understand not what every other creature understands and proclaims with joy and pride.
What must be your degradation! And yet Allah bears with you and forgives you! Such is His goodness! (R).
...إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٤﴾
Verily He is Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving!
قُلِ
ادْعُواْ الَّذِينَ
زَعَمْتُم مِّن
دُونِهِ...
17: 56. Say:
"Call on those -- besides Him -- whom ye fancy:
...فَلاَ يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ الضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلاَ تَحْوِيلاً ﴿٥٦﴾
they have neither the power to remove your troubles from you nor to change them."
C2242. Men's suspicions of each or of the prophets have been condemned in the previous verses.
We now have the strongest condemnation of all, that of imagining any other being as being equal or in the same category with One true God. Allah has all power: they have no power. They cannot remove men's troubles. They cannot even mitigate or change them so as to afford the least relief. Why indulge in false worship?
أُولَـئِكَ
الَّذِينَ
يَدْعُونَ
يَبْتَغُونَ
إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ
الْوَسِيلَةَ...
17: 57. Those whom they call upon do desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord --
...أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ...
even those who are nearest: they hope for His Mercy and fear His Wrath:
C2243. Where men or heroes, or prophets or angels are worshipped, the worship is futile; because;
- even if they are good and holy, and ever so near to Allah, yet the nearest of them have need to seek means of access to Allah, and they do seek such means, viz,: the hope of Allah's Grace;
- though by their very nature it is impossible for us to suppose that they will incur the Wrath of Allah, yet they are but creatures and are subject to the law of personal responsibility.
...إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا ﴿٥٧﴾
for the Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of.
17: 41
Pickthall We verily have displayed (Our warnings) in this Qur'an that they may take heed, but it increaseth them in naught save aversion.
Yuksel We have cited in this Quran so they may remember, but it only increases their aversion!
Transliteration Wa laqad sarrafna_ fi ha_zal qura'a_ni liyazzakkaru_, wa ma_ yaziduhum illa_ nafu_ra_(n).
17: 42
Pickthall Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): If there were other gods along with Him, as they say, then had they sought a way against the Lord of the Throne.
Yuksel Say, "If there had been gods with Him as they say, then they would have tried to gain a way to the Possessor of Authority."
Qul lau ka_na ma'ahu_ a_lihatun kama_ yaqu_lu_na izal la-btagau ila_ zil 'arsyi sabila_(n)
17: 43
Pickthall Glorified is He, and High Exalted above what they say!
Yuksel Be He glorified and high above from what they say.
.
Transliteration Subha_nahu_ wa ta'a_la_ 'amma_ yaqu_lu_na 'uluwwan kabira_(n).
17: 44
Pickthall The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein praise Him, and there is not a thing but hymneth his praise; but ye understand not their praise. Lo! He is ever Clement, Forgiving.
Yuksel He is glorified by the seven heavens and the earth and who is in them, and there is not a thing but it glorifies His praise, but you do not understand their glorification. He is Compassionate, Forgiving
Transliteration Tusabbihu lahus sama_wa_tus sab'u wal ardu wa man fihinn(a), wa im min syai'in illa_ yusabbihu bi hamdihi wa la_kil la_ tafqahu_na tasbihahum, innahu_ ka_na haliman gafu_ra_(n).
17: 56
Pickthall Say: Cry unto those (saints and angels) whom ye assume (to be gods) beside Him, yet they have no power to rid you of misfortune nor to change.
Transliteration Qul-id'ul lazina za'amtum min du_nihi fala_ yamliku_na kasyfad durri 'ankum wa la_ tahwila_(n).
17: 57
Pickthall Those unto whom they cry seek the way of approach to their Lord, which of them shall be the nearest; they hope for His mercy and they fear His doom. Lo! the doom of thy Lord is to be shunned.
Transliteration 57.Ula_'ikal lazina yad'u_na yabtagu_na ilu_ rabbihimul wasilata ayyuhum aqrabu wa yarj_na rahmatahu_ wa yakha_fu_na 'aza_bah(u_), inna 'aza_ba rabbika ka_na mahzu_ra_(n).
[[ Ali’s notes - 2243 Where men or heroes, or prophets or angels are worshipped, the worship is futile; because (1) even if they are good and holy, and ever so near to Allah, yet the nearest of them have need to seek means of access to Allah, and they do seek such means, viz.: the hope of Allah's Grace; (2) though by their very nature it is impossible for us to suppose that they will incur the Wrath of Allah, yet they are but creatures and are subject to the law of personal responsibility. (17.57)
2244 These verses are a commentary on the last clause of the last verse. "The Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of." The godless thoughtlessly challenge Allah's Wrath, but do they realise its nature? Even the best of us must be moved with terror when we think of its consequences, were it not for His unbounded Mercy. Those who deny the Hereafter fail to realise its terrible Portents. They ask for Portents and Miracles now, but do they realise that their coming means destruction and misery to those who reject faith? They will come soon enough. The whole world will be convulsed before the Day of Judgment. The part of the wise is to prepare for it. (17.58)
2245 Past generations treated Signs and Portents with contempt or rebellion, and brought about their own undoing. It is only Allah's Mercy that gives them Grace for a time and prevents the coming of those Portents and Punishments which would overwhelm them if they were put to their trial at once. (17.59) ]]
39. Surah Al Zumar
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَهُ
مَقَالِيدُ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ...
39: 63. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth:
... وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾
and those who reject the Signs of Allah, it is they who will be in loss.
C4336. Allah has nothing to lose by the rebellion or disobedience of His creatures.
It is they who lose, because they go counter to their own nature, the beautiful mould in which Allah created them.
قُلْ
أَفَغَيْرَ
اللَّهِ
تَأْمُرُونِّي
أَعْبُدُ
أَيُّهَا
الْجَاهِلُونَ
﴿٦٤﴾
39: 64. Say:
"Is it someone other than Allah that ye order me to worship,
O ye ignorant ones?"
C4337. "Order me": there is great irony here. The Prophet of Allah turns to his critics and says:
"You arrogate to yourselves the right to order me how to worship! But who are you?
You are only ignorant men! My commission is from Allah. It is the same as came to Prophets of Allah before me in all ages, viz.,
- that the only Truth is in the Gospel of Unity; and
- that if you worship other things and turn away from Allah, your life will be wasted and all your probation will have been of no account." (R).
وَلَقَدْ
أُوحِيَ
إِلَيْكَ
وَإِلَى
الَّذِينَ
مِنْ
قَبْلِكَ...
39: 65. But it has already been revealed to thee -- as it was to those before thee --
C4338. The Message of Unity, renewed in Islam, has been the Message of Allah since the world began.
... لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿٦٥﴾
"If thou wert to join (gods with Allah), truly fruitless will be thy work (in life), and thou wilt surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good)."
C4339. Cf. 5:5.
False worship means that we run after fruitless things, and the main purpose of our spiritual lives is lost.
Asad’s Version:
(39:63) His are the keys [to the mysteries] of the heavens and the earth: and they who are bent on denying the truth of God's messages - it is they, they, who are the losers!
39:64 Say: "Is it, then, something other than God that you bid me to worship, O you who are unaware [of right and wrong]?"
(39:65) And yet, it has already been revealed to thee [O man,] 65 as well as to those who lived before thee, that if thou ever ascribe divine powers to aught but God, all thy works shall most certainly have been in vain: for [in the life to come] thou shalt most certainly be among the lost.