7. Surah al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ
وَالَّذِينَ
مَعَهُ
بِرَحْمَةٍ
مِّنَّا...
7: 72. We saved him and those who adhered to him, by our mercy,
...وَقَطَعْنَا دَابِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَمَا كَانُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٧٢﴾
and We cut off the roots of those who rejected our signs and did not believe.
سَأَصْرِفُ
عَنْ
آيَاتِيَ
الَّذِينَ
يَتَكَبَّرُونَ
فِي
الأَرْضِ
بِغَيْرِ
الْحَقِّ...
7: 146. Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right,
وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ آيَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا...
them will I turn away from My signs, they will not believe in them;
C1110. The argument may be simplified thus in paraphrase.
The right is established on the earth as Allah created it: Nature recognises and obeys Allah's law as fixed for each portion of Creation. But man, because of the gift of Will, sometimes upsets this balance. The root-cause is his arrogance, as it was in the case of Iblis.
Allah's Signs are everywhere, but if they are rejected with scorn and blasphemy, Allah will withdraw His grace, for sin hardens the heart and makes it impervious to the truth.
Want of faith produces a kind of blindness to spiritual facts, a kind of deafness to the warnings of a Day of Account. If we had contumaciously rejected faith, can we hope for anything but justice,-the just punishment of our sins? (R).
...وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً...
and if they see the way of right conduct, they will not adopt it as the way;
...وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً...
but if they see the way of error that is the way they will adopt;
...ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ ﴿١٤٦﴾
for they rejected Our signs, and failed to take warning from them.
C1111. Rejected Our Signs: again a return to the Plural of impersonal Dignity and Authority, from the singular of personal concern in granting grace and guidance to the Righteous.
وَالَّذِينَ
كَذَّبُواْ
بِآيَاتِنَا
وَلِقَاء
الآخِرَةِ
حَبِطَتْ
أَعْمَالُهُمْ...
7: 147. Those who reject Our signs and the meeting in the hereafter, vain are their deeds:
...هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤٧﴾
can they expect to be rewarded except as they have wrought?
Others version:
7: 72
Asad And so, by Our grace, We saved him and those who stood by him, the while We wiped out the last remnant of those who gave the lie to Our messages and would not believe.(Ad people)
Pickthall And We saved him and those with him by a mercy from Us, and We cut the root of those who denied Our revelations and were not believers.
Transliteration Fa anjaina_hu wallazina ma'ahu_ bi rahmatim minna_ wa qata'na_ da_biral lazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ wa ma_ ka_nu_ mu'minin(a).
7: 146
Asad From My messages shall I cause to turn away all those who, without any right, behave haughtily on earth: for, though they may see every sign [of the truth], they do not believe in it, and though they may see the path of rectitude, they do not choose to follow it – whereas, if they see a path of error, they take it for their own: this, because they have given the lie to Our messages, and have remained heedless of them [note 110].
Pickthall I shall turn away from My revelations those who magnify themselves wrongfully in the earth, and if they see each token believe it not, and if they see the way of righteousness choose it not for (their) way, and if they see the way of error choose it for (their) way. That is because they deny Our revelations and are used to disregard them.
Transliteration Sa asrifu 'an a_ya_tiyal lazina yatakabbaru_na fil ardi bi gairil haqq(i), wa iy yarau kulla a_yatil la_ yu'minu_ biha_, wa iy yarau sabilar rusydi la_ yattakhizu_hu sabila_(n), wa iy yarau sabilal gayyi yattakhizu_hu sabila_(n), za_lika bi annahum kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ wa ka_nu_ 'anha_ ga_filin(a).
7: 147
Asad Hence, all who give the lie to Our messages, and [thus] to the truth of the life to come – in vain shall be all their doings: [for] are they to be rewarded for aught but what they were wont to do?
Pickthall Those who deny Our revelations and the meeting of the Hereafter, their works are fruitless. Are they requited aught save what they used to do?
Transliteration Wallazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ wa liqa_'il a_khirati habitat a'ma_luhum, hal yujzauna illa_ ma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s notes: 108 see surah 6, note 156.
109 - ……….the meaning of ‘dar’ (“abode”) in this context, see surah 6, note118. …..the plural form of address in “I will show you” makes it more probable that it is the beginning of a parenthetic passage connected, no doubt, with the preceding one, but having a general import not confined to Moses.
110 – As so often in the Quran, God’s “causing” the sinners to sin is shown to be a consequence of their own behavior and the result of their free choice. By “those who, without any right, behave haughtily on earth” are obviously meant people who think that their own judgment as to what constitutes right and wrong is the only valid one, and therefore refuse to submit their personal concerns to the criterion of absolute (i.e., revealed) moral standards: cf. 96: 6-7-“man becomes grossly overweening whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient”.]]
[[ Ali’s notes -1105 "Above (other) men": i.e. among his contemporaries. He had a high mission, and he had the honour of speaking to Allah. (7.144)
1106 Allah's revelation is for the benefit of His creatures, who should receive it with reverence and gratitude. While Moses was having these great spiritual experiences on the Mount, his people below were ungrateful enough to forget Allah and make a golden calf for worship (vii. 147). (7.144)
1107 The Tablets of the Law contained the essential Truth, from which were derived the positive injunctions and prohibitions, explanations and interpretations, which it was the function of the prophetic office to hold up for the people to follow. The precepts would contain, as the Shari'at does, matters absolutely prohibited, matters not prohibited but disapproved, matters about which there was no prohibition or injunction, but in which conduct was to be regulated by circumstances; matters of positive and universal duty, matters recommended for those whose zeal was sufficient to enable them to work on higher than minimum standards. No soul is burdened beyond its capacity; but we are asked to seek the best and highest possible for us in conduct. (7.145)
1108 Notice the transition from the "We" of authority and honour and impersonal dignity, to the "I" of personal concern in specially guiding the righteous. (7.145)
1109 Literally, the homes of the wicked, both individuals and nations, lie desolate, as in the case of the ancient Egyptians, the 'Ad, and the Thamud. (7.145)
1110 The argument may be simplified thus in paraphrase. The right is established on the earth as Allah created it: Nature recognises and obeys Allah's law as fixed for each portion of Creation. But man, because of the gift of Will, sometimes upsets this balance. The root-cause is his arrogance, as it was in the case of Iblis. Allah's Signs are everywhere, but if they are rejected with scorn and blasphemy, Allah will withdraw His grace, for sin hardens the heart and makes it impervious to the truth. Want of faith produces a kind of blindness to spiritual facts, a kind of deafness to the warnings of a Day of Account. If we had contumaciously rejected faith, can we hope for anything but justice,-the just punishment of our sins. (7.146)
1111 Rejected Our Signs: again a return to the Plural of impersonal Dignity and Authority, from the singular of personal concern in granting grace and guidance to the Righteous. (7.146)]]
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10. [Yunus, Mecca 51]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَمَنْ
أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ
افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللّهِ كَذِبًا
أَوْ كَذَّبَ
بِآيَاتِهِ...
10: 17. Who doth more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah, or deny His Signs?
...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿١٧﴾
But never will prosper those who sin.
وَيَعْبُدُونَ
مِن دُونِ اللّهِ
مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ
وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ...
10: 18. They serve, besides Allah, things that hurt them not nor profit them,
...وَيَقُولُونَ هَـؤُلاء شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللّهِ...
and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah."
...قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللّهَ بِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلاَ فِي الأَرْضِ ...
Say: "Do ye indeed inform Allah of something He knows not in the heavens or on earth? --
C1405. When we shut our eyes to Allah's glory and goodness, and go after false gods, we give some plausible excuse to ourselves, such as that they will intercede for us.
But how can stocks and stones intercede for us?
And how can men intercede for us, when they themselves have need of Allah's Mercy?
Even the best and noblest cannot intercede as of right, but only with His permission (10:3). To pretend that there are other powers than Allah is to invent lies and to teach Allah.
There is nothing in heaven or earth that He does not know, and there is no other like unto Him.
...سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٨﴾
Glory to Him!
and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!"
10: 17
Pickthall Who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah and denieth His revelations? Lo! the guilty never are successful.
Yuksel Who is more wicked than one who invents lies about God or denies His signs? The criminals will never succeed.
Transliteration Fa man azlamu mimman-iftara_ 'alalla_hi kaziban au kazzaba bi a_ya_tih(i),innahu_ la_ yuflihul mujrimu_n(a).
10: 18
Pickthall They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and high exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)!
Yuksel They serve besides God what does not harm them or benefit them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with God." Say, "Are you informing God of what He does not know in the heavens or in the earth?" Be He glorified and high from what they set up.
Transliteration Wa ya'budu_na min du_nilla_hi ma_ la_ yadurruhum wa la_ yanfa'uhum wa yaqu_lu_na ha_'ula_'i syufa'a_'una_ 'indalla_h(i), qul atunabbi'u_nalla_ha bima_ la_ ya'lamu fis sama_wa_ti wa la_ fil ard(i), subha_nahu_ wa ta'a_la_ 'amma_ yusyriku_n(a).
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30 Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)
Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]
Asad’s Version:
30:14
And when the Last Hour dawns - on that Day will all [men] be sorted out:
(30:15) as for those who attained to faith and did righteous deeds, they shall be made happy in a garden of delight;
(30:16) but as for those who refused to acknowledge the truth and gave the lie to Our messages - and [thus] to the announcement 12 of a life to come - they will be given over to suffering.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَيَوْمَ
تَقُومُ
السَّاعَةُ
يَوْمَئِذٍ
يَتَفَرَّقُونَ
﴿١٤﴾
30:14 On the Day that the Hour will be established, --
that Day shall (all men) be sorted out.
C3520. In the fullness of time good and evil will all be sorted out and separated.
فَأَمَّا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا
الصَّالِحَاتِ
فَهُمْ فِي
رَوْضَةٍ يُحْبَرُونَ
﴿١٥﴾
30:15. Then those who have believed and worked righteous deeds, shall be made happy in a Mead of Delight.
وَأَمَّا
الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا
بِآيَاتِنَا
وَلِقَاء
الْآخِرَةِ...
30:16. And those who have rejected Faith and falsely denied Our Signs and the meeting of the Hereafter,
... فَأُوْلَئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
such shall be brought forth to Punishment.
[[Asad’s note 12 - See note 111 on 7:147. ]]
39 Az-Zumar (The Throngs)
Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]
Asad’s Version:
39:25 Those who lived before them did [too] give the lie to the truth - whereupon suffering befell them without their having perceived whence it came:
(39:26) and thus God let them taste ignominy [even] in the life of this world. 32 Yet [how much greater will be the [sinners'] suffering in the life to come - if they [who now deny the truth] but knew it!
39:27 THUS, INDEED, have We propounded unto men all kinds of parables in this Qur'an, 33 so that they might bethink themselves; [and We have revealed it] (39:28) as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, free of all deviousness, 32 so that they might become conscious of God.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَّبَ
الَّذِينَ
مِن
قَبْلِهِمْ...
39: 25. Those before them (also) rejected (revelation),
... فَأَتَاهُمْ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾
and so the Punishment came to them from directions they did not perceive.
C4282. Cf. 16:26.
They will be punished from quarters or in ways they do not perceive. From their Unbelief and Rebellion they think they derive great advantages, but they suddenly find out, when too late, that that which they exulted in was the cause of their own undoing.
فَأَذَاقَهُمُ
اللَّهُ
الْخِزْيَ
فِي
الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا...
39: 26. So Allah gave them a taste of humiliation in the present life,
C4283. Cf. 2:114.
Sin often brings disgrace and humiliation in this life, but the greater and truer punishment is in the Hereafter.
But men often do not know the inwardness of this matter. If they flourish here for a time, they think they will escape the real consequences in the Hereafter. Or if they suffer little harm here, they think that will make up the Penalty, and they will escape the Hereafter.
Both ideas are wrong.
... وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾
but greater is the Punishment of the Hereafter, if they only knew!
وَلَقَدْ
ضَرَبْنَا
لِلنَّاسِ
فِي
هَذَا
الْقُرْآنِ
مِن
كُلِّ
مَثَلٍ
...
39: 27. We have put forth for men, in this Qur'án every kind of Parable,
C4284. Men can only understand high spiritual truths by parables and similitudes and these are given abundantly in the Quran.
The object is, not merely to tell stories, but to teach lessons of spiritual wisdom.
... لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
in order that they may receive admonition.
Yuksel’s version:
39:25 Those before them have denied, and thus the retribution came to them from where they did not perceive.
39:26 So God made them taste the humiliation in this worldly life, but the retribution in the Hereafter is far greater, if only they knew.
The Quran Alone or Quran Plus Contradictory Partners?
39:27 We have cited for the people in this Quran from every example, that they may take heed.