35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)

Mecca Period 43

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ...

35: 42. They swore their strongest oaths by Allah

... لَئِن جَاءهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَى مِنْ إِحْدَى الْأُمَمِ... ...

that if a warner came to them, they would follow his guidance better than any (other) of the Peoples:

C3935. Cf. 6:157.

In the first instance this referred to the Quraish.

Their attitude to the People of the Book had been one of lofty superiority or of insincere excuses. They twitted the Jews and Christians with deviating from their own lights and their own revelations; and for themselves, they said they had received no direct revelation from Allah, or they would have shown themselves the most amenable to discipline, the most ready to follow Allah's Law. This was before the holy Prophet received his mission from Allah.

When he received it and announced it, they turned away from it, They fled from it and put a greater and greater distance between it and themselves.

But this is the way of all sinners. They find much to carp at in others, and much to excuse in themselves. But when all grounds for excuse are removed, they will be found, not nearer, but farther and farther away from truth and righteousness.

... فَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ نَذِيرٌ مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا ﴿٤٢﴾

but when a warner came to them, it has only increased their flight (from righteousness) --

اسْتِكْبَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ...

35: 43. On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of Evil.

C3936. Two causes are mentioned why the Truth is refused acceptance.

1. Unregenerate man is arrogant, and Truth and Righteousness expose all his pretences.

2. He hopes, by underhand plots, to undermine Truth and destroy it; but he is caught in his own snares, while Truth marches forward triumphant.

... وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ...

But the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof.

... فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ الْأَوَّلِينَ...

Now are they but looking for the way the ancients were dealt with?

C3937. In all history, men who followed evil were dealt with in three stages by Allah:

1. He was forbearing and merciful, and gave them respite;

2. He sent them admonition through Ms Messengers, or His Signs, or His revelation;

3. He dealt out justice and punishment.

At any given moment, those given to iniquity may well be asked: "Are you going to wait through all these stages or are you going at once to repent, obtain forgiveness, and walk in the ways of righteousness?"

... فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا...

But no change wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing):

C3938. Allah's Laws are fixed, and His ways of dealing with those who follow iniquity are the same in all ages.

Our human will may falter or turn away from its course, but Allah's Will ever follows its course and cannot be turned away by any cause whatever.

... وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَحْوِيلًا ﴿٤٣﴾

no turning off wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing).

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ...

35: 44. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them --

C3939. Cf. 30:9.

If no other argument will convince men who follow evil, let them travel through space or time, and learn from the experience of others. Evil always came to an evil end. Let not any one individual or generation think that it could escape by some special trick or power. Far wiser and more powerful men were personally brought to account for their iniquities.

... وَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً...

though they were superior to them in strength?

... وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ...

Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth:

... إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا ﴿٤٤﴾

for He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

Asad’s Version:

35:42 As it is, they [who are averse to the truth often] swear by God with their most solemn oaths that if a warner should ever come to them, they would follow his guidance better than any of the communities [of old had followed the warner sent to them]: 32 but now that a warner has come unto them, [his call) but increases their aversion,

(35:43) their arrogant behaviour on earth, and their devising of evil [arguments against God's messages]. 55 Yet [in the end,] such evil scheming will engulf none but its authors; and can they expect anything but [to be made to go] the way of those [sinners] of olden times? 54 Thus [it is]: no change wilt thou ever find in God's way; yea, no deviation wilt thou ever find in God's way!

35:44 Have they never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before their time and were [so much] greater than they in power? And [do they not see that the will of] God can never be foiled by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth, since, verily, He is all-knowing, infinite in His power?