Truths beyond Human Range

5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْ أَشْيَاء إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ ...

5: 101. O ye who believe!

ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble.

... وَإِن تَسْأَلُواْ عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ ...

But if ye ask about things when the Qur'án is being revealed, they will be made plain to you:

C807. Many secrets are wisely hidden from us. If the future were known to us, we need not necessarily be happy.

In many cases we should be miserable. If the inner meaning of some of the things we see before our eyes were disclosed to us, it might cause a lot of mischief.

Allah's Message, in so far as it is necessary for shaping our conduct, is plain and open to us. But there are many things too deep for us to understand, either individually or collectively. It would be foolish to pry into them, as some people tried to do in the time of the Prophet.

Where a matter is mentioned in the Quran, we can reverently ask for its meaning. That is not forbidden. But we should never pass the bounds of

- our own capacity to understand,

- the time and occasion when we ask questions, and

- the part of the Universal Plan which it is Allah's purpose to reveal to us.

... عَفَا اللّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴿١٠١﴾

Allah will forgive those: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُواْ بِهَا كَافِرِينَ ﴿١٠٢﴾

5: 102. Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their faith.

C808. For example, the merely fractious questions asked of Moses by the Jews: 2:68-71.

They showed that they had no faith. When foolish questions are asked, and there is no answer, it also shakes the faith of the foolish ones.



يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ...

5: 109. One day will Allah gather the Messengers together, and ask:

"What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?

... قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ ﴿١٠٩﴾

They will say:

"We have no knowledge: it is Thou who knowest in full all that is hidden."

C814. A scene of the Day of Reckoning is put before us in graphic words, showing the responsibility and the limitations of the Prophets of Allah, sent to preach His Message to men, with special reference to the Message of Jesus.

The Messengers are sent to preach the Truth. What fantastic forms the Message takes in men's reactions to it was beyond their knowledge, at the time, and beyond their responsibility. (R).



وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ...

5: 116. And behold! Allah will say

"O Jesus the son of Mary!

... أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ...

didst thou say unto men, 'worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?"

... قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ...

He will say:

"Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say).

... إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ ...

Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it.

... تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ...

Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine.

... إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ ﴿١١٦﴾

For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

C829. Jesus disclaims here any knowledge of the sort of things that are attributed to him by those who take his name.

The worship of Mary, though repudiated by the Protestants, was widely spread in the earlier churches, both in the East and the West.


Asad’s Version:


5: 101 O you who have attained to faith! Do not ask about matters, if they were to be made manifest to you [in terms of law], might cause you hardship; for, if you should ask about them while the Quran is being revealed, they might [indeed] be made manifest to you [as laws]. God has absolved [you from any obligation ] in this respect: for God is much-forgiving, forbearing. See Asad notes

5: 102 People before your time have indeed asked such questions – and in result thereof have come to deny the truth.


5: 109 On the Day when God shall assemble all the apostles and shall ask, “what response did you receive?” – they will answer, “We have no knowledge; verily, it is Thou alone who fully knwoest all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception.”

See Asad note’ “.........nor can he know what is in their hearts.”


5: 116 And Lo! God said: “O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as deities beside God’?”

[Jesus] answered: “Limitless are You in your Glory! It would not have been possible for me to say what I had no right to [say]! Had I said this, You would indeed have known it! You know all that is within myself, whereas I know not what is in You. Verily, it is You alone who fully know all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception.

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The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:


Asad’s Version:


6: 50 Say [O Prophet]: “I do not say unto you, God’s treasures are with me’; nor [do I say], ‘I know the things that are beyond the reach of human perception’: nor do I say unto you, ‘Behold, I am an angel’: I but follow what is revealed to me.” Asad , see note 38


6: 58 For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception: none knows them but He. And He knows all that is on land and in the sea: and not a leaf falls but He knows it ; and neither is there a grain in the earth’s deep darkness, nor anything living or dead, but is recorded in [His] clear decree.

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57. Sura al-Hadid

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

 

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ...

57: 25.   We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice;

C5313. Three things are mentioned as gifts of Allah. In concrete terms they are;

which stand as emblems of three things which hold society together, viz.

For Balance, see also 42:17, and n. 4550.

...وَأَنزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ ...

and We sent down Iron,

C5314. "Sent down": anzala:

in the sense of revealed to man the use of certain things, created in him the capacity of understanding and using them: cf. 39:6: "sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs".

... فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ...

in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind,

C5315. Iron: the most useful metal known to man. Out of it is made steel, and from steel and iron are made implements of war, such as swords, spears, guns, etc., as well as instruments of peace, such as ploughshares, bricklayers' trowels, architects' and engineers' instruments, etc.

Iron stands as the emblem of Strength, Power, Discipline, Law's sanctions, etc. Iron and steel industries have also been the foundation of the prosperity and power of modem manufacturing nations'. (R).

...وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ...

that Allah may test who it is that will help, unseen Him and His messengers;

C5316. In 21:49, I have translated "in their most secret thoughts" for the more literal "unseen" (bilgaibi). Perhaps the more literal "unseen" may do if understood in the adverbial sense; as explained in 35:18, n. 3902. The sincere man will help the Cause, whether he is seen or brought under notice or not.

C5317. To help Allah and His messengers is to help their Cause. It is to give men an opportunity of striving and fighting for His Cause and proving their true mettle, for thus is their spirit tested.

As explained in the next line, Allah in Himself is Full of Strength, Exalted in Power, and Able to enforce His Will, and He has no need of others' assistance.

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ ﴿٢٥﴾

for Allah is Full of Strength, exalted in Might (and able to enforce His will).

C5318. Cf. 22:40 and n. 2818.

"Strength" is specific: Power or Might is more abstract, the ability to enforce what is willed.


Asad’s Version:


57:25 …..and We bestowed (upon you) from on high (the ability to make use of) iron, in which there is awesome power as well as (a source of ) benefits for man: and (all this was given to you) so that God might mark out those who would stand up for him and His Apostle, even though He (Himself) is beyond the reach of human perception.

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7. Sura al-Araf

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا...

7: 187. They ask thee about the (final) hour, when will be its appointed time?

...قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ...

Say:

"The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (alone): none but He can reveal as to when it will occur.

C1159. The fact of its coming is a certainty: the exact time appointed for it is not revealed by Allah. If it were it would be so momentous as to disturb our thoughts and life. It would be a heavy burden to us. Our duty is to be prepared for it at all times.

It will come when we least expect it. In the present Gospels Jesus says the same thing: he does not know the Hour, but it will come suddenly.

"But of that day and that Hour knoweth no man, no, not the angles which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." (Mark. 13:32-33).

...ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَةً ...

Heavy were its burden through the heavens and the earth.

Only, all of a sudden, will it come to you.

...يَسْأَلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِيٌّ عَنْهَا...

They ask thee as if thou wert eager in search thereof:

C1160. Hafiyy is usually construed to mean; "eager or anxious in search of":

the preposition following here is 'an = concerning, about.

Some commentators (including Raghib) understand it in this passage to mean "well-acquainted."

In 19:47, with the preposition bi following it, it signifies "well-disposed to", favourable to, good to, kind to."

...قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللّهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٨٧﴾

Say: "The knowledge thereof is with Allah (alone), but most men know not."


Asad’s Version:

7: 187 They will ask you [O Prophet] about the Last Hour: “Verily, knowledge thereof rests with my Sustainer alone. None but He will reveal it in its time. Heavily will it weigh on the heavens and the earth; it will not fall upon you otherwise than of a sudden.”

They will ask thee – as if you could gain insight into this by dint of persistent inquiry!

Say: “Knowledge thereof rests with my Sustainer alone; but most people are unaware .”


[see asad note 153; ….no amount inquiry of speculation can reveal to man – the prophets included- the coming of the Last Hour before its actual manifestation. ]

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10. Surah Yunus

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



بَلْ كَذَّبُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يُحِيطُواْ بِعِلْمِهِ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُ...   

10: 39.  Nay,

they charge with falsehood that whose knowledge they cannot compass, even before the elucidation thereof hath reached them:

C1431. Taawil: elucidation, explanation, final fulfilment, Cf., 7:53,

The Message of Allah not only gives us rules for our every-day conduct, but speaks of high matters of religious significance, which require elucidation in two ways:

-         by experience from the actual facts of life, and

-         by the final fulfilment of the hopes and warnings which we now take on trust through our Faith.

The Unbelievers reject Allah's Message simply because they cannot understand it and without giving it even a chance of elucidation in any of these ways. (R).

...كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ... ...

thus did those before them make charges of falsehood:

...فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾  

but see what was the end of those who did wrong!

C1432. Wrong-doers always came to grief ultimately.

The true course of history shows it from a broad standpoint. But they are so headstrong that they prejudge issues in their ignorance before they are decided.


Pickthall’s Version:

10: 39

Pickthall Nay, but they denied that, the knowledge whereof they could not compass, and whereof the interpretation (in events) hath not yet come unto them. Even so did those before them deny. Then see what was the consequence for the wrongdoers!

Transliteration Bal kazzabu_ bima_ lam yuhitu_ bi 'ilmihi wa lamma_ ya'tihim ta'wiluh(u_), kaza_lika kazzabal lazina min qablihim fanzur kaifa ka_na 'a_qibatuz za_limin(a).