4. Sura an-Nisa

Medina 92 [Hijra 4]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُواْ يُدْرِككُّمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ...   

4: 78.  "Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!"

... وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ...  

If some good befalls them, they say, "This is from Allah;"

... وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِكَ...  

but if evil, they say, "This is from thee"

... قُلْ كُلًّ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ...  

(O Prophet). "Say: "All things are from Allah.

C597. The Hypocrites were inconsistent, and in this reflect unregenerate mankind.

If a disaster happens, due to their own folly, they blame somebody else; but if they are fortunate, they claim reflected credit by pretending that Heaven has favoured them because of their own superior merits.

The modern critic discards even this pretence, eliminates Heaven altogether, and claims all credit direct to himself, unless he brings in blind Chance, but that he does mostly to "explain" misfortune.

If we look to the ultimate Cause of all things, all things come from Allah. But if we look to the proximate cause of things, our own merit is so small, that we can hardly claim credit for good ourselves with any fairness.

In Allah's hand is all good: 3:26. On the other hand, the proximate cause of our evil is due to some wrong in our own inner selves; for never are we dealt with unjustly in the very least: 4:77.

... فَمَا لِهَـؤُلاء الْقَوْمِ لاَ يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا ﴿٧٨﴾

But what hath come to these people, that they fail to understand a single fact?

مَّا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ...   

4: 79. Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah; but whatever evil happens to thee, is from thy (own) soul.

... وَأَرْسَلْنَاكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً ...

And We have sent thee as a Messenger to (instruct) mankind:

C598. To blame a man of God for our misfortunes is doubly unjust. For he comes to save us from misfortune, and it is because we flout him or pay no heed to him, that our own rebellion, brings its own punishment.

If we realise this truth we shall be saved from two sins:

1.     the sin of injustice to Allah's Messengers, who come for our good, and not for our harm:

2.     the sin of not realising our own shortcomings or rebellion, and thus living in spiritual darkness.

If the Message is from Allah, that carries its own authority:

"enough is Allah for a witness."

... وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا ﴿٧٩﴾

and enough is Allah for a witness.

Other Versions:

4: 78

Asad Whatever you may be, death will overtake you – even though you be in towers raised high.” Yet, when a good thing happens to them, some [people] say, “This is form God,” whereas when evil befalls them, they say, “This is form you [O fellowman]!” [note 92] Say: “All is from God.” What, then, is amiss with these people that they are in no wise near to grasping the truth of what they are told? [note 93]

Pickthall Where so ever ye may be, death will overtake you, even though ye were in lofty towers. Yet if a happy thing befalleth them they say: This is from Allah; and if an evil thing befalleth them they say: This is of thy doing (O Muhammad). Say (unto them): All is from Allah. What is amiss with these people that they come not nigh to understand a happening?

Transliteration Ainama_ taku_nu_ yudrikkumul mautu wa lau kuntum fi buru_jim musyayyadah(tin), wa in tusibhum hasanatuy yaqu_lu_ ha_zihi min 'indilla_h(i), wa in tusibhum sayyi'atuy yaqu_lu_ ha_zihi min 'indik(a), qul kullum min 'indilla_h(i), fama_li ha_'ula_'il qaumi la_ yaka_du_na yafqahu_na hadisa_(n).

4: 79

Asad Whatever good happens to you is from God; and whatever evil befalls thee is from yourself. [note 94]

Pickthall Whatever of good befalleth thee ( O man ) it is from Allah, and whatever of ill befalleth thee it is from thyself. We have sent thee ( Muhammad ) as a messenger unto mankind and Allah is sufficient as witness.

Ma_ asa_baka min hasanatin faminalla_h(i), wa ma_ asa_baka min sayyi'atin famin nafsik(a), wa arsalna_ka linna_si rasu_la_(n), wa kafa_ billa_hi syahida_(n).

[[Asad’s note 92 – I.e., they do not realize that the evil happening may possibly be a consequence of their own actions or their own wrong choice between several courses open to them, but are prone to attribute it to the failings of others.

note 94 – There is no contradiction between this statement and the preceding one that “all is from God”. In the world-view of the Quran, God is the ultimate source of all happening: consequently, all good tht comes to man and all evil that befalls him flows, in the last resort, from God’s will. However, not everything that man regards as “evil for tune” is really, in its final effect evil – for, “it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows, whereas you do not know” (2:216)……..spiritual growth suffering, and need not necessarily be the result of a wrong choice or a wrong deed on the part of the person thus afflicted.………suffering resulting from the actions or the behavior of the person concerned, and this in accordance with the natural law of cause and effect which God has decreed for all His creation, and which the Quran describes as “the way of God”(sunnat Allah). For all such suffering man has only himself to blame, since “God does not wrong anyone by as much at atom’s weight”(4:40).]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 595 Before the command for fighting was issued there were some who were impatient, and could scarcely be held back. They wanted fighting from human motives,- pugnacity, hatred against their enemies, the gaining of personal ends. Fighting from such motives is wrong at all times. When the testing time came, and they had to fight, not for their own hand, but for a Sacred Cause, in which there was much suffering and little personal gain, the Hypocrites held back and were afraid. (4.77)

596 "Our natural term of life," they would say, "is short enough; why should we jeopardize it by fighting in which there is no personal gain?" The answer is begun in this verse and continued in the next. Briefly, the answer is: (1) in any case the pleasures of this world are short; this life is fleeting; the first thing for a righteous man to do is to emancipate himself from its obsessions; (2) to do your duty is to do right; therefore turn your attention mainly to duty; (3) when duty calls for self-sacrifice, be sure that Allah's call is never unjust, and never such as to exceed your capacity; and (4) if you fear death, you will not by fear escape death; it will find you out wherever you are; why not face it boldly when duty calls? (4.77)

597 The Hypocrites were inconsistent, and in this reflect unregenerate mankind. If a disaster happens, due to their own folly, they blame somebody else; but if they are fortunate, they claim reflected credit by pretending that Heaven has favored them because of their own superior merits. The modern critic discards even this pretence, eliminates Heaven altogether, and claims all credit direct to himself, unless he brings in blind Chance, but that he does mostly to "explain" misfortune. If we look to the ultimate Cause of all things, all things come from Allah. But if we look to the proximate cause of things, our own merit is so small, that we can hardly claim credit for good ourselves with any fairness. In Allah's hand is all good: iii.26. On the other hand, the proximate cause of our evil is due to some wrong in our own inner selves; for never are we dealt with unjustly in the very least: iv. 77. (4.78) ]]

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7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَيَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ ...

7: 19. O Adam!

dwell thou and thy wife in the garden,

C1003. Now the story turns to man. He was placed in the Garden of innocence and bliss, but it was Allah's Plan to give him a limited faculty of choice.

All that he was forbidden to do was to approach the Tree, but he succumbed to Satan's suggestions. (R).

... فَكُلاَ مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا...

and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish:

C1004. Enjoy: literally, "eat."

Cf. the meaning of taama in 6:14, n. 847 and akala in and 5:66, n. 776.

...وَلاَ تَقْرَبَا هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٩﴾

but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."

فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ ...

7: 20. Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them,

C1005. The transition from the name "Iblis" to the name "Satan" is similar to that in 2:36, where it is explained in n. 52.

... لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْءَاتِهِمَا...

bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before):

C1006. Our first parents as created by Allah (and this applies to all of us) were innocent in matters material as well as spiritual. They knew no evil. But the faculty of choice, which was given to them and which raised them above the angels, also implied that they had the capacity of evil, which by the training of their own will, they were to reject.

They were warned of the danger. When they fell, they realized the evil. They were (and we are) still given the chance, in this life on a lower plane, to make good and recover the lost status of innocence and bliss.

...وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ...

he said

"Your Lord only forbade you this tree,

...إِلاَّ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ ﴿٢٠﴾

lest ye should become angels or such beings as live for ever."

وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ ﴿٢١﴾

7: 21. And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.

فَدَلاَّهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ...

7: 22. So by deceit he brought about their fall:

...فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَاتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ...

when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies.

...وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ...

And their Lord called unto them:

"Did I not forbid you that tree,

...وَأَقُل لَّكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَآنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٢٢﴾

and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"

قَالاَ ...

7: 23. They said:

قَالَ اهْبِطُواْ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ...

7: 24. (Allah) said:

"Get ye down, with enmity between yourselves.

...وَلَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى حِينٍ ﴿٢٤﴾

On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood, for a time."

قَالَ فِيهَا تَحْيَوْنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنْهَا تُخْرَجُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾

7: 25. He said:

"Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die;

but from it shall ye be taken out (at last)."

C1007. Cf. this whole passage about Adam with the passage in 2:30-39, and with other passages in subsequent Surahs. In places the words are precisely the same, and yet the whole argument is different. In each case it exactly fits the context.

In Surah 2, the argument was about the origin of man. Here the argument is a prelude to his history on earth, and so it continues logically in the next section to address the Children of Adam, and goes on afterwards with the story of the various prophets that came to guide mankind.

Truth is one, but its apt presentment in words shows a different facet in different contexts.

Other Versions:

7: 19

Asad And [as for you], O Adam, dwell you and your wife in this garden, and eat, both of you , what ever you may wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become evildoers!”

Pickthall And (unto man): O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden and eat from whence ye will, but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers.

Transliteration Wa ya_ a_damuskun anta wa zaujukal jannata fakula_ min haisu syi'tuma_ wa la_ taqraba_ ha_zihisy syajarata fataku_na_ minaz za_limin(a).

[[ Ruby’s note – Selecting what is prohibited is God’s prerogative not man’s. This I think is conveyed through this allegorical story. Why this particular tree was prohibited an explanation was not given deliberately to covey this prerogative. God is the law-maker and giver and He alone is the Creator of everything therefore he may or may not give explanation. This is an allegory of human tendency of being distracted from God’s command and lured by false attractions to disobey God’s commands. ]]

[[ Asad note 13 – see 2:35 and 20:120, as well as the corresponding notes.]]

7: 20

Asad Thereupon Satan whispered unto the two with a view to making them conscious of their nakedness, of which they had been unaware; and he said: “Your Sustainer has but forbidden you this tree lest you two become angels, or lest you live forever.”

Pickthall Then Satan whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest ye should become angels or become of the immortals.

Transliteration Fa waswasa lahumasy syaita_nu liyubdiya lahuma_ ma_ wu_riya'anhuma_ min sau'a_tihima_ wa qa_la ma_ naha_kuma_ rabbukuma_ 'an ha_zihisy syajarati illa_ an taku_na_ malakaini au taku_na_ minal kha_lidin(a).

[[ Ruby – The sin that is committed here by Adam and Eve is not trusting the inherent good in complying with God’s command. Not eating the fruit of a tree is a deprivation of a bodily urge but this deprivation is good for the ultimate welfare of a human being. When asked of this deprivation it should be complied for the greater and longer interest of a person. This is the implied narrative of this allegory.]]

7: 21

ASAD And he swore unto them, ‘Verily, I am of those who wish you well indeed!”

Pickthall And he swore unto them (saying): Lo! I am a sincere adviser unto you.

Transliteration Wa qa_samahuma_ inni lakuma_ laminan na_sihin(a).

[[ Ruby’s note – It indicates that in the course of human affairs the parties who help bring evil ideas and insinuation often pose as friends and well-wishers. ]]

7: 22

Asad and thus he led them on with deluding thoughts. But as soon as the two had tasted [the fruit] of the tree, they became conscious of their nakedness; and they began to cover themselves with pieced-together leaves from the garden. And their Sustainer called unto them: “Did I not forbid that tree unto you and tell you, ‘Verily, Satan is your open foe?”

Pickthall Thus did he lead them on with guile. And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them and they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden. And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you?

Transliteration Fadalla_huma_ bi guru_r(in), falamma_ za_qasy syajarata badat lahuma_ sau'a_tuhuma watafiqa_ yakhsifa_ni 'alaihima_ miw waraqil jannah(ti),wa na_da_huma_ rabbuhuma_ alam anhakuma_ 'an tilkumasy syajarati wa aqul lakuma_ innasy syaita_na lakuma_ 'aduwum mubin(un).

7: 23

Asad The two replied: “O our Sustainer! We have sinned against ourselves – and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost!”

Pickthall They said : Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If Thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, surely we are of the lost!

Transliteration Qa_la_ rabbana_ zalamna_ anfusana_ wa illam tagfir lana_ wa tarhamna_ lanaku_nanna minal kha_sirin(a).

7: 24

Asad Said He: “Down with you [note 16], enemies unto one another, having on earth your abode and livelihood for a while:

Pickthall He said: Go down (from hence), one of you a foe unto the other. There will be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a while.

Transliteration Qa_lahbitu_ ba'dukum liba'din'aduww(un), wa lakum fil ardi mustaqarruw wa mata_'un ila_ hin(in).

7; 25

Asad there shall you live “ – He added – “and there shall die, and thence shall you be brought forth [Asad note 16}

Pickthall He said: There shall ye live, and there shall ye die, and thence shall ye be brought forth.

Transliteration Qa_la fiha_ tahyauna wa fiha_ tamu_tu_na wa minha_ tukhraju_n(a).