2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ...

2: 207. And there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah;

... وَاللّهُ رَؤُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ﴿٢٠٧﴾

and Allah is full of kindness to (His) devotees.

C229. This second type of man,

- firm, sincere, devoted, willing to give his life for the faith that is in him - was common in early Islam.

Such men were its pillars. Through persecution, obloquy, torture, threat to their own lives or the lives of those dear to them, they stood by their leader, and many of them gave their lives. That is what established Islam.

We are asked in the next verse to follow this type and shun the other or evil type. If we do that, our Cause is safe.

Asad’s Version:

2: 207 … and there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of God; and God is full of kindness to devotees.