10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَلَوْلاَ
كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ
آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا
إِيمَانُهَا
إِلاَّ قَوْمَ
يُونُسَ...
10: 98. Why was there not a single township (among those We warmed), which believed -- so its Faith should have profited it -- except the people of Jonah?
C1478. Allah in His infinite Mercy points out the contumacy of Sin as a warning, and the exceptional case of Nineveh and its Prophet Jonah is alluded to.
The story of Jonah is told in 37:139-148, which would be an appropriate place for further comments.
Here it is sufficient to note that Nineveh was a very ancient town which is now no longer on the map. Its site is believed to be marked by the two mounds on the left bank of the Tigris, opposite the flourishing city of Mosul on the right bank, about 230 miles north- north-west of Baghdad. One of the mounds bears the name of "the Tomb of NabiYunus."
Archeologists have not yet fully explored its antiquities. But it is clear that it was a very old Sumerian town, perhaps older than 3500 B.C. It became the capital of Assyria. The first Assyrian Empire under Shalmaneser 1, about 1300 B.C., became the supreme power in Western Asia.
Babylon, whose tributary Assyria had formerly been, now became tributary to Assyria. The second Assyrian Empire arose about 745 B.C., and Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.) beautified the town with many Public Works. It was destroyed by the Scythians (so-called Medes) in 612 B.C.
If the date of Jonah were assumed to be about 800 B.C., it would be between the First and the Second Assyrian Empire; when the City was nearly destroyed for its sins, but on account of its repentance was given a new lease of glorious life in the Second Empire.
...لَمَّآ آمَنُواْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا...
When they believed, We removed from them the Penalty of Ignominy in the life of the Present,
...وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ ﴿٩٨﴾
and permitted them to enjoy (their life) for a while.
C1479. The point of the allusion here may be thus explained. Nineveh was a great and glorious City. But it became, like Babylon, a city of sin. Allah sent the prophet Yunus (Jonah) to warn it.
Full of iniquities though it was, it listened to the warning, perhaps in the person of a few just men. For their sakes, the All-Merciful Allah spared it, and gave it a new lease of glorious life.
According to the chronology in the last note the new lease would be for about two centuries, after which it perished completely for its sins and abominations.
Note that its new lease of life was for its collective life as a City, the life of the Present, i.e., of this World. It does not mean that individual sinners escaped the spiritual consequences of their sin, unless they individually repented and obtained Allah's mercy and forgiveness.
Other versions:
10: 98
Asad For, alas, there has never yet been any community that attained to faith and thereupon benefited by its faith, except the people of Jonah. When they came to believe, We removed from them the suffering of disgrace in the life of this world, and allowed them to enjoy their life during the time allotted to them.
Yusuf Ali Why was there not a single township (among those We warned) which believed so its Faith should have profited it except the people of Jonah? When they believed We removed from them the Penalty of Ignominy in the life of the Present and permitted them to enjoy (their life) for a while.
Pickthall If only there had been a community (of all those that were destroyed of old) that believed and profited by its belief as did the folk of Jonah. When they believed We drew off from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the world and gave them comfort for a while.
Transliteration Fa lau la_ ka_nat qaryatun a_manat fa nafa'aha_ ima_nuha_ illa_ qauma yu_nus(a), lamma_ a_manu_ kasyafna_ 'anhum 'aza_bal khizyi fil haya_tid dunya_ wa matta'na_hum ila_ hin(in).
[ Asad’s note: 120 The Quran points out in many places that no prophet has ever been immediately accepted as such and followed by all of this people, and that many a community perished……….]
16.Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا
مِّن ذَكَرٍ
أَوْ أُنثَى
وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ
فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ
حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً...
16: 97. Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to him will We give a new life, a life that is good and pure,
C2137. Faith, if sincere, means right conduct. When these two confirm each other, Allah's grace transforms our life.
Instead of being troubled and worried, we have peace and contentment; instead of being assailed at every turn by false alarms and the assaults of evil, we enjoy calm and attain purity. The transformation is visible in this life itself, but the "reward" in terms of the Hereafter will be far beyond our deserts.
... وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٧﴾
and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
C2138. The same ending as in the previous verse deepens the overall effect bringing home the message forcefully and beautifully.
The argument is completed and rounded off. (R).
Other versions:
16: 97
Asad As for anyone – be it man or woman – who does righteous deeds, and is a believer withal – him shall We most certainly cause to live a good life; and most certainly shall We grant unto such as these their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.
Yusuf Ali Whoever works righteousness man or woman and has faith verily to him will We give a new life a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
Pickthall Whosoever doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, him verily We shall quicken with good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.
Transliteration Man 'amila sa_liham min zakarin au unsa_ wa huwa mu'minun fa lanuhyiyannahu_ haya_tan tayyibah(tan), wa lanajziyannahum ajrahum bi ahsani ma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).
[ Asad ntoe 121: This may relate to life in this world – inasmuch as a true believer invariably finds happiness in his God-consciousness – or to the happiness which awaits him in the hereafter, or to both. ]
[ Ali’s notes: 2137 Faith, if sincere, means right conduct. When these two confirm each other, Allah's grace transforms our life. Instead of being troubled and worried, we have peace and contentment; instead of being assailed at every turn by false alarms and the assaults of evil, we enjoy calm and attain purity. The transformation is visible in this life itself, but the "reward" in terms of the Hereafter will be far beyond our deserts. (16.97)
2138 The same ending as in the previous verse deepens the overall effect bringing home the message forcefully and beautifully. The argument is completed and rounded off. (16.97)]
17. Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَّن كَانَ
يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ
عَجَّلْنَا
لَهُ فِيهَا
مَا نَشَاء
لِمَن نُّرِيدُ...
17: 18. If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them -- such things as We will, to such persons as We will:
C2196. An explanation is now given of how it is that prosperity sometimes seems to attend the wicked.
The explanation is threefold:
1. the transitory things of this life are worth little in the eternal scheme of things;
2. even they are provided, not just because their recipients wish for them, but according to a definite Plan of Allah; and
3. in the end there is for the wicked the eternal Misery and deprivation of grace,-the Hell which is worse than destruction in the terms of this world.
...ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ﴿١٨﴾
in the end have We provided Hell for them:
they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected.
C2197. All the pride and insolence will then be brought low. The disgrace and the exclusion from the "sight of the Face of Allah" will by themselves be punishments of which the magnitude cannot be measured in the terms of our present material life.
17: 19. Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter,
C2198. This is in contrast to the last verse.
Those who wish for mere earthly good sometimes get it and misuse it. Those whose eyes are fixed on the Hereafter, they too share in their Lord's bounty provided they fulfil the conditions explained in the next note; but their wishes and endeavours are more acceptable in the sight of Allah.
... وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ...
and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith --
C2199. A mere wish for moral and spiritual good is not enough. It must be backed up by hard endeavour and supported by a lively Faith. On those conditions the wishes are accepted by Allah.
...فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا ﴿١٩﴾
they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).
Other versions:
17: 18 [al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]
Yusuf Ali If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life) We readily grant them--such things as We will to such persons as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein disgraced and rejected.
Pickthall Whoso desireth that (life) which hasteneth away, We hasten for him therein that We will for whom We please. And afterward We have appointed for him hell; he will endure the heat thereof, condemned, rejected.
Transliteration Man ka_na yuridul 'a_jilata'ajjalna_ lahu_ fiha_ ma_ nasya_'u liman nuridu summa ja'alna_ lahu_ jahannam(a), yasla_ha_ mazmu_mam madhu_ra_(n).
17: 19
Yusuf Ali Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter and strive therefor with all due striving and have Faith they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).
Pickthall And whoso desireth the Hereafter and striveth for it with the effort necessary, being a believer; for such, their effort findeth favor (with their Lord).
Transliteration Wa man ara_dal a_khirata wa sa'a_ laha_ sa'yaha_ wa huwa mu'minun fa ula_'ika ka_na sa'yuhum masyku ra_(n).