42. Surah Ash-Shura (Consultation)

Mecca Period 53

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ...

42: 48. If then they turn away, We have not sent thee as a guard over them.

C4593. The warning is now given, that men may repent and do good, and pray for Allah's Mercy and Grace. If the warning is not heeded or is rejected, the prophet of Allah is not responsible for bringing about the Penalty or for forcing people to come to the right Path. He is not a guard set over them to free them from the need of exercising their limited free-will. (R).

... إِنْ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ...

Thy duty is but to convey (the Message).

...وَإِنَّا إِذَا أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً فَرِحَ بِهَا...

And truly, when We give man a taste of Mercy from Ourselves, He doth exult thereat,

C4594. Cf. 30:36.

It is a sad reflection that men, when they receive some gift out of Allah's Mercy, exult in their good fortune and attribute it to some merit in themselves, instead of to the Grace and Mercy of Allah, thus missing the real lesson of Life.

On the other hand, when they are in trouble, due to their own errors and shortcomings, they fall into despair and blame Allah, instead of blaming themselves. This is rank ingratitude. So they miss the true lesson of Life in that case also.

...وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَإِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ كَفُورٌ ﴿٤٨﴾

but when some ill happens to him, on account of the deeds which His hands have sent forth, truly then is man ungrateful!

Asad’s Version:

42:48 BUT IF they turn away [from thee, O Prophet, know that] We have not sent thee to be their keeper: thou art not bound to do more than deliver the message [entrusted to thee] . And, behold, [such as turn away from Our messages are but impelled by the weakness and inconstancy of human nature: 48 thus,] when We give man a taste of Our grace, he is prone to exult in it; 49 but if misfortune befalls [any of] them in result of what their own hands have sent forth, then, behold, man shows how bereft he is of all gratitude ! 50