4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ...   

4: 49.  Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who claim sanctity for themselves?

C570. The sanctimonious or self-sanctified people are the farthest from sanctity or purity, which can only proceed from Allah. They cannot play with Allah's Truth and yet go on claiming to be guided and purified or justified by Allah.

Their falsehood in itself condemns them: no further proof is needed of their selfishness and evil.

... بَلِ اللّهُ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاء ...

Nay, but Allah doth sanctify whom He pleaseth

... وَلاَ يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً ﴿٤٩﴾

but never will they fail to receive justice in the least little thing.

C571. Literally, the small skin in the groove of a date stone, a thing of no value; fatila.

Asad’s Version:

4: 49 Are you not aware of those who consider themselves pure? Nay, but it is God who causes whomever He wills to grow in purity; and none shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breath.