2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
ذَلِكَ
الْكِتَابُ
لاَ رَيْبَ
فِيهِ هُدًى
لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
﴿٢﴾
2: 2. This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.
C26. Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify:
1. the fear of Allah which according to the writer of Proverbs (1:7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom;
2. restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil;
3. hence righteousness, piety good conduct.
All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context.
See also 47:17; and 74:56, n.5808.
الَّذِينَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِالْغَيْبِ
وَيُقِيمُونَ
الصَّلاةَ ...
2: 3. Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer,
... وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾
and spend out of what We have provided for them.
C27. All bounties proceed from Allah.
- They may be physical gifts, e.g., food, clothing, houses, gardens, wealth, etc. or
- intangible gifts, e.g., influence, power, birth and the opportunities flowing from it, health talents, etc. or
- spiritual gifts, e.g., insight into good and evil, understanding of men, the capacity for love, etc.
We are to use all in humility and moderation. But we are also to give out of every one of them something that contributes to the well-being of others.
We are to be neither ascetics nor luxurious sybarites, neither selfish misers nor thoughtless prodigals.
والَّذِينَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْكَ وَمَا
أُنزِلَ مِن
قَبْلِكَ...
2: 4. And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time,
... وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾
and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.
C28. Righteousness comes from a secure faith, from sincere devotion to Allah, and from unselfish service to Man.
أُوْلَـئِكَ
عَلَى هُدًى
مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ
وَأُوْلَـئِكَ
هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
﴿٥﴾
2: 5. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.
C29. Prosperity must be taken as referring to all the kinds of bounty which we discussed in the note 2:3 above.
The right use of one kind leads to an increase in that and other kinds, and that is prosperity.
Other versions:
2: 2
Asad This Divine Writ – let there be no doubt about it – is [meant to be] a guidance for all the God-conscious (note 2)
Yusuf Ali This is the Book; in it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear Allah.
Pickthall This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil).
Transliteration Za_likal kita_bu la_ raiba fihi hudal lilmuttaqin(a).
[Ali’s note: 26 Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of God which according to the writer of Proverbs (i.7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil; (3) hence righteousness, piety good conduct. All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context. See also xivii 17; and ixxiv 56, n.5808. (2.2) ]
[Asad’s note: The conventional translation of muttaqi as “God-fearing” does not adequately render the positive content of this expression – namely, the awareness of His all-presence and the desire to mould one’s existence in the light of this awareness; while the interpretation adopted by some translators, “one who guards himself against evil” or “one who is careful of his duty”, does not give more than one particular aspect of the concept of God consciousness.]
2: 3
Asad who believe in [the existence of] that which is the reach of human perception, and are constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance;
Yusuf Ali Who believe in the Unseen are steadfast in prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them.
Pickthall Who believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;
Transliteration Allazina yu'minu_na bil gaibi wa yuqimu_nas sala_ta wa mimma_ razaqna_hum yunfiqu_n(a).
2: 4
Yusuf Ali And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee and sent before thy time and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.
Pickthall And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.
Transliteration Wallazina yu'minu_na bima_ unzila ilaika wa ma_ unzila min qablika, wabil a_khirati hum ya_qinu_n(a).
2: 5
Asad It is they who follow the guidance [which comes] from their Sustainer; and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!
Yusuf Ali They are on (true) guidance from their Lord and it is these who will prosper.
Pickthall These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.
Transliteration Ula_'ika 'ala_ hudam mir rabbihim wa ula_'ika humul muflihu_n(a)
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
5: 35. O ye who believe!
... اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَابْتَغُواْ إِلَيهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ ...
do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him,
C740. Taqwa here too might be translated "fear of Allah", but the very next clause shows that "fear of Allah" does not mean "fear" in the ordinary sense, which would make you avoid the object of fear.
On the contrary the "fear of Allah" is the intense desire to avoid everything that is against His Will and Law.
It is in fact duty to Allah, for we are told to seek ardently the means by which we may approach Him, and that can only be done by striving with might and main for His cause.
... وَجَاهِدُواْ فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾
and strive with might and main in His cause: that ye may prosper.
C741. "Prosper" in the real sense, for that is all that matters, as the life of this world is brief and fleeting, and of small account as against Eternity.
Other versions:
5: 35
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God, and seek to come closer unto Him, and strive hard in His cause, so that you might attain to a happy state.
Yusuf Ali O ye who believe! do your duty to Allah seek the means of approach unto Him and strive with might and main in His cause: that ye may prosper.
Pickthall O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah, and seek the way of approach unto Him, and strive in His way in order that ye may succeed.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manuttaqulla_ha wabtagu_ ilaihil wasilata wa ja_hidu_ fi sabilihi la'allakum tuflihu_n(a).
58. Surah Al-Mujadalah (The Pleading)
Medina Period [105]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَا
تَجِدُ قَوْمًا
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِاللَّهِ
وَالْيَوْمِ
الْآخِرِ
يُوَادُّونَ...
58: 22. Thou wilt not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those
...مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ...
who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred.
C5363. If any one believes in Allah and His goodness and justice, and in the Hereafter, in which all true values will be restored he will never love evil or wrong-doing or rebellion against Allah, even if these things are found in his nearest kith and kin.
...أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ ...
For such He has written Faith in their hearts,
C5364. Faith in Allah is indelibly written on the tablets of their hearts and they can never be false to Allah.
... وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ ...
and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself.
C5365. Cf. 2:87 and 2:253, where it is said that Allah strengthened the Prophet Jesus with the holy spirit.
Here we learn that all good and righteous men are strengthened by Allah. If anything, the phrase used here is stronger. "a spirit from Himself".
Whenever any one offers his heart in faith and purity to Allah, Allah accepts it, engraves that Faith on the seeker's heart, and further fortifies him with his help which we can no more define adequately than we can define in human language the nature and attributes of Allah.
...وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا...
And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever).
...رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ...
Allah will be well pleased with them, and they with Him.
C5366. Again we have the doctrine of Allah's Good Pleasure as the highest goal of man, the spiritual heaven which he achieves by a life of purity and faith.
He not only attains Allah's Good Pleasure as the crown of his felicity, but his own nature is so far transformed to the pattern of Allah's original creation that his own good pleasure is in nothing but in Allah's Good Pleasure.
The mutual good pleasure shows the heights to which man can attain.
... أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ ...
They are the Party of Allah.
C5367. This is in antithesis to the Party of the Satan, mentioned in verse 19 above.
The Party of Evil will perish, but while it has its run in the scheme of the present world, the Party of Truth and Reality may be rightly called the Party of Allah, even though all Creation is Allah's in another sense.
...أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾
Truly it is the Party of Allah, that will achieve Felicity.
Asad’s Version:
58:22 Thou canst not find people who [truly) believe in God and the Last Day and [at the same time) love anyone who contends against God and His Apostle - even though they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or [others of] their kindred. 29
(As for the true believers,] it is they in whose hearts He has inscribed faith, and whom He has strengthened with inspiration from Himself, 30 and whom [in time] He will admit into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide. Well-pleased is God with them, and well-pleased are they with Him. They are God's partisans: oh, verily, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall attain to a happy state !
[[Asad’s notes -
29 The operative phrase of this passage is contained in the words, "anyone who contends against (man hadda) God and His Apostle": i.e., anyone who is engaged in active hostility against God's message and the person or the teachings of His Apostle. As regards relations with non-behevers who are not actively hostile to Islam,, the Qur'an explicitly permits and implicitly ordains in many places (e.g., in 60:89) kindness and friendliness towards them.
30 For my rendering of iuh as "inspiration" or, occasionally, as "divine inspiration", see note 2 on 16:2. As pointed out by Zamakhshari, the pronominal suffix in minhu may relate either to God - as in my rendering - or to the believers' faith, in which latter case the phrase could be rendered as "strengthened with inspiration (flowing] the refrom". ]]