Believing God the ONLY MASTER
7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اتَّبِعُواْ
مَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْكُم مِّن
رَّبِّكُمْ
وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ
مِن دُونِهِ
أَوْلِيَاء...
7: 3. Follow (O men!) the revelation given unto you from your Lord,
and follow not, as friends or protectors, other than Him.
...قَلِيلاً مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٣﴾
Little it is ye remember of admonition.
C991. This is added in order that men might not be puffed up with such little knowledge as they possessed, for there are great heights to be scaled in the spiritual kingdom.
Asad’s Version:
7: 3 Follow what has been sent down unto you by your Sustainer, and follow no masters other than Him.
12. Surha Yusuf (Joseph)
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
هَـذِهِ
سَبِيلِي
أَدْعُو
إِلَى
اللّهِ
عَلَى
بَصِيرَةٍ
أَنَاْ
وَمَنِ
اتَّبَعَنِي...
12: 108. Say thou:
"This is my way: I do invite unto Allah -- on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes -- I and whoever follows me:
C1792. Islam holds fast to the one central fact in the spiritual world,
- the unity of God, and
- all Reality springing from Him and Him alone.
There can be no one and nothing in competition with that one and only Reality. It is the essence of Truth. All other ideas or existences, including our perception of Self, are merely relative, mere projections from the wonderful faculties which He has given to us.
This is not, to us, mere hypothesis. It is in our inmost experience. In the physical world, they say that seeing is believing. In our inner world this sense of Allah is as clear as sight in the physical world. Therefore, Al-Mustafa and those who really follow him in the truest sense of the world, call all the world to see this Truth, feel this experience, follow this Way.
They will never be distracted by metaphysical speculations, whose validity will always be doubtful, nor be deluded with phantoms which lead men astray.
...وَسُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٠٨﴾
Glory to Allah!
and never will I join gods with Allah!"
Other versions:
12: 108
Transliteration Qul ha_zihi sabili ad'u_ ilalla_h(i), 'ala_ basiratin ana wa man-ittaba'ani, wa subha_nalla_hi wa ma_ ana minal musyrikin(a).
Yusuf Ali Say thou: "This my way: I do invite unto Allah on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes I and whoever follows me: Glory to Allah! and never will I join gods with Allah!"
Pickthall Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah with sure knowledge, I and whosoever followeth me--Glory be to Allah!--and I am not of the idolaters.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
يَفْرَحُونَ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْكَ...
13: 36. Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee:
C1857. The Book: in a general sense, Revelation.
"Those to whom the Book hath been given" are both;
- the People of the Book of previous revelations, who study the new Revelation in Arabic without prejudice and find in it confirmation of what their ancestors had received and believed in it, and
- the Muslims who receive the Quran with such joy.
...وَمِنَ الأَحْزَابِ مَن يُنكِرُ بَعْضَهُ...
but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof.
C1858. Ahzab (plural of hizb: parties, sects, troops, clans. The reference may be to the clans mentioned in 33:20 and 22 (that whole Surah is called Ahzab).
But we can understand it in a perfectly general sense. Among all sections of the people there are persons who would receive a portion of Allah's truth but reject whatever does not suit them or fall in with their selfish aims or vain desires. The proper answer to them is:
Surely, Allah's command is universal, -to worship and serve Him and refuse to bend the knee to any other; the man of God finds his staff and support in it; but he must invite all to share in its blessings; it came from Allah, and to Allah shall we all return.
...قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللّهَ وَلا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ...
Say:
"I am commanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with Him.
...إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ ﴿٣٦﴾
Unto Him do I call,
and unto Him is my return."
Other versions:
13: 36
Asad …….but among the followers of other creeds there are such as deny the validity of some of it. Say: “I have only been bidden to worship God, and not to ascribe divine powers to aught beside Him: unto Him do I call [all mankind], and He is my goal!”
Yusuf Ali Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee: but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof. Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah and not to join partners with Him. Unto Him do I call and unto Him is my return."
Pickthall Those unto whom We gave the Scripture rejoice in that which is revealed unto thee. And of the clans there are who deny some of it. Say: I am commanded only that I serve Allah and ascribe unto Him no partner. Unto Him I cry, and unto Him is my return.
Transliteration Wallazina a_taina_humul kita_ba yafrahu_na bima_ unzila ilaika wa minal ahza_bi may yunkiru ba'dah(u_), qul innama_ umirtu an a'budalla_ha wa la_ usyrika bih(i), ilaihi ad'u_ wa ilaihi ma'a_b(i).
[Asad note 71: The particle “only” [innama] at the beginning of this sentence “clearly shows that there is [in Islam] no obligation, no ordinance and no prohibition that is not connected with this [principle]” [Razi].