22. Sura al-Hajj

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَدْعُو لَمَن ضَرُّهُ أَقْرَبُ مِن نَّفْعِهِ...  

13.  (Perhaps) they call on one whose hurt is nearer than his profit:

C2784. Such false worship is not always neutral, bringing neither harm nor good.

Perhaps the harm comes first, and there is no help from Allah. Such minds are themselves demoralised, and render themselves unfit for help!

...لَبِئْسَ الْمَوْلَى وَلَبِئْسَ الْعَشِيرُ ﴿١٣﴾

evil, indeed, is the patron, and evil the companion (for help)!

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ...

23.  Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow:

C2795. In 22:14 above, was described the meed of the Righteous as compared with the time-servers and those who worshipped false gods (Verses. 10-13):

here we have the case of those who were Persecuted, abused, prevented from entering the Ka'bah and deprived of all that makes life smooth, agreeable, and comfortable. For them the meed is described in a way that negative these afflictions:

- costly adornments (as against being stripped of home and property),

- purity of speech (as against the abuse they received),

- the Path of the Lord of Praise (as against the fierce and malignant persecution to which they were subjected).

...يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا ...

they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls;

...وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ ﴿٢٣﴾

and their garments there will be of silk.

وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ...

24. For they have been guided (in this life) to the purest of speeches;

...وَهُدُوا إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْحَمِيدِ ﴿٢٤﴾

they have been guided to the Path of Him Who is worthy of (all) praise.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا أَنَا لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٤٩﴾

22: 49. Say:

"O men! I am (sent) to you only to give a clear warning:

C2828. It is Messenger's duty to convey the warning in the clearest terms to the wicked.

It is not part of his duty to coerce them or judge them, or bring on the Punishment for them. That only rests with Allah. But the warning itself is full of Mercy: for it gives the highest hope to the repentant sinner who turns and comes to Allah.

فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٥٠﴾

22: 50. "Those who believe and work righteousness, for them is forgiveness and a sustenance most generous.

C2829. The "sustenance" must be construed in the widest sense, spiritual as well as intellectual and physical.

The reward of righteousness is far more generous than any merit there may be in the creature following the Will of his Creator.

وَالَّذِينَ سَعَوْا فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿٥١﴾

22: 51. "But those who strive against Our Signs, to frustrate them, they will be Companions of the Fire."

C2830. It will not be in their power to frustrate Allah's Plan; all they will do is to go further and further down in their spiritual state, deeper and deeper in their Hell.

Other versions:

22:13 [al-Hall, Medina 103]

Arabic Source and Roman Transliteration Arabic   إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ &#x21E8 Transliteration   Inna Allaha yudkhilu allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati jannatin tajree min tahtiha al-anharu inna Allaha yafAAalu ma yureedu &#x21E8

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning Muhammad Asad   VERILY, God will admit those who have attained to faith and have done righteous deeds into gardens through which running waters flow: for, behold, God does whatever He wills. &#x21E8 M. M. Pickthall   Lo! Allah causeth those who believe and do good works to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow. Lo! Allah doth what He intendeth. &#x21E8 Shakir   Surely Allah will cause those who believe and do good deeds to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, surely Allah does what He pleases. &#x21E8 Yusuf Ali   Verily Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds, to Gardens, beneath which rivers flow: for Allah carries out all that He plans.

[[Asad’s note - 29 See 18: 31 and the corresponding note 41.]]

22:23 [al-Hajj, Medina 103]

Arabic Source and Roman Transliteration Arabic إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ &#x21E8 Transliteration Inna Allaha yudkhilu allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati jannatin tajree min tahtiha al-anharu yuhallawna feeha min asawira min thahabin walu/lu-an walibasuhum feeha hareerun &#x21E8

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning Muhammad Asad [As against this,] behold, God will admit those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds into gardens through which running waters flow, wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and where silk will be their raiment: &#x21E8 M. M. Pickthall Lo! Allah will cause those who believe and do good works to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be allowed armlets of gold, and pearls, and their raiment therein will be silk. &#x21E8 Shakir Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good deeds enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and (with) pearls, and their garments therein shall be of silk. &#x21E8 Yusuf Ali Allah will admit those who believe and work righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow: they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls; and their garments there will be of silk. &#x21E8 Wahiduddin Khan God will admit those who believe and do good deeds to Gardens watered by flowing rivers; there they will be given bracelets of gold and pearls to wear and their clothing will be of silk. &#x21E8 [Al-Muntakhab] Allah receives with hearty welcome those whose hearts have been touched with the divine hand and whose deeds reflected wisdom and piety. He admits them to Gardens beneath which rivers flow where they shall be adorned with golden and pearled-bracelets and vested in silken attire. &#x21E8 [Progressive Muslims] God will admit those who believe and do good works to gardens with rivers flowing beneath them, wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearl, and their garments will be of silk.

(22:24) for they were [willing to be] guided towards the best of all tenets, 30 and so they were guided onto the way that leads to the

One unto whom all praise is due.

Arabic Source and Roman Transliteration Arabic وَهُدُوا إِلَى الطَّيِّبِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَهُدُوا إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْحَمِيدِ &#x21E8 Transliteration Wahudoo ila alttayyibi mina alqawli wahudoo ila sirati alhameedi &#x21E8

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning Muhammad Asad for they were [willing to be] guided towards the best of all tenets, and so they were guided onto the way that leads to the One unto whom all praise is due. &#x21E8 M. M. Pickthall They are guided unto gentle speech; they are guided unto the path of the Glorious One. &#x21E8 Shakir And they are guided to goodly words and they are guided into the path of the Praised One. &#x21E8 Yusuf Ali For they have been guided (in this life) to the purest of speeches; they have been guided to the Path of Him Who is Worthy of (all) Praise. &#x21E8 Wahiduddin Khan For they were guided to purity of speech. And they were guided to the path of the Glorious Lord. &#x21E8 [Al-Muntakhab] They were instinctively guided to use gracious words in their discourse and they were graced with Allah's guidance to His path, the path of AL-Aziz (the Almighty) to whom are extolled the glorious attributes. &#x21E8 [Progressive Muslims] And they are guided to the good sayings, and guided to the path of the Praiseworthy.

22:49 [al-Hajj, Medina 103]

Asad

SAY [O Muhammad]: "0 men! I am but a plain warner [sent by God] unto you!"

(22:50) And [know that] those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds shall be granted forgiveness of sins and a most excellent sustenance;"

22:50

(22:51) whereas those who strive against Our messages, seeking to defeat their purpose - they are destined for the blazing fire.