13.Surah ArRa'd
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَفَمَن
يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَا
أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ
مِن رَبِّكَ
الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ
هُوَ أَعْمَى...
13: 19. Is then one who doth know that that which hath been revealed unto these from thy Lord is the Truth, like one who is blind?
C1834. In this section the contrast between Faith and Righteousness on the one hand and Infidelity and Evil on the other is set out.
The righteous man is known as one who;
- receives admonition;
- is true to his covenants;
- follows the universal Religion of Faith and Practice joined together;
- is patient and persevering in seeking Allah;
and in practical matters he is known to be;
- regular in prayer;
- generous in true charity, whether open or secret; and
- not revengeful, but anxious to turn off evil with good, thus breaking the chain of evil which tends to perpetuate itself.
...إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ ﴿١٩﴾
It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition --
الَّذِينَ
يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ
اللّهِ وَلاَ
يِنقُضُونَ
الْمِيثَاقَ ﴿٢٠﴾
13: 20. Those who fulfil the Covenant of Allah and fail not in their plighted word;
وَالَّذِينَ
يَصِلُونَ مَا
أَمَرَ اللّهُ
بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ...
13: 21. Those who join together those things which Allah hath commanded to be joined,
- join faith with practice,
- love of God with love of man, and
- respect for all Prophets alike, i.e., follow the right Religion, and not odd bits of it.
...وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الحِسَابِ ﴿٢١﴾
hold their Lord in awe, and fear the terrible reckoning;
وَالَّذِينَ
صَبَرُواْ
ابْتِغَاء
وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ...
13: 22. Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance their Lord;
...وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَأَنفَقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِيَةً...
establish regular prayers;
spend, out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly;
...وَيَدْرَؤُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ...
and turn off Evil with good:
...أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ﴿٢٢﴾
for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home --
C1836. Their journey in this life was at best a sojourn. The Heaven is their eternal Home, which is further prefigured in the two following verses.
جَنَّاتُ
عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا
وَمَنْ صَلَحَ
مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ
وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ
وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ...
13: 23. Gardens of perpetual bliss:
they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring:
C1837. The relationships of this life are temporal, but love in righteousness is eternal.
In the eternal Gardens of Bliss the righteous will be reunited with all those near and dear ones whom they loved, provided only that they were righteous also; for in eternity nothing else counts.
Blood-relationships and marriage relationships create certain physical bonds in this life, which may lead to much good, and possibly also to evil. All that is physical or evil will go. But the good will come forth with a new meaning in the final Reckoning. Thus ancestors and descendants, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, (for dhurriyat includes them), whose love was pure and sanctified, will find new bliss in the perfecting of their love and will see a new and mystic meaning in the old and ephemeral bonds.
Can we wonder at Jacob's reunion with Joseph, or that of Moses with Aaron, or Muhammad Al Mustafa with the Lady Khadija?
In fact all the Righteous will be reunited in the Hereafter (12:101).
...وَالمَلاَئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ ﴿٢٣﴾
and angels shall enter unto them from every gate (with the salutation):
سَلاَمٌ
عَلَيْكُم بِمَا
صَبَرْتُمْ
فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى
الدَّارِ ﴿٢٤﴾
13: 24. "Peace unto you for that ye persevered in patience!
Now how excellent is the final Home!"
Other versions:
13: 19
Asad …………Only they who are endowed with insight keep this in mind:
Yusuf Ali Is then one who doth know that that which hath been revealed unto these from thy Lord is the Truth like one who is blind? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition
Pickthall Is he who knoweth that what is revealed unto thee from thy Lord is the truth like him who is blind? But only men of understanding heed;
Transliteration Afamay ya'lamu annama_ unzila ilaika mir rabbikal haqqu ka man huwa a'ma_, innama_ yatazakkaru ulul alba_b(i),
[[ Note-
Yatazakkaru – remember, they remember, derivative of zikkar allah [remembrance of Allah]
Ulul albab – those who have wisdom or good understanding.]]
[Ali’s note 1834 : In this section the contrast between Faith and Righteousness on the one hand and Infidelity and Evil on the other is set out. The righteous man is known as one who (1) receives admonition; (2) is true to his covenants; (3) follows the universal Religion of Faith and Practice joined together; (4) is patient and persevering in seeking Allah; and in practical matters he is known to be; (5) regular in prayer; (6) generous in true charity, whether open or secret; and (7) not revengeful, but anxious to turn off evil with good, thus breaking the chain of evil which tends to perpetuate itself. (13.19)]
[ Who has this insight or wisdom or understanding ? Answer follows ]
13: 20
Asad They who are true to their bond with God and never break their covenant;
Yusuf Ali Those who fulfil the Covenant of Allah and fail not in their plighted word;
Pickthall Such as keep the pact of Allah, and break not the covenant;
Transliteration Allazina yu_fu_na bi 'ahdilla_hi wa la_ yanqudu_nal misa_q(a),
[Asad note 42 The “covenant” is, in this context, a general term embracing the spiritual obligation arising from one’s faith in God and the moral and social obligations, resulting from that faith, towards one’s fellow-men (Zamakhshari)…..see 5:1..”ahd Allah” as “bond with God”, see sura 2, note 19. ]
13: 21
Yusuf Ali Those who join together those things which Allah hath commanded to be joined hold their Lord in awe and fear the terrible reckoning;
Pickthall Such as unite that which Allah hath commanded should be joined, and fear their Lord, and dread a woeful reckoning.
Transliteration Wallazina yasilu_na ma_ amaralla_hu bihi ay yu_sala wa yakhsyauna rabbahum wa yakha_fu_na su_'al hisa_b(i).
13: 22
Yusuf Ali Those who patiently persevere seeking the countenance their Lord; establish regular prayers; spend out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance secretly and openly; and turn off Evil with good: for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home
Pickthall Such as persevere in seeking their Lord's countenance and are regular in prayer and spend of that which We bestow upon them secretly and openly, and overcome evil with good. Theirs will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.
Transliteration Wallazina sabaru-btiga_'a wajhi rabbihim wa aqa_mus sala_ta wa anfaqu_ mimma_ razaqna_hum sirraw wa 'ala_niyataw wa yadra'u_na bil hasana_tis sayyi'ata ula_'ika lahum 'uqbad da_r(i),
13: 23
Yusuf Ali Gardens of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there as well as the righteous among their fathers their spouses and their offspring: and angels shall enter unto them from every gate (with the salutation):
Pickthall Gardens of Eden which they enter, along with all who do right of their fathers and their helpmeets and their seed. The angels enter unto them from every gate.
Transliteration Janna_tu 'adniy yadkhulu_naha_ wa man salaha mina a_ba_'ihim wa azwa_jihim wa zurriyya_tihim wal mala_'ikatu yadkhulu_na 'alaihim min kulli ba_b(in).
13: 24
Yusuf Ali "Peace unto you for that ye persevered in patience! Now how excellent is the final Home!"
Pickthall (Saying): Peace be unto you because ye persevered. Ah, passing sweet will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.
Transliteration Sala_mun 'alaikum bima_ sabartum fa ni'ma 'uqbad da_r(i).