2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
آمَنَ
الرَّسُولُ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْهِ مِن
رَّبِّهِ
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ
...
2: 285. The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith.
... كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ...
Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His Messengers.
C337. This Surah started with the question of Faith (2:3-4), showed us various aspects of Faith and the denial of Faith, gave us ordinances for the new People of Islam as a community, and now rounds off the argument again with a confession of Faith and of its practical manifestation in conduct ("we hear and we obey"), and closes on a note of humility, so that we may confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and pray for Allah's help and guidance.
... لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ...
"We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers."
C338. Cf. 2:136 and 2:253, n. 289.
It is not for us to make any distinction between one and another of Allah's Prophets: we must honor them all equally, though we know that God in His wisdom sent them with different kinds of mission and gave them different degrees of rank.
... وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا...
And they say: "We hear, and we obey:
... غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥﴾
(we seek) Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
C339. When our faith and conduct are sincere, we realize how far from perfection we are, and we humbly pray to Allah for the forgiveness of our sins.
We feel that Allah imposes no burden on us that we cannot bear, and with this realization in our hearts and in the confession of our lips, we go to Him and ask for His help and guidance.
Other versions:
2: 285
Yusuf Ali The Apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah His angels His books and His Apostles "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Apostles." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We seek) Thy forgiveness Our Lord and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
Pickthall The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers--We make no distinction between any of His messengers--and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying.
A_manar rasu_lu bima_ unzila ilaihi mir rabbihi wal mu'minu_n(a), kullun a_mana billa_hiwa mala_'ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rusulih(i), la_ nufarriqu baina ahadim mir ruslulih(i), wa qa_lu_ sami'na_ wa ata'na_ gufra_naka rabbana_ wa ilaikal masir(u).
[ Ali’s notes -
337 This Sura started with the question of Faith (ii 3-4), showed us various aspects of Faith and the denial of Faith, gave us ordinances for the new People of Islam as a community, and now rounds off the argument again with a confession of Faith and of its practical manifestation in conduct ("we hear and we obey"), and closes on a note of humility, so that we may confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and pray for God's help and guidance. (2.285)
338 Cf ii 136 and ii 253, n. 289. It is not for us to make any distinction between one and another of God's apostles: we must honor them all equally, though we know that God in His wisdom sent them with different kinds of mission and gave them different degrees of rank. (2.285)
339 When our faith and conduct are sincere, we realize how far from perfection we are, and we humbly pray to God for the forgiveness of our sins. We feel that God imposes no burden on us that we cannot bear, and with this realization in our hearts and in the confession of our lips, we go to Him and ask for His help and guidance. (2.285)
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الصَّابِرِينَ
...
3: 17. Those who show patience, firmness and self-control;
C356. Sabr (Sabirin) includes many shades of meaning: I have specified three here, viz., patience, firmness, and self-control.
See 2:45 and 2:153 and notes 61 and 157.
... وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالأَسْحَارِ ﴿١٧﴾
who are true (in word and deed);
who worship devoutly;
who spend (in the way of Allah);
and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning.
C357. True servants of Allah are described in 3:16 and 17. They have faith, humility, and hope (3:16); and they have certain virtues (3:17) viz.,
1. patience, steadfastness, self-restraint, and all that goes under the full definition of Sabr;
this shows a certain attitude of mind:
2. in all their dealings they are true and sincere as they are also in their promises and words;
this marks them out in social conduct:
3. further, their spiritual worship is earnest and deep, an inner counterpart of their outward conduct;
4. their worship of Allah shows itself in their love of their fellow-men, for they are ready and liberal in charity: and
5. their self-discipline is so great that the first thing they do every morning is humbly to approach their God.
Other versions:
3: 17
Yusuf Ali Those who show patience firmness and self-control; who are true (in word and deed); who worship devoutly; who spend (in the way of Allah); and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning.
Pickthall The steadfast, and the truthful, and the obedient, those who spend (and hoard not), those who pray for pardon in the watches of the night.
Transliteration As sa_birina was sa_diqina wal qa_nitina wal munfiqina wal mustagfirina bil asha_r(i).
47. Surah Muhammad [38 verses]
Medina 95
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَهَلْ
يَنظُرُونَ
إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ
أَن تَأْتِيَهُم
بَغْتَةً...
47: 18. Do they then only wait for the Hour, that it should come on them of a sudden?
C4839. Cf. 43:66, and n. 4665.
...فَقَدْ جَاء أَشْرَاطُهَا...
But already have come some tokens thereof,
C4840. The sands of time are always running, and when a wrong is done, the time for its punishment is approaching every moment. No one should therefore wait.
The time for repentance is Now at any given time. When the punishment comes, it is too late for repentance, and all admonition would be useless.
Looking to the particular time when this Surah was revealed, viz., about a year after the Hijrah, already there were Signs that the plans of the Pagans to crush Islam were crumbling to pieces. The Hijrah showed how much good-will there was in Madinah for the holy Prophet of Allah, and how many people from Makkah adhered to him, The battle of Badr showed that they could hold their own against odds of three to one.
...فَأَنَّى لَهُمْ إِذَا جَاءتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ ﴿١٨﴾
and when it (actually) is on them, how can they benefit then by their admonition?
فَاعْلَمْ
أَنَّهُ لَا
إِلَهَ إِلَّا
اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ
لِذَنبِكَ
وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ...
47: 19. Know, therefore, that
there is no god but Allah,
and ask forgiveness for the fault, and for the men and women who believe:
C4841. Cf. 40:55, and n. 4428.
...وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ ﴿١٩﴾
for Allah knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes.
C4842. The time and manner of our conducting ourselves at home and when we move about on our business are all material to the judgment of our conduct, and for every nuance in our moral and spiritual progress, we must seek Allah's help and guidance.
Asad’s Version:
47:18 Are, then, they [whose hearts are sealed] waiting for the Last Hour [waiting] that it come upon them of a sudden? But it has already been foretold! 22 And what will their remembrance [of their past sins] avail them, once it has come upon them? 23
47:19 Know, then, [O man,] that there is no deity save God, and [while there is yet time,] ask forgiveness for thy sins and for [the sins of] all other believing men and women: for God knows all your comings and goings as well as your abiding [at rest].
57. Surah Al-Hadid (Iron)
Medina Period [94]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
سَابِقُوا
إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ
مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
وَجَنَّةٍ
عَرْضُهَا
كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاء
وَالْأَرْضِ...
57:21. Be ye foremost (in seeking) forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden (of Bliss), the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth,
...أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ...
prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers:
...ذَلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاء ...
that is the Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He pleases:
C5307. "Bestows on whom He pleases." That is, such grace and favour is beyond any one's own merits. It is bestowed by Allah according to His holy Will and Plan, which is just, merciful, and righteous.
... وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢١﴾
and Allah is the Lord of Grace abounding.
Asad’s Version:
57:21 [Hence,] vie with one another in seeking to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness, 33 and [thus] to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for those who have attained to faith in God and His Apostle: 34 such is the bounty of God which He grants unto whomever He wills - for God is limitless in His great bounty.
[[Asad’s notes - 33 Sc, "rather than in striving for glory and worldly possessions": implying elliptically that no man is free from faults and transgressions, and hence everyone is in need of God's forgiveness. (Cf note 41 on 24:31.)
34 For a further qualification of the humility which characterizes true believers, see 3:133-135. ]]