43. Surah Zukhruf(Gold)

Mecca 63 [89 verses]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٣١﴾

43: 31. Also, they say:

"Why is not this Qur'án sent down to some leading man in either of the two (Chief) cities?"

C4634. If such a gift had to come to a man among them, it was the right (they foolishly said) of one of the chiefs in either the sacred city of Makkah, or the fertile garden-city of Taif!

أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ...

43: 32. Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord?

...نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا...

It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world:

...وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا...

and We raise some of them above others in ranks, so that some may command work from others.

...وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾

But the Mercy of thy Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass.

Asad’s Version:

43:31 And they say, too, "Why was not this Qur'an bestowed from on high on some great man of the two cities?" 28

(43:32) But is it they who distribute thy Sustainer's grace? [Nay, as] it is We who distribute their means of livelihood among them in the life of this world, and raise some of them by degrees above others, to the end that they might avail themselves of one another's help - [so, too, it is We who bestow gifts of the spirit upon whomever We will] : and this thy Sustainer's grace is better than all [the worldly wealth] that they may amass.

[[Asad’s note - 28 I.e., Mecca and Ta'if - implying that if it were really a divine revelation it would have been bestowed on a person of "great standing", and not on Muhammad, who had neither wealth nor a position of eminence in his native city. ]]

Yuksel’s version

43:31 They said, "If only this Quran was sent down to a great man from the two towns!"

43:32 Is it they who assign your Lord's mercy? We have assigned their shares in this worldly life, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that they would take one another in service. The mercy from your Lord is far better than what they amass.