30. Surah Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)

Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذَا أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً فَرِحُوا بِهَا...

30:36 [Ali]. When We give men a taste of Mercy, they exult thereat:

...وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ إِذَا هُمْ يَقْنَطُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾

and when some evil afflicts them because of what their (own) hands have sent forth, behold, they are in despair!

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَقْدِرُ...

30: 37. See they not that Allah enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases?

C3549. Cf. 28:82 and n. 3412. Also see last note.

Allah's grant of certain gifts to some, as well as His withholding of certain gifts from others, are themselves Signs (trials or warnings) to men of faith and understanding.

...إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾

Verily in that are Signs for those who believe

Asad’s Version:

(30:36) And [thus it is:] when we let men taste [Our] grace, they rejoice in it; but if evil befalls them as an outcome of what their own hands have wrought" lo! they lose all hope!

(30:37) Are they, then, not aware that it is God who grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whomever He wills? In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who will believe!

[[Ruby’s note – Here it is indicated that if a believer goes through difficult time due to his/her failures he/she realizes it, amends it and look forward to God’s forgiveness. They are not hopeless. The wrongdoers do fall into despair because their faith is weak or absent in God’s Mercy.]]