46. Surah Al-Ahqaf (The Sand-Dunes)

Mecca Period 66

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ...

46: 35. Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) messengers of inflexible purpose; and be in no haste about the (Unbelievers).

...كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ...

On the Day that they see the (Punishment) promised them, (it will be ) as if they had not tarried more than an hour in a single day.

C4815. All spiritual work proceeds in its own good time. We should never be impatient either about its success or about the punishment which is bound to come for those who oppose it or wish to suppress it.

The inevitable punishment is spoken of as the Punishment promised. It will come so soon and so suddenly that it will appear as if there was not the delay of a single hour in a single day!

Time is a great factor in our affairs in this world, but it hardly counts in the spiritual Kingdom.

...بَلَاغٌ ...

(Thine but) to proclaim the Message:

C4816. The Preacher's duty is to proclaim the Message in unmistakable terms. If any human beings come in the way, it will be to their own destruction; but none but rebellious transgressor will be punished. There is always hope and forgiveness for repentance and amendment.

... فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾

but shall any be destroyed except those who transgress?

Asad’s Version:

46:35 REMAIN, then, [O believer,) patient in adversity, just as all of the apostles, endowed with firmness of heart, bore themselves with patience. And do not ask for a speedy doom of those [who still deny the truth] : on the Day when they see [the fulfilment of] what they were promised, 42 [it will seem to them] as though they had dwelt [on earth) no longer than one hour of [an earthly) day! 43

[This is Our] message. Will, then, any be [really) destroyed save iniquitous folk? 44

41 This is apparently an allusion to the Qur'anic doctrine that God's creative activity is continuous and unending.

42 I.e., the reality of life after death.

43 In this parabolic manner the Qur'an points to the illusory concept of "time" as experienced by the human mind - a concept which has no bearing on the ultimate reality to be unfolded in the hereafter.

44 Cf. the last sentence of 6:47 and the corresponding note 37.