6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا...

6: 34. Rejected were the Messengers before thee:

with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them:

...وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ وَلَقدْ جَاءكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾

there is none that can alter the Words (and Decrees) of Allah.

Already hast thou received some account of those Messengers.

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ...

6: 35. If their spurning is hard on thy mind,

...فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِيَ نَفَقًا فِي الأَرْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِي السَّمَاء فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِآيَةٍ...

yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a Sign, (what good?).

C856. There were many signs of a divine Mission in the Prophet's life and in the Message which he delivered. If these did not convince the Unbelievers, was it not vain to seek a miraculous Sign from the bowels of the earth or by a visible ascent to the skies?

If in the Prophet's eagerness to get all to accept his Message he was hurt at their callousness, active opposition, and persecution of him, he is told that a full knowledge of the working of Allah's Plan would convince him that impatience was misplaced. This was in the days of persecution before the Hijrah. The history in Madinah and after shows how Allah's truth was ultimately and triumphantly vindicated. Who among the sincere devotees of Muhammad can fail to read 6:33-35 without tears in his eyes?

...وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ ﴿٣٥﴾

If it were Allah's will, He could gather them together unto true guidance:

so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)!

Pickthall’s Version:

6: 34

Pickthall Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

Transliteration Wa laqad kuzzibat rusulum min qablika fasabaru_ 'ala_ ma_ kuzzibu_ wa u_zu_ hatta_ ata_hum nasruna_, wa la_ mubaddila likalima_tilla_h(i), wa laqad ja_'aka min naba'il mursalin(a).

6: 35

Pickthall And if their aversion is grievous unto thee, then, if thou canst, seek a way down into the earth or a ladder unto the sky that thou mayst bring unto them a portent (to convince them all)! If Allah willed, He could have brought them all together to the guidance So be not thou among the foolish ones.

Transliteration Wa in ka_na kabura 'alaika i'ra_duhum fa inistata'ta an tabtagiya nafaqan fil ardi au sullaman fis sama_'i fa ta'tiyahum bi a_yah(tin), wa lau sya_'alla_hu lajama'ahum'alal huda_ fala_ taku_nanna minal ja_hilin(a).