24. Surah An Nur

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ...

24: 30. Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty:

C2983. The rule of modesty applies to men as well as women. A brazen stare by a man at a woman (or even at a man) is a breach of refined manners.

Where sex is concerned, modesty is not only "good form": it is not only to guard the weaker sex, but also to guard the spiritual good of the stronger sex.

...ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ...

that will make for greater purity for them:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾

and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ...

24: 31. And say to the believing women

...يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ ...

that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty;

C2984. The need for modesty is the same in both men and women. But on account of the differentiation of the sexes in nature, temperaments, and social life, a greater amount of privacy is required for women than for men, especially in the matter of dress and the uncovering of the bosom.

...وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا...

that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof;

C2985. Zinat means both natural beauty and artificial ornaments.

I think both are implied here, but chiefly the former. The woman is asked not to make a display of her figure except to the following classes of people:

- her husband,

- her near relatives whom a certain amount of neglige' is permissible;

- her women,

- slaves, male and female, as they would be in constant attendance; but this item would now be blank, with the abolition of slavery;

- men who are free from sexual desire and who usually frequent the houses; and

- infants or small children before they get a sense of sex. Cf. also 33: 59.

...وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ...

that they should draw their veils over their bosoms

...وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا...

and not display their beauty except

...لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ...

to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers,

...أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاء بُعُولَتِهِنَّ...

their sons, their husbands' sons,

...أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ ...

their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons,

...أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ...

or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess,

...أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُوْلِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ...

or male servants free of physical needs,

...أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَى عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاء...

or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex;

...وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ...

and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments.

C2986. It is one of the tricks of showy or unchaste women to tinkle their ankle ornaments, to draw attention to themselves,

...وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١﴾

And O ye Believers! turn ye al together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.

C2987. While all these details of the purity and good form of domestic life are being brought to our attention, we are clearly reminded that the chief object we should hold in view is our spiritual welfare.

All our brief life on this earth is a probation, and we must make our individual, domestic, and social life all contribute to our holiness, so that we can get the real success and bliss which is the aim of our spiritual endeavour. (R).

Asad’s Version:

24:30 [al-Nur, Medina 102]

TELL the believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity: 36 this will be most conducive to their purity - [and,] verily, God is aware of all that they do.

24:31) And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms [in public] beyond what may [decently] be apparent thereof; 37 hence, let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms. 38 And let them not display [more of] their charms to any but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or those whom they rightfully possess, or such male attendants as are beyond all sexual desire, 3 ' or children that are as yet unaware of women's nakedness; and let them not

swing their legs [in walking] so as to draw attention to their hidden charms. 40 And [always], O you believers - all of you - turn unto God in repentance, so that you might attain to a happy state! 41

[[Asad’s note -- 41 The implication of this general call to repentance is that since "man has been created weak" (4:28), no one is ever free of faults and temptations so much so that even the Prophet used to say, "Verily, I turn unto Him in repentance a hundred times every day" (Ibn Hanbal, Bukhari and Bayhaqi, all of them on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar). ]]

28. Surah Al-Qasas, (The Story)

Mecca Period 49

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أَجَبْتُمُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿٦٥﴾

28: 65. That Day (Allah) will call to them, and say: "What was the answer ye gave to the Messengers?"

C3395. Now we come to the examination of those who rejected or persecuted Allah's Messengers on the earth.

It may be the same men as those mentioned in 28:62-64, but this is a different count in the charge.

فَعَمِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَنبَاء يَوْمَئِذٍ فَهُمْ لَا يَتَسَاءلُونَ ﴿٦٦﴾

28: 66. Then the (whole) story that day will seem obscure to them (like light to the blind) and they will not be able (even) to question each other.

C3396. In their utter confusion and despair their minds will be blank. The past will seem to them unreal, and the present unintelligible, and they will not even be able to consult each other, as every one's state will be the same.

فَأَمَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَعَسَى أَن يَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُفْلِحِينَ ﴿٦٧﴾

28: 67. But any that (in this life) had repented, believed, and worked righteousness, will have hopes to be among those who achieve salvation.

Asad’s Version:

28:65 And on that Day He will call unto them, and will ask: "How did you respond to My message- bearers?" 70 –

(28:66) but all arguments and excuses will by then have been erased from their minds, 71 and they will not [be able to] obtain any [helpful] answer from one another. 72

28:67 But as against this - anyone who repents 73 and attains to faith and does righteous deeds may well [hope to] find himself among those who achieve a happy state [in the life to come] .

42. Surah Ash-Shura (Consultation)

Mecca Period 53

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ...

42:25. He is the One that accepts repentance from His Servants and forgives sins:

C4563. Whatever the sin, Allah's Mercy is open to sincere Repentance, at all times, until the decree of condemnation issues.

...وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾

and He knows all that ye do.

وَيَسْتَجِيبُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ...

42: 26. And He listens to those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, and gives them increase of His Bounty:

C4564. To the prayers of the righteous He listens, and He gives them of His Bounty beyond their deserts. Every time they do a little good, they are increased in their goodness. Every right impulse or aspiration is strengthened and leads to progressive spiritual advancement.

...وَالْكَافِرُونَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ﴿٢٦﴾

but for the Unbelievers there is a terrible Penalty.

Asad’s Version:

(42:25) and it is He who accepts repentance from His servants, and pardons bad deeds, and knows all that you do,

(42:26) and responds unto all who attain to faith and do righteous deeds; and [it is He who, in the life to come,] will give them, out of His bounty, far more [than they will have deserved], whereas for the deniers of the truth there is [but] suffering severe in store.

Yuksel’s version

42:25 He is the One who accepts the repentance from His servants, and He forgives the sins. He is fully aware of what you do.

42:26 Those who acknowledge and do good works respond to Him, and He increases for them His blessings. As for the ingrates, they have incurred a severe retribution.