7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَدِ
افْتَرَيْنَا
عَلَى اللّهِ
كَذِبًا إِنْ
عُدْنَا فِي
مِلَّتِكُم
بَعْدَ إِذْ
نَجَّانَا
اللّهُ مِنْهَا...
7: 89. "We should indeed invent a lie against Allah, if we returned to your ways after Allah hath rescued us therefrom:
C1059. The answer of the righteous is threefold.
1. "Coming back is all very well. But do you mean that we should practice the vices we detest?"
2. "You want us to lie against our conscience and our Lord, after we have seen the evil of your ways."
3. "Neither bribes nor threats, nor spacious appeals to patriotism or ancestral religion can move us: the matter rests with Allah, Whose will and pleasure we obey, and on Whom alone we rely. His knowledge will search out all your specious pretences."
...وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء اللّهُ رَبُّنَا...
nor could we by any manner of means return thereto unless it be as in the Will and plan of Allah, our Lord.
C1060. This, of course, does not mean that any one can ever return to evil ways with Allah's consent. Shu'ayb has already emphatically repudiated the idea of returning "to your ways after Allah hath rescued us therefrom."
But even if their ways had been good, the human will, he goes on to say, has no data to rely upon, and he and his followers would only be guided by Allah's Will and Plan.
وَسِعَ رَبُّنَا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا...
Our Lord can reach out to the utmost recesses of things by His knowledge.
...عَلَى اللّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا...
In Allah is our trust.
...رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ ...
Our Lord! decide thou between us and our people in truth,
C1061. Having answered the insincere quibblers among the godless, the righteous turn to Allah in earnest prayer.
The endless controversies in this world about abstract or speculative things never end even where both sides are sincere in their beliefs. The decision must be taken to Allah, Who sits on the throne of Truth, and Whose decisions will, therefore, be free from the errors and imperfections of all human judgment. The sincere have nothing to fear in the appeal to Him, as their motives are pure.
... وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ ﴿٨٩﴾
for thou art the best to decide."
Other versions:
7: 89
Asad We should be guilty of blaspheming against God were we to return to your ways after God has saved us from them! It is not conceivable that we should return to them – unless God, our Sustainer, so wills.
All things does our Sustainer embrace within His knowledge: in God do we place our trust. O our Sustainer! Lay you open the truth between us and our people – for Thou are the best of all to lay open the truth!”
Yusuf Ali "We should indeed invent a lie against Allah if we returned to your ways after Allah hath rescued us therefrom: nor could we by any manner of means return thereto unless it be as in the Will and plan of Allah Our Lord. Our Lord can reach out to the utmost recesses of things by His knowledge. In Allah is our trust. Our Lord! decide thou between us and our people in truth for thou art the best to decide."
Pickthall We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion after Allah hath rescued us from it. It is not for us to return to it unless Allah should (so) will. Our Lord comprehendeth all things in knowledge. In Allah do we put our trust. Our Lord! Decide with truth between us and our folk, for Thou art the best of those who make decision.
Transliteration Qadiftaraina_ 'alalla_hi kaziban in 'udna_ fi millatikum ba'da iz najja_nalla_hu minha_, wa ma_ yaku_nu lana_ an na'u_da fiha_ illa_ ay yasya_'alla_hu rabbuna_, wasi'a rabbuna_ kulla syai'in 'ilma_(n), 'alalla_hi tawakkalna_, rabbanaftah bainana_ wa baina qaumina_ bil haqqi wa anta khairul fa_tihin(a).
4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَقَاتِلْ
فِي سَبِيلِ
اللّهِ لاَ
تُكَلَّفُ
إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ
وَحَرِّضِ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ...
4: 84. Then fight in Allah's cause -- thou art held responsible only for thyself, and rouse the believers.
... عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ...
It may be that Allah will restrain the fury of the unbelievers:
... وَاللّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلاً ﴿٨٤﴾
for Allah is the strongest in might and in punishment.
C603. The courage of Muhammad was as notable as his wisdom, his gentleness, and his trust in Allah. Facing fearful odds, he often stood alone, and took the whole responsibility on himself. But his example and visible trust in Allah inspired and roused the Muslims, and also -speaking purely from a human point of view- restrained the fury of his enemies.
When we consider that he was Allah's inspired Messenger to carry out His Plan, we can see that nothing can resist that Plan. If the enemy happens to have strength, power, or resources, Allah's strength, power, and resources are infinitely greater. If the enemy is meditating punishment on the righteous for their righteousness. Allah's punishment for such wickedness will be infinitely greater and more effective.
Other versions:
4: 84 [ an-Nisa, Medina 92]
Asad Fight you [note 101] , then , in God's cause - since you are but responsible for your own self - and inspire the believers to overcome all fear of death [note 102]. God may well curb the might of those who are bent on denying the truth: for God is stronger in might, and stronger in ability to deter.
Yusuf Ali Then fight in Allah's cause thou art held responsible only for thyself and rouse the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the fury of the unbelievers: for Allah is the strongest in might and in punishment.
Pickthall So fight (O Muhammad) in the way of Allah Thou art not taxed (with the responsibility for anyone) except for thyself and urge on the believers. Peradventure Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment.
Fa qa_til fi sabililla_h(i), la_ tukallafu illa_ nafsaka wa harridil mu'minin(a),'asalla_hu ay yakuffa ba'sal lazina kafaru_, walla_hu asyaddu ba'saw wa asyaddu tankila_
[[ Asad’s note 101 - ………The above exhortation is to be understood in the context of a war already in progress, and not as an incitement to war.
note 102 – The term ‘harad’ signifies “corruption of body and mind” or “corruption in one’s conduct”, as well as “constant disquietude of mind” (Qamus). ..In the two instances where this verb occurs I nteh Quran (in this as well as in 8:65), it has the imperative form: “Render the believers free of all disquietude of mind” or, tropically, “of all fear of death”. The usual rendering of the phrase “harrid al-mu’minin’ as “urge [or “rouse” or “stir up”] the believers” does not convey the full meaning of the verb “harrada”, notwithstanding the fact that it has been suggested by some of the classical philologists….]]