14. Surah Ibrahim

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأُدْخِلَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ...   

14: 23.  But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to Gardens

...تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ...

beneath which rivers flow --

to dwell therein for aye with the leave of their Lord:

...تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلاَمٌ ﴿٢٣﴾

their greeting therein will be: "Peace!"

C1899. How this contrasts with the misery and the mutual self-recriminations of the ungodly!

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً...   

14: 24.  Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? --

...كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء ﴿٢٤﴾

a goodly Word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens --

C1900. "Goodly word" is usually interpreted as the Divine Word, the Divine Message, the True Religion.

It may also be interpreted in a more general sense as a word of truth, a word of goodness or kindness, which follows from a true appreciation of Religion. For Religion includes our duty to Allah and our duty to man.

The "evil word" is opposite to this: false religion, blasphemy, false speech, or preaching or teaching unkindness and wrong-doing. (R).

تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا...   

14: 25.  It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord.

C1901. The goodly tree is known for:

-         its beauty; it gives pleasure to all who see it;

-        its stability; it remains firm and unshaken in storms, because its roots are firmly fixed in the earth;

-        its wide compass; its branches reach high, and it catches all the sunshine from heaven, and gives shade to countless birds in its branches and men and animals beneath it, and

-         its abundant fruit, which it yields at all times.

So is the Good Word.

-        It is as beautiful as it is true.

-        It abides in all the changes and chances of this life, and even beyond (see verse 27 below);

-        it is never shaken by sorrow or what seems to us calamity;

-        its roots are deep down in the bed-rock facts of life. Its reach is universal, above, around, below:

-        it is illuminated by the divine light from heaven, and its consolation reaches countless beings of all grades of life.

-        Its fruit-the enjoyment of its blessings-is not confined to one season or one set of circumstances;

furthermore the fortunate man who is the vehicle of that word has no self-pride; he attributes all its goodness, and his act in spreading it, to the Will and Leave of Allah.

Cf. the New Testament Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-6) or of the Mustard-seed (Matt. 13:31- 32).

In this Parable of the Quran there are fewer words and more spiritual meaning, and the emphasis is on more essential things.

...وَيَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾

So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.

Other versions:

14: 23

Yusuf Ali But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye with the leave of their Lord: their greeting therein will be: "Peace!"

Pickthall And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace!

Transliteration Wa udkhilal lazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_ bi izni rabbihim, tahiyyatuhum fiha_ sala_m(un).

14: 24

Yusuf Ali Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? a goodly Word like a goodly tree whose root is firmly fixed and its branches (reach) to the heavens

Pickthall Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,

Yuksel Have you not seen how God cites the example of a good word is like a good tree, whose root is firm and its branches in the sky?

Transliteration Alam tara kaifa daraballa_hu masalan kalimatan tayyibatan ka syajaratin tayyibatin asluha_ sa_bituw wa far'uha_ fis sama_'(i),

14: 25

Yusuf Ali It brings forth its fruit at all times by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men in order that they may receive admonition.

Pickthall Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.

Yuksel It bears its fruit every so often by its Lord's leave. God cites the examples for the people, perhaps they will remember.

Transliteration Tu'ti ukulaha_ kulla hinim bi izni rabbiha_, wa yadribulla_hul amsa_la lin na_si la'allahum yatazakkaru_n(a).

16.Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْاْ مَاذَا أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ...    

16: 30.  To the righteous (when) it is said, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?"

C2053. The contrast and parallelism is with 16:24, where the ungodly in their levity and their deliberate rejection of guidance find no profit from Allah's Revelation.

... قَالُواْ خَيْرًا... 

they say, "All that is good."

... لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ... 

To those who do good, there is good in this world,

... وَلَدَارُ الآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ... 

and the Home of the Hereafter is even better.

C2054. Unlike the ungodly, the good find good everywhere, -in this world and in the Hereafter; because they understand and are in accord with the truths around them.

... وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٠﴾

And excellent indeed is the Home of the righteous --

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ...   

16: 31.  Gardens of Eternity which they will enter:

beneath them flow (pleasant) rivers:

... لَهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يَشَآؤُونَ... 

they will have therein all that they wish:

... كَذَلِكَ يَجْزِي اللّهُ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣١﴾ 

thus doth Allah reward the righteous --

الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلآئِكَةُ طَيِّبِينَ...

16: 32.  (Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity,

C2055. In a state of purity: from the evils of this world, from want of faith and want of grace. Purity from such evil is the mark of true Islam, and those who die in such purity will be received into Felicity with a salutation of Peace.

... يَقُولُونَ سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ ادْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾ 

saying (to them),

"Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden, because of the good which ye did (in the world)."

Other versions:

16: 30

Yusuf Ali To the righteous (when) it is said "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say "All that is good." To those who do good there is good in this world and the Home of the Hereafter is even better. And excellent indeed is the Home of the righteous

Pickthall And it is said unto those who ward off (evil): What hath your Lord revealed? They say Good: For those who do good in this world there is a good (reward) and the home of the Hereafter will be better. Pleasant indeed will be the home of those who ward off (evil).

Transliteration Wa qila lillazina-ttaqau ma_za_ anzala rabbukum, qa_lu_ khaira_(n), lillazina ahsanu_ fi ha_zihid dunya_ hasanah(tun), wa lada_rul a_khirati khair(un), wa lani'ma da_rul muttaqin(a),

16: 31

Yusuf Ali Gardens of Eternity which they will enter: beneath them flow (pleasant) rivers: they will have therein all that they wish: thus doth Allah reward the righteous

Pickthall Gardens of Eden which they enter, underneath which rivers flow, wherein they have what they will. Thus Allah repayeth those who ward off (evil),

Transliteration Janna_tu 'adniy yadkhulu_naha_ tajri min tahtihal anha_ru lahum fiha_ ma_ yasya_'u_n(a), kaza_lika yajzilla_hul muttaqin(a),

16: 32

Yusuf Ali (Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity saying (to them) "Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden because of the good which ye did (in the world)."

Pickthall Those whom the angels cause to die (when they are) good. They say: Peace be unto you! Enter the Garden because of what ye used to do.

Transliteration Allazina tatawaffa_humul mala_'ikatu tayyibin(a), yaqu_lu_na sala_mun 'alaikum-udkhulul jannata bima_ kuntum ta'malu_n(a).

19. Surah Maryam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا إِلَّا سَلَامًا...   

19: 62.  They will not there hear any vain discourse, but only salutations of peace:

C2512. Salam, translated "Peace", has a much wide signification. It includes;

-         a sense of security and permanence, which is unknown in this life;

-         soundness, freedom from defects, perfection as in the word salim;

-         preservation, salvation, deliverance, as in the word sallama,

-         salutation, accord with those around us;

-         resignation, in the sense that we are satisfied and not discontented;

-         besides the ordinary meaning of Peace, i.e., freedom from any jarring element. All these shades of meaning are implied in the word Islam. (R).

...وَلَهُمْ رِزْقُهُمْ فِيهَا بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا ﴿٦٢﴾

and they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening.

C2513. Rizq: literally sustenance or means of subsistence, the term covers all the means of perfect satisfaction of body and soul.

Morning and evening, i.e., early and late, all the time, always. (R).

Other versions:

19:62