39. Surha Az-Zumar

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَا رَبَّهُ مُنِيبًا إِلَيْهِ...

39: 8. When some trouble toucheth man, he crieth unto his Lord, turning to Him in repentance:

C4256. Cf. 10:12.

Trouble and adversity often bring a man to his bearings. But if he is not firm and constant, he forgets the lessons which life is meant to teach him. As soon as he gets a little prosperity, he forgets that it is from Allah, and attributes it to something which may only be a secondary cause, e.g., his own efforts or the Powers of Nature, or something which he has invented and made into a god, e.g., idols or fate.

Allah is the Ultimate Cause of all things. To set up rivals to him in this way is not only wrong and degrading to the false worshipper himself, but misleads countless ignorant people, who may not be able to make allowances for the figures of speech or the symbolism by which subtler minds can explain away falsehoods.

... ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلَهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنْهُ نَسِيَ مَا كَانَ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ مِن قَبْلُ...

but when He bestoweth a favor upon him as from Himself, (man) doth forget what he cried and prayed for before,

... وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ...

and he doth set up rivals unto Allah, thus misleading others from Allah's Path.

... قُلْ تَمَتَّعْ بِكُفْرِكَ قَلِيلًا...

Say

"Enjoy thy blasphemy for a little while:

C4257. Those who practice and those who teach evil and blasphemy may seen to flourish in this world. But their satisfaction will be of very short duration. They are treading all the while the Path that leads to the Fire of Perdition.

... إِنَّكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ ﴿٨﴾

verily thou art (one) of the Companions of the Fire!"

Asad’s Version:

39:8 NOW [thus it is:] when affliction befalls man, he is likely to cry out" to his Sustainer, turning unto Him [for help]; but as soon as He has bestowed upon him a boon by His grace, he forgets Him whom he invoked before, and claims that there are other powers that could rival God" - and thus leads [others] astray from His path. Say [unto him who sins in this way]: "Enjoy thyself for a while in this thy denial of the truth;

[yet,] verily, thou art of those who are destined for the fire!