God’s Promise is True
Best Promise Keeper:
2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالُواْ
لَن تَمَسَّنَا
النَّارُ إِلاَّ
أَيَّاماً
مَّعْدُودَةً
...
2: 80. And they say: "The fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days;"
C85. The Jews in their arrogance might say:
Whatever the terror of Hell may be for other people, our sins will be forgiven, because we are the children of Abraham; at worst, we shall suffer a short definite punishment and then be restored to the "bosom of Abraham".
This bubble is pricked here.
Read this verse with 2:81-82.
The general application is also clear. If Unfaith claims some special prerogative, such as race, "civilization," political power, historical experience, and so on, these will not avail in Allah's sight. His promise is sure, but His promise is for those who seek Allah in Faith, and show it in their conduct.
... قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ اللّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللّهُ عَهْدَهُ ...
Say: "Have ye taken a promise from Allah for He never breaks His promise?
... أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾
Or is it that ye say of Allah what ye do not know?"
2: 80
Asad And they say, “The fire will most certainly not touch us for more than a limited number of days.” (note 65) Say [unto them]: “Have you received a promise from God – for God never breaks His promise – or do you attribute to God something which you cannot know?”
Pickthall And they say: The fire (of punishment) will not touch us save for a certain number of days. Say: Have ye received a covenant from Allah--truly Allah will not break His covenant--or tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?
Transliteration Bala_ man kasabat sayyi'ataw wa aha_tat bihi khati'atuhu_ fa ula_'ika asha_bun na_r(i), hum fiha_ kha_lidu_n(a).
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4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ
الصَّالِحَاتِ
سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ
جَنَّاتٍ...
4: 122. But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall soon admit them to gardens,
... تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا...
with rivers flowing beneath, to dwell therein for ever.
... وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقًّا ...
Allah's promise is the truth,
... وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ اللّهِ قِيلاً ﴿١٢٢﴾
and whose word can be truer than Allah's?
Pickthall’s Version:
4: 122
Pickthall But as for those who believe and do good works, We shall bring them into gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. It is a promise from Allah in truth ; and who can be more truthful than Allah in utterance?
Transliteration Wallazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti sanudkhiluhum janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_ abada_(n), wa'dalla_hi haqqa_(n), wa man asdaqu minalla_hi qila_(n).
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6. [al-Anam, Cattle Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَفَغَيْرَ
اللّهِ أَبْتَغِي
حَكَمًا وَهُوَ
الَّذِي أَنَزَلَ
إِلَيْكُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
مُفَصَّلاً...
6: 114. Say:
"Shall I seek for judge other than Allah?
when He it is Who hath sent unto you the Book, explained in detail."
C943. The righteous man seeks no other standard of Judgement but Allah's Will. How can he, when Allah in His grace has explained His Will in the Quran, with details which men of every capacity can understand?
The humblest can learn lessons of right conduct in daily life, and the most advanced can find the highest wisdom in its spiritual teaching, enriched as it is with all kinds of beautiful illustrations from nature and the story of man.
...وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ ...
They know full well, to whom We have given the Book, that it hath been sent down from thy Lord in truth.
...فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ﴿١١٤﴾
Never be then of those who doubt.
وَتَمَّتْ
كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ
صِدْقًا وَعَدْلاً
لاَّ مُبَدِّلِ
لِكَلِمَاتِهِ...
6: 115. The Word of thy Lord doth find its fulfillment in truth and in justice:
none can change His Words:
...وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴿١١٥﴾
for He is the one who heareth and knoweth all.
Other Versions:
6: 114
Asad [say you:] “Am I, then to look unto anyone but God for judgment [as to what is right and wrong], when it is He who has bestowed upon you from on high this divine writ, clearly spelling out the truth?” And those unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know that this one, too, has been bestowed from on high, step by step, by your Sustainer [note 101]. Be not, then, among the doubters--
Pickthall Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers.
Transliteration Afagairalla_hi abgi hakamaw wa huwal lazi anzala ilaikumul kita_ba mufassala_(n), wallazina a_taina_humul kita_ba ya'lamu_na annahu_ munazzalum mir rabbika bil haqqi fala_ taku_nanna minal mumtarin(a).
6: 115
Asad for, truly and justly has your Sustainer’s promise been fulfilled [note 102]. There is no power that could alter [the fulfillment of] His promises: and He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing.
Pickthall Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Transliteration Wa tammat kalimatu rabbika sidqaw wa 'adla_(n), la_ mubaddila likalima_tih(i), wa huwas sami'ul 'alim(u).
[[ Asad’s note 101 – See 2:146, and the corresponding note. The pronoun “it” may refer either to the earlier divine writ – the Bible – and to its prediction of the advent of the prophet descended from Abraham, or, more probably, to the Quran: in which case it must be rendered as “this one, too”. In either case, the above phrase seems to allude to the instinctive (perhaps only subconscious) awareness of some of the followers of the Bible that the Quran is, in truth, an out come of divine revelation.]]
[[ Asad’s note 102 – When related to God, the term “kalimah” (lit., “word”) is often used in the Quran in the sense of “promise”. In this instance it obviously refers to the Biblical promise (Deuteronomy xviii, 15 and 18) that God would raise up a prophet “like unto Moses” among the Arabs (see surah 2, note 33) ]]
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9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ اشْتَرَى
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
أَنفُسَهُمْ
وَأَمْوَالَهُم
بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ
الجَنَّةَ...
9: 111. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their good; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise):
C1361. In a human bargain both sides give something and receive some advantage. In the divine bargain of Allah with man, Allah takes man's will and soul and his wealth and goods, and gives him in return ever-lasting Felicity.
Man fights in Allah's Cause and carries out His will. All that he has to give up is the ephemeral things of this world, while he gains eternal salvation, the fulfilment of his highest spiritual hopes, -a supreme achievement indeed.
... يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ...
they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain:
... وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ...
a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'án:
C1362. We offer our whole selves and our possessions to Allah, and Allah gives us Salvation. This is the true doctrine of redemption: and we are taught that this is the doctrine not only of the Quran but of the earlier Revelations, -the original Law of Moses and the original Gospel of Jesus.
Any other view of redemption is rejected by Islam, especially that of corrupted Christianity, which thinks that some other person suffered for our sins and we are redeemed by his blood. It is our self-surrender that counts, not other people's merits.
Our complete self-surrender may include fighting for the cause, both spiritual and physical. As regards actual fighting with the sword there has been some difference in theological theories at different times, but very little in the practice of those who framed those theories.
The Jewish wars were ruthless wars of extermination. The Old Testament does not mince matters on this subject. In the New Testament St. Paul, in commending the worthy fruits of Faith, mentions Gideon. Barak, and other warriors of the Old Testament as his ideals, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms... waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens..." (Hebrews, 11:32-34).
The monkish morality of the Gospels in their present form has never been followed by any self-respecting Christian or other nation in history. Nor is it common-sense to ignore lust of blood in unregenerate man as a form of evil which has to be combated "within the limits, set by Allah" (9:112). (R).
... وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللّهِ...
and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah?
... فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ...
Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded:
... وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ﴿١١١﴾
that is the achievement supreme.
Asad’s Version:
9: 111 Behold, God has brought of the believers their lives and their possessions, promising them paradise in return, [and so] they fight in God’s cause, and slay and are slain: a promise which in truth He has willed upon Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Quran. And who could be more faithful to his covenant than God?
Rejoice, then, in the bargain which have made with HimL for this is the triumph supreme!
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10. Surah Yunus, Mecca 51
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلا إِنَّ
لِلّهِ مَا فِي
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضِ...
10: 55. Is it not (the case) that to Allah belongeth whatever is in the heavens and on earth?
...أَلاَ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾
Is it not (the case) that Allah's promise is assuredly true?
Yet most of them understand not.
Pickthall’s Version:
10: 55
Pickthall Lo! verily all that is in the heavens and the earth is Allah's. Lo! verily Allah's promise is true. But most of them know not.
Transliteration Ala_ inna lilla_hi ma_ fis sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), ala_ inna wa'dalla_hi haqquw wa la_kinna aksarahum la_ ya'lamu_n(a).
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14. Surah Ibrahim, Mecca 72
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالَ
الشَّيْطَانُ
لَمَّا قُضِيَ
الأَمْرُ إِنَّ
اللّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ
وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ...
14: 22. And Satan will say when the matter is decided:
C1897. After the Judgment, Evil declares itself in its true colours. Frankly it says:
'I deceived you. The promise of Allah was true, but you believed me rather than Allah. I had no power to force you. I had but to call you, and you came running after me. You must blame yourselves.
Did you think I was equal with Allah?
I know too well that I was not and never could be. If you did wrong, you must suffer the Penalty.'
"It was Allah Who gave you a promise of truth:
...وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ...
I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you.
...وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي...
I had no authority over you except to call you, but ye listened to me:
...فَلاَ تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُواْ أَنفُسَكُم...
then reproach not me, but reproach your own souls.
...مَّا أَنَاْ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ...
I cannot listen to your cries, nor can ye listen to mine.
...إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ...
I reject your former act in associating me with Allah.
C1898. See the last note.
An alternative interpretation of this sentence may be:
"I had already beforehand rebelled against Allah with Whom ye associated me."
...إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٢﴾
For wrongdoers there must be a Grievous Penalty."
Other Versions:
14: 22
Asad …..”Behold, God promised you something that was bound to come true! ……….Yet I had not power at all over you: I but called you – and you responded unto me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves. ……………I have always refused to admit that there was any truth in your erstwhile believe that I had a share in God’s divinity.”
Pickthall And Satan saith, when the matter hath been decided: Lo! Allah promised you a promise of truth; and I promised you, then failed you. And I had no power over you save that I called unto you and ye obeyed me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can ye help me. Lo! I disbelieved in that which ye before ascribed to me. Lo! for wrong-doers is a painful doom.
Transliteration Wa qa_lasy syaita_nu lamma qudiyal amru innalla_ha wa'adakum wa'dal haqqi wa wa'attukum fa akhlaftukum, wa ma_ ka_na liya 'alaikum min sulta_nin illa_ an da'autukum fa-stajabtum li, fala_ talu_mu_ni wa lu_mu_ anfusakum, ma_ ana bi musrikhikum wa ma_ antum bi musrikhiyy(a), inni kafartu bima_ asyraktumu_ni min qabl(u), innaz za_limina lahum 'aza_bun alim(un).