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21. [al-Anbiyaa, Mecca 73]
(21:93]
But men have torn their unity wide asunder, 90 [forgetting that] unto Us they all are bound to return.
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[[ Asad’s notes - 89 After calling to mind, inverses 48-91, some of the earlier prophets, all of whom stressed the oneness and uniqueness of God, the discourse returns to that principle of oneness as it ought to be reflected in the unity of all who believe in Him. (See 23:51 ff.)
90 This is the meaning of the idiomatic phrase, taqatta'u amrahum baynahum. As Zamakhshari points out, the sudden turn of the discourse from the second person plural to the third person is indicative of God's severe disapproval - His "turning away", as it were, from those who are or were guilty of breaking the believers' unity. (See also 23:53 and the corresponding note 30.) ]]
[[ Ruby’s notes – I disagree with Asad in his interpretation that what is meant here is disunity among believers. I believe the way these few verses sequenced it definitely means those who seek division and dissentions among humanity. There is One God and one humanity, there should be unity in the fundamental ideas of living and society and the pursuit of doing the right things and purpose. The divisions are created often on the smallest of issues or relatively unimportant issues.]]
[[ See the previous verse ]]
21:92 [al-Anbiyaa, Mecca 73]
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===================================
28. Al-Qasas, (The Story)
Mecca Period 49
Asad’s Version:
28:68 AND [thus it is:] thy Sustainer creates whatever He wills; and He chooses [for mankind] whatever is best for them. 74 Limitless is God in His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!
(28:69) And thy Sustainer knows all that their hearts conceal as well as all that they bring into the open:
(28:70) for He is God, save whom there is no deity. Unto Him all praise is due, at the beginning and at the end [of time] ; 75 and with Him rests all judgment; and unto Him shall you all be brought back.
28:71 Say: "Have you ever considered [this]: If God had willed that there should always be night about you, without break, until the Day of Resurrection - is there any deity other than God that could bring you light? 76 Will you not, then, listen [to the truth]?"
(28:88) and never call upon any other deity side by side with God. There is no deity save Him. Everything is bound to perish, save His [eternal] Self 100 With Him rests all judgment; and unto Him shall you all be brought back.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
28:68. Thy Lord does create and choose as He pleases:
C3397. As He pleases: according to His own Will and Plan.
Allah is not dependent on other people for advice or help. He has no partners. All creation is an act of His Will, and no one can direct Him how or why certain things should be, because He is supreme in wisdom and knowledge.
He chooses His messengers also by His own unfettered choice. Inspiration or spiritual knowledge and dignity cannot be judged of by our relative or temporary standards. Worldly greatness or even wisdom do not necessarily go with spiritual insight.
...مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ ...
no choice have they (in the matter):
...سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾
Glory to Allah!
and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!
وَرَبُّكَ
يَعْلَمُ
مَا تُكِنُّ
صُدُورُهُمْ
وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
﴿٦٩﴾
28:69. And thy Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they reveal.
C3398. Men may form all sorts of vain wishes or conceal their designs. But Allah's Will is supreme, and nothing can withstand its fulfilment.
وَهُوَ
اللَّهُ
لَا إِلَهَ
إِلَّا هُوَ...
28:70. And He is Allah:
there is no god but He.
...لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَى وَالْآخِرَةِ...
To him be praise, at the first and at the last:
...وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
or Him is the Command, and to Him shall ye (all) be brought back.
28:88. And call not, besides Allah, on another god.
...لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ...
There is no god but He.
...كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ...
Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face.
C3421. This sums up the lesson of the whole Surah.
The only Eternal Reality is Allah. The whole phenomenal world is subject to flux and change and will pass away, but He will endure for ever. (R).
...لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾
To Him belongs the Command, and to Him will ye (all) be brought back.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كُلُّ
نَفْسٍ
ذَائِقَةُ
الْمَوْتِ...
29: 57. Every soul shall have a taste of death:
C3490. Cf. 3:185, n. 491, and 21:35 and n. 2697.
...ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٥٧﴾
in the end to Us shall ye be brought back.
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا
الصَّالِحَاتِ
لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُم
مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ
غُرَفًا...
29: 58. But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness -- to them shall We give a Home in Heaven, -- lofty mansions
C3491. The goodly homes mentioned in 16:41 referred to this life, but it was stated there that the reward of the Hereafter would be greater.
Here the simile of the Home is referred to Heaven:
- it will be beautiful;
- it will be picturesque, with the sight and sound of softly-murmuring streams;
- it will be lofty or sublime; and
- it will be eternal.
... تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا...
beneath which flow rivers, -- to dwell therein for aye; --
...نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ ﴿٥٨﴾
an excellent reward for those who do (good)! --
الَّذِينَ
صَبَرُوا
وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ
يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
﴿٥٩﴾
29: 59. Those who persevere in patience, and put their trust in their Lord and Cherisher.
وَكَأَيِّن
مِن دَابَّةٍ
لَا تَحْمِلُ
رِزْقَهَا ...
29: 60. How many are the creatures that carry not their own sustenance?
C3492. If we look at the animal creation, we see that many creatures seem almost helpless to find their own food or sustain their full life, being surrounded by many enemies. Yet in the Plan of Allah they find full sustenance and protection. So does man. Man's needs-as well as helplessness-are by many degrees greater. Yet Allah provides for him as for all His creatures.
Allah listens to the wish and cry of all His creatures and He knows their needs and how to provide for them all. Man should not therefore hesitate to suffer exile or persecution in Allah's Cause
39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)
Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]
Asad’s Version:
39:7 If you are ingrate" - behold, God has no need of you; none the less, He does not approve of ingratitude in His servants: whereas, if you show gratitude, He approves it in you. And no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden. 12 In time, unto your Sustainer you all must return, and then He will make you [truly] understand all that you were doing [in life]: for, verily, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِن
تَكْفُرُوا
فَإِنَّ
اللَّهَ
غَنِيٌّ
عَنكُمْ...
39:7 It ye reject (Allah), truly Allah has no need of you;
... وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ...
but He liketh not ingratitude from His servants:
... وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ...
if ye are grateful, He is pleased with you.
... وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى...
No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another.
C4255. Cf. 6:164.
The account is between you and Allah. No one else can take your burdens or carry your sins. Vicarious atonement would be unjust.
... ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ...
In the end, to your Lord is your return, when He will tell you the truth of all that ye did (in this life).
You have to return to Allah in the Hereafter. You will find that He knows all that you did in this life, and its full significance. He will explain to you even better than you can understand yourself; because all your secret hidden motives, which you sometimes tried to ignore yourself, are fully known to Him.
... إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ﴿٧﴾
For He knoweth well all that is in (men's) hearts.
40:43 "There is no doubt that what you summon me to is something that has no claim to being invoked either in this world or in the life to come - as [there is no doubt] that unto God is our return, and that they who have wasted their own selves shall find themselves in the fire:
40. Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin
Mecca 60 [85 verses]
Asad’s Version:
40:77 HENCE, remain thou patient in adversity - for, verily, God's promise always comes true. And whether We show thee [in this world] something of what We hold in store for those [deniers of the truth], or whether We cause thee to die [ere that retribution takes place - know that, in the end), it is unto Us that they will be brought back. 56
[[Asad’s note - 56 See the almost identical passage in 10:46, as well as the corresponding notes 66 and 67. ]]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَاصْبِرْ
إِنَّ
وَعْدَ
اللَّهِ
حَقٌّ...
40: 77. So persevere in patience!
For the Promise of Allah is true:
فَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ...
and whether We show thee (in this life) some part of what We promise them, or We take thy soul (to Our Mercy) (Before that),
C4453. Cf. 10;46, and n. 1438.
As the eventual justice and readjustment of values must take place, when every soul returns to the Judgment-Seat of Allah, it makes no difference if good and evil meet their deserts in this very life or not.
Cf. also 13:40.
... فَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾
(in any case) it is to Us that they shall (all) return.
41. Fussilat (Clearly Spelled Out/Expounded)
Mecca Period 61 [54 ayats]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالُوا
لِجُلُودِهِمْ
لِمَ
شَهِدتُّمْ
عَلَيْنَا...
41: 21 They will say to their skins: "Why bear ye witness against us?"
C4488. A new phase of their existence will now dawn on them.
They used to think that if they concealed their evil deeds from the rest of the world, nothing would happen to them! But Allah can give "tongues to trees", and can make every fact in life, known and unknown to the world, contribute to the elucidation of truth and justice. When we succumb to evil, our limbs and faculties themselves betray us.
...قَالُوا أَنطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ...
They will say:
"Allah hath given us speech, (He) Who giveth speech to everything:
...وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
He created you for the first time, and unto Him were ye to return.
