Sura -11 [Hud mecca 52]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
وَلَئِنْ
أَذَقْنَا
الإِنْسَانَ
مِنَّا رَحْمَةً
ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا
مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ
لَيَئُوسٌ
كَفُورٌ ﴿٩﴾
11:9. if We give man a taste of mercy from Ourselves, and then withdraw it from him, behold! he is in despair and (falls into) blasphemy.
C1506. He does not realise that some kinds of chastening are good for discipline and the training of our spiritual faculties.
وَلَئِنْ
أَذَقْنَاهُ
نَعْمَاء بَعْدَ
ضَرَّاء مَسَّتْهُ
لَيَقُولَنَّ
ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ
عَنِّي...
11:10. But if We give him a taste of (Our) favors after adversity hath touched him, He is sure to say,
"All evil has departed from me;"
C1507. He takes it as a matter of course, or as due to his own merit or cleverness!
He does not realise that both in good and ill fortune there is a beneficent purpose in the Plan of Allah.
...إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ ﴿١٠﴾
Behold! he falls into exultation and pride.
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ
صَبَرُواْ
وَعَمِلُواْ
الصَّالِحَاتِ ...
11:11. Not so do those who show patience and constancy, and work righteousness;
C1508. Their attitude is the right one: to take ill-fortune with fortitude and good fortune with humility, and in either case go on persevering in good deeds to their fellow-creatures.
... أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ ﴿١١﴾
for them is forgiveness (of sins) and a great reward
Asad’s Version:
11: 9
Asad And thus it is: if We let man taste some of Our grace [note16] and then take it away from him – behold, he abandons all hope [note17], forgetting all gratitude [for Our past favors ].
Yusuf Ali If We give man a taste of mercy from Ourselves and then withdraw it from him behold! he is in despair and (falls into) blasphemy.
Pickthall And if We cause man to taste some mercy from Us and afterward withdraw it from him, lo! he is despairing, thankless.
Transliteration Wa la'in azaqnal insa_na minna_ rahmatan summa naza'na_ka minh(u), innahu_ laya'u_sun kafu_r(un).
11: 10
Asad And thus it is: if We let him taste ease and plenty [note 18] after hardship has visited him, he is sure to say, “Gone is all affliction from me!” – for, behold, he is given to vain exultation, and glories only in himself [note 19].
Yusuf Ali But if We give him a taste of (Our) favors after adversity hath touched him He is sure to say "All evil has departed from me;" Behold! he falls into exultation and pride.
Pickthall And if We cause him to taste grace after some misfortune that had befallen him, he saith: The ills have gone from me. Lo! he is exultant, boastful;
Transliteration Wa la'in azaqna_hu na'ma_'a ba'da darra_'a massathu layaqu_lanna zahabas sayyia 'a_tu 'anni, innahu_ lafarihun fakhu_r(un),
11: 11
Asad [And thus it is with most men -] save those who are patient in adversity and do righteous deeds: it is they whom forgiveness of sins awaits, and a great reward.
Yusuf Ali Not so do those who show patience and constancy and work righteousness; for them is forgiveness (of sins) and a great reward.
Pickthall Save those who persevere and do good works. Theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.
Transliteration Illal lazina sabaru_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_t(i), ula_'ika lahum magfiratuw wa ajrun kabir(un).
[[Ali’s notes - 1506 He does not realise that some kinds of chastening are good for discipline and the training of our spiritual faculties. (11.9)
1507 He takes it as a matter of course, or as due to his own merit or cleverness! He does not realise that both in good and ill fortune there is a beneficent purpose in the Plan of Allah. (11.10)
1508 Their attitude is the right one: to take ill-fortune with fortitude and good fortune with humility, and in either case go on persevering in good deeds to their fellow-creatures. (11.11) ]]
[[ Asad’s notes 16 – The sequence makes it clear that the generic term “man” referred to in this and the next verse applies, primarily, to the agnostics who are either unconvinced of the existence of God or are “bent upon denying the truth”: in its wider implication, however, it applies also to those who , while believing in God, are weak in faith and therefore easily swayed by external circumstances, and particularly by whatever happens to themselves.
Note 17- Lit., “he is [or becomes] utterly hopeless or despairing (ya’us), inasmuch as he attributes his past happy state to a merely accidental chain of causes and effects – in short, to what is commonly regarded as “luck” – and not to God’s grace. Hence, the term ‘ya’us’, in its Quranic usage, it indicative of spiritual nihilism.
Note 18 – This combination of two words is necessary to rbing aout the full meaning of the noun ‘na’ma’ which occurs in this form in the Quran only once. For my rendering ….see note 11 : note 11- The expression ‘la’in’ (lit., “indeed, if…) appearing here as well as in each of the next three verses is meant to stress the typical – i.e., recurrent – character of the situation to which it refers. In my opinion, it is best rendered as “thus it is: if …”, etc..]]