6. [al-Anam, Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
نَزَّلْنَا
عَلَيْكَ
كِتَابًا
فِي
قِرْطَاسٍ
...
6: 7. If We had sent unto thee a written (Message) on parchment,
C839a. Qirtas: in the Prophet's life, could only mean "parchment," which was commonly used as writing material in Western Asia from the 2nd century B.C.
The word was derived from the Greek, Charles (Cf. Latin, "Charta:). Paper, as we know it, made from rags, was first used by the Arabs after the conquest of Samarqand in 751 A.D.
The Chinese had used it by the 2nd century B.C. The Arabs introduced it into Europe it was; used in Greece in the 11th and 12th century, and in Spain through Sicily in the 12th century.
The Papyrus, made from an Egyptian reed, was in Egypt as early as 2500 B.C. It gave place to paper in Egypt in the 10th century.
... فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ...
so that they could touch it with their hands, the unbelievers would have been sure to say:
...إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٧﴾
"This is nothing but obvious magic!"
C840. The materialists want to see actual physical material things before them, but if such a thing came from an unusual source or expressed things they cannot understand, they give it some name like magic, or superstition, or whatever name is in fashion, and they are not helped at all in attaining faith, because their "hearts are diseased" (2:10)
وَقَالُواْ
لَوْلا
أُنزِلَ
عَلَيْهِ
مَلَكٌ
...
6: 8. They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to him?"
... وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكًا لَّقُضِيَ الأمْرُ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنظَرُونَ ﴿٨﴾
If We did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted them.
C841. Cf. 2::210.
An angel is a heavenly being, a manifestation of Allah's glory, invisible to men who live gross material lives; Such men are given plenty of respite in which to turn in repentance to Allah and make themselves worthy of His light.
But if their prayer to see an angel were grated, it would do them no good, for thy would be destroyed as darkness is destroyed by light.
وَلَوْ
جَعَلْنَاهُ
مَلَكًا
لَّجَعَلْنَاهُ
رَجُلاً
وَلَلَبَسْنَا
عَلَيْهِم
مَّا
يَلْبِسُونَ
﴿٩﴾
6: 9. If We had made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.
C842. Supposing an angel should appear to their grosser senses, he could only do it in human form. In that case their present confused notions about spiritual life would be still more confounded.
They would say: "We wanted to see an angel, and we have only seen a man!"
وَأَقْسَمُواْ
بِاللّهِ
جَهْدَ
أَيْمَانِهِمْ
لَئِن
جَاءتْهُمْ
آيَةٌ
لَّيُؤْمِنُنَّ
بِهَا...
6: 109. They swear their strongest oaths by Allah that if a (special) sign came to them, by it they would believe.
...قُلْ إِنَّمَا الآيَاتُ عِندَ اللّهِ وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءتْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٠٩﴾
Say:
"Certainly (all) signs are in the power of Allah:
but what will make you (Muslims) realize that even if a (special) sign comes, they will not believe."
C937. If the Unbelievers are merely obstinate, nothing will convince them. There is no story more full of miracles than the story of Jesus. Yet in that same story we are told that Jesus said:
"A wicked adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas":
There are Signs given by Allah every day -understood by those who believe. A mere insistence upon some particular or special Sign meant mere contumacy and misunderstanding of the spiritual world.
وَنُقَلِّبُ
أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ
وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ
كَمَا
لَمْ
يُؤْمِنُواْ
بِهِ
أَوَّلَ
مَرَّةٍ...
6: 110. We (too) shall turn to (confusion) their hearts and their eyes, even as they refused to believe in the first instance:
C938. Where there is sheer obstinacy and ridicule of faith, the result will be that such a sinner's heart will be hardened and his eyes will be sealed, so that he cannot even see the things visible to ordinary mortals.
The sinner gathers impetus in his descent towards wrong.
...وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿١١٠﴾
We shall leave them in their trespasses, to wander in distraction.
C939. Cf. 2:15.
Allah's grace is always ready to help human weakness or ignorance and to accept repentance and give forgiveness.
But where the sinner is in actual rebellion, he will be given none, and it will be his own fault if he wanders about distractedly, without any certain hope or refuge.
وَلَوْ
أَنَّنَا
نَزَّلْنَا
إِلَيْهِمُ
الْمَلآئِكَةَ
وَكَلَّمَهُمُ
الْمَوْتَى
وَحَشَرْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ
كُلَّ
شَيْءٍ...
6: 111. Even if We did send unto them angels, and the dead did speak unto them, and We gathered together all things before their very eyes,
C940. The most stupendous miracles even according to their ideas would not have convinced them. If the whole pageant of the spiritual world were brought before them, they would not have believed, because they -of their own choice and will - refuse knowledge and faith.
... قُبُلاً مَّا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء اللّهُ...
they are not the ones to believe, unless it is in Allah's Plan:
...وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ ﴿١١١﴾
but most of them ignore (the truth).
6: 7
Asad But even if We had sent down unto you [O Prophet] a writing on paper, and they had touched it with their own hands – those who are bent on denying the truth would indeed have said, “This is clearly nothing but a deception!”
Pickthall Had we sent down unto thee (Muhammad) (actual) writing upon parchment, so that they could feel it with their hands, those who disbelieve would have said: This is naught else than mere magic.
Transliteration Wa lau nazzalna_ 'alaika kita_ban fi qirta_sin falamasu_hu bi aidihim laqa_lal lazina kafaru_ in ha_za_ illa_ sihrum mubin(un).
6: 8
Pickthall They say: Why hath not an angel been sent down unto him? If We sent down an angel, then the matter would be judged; no further time would be allowed them (for reflection).
Transliteration Wa qa_lu_ lau la_ unzila 'alaihi malak(un), wa lau anzalna_ malakal laqudiyal amru summa la_ yunzaru_n(a).
6: 9
Pickthall Had We appointed an angel (Our messenger), We assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure.
Transliteration Wa lau ja'alna_hu malakal laja'alna_hu rajulaw wa lalabasna_ 'alaihim ma_ yalbisu_n(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – God’s miracles are all around us and written in reality. The entire reality is a clear indication of God’s existence: from any angle and with any level of knowledge one can see the miracles of this reality. However, one who has the arrogance or obstinacy to deny the truth no matter what kind of weird miracle is sent down they would find excuses or justifications to deny that. Prophet Muhammad’s life had no miracle except the Quran itself, he led a normal life doing normal things yet accomplished highest moral achievements and enormous worldly success as well amid the most difficult of circumstances and challenges. God does send signs but those remain in disguise or subtle and can be detected only through sincere mind and with God’s guidance. These would remain beyond the perception of the people who are arrogant and obstinate.
That final example was given to humankind through the Prophet’s life and living that one can live a normal life doing normal things in a society yet can accomplish higher goals. One does not need miracles or extra-ordinary power or even extra-ordinary sacrifice or austerity to accomplish the spiritual heights to be truly successful.]]
6: 109
Asad Now they swear by God with their most solemn oaths that if a miracle were shown to them, they would indeed believe in this [divine writ]. Say: :Miracles are in the power of God alone.” [note 94] And for all you know, even if on should be shown to them, they would not believe
Pickthall And they swear a solemn oath by Allah that if there come unto them a portent they will believe therein. Say: Portents are with Allah and (so is) that which telleth you that if such came unto them they would not believe.
Transliteration Wa aqsamu_ billa_hi jahda aima_nihim la'in ja_'athum a_yatul layu'minunna biha_, qul innamal a_ya_tu 'indalla_hi wa ma_ yusy'irukum annaha_ iza_ ja_'at la_ yu'minu_n(a).
6: 110
Asad so long as We keep their hearts and their eyes turned [away from the truth] (note 95), even as they did not believe in it in the first instance: and [so] We shall leave them in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.
Pickthall We confound their hearts and their eyes. As they believed not therein at the first, We let them wander blindly on in their contumacy.
Transliteration Wa nuqallibu af'idatahum wa absa_rahum kama_ lam yu'minu_ bihi awwala marratiw wa nazaruhum fi tugya_nihim ya'mahu_n(a).
[[Asad’s note 95 –I.e., so long as they remain blind to the truth in consequence of their unwillingness to acknowledge it – and this in accordance with the law of cause and effect which God has imposed on His creation (see surah 2, note 7)]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 938 Where there is sheer obstinacy and ridicule of faith, the result will be that such a sinner's heart will be hardened and his eyes will be sealed, so that he cannot even see the things visible to ordinary mortals. The sinner gathers impetus in his descent towards wrong. (6.110)
939 Cf. ii. 15. God's grace is always ready to help human weakness or ignorance and to accept repentance and give forgiveness. But where the sinner is in actual rebellion, he will be given none, and it will be his own fault if he wanders about distractedly, without any certain hope or refuge. (6.110)]]
6: 111
Asad …….unless God so willed.
Pickthall And though We should send down the angels unto them, and the dead should speak unto them, and We should gather against them all things in array, they would not believe unless Allah so willed. Howbeit, most of them are ignorant.
Transliteration Wa lau annana_ nazzalna_ ilaihimul mala_'ikata wa kallamahumul mauta_ wa hasyarna_ 'alaihim kulla syai'in qubulam ma_ ka_nu_ liyu'minu_ illa_ ay yasya_'alla_hu wa la_kinna aksarahum yajhalu_n(a).