2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
أَنزَلْنَآ
إِلَيْكَ
آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ
وَمَا يَكْفُرُ
بِهَا إِلاَّ
الْفَاسِقُونَ
﴿٩٩﴾
2: 99. We have sent down to thee manifest signs (Ayat);
and none reject them but those who are perverse.
أَوَكُلَّمَا
عَاهَدُواْ
عَهْداً نَّبَذَهُ
فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم
...
2: 100. Is it not (the case) that every time they make a Covenant, some party among them throw it aside?-
... بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٠٠﴾
Nay, most of them are faithless.
وَلَمَّا
جَاءهُمْ
رَسُولٌ مِّنْ
عِندِ اللّهِ
مُصَدِّقٌ
لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ...
2: 101. And when came to them a Messenger from Allah, confirming what was with them,
نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللّهِ وَرَاء ظُهُورِهِمْ ...
a party of the People of the Book threw away the Book of Allah behind their backs,
C102. I think that by "the Book of Allah" here is meant, not the Quran, but the Book which the People of the Book had been given, viz., the previous Revelations.
The argument is that Muhammad's Message was similar to Revelations which they had already received, and if they had looked into their own Books honestly and sincerely, they would have found proofs in them to show that the new Message was true and from Allah. But they ignored their own Books or twisted or distorted them according to their own fancies. Worse, they followed somethings which was actually false and mischievous and inspired by the evil one. Such was the belief in magic and sorcery.
These are described in the next verse in terms referring to the beliefs and practices of the "People of the Book."
... كَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠١﴾
as if (it had been something) they did not know!
وَاتَّبَعُواْ
مَا تَتْلُواْ
الشَّيَاطِينُ
عَلَى مُلْكِ
سُلَيْمَانَ...
2: 102. They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon;
C103. This is a continuation of the argument in 2:101.
The People of the Book, instead of sticking to the plain Books of Revelations, and seeking to do the will of Allah ran after all sorts of occult knowledge, most of which was false and evil.
Many wonderful tales of occult power attributed the power of Solomon to magic. But Solomon dealt in not arts of evil. It was the powers of evil that pretended to force the laws of nature and the will of Allah; such a pretense is plainly blasphemy.
... وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَـكِنَّ الشَّيْاطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ...
the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men magic,
... وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ...
and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut.
C104. Harut and Marut lived in Babylon, a very ancient seat of science, especially the science of astronomy. The period may be supposed to anywhere about the time when the ancient Eastern Monarchies were strong and enlightened: probably even earlier, as Ma-ru-tu or Mandruk was a deified hero afterwards worshipped as a god of magic in Babylon.
Being good men, Harut and Marut of course dabbled in nothing evil, and their evil hands were certainly clean of fraud. But knowledge and the arts, if learned by evil men, can be applied to evil uses. The evil ones, besides their fraudulent magic, also learnt a little of this true science and applied it to evil uses.
Harut and Marut did not withhold knowledge, yet never taught anyone without plainly warning them of the trial and temptation of knowledge in the hands of evil men. Being men of insight, they also saw the blasphemy that might rise to the lips of the evil ones puffed up with science and warned them against it.
Knowledge is indeed a trial or temptation: if we are warned, we know its dangers: if Allah has endowed us with free will, we must be free to choose between the benefit and the danger.
Among the Jewish traditions in the Midrash (Jewish Tafsir) was a story of two angels who asked Allah's permission to come down to earth but succumbed to temptation, and were hung up by their feet at Babylon for punishment.
Such stories about sinning angels who were cast down to punishment were believed in by the early Christians also. (See the Second Epistle of Peter, 2:4, and the Epistle of Jude, verse 6). (R).
... وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ ...
But neither of these taught anyone (such things) without saying: "We are only for trial, so do not blaspheme."
... فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ...
They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife.
C105. What the evil ones learnt from Harut and Marut (see last note) they turned to evil. When mixed with fraud and deception, it appeared as charms and spells of love potions. They did nothing but cause discord between the sexes. But of course their power was limited to the extent to which Allah permitted the evil to work, for His grace protected all who sought His guidance and repented and returned to Him.
But apart from the harm that these false pretenders might do to others, the chief harm which they did was to their own souls. They sold themselves into slavery to the Evil One, as is shown in the allegory of Goethe's Faust.
That allegory dealt with the individual soul. Here the tragedy is shown to occur not only to individuals but to whole groups of people, for example, the People of the Book.
Indeed the story might be extended indefinitely.
... وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ...
But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission.
... وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ ...
And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them.
... وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَقٍ ...
And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter.
... وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾
And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew!
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ واتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّه خَيْرٌ لَّوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾
2: 103. If they had kept their faith and guarded themselves from evil, far better had been the reward from their Lord, if they but knew!
2: 99
Asad For, clear messages indeed have We bestowed upon thee from on high; and none denies their truth save the iniquitious.
Pickthall Verily We have revealed unto thee clear tokens, and only miscreants will disbelieve in them.
Transliteration Wa laqad anzalna_ ilaika a_ya_tim bayyina_t(in), wa ma_ yakfuru biha_ illal fa_siqu_n(a).
2: 100
Asad Is it not so that every time they made a promise [unto God], some of them cast it aside? Nay, indeed: most of them do not believe.
Pickthall Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant a party of you set it aside? The truth is, most of them believe not.
Transliteration Awakullama_ 'a_hadu_ 'ahdan nabazahu_ fariqum minhum, bal aksaruhum la_ yu'minu_n(a
2: 101
Asad …………some of those who were granted revelation aforetime cast the divine writ behind their backs as through unaware [of what it says], [note 81]
Pickthall And when there cometh unto them a messenger from Allah, confirming that which they possess, a party of those who have received the Scripture fling the Scripture of Allah behind their backs as if they knew not,
Transliteration Wa lamma_ ja_'ahum rasu_lum min 'indilla_hi musaddiqul lima_ ma'ahum nabaza fariqum minal lazina u_tul kita_b(a), kita_balla_hi wara_'a zuhu_rihim ka'annahum la_ ya'lamu_n(a).
[Asad’s note 81: The divine writ referred to here is the Torah. By disregarding the prophecies relating to the coming of the Arabian Prophet, contained in Deuteronomy xviii, 15, 18 ……….]
2: 102
Pickthall And follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon disbelieved not; but the devils disbelieved, teaching mankind magic and that which was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut. Nor did they (the two angels) teach it to anyone till they had said: We are only a temptation, therefore disbelieve not (in the guidance of Allah). And from these two (angels) people learn that by which they cause division between man and wife; but they injure thereby no one save by Allah's leave. And they learn that which harmeth them and profiteth them not. And surely they do know that he who trafficketh therein will have no (happy) portion in the Hereafter; and surely evil is the price for which they sell their souls, if they but knew.
Transliteration Wattaba'u_ ma_ tatlusy syaya_tinu 'ala_ mulki sulaima_n(a), wa ma_ kafara sulaima_nu wa la_kinnasy syaya_tina kafaru_ yu'allimu_nan na_sas sihra wa ma_ unzila 'alal malakaini bi ba_bila ha_ru_ta wa ma_ru_t(a), wa ma_ yu'allima_ni min ahadin hatta_ yaqu_la_ innama_ nahnu fitnatun fa la_ takfur, fa yata'allamu_na minhuma_ ma_ yufarriqu_na bihi bainal mar'i wa zaujih(i), wa ma_ hum bi da_rrina bihi min ahadin illa_ bi iznilla_h(i), wa yata'allamu_na ma_ yadurruhum wa la_ yanfa'uhum, wa laqad 'alimuu_ lamanisy tara_hu ma_ lahu_ fil a_khirati min khala_q(in), wa labi'sa ma_ syarau bihi anfusahum, lau ka_nu_ ya'lamun(a).
2: 103
Pickthall And if they had believed and kept from evil, a recompense from Allah would be better, if they only knew.
Transliteration Wa lau annahum a_manu_ wattaqau lamasu_batum min'indilla_hi khair(un), lau ka_nu_ ya'lamu_n(a).
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ
تَرَ
إِلَى
الَّذِينَ
أُوْتُواْ
نَصِيبًا
مِّنَ
الْكِتَابِ...
3: 23. Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who have been given a portion of the Book?
C366. A portion of the Book: I conceive that Allah's revelation as a whole throughout the ages is "The Book".
The Law of Moses, and the Gospel of Jesus were portions of the Book. The Quran completes the revelation and is par excellence the Book of Allah.
...يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى كِتَابِ اللّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّى فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
They are invited to the Book of Allah, to settle their dispute, but a party of them turn back and decline (the arbitration).
C367. The Commentators mention a particular incident when a dispute was submitted by the Jews for arbitration to the Holy Prophet. He appealed to the authority of their own books, but they tried to conceal and prevaricate.
The general lesson is that the People of the Book should have been the first to welcome in Muhammad the living exponent of the Message of Allah as a whole, and some of them did so: but others turned away from guilty arrogance, relying on corrupted texts and doctrines forged out of their own fancies, though they were not conformable to reason and good sense.
Pickthall’s Version:
3: 23
Pickthall Hast thou not seen how those who have received the Scripture invoke the Scripture of Allah (in their disputes) that it may judge between them; then a faction of them turn away, being opposed (to it)?
Transliteration Alam tara ilal lazina u_tu_ nasibam minal kita_bi yad'u_na ila_ kita_billa_hi liyahkuma bainahum summa yatawalla_ fariqum minhum wa hum mu'ridu_n(a).
[ Ali’s notes - 366 A portion of the Book. I conceive that Allah's revelation as a whole throughout the ages is "The Book". The Law of Moses, and the Gospel of Jesus were portions of the Book. The Qur-an completes the revelation and is par excellence the Book of Allah. (3.23)
367 The Commentators mention a particular incident when a dispute was submitted by the Jews for arbitration to the Holy Prophet. He appealed to the authority of their own books, but they tried to conceal and prevaricate. The general lesson is that the People of the Book should have been the first to welcome in Muhammad the living exponent of the Message of Allah as a whole, and some of them did so: but others turned away from guilty arrogance, relying on corrupted texts and doctrines forged out of their own fancies, though they were not conformable to reason and good sense. (3.23)
368 Cf. Q. ii. 80. (3.24)
368 Cf. Q. ii. 80. (3.26) ]
29 Surah Al 'Ankabut
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
كُنتَ
تَتْلُو مِن
قَبْلِهِ مِن
كِتَابٍ وَلَا
تَخُطُّهُ
بِيَمِينِكَ...
29: 48. And thou wast not (able) to recite a Book, before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand:
C3478. The holy Prophet was not a learned man. Before the Quran was revealed to him, he never claimed to proclaim a Message from Allah. He was not in the habit of preaching eloquent truths as from a Book, before he received his Revelation, nor was he able to write or transcribe with his own hand.
If he had had these worldly gifts, there would have been some plausibility in the charge of the talkers of vanities that he spoke not from inspiration but from other people's books, or that he composed the beautiful verses of the Quran himself and committed them to memory in order to recite them to people.
The circumstances in which the Quran came bear their own testimony to its truth as from Allah.
...إِذًا لَّارْتَابَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾
in that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted.
بَلْ
هُوَ
آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ
فِي صُدُورِ
الَّذِينَ
أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ...
29: 49. Nay, here are Signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge:
C3479. "Knowledge" ('ilm) means both power of judgment in discerning the value of truth and acquaintance with previous revelations.
It implies both literal and spiritual insight.
To men so endowed, Allah's revelations and Signs are self-evident. They commend themselves to their hearts, minds, and understandings, which are typified in Arabic by the word sadr, "breast".
...وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
and none but the unjust reject Our Signs.
C3480. Cf. the last clause of verse 47 above. There the argument was that the rejection of the Quran was a mark of Unbelief.
Now the argument is carried a stage farther. Such rejection is also a mark of injustice, a deliberate perversity in going against obvious Signs, which should convince all honest men.
Asad’s Version:
Period Uncertain
[Asad’s version]
(29:48) for, [O Muhammad,] thou hast never been able to recite any divine writ ere this one [was revealed], nor didst thou ever transcribe one with thine own hand 44 - or else, they who try to disprove the truth [of thy revelation] 47 might indeed have had cause to doubt [it].
29:49 Nay, but this [divine writ] consists of messages clear to the hearts of all who are gifted with [innate] knowledge 48 - and none
could knowingly reject Our messages unless it be such as would do wrong [to themselves].