3. Surah al-I’Imran, Medina 89
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاخْتَلَفُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ...
3:105. Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving clear signs;
...وَأُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٠٥﴾
for them is a dreadful penalty.
يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌ...
3:106. On the day when some faces will be (lit up with) white, and some faces will be (in the gloom of) black;
C432. The "face" (wajh) expresses our Personality, our inmost being.
White is the colour of Light; to become white is to be illumined with Light, which stands for felicity, the rays of the glorious light of Allah.
Black is the colour of darkness, sin, rebellion, misery; removal from the grace and light of Allah.
These are the Signs of heaven and hell. The standard of decision in all questions is the justice of Allah.
...فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكْفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ...
to those whose faces will be black, (will be said):
"Did ye reject faith after accepting it?
...فَذُوقُواْ الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ ﴿١٠٦﴾
Taste then the penalty for rejecting faith.
Pickthall’s Version:
3: 105
Pickthall And be ye not as those who separated and disputed after the clear proofs had come unto them. For such there is an awful doom,
Transliteration Wa la_ taku_nu_ kallazina tafarraqu_ wakhtalafu_ mim ba'di ma_ ja_'ahumul bayyina_t(u), wa ula_'ika lahum 'aza_bun 'azim(un).
3: 106
Pickthall On the day when (some) faces will be whitened and (some) faces will be blackened; and as for those whose faces have been blackened, it will be said unto them: Disbelieved ye after your (profession of) belief? Then taste the punishment for that ye disbelieved.
Transliteration Yauma tabyaddu wuju_huw wa taswaddu wuju_h(un), fa ammal lazinaswaddat wuju_huhum, akafartum ba'da ima_nikum fa zu_qul 'aza_ba bima_ kuntum takfuru_n(a).
[ Ali’s note - 432 The "face" (wajh) expresses our Personality, our inmost being. White is the colour of Light; to become white is to be illumined with Light, which stands for felicity, the rays of the glorious light of Allah. Black is the colour of darkness, sin, rebellion, misery; removal from the grace and light of Allah. These are the Signs of heaven and hell. The standard of decision in all questions is the justice of Allah. (3.106) ]
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47. Sura Muhammad
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ارْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْهُدَى...
47:25. Those who turn back as apostates after Guidance was clearly shown to them,
C4849. Such men are entirely in the hands of Satan. They follow his suggestions, and their hopes are built on his deceptions.
...الشَّيْطَانُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمْ وَأَمْلَى لَهُمْ ﴿٢٥﴾
the Evil One has instigated them and buoyed them up with false hopes.
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا مَا نَزَّلَ اللَّهُ ...
47:26. This, because they said to those who hate what Allah has revealed,
C4850. They have become so impervious to facts and truths, because, without the courage to oppose Allah's Cause openly, they secretly intrigue with Allah's enemies, and say that they will follow them part of the way, and by remaining partly in the other camp, they will be far more useful as spies and half-hearted doubters than by going over altogether. If they think that this game will be successful, they are mistaken.
... سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَمْر...ِ
"We will obey you in part of (this) matter;"
...وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ ﴿٢٦﴾
but Allah knows their (inner) secrets.
All the inner secrets and motives of their hearts are known to Allah. Cf. 59:11.
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ...
47:27. But how (will it be) when the angels take their souls at death,
C4851. It is all very well for them to practice hypocrisy in this life. How will they feel at death, when they find that the angels know all, and touch the very spots they had taken such care to conceal?
... يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ ﴿٢٧﴾
and smite their faces and their backs?
C4852. Their faces and their backs:
there is a subtle metaphor.
The face is what looks to the front, the side you present to the outer world; the back is what is not shown, what is hidden from the world. The hypocrites will be hit at both points.
Or, the face is what they boast of, what they are proud of; the back is the skeleton in the cupboard, the things they dare not utter, but which yet haunt them. The hypocrites are hit on every side. Cf. 8:50.
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴿٢٨﴾
47:28. This because they followed that which called forth the Wrath of Allah, and they hated Allah's good pleasure;
so He made their deeds of no effect.
47: 25
Asad
Pickthall Lo! those who turn back after the guidance hath been manifested unto them, Satan hath seduced them, and He giveth them the rein.
Transliteration In nal lazinar tad du_ ala_ adba_rihim min badi ma_ tabay yana lahumul hudas saita_nu saw wala lahum wa amla_ lahum
47: 26
Pickthall That is because they say unto those who hate what Allah hath revealed: We will obey you in some matters; and Allah knoweth their secret talk.
Transliteration Za_lika bi an nahum qa_lu_ lil lazina kahiru_ ma_ naz zalal la_hu sabutiukum fi badil amri wal la_hu yalamu isra_rahum
47: 27
Asad hence, how [will they face] when the angels gather them in death, striking their faces and their backs ?
Pickthall Then how (will it be with them) when the angels gather them, smiting their faces and their backs!
Transliteration Fakaifa iza_ tawaf fat humul mala_ikatu yadribu_na wuju_hahum wa adba_rahum
47: 28
Asad This because they were wont to pursue what God condemns, and to hate His goodly acceptance: and so HE has caused all their deeds to come to nought.
Pickthall That will be because they followed that which angereth Allah, and hated that which pleaseth Him. Therefor He hath made their actions vain.
Transliteration Za_lika bi an nahumut tabau_ ma_ askatal la_ha wa karihu_ ridwa_nahu_ fa ahbata ama_lahum