Arrogance and Obstinacy lead to Failure and Disbelief
5. Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text& Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
يَا
أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ
...
5: 68. Say: "O People of the Book!
... لَسْتُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ حَتَّىَ تُقِيمُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ...
ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord."
... وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا...
It is the revelation that cometh to thee from thy Lord, that increaseth in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy.
... فَلاَ تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٦٨﴾
But sorrow thou not over (these) people without Faith.
C778. In 5:26, Moses was told not to sorrow over a rebellious people. Here Muhammad is told not to sorrow over people without Faith.
The second situation is even more trying than the first. Rebellion may be a passing phase. Want of faith is an attitude of mind that is well-nigh hopeless. Yet the Prophet patiently reasoned with them and bore their taunts and insults.
If. the argument runs, you do not believe in anything, even in the things that you may be expected to believe in, how can you receive in Faith Allah's Message that has come in another form? In fact your jealousy adds to your obstinacy and unbelief.
5: 68
Asad …………is bound to make many of them yet more stubborn in their overweening arrogance and in their denial of the truth.
Pickthall Say: O People of the Scripture! Ye have naught (of guidance) till ye observe the Torah and the Gospel and that which was revealed unto you from your Lord. That which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) from thy Lord is certain to increase the contumacy and disbelief of many of them. But grieve not for the disbelieving folk.
Transliteration Qul ya_ ahlal kita_bi lastum'ala_ syai'in hatta_ tuqimut taura_ta wal injila wa ma_ unzila ilaikum mir rabbikum, wa layazidanna kasiram minhum ma_ unzila ilaika mir rabbika tugya_naw wa kufra_(n), fala_ ta'sa 'alal qaumil ka_firin(a).
The Quranic Text& Ali’s Version:
لَتَجِدَنَّ
أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ
عَدَاوَةً
لِّلَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ
وَالَّذِينَ
أَشْرَكُواْ
...
5: 82. Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans;
... وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى...
and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say: "We are Christians:"
C789. The meaning is not that they merely call themselves Christians, but that they were such sincere Christians that they appreciated Muslim virtues, as did the Abyssinians to whom Muslim refugees went during the persecution in Makkah. (R).
... ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا ...
because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world,
C790. Qissis: I have translated as "devoted to learning," following the Commentators. it seems to be a foreign word, possibly Abyssinian rather than Syriac, as the reference seems to be to the Abyssinian Christians.
Their real devotion to learning and the renunciation of the world by the Monastic Orders are contrasted with the hypocrisy and arrogance of the Pharisees and Scribes.
... وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٨٢﴾
and they are not arrogant.
Others version:
5: 82
Asad You will surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God; and you will surely find that, of all people, they who say, “Behold, we are Christians,” come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance [note 97].
Pickthall Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud.
Transliteration Latajidanna asyaddan na_si'ada_watal lillazina a_manul yahu_da wallazina asyraku_, wa latajidanna aqrabahum mawaddatal lillazina a_manul lazina qa_lu_ inna_ nasa_ra_, za_lika bi anna minhum qissisina wa ruhba_naw wa annahum la_ yastakbiru_n(a).
[[Ali’s notes - 789 The meaning is not that they merely call themselves Christians, but that they were such sincere Christians that they appreciated Muslim virtues, as did the Abyssinians to whom Muslim refugees went during the persecution in Makkah. (5.82)
Qissis: I have translated as "devoted to learning," following the Commentators. it seems to be a foreign word, possibly Abyssinian rather than Syriac, as the reference seems to be to the Abyssinian Christians. Their real devotion to learning and the renunciation of the world by the Monastic Orders are contrasted with the hypocrisy and arrogance of the Pharisees and Scribes. (5.82)]]
[[ Asad’s note 97 – I.e., they do not believe, as do the Jews, that revelation is God’s exclusive gift to the children of Israel; and their “priests and monks” teach them that humility is the essence of all true faith – It is noteworthy that the Quran does not in this context include the Christians among “those who re bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God” (alladhina ashraku – the element of intent being expressed in the use of the past tense, similar to alladhina kafaru, alladhina zalamu, etc.): for although, by their deification of Jesus, they are guilty of the sin of shirk (“the ascribing of divinity to anyone or anything beside God”), the Christians do not consciously worship a plurality of deities inasmuch as, theoretically, their theology postulates belief in the One God, who is conceived as manifesting Himself in a trinity of aspects, or “persons”, of whom Jesus is supposed to be one. However, repugnant this doctrine may be to the teachings of the Quran, their ‘shirk’ is not based on conscious intent, but rather flows from their “overstepping the bounds of truth” in their veneration of Jesus (see 4:171, 5:77), Cf. in this context Razi’s remarks mentioned in note 16 on 6:23. ]]
[[ Ruby’s note on 5:82 - This verse is of extreme importance in understanding some of the key issues in the Quran. Here the Quran is clearly ascribing the Christians as friends of the believers and that they are righteous people. This goes in direct contradiction of the verses where the Quran is clearly pointing them as ‘enemies’ and people who have given to ‘shirk’, the ‘shirk’ that cannot be forgiven.
The way these two contradictory ideas are resolved is the basis of understanding the Quran and also establishing the validity of the Quran. In similar ways the Quran is said to have contradicted itself at least in 145 places. And these seemed contradictions can be resolved only by applying the contexts and understanding the meaning through the contexts.]]
The Quranic Text& Ali’s Version:
إِذْ
قَالَ اللّهُ
يَا عِيسى ابْنَ
مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ
نِعْمَتِي
عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى
وَالِدَتِكَ...
5: 110. Then will Allah say:
"O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to thee and to thy mother.
C815. In a solemn scene before the Court of Judgment, Jesus is asked to recount all the mercies and favours shown to him, so that his followers should become ashamed of their ingratitude in corrupting that Message, when they could have done so much in profiting by its purity and spiritual truth.
This argument continues to the end of the Surah.
... إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ...
Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit,
C816. Cf. 2:87, and 3:62, n. 401.
... تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً...
so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity.
... وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ...
Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel.
C818. Cf. 3:48.
... وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي ...
And behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave,
... فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِي...
and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by My leave,
C820. Note how the words "by My leave" are repeated with each miracle to emphasize the fact that they arose, not out of the power or will of Jesus, but by the leave and will and power of Allah, who is supreme over Jesus as He is over all other mortals.
... وَتُبْرِىءُ الأَكْمَهَ وَالأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي ...
and thou healest those born blind, and the lepers by My leave.
... وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوتَى بِإِذْنِي ...
And behold! thou bringest forth the dead by My leave.
... وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنكَ ...
And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) thee
C821. The Jews were seeking to take the life of Jesus long before their final attempt to crucify him: see Luke 4:28-29.
Their attempt to crucify him was also foiled, according to the teaching we have received: 4:157.
... إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ ...
when thou didst show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them, said:
... إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿١١٠﴾
'This is nothing but evident magic'.
C822. According to Luke (11:15), when Christ performed the miracle of casting out devils, the Jews said he did it through the chief of the devils. i.e., they accused him of black magic.
No such miracle of casting out devils is mentioned in the Quran. But Moses, Jesus. and Muhammad were all accused of magic and sorcery, by those who could find no other explanation of Allah's power. (R).
Others version:
5: 110
Asad ………….so that you could speak unto men in your cradle, and as a grown man; and how I imparted unto you revelation and wisdom, including the Torah and the Gospel [note 133]; and how by My leave you did create our of clay, as it were, the shape of [your followers’] destiny, and then did breathed into it, so that it might become, by My leave, [their] destiny [note 134] and how you did heal the blind and the leper by My leave, and how you did raise the dead by My leave [note 135]; and how I prevented …………”
Pickthall When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favor unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with the holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead, by My permission and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic;
Transliteration Iz qa_lalla_hu ya_ 'isabna maryamazkur ni'mati 'alaika wa 'ala_ wa_lidatik(a), iz ayyattuka bi ru_hil qudusi, tukallimun na_sa fil mahdi wa kahla_(n), wa iz 'allamtukal kita_ba wal hikmata wat taura_ta wal injil(a), wa iz takhluqu minat tini ka hai'atit tairi bi izni fa tanfukhu fiha_ fa taku_nu tairam bi izni wa tubri'ul akmaha wal abrasa bi izni, wa iz tukhrijul mauta bi izni, wa iz kafaftu bani isra_'ila 'anka iz ji'tahum bil bayyina_ti fa qa_lal lazina kafaru_ minhum in ha_za_ illa_ sihrum mubin(un).
[[ Asad’s note 133 – Lit., “and the Torah and the Gospel”. The conjunction “and” at the beginning of this clause is meant to stress the fact that both the Torah and the Gospel were included in the revelation (al-kitab) vouchsafed to Jesus. Although the Torah was an earlier revelation, it is described as “imparted to Jesus” because his own prophetic mission was based on the Law of Moses, which was only confirmed, and not abrogated, by the Gospel (cf. Mathew v, 17-19). As regards the expression “in your cradle”, see surah 3, note 33 (first sentence).
note 134 – See 3:49, as well as the corresponding note 37.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 815 In a solemn scene before the Court of Judgment, Jesus is asked to recount all the mercies and favors shown to him, so that his followers should become ashamed of their ingratitude in corrupting that Message, when they could have done so much in profiting by its purity and spiritual truth. This argument continues to the end of the Sura. (5.110)
816 Cf. ii. 87, and iii. 62, n. 401. (5.110)
817 Cf. iii. 46, and n. 388. (5.110)
818 Cf. iii. 48. (5.110)
820 Note how the words "by My leave" are repeated with each miracle to emphasize the fact that they arose, not out of the power or will of Jesus, but by the leave and will and power of Allah, who is supreme over Jesus as He is over all other mortals. (5.110)
821 The Jews were seeking to take the life of Jesus long before their final attempt to crucify him: see Luke iv. 28-29. Their attempt to crucify him was also foiled, according to the teaching we have received: Q. iv. 157. (5.110) ]]
=====================================
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text& Ali’s Version:
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.
Others version:
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)]]
=====================================
21. Surah Al Anbiya
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَا
يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا
يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ
يُسْأَلُونَ
﴿٢٣﴾
21: 23. He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).
C2683. Allah is Self-Subsisting. All His creatures are responsible to Him and dependent on Him there is no other being to whom He can be responsible or on whom He can be dependent.
أَمِ
اتَّخَذُوا
مِن دُونِهِ
آلِهَةً...
21: 24. Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides Him?
C2684. See above. n. 2682, where two kinds of false worship are noted.
Now we are warned against a third danger, the worship of false gods of any sort. Pagan man is prolific of creating abstract images for worship, including Self or abstract Intelligence or Power.
In verse 26 below is mentioned a fourth kind of false worship, which imagines that Allah begets sons or daughters.
...قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ...
Say,
"Bring your convincing proof:
...هَذَا ذِكْرُ مَن مَّعِيَ وَذِكْرُ مَن قَبْلِي...
this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me."
C2685. This verse should be read with the next.
All reason revolts against the idea of conflicting gods, and points to Unity in Creation and Unity in Godhead. This is not only the Message of Islam ("those with me") but the message of all prophets who came before the holy Prophet Muhammad ("those before me"), and the line of prophets was closed with him.
The Message given to every prophet in all ages was that of Unity as the fundamental basis of Order and Design in the world, material, moral, and spiritual.
...بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ فَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾
But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away.
وَمَا
أَرْسَلْنَا
مِن قَبْلِكَ
مِن رَّسُولٍ
إِلَّا نُوحِي
إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ...
21: 25. Not a Messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him:
...لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴿٢٥﴾
that there is no god but I;
therefore worship and serve Me.
Asad’s Version:
21:23
He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account:
(21:24) and yet, 29 ' they choose to worship [imaginary) deities instead of Him! Say [O Prophet): "Produce an evidence for what you are claiming: 30 this is a reminder [unceasingly voiced) by those who are with me, just as it was a reminder [voiced] by those who came before me."" But nay, most of them do not know the truth, and so they tubbornly turn away [from it] 52 –
(21:25) and [this despite the fact that even] before thy time We never sent any apostle without having revealed to him that there is no deity save Me, [and that,] therefore, you shall worship Me [alone]!
=======================================================================
23.Sura Al-Muminun
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَا
تَجْأَرُوا
الْيَوْمَ
إِنَّكُم مِّنَّا
لَا تُنصَرُونَ
﴿٦٥﴾
23: 65. It will be said:
"Groan not in supplication this day; for ye shall certainly not be helped by Us.
قَدْ
كَانَتْ آيَاتِي
تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ
فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى
أَعْقَابِكُمْ
تَنكِصُونَ
﴿٦٦﴾
23: 66. "My Signs used to be rehearsed to you, but ye used to turn back on your heels.
مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ
بِهِ
سَامِرًا تَهْجُرُونَ
﴿٦٧﴾
23: 67. "In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Qur'án), like one telling fables by night."
C2917. Samir: one who remains awake by night, one who passes the night in talk or in the recital of stories of romances, a favourite amusement of the Days of Ignorance.
أَفَلَمْ
يَدَّبَّرُوا
الْقَوْلَ أَمْ
جَاءهُم مَّا
لَمْ يَأْتِ
آبَاءهُمُ
الْأَوَّلِينَ
﴿٦٨﴾
23: 68. Do they not ponder over the Word (of Allah), or has anything (new) come to them that did not come to their fathers of old?
C2918. If they ponder over the matter, they will find that Allah's Message to humanity is as old as Adam. It is good for all ages. It never grows old, and it is never new.
أَمْ
لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا
رَسُولَهُمْ
فَهُمْ لَهُ
مُنكِرُونَ
﴿٦٩﴾
23: 69. Or do they not recognize their Messenger, that they deny him?
أَمْ
يَقُولُونَ
بِهِ جِنَّةٌ...
23: 70. Or do they say, "He is possessed"?
...بَلْ جَاءهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
Nay, he has brought them the Truth, but most of them hate the Truth.
وَلَوِ
اتَّبَعَ
الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءهُمْ
لَفَسَدَتِ
السَّمَاوَاتُ
وَالْأَرْضُ
وَمَن فِيهِنَّ...
23: 71. If the Truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth, and all beings therein would have been in confusion and corruption!
C2919. Allah is All-Wise and All-Good, and His architecture of the universe is on a perfect Plan. If these poor, low, selfish, ignorant creatures were to plan it according to their hearts' desires, it would be a dreadful world, full of confusion and corruption.
...بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُم بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَن ذِكْرِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٧١﴾
Nay, We have sent them their admonition, but they turn away from their admonition.
أَمْ
تَسْأَلُهُمْ
خَرْجًا ...
23: 72. Or is it that thou askest them for some recompense?
C2920. This is the last of the questions, beginning with 23:68 above, showing the absurdity of the position taken up by the Unbelievers.
1. The Message of Allah is as old as humanity: why do they fight shy of it?
2. They have known their Prophet to be true and righteous: why do they deny him?
3. Is it madness to bring the bitter Truth before them?
4. Does the Prophet ask any worldly reward from them? If not, why do they reject his unselfish efforts for their own good?
... فَخَرَاجُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ...
But the recompense of thy Lord is best:
...وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ ﴿٧٢﴾
He is the Best of those who give sustenance.
Asad’s Version:
23:65
[But they will be told:] "Cry not in supplication today: for, behold, you shall not be succoured by Us!
23:66 Time and again 37 were My messages conveyed unto you, but [every time] you
would turn about on your heels
(23:67) [and,] impelled by your arrogance, you would talk senselessly far into the night." 38
23:68 Have they, then, never tried to understand this word [of God] ? Or has there [now] come to them something that never came to their forefathers of old
(23:69) Or is it, perchance, that they have not recognized their Apostle, and so they disavow him?
(23:70) Or do they say, "There is madness in him"? Nay, he has brought them the truth - and the truth do most of them detest! 40
23:71 But if the truth 41 were in accord with their own likes and dislikes, the heavens and the earth would surely have fallen into ruin, and all that lives in them [would long ago have perished] ! " Nay, [in this divine writ] We have conveyed unto them all that they ought to bear in mind: 43 and from this their reminder they [heedlessly] turn away!
23:72 Or dost thou [O Muhammad] ask of them any worldly recompense? But [they ought to know that] a recompense from thy Sustainer is best, since He is the best of providers! 44
[[ Asad’s notes -
37 This is the meaning implied in the auxiliary verb kanat preceded by the particle qad.
38 Lit., "as one who keeps awake at night" (samiran). In combination with the phrase kuntum... tahjurun, this expression indicates the pursuit of endless, fruitless discussions divorced from all reality, or a mere play with words leading nowhere. (See also 31:6 and the corresponding note 4.)
39 Implying that the message of the Qur'an is but a continuation of all the divine messages ever revealed to man.
40 I.e., they hate to admit the truth: the reason being - as the sequence shows that the world-view propounded by the Qur'an is not in accord with their own likes and dislikes or preconceived notions.
41 I.e., the reality of all creation.
42 I.e., if the universe - and, especially, human life had been as devoid of meaning and purpose as they imagine, nothing could have endured, and everything would have long since perished in chaos.
43 For this rendering of the term dhikr; see note 13 on21:10.
44 The terms kharj and kharaj which occur in the above verse are more or less synonymous, both of them denoting "recompense". According to Zamakhshari, however, there is a slight difference between these two expressions, kharj being more restricted in its meaning than kharaj : hence, the first has been rendered as "worldly recompense" and the second as "recompense" without any restrictive definition, implying that a recompense from God is unlimited, relating both to this world and the hereafter. ]]