15. [al-Hijr, Mecca 54]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقُلْ إِنِّي أَنَا النَّذِيرُ الْمُبِينُ ﴿٨٩﴾

15: 89.  And say: "I am indeed he that warneth openly and without ambiguity" --

C2012. In the ministry of Al-Mustafa there was no mincing of matters, no compromises with evil. Evil was denounced in unambiguous terms.

Mubin implies both openness and clearness, i.e. freedom from ambiguity.

كَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى المُقْتَسِمِينَ ﴿٩٠﴾

15: 90.  (Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided (Scripture into arbitrary parts) --

C2013. The Commentators differ as to the precise significance of verses 90 and 91.

Are the persons referred to in the two verses the same, or different?

And who were they?

I adopt the view, for which there is good authority, that the two classes of persons were different but similar. Verse 90, I think refers to the Jews and Christians, who took out of Scripture what suited them, and ignored or rejected the rest: 2:85, 101.

For verse 91 see next note.

الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ ﴿٩١﴾

15: 91.  (So also on such) as have made the Qur'án into shreds (as they please).

C2014. The Makkan Pagans, in the early days of Islam, in order to dishonour and ridicule the Quran, divided what was so far revealed, into bits, and apportioned them to people coming on pilgrimage to Makkah by different routes, slandering and abusing the Prophet of Allah.

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِيْنَ ﴿٩٢﴾

15: 92.  Therefore, by thy Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,

عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾

15: 93.  For all their deeds.

C2015. Those who ridicule Scripture in any form will all be called to account for their insolence, for they are all alike.

Pickthall’s Version:

15:89

Pickthall And say: Lo! I, even I, am a plain warner,

Transliteration Wa qul inni anan nazirul mubin(u).

15: 90

Pickthall Such as We send down for those who make division,

Transliteration Kama_ anzalna_ 'alal muqtasimin(a),

15: 91

Pickthall Those who break the Quran into parts.

Transliteration Allazina ja'alul qur'a_na 'idin(a).

15: 92

Pickthall Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one,

Transliteration Fa warabbika lanas'alannahum ajma'in(a),

15: 93

Pickthall Of what they used to do.

Transliteration 'Amma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).

[[Yuksel’s notes - 015:090-93 These verses criticize the followers of sects, those who claim the existence of abrogation in the Quran, and those who ignore the entire context of the Quran when trying to understand a particular Quran statement or term. See 2:106. ]]