2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
يَتْلُونَهُ
حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ
أُوْلَـئِكَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِهِ...
2: 121. Those to whom We have sent the book study it as it should be studied; they are the ones that believe therein;
... وَمن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ ﴿١٢١﴾
those who reject faith therein, the loss is their own.
C.48 (The running Commentary, in Rhythmic Prose)
(2:122-141)
If the people of the Book rely
Upon Abraham, let them study
His history. His posterity included
Both Israel and Ismail. Abraham
Was a righteous man of Allah,
A Muslim, and so were his children.
Abraham and Ismail built
The Ka'bah as the house of Allah,
And purified it, to be a centre
Of worship for all the world;
For Allah is the God of all peoples.
C 121. The argument now proceeds on another line. Ye People of the Book who go back to Abraham! not only is your claim to exclusive knowledge of Allah false and derogatory to the Lord of All the Worlds. If you must appeal to Abraham, he was also the progenitor of the Arab race through Ismail. Indeed Abraham and Ismail together built the House of Allah in Makkah (long before the Temple of Jerusalem was built). They purified it and laid the foundation of the universal religion, which is summed up in word Islam, or complete submission to the Will of Allah. Abraham and Ismail were thus true Muslims. Whence then your rancour against Islam?
Historically the House of Allah at Makkah must have been far more ancient place of worship than the Temple of Jerusalem. Arab tradition connects various places in and around Makkah with the name of Abraham and identifies the well of
Arab tradition also refers the story Zamzam with the well in the story of the child Ismail. of the Sacrifice to Ismail and not to Isaac, therein differing from the Jewish tradition in Gen, 22:1-19. (R).
Others version:
2: 121
Asad Those unto whom We have vouchsafed the divine writ [and who] follow it as it ought to be followed – it is they who [truly] believe in it; whereas all who choose to deny its truth – it is they, they who are the losers!
Pickthall Those unto whom We have given the Scripture, who read it with the right reading, those believe in it. And whoso disbelieveth in it, those are they who are the losers.
Transliteration Allazina a_taina_humul kita_ba yatlu_nahu_ haqqa tila_watih(i), ula_'ika yu'minu_na bih(i), wa may yakfur bihi fa ula_'ika humul kha_siru_n(a).
[ Ruby – The divine Book [kitab (singular)] is indicating all divine Books or Scriptures that were revealed in collective form, that is why it is singular. I believe it is not meant only for the Quran here. It is in singular form because the Kitab that is meant here is the Word of God or His Messages which is One and the same Message, the essence of the Message never changed. That is why it is said in 41:43 (And as for thee, O Prophet ) nothing is being said to thee but what was said to all (of God’s ) Apostles before thy time.”, “ you are just a messenger, many other messenger were there..”
All divine Books are part of that universal Message from God and that Message is meant here and that is why this is singular in form. Then the next expression literally means is ‘to recite in Truth’ but the real meaning is comprehension of the Truth. One’s attempt should be to search Truth in these Books. This search needs to originate in sincere desire to know and understand God’s Message and not to challenge and be unreasonable with it.
It is that came from God, if one sincerely read these even with distortions and human manipulation down the ages, one would find Truth in any of these Books. Therefore, a sincere and keen heart is the essence here to receive Guidance and Truth.]
=====================================
6. [al-Anam, Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
يَعْرِفُونَهُ
كَمَا
يَعْرِفُونَ
أَبْنَاءهُمُ...
6: 20. Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons.
In both passages the pronoun translated "this" may mean "him" and refer to Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, as some commentators think.
...الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾
Those who have lost their own souls refuse therefore to believe.
6: 20
Asad They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this [note 14] as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves –it is they who refuse to believe.
Pickthall Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this Revelation) as they recognize their sons. Those who ruin their own souls will not believe.
Transliteration Allazina a_taina_humul kita_ba ya'rifu_nahu_ kama_ ya'rifu_na abna_'ahum, allazina khasiru_ anfusahum fahum la_ yu'minu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 14 –I.e., the truth of God’s transcendental uniqueness and oneness, which is stressed in all authentic scriptures.]]
[[ Ruby’s note – Those who truly believe see the revelation as truth as reality is the truth. One does not believe that one has a child one just know that truth. That kind of absolute confidence is there by the sincere believers.]]