2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمِنَ
النَّاسِ
مَن يَقُولُ
آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ
وَبِالْيَوْمِ
الآخِرِ ...
2: 8. Of the people there are some who say:
"We believe in Allah and the Last Day,"
C33. We now come to a third class of people, the hypocrites.
They are untrue to themselves, and therefore their hearts, they soon pass into the category of those who deliberately reject light.
... وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨﴾
but they do not (really) believe.
يُخَادِعُونَ
اللّهَ وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا...
2: 9. Fain would they deceive Allah and those who believe,
... وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُم وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿٩﴾
but they only deceive themselves and realize (it) not!
فِي
قُلُوبِهِم
مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ
اللّهُ مَرَضاً...
2: 10. In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease,
C34. The insincere man who thinks he can get the best of both worlds by compromising with good and evil only increased the disease of his heart, because he is not true to himself.
Even the good which comes to him he can pervert to evil. So the rain which fills out the ear of corn or lends fragrance to the rose also lends strength to the thorn or adds strength to the poison of the deadly nightshade.
... وَلَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ ﴿١٠﴾
and grievous is the penalty they (incur), because they are false (to themselves).
وَإِذَا
قِيلَ
لَهُمْ لاَ
تُفْسِدُواْ
فِي الأَرْضِ
...
2: 11. When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth,"
... قَالُواْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ ﴿١١﴾
they say: "Why, we only want to make peace!"
أَلا
إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ
الْمُفْسِدُونَ
وَلَـكِن لاَّ
يَشْعُرُونَ
﴿١٢﴾
2: 12. Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realize (it) not.
C35. Much mischief is caused (sometimes unwittingly) by people who think that they have a mission of peace, when they have not even a true perception of right and wrong.
By their blind arrogance they depress the good and encourage the evil.
2: 8
Asad And there are people who say, “We do believe in God and the Last Day, “the while they do not [really] believe.
Pickthall And of mankind are some who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day, when they believe not.
Transliteration Wa minanna_si may yaqu_lu a_manna_ billa_hi wa bil yaumil a_khiri wa ma_ hum bimu'minin(a).
2: 9
Asad They would deceive God and those who have attained to faith-the while they deceive none but themselves, and perceive it not.
Pickthall They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not.
Transliteration Yukha_di'u_nalla_ha wallazina a_manu_, wa ma_ yakhda'u_na illa_ anfusahum wa ma_ yasy'uru_n(a).
2: 10
Asad In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease increase; and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent lying. (note 8)
Pickthall In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.
Transliteration Fi qulu_bihim maradun, faza_dahumulla_hu maradu_(n), wa lahum 'azibun alim(un), bima_ ka_na_ yakzibu_n(a).
2: 11
Pickthall And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only.
Transliteration Wa iza_ qila lahum la_ tufsidu_ fil ard(i), qa_lu_ innama_ nahnu muslihu_n(a).
2: 12
Pickthall Are not they indeed the mischief makers? But they perceive not.
Transliteration Ala_ innahum humul mufsidu_na wala_kil la_ yasy'uru_n(a).
18.Surah Al Kahf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَانَ
لَهُ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ
لِصَاحِبِهِ
وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ...
18: 34. (Abundant) was the produce this man had: he said to his companion, in the course of a mutual argument:
... أَنَا أَكْثَرُ مِنكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا ﴿٣٤﴾
"More wealth have I than you, and more honor and power in (my following of) men."
C2376. The two men began to compare notes.
The arrogant one was puffed up with his possessions, his income, and his large family and following, and thought in his self-complacency that it would last for ever.
He was also wrong in looking down on his Companion, who, though less affluent, was the better man of the two.
وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ
وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ
لِّنَفْسِهِ...
18: 35. He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul:
C2377. It was not wealth that ruined him, but the attitude of his mind. He was unjust, not so much to his neighbour, as to his own soul. In his love of the material, he forgot or openly defied the spiritual.
As verse 37 shows, he took his companion with him, to impress him with his own importance, but the companion was unmoved.
... قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَذِهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣٥﴾
He said, "I deem not that this will ever perish.
وَمَا أَظُنُّ
السَّاعَةَ
قَائِمَةً...
18: 36. "Nor do I deem that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) come:
... وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا ﴿٣٦﴾
even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find (there) something better in exchange."
C2378. Here comes out the grasping spirit of the materialist.
In his mind "better" means more wealth and more power, of the kind he was enjoying in this life, although in reality, even what he had, rested on hollow foundations and was doomed to perish and bring him down with it.
Pickthall’s Version:
18: 34
Pickthall And he had fruit. And he said unto his comrade, when he spake with him: I am more than thee in wealth, and stronger in respect of men.
Transliteration Wa ka_na lahu_ samar(un), faqa_la lisa_hibihi wa huwa yuha_wiruhu_ ana aksaru minka ma_law wa a'azzu nafara_(n).
18: 35
Pickthall And he went into his garden, while he (thus) wronged himself. He said: I think not that all this will ever perish.
Transliteration Wa dakhala jannatahu_ wa huwa za_limul li nafsih(i), qa_la ma_ azunnu an tabida ha_zihi abada_(w),
18: 36
Pickthall I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord I surely shall find better than this as a resort.
Transliteration Wa ma_ azunnus sa_'ata qa_'imataw wa la'ir rudittu ila_ rabbi la'ajidanna khairam minha_ munqalaba_(n).