10. Surah Yunus

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَوْ يُعَجِّلُ اللّهُ لِلنَّاسِ الشَّرَّ اسْتِعْجَالَهُم بِالْخَيْرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَجَلُهُمْ...   

10: 11.  If Allah were to hasten for men the ill (they have earned) as they would fain hasten on the good -- then would their respite be settled at once.

C1398. Those who have no hope for the Future grasp at any temporary advantage, and in their blindness even mockingly ask for immediate punishment for their sins (8:32), thus vainly challenging Allah, in Whom they do not believe.

If the beneficent Allah were to take them at their word, they would have no chance at all. Their doom would be sealed. But even the respite they get they use badly. They merely wander about distractedly like blind men, to and fro. Cf. 2:15.

...فَنَذَرُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿١١﴾  

But We leave those who rest not their hope of their meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering in distraction to and fro.

وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَآئِمًا...   

10: 12.  When trouble toucheth a man, he crieth unto Us (in all postures) lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing.

C1399. Not only do men fail to use their respite: even those who have a superficial belief in Allah call on Him in their trouble but forget Him when He has relieved their trouble.

Their Faith is not strong enough to make them realise that all good proceeds from Allah. But in moments of trouble they use every position, literally and figuratively, to appeal to Him.

...فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ...

But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him!

...كَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٢﴾  

Thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes!

C1400. Those without Faith are selfish, and are so wrapped up in themselves that they think every good that comes to them is due to their own merits or cleverness. That is itself a cause of their undoing. They do not see their own faults.

Pickthall’s Version:

10: 11

Pickthall If Allah were to hasten on for men the ill (that they have earned ) as they would hasten on the good, their respite would already have expired. But We suffer those who look not for the meeting with Us to wander blindly on in their contumacy.

Transliteration Wa lau yu'ajjilulla_hu lin na_sisy syarra-sti'ja_lahum bil khairi laqudiya ilaihim ajaluhum, fa nazarul lazina la_ yarju_na liqa_'ana_ fi tugya_nihim ya'mahu_n(a).

10: 12

Pickthall And if misfortune touch a man he crieth unto Us, (while reclining) on his side, or sitting or standing, but when We have relieved him of the misfortune he goeth his way as though he had not cried unto Us because of a misfortune that afflicted him. Thus is what they do made (seeming) fair unto the prodigal.

Transliteration Wa iza_ massal insa_nad durru da'a_na_ li jambihi au qa_'idan au qa_'ima_(n), falamma_ kasyafna_ 'anhu durrahu_ marra ka allam yad'una_ ila_ durrim massah(u_), kaza_lika zuyyina lil musrifina ma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).