3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَمَنِ
افْتَرَىَ
عَلَى
اللّهِ
الْكَذِبَ
مِن
بَعْدِ
ذَلِكَ
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ
هُمُ
الظَّالِمُونَ
﴿٩٤﴾
3: 94. If any, after this, invent a lie and attribute it to Allah, they are indeed unjust wrongdoers.
Asad’s Version:
3 :94
Distortion of Truth, Superstition, etc.
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَا
جَعَلَ
اللّهُ
...
5: 103. It was not Allah Who instituted (superstitions like those of)
C809. A number of Arab Pagan superstitions are referred to.
The Pagan mind, not understanding the hidden secrets of nature, attributed certain phenomena to divine anger and were assailed by superstitious fears which haunted their lives.
- If a she-camel or other female domestic animal had a large number of young, she (or one of her offspring) had her car slit and she was dedicated to a god: such an animal was a bahira.
- On return in safety from a journey, or on recovery from an illness a she-camel was similarly dedicated and let loose for free pasture: she was called a saiba.
- Where an animal bore twins, certain sacrifices or dedications were made to idols: an animal so dedicated was a wasila.
- A stallion-camel dedicated to the gods by certain rites was a ham.
The particular examples lead to the general truth: that superstition is due to ignorance, and is degrading to men and dishonouring to Allah.
... مِن بَحِيرَةٍ وَلاَ سَآئِبَةٍ وَلاَ وَصِيلَةٍ وَلاَ حَامٍ...
- a slit-ear she-camel,
- or a she-camel let loose for free pasture,
- or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals,
- or stallion-camels freed from work;
... وَلَـكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ...
it is blasphemers who invent a lie against Allah,
... وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾
but most of them lack wisdom.
وَإِذَا
قِيلَ لَهُمْ
تَعَالَوْاْ
إِلَى مَا أَنزَلَ
اللّهُ وَإِلَى
الرَّسُولِ...
5: 104. When it is said to them: "Come to what Allah hath revealed; come to the Messenger":
... قَالُواْ حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءنَا...
they say: "Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following."
C810. Cf. 2:170.
Where a Messenger of Truth comes to teach us the better way, it is foolish to say: "What our ancestors did is good enough for us."
... أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٠٤﴾
What! even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?
Asad’s Version:
5: 103-104 It is not of God’s ordaining that certain kinds of cattle be marked out by superstition and set aside from the use of man; yet those who are bent of denying the truth attribute their own lying inventions to God. And most of them never use their reason: for when they are told, “ come unto that which God has bestowed from on high, and unto the Apostle” – they answer, “Enough for us is that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing.” Why, even though their forefathers knew nothing, and were devoid of all guidance?
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
أَذَقْنَا
النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً
مِّن بَعْدِ
ضَرَّاء مَسَّتْهُمْ
إِذَا لَهُم
مَّكْرٌ فِي
آيَاتِنَا...
10: 21. When We make mankind taste of some mercy after adversity hath touched them,
Behold! they take to plotting against our Signs!
...قُلِ اللّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا...
Say: "Swifter to plan is Allah!"
...إنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
Verily, Our Messengers record all the plots that ye make!
C1409. Man turns his thoughts in adversity to Allah. But as soon as the trouble is past, he not only forgets Him but actually strives against His cause.
But such people are poor ignorant creatures, not realising that the Universal Plan of Allah is swifter to stop their petty plans, and that though they fail, the record of them remains eternally against them. (R).
قُلْ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ
يَفْتَرُونَ
عَلَى اللّهِ
الْكَذِبَ لاَ
يُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾
10: 69. Say:
"Those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper."
C1455. In Quranic language "prosperity" refers both to our every-day life and to the higher life within us, -to the Present and the Future,- health and strength, opportunities and resources, a spirit of contentment, and the power of influencing others.
Here there seems to be an extra touch of meaning. A liar not only deprives himself of prosperity in all senses, but his "lie" itself against Allah will not succeed: it will and must be found out.
مَتَاعٌ
فِي الدُّنْيَا
ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا
مَرْجِعُهُمْ...
10: 70. A little enjoyment in this world! -- and, then, to Us will be their return.
...ثُمَّ نُذِيقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِيدَ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
Then shall We make them taste the severest Penalty for their blasphemies.
Asad’s Version:
10: 21 And whenever We let people taste grace after hardship has visited them – lo! They forthwith turn to devising false arguments against Our messages.
Say: “ God is swifter in His deep devising!” Behold, Our [heavenly] messengers are recording all that you may devise!
10: 69
Asad Say: “ Verily, they who attribute their own lying inventions to God will never attain to a happy state!”
Yusuf Ali Say: "Those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper."
Pickthall Say: Verily those who invent a lie concerning Allah will not succeed.
Transliteration Qul innal lazina yaftaru_na 'alalla_hil kaziba la_ yuflihu_n(a).
10: 70
Asad Enjoyment in this world – and thereafter unto Us they must return: and then We shall let them taste suffering severe as an outcome of their persistent denial of the truth.
Yusuf Ali A little enjoyment in this world! and then to Us will be their return. Then shall We make them taste the severest Penalty for their blasphemies.
Pickthall This world's portion (will be theirs), then unto Us is their return. Then We make them taste a dreadful doom because they used to disbelieve.
Transliteration Mata_'un fid dunya_ summa ilaina_ marji'uhum summa nuziquhumul 'aza_basy syadida bima_ ka_nu_ yakfuru_n(a).
57. Sura al-Hadid
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يُنَادُونَهُمْ
أَلَمْ نَكُن
مَّعَكُمْ...
57: 14. (Those without) will call out, "were we not with you?"
C5292. The evil will now claim some right of kinship or association or proximity with the good in earthly life; but in fact they had been arrogant and had selfishly despised them before. The reply will be:
you yourselves chose temptation and evil;
when you had power in your earthly life, you hoped for ruin to the good, and perhaps plotted for it;
you were warned by prophets of Allah, but you doubted Allah's very existence and certainly Ms Mercy and Justice, and the Hereafter;
you followed your own lusts and neglected Reason and Truth;
you were given plenty of rope, but you followed your mad career, until Judgment came upon you, and now it is too late for repentance.
...قَالُوا بَلَى وَلَكِنَّكُمْ فَتَنتُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتَرَبَّصْتُمْ وَارْتَبْتُمْ وَغَرَّتْكُمُ الْأَمَانِيُّ...
(The others) will reply,
"True! but ye led yourselves into temptation; ye looked forward (to our ruin); ye doubted (Allah's promise); and (your false) desires deceived you;
...حَتَّى جَاء أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَغَرَّكُم بِاللَّهِ الْغَرُورُ ﴿١٤﴾
until there issued the Command of Allah. And the Deceiver deceived you in respect of Allah.
C5293. The Arch-Deceiver (Satan) deceived you in respect of Allah in many ways: for example,
he made you oblivious of Allah's Mercy and loving-kindness;
he made you reject His Grace;
he made you think that Allah's Justice may not overtake you; etc.
Asad’s Version:
57: 14 …deceptive idea about God misleads people
Consequence of wrong concept of God :
3: 154
41. Sura Fussilat
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
كُنتُمْ
تَسْتَتِرُونَ
أَنْ
يَشْهَدَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
سَمْعُكُمْ
وَلَا
أَبْصَارُكُمْ
وَلَا
جُلُودُكُمْ...
41: 22. "Ye did not seek to hide yourselves, lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins should bear witness against you!
C4489. The limbs and faculties will say:
"You did not seek to hide your evil from us: in fact you used us for your evil, because we were in your power.
Did you not know that Allah knew everything and that our knowledge would be evidence against you?"
...وَلَكِن ظَنَنتُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَعْلَمُ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾
But ye did think that Allah knew not many of the things that ye used to do!
وَذَلِكُمْ
ظَنُّكُمُ
الَّذِي
ظَنَنتُم
بِرَبِّكُمْ
أَرْدَاكُمْ...
41: 23. "But this thought of yours which ye did entertain concerning your Lord, hath brought you to destruction,
C4490. "You now see the situation! We were given for your use and service. You misused us, to your own utter and irretrievable destruction!"
...فَأَصْبَحْتُم مِّنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿٢٣﴾
and (now) have ye become of those utterly lost!"
Asad’s Version:
41: 22-23 ….but you thought that God did not know much of what you were doing- and that very thought which you thought about your Sustainer has brought you to perdition, and so now you find yourselves among the lost!
48. Sura al-Fath
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَيُعَذِّبَ
الْمُنَافِقِينَ
وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ
وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ
وَالْمُشْرِكَاتِ...
48: 6. And that He may punish the Hypocrites, men and women, and the Polytheists, men and women,
...الظَّانِّينَ بِاللَّهِ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ عَلَيْهِمْ دَائِرَةُ السَّوْءِ...
who imagine an evil opinion of Allah. On them is a round of Evil:
C4873. They will be encircled (or hemmed in) by Evil.
... وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ...
the Wrath of Allah is on them:
... وَلَعَنَهُمْ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءتْ مَصِيرًا ﴿٦﴾
He has cursed them and got Hell ready for them: and evil is it for a destination.
C4874. That is, deprived them of His Grace, on account of their continued rejection of it.
Asad’s Version:
48: 6 And to impose suffering on the hypocrites, both men and women, ….all who entertain evil thoughts about God. Evil encompasses them from all sides, and God's condemnation rests upon them; and He has rejected them, and has readied hell for them: and how evil a journey's end!