Key Verses on Attitude Towards Life

2. [al-Baqarah, Medina 87]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم ...

2: 214. Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you?

... مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ...

They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit

... حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ ...

that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?"

... أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ ﴿٢١٤﴾

Ah! verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!

Asad’s Version:

2: 214 [But] do you think that you could enter paradise without having suffered like those [believers] who passed away before you [note 199]? Misfortune and hardship befell them, and so shaken were they that the apostle, and the believers with him, would exclaim, “When will God’s succor come? Oh, verily, God’s succor is [always] near [note 200]!

Pickthall’s Version:

2: 214 Or think ye that ye will enter Paradise while yet there hath not come unto you the like of (that which came to) those who passed away before you? Affliction and adversity befell them, they were shaken as with earthquake, till the messenger (of Allah) and those who believed along with him said: When cometh Allah's help? Now surely Allah's help is nigh.

Transliteration Am hasibtum an tadkhulul jannata wa lamma_ ya'tikum masalul lazina khalau min qablikum massathumul ba'sa_'u wad darra_'u wa zulzilu_ hatta_ yaqu_lar rasu_lu wal lazina a_manu_ ma'ahu_ mata_ nasrull_h(i), ala_ inna nasralla_hi qarib(un).

[ Asad’s note 199 – …….This passage connect with the words, “God guides onto a straight way him that will [to be guided], which occur at the end of the preceding verse. The meaning is that intellectual cognition of the truth cannot, by itself, be a means of attaining to ultimate bliss: it must be complemented by readiness to sacrifice and spiritual purification through suffering.]