yafqahu_n
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
هُوَ الْقَادِرُ
عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
عَذَابًا مِّن
فَوْقِكُمْ
أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ
أَرْجُلِكُمْ
...
6: 65. Say:
"He hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below,
C888. Calamities from above and below: such as;
- storms and blizzards, torrential rain, etc., or
- earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.
...أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ...
or to cover you with confusion in party strife giving you a taste of mutual vengeance -- each from the other."
...انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾
See how We explain the Signs by various (symbols), that they may understand.
C889. Cf. 6:46, where this refrain commences the argument now drawing to a close.
وَكَذَّبَ
بِهِ قَوْمُكَ
وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ...
6: 66. But thy people reject this, though it is the truth.
...قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ ﴿٦٦﴾
Say:
"Not mine is the responsibility for arranging your affairs;
C890. At the date of this revelation, the Messenger's people had as a body not only rejected Allah's truth, but were persecuting it. The Messenger's duty was to deliver his Message, which he did. He was not responsible for their conduct.
But he told them plainly that all warnings from Allah had their time limit, as they would soon find out, within a very few years. For the leaders of the resistance came to an evil end, and their whole system of fraud and selfishness was destroyed, to make room for the purer Faith of Islam.
Apart from that particular application, there is the more general application, for the present time and for all time.
Other versions:
6: 65 [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]
Yusuf Ali Say: "He hath power to send calamities on you from above and below or to cover you with confusion in party strife giving you a taste of mutual vengeance each from the other." See how We explain the Signs by various (symbols) that they may understand.
Pickthall Say: He is able to send punishment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to bewilder you with dissension and make you taste the tyranny one of another. See how We display the revelations so that they may understand.
Transliteration Qul huwal qa_diru 'ala_ ay yab'asa 'alaikum 'aza_bam min fauqikum au min tahti arjulikum au yalbisakum syiya'aw wa yuziqa ba'dakum ba'sa ba'd(in), unzur kaifa nusarriful a_ya_ti la'allahum yafqahu_n(a).
6: 66
Yusuf Ali But thy people reject this though it is the truth. Say: "Not mine is the responsibility for arranging your affairs;
Pickthall Thy people (O Muhammad) have denied it, though it is the Truth. Say: I am not put in charge of you.
Transliteration Wa kazzaba bihi qaumuka wa huwal haqq(u), qul lastu'alaikum bi wakil(in).
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَا
كَانَ لِأَهْلِ
الْمَدِينَةِ
وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم
مِّنَ الأَعْرَابِ
أَن يَتَخَلَّفُواْ
عَن رَّسُولِ
اللّهِ...
9: 120. It was not fitting for the people of Medina and the bedouin Arabs of the neighbourhood, to refuse to follow Allah's Messenger,
وَلاَ يَرْغَبُواْ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِ...
nor to prefer their own lives to his:
... ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلاَ نَصَبٌ وَلاَ مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
because nothing could they suffer or do,
but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness,
whether they suffered thirst, or fatigue, or hunger, in the Cause of Allah,
... وَلاَ يَطَؤُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ... ...
or trod paths to raise the ire of the unbelievers,
... وَلاَ يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّيْلاً إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ...
or received any injury whatever from an enemy:
C1371. Again, the illustration is that of Tabuk, but the lesson is general.
We must not hold our own comfort or lives dearer than that of our leader, nor desert him in the hour of danger. If we have true devotion, we shall hold our own lives or comfort cheap in comparison to his.
But whatever service we render to the Cause of Allah, and whatever sufferings, hardships, or injuries we endure, or whatever resources we spend for the Cause, -all goes to raise our degree in the spiritual world. Nothing is lost. Our reward is far greater in worth than any little service we can render, or any little hardship we can suffer, or any little contributions we can make to the Cause. We "painfully attain to joy".
... إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٢٠﴾
for Allah suffereth not the reward to be lost of those who do good;
وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَ
نَفَقَةً صَغِيرَةً
وَلاَ كَبِيرَةً ...
9: 121. Nor could they spend anything (for the Cause), small or great,
... وَلاَ يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُمْ...
nor cut across a valley, but the deed is inscribed to their credit;
C1372. Cut across a valley: this is specially mentioned, as denoting an individual act of heroism, dash, or bravery. To march with the troops along valleys, tread paths of danger along with our Comrades, is good and praiseworthy:
Notice that both the things mentioned in this verse,- the spending of resources and the dashing across a valley- are individual acts, while those mentioned in the last verse are collective acts, which are in some ways easier.
The individual acts having been mentioned, the next verse follows naturally.
... لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٢١﴾
that Allah might requite their deed with the best (possible reward).
وَمَا
كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
لِيَنفِرُواْ
كَآفَّةً...
9: 122. Nor should the believers all go forth together:
فَلَوْلاَ نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُواْ فِي الدِّينِ...
if a contingent from every expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to studies in religion,
... وَلِيُنذِرُواْ قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُواْ إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ ﴿١٢٢﴾
and admonish the people when they return to them, that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil).
C1373. Fighting may be inevitable, and where a call is made by the ruler of an Islamic State, it should be obeyed.
But fighting is not to be glorified to the exclusion of all else. Even among those who are able to go forth, a party should remain behind for purposes of study, so that when the fighters return home, their minds may be attuned again to the more normal interests of religious life, under properly instructed teachers.
The students and teachers are soldiers of the Jihad in their spirit of obedience and discipline. (R).
Other versions:
9: 120 [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
Yusuf Ali It was not fitting for the people of Medina and the bedouin Arabs of the neighborhood to refuse to follow Allah's Apostle nor to prefer their own lives to his: because nothing could they suffer or do but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness whether they suffered thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah or trod paths to raise the ire of the unbelievers or received any injury whatever from an enemy: for Allah suffereth not the reward to be lost of those who do good;
Pickthall It is not for the townsfolk of Al-Madinah and for those around them of the wandering Arabs to stay behind the messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his life. That is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicteth them in the way of Allah, nor step they any step that angereth the disbelievers, nor gain they from the enemy a gain, but a good deed is recorded for them therefor. Lo! Allah loseth not the wages of the good.
Transliteration Ma_ ka_na li ahlil madinati wa man haulahum minal a'ra_bi ay yatakhallafu_ 'ar rasu_lilla_hi wa la_ yargabu_ bi anfusihim 'an nafsih(i), za_lika bi annahum la_ yusibuhum zama'uw wa la_ nasabuw wa la_ makhmasatun fi sabililla_hi wa la_ yata'u_na mauti'ay yagizul kuffa_ra wa la_ yana_lu_na min 'aduwwin nailan illa_ kutiba lahum bihi 'amalun sa_lih(un), innalla_ha la_ yudi'u ajral muhsinin(a).
9: 121
Yusuf Ali Nor could they spend anything (for the cause) small or great nor cut across a valley but the deed is inscribed to their credit; that Allah might requite their deed with the best (possible reward).
Pickthall Nor spend they any spending, small or great, nor do they cross a valley, but it is recorded for them, that Allah may repay them the best of what they used to do.
Transliteration Wa la_ yunfiqu_na nafaqatan sagirataw wa la_ kabirataw wa la_ yaqta'a_na wa_diyan illa_ kutiba lahum liyajziyahumulla_hu ahsana ma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).]]
9: 122
Yusuf Ali Nor should the believers all go forth together: if a contingent from every expedition remained behind they could devote themselves to studies in religion and admonish the people when they return to them that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil).
Pickthall And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.
Transliteration Wa ma_ ka_nal mu'minu_na liyanfiru_ ka_ffah(tan), fa lau la_ nafara min kulli firqatim minhum ta_'ifatul liyatafaqqahu_ fid dini wa liyunziru_ qaumahum izu_ raja'u_ ilaihim la'allahum yahzaru_n(a).
[[Ali’s note - 1373 Fighting may be inevitable, and where a call is made by the ruler of an Islamic State, it should be obeyed. But fighting is not to be glorified to the exclusion of all else. Even among those who are able to go forth, a party should remain behind-for purposes of study, so that when the fighters return home, their minds may be attuned again to the more normal interests of religious life, under properly instructed teachers. The students and teachers are soldiers of the Jiha4d in their spirit of obedience and discipline. (9.122)]]
[[ Ruby’s Note 9:122 – I think this articulation is for a tribal or a city society where there are limited adult population to defend the society. In modern society a band of scholars and teachers are generally stay behind anyway and the army fight in defense of the society. Anyway, what is to be noted here is timeless : - the importance of education and knowledge particularly in religion [the root from where the conviction and actions emanate from] side by side of defense of a society. One is a physical defense and the other is even more important that is the idea of self-preservation and success through moral and ethical knowledge.]]