6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ...

6: 68. When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, turn away from them

...حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ...

unless they turn to a different theme.

C891. Cf. 4:140.

If in any gathering truth is ridiculed, we must not sit in such company. If we find ourselves in it, as soon as we realize it, we must show our disapproval by leaving.

...وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلاَ تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَى مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٦٨﴾

If Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of the ungodly.

وَمَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ...

6: 69. On their account no responsibility falls on the righteous,

C892. Every man is responsible for his own conduct. But the righteous have two duties:

- to protect themselves from infection, and

- to proclaim God's truth, for even in the most unlikely circumstances, it is possible that it may have some effect. (R).

...وَلَـكِن ذِكْرَى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾

but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (learn to) fear Allah.

وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا...

6: 70. Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world.

C893. Cf. 6:32, where we are told that the life of this world is mere play and amusement, and Religion and the Hereafter are the serious things that require our attention.

Worldly people reverse this because they are deceived by the allurements of this life. But their own acts will find them out.

...وَذَكِّرْ بِهِ أَن تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ...

But proclaim (to them) this (truth):

that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts:

C894. We must never forget our own personal responsibility for all we do, or deceive ourselves by the illusion of vicarious atonement.

...لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللّهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلاَ شَفِيعٌ ...

it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah:

... وَإِن تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لاَّ يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَا...

if it offered every ransom (or reparation), none will be accepted:

...أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُواْ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ ...

such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts:

...لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾

they will have for drink (only) boiling water, and for punishment, one most grievous:

for they persisted in rejecting Allah.

Asad’s Version:

6: 68

Asad Now, whenever you meet such as indulge in [blasphemous] talk about Our Messages, turn your back upon them until they begin to talk of other things; and if Satan should ever cause you to forget, remain not, after recollection, in the company of such evildoing folk,

Yusuf Ali When thou see men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes thee forget then after recollection sit not thou in the company of the ungodly.

Pickthall And when thou see those who meddle with Our revelations, withdraw from them until they meddle with another topic. And if the devil cause thee to forget, sit not, after the remembrance, with the congregation of wrong doers.

Transliteration Waiza_ ra'aitallazinayakhu_du_na fi a_ya_tina_ faa'rid 'anhumhatta_ yakhu_du_ fi hadisingairih(i), waimma_ yunsiyannakasysyaita_nufala_ taq'udba'dazzikra_ ma'alqaumizza_limin(a).

6: 69

Asad for whom those who are conscious of God are in no wise accountable. Theirs, however, is the duty to admonish [the sinners], so that they might become conscious of God.

Yusuf Ali On their account no responsibility falls on the righteous but (their duty) is to remind them that they may (learn to) fear Allah.

Pickthall Those who ward off (evil) are not accountable for them in aught, but the Reminder (must be given them) that haply they (too) may ward off (evil).

Transliteration Wa ma_ 'alallazinayattaqu_na min hisa_bihim min syai'iwwala_kinzikra_ la'allahumyataqu_n(a).

6: 70

Asad ……………..for them there [in the life to come] a draught of burning despair [note 62], and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent refusal to acknowledge the truth.

Yusuf Ali Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement and are deceived by the life of this world. But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own acts: it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except Allah: if it offered every ransom (or reparation) none will be accepted: such is (the end of) those who deliver themselves to ruin by their own acts: they will have for drink (only) boiling water and for punishment one most grievous: for they persisted in rejecting Allah.

Pickthall And forsake those who take their religion for a pastime and a jest, and whom the life of the world beguile. Remind (mankind) hereby lest a soul be destroyed by what it earn. It has beside Allah no friend nor intercessor, and though it offer every compensation it will not be accepted from it. Those are they who perish by their own deserts. For them is drink of boiling water and a painful doom, because they disbelieved.

Transliteration Wazarillazinattakhazu_ dinahumla'ibawwalahwawwagarrathumulhaya_tuddunya_ wazakkirbihi an tubsalanafsumbima_ kasabat, laisalaha_ min du_nilla_hiwaliyyuwwa la_ syafi', wa in ta'dilkulla 'adlil la_ yu'khaz