Analogy of A Good Word and A Bad Word Compared
14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ
ضَرَبَ اللّهُ
مَثَلاً...
14: 24. Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? --
...كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء ﴿٢٤﴾
a goodly Word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens --
C1900. "Goodly word" is usually interpreted as the Divine Word, the Divine Message, the True Religion.
It may also be interpreted in a more general sense as a word of truth, a word of goodness or kindness, which follows from a true appreciation of Religion. For Religion includes our duty to Allah and our duty to man.
The "evil word" is opposite to this: false religion, blasphemy, false speech, or preaching or teaching unkindness and wrong-doing. (R).
تُؤْتِي
أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ
حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ
رَبِّهَا...
14: 25. It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord.
C1901. The goodly tree is known for:
- its beauty; it gives pleasure to all who see it;
- its stability; it remains firm and unshaken in storms, because its roots are firmly fixed in the earth;
- its wide compass; its branches reach high, and it catches all the sunshine from heaven, and gives shade to countless birds in its branches and men and animals beneath it, and
- its abundant fruit, which it yields at all times.
So is the Good Word.
- It is as beautiful as it is true.
- It abides in all the changes and chances of this life, and even beyond (see verse 27 below);
- it is never shaken by sorrow or what seems to us calamity;
- its roots are deep down in the bed-rock facts of life. Its reach is universal, above, around, below:
- it is illuminated by the divine light from heaven, and its consolation reaches countless beings of all grades of life.
- Its fruit-the enjoyment of its blessings-is not confined to one season or one set of circumstances;
furthermore the fortunate man who is the vehicle of that word has no self-pride; he attributes all its goodness, and his act in spreading it, to the Will and Leave of Allah.
Cf. the New Testament Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-6) or of the Mustard-seed (Matt. 13:31- 32).
In this Parable of the Quran there are fewer words and more spiritual meaning, and the emphasis is on more essential things.
...وَيَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾
So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.
وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ
خَبِيثَةٍ
كَشَجَرَةٍ
خَبِيثَةٍ...
14: 26. And the parable of an evil Word is that of an evil tree.
...اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ ﴿٢٦﴾
It is torn up by the root, from the surface of the earth:
it has no stability.
C1902. The evil tree is the opposite of the goodly tree. The parallelism of contrast can be followed out in all the details of the last note.
يُثَبِّتُ
اللّهُ الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ
الثَّابِتِ
فِي الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا
وَفِي الآخِرَةِ...
14: 27. Allah will establish in strength those who believe, with the Word that stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter;
...وَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ...
but Allah will leave, to stray, those who do wrong:
...وَيَفْعَلُ اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء ﴿٢٧﴾
Allah doeth what He willeth.
C1903. His Will and Plan may be above comprehension, but will prevail over all things. It is not like the will of man, who may plan good things but is not necessarily able to carry them out.
Others version:
14: 24
Asad Are you not aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word? [It is ] like a good tree, firmly rooted, [reaching out] with its branches towards the sky,
Yusuf Ali Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? a goodly Word like a goodly tree whose root is firmly fixed and its branches (reach) to the heavens
Pickthall Seest thou not how Allah coineth a similitude: A goodly saying, as a goodly tree, its root set firm, its branches reaching into heaven,
Yuksel Have you not seen how God cites the example of a good word is like a good tree, whose root is firm and its branches in the sky?
Transliteration Alam tara kaifa daraballa_hu masalan kalimatan tayyibatan ka syajaratin tayyibatin asluha_ sa_bituw wa far'uha_ fis sama_'(i),
[Asad note 36: In its wider meaning, the term “kalimah” denotes any conceptual statement or proposition. ………..]
[[Ali’s notes -
1900 "Goodly word" is usually interpreted as the Divine Word, the Divine Message, the True Religion. It may also be interpreted in a more general sense as a word of truth, a word of goodness or kindness, which follows from a true appreciation of Religion. For Religion includes our duty to Allah and our duty to man. The "evil word" is opposite to this: false religion, blasphemy, false speech, or preaching or teaching unkindness and wrong-doing. (14.24)
1901 The goodly tree is known for: (1) its beauty; it gives pleasure to all who see it; (2) its stability; it remains firm and unshaken in storms, because its roots are firmly fixed in the earth; (3) its wide compass; its branches reach high, and it catches all the sunshine from heaven, and gives shade to countless birds in its branches and men and animals beneath it, and (4) its abundant fruit, which it yields at all times. So is the Good Word. It is as beautiful as it is true. It abides in all the changes and chances of this life, and even beyond (see verse 27 below); it is never shaken by sorrow or what seems to us calamity; its roots are deep down in the bed-rock facts of life. Its reach is universal, above, around, below: it is illuminated by the divine light from heaven, and its consolation reaches countless beings of all grades of life. Its fruit-the enjoyment of its blessings-is not confined to one season or one set of circumstances; furthermore the fortunate man who is the vehicle of that word has no self-pride; he attributes all its goodness, and his act in spreading it, to the Will and Leave of Allah. Cf. the New Testament Parable of the Sower (Matt. iv. 14-20) or of the Mustard-seed (Matt. iv. 30- 32). In this Parable of the Qur-an there are fewer words and more spiritual meaning, and the emphasis is on more essential things. (14.25)
14: 25
Asad yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer’s leave. And [thus it is that] God propounds parables unto men, so that they might bethink themselves [of the truth].
Yusuf Ali It brings forth its fruit at all times by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men in order that they may receive admonition.
Pickthall Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.
Yuksel It bears its fruit every so often by its Lord's leave. God cites the examples for the people, perhaps they will remember.
Transliteration Tu'ti ukulaha_ kulla hinim bi izni rabbiha_, wa yadribulla_hul amsa_la lin na_si la'allahum yatazakkaru_n(a).
14: 26
Yusuf Ali And the parable of an evil Word is that of an evil tree. It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: it has no stability.
Pickthall And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.
Yuksel The example of a bad word is like a tree which has been uprooted from the surface of the earth, it has nowhere to settle.
Transliteration Wa masalu kalimatin khabisatin ka syajaratin khabisatin-ijtussat min fauqil ardi ma_ laha_ minqara_r(in).
14: 27
Asad God grants firmness unto those who have attained to faith through the word that is unshakable true in the life of this world as well as in the life to come; but the wrongdoers He lets go astray: for God does whatever He wills.
Yusuf Ali Allah will establish in strength those who believe with the Word that stands firm in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah will leave to stray those who do wrong: Allah doeth what He wills.
Pickthall Allah confirms those who believe by a firm saying in the life of the world and in the Hereafter, and Allah sends wrongdoers astray. And Allah doeth what He will.
Yuksel God makes firm those who acknowledge with firm sayings in the worldly life, and in the Hereafter. God sends the wicked astray, and God does what He wishes.
Transliteration Yusabbitulla_hul lazina a_manu_ bil qaulis sa_biti fil haya_tid dunya_ wa fil a_khirah(ti), wa yudillulla_huz za_limin(a), wa yaf'alulla_hu ma_ yasya_'(u).