14. Surah Ibrahim

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأُدْخِلَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ...   

14: 23.  But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to Gardens

...تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ...

beneath which rivers flow --

to dwell therein for aye with the leave of their Lord:

...تَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلاَمٌ ﴿٢٣﴾

their greeting therein will be: "Peace!"

C1899. How this contrasts with the misery and the mutual self-recriminations of the ungodly!

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.

Others version:

14: 23

Yusuf Ali But those who believe and work righteousness will be admitted to Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye with the leave of their Lord: their greeting therein will be: "Peace!"

Pickthall And those who believed and did good works are made to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein abiding by permission of their Lord, their greeting therein: Peace!

Transliteration Wa udkhilal lazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_ bi izni rabbihim, tahiyyatuhum fiha_ sala_m(un).

14: 24

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,

Transliteration Alam tara kaifa daraballa_hu masalan kalimatan tayyibatan ka syajaratin tayyibatin asluha_ sa_bituw wa far'uha_ fis sama_'(i),

14: 25

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.

Transliteration Tu'ti ukulaha_ kulla hinim bi izni rabbiha_, wa yadribulla_hul amsa_la lin na_si la'allahum yatazakkaru_n(a).