4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَيَقُولُونَ طَاعَةٌ فَإِذَا بَرَزُواْ مِنْ عِندِكَ بَيَّتَ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ غَيْرَ الَّذِي تَقُولُ...   

4: 81.  They have "Obedience" on their lips; but when they leave thee, a section of them meditate all night on things very different from what thou tellest them,

... وَاللّهُ يَكْتُبُ مَا يُبَيِّتُونَ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّهِ...  

but Allah records their nightly (plots): so keep clear of them, and put thy trust in Allah;

... وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ وَكِيلاً ﴿٨١﴾

and enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.

C600. If we trust people who are not true, they are more likely to hinder than to help. But Allah is All-good as well as All-powerful, and all our affairs are best entrusted to His care. He is the best Guardian of all interests.

Therefore we should not trust the lip professions of Hypocrites, but trust in Allah. Nor should our confidence in Allah be shaken by any secret plots that enemies hatch against us. We should take all human precautions against them, but having done so, we should put our trust in Allah, Who knows the inner working of events better than any human mind can conceive.

أَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ...  

4: 82.  Do they not consider the Qur'án (with care)?

... وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللّهِ لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ اخْتِلاَفًا كَثِيرًا ﴿٨٢﴾

Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.

C601. The unity of the Quran is admittedly greater than that of any other sacred book. And yet how can we account for it except through the unity of Allah's purpose and design?

From a mere human point of view, we should have expected much discrepancy, because

-        the Messenger who promulgated it was not a learned man or philosopher,

-        it was promulgated at various times and in various circumstances, and

-        it is addressed to all grades of mankind.

Yet, when properly understood, its various pieces fit together well even when arranged without any regard to chronological order. There was just the One Inspirer and the One Inspired.

وَإِذَا جَاءهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِ...   

4: 83. When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they divulge it.

... وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ...

If they had only referred it to the Messenger, or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have tested it from them (direct).

... وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لاَتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ﴿٨٣﴾

Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of Allah unto you, all but a few of you would have fallen into the clutches of Satan.

C602. In times of war or public panic, thoughtless repetition of gossip is rightly restrained by all effective States. If false, such news may cause needless alarm: if true, it may frighten the, timid and cause some misgiving even to the bravest, because the counterpart of it -the preparations made to meet the danger- is not known.

Thoughtless news, true or false, may also encourage the enemy. The proper course is quietly to hand all news direct to those who are in a position to investigate it. They can then sift it and take suitable measures to checkmate the enemy.

Not to do so, but to deal with news either thoughtlessly or maliciously is to fall directly into the snares of evil.

Asad’s Version:

4: 61

Asad And so, whenever they are told, “Come unto that which God has bestowed from on high, and unto the Apostle,” you can see these hypocrites turn away from you aversion [note 80].

Yusuf Ali When it is said to them: "Come to what Allah hath revealed and to the Apostle": thou seest the Hypocrites avert their faces from thee in disgust.

Pickthall And then it is said unto them: Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, thou seest the hypocrites turn from thee with aversion.

Transliteration Wa iza_ qila lahum ta'a_lau ila_ ma_ anzalalla_hu wa ilar rasu_li ra'aital muna_fiqinayasuddu_na 'anka sudu_da_(n).

4: 62

Asad But how [will they fare] when calamity befalls them [on the Day of Judgment] because of what they have wrought in this world –whereupon they will come to you, swearing by God, “Our aim was but to do good, and to bring about harmony”? [Note 82]

Yusuf Ali How then when they are seized by misfortune because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth? Then they come to thee swearing by Allah: "We meant no more than good-will and conciliation!"

Pickthall How would it be if a misfortune smote them because of that which their own hands have sent before (them)? Then would they come unto thee, swearing by Allah that they were seeking naught but harmony and kindness.

Transliteration Fa kaifa iza_ asa_bathum musibatum bima_ qaddamat aidihim summa ja_'u_ka yahlif_na billa_(i), in aradna_ illa_ ihsa_naw wa taufiqa_(n).

[[ Asad’s note 82 – I.e., they will plead that their aim was no more than a harmonization of the Quranic ethics with a “humanistic” (that is, man-centered) world-view: a plea which the Quran implicitly rejects as being hypocritical and self-deceptive )cf.2:11-12). As regards the phrase “whereupon they will come to you”, see verse 41 of this surah.]]

4: 63

Asad As for them – God knows all that is in their hearts; so leave them alone, and admonish them, and , speak unto them about themselves in a gravely searching manner:

Yusuf Ali Those men Allah knows what is in their hearts; so keep clear of them but admonish them and speak to them a word to reach their very souls.

Pickthall Those are they, the secrets of whose hearts Allah knoweth. So oppose them and admonish them, and address them in plain terms about their souls.

Transliteration Ula_'ikal lazina ya'lamulla_hu ma_ fi qulu_bihim fa a'rid 'anhum wa 'izhum wa qul lahum fi anfusihim qaulam baliga_(n). fastagfarulla_ha wastagfara lahumur rasu_lu lawajadulla_ha tawwa_bar rahima_(n).

[[ Ali’s note - 582 How should hypocrites be treated? To take them into your confidence would of course be foolish. To wage unrelenting war against them may destroy the hope of reforming them and purging them of their hypocrisy. The Prophet of Allah keeps clear of their wiles, but at the same time, does not hesitate to show them the error of their ways, nor to put in a word in season, to penetrate their hearts and win them back to Allah. (4.63) ]]

=====================================================================================

16.Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ...   

16: 125. Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching;

... وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ... 

and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious:

C2161. In this wonderful passage are laid down principles of religious preaching, which are good for all time.

But where are the Teachers with such qualifications?

We must invite all to the Way of Allah, and expound His Universal Will; we must do it with wisdom and discretion, meeting people on their own ground and convincing them with illustrations from their own knowledge and experience, which may be very narrow, or very wide.

Our preaching must be, not dogmatic, not self-regarding, not offensive, but gentle, considerate, and such as would attract their attention. Our manner and our arguments should not be acrimonious, but modeled on the most courteous and the most gracious example, so that the hearer may say to himself,

"This man is not dealing merely with dialectics; he is not trying to get a rise out of me; he is sincerely expounding the faith that is in him, and his motive is the love of man and the love of Allah."

... إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿١٢٥﴾

for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.

C2162. It may be that the Preacher sometimes says to himself,

"What is the use of teaching these people?

they have made up their minds, or they are obstinate; or they are only trying to catch me out,"

Let him not yield to such a thought. Who knows how the seed of the Word of Allah may germinate in people's minds? It is not for man to look for results. Man's inner thoughts are known best to Allah.

Asad’s Version:

16: 125 [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]

Yusuf Ali Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance.

Pickthall Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is best aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright.

Yuksel Engage in Philosophical Discourse

16:125 Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and good advice, and argue with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord is fully aware of who is misguided from His path, and He is fully aware of the guided ones.

Transliteration Ud'a_ ila_ sabili rabbika bil hikmati wal mau'izatil hasanati wa ja_dilhum bil lati hiya ahsan(u), inna rabbaka huwa a'lamu biman dalla 'an sabilihi wa huwa a'lamu bil muhtadin(a).

[[ Ali’s notes -

2161 In this wonderful passage are laid down principles of religious preaching, which are good for all time. But where are the Teachers with such qualifications? We must invite all to the Way of Allah, and expound His Universal Will; we must do it with wisdom and discretion, meeting people on their own ground and convincing them with illustrations from their own knowledge and experience, which may be very narrow, or very wide. Our preaching must be, not dogmatic, not self-regarding, not offensive, but gentle, considerate, and such as would attract their attention. Our manner and our arguments should not be acrimonious, but modelled on the most courteous and the most gracious example, so that the hearer may say to himself, "This man is not dealing merely with dialectics; he is not trying to get a rise out of me; he is sincerely expounding the faith that is in him, and his motive is the love of man and the love of Allah." (16.125)

2162 It may be that the Preacher sometimes says to himself, "What is the use of teaching these people? they have made up their minds, or they are obstinate; or they are only trying to catch me out," Let him not yield to such a thought. Who knows how the seed of the Word of Allah may germinate in people's minds? It is not for man to look for results. Man's inner thoughts are known best to Allah. (16.125) ]]

20 Sura Taha

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

اذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِآيَاتِي وَلَا تَنِيَا فِي ذِكْرِي ﴿٤٢﴾

20: 42.  "Go, thou and thy brother, with My Signs, and slacken not, either of you, in keeping Me in remembrance.

C2565. We may suppose that Moses had fled alone to the land of Midian, and that he had now come alone (with his family but not with his brother) to Tuwa, as described in n. 2542 above.

When he was honoured with his mission, and was granted his request that his brother Aaron should accompany him, we may suppose that he took steps to get Aaron to come to him, and their meeting was in Tuwa. Some time may be supposed to have elapsed before they were in Egypt, and then they prayed, and received these directions in their Egyptian home.

Aaron was either an elder or a younger brother, we are not told which. In either case he was born when the ban on Israelite new-born babes was not in operation. Moses had been out of touch with him, and it speaks greatly for his family affection that he remembered him and prayed for his comradeship in the most serious spiritual work of his life.

اذْهَبَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ ...

20: 43.  "Go, both of you, to Pharaoh,

C2566. Their mission was in the first instance to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, and then to lead Israel out of Egypt.

... إِنَّهُ طَغَى ﴿٤٣﴾

for he has indeed transgressed all bounds;

C2567. Compare the same phrase in 20:24.

Having glanced at the early life of Moses we come back now to the time when Moses' actual ministry begins. The earlier personal story of Moses is rounded off.

فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَى ﴿٤٤﴾

20: 44.  "But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)."

C2568. So far Pharaoh in his inordinate vanity had forgotten himself and forgotten how small a creature he was before Allah. This was to be brought to his recollection, so that he might perhaps repent and believe, or at least be deterred by fear from "transgressing all bounds".

Some men eschew wrong from sincere love of Allah and understanding of their fellow-men, and some (of coarser minds) from the fear of consequences. Even the latter conduct may be a step to the former.

Asad’s Version:

20:42

"Go forth, [then,] thou and thy brother, with My messages, and never tire of remembering Me:

(20:43) go forth, both of you, unto Pharaoh: for, verily, he has transgressed all bounds of equity!

(20:44) But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension." 28

[[Asad’s note:

28 Lit., "or [that he might] fear" - i.e., that there is some truth in the words of Moses. Since God knows the future, the tentative form in the above phrase - "so that he might (la'allahu) bethink himself", etc., - obviously does not imply any "doubt" on God's part as to Pharoahs future reaction: it implies no more than His command to the bearer of His message to address the sinner with a view to the latter's bethinking himself: in other words, it relates to the intention or hope with which the message-bearer should approach his task (Razi). And since every Qur'anic narrative aims at bringing out an eternal truth or truths or at elucidating a universal principle of human behaviour, it is evident that God's command to Moses to speak to one particular sinner "in a mild manner, so that he might (have a chance to] bethink himself" retains its validity for all times and all

such attempts at conversion. ]]