5.Surah maida

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ اللّهِ ...

5: 60. Say: "Shall I point out to you something much worse than this, (as judged) by the treatment it received from Allah?

... مَن لَّعَنَهُ اللّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ الْقِرَدَةَ وَالْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ الطَّاغُوتَ...

Those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath, those of whom some He transformed into apes and swine, those who worshipped Evil;

C770. For apes see 2:65.

For men possessed by devils, and the devils being sent into swine, see Matt. 8:28-32.

Or perhaps both apes and swine are allegorical; those who falsified Allah's scriptures became lawless like apes, and those who succumbed to filth, gluttony, or gross living became like swine.

... أُوْلَـئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَاناً وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ ﴿٦٠﴾

these are (many times) worse in rank, and far more astray from the even Path!

Others version:

5: 60

Asad Say: “shall I tell you who, in the sight of God, deserves a yet worse retribution than this? They whom God has rejected and whom He has condemned, and whom He has turned into apes and swine because they worshipped the powers of evil [note 77]: these are yet worse in station, and farther astray from the right path [than the mockers].” [note 78].

Pickthall Shall I tell thee of a worse (case) than theirs for retribution with Allah? Worse (is the case of him) whom Allah hath cursed, him on whom His wrath hath fallen! Worse is he of whose sort Allah hath turned some to apes and swine, and who serveth idols. Such are in worse plight and further astray from the plain road.

Transliteration Qul hal unabbi'ukum bi syarrim min za_lika masu_batan'indalla_h(i), mal la'anahulla_hu wa gadiba'alaihi wa ja'ala minhumul qiradata wal khana_zira wa'abadat ta_gu_t(a), ula_'ika syarrum maka_naw wa adallu'an sawa_'is sabil(i).

[[ Asad’s note 77 – ……it as a metaphorical description [mathal] of the moral degradation which the sinners undergo:……….]]

[[ Ali’s note - 770 For apes see Q. ii. 65. For men possessed by devils, and the devils being sent into swine, see Matt. viii. 28-32. (5.60) ]]