7.Surah Al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَنَادَى
أَصْحَابُ
الأَعْرَافِ
رِجَالاً
يَعْرِفُونَهُمْ
بِسِيمَاهُمْ...
7: 48. The men on the heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks,
...قَالُواْ مَا أَغْنَى عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾
saying: "Of what profit to you were you hoards and your arrogant ways?
C1027. This speech is in three parts:
1. the last lines of this verse are addressed to the Companions of the Fire, reminding them (as a bench of judges might speak to a prisoner) of the futility of their wealth and riches and arrogance in their earthly life:
2. the second part, in the first half of verse 49, recalls to their minds how false was their contempt of the good but lowly men who are now to be the inheritors of heaven: and
3. the latter part of verse 49, "enter ye the Garden" is addressed to the Blessed, to give them a welcome to their state of felicity.
أَهَـؤُلاء
الَّذِينَ
أَقْسَمْتُمْ
لاَ
يَنَالُهُمُ
اللّهُ
بِرَحْمَةٍ...
7: 49. "Behold! are these not the men whom you swore that Allah with His mercy would never bless?
...ادْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلاَ أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
Enter ye the garden:
no fear shall be on you, nor shall ye grieve."
وَنَادَى
أَصْحَابُ
النَّارِ
أَصْحَابَ
الْجَنَّةِ
أَنْ
أَفِيضُواْ
عَلَيْنَا
مِنَ
الْمَاء
أَوْ
مِمَّا
رَزَقَكُمُ
اللّهُ...
50. The companions of the fire will call to the companions of the garden;
"Pour down to us water or anything that Allah doth provide for your sustenance."
...قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ حَرَّمَهُمَا عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٥٠﴾
They will say:
"Both these things hath Allah forbidden to those who rejected Him.
C1028. The Companions of the Fire will thirst for water and not get it, and for sustenance which will not be theirs, while the Companions of the Garden will have the crystal waters of the springs and rivers and they will enjoy the bliss of Allah's Countenance, which will be their supreme nourishment and the fruit of their life of probation and seeking. These things will not be transferable.
Cf. also 37:41-47, 62-67. (R).
الَّذِينَ
اتَّخَذُواْ
دِينَهُمْ
لَهْوًا
وَلَعِبًا
وَغَرَّتْهُمُ
الْحَيَاةُ
الدُّنْيَا...
7: 51. "Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world."
...فَالْيَوْمَ نَنسَاهُمْ كَمَا نَسُواْ لِقَاء يَوْمِهِمْ هَـذَا...
That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs,
C1029. "Forgetfulness" may be involuntary, from a defect of memory, or figuratively, a deliberate turning away from, or ignoring of, something we do not want, as when we say in an argument, "you conveniently forget that so- and-so is so-and-so." Here the latter kind is meant.
If men deliberately ignored the Hereafter in spite of warnings, can they expect to be received by Allah, Whom they themselves rejected?
...وَمَا كَانُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ ﴿٥١﴾
and as they were wont to reject Our signs.
وَلَقَدْ
جِئْنَاهُم
بِكِتَابٍ
فَصَّلْنَاهُ
عَلَى
عِلْمٍ...
7: 52. For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail,
...هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٥٢﴾
a guide and a mercy to all who believe.
هَلْ
يَنظُرُونَ
إِلاَّ
تَأْوِيلَهُ
...
7: 53. Do they just wait for the final fulfillment of the event?
... يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ...
On the day the event is finally fulfilled,
C1030. If those without Faith want to wait and see what happens in the Hereafter, they will indeed learn the truth, but it will be too late for them to profit by it then. All the false ideals and false gods which they put their trust upon will leave them in the lurch.
If they thought that the goodness or greatness of others would help them, they will be undeceived on the day when their personal responsibility will be enforced. There will be no salvation except on their own record. How they will then wish that they had another chance! But their chance will be gone.
...يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَاءتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ...
those who disregarded it before will say:
"The Messengers of our Lord did indeed bring true (tidings).
...فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَاء فَيَشْفَعُواْ لَنَا أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ...
Have we no intercessors now to intercede on our behalf?
Or could we be sent back? Then should we behave differently from our behavior in the past."
...قَدْ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿٥٣﴾
In fact they will have lost their souls, and the things they invented will leave them in the lurch.
Others version:
7: 48 Asad And they who [in life] has possessed this faculty of discernment will call out to those…….”What has your amassing [of wealth] availed you, and all the false pride of your past?”
Pickthall And the dwellers on the Heights call unto men whom they know by their marks, (saying): What did your multitude and that in which ye took your pride avail you?
Transliteration Wa na_da_ asha_bul a'ra_fi rija_lay ya'rifu_nahum bi sima_hum qa_lu_ ma_ agna_ 'ankum jam'ukum wa ma_ kuntum tastakbiru_n(a).
[[ Ruby’s comment – I disagree with Asad here: this faculty of discernment is given to everyone, each human being, whether they use it or not that is a different question. I do not know this meaning of the word “araf” is appropriate here or not. ]]
7: 49
Pickthall Are these they of whom ye swore that Allah would not show them mercy? (Unto them it hath been said): Enter the Garden. No fear shall come upon you nor is it ye who will grieve.
Transliteration Aha_'ula_'il lazina aqsamtum la_ yana_luhumulla_hu bi rahmah(tin), udkhulul jannata la_ khaufun 'alaikum wa la_ antum tahzanu_n(a).
7: 50
Pickthall And the dwellers of the Fire cry out unto the dwellers of the Garden; Pour on us some water or some of that where with Allah hath provided you. They say: Lo! Allah hath forbidden both to disbelievers (in His guidance),
Transliteration Wa na_da_ asha_bun na_ri asha_bal jannati an afidu_ 'alaina_ minal ma_'i au mimma_ razaqakumulla_h(u), qa_lu_ innalla_ha harramahuma_ 'alal ka_firin(a).
7: 51
Pickthall Who took their religion for a sport and pastime, and whom the life of the world beguiled. So this day We have forgotten them even as they forgot the meeting of this Day and as they used to deny Our tokens.
Transliteration Allazinattakhazu_ dinahum lahwaw wa la'ibaw wa garrathumul haya_tud dunya_, fal yauma nansa_hum kama_ nasu_ liqa_'a yaumihim ha_za_, wa ma_ ka_nu_ bi a_ya_tina_ yajhadu_n(a).
7: 52
Pickthall Verily We have brought them a Scripture which We expound with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.
Transliteration Wa laqad ji'na_kum bi kita_bin fassalna_hu 'ala_ 'ilmin hudaw wa rahmatal liqaumiy yu'minu_n(a).
7: 53
Pickthall Await they aught save the fulfillment thereof? On the day when the fulfillment thereof cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say: The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! Have we any intercessors, that they may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to life on earth), that we may act otherwise than we used to act? They have lost their souls, and that which they devised hath failed them.
Transliteration Hal yanzuru_na illa_ ta'wilah(a_), yauma ya'ti ta'wiluhu_ yaqu_lul lazina nasu_hu min qablu qad ja_'at rusulu rabbina_ bil haqq(i), fahal lana_ min syufa'a_'a fa yasyfa'u_ lana_ au nuraddu fa na'mala gairal lazi kunna_ na'mal(u), qad khasiru_ anfusahum wa dalla 'anhum ma_ ka_nu_ yaftaru_n(a).
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9. At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ...
9: 34. O ye who believe!
إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الأَحْبَارِ وَالرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ...
there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in false hood devour the substance of men
C1291. Bil-batili: in falsehood. i.e., by false means, pretences, or in false or vain things.
This was strikingly exemplified in the history of Mediaeval Europe. Though the disease is apt to attack all peoples and organizations at all times. Priests got rich by issuing indulgences and dispensations; they made their office a stepping stone to worldly power and possessions.
Even the Monastic Orders, which took vows of poverty for individuals grew rich with corporate property, until their wealth became a scandal, even among their own nations.
...وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.
...وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah:
C1292. Misuse of wealth, property, and resources is frequently condemned, and in three ways:
1. do not acquire anything wrongfully or on false pretences;
2. do not hoard or bury or amass wealth for its own sake but use it freely for good, whether for yourself or for your neighbors; and
3. be particularly careful not to waste it for idle purposes, but only so that it may fructify for the good of the people.
...فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿٣٤﴾
announce unto them a most grievous penalty.
يَوْمَ يُحْمَى
عَلَيْهَا فِي
نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ
فَتُكْوَى بِهَا
جِبَاهُهُمْ
وَجُنوبُهُمْ
وَظُهُورُهُمْ...
9: 35. On the day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs,
C1293. Gold and silver, symbolizing wealth which these people cherished even more than the good pleasure of their Lord, will not only be the cause but the instrument whereby they would receive a grievous punishment. (Ed.).
...هَـذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ ...
"This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves:
C1294. The voice enforces the moral:
"did you expect satisfaction or salvation from the treasures that you misused?
Behold! they add to your torment!"
... فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ ﴿٣٥﴾
taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"
Others version :
9: 34
Asad ………many of the rabbis and monks do indeed wrongfully devour men’s possessions and turn [others] away from the path of God.
But as for all who lay up treasures of gold and silver and do not spend them for the sake of God [note 51] – give them the tiding of grievous suffering [in the life to come]
Pickthall O ye, who believe! Lo! many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ inna kasiram minal ahba_ri war ruhba_ni laya'kulu_na amwa_lan na_si bil ba_tili wa yasuddu_na 'an sabililla_h(i), wallazina yaknizu_naz zahaba wal fiddata wa la_ yunfiqu_naha_ fi sabililla_h(i), fa basysyirhum bi 'aza_bin alim(iy);
[[ Asad’s note 51 - ………….the reference is wider, comprising all people, including Muslims, who hoard their wealth without spending anything thereof on righteous causes.]]
9: 35
Pickthall On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which ye hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what ye used to hoard.
Transliteration Yauma yuhma_ 'alaiha_ fi na_ri jahannama fa tukwa_ biha_ jiba_huhum wa junu_buhum wa zuhu_ruhum, ha_za_ ma_ kanaztum li anfusikum fa zu_qu_ ma_ kuntum taknizu_n(a).