6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَّعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ...

6: 141. It is He who produceth gardens, with trellises and without,

C964. Ansha'a: see 6:98, n. 923.

...وَالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ...

and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds,

and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety):

C965. A beautiful passage, with music to match the meaning.

Cf. 6:99 and notes.

... كُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثْمَرَ وَآتُواْ حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ ...

eat of their fruit in their season, but render the dues that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered.

... وَلاَ تُسْرِفُواْ...

But waste not by excess:

C966. "Waste not, want not," says the English proverb.

Here the same wisdom is preached from a higher motive. See what magnificent means Allah provides in nature for the sustenance of all His creatures, because He loves them all. Enjoy them in moderation and be grateful.

But commit no excess, and commit no waste: the two things are the same from different angles of vision. If you do, you take away something from other creatures and Allah would not like your selfishness.

...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ ﴿١٤١﴾

for Allah loveth not the wasters.

وَمِنَ الأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا...

6: 142. Of the cattle are some for burden and some for meat.

C967. Superstition kills true religion. We come back to the Arab Pagan superstitions about cattle for food.

The horse is not mentioned, because horse flesh was not an article of diet and there were no superstitions about it.

Sheep and goats, camels and oxen were the usual sources of meat. Sheep and goats were not used as beasts of burden, but camels (of both sexes) were used for carrying burdens, and oxen for the plough, though cows were mainly used for milk and meat.

The words "some for burden and some for meat" so not differentiate whole species, except that they give you the first two and the last two categories.

...كُلُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّهُ...

Eat what Allah hath provided for you,

...وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿١٤٢﴾

and follow not the footsteps of Satan: for he is to you an avowed enemy.

Others version:

6: 141

Asad For it is He who has brought into being gardens – [both] the cultivated ones and those growing wild [note 127] –and the date-palm, and fields bearing multiform produce, and the olive tree, and the pomegranate: [all] resembling one another and yet so different [note 128]! Eat of their fruit when it comes to fruition, and give [unto the poor] their due on harvest day. And do not waste [God’s bounties]: verily, He does not love the wasteful!

Pickthall He it is Who produces gardens trellised and untrellis, and the date palm, and crops of divers flavor, and the olive and the pomegranate, like and unlike. Eat ye of the fruit thereof when it fruits, and pay the due thereof upon the harvest day, and be not prodigal. Lo! Allah loves not the prodigals.

Transliteration Wa huwal lazi ansya'a janna_tim ma'ru_sya_tiw wa gaira ma'ru_sya_tiw wan nakhla waz zar'a mukhtalifan ukuluhu_ waz zaitu_na war rumma_na mutasya_bihaw wa gaira mutasya_bih(in), kulu_ min samarihi iza_ asmara wa a_tu_ haqqaha_ yauma hasa_dih(i), wa la_ tusrifu_, innahu_ la_ yuhibbul musrifin(a).

6: 142

Asad …….eat whatever God has provided for you as sustenance, and follow not Satan’s footsteps [note 129]: behold, he is your open foe!

Pickthall And of the cattle (He produceth) some for burdens, some for food. Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed upon you, and follow not the footsteps of the devil, for lo! he is an open foe to you.

Transliteration Wa minal an'a_mi hamu_lataw wa farsya_(n), kulu_ mimma_ razaqakumulla_hu wa la_ tattabi'u_ khutuwa_tisy syaita_n(i), innahu_ lakum'aduwwum mubin(un).

[[ Asad’s note 128 – see note 85 on verse 99 of this surah.

129 - I.e., by superstitiously declaring as forbidden what God has made lawful to man. All the references to pre-Islamic taboos given in verse 138-140 as well as 142-144 are meant to stress the lawfulness of any food (and, by implication, of any other physical enjoyment) which God has not expressly forbidden through revelation.]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 964 Ansha-a: see vi. 98, n. 923. (6.141)

965 A beautiful passage, with music to match the meaning. Cf. vi. 99 and notes. (6.141)

966 "Waste not, want not," says the English proverb. Here the same wisdom is preached from a higher motive. See what magnificent means God provides in nature for the sustenance of all His creatures, because He loves them all. Enjoy them in moderation and be grateful. But commit no excess, and commit no waste: the two things are the same from different angles of vision. If you do, you take away something from other creatures and God would not like your selfishness. (6.141)

967 Superstition kills true religion. We come back to the Arab Pagan superstitions about cattle for food. The horse is not mentioned, because horse flesh was not an article of diet and there were no superstitions about it. Sheep and goats, camels and oxen were the usual sources of meat. Sheep and goats were not used as beasts of burden, but camels (of both sexes) were used for carrying burdens, and oxen for the plough, though cows were mainly used for milk and meat. The words "some for burden and some for meat" do not differentiate whole species, except that they give you the first two and the last two categories. (6.142)]]

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25. [al-Furqan, Mecca 42]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا...

25: 63. And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility,

... وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾

and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"

C3123. Ignorant: in a moral sense.

Address: in the aggressive sense.

Their humility is shown in two ways:

- to those in real search of knowledge, they give such knowledge as they have and as the recipients can assimilate;

- to those who merely dispute, they do not speak harshly, but say "Peace!", as much as to say,

"May it be well with you, may you repent and be better"; or

"May Allah give me peace from such wrangling"; or

"Peace, and Good-bye; let me leave you!"

وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا ﴿٦٤﴾

25: 64. Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing;

C3124. Humble prayer brings them nearer to Allah.

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ...

25: 65. Those who say,

"Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell,

... إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٦٥﴾

for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous --

C3125. This is a prayer of humility:

such a person relies, not on any good works which he may have done, but on the Grace and Mercy of Allah; and he shows a lively sense of the Day of Judgment, when every action will weigh for or against a soul.

إِنَّهَا سَاءتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٦٦﴾

25: 66. "Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in;"

C3126. The misery which results from sin is not only grievous to live in ("an abode") but also grievous "to rest in" or "to stand in", if it be only for a short time.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا...

25: 67. Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly,

... وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧﴾

but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes);

C3127. In ordinary spending this is a wise rule. But even in charity, in which we give of our best, it is not expected that we should be extravagant, i.e., that we should either do it for show, to impress other people, or do it thoughtlessly, which would be the case if we "rob Peter to pay Paul".

We should certainly not be niggardly, but we should remember everyone's rights, including our own, and strike a perfectly just balance between them.

وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ...

25: 68. Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god,

وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ...

nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause,

not commit fornication --

C3128. Here three things are expressly condemned:

- false worship, which is a crime against Allah;

- the taking of life, which is a crime against our fellow-creatures; and

- fornication, which is a crime against our self-respect, against ourselves.

Every crime is against Allah, His creatures, and ourselves, but some may be viewed more in relation to one than to another.

The prohibition against taking life is qualified: "except for just cause,": e.g., in judicial punishment for murder, or in self-preservation, which may include not only self-defence in the legal sense, but also the clearing out of pests, and the provision of meat under conditions of Halal.- see n. 698 to 5:5. After this comes a long parenthesis, which ends with verse 71 below.

... وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا ﴿٦٨﴾

and any that does this (not only) meets punishment.

Asad’s Version:

25:63 [Asad] And the servants of (God) most gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace !”

(25:64) and who remember their Sustainer far into the night, prostrating themselves and standing;

(25:65) and who pray: "O our Sustainer, avert from us the suffering of hell - for, verily, the suffering caused by it is bound to be a torment dire:

(25:66) verily, how evil an abode and a station!" -;

25:67

and who, whenever they spend on others, 51 are neither wasteful nor niggardly but [remember that] there is always a just mean between those [two extremes];

[[ Asad’s notes - 51 In the Qur'an, the verb anfaqa (and the corresponding noun nafaqah) has usually this connotation. ]]

(25:68) and who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human being's life - [the life] which God has willed to be sacred - otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, 52 and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits aught thereof 3 shall [not only] meet with a full requital