8. [al-Anfal, Medina 88, after Badr 2 H ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ شَرَّ
الدَّوَابَّ
عِندَ اللّهِ
الصُّمُّ ...
8: 22. For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb,
C1195. Cf. 2:18.
... الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢٢﴾
those who understand not.
وَلَوْ
عَلِمَ اللّهُ
فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا
لَّأسْمَعَهُمْ...
8: 23. If Allah had found in them any good, He would indeed have made them listen;
...وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
(as it is), if He had made them listen, they would but have turned back and declined (faith).
8: 22
Asad Verily, the vilest of all creatures in the sight of God are those deaf, those dumb ones who do not use their reason.
Pickthall Lo! the worst of beasts in Allah's sight are the deaf, the dumb, who have no sense.
Transliteration Inna syarrad dawa_bbi 'indalla_his summul bukmul lazina la_ ya'qilu_n(a).
8: 23
Pickthall Had Allah Known of any good in them He would have made them hear, but had He made them hear they would have turned away, averse.
Transliteration Wa lau 'alimalla_hu fihim khairal la'asma'ahum, wa lau asma'ahum latawallau wa hum mu'ridu_n(a).
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25. [al-Furqan, Mecca 42]
Asad’s Version:
(25:41) Hence, whenever they consider thee, [O Muhammad,] they but make thee a target of their mockery, [saying:] "Is this the one whom God has sent as an apostle?
(25:42) Indeed, he would well-nigh have led us astray from our deities, had we not been [so] steadfastly attached to them!" But in time, when they see the suffering [that awaits them], they will come to know who it was that went farthest astray from the path [of truth]!
25:43 Hast thou ever considered [the kind of man] who makes his own desires his deity? Couldst thou, then, [O Prophet,] be held responsible for him?
(25:44) Or dost thou think that most of them listen [to thy message] and use their reason? Nay, they are but like cattle - nay, they are even less conscious of the right way! 37
[[Asad’s notes - 37 Lit., "they are farther astray from the path [of truth]": see note 144 on 7:179.
38 I.e., "We cause it to contract in accordance with the 'laws of nature' which We Ourselves have instituted." As in so many other instances in the Qur'an, the abrupt change from the third-person pronoun "He" to "We" is meant to illustrate the fact that God is undefinable, and that it is only the inadequacy of human speech - and, hence, of the human mind - that makes it necessary to refer to the Supreme Being by pronouns which in reality are applicable only to finite-created "persons" (cf. Foreword,note 2).]]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَرَأَيْتَ
مَنِ اتَّخَذَ
إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ
...
25: 43. Seest thou such a one as taketh for his god his own passion (or impulse)?
... أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا ﴿٤٣﴾
Couldst thou be a disposer of affairs for him?
C3097. The man who worships his own passions or impulses or desires is the most hopeless to teach or lead or guide.
If it were anything else the matter with him, the Prophet could argue with him. But Reason cannot prevail over blind passion. It is vain to hope that such a man could be led, until his mad desires are killed. No one could undertake any responsibility for him, for he obeys no law and follows no advice. He is worse than brute beasts, which may not understand, but at least follow the wholesome instincts implanted in them by Allah. The lawless man has killed his instincts and is unwilling to submit to guidance.
أَمْ
تَحْسَبُ
أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ
يَسْمَعُونَ
أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ...
25: 44. Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand?
... إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ ...
They are only like cattle; --
... بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا ﴿٤٤﴾
nay, they are worse astray in Path.