5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

Asad’s Version:

5: 57 O you who have attained to faith! Do not take for your friends such as mock at your faith and make a jest of it ...............but remain conscious of God, if you are [truly] believers!

5: 58 for, when you call to prayer, they mock at it and make a jest of it – simply because they are people who do not use their reason. Asad

5: 57, 58 O you who believe! ....but fear Allah, if you have Faith [indeed].

...because they are a people without understanding. Ali

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا...

5: 57. O ye who believe!

take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,

... مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاء...

whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith;

C768. It is not right that we should be in intimate association with those to whom religion is either a subject of mockery or at best is nothing but a plaything.

They may be amused, or they may have other motives for encouraging you. But your association with them will sap the earnestness of your Faith, and make you cynical and insincere.

... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٥٧﴾

but fear ye Allah, if ye have Faith (indeed).

وَإِذَا نَادَيْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ اتَّخَذُوهَا هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا...

5: 58. When ye proclaim your call to prayer, they take it (but) as mockery and sport;

... ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٥٨﴾

that is because they are a people without understanding.