The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَذَلِكَ
أَنزَلْنَاهُ
حُكْمًا عَرَبِيًّا...
13: 37. Thus have We revealed it to be a judgment of authority in Arabic.
C1859. The Quran is in Arabic; therefore the Arabs, among whom it was promulgated, could have no difficulty in understanding its precepts and using it in judging of right and wrong in all their affairs.
But it is also universal; therefore no one should give preference to his own vain fancies against this authoritative declaration.
...وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءهُم بَعْدَ مَا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ...
Wert thou to follow their (vain) desires after the knowledge which hath reached thee,
...مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ وَاقٍ ﴿٣٧﴾
then wouldst thou find neither protector nor defender against Allah.
C1860. Cf. 2:120.
The variation is in the single word "Waq" here in place of "Nasir" in 2:120. In each case the apt word is chosen not only for the rhythm in its own passage but for the general meaning in the argument.
Other versions:
13: 37
Asad Thus, then, have We bestowed from on high this [divine writ] as an ordinance in the Arabic tongue. …….after all the knowledge that has come unto thee,……..none to protect thee from God, and none to shield thee.
Pickthall Thus have We revealed it, a decisive utterance in Arabic and if thou shouldst follow their desires after that which hath come unto thee of knowledge, then truly wouldst thou have from Allah no protecting friend nor defender.
Transliteration Wa kaza_lika anzalna_hu hukman 'arabiyya_(n), wa la'in-ittaba'ta ahwa_'ahum ba'da ma_ ja_'aka minal 'ilm(i), ma_ laka minalla_hi miw waliyyiw wa la_ wa_q(in).
[see Asad ntoe 72: …in this connection 14:4, where it is stated that every one of God’s prophets was entrusted with a message “in this own people’s tongue, so that he might make [the truth] clear unto them”.…..7:158, “ Say [ O Prophet ]: ‘O mankind! I am an apostle of God to all of you.” ]
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