41.Sura Fussilat
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
جَعَلْنَاهُ
قُرْآنًا
أَعْجَمِيًّا
...
41: 44. Had We sent this as a Qur'án (in a language) other than Arabic,
C4516. Cf. 16:103-105; 12:2; etc.
It was most natural and reasonable that the Messenger being Arab, the Message should be in his own tongue, that he might explain it in every detail, with the greatest power and eloquence. Even though it was to be for the whole world, its initial exposition was thus to be in Arabic. But if people had no faith and were spiritually deaf or blind, it would not matter in what language it came.
...لَّقَالُوا لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ...
they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail?
...أَأَعْجَمِيٌّ وَعَرَبِيٌّ...
What!
(a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger) an Arab?"
...قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاء...
Say:
"It is a guide and a healing to those who believe;
...وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى...
and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes);
They pretended that it was too deep for them, when they meant that they were superior to it! The fact was that by putting themselves in an artificially false position, they rendered themselves impervious to the Message. The voice of Revelation or the voice of conscience sounded to them as if it came from a far-off place! They themselves made themselves strangers to it.
...أُوْلَئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ ﴿٤٤﴾
they are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!"
Other versions:
41: 44
Asad Now if We had willed this [divine writ] to be a discourse in a non-Arabic tongue, they would surely have said, “Why is it that its message have not been spelled out clearly? Why a non-Arabic tongue, and [its bearer] an Arab ? Say: “Unto all who have attained to faith, this [divine writ] is a guidance and a source of health; but as for those who will not believe – in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them: they are being called from too far away.
Pickthall And if We had appointed it a Lecture in a foreign tongue they would assuredly have said: If only its verses were expounded (so that we might understand)? What! A foreign tongue and an Arab? Say unto them (O Muhammad): For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. Such are called to from afar.
Transliteration Wa lau jaalna_hu qur a_nan ajamiy yal laqa_lu_ lau la_ fus silat a_ya_tuh a ajamiy a_manu_ hudaw wa sifa_ wal lazina la_ yuminu_na fi a_za_nihim waqruw wa huwa alaihim ama_ ula_ ika yuna_dauna mim maka_nin baid
[Asad’s note 37: ………see 13: 37, ….14:4 – “ never have We sent forth any apostle otherwise than in his own people’s tongue, so that he might make clear unto them” ]