3.Sura al-Imran, Medina 89

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَن تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُم مِّنَ اللّهِ شَيْئًا...

3: 116. Those who reject faith, neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against Allah;

...وَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ﴿١١٦﴾

they will be companions of the fire,

dwelling therein (for ever).

C438. Cf. 3:10.

مَثَلُ مَا يُنفِقُونَ فِي هِـذِهِ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ رِيحٍ...

3: 117. What they spend in the life of this (material) world may be likened to a wind

...فِيهَا صِرٌّ أَصَابَتْ حَرْثَ قَوْمٍ ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَأَهْلَكَتْهُ ...

which brings a nipping frost: it strikes and destroys the harvest of men who have wronged their own souls;

...وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ اللّهُ وَلَـكِنْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿١١٧﴾

it is not Allah that hath wronged them, but they wrong themselves.

C439. False "spending" may be either in false "charity" or in having a "good time". For the man who resists Allah's purpose, neither of them is any good.

The essence of charity is faith and love. Where these are wanting, charity is no charity. Some baser motive is there: ostentation, or even worse, getting a person into the giver's power by a pretence of charity, something that is connected with the life of this grasping, material world.

What happens? You expect a good harvest. But "while you think, good easy man, full surely your greatness is a-ripening," there comes a nipping frost, and destroys all your hopes.

The frost is some calamity, or the fact that you are found out! Or perhaps it is "High blown pride," as in Shakespeare's Henry VIII. ii. 3.

In your despair you may blame blind Fate or you may blame Allah! Blind Fate does not exist, for there is Allah's Providence, which is just and good.

The harm or injustice has come, not from Allah, but from your own soul. You wronged your soul, and it suffered the frost. Your base motive brought you no good: it may have reduced you to poverty, shame, and disgrace.

All the brave show of the wicked in this life is but a wind charged with evil to themselves.

Pickthall’s Version:

3: 116

Pickthall Lo! the riches and the progeny of those who disbelieve will not avail them aught against Allah; and such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.

Transliteration Innal lazina kafaru_ lan tugniya 'anhum amwa_luhum wa la_ aula_duhum minalla_hi syai'a_(n), wa ula_'ika asha_bun na_r(i), hum fiha_ kha_lidu_n(a).

3: 117

Pickthall The likeness of that which they spend in this life of the world is as the likeness of a biting, icy wind which smiteth the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves, and devastateth it. Allah wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves.

Transliteration Masalu ma_ yunfiqu_na fi ha_zihil haya_tid dunya_ kamasali rihin fiha_ sirrun asa_bat harsa qaumin zalamu_ anfusahum fa ahlakath(u), wa ma_ zalamahumulla_hu wa la_kin anfusahum yazlimu_n(a).