13. Ar-R’ad, Medina 96
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَلِكَ
أَرْسَلْنَاكَ
فِي أُمَّةٍ
قَدْ خَلَتْ
مِن قَبْلِهَا
أُمَمٌ...
13: 30. Thus have We sent thee amongst a People before whom (long since) have (other) Peoples (gone and) passed away;
C1845. Our Prophet came later in time than other Prophets, to complete their Message and universalize Religion. And certainly it is after his age that the process of the unification of the world began. That process is not complete yet, but is proceeding apace.
...لِّتَتْلُوَ عَلَيْهِمُ الَّذِيَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِالرَّحْمَـنِ...
in order that thou mightest rehearse unto them what We send down unto thee by inspiration;
yet do they reject (Him), the Most Gracious!
...قُلْ هُوَ رَبِّي لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ...
Say:
"He is my Lord!
There is no god but He!
...عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ مَتَابِ ﴿٣٠﴾
On Him is my trust,
and to Him do I turn!"
C1846. Faith tells us that no amount of opposition from Unbelievers can ever stop Allah's Plan.
وَلَوْ أَنَّ
قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ
بِهِ الْجِبَالُ
أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ
بِهِ الأَرْضُ...
13: 31. If there were a Qur'án with which mountains were moved,
or the earth were cloven asunder,
...أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَى...
or the dead were made to speak, (this would be the one!)
...بَل لِّلّهِ الأَمْرُ جَمِيعًا...
But, truly, the Command is with Allah in things!
C1847. Everything is possible and in Allah's power. His Plan is beneficent and all-embracing. But it is not for His creatures to dictate to Him, or demand what He should do, or how He should do it.
The Command is with Allah in all things. The Believers know His omnipotence, and they also know that He will order His world for the best.
...أَفَلَمْ يَيْأَسِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَن لَّوْ يَشَاء اللّهُ لَهَدَى النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا...
Do not the Believers know, that, had Allah (so) willed, He could have guided all mankind (to the Right)?
...وَلاَ يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ تُصِيبُهُم بِمَا صَنَعُواْ قَارِعَةٌ...
But the Unbelievers -- never will disaster cease to seize them for their (ill) deeds,
...أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًا مِّن دَارِهِمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ وَعْدُ اللّهِ...
or to settle close to their homes, until the Promise of Allah come to pass,
...إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ ﴿٣١﴾
for, verily, Allah will not fail in His promise.
C1848. Let not the Unbelievers think that if they seem to prosper for a time, that is the end of the matter. They are warned about three things.
1. Their ill deeds must carry evil consequences for them all the time, though they may not perceive them for a certain time.
2. Their homes, their places of resort, the circles in which they move, will also be haunted by their ill deeds and their consequences. For evil makes a complex of its environment. The walls of Jericho, when they fall, must bring down all Jericho in its ruins.
3. The ultimate Disaster, the final Reckoning, must come, for Allah never fails in His promise. True values must eventually be restored: the good to the good, and the evil to the evil.
The Commentators draw illustrations from the life of the Prophet, his exile from Makkah, and his restoration. A similar miracle works in all history. But the Command is with Allah.
C.116 (The running Commentary, in Rhythmic Prose)
(17:32-43)
The mockery of Allah's Messengers is an old game
Of the world. But Allah's Truth will come
To its own in good time. The End
Of the righteous is their Home of Bliss,
And they rejoice in the revelations
They receive. The Messengers of Allah
Take their due share in the life
Of the world; they win through by Allah's grace
Against all the plots of the world.
Their witness is from Allah, through His revelation.
Other versions:
13: 30
Pickthall Thus We send thee (O Muhammad) unto a nation, before whom other nations have passed away, that thou mayst recite unto them that which We have inspired in thee, while they are disbelievers in the Beneficent. Say: He is my Lord; there is no God save Him. In Him do I put my trust and unto Him is my recourse.
Yuksel As such, We have sent you to a nation as other nations that have come before, so that you may recite for them what has been inspired to you; while they are still rejecting the Gracious. Say, "He is my Lord, there is no god but He, in Him I place my trust and to Him is my repentance."
Transliteration Kaza_lika arsalna_ka fi ummatin qad khalat min qabliha_ umamul litatluwa 'alaihimul lazi auhaina_ ilaika wa hum yakfuru_na bir rahma_n(i), qul huwa rabbi la_ ila_ha illa_ huw(a), 'alaihi tawakkaltu wa ilaihi mata_b(i).
13: 31
Pickthall Had it been possible for a Lecture to cause the mountains to move, or the earth to be torn asunder, or the dead to speak, (this Quran would have done so). Nay, but Allah's is the whole command. Do not those who believe know that, had Allah willed, He could have guided all mankind? As for those who disbelieve, disaster ceaseth not to strike them because of what they do, or it dwelleth near their home until the threat of Allah come to pass. Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.
Yuksel If there were a Quran/recitation with which mountains were moved, the earth were sliced, or the dead were made to speak… No, to God is all matters. Did not those who acknowledge know that if God wished He would have guided all the people? As for those who reject, until God's promise comes true, a disaster will continue to strike them
Transliteration Wa lau anna qur'a_nan suyyirat bihil jiba_lu au qutti'at bihil ardu au kullima bihil mauta_, bal lilla_hil amru jami'a_(n), afalam yay'asil lazina a_manu_ allau yasya_'ulla_hu lahadan na_sa jami'a_(n), wa la_ yaza_lul lazina kafaru_ tusibuhum bima_ sana'u_ qa_ri'atun au tahullu qaribam min da_rihim hatta_ ya'tiya wa'dulla_h(i), innalla_ha la_ yukhliful mi'a_d(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 847 Everything is possible and in Allah's power. His Plan is beneficent and all-embracing. But it is not for His creatures to dictate to Him, or demand what He should do, or how He should do it. The Command is with Allah in all things. The Believers know His omnipotence, and they also know that He will order His world for the best. (13.31)
1848 Let not the Unbelievers think that if they seem to prosper for a time, that is the end of the matter. They are warned about three things. (1) their ill deeds must carry evil consequences for them all the time, though they may not perceive them for a certain time. (2) Their homes, their places of resort, the circles in which they move, will also be haunted by their ill deeds and their consequences. For evil makes a complex of its environment. The walls of Jericho, when they fall, must bring down all Jericho in its ruins. (3) The ultimate Disaster, the final Reckoning, must come, for Allah never fails in His promise. True values must eventually be restored: the good to the good, and the evil to the evil, The Commentators draw illustrations from the life of the Prophet, his exile from Makkah, and his restoration. A similar miracle works in all history. But the Command is with Allah. (13.31) ]]