Prophesies of the Defeat of the Rejecters
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِن مَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ
بَعْضَ الَّذِي
نَعِدُهُمْ
أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ...
13: 40. Whether We shall show thee (within thy lifetime) part of what We promised them or take to Ourselves thy soul (before it is all accomplished),
...فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلاَغُ وَعَلَيْنَا الْحِسَابُ ﴿٤٠﴾
thy duty is to (make the Message) reach them:
it is Our part to call them to account.
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ
أَنَّا نَأْتِي
الأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا
مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا...
13: 41. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders?
C1865. In the Prophet's ministry at Makkah, the Most stiff-necked opposition came from the seat and centre of power in Makkah. The humbler people -the fringe of Makkan society- came in readily, as also did some tribes round about Makkah.
After the Hijrah there was a hard struggle between Makkah and Madinah and at last the bloodless conquest of Makkah in A.H. 8 made the Pagan structure finally collapse, though it had already been sapped to its foundations. So, generally, Truth finds easiest entrance through the humble and lowly, and not in the beginning at the headquarters of power, but in the fullness of time it makes its way everywhere with irresistible force.
...وَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ لاَ مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ...
(Where) Allah commands, there is none to put back His command:
...وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٤١﴾
and He is swift in calling to account.
وَقَدْ مَكَرَ
الَّذِينَ مِن
قَبْلِهِمْ
فَلِلّهِ الْمَكْرُ
جَمِيعًا...
13: 42. Those before them did (also) devise plots;
but in all things the master planning is Allah's.
...يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ...
He knoweth the doings of every soul:
...وَسَيَعْلَمُ الْكُفَّارُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ﴿٤٢﴾
and soon will the Unbelievers know who gets home in the End.
وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
لَسْتَ مُرْسَلاً...
13: 43. The Unbelievers say: "No Messenger art thou."
C1867. The enemies of Islam have to acknowledge that Al-Mustafa was a great and noble character, but they deny his Prophethood. He could point to his credentials from Allah in the work which he achieved, and the Our-an which he brought.
...قُلْ كَفَى بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ...
Say:
"Enough for a witness between me and you is Allah,
... وَمَنْ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ ﴿٤٣﴾
and such as have knowledge of the Book."
C1868. That is, those who have knowledge of revelation generally will recognise Allah's revelation in the holy Quran.
An alternative reading is "min indihi", which is written the same in Arabic, with only three vowel points different. If we adopt that, the last clause will be:
"and from Him is (all) knowledge of the Book": i.e., 'as all knowledge of the Book comes from Allah, the Quran also bears witness to me'.
Other versions:
13: 40
Pickthall Whether We let thee see something of that which We have promised them, or make thee die (before its happening), thine is but conveyance (of the message), Ours the reckoning.
Yuksel If We show you some of what We promise them or if We let you pass away, for you is only to deliver, while for Us is the reckoning.*
Transliteration Wa imma_ nuriyannaka ba'dal lazi na'iduhum au natawaffayannaka fa innama_ 'alaikal bala_gu wa 'alainal hisa_b(u).
13: 41
Pickthall See they not how We visit the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? (When) Allah doometh there is none that can postpone His doom, and He is swift at reckoning.
Yuksel Do they not see that We come to the land and reduce it from its borders? God gives judgment and there is none to override His judgment. He is quick reckoning.
Transliteration Awalam yarau anna_ na'til arda nanqusuha_ min atra_fiha_, walla_hu yahkumu la_ mu'aqqiba li hukmih(i), wa huwa sari'ul hisa_b(i).
13: 42
Pickthall Those who were before them plotted; but all plotting is Allah's. He knoweth that which each soul earneth. The disbelievers will come to know for whom will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.
Yukse; Those before them have schemed, but to God is all scheming. He knows what every person earns and the ingrates will come to know to whom is the ultimate abode.
Transliteration Wa qad makaral lazina min qablihim fa lilla_hil makru jami'a_(n), ya'lamu ma_ taksibu kullu nafs(in), wa saya'lamul kuffa_ru liman 'uqbad da_r(i).
13: 43
Pickthall They who disbelieve say: Thou art no messenger (of Allah). Say: Allah, and whosoever hath true knowledge of the Scripture, is sufficient witness between me and you.
Yuksel Those who reject say, "You are not a messenger." Say, "God is sufficient as a witness between me and you, the One who has the knowledge of the book."
Transliteration Wa yaqu_lul lazina kafaru_ lasta mursala_(n), qul kafu_ billa_hi syahidam baini wa bainakum, wa man 'indahu_ 'ilmul kita_b(i).
[[Yuksel’s note - 013:040-43 These verse contain one of the many implied prophecies about the mathematical miracle of the Quran, which was designed by God to be unveiled in 1974. The Arabic word we translated with the word "reckoning" is hesab, which also means "to number" or "to count." The Arabic of the Quran contains many such rich meanings, which are usually lost in translation. In the side notes, we have pulled the attention to a few of them. ]]