18.Surah Al Kahf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
18: 1. Praise be to Allah,
C2325. See n. 2324 to 17:111.
The theme of the last Surah, that Allah is good and worthy of all praise from His creatures, to whom He has granted a clear revelation, is continued in this Surah. The spirit of man makes gradual progress upwards, through the grace and mercy of Allah.
... الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُ عِوَجَا ﴿١﴾
Who hath sent to His Servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness:
C2326. Some people's idea of a Sacred Book is that it should be full of mysteries-dark corners, ambiguous expressions, words so far removed from human speech that they cover anything or nothing.
Pagan oracles were couched in language which suggested one meaning to the hearer and claimed to have the very opposite meaning in the light of events which actually happened subsequently. They were distinctly crooked, not straight.
In the next verse the word "Straight" (qaiyim) is used to characterize the Quran, in contrast to this word "crooked" ('iwaj).
قَيِّمًا
لِّيُنذِرَ
بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا
مِن لَّدُنْهُ...
18: 2. (He hath made it) Straight (and Clear) in order that He may warn (the godless) of a terrible Punishment from Him,
C2327. Qayyim:
- straight, that which has no bends and no corners to mystify people,
- that which speaks clearly and unambiguously,
- that which guides to the right path.
Cf. 9:36, where the adjective is used for a straight usage, in contrast to usages, which tend to mystify and deceive people.
The Quran is above all things straight, clear, and perspicuous. Its directions are plain for everyone to understand.
Any book that deals with the highest mysteries of spiritual life must necessarily have portions whose full meaning is clearer to some minds than to others not so well prepared. But here there is nowhere any mystification, any desire to wrap up things in dark sayings repugnant to human reason. Allah's purpose is to give clear warning of spiritual dangers and lead up to the highest bliss.
... وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢﴾
and that He may give Glad Tidings to the Believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a goodly Reward.
18: 3. Wherein they shall remain forever:
C2328. Cf. 4:122, 43:71, 65:11, 98:8.
Other versions:
18: 1
Asad All praise is due to God, who has bestowed this divine writ from on high upon His servant, and has not allowed any deviousness to obscure its meaning.
Yuksel Praise be to God who sent down the book to His servant, and He did not allow any flaw in it.
Pickthall Praise be to Allah Who hath revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and hath not placed therein any crookedness,
Transliteration Al hamdu lilla_hil lazi anzala 'ala_ 'abdihil kita_ba wa lam yaj'al lahu_ 'iwaja_(n).
[ the term ‘iwaj’ signifies “crookedness”, “tortuousness” or “deviation”
as well as distortion or deviousness ….The above phrase is meant to establish the direct, unambiguous character of the Quran and to stress its freedom from all obscurities and internal contradictions: cf, 4:82 – “ Had it issues from any but God, they would surely have found in it many an inner contradiction!”
18: 2
Asad [a divine writ] unerringly straight, meant to warn [the godless] of a severe punishment from Him, and to give unto the believers who do good works the glad tiding that their s shall be a goodly reward
Pickthall (But hath made it) straight, to give warning of stern punishment from Him, and to bring unto the believers who do good works the news that theirs will be a fair reward,
Yuksel Straightforward; giving warning of the severe punishment from Him; and it gives glad tidings to those who acknowledge and do good works, that they will have a fair reward.
Transliteration Qayyimal liyunzira ba'san syadidam mil ladunhu wa yubasysyiral mu'mininal lazina ya'malu_nas sa_liha_ti anna lahum ajran hasana_(m),
18: 3
Pickthall Wherein they will abide for ever;
Yuksel In which they will abide eternally.
Transliteration Ma_kisina fihi abada_(w),
Transliteration Ma_kisina fihi abada_(w),
39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)
Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَّبَ
الَّذِينَ
مِن
قَبْلِهِمْ...
وَلَقَدْ
ضَرَبْنَا
لِلنَّاسِ
فِي
هَذَا
الْقُرْآنِ
مِن
كُلِّ
مَثَلٍ
...
39: 27. We have put forth for men, in this Qur'án every kind of Parable,
C4284. Men can only understand high spiritual truths by parables and similitudes and these are given abundantly in the Quran.
The object is, not merely to tell stories, but to teach lessons of spiritual wisdom.
... لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
in order that they may receive admonition.
قُرآنًا
عَرَبِيًّا
...
39: 28. (It is) a Qur'án in Arabic,
C4285. Previous revelations had been in other languages. Now the revelation was given in Arabia in Arabic itself, the language of the country which all could understand. And it is a beautiful language, straight and flexible, and fit to be the vehicle of sublime truths.
... غَيْرَ ذِي عِوَجٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾
without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against Evil.
Cf. also 7:45, n. 1024; and 19:36, n. 2488.
39:27 THUS, INDEED, have We propounded unto men all kinds of parables in this Qur'an, 33 so that they might bethink themselves; [and We have revealed it]
(39:28) as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, free of all deviousness, 34 so that they might become conscious of God.
Yuksel’s version
The Quran Alone or Quran Plus Contradictory Partners?
39:27 We have cited for the people in this Quran from every example, that they may take heed.
39:28 A compilation in Arabic, without any distortion, that they may be righteous.*
[[Yuksel’s note - 039:028 See 43:3.]]
[[Asad’s note - 33 As in many other passages of the Qur'an, the use of the term "parable" (mathal) immediately or shortly after a description of men's condition - whether good or bad - in the hereafter is meant to remind us that all such descriptions relate to something that is "beyond the reach of a created being's perception" (al-ghayb), and cannot, therefore, be conveyed to man otherwise than by means of allegories or parables expressed in terms of human experience and therefore accessible, in a general sense, to human imagination.
34 Lit., "without any deviousness ('iwaj)", i.e., which could obscure its meaning: see note 1 on 18:1; where this term occurs in a slightly different phrasing. As regards the stress on the formulation of this divine writ "in the Arabic tongue", see 12:2, 13:37, 14:4 and 41 :44, as well as the corresponding notes. ]]