5. Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمِنَ
الَّذِينَ
قَالُواْ إِنَّا
نَصَارَى أَخَذْنَا
مِيثَاقَهُمْ
...
5:14. From those, too, who call themselves Christians, We did take a Covenant,
C715. The Christian Covenant may be taken to be the charge which Jesus gave to his disciples, and which the disciples accepted, to welcome Ahmad (56:6).
Glimpses of this are to be found in the Gospel of St. John even as it exists now (John 15:26. 16:7).
It is those who call themselves "Christians" who reject this. True Christians have accepted it. The enmity between those who call themselves Christians and the Jews will continue till the Last Day.
... فَنَسُواْ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ ...
but they forgot a good part of the Message that was sent them:
... فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاء إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ...
so We estranged them, with enmity and hatred between the one and the other, to the Day of Judgment.
... وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ اللّهُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْنَعُونَ ﴿١٤﴾
And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done.
C715a. The change from the First Person in the beginning of the verse to the Third Person here illustrates the change from the personal relationship of the Covenant, to the impersonal operation of Justice at Judgment.
Cf. 35:9.
يَا
أَهْلَ
الْكِتَابِ
قَدْ جَاءكُمْ
رَسُولُنَا...
5: 15. O People of the Book!
there hath come to you Our Messenger,
... يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ...
revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary):
... قَدْ جَاءكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿١٥﴾
There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.
C716. Mubin: I wish I could translate by a simpler word than "perspicuous". But "plain" may mean unadorned, the opposite of beautiful, and this Book is among the most beautiful that it is the privilege of mankind to read.
"Clear" would be right as far as it means "unambiguous, self-evident, not involved in mysteries of origin, history, or meaning, one which every one can understand as to the essentials necessary for him, without the intervention of priests or privileged persons".
Mubin has all these meanings, but it suggests, besides, some quality of a shining light, by which we are able to make things clear, to distinguish the true from the false. This I think is suggested better by "perspicuous" than by the word "clear". Besides it is hardly good idiom to speak of "a clear Book."
يَهْدِي
بِهِ اللّهُ
مَنِ اتَّبَعَ
رِضْوَانَهُ
سُبُلَ السَّلاَمِ
...
5: 16. Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety,
... وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنِ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿١٦﴾
and leadeth them out of darkness, by His Will,
unto the light, guideth them to a Path that is Straight.
Asad’s Version:
5: 14 And [likewise] from those who say, “Behold, we are Christians,” We have accepted a solemn pledge : and they, too have forgotten much of what had been told to bear in mind – wherefore We have given rise among them to enmity and hatred, until Resurrection Day: and in time God will cause them to understand what they have contrived.
(5:15)
O followers
of the Bible! Now there has come unto you Our Apostle, to make clear
unto you much of
what you have been concealing [from yourselves] of the Bible,28
and to pardon much. Now
there
has come unto you from God
a light, and a clear divine writ,
(5:16) through which God shows unto all that seek His goodly acceptance the paths leading to salvation29 and, by His grace, brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light and guides them onto a straight way.
[[ Asad’s version - 26 Thus the Qur'an elliptically rejects their claim of being true followers of Jesus: for, by wrongfully elevating him to the status of divinity they have denied the very essence of his message.
27
I.e., their going astray from the genuine teachings of Jesus - and
thus from true faith
in God - is the innermost cause of the
enmity and hatred which has so often set the
so-called
Christian nations against one another and led to unceasing wars and
mutual persecution.
28
Inasmuch as verses 15-19 are addressed to the Jews and the
Christians, the term al-kitab
may suitably be rendered here as
"the Bible". It is to be borne in mind that the primary
meaning of the verb khafiya is "it became imperceptible" or
"not apparent" or "obscure" and that the same
significance attaches to the transitive form akhfa. There is of
course, no doubt that in its transitive form the verb also denotes
"he concealed [something]".
i.e.,
from others: but in view of the preceding phrase, "there has
come unto you Our Apostle to make clear unto you", it is obvious
that what is alluded to in this context is the
concealing of
something from oneself: in other words, it is a reference to the
gradual
obscuring, by the followers of the Bible, of its
original verities which they are now
unwilling
to admit even to themselves.
29 The word salam, here rendered as "salvation", has no proper equivalent in the English
language.
It denotes inner peace, soundness and security from evil of any kind,
both physical
and spiritual, and the achievement of what, in
Christian terminology, is described as
"salvation":
with the difference, however, that the Christian concept of salvation
presupposes
the existence of an a-priori state of sinfulness,
which is justified in Christianity by the
doctrine of "original
sin", but is not justified in Islam, which does not subscribe to
this
doctrine. Consequently, the term "salvation" -
which I am using here for want of a better word -
does not
adequately convey the full meaning of salam. Its nearest equivalents
in Western
languages would be the German Heil or the French
salut, both of which express the idea of
spiritual peace and
fulfilment without being necessarily (i.e., linguistically) connected
with the Christian doctrine of salvation. ]]
===================================
42. Ash-Shura (Consultation)
Mecca Period 53
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
كَانَ
لِبَشَرٍ
أَن
يُكَلِّمَهُ
اللَّهُ
...
42: 51. It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him...
C4597. This leads us on to the higher spiritual meaning of verses 49-50, as leading up to verses 51-53.
Man is but a speck in Allah's creation. His growth and family relationships are not by any means comparable to Allah's creative acts, whose various stages are referred to in n. 120 to 2:117, n. 916 to 6:94, and n. 923 to 6:98.
That being so in the mysteries of man's daily life, how much more profound is the contrast between man and Allah in the apprehension of the higher spiritual problems concerned with Revelation?
How can man be fit to speak to Allah?
He is not fit. But there are three ways in which Allah, in His infinite Mercy, communicates with man, as described in verses 51-53.
... إِلَّا وَحْيًا ...
... except by inspiration,
C4598. Allah is Most High, Most Wise: man is, in spite of his high destiny, often the lowest of the low (95:5). Yet Allah, out of His infinite Mercy and Grace, has bestowed His revelation on man.
How does it come about?
Three ways are mentioned:
- Wahyun, Inspiration;
- from behind a veil; and
- by the sending of a Messenger: see the notes following, Wahyun.
Inspiration, is interpreted to be of two kinds:
1. a suggestion thrown by Allah into the heart or mind of man, by which man understands the substance of the Message, whether it is a command or prohibition, or an explanation of a great truth; and
2. verbal or literal inspiration, by which the actual words of Allah are conveyed in human language. (R).
... أَوْ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ...
or from behind a veil,
C4599. Behind a veil: not of course a material veil, but the veil of Light. (R).
Muslim relates a tradition that the Prophet said:
"His veil is Light: were He to withdraw it, then would the august splendours of His countenance surely consume everything that comes within His Sight." (R).
...أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاء...
or by the sending of a Messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills:
C4600. Messenger: Rasul: the angel Gabriel, through whom the revelations were given to the Holy Prophet.
These spiritual visions, conveying the message of Revelation, are the basis of the Quran.
...إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٥١﴾
for He is Most High, Most Wise.
وَكَذَلِكَ
أَوْحَيْنَا
إِلَيْكَ
رُوحًا
مِّنْ
أَمْرِنَا
مَا
كُنتَ
تَدْرِي
مَا
الْكِتَابُ
وَلَا
الْإِيمَانُ...
42: 52. And thus have We, by Our command, sent inspiration to thee: thou knowest not (before) what was Revelation, and what was Faith;
C4601. Before the receipt of his mission in his fortieth year, the holy Prophet, though a man of steadfast virtue and purity and unflinching in his search for Truth, was yet unacquainted with Revelation in the highest sense of the term and with the certainty that comes from perfected Faith, or realized nearness to Allah.
Ruh, which I have here translated Inspiration has also been understood by some Commentators to refer to the angel Gabriel, the vehicle of Revelation.
The Light of the Quran made all things clear to man, and to the world.
...وَلَكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَّشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِنَا...
but We have made the (Qur'án) a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our servants as We will;
...وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٥٢﴾
and verily thou dost guide (men) to the Straight Way --
C4602. The Quran and the inspired Prophet who proclaimed it, are here identified. They were a Guide to men, showing the Straight Way.
This Way is described in various ways:
for example, see 1:6, and n. 22;
18:1-2, and notes 2326-27;
and 90:11-18.
صِرَاطِ
اللَّهِ
الَّذِي
لَهُ
مَا
فِي
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَا
فِي
الْأَرْضِ...
42: 53. The Way of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth:
C4603. The most comprehensive description of the Straight Way is that it is the Way of Allah, the Way of the Universal Law; for Allah is the source, centre, and goal of all things in heaven and earth. Everything goes back to Him.
According to our own understanding we make out own laws, our own standards, and our own institutions. But the ultimate test of their validity or authority is Allah's Will, as revealed to us by His Revelation.
...أَلَا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَصِيرُ الأمُورُ ﴿٥٣﴾
Behold (how) all affairs tend towards Allah!
Asad’s Version:
42:51 And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden 52 inspiration, or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]: 53 for, verily, He is exalted, wise.
42:52 And thus, too, 54 [O Muhammad,] have We revealed unto thee a life-giving message, 55 [coming] at Our behest. [Ere this message came unto thee,] thou didst not know what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]: 56 but [now] We have caused this [message] to be a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our servants, and, verily, [on the strength thereof] thou, too, shalt guide [men] onto the straight way –
(42:53) the way that leads to God, to whom all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth belongs. Oh, verily, with God is the beginning and the end of all things! 57
[[ Asad’s notes - 52 This is the primary meaning of wahy, a term which combines the concepts of suddenness and inner illumination (Raghib); in the usage of the Qur'an, it is often, though by no means always, synonymous with "revelation". - The above passage connects with the first paragraph of verse 48, which speaks of the divine message entrusted to the Prophet.
53 Cf. 53:10.
54 I.e., in all the three ways mentioned in the preceding verse.
55 The term ruh (lit,, "spirit" or "soul") has in the Qur'an often the meaning of "divine inspiration" (see surah 16, note 2). In the present context, it evidently denotes the contents of the divine inspiration bestowed on the Prophet Muhammad, i.e., the Qur'an (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), which is meant to lead man to a more intensive spiritual life: hence my above rendering.
56 I.e., that the very concept of "faith" implies man's complete self-surrender (islam) to God.
57 Lit., "unto God do all things (al-umur) pursue their course": i.e., all things go back to Him as their source, and from His will depends the course which they take (Baydawi). ]]
Yuksel’s Version:
Methods of Divine Communication of a Verbal Message
42:51 It is not for any human being that God would speak to him, except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger to inspire whom He wills by His leave. He is the Most High, Most Wise.
42:52 Thus, We inspired to you a revelation of Our command. You did not know what was the book, nor what was acknowledgement. Yet, We made this a light to guide whomever We wish from among Our servants. Surely, you guide to a straight path.*
42:53 The path of God, to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. Ultimately, all matters revert to God.