16. Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

تَاللّهِ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ...   

16:63.  By Allah, We (also) sent (our prophets) to peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring:

... فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٦٣﴾

he is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous Penalty.

C2090. In all ages and among all Peoples Allah sent His Messengers to teach the Truth and point the way to righteousness. But the allurements of Evil seemed always attractive, and many men preferred their own ways and the ways of their ancestors to the more difficult path of rectitude.

This happened again in the time of Al-Mustafa, and will always happen as long as men succumb to Evil.

وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلاَّ لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ...   

16:64.  And We sent down the Book to thee for the express purpose, that thou shouldst make clear to them those things in which they differ,

C2091. But the path of duty before Allah's Messenger is clear. He is sent with the Revelation (the Quran) for three express purposes;

1.     that he should bring about unity among the jarring sects, for the Gospel of Unity, while preaching the One True God, leads also to the unity of mankind;

2.     that the revelation should be a guide to right conduct; and

3.     that it should show the path of repentance and Salvation, and thus be the highest mercy to erring sinners.

... وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe.

16: 63

Pickthall By Allah, We verily sent messengers unto the nations before thee, but the devil made their deeds fair seeming unto them. So be is their patron this day, and theirs will be a painful doom.

Transliteration Talla_hi laqad arsalna_ ila_ umamim min qablika fa zayyana lahumusy syaita_nu a'ma_lahum fa huwa waliyyuhumul yauma wa lahum 'aza_bun alim(un).

16: 64

Asad And upon thee [too] have We bestowed from on high this divine writ for no other reason than that thou might make clear unto them all on which they have come to hold divergent views, and guidance and grace unto people who will believe.

Pickthall And we have revealed the Scripture unto thee only that thou mayst explain unto them that wherein they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe.

Transliteration Wa ma_ anzalna_ 'alaikal kita_ba illu_ litubayyina lahumul lazi-khtalafu_ fih(i), wa hudaw wa rahmatal liqaumiy yu'minu_n(a).

[ Ali’s note: 2091 But the path of duty before Allah's Messenger is clear. He is sent with the Revelation (the Qur-an) for three express purposes; (1) that he should bring about unity among the jarring sects, for the Gospel of Unity, while preaching the One True God, leads also to the unity of mankind; (2) that the revelation should be a guide to right conduct; and (3) that it should show the path of repentance and Salvation, and thus be the highest mercy to erring sinners. (16.64)

[ Ruby’s note: Here laid down three exclusive purposes of the Quran: 1. To make things clear, to settle the disputed issues, etc. 2. To Guide. 3. As a Mercy to humankind from God. God has already given enough capacity and faculty to discern right from wrong in each and every human being. This is an additional gift of guidance from God. An additional source of wisdom. The faculty or that capacity implanted in human beings may not be a thing of mercy, this capacity is more of a thing of responsibility, because this is the essential thing one has to have in order to be accountable to his/her Creator. However, the Quran or the other scriptures and/or revelations prior to the Quran, are additional intervention from God to guide and to make them know of God’s creation and purpose.]