15. Surah Al Hijr

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

كَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى المُقْتَسِمِينَ ﴿٩٠﴾

15:90.  (Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided (Scripture into arbitrary parts) --

C2013. The Commentators differ as to the precise significance of verses 90 and 91.

Are the persons referred to in the two verses the same, or different?

And who were they?

I adopt the view, for which there is good authority, that the two classes of persons were different but similar. Verse 90, I think refers to the Jews and Christians, who took out of Scripture what suited them, and ignored or rejected the rest: 2:85, 101.

For verse 91 see next note.

الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ ﴿٩١﴾

15:91.  (So also on such) as have made the Qur'án into shreds (as they please).

C2014. The Makkan Pagans, in the early days of Islam, in order to dishonour and ridicule the Quran, divided what was so far revealed, into bits, and apportioned them to people coming on pilgrimage to Makkah by different routes, slandering and abusing the Prophet of Allah.

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِيْنَ ﴿٩٢﴾

15:92.  Therefore, by thy Lord, We will, of a surety, call them to account,

عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾

15:93.  For all their deeds.

C2015. Those who ridicule Scripture in any form will all be called to account for their insolence, for they are all alike.

فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٩٤﴾

15:94.  Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.

Other versions:

15: 90

Asad Such as We have bestowed from on high upon those who broke it up into parts,

Pickthall Such as We send down for those who make division,

Transliteration Kama_ anzalna_ 'alal muqtasimin(a),

[Asad note 67: This is apparently a reference to the followers of the Bible, who “believe in some parts of the divine writ and deny the truth of other parts” (cf. 2:85)……]

19: 91

Asad who declare this Quran to be falsehoods!

Pickthall Those who break the Quran into parts.

Transliteration Allazina ja'alul qur'a_na 'idin(a).

[Asad note 67: This is apparently a reference to the followers of the Bible, who “believe in some part of the divine writ and deny the truth of other parts” (cf. 2:85) – i.e. who act in accordance with those principles of the Bible which suit their inclinations and the prevailing social trends, and disregard the others, thus denying, by implication, their validity. ]

[2013 The Commentators differ as to the precise signification of verses 90 and 91. Are the persons referred to in the two verses the same, or different? And who were they? I adopt the view, for which there is good authority, that the two classes of persons were different but similar. Verse 90, I think, refers to the Jews and Christians, who took out of Scripture what suited them, and ignored or rejected the rest: ii. 85, 101. For verse 91 see next note. (15.90)

2014 The Makkan Pagans, in the early days of Islam, in order to dishonor and ridicule the Qur-an, divided what was so far revealed, into bits, and apportioned them to people coming on pilgrimage to Makkah by different routes, slandering and abusing the Prophet of Allah. (15.91) ]

[ Asad note 68: ………from the purely linguistic point of view – is “who cut up the Quran into separate parts”: i.e., accept some of it as true and regard the rest as Muhammad’s invention. But since – as Tabari points out – those who refuse to believe in the divine origin of the Quran do not accept any of it as true, the first interpretation is by far the preferable. ]

15: 92

Pickthall Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one,

Transliteration Fa warabbika lanas'alannahum ajma'in(a),

15: 93

Pickthall Of what they used to do.

Transliteration 'Amma_ ka_nu_ ya'malu_n(a).

15: 94

Pickthall So proclaim that which thou art commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters.

Transliteration Fa-sda' bima_ tu'maru wa a'rid nanil musyrikin(a).