12. Yusuf (Joseph)
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَقَدْ
كَانَ
فِي قَصَصِهِمْ
عِبْرَةٌ
لِّأُوْلِي
الأَلْبَابِ...
12:111. There is, in their stories, instruction for men endued with understanding.
C1796. Their stories, i.e., the stories of Prophets or of the wicked; for the two threads inter-twine, as in Joseph's story.
...مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ...
It is not a tale invented, but a confirmation of what went before it --
C1797. A story like that of Joseph is not a purely imaginary fable. The People of the Book have it in their sacred literature. It is confirmed here in its main outline, but here there is a detailed spiritual exposition that will be found nowhere in earlier literature.
The exposition covers all sides of human life. If properly understood it gives valuable lessons to guide our conduct,-an instance of Allah's grace and mercy to people who will go to Him in faith and put their affairs in His hands.
...وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١١١﴾
a detailed exposition of all things, and a Guide and a Mercy to any such as believe.
Other versions:
12: 111
Asad Indeed, in the stories of these men there is a lesson for those who are endowed with insight. [As for this revelation ] it could not possibly be a discourse invented: nay indeed, it is confirming the truth whatever there still remains, clearly spelling out everything, and guidance and grace unto people who will believe.
Pickthall In their history verily there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is no invented story but a confirmation of the existing (Scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything, and a guidance and a mercy for folk who believe.
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13. Ar-R’ad, Medina 96
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللّهُ
الَّذِي رَفَعَ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ
تَرَوْنَهَا...
13:2. Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see;
C1800. Should we construe the clause "that ye can see" to refer to "pillars" or "to the heavens"?
Either is admissible, but I prefer the former.
The heavens are supported on no pillars that we can see. What we see is the blue vault of heaven, but there are invisible forces or conditions created by Allah, which should impress us with His power and glory.
...ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ...
is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority);
C1801. Cf. 10:3 , and n. 1386.
We must not think that anything came into being by itself or carries out its functions by itself. Allah is the Creator from Whom everything has its life and being and through Whom everything is maintained and supported, even though fixed laws are established for its regulation and government.
... وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ...
He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His law)!
...كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
each one runs (its course) for a term appointed.
The "term appointed" limits the duration of their functioning: its ultimate return is to Allah, as its beginning proceeded from Allah.
...يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ ...
He doth regulate affairs,
Where the laws of nature are fixed, and everything runs according to its appointed course, the government and regulation behind it is still that of Allah.
Where there is limited free will as in man, yet the ultimate source of man's faculties is Allah.
Allah cares for His creatures. He does not, as in the idea of polytheistic Greece, sit apart on Olympus, careless of His creatures.
... يُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَاء رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ ﴿٢﴾
explaining the Signs in detail, that ye may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.
C1803. One manifestation of His caring for His creatures, even where a limited amount of free-will is granted for their development, is that He is careful to explain His Signs both in nature and in express and detailed revelation through His Messengers, lest man should have any doubts whether he has to return ultimately to his Lord and account for all his actions during the "term appointed," when he was given some initiative by way of trial and preparation.
If man attends carefully to the Signs, he should have no doubt whatever.
Other versions:
13: 2
Asad It is God who has raised the heavens without any supports tht you can see and is established on the throne of His almightiness; ….Clearly does He spell out these messages, so that you might be certain in your innermost that you are destined to meet your Sustainer.
Pickthall Allah it is who raised up the heavens without visible supports, then mounted the Throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to be of service, each runneth unto an appointed term; He ordereth the course; He detaileth the revelations, that haply ye may be certain of the meeting with your Lord.
Transliteration Alla_hul lazi rafa'as sama_wa_ti bi gairi 'amadin taraunaha_ summa-stawa_ 'alal 'arsyi wa sakhkharasy syamsa wal qamar(a), kulluy yajri li ajalim musamma_(n), yudabbirul amra yufassilul a_ya_ti la'allakum biliqa_'i rabbikum tu_qinu_n(a).
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17.Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا
لِلنَّاسِ فِي
هَـذَا الْقُرْآنِ
مِن كُلِّ
مَثَلٍ...
17:89. And We have explained to man, in this Qur'án, every kind of similitude:
C2290. In the Quran everything is explained in detail from various points of view, by commands, similitudes, examples, stories, parables, etc.
It does not merely narrate stories or lay down vague abstract propositions. It gives every detailed help in outward and inner life.
...فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ كُفُورًا ﴿٨٩﴾
yet the greater part of men refuse (to receive it) except with ingratitude!
C2291. One form in which it can be received with ingratitude is to pay verbal tributes to it but not study it as it ought to be studied (2:121, haqqa tilawatihi), or to disobey its precepts or standards.
Other versions:
17: 89
Transliteration Wa laqad sarrafna_ lin na_si fi ha_zal qur'a_ni min kulli masal(in), fa aba_ aksarun na_si illa_ kufu_ra_(n).
Asasd For, indeed, many facets have We given in this Quran to every kind of lesson [designed] for [the benefit of] mankind! However, most men are unwilling to accept anyghing but blasphemy-
Pickthall And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all kinds of similitudes, but most of mankind refuse aught save disbelief.
Transliteration Wa qa_lu_ lan nu'mina laka hatta_ tafjura lana_ minal ardi yambu_'a_(n),
[Asad note 104 According to Raghib, the noun ‘mathal’ …….singifies “a lesson”.]
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21. AL-Anbiyaa, Mecca 73
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَقَدْ
أَنزَلْنَا
إِلَيْكُمْ
كِتَابًا فِيهِ
ذِكْرُكُمْ...
21:10. We have revealed for you (O men!) a book in which is a Message for you:
...أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٠﴾
will ye not then understand?
Asad’s Version:
21:10
[O MEN!] We have now bestowed upon you from on high a divine writ containing all that you ought to bear in mind: 13 will you not, then, use your reason?
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Other versions:
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23. Al-Muminun [118] Mecca 74
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَا
تَجْأَرُوا
الْيَوْمَ
إِنَّكُم مِّنَّا
لَا تُنصَرُونَ
﴿٦٥﴾
23:65. It will be said:
"Groan not in supplication this day; for ye shall certainly not be helped by Us.
قَدْ
كَانَتْ آيَاتِي
تُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ
فَكُنتُمْ عَلَى
أَعْقَابِكُمْ
تَنكِصُونَ
﴿٦٦﴾
23:66. "My Signs used to be rehearsed to you, but ye used to turn back on your heels --
مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ
بِهِ سَامِرًا
تَهْجُرُونَ
﴿٦٧﴾
23:67. "In arrogance: talking nonsense about the (Qur'án), like one telling fables by night."
C2917. Samir: one who remains awake by night, one who passes the night in talk or in the recital of stories of romances, a favourite amusement of the Days of Ignorance.
أَفَلَمْ
يَدَّبَّرُوا
الْقَوْلَ أَمْ
جَاءهُم مَّا
لَمْ يَأْتِ
آبَاءهُمُ
الْأَوَّلِينَ
﴿٦٨﴾
23:68. Do they not ponder over the Word (of Allah), or has anything (new) come to them that did not come to their fathers of old?
C2918. If they ponder over the matter, they will find that Allah's Message to humanity is as old as Adam. It is good for all ages. It never grows old, and it is never new.
أَمْ
لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا
رَسُولَهُمْ
فَهُمْ لَهُ
مُنكِرُونَ
﴿٦٩﴾
23:69. Or do they not recognize their Messenger, that they deny him?
أَمْ
يَقُولُونَ
بِهِ جِنَّةٌ...
23:70. Or do they say, "He is possessed"?
...بَلْ جَاءهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
Nay, he has brought them the Truth, but most of them hate the Truth.
وَلَوِ
اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ
أَهْوَاءهُمْ
لَفَسَدَتِ
السَّمَاوَاتُ
وَالْأَرْضُ
وَمَن فِيهِنَّ...
23:71. If the Truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth, and all beings therein would have been in confusion and corruption!
C2919. Allah is All-Wise and All-Good, and His architecture of the universe is on a perfect Plan. If these poor, low, selfish, ignorant creatures were to plan it according to their hearts' desires, it would be a dreadful world, full of confusion and corruption.
...بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُم بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَن ذِكْرِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿٧١﴾
Nay, We have sent them their admonition, but they turn away from their admonition.
Asad’s Version:
23:65
[But they will be told:] "Cry not in supplication today: for, behold, you shall not be succoured by Us!
(23:66) Time and again 37 were My messages conveyed unto you, but [every time] you would turn about on your heels
(23:67) [and,] impelled by your arrogance, you would talk
senselessly far into the night." 38
23:68
Have they, then, never tried to understand this word [of God] ? Or has there [now] come to them something that never came to their forefathers of old
(23:69) Or is it, perchance, that they have not recognized their Apostle, and so they disavow him?
(23:70) Or do they say, "There is madness in him"? Nay, he has brought them the truth - and the truth do most of them detest! 40
23:71 But if the truth 41 were in accord with their own likes and dislikes, the heavens and the earth would surely have fallen into ruin, and all that lives in them [would long ago have perished] ! " Nay, [in this divine writ] We have conveyed unto them all that they ought to bear in mind: 43 and from this their reminder they [heedlessly] turn away!
[[Asad’s notes - 37 This is the meaning implied in the auxiliary verb kanat preceded by the particle qad.
38 Lit., "as one who keeps awake at night" (samiran). In combination with the phrase kuntum... tahjurun, this expression indicates the pursuit of endless, fruitless discussions divorced from all reality, or a mere play with words leading nowhere. (See also 31:6 and the corresponding note 4.)
39 Implying that the message of the Qur'an is but a continuation of all the divine messages ever revealed to man.
40 I.e., they hate to admit the truth: the reason being - as the sequence shows that the world-view propounded by the Qur'an is not in accord with their own likes and dislikes or preconceived notions.
41 I.e., the reality of all creation. ]]
42 I.e., if the universe - and, especially, human life had been as devoid of meaning and purpose as they imagine, nothing could have endured, and everything would have long since perished in chaos.
43 For this rendering of the term dhikr; see note 13 on21:10. ]]
[[Asad’s note - 13 The term dhikr, which primarily denotes a "reminder" or a "remembrance", or, as Raghib defines it, the "presence [of something] in the mind", has also the meaning of "that by which one is remembered", i.e., with praise - in other words, "renown" or "fame" - and, tropically, "honour", "eminence" or "dignity". Hence, the above phrase contains, apart from the concept of a "reminder",
an indirect allusion to the dignity and happiness to which man may attain by following the spiritual and social precepts laid down in the Qur'an. By rendering the expression dhikrukum as "all that you ought to bear in mind", I have tried to bring out all these meanings. ]]
