2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كُتِبَ
عَلَيْكُمُ
الْقِتَالُ
وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ
لَّكُمْ ...
2: 216. Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it.
C236. To fight in the cause of Truth is one of the highest form of charity. What can you offer that is more precious than your own life?
But here again the limitations come in. If you are a mere brawler, or a selfish aggressive person, or a vainglorious bully, you deserve the highest censure. Allah knows the value of things better than you do. (R).
... وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ...
But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you
... وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ...
and that ye love a thing which is bad for you.
... وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢١٦﴾
But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.
Asad’s Version:
2:216 Fighting is ordained for you, even though it be hateful to you, but it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: God knows, whereas you do not know.
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8. Surah Al Anfal
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ
يَعِدُكُمُ
اللّهُ إِحْدَى
الطَّائِفَتِيْنِ
أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ ...
8: 7. Behold! Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours:
C1183. Just before Badr there were two alternatives before the Muslims in Madinah to save themselves from being overwhelmed by the Makkan Quraish with all their resources from the rich Syrian trade.
- One, which had least danger for the time being, and also promised much booty, was to fall upon the Quraish caravan returning from Syria to Makkah richly laden, and led by Abu Sufyan with only 40 men unarmed. From a worldly point of view this was the safest and most lucrative course.
- The other alternative, was to leave the booty out boldly against the well-armed and well-equipped Quraish army of 1,000 men coming from Makkah.
The Muslims had no more than 300 men, ill-armed, to oppose this force. But if they could defeat it, it would shake the selfish autocracy which was in possession of Makkah.
By Allah's help they won a splendid victory, and the standard of Truth was established, never to be lowered again.
...وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ الشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ...
ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours,
...وَيُرِيدُ اللّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٧﴾
but Allah willed to justify the truth according to His words, and to cut off the roots of the unbelievers.
8: 7
Asad And, lo, God gave you the promise that one of the two hosts would fall to you: and you would have liked to seize the less powerful one, whereas it was God’s will to prove the truth to be true in accordance with His words, and to wipe out the last remnant of those who denied the truth
Pickthall And when Allah promised you one of the two bands (of the enemy) that it should be yours, and ye longed that other than the armed one might be yours. And Allah willed that He should cause the Truth to triumph by His words, and cut the root of the disbelievers;
Transliteration Wa iz ya'idukumulla_hu ihdat ta_'ifataini annaha_ lakum wa tawaddu_na anna gaira za_tisy syaukati taku_nu lakum wa yuridulla_hu ay yuhiqqal haqqa bi kalima_tihi wa yaqta'a da_biral ka_firin(a).
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9. Surah At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
تُعْجِبْكَ
أَمْوَالُهُمْ
وَأَوْلاَدُهُمْ...
9: 85. Nor let their wealth nor their (following in) sons Dazzle thee:
...إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ أَن يُعَذِّبَهُم بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَتَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَهُمْ كَافِرُونَ ﴿٨٥﴾
Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah.
C1338. Except for the omission of a single word ("life"), this verse repeats verse 55 above. But the repetition indicates the harmonious closing of the same argument in two aspects.
- In 9:55 it occurred in connection with the reasons for refusing to receive the contributions of such persons to the expenses of an enterprise which though vital to Islam's defence was secretly opposed by such persons.
- Here (in 9:85) it is a question of refusing to participate in the obsequies of such persons after their death: it is natural to omit the word "life" in this case.
Asad’s Version:
9: 85 And let not their worldly goods and their children excite your admiration: God but wants to chastise them by these means in this world, and their souls to depart while they are denying the truth.
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10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّمَا
مَثَلُ الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا
كَمَاء أَنزَلْنَاهُ
مِنَ السَّمَاء...
10: 24. The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies:
C1412. Another beautiful Parable, explaining the nature of our present life.
The rain comes down in drops and mingles with the earth. Through it, by Allah's matchless artistry, the womb of the earth is made fruitful. All kinds of good, useful, and beautiful grains, vegetables, and fruits are produced for men and animals. The earth is covered in its bravery of green and gold and all kinds of colours.
Perhaps the "owner" takes all the credit to himself, and thinks that this will last eternally. A hailstorm or a blast, a frost or a volcanic eruption, comes and destroys it, or it may be even normally, that the time of harvest comes, and the fields and orchards are stripped bare by some blight or disease.
Where is the beauty and bravery of yesterday?
All that is left is dust and ashes!
What more can we get from this physical material life?
... فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ النَّاسُ وَالأَنْعَامُ...
by its mingling arises the produce of the earth -- which provides food for men and animals:
...حَتَّىَ إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَآ...
(it grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty):
the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it:
...أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلاً أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِالأَمْسِ...
there reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before!
...كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٤﴾
Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect.
Asad’s Version:
10: 24 The parable of this life of this world is but that of rain which We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth whereof men and animals draw nourishment, until – when the earth has assumed its artful adornment and has been embellished, and they who dwell on it believe that they have gained mastery over it – there comes down upon it Our judgment, by night or by day, and We cause it to become a field mown down, as if there had been no yesterday. Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who think!
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15. Surah Al Hijr
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
رُّبَمَا
يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ لَوْ
كَانُواْ
مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٢﴾
15: 2. Again and again will those who disbelieve wish that they had bowed (to Allah's Will) in Islam.
C1935. The time must inevitably come when those who allow themselves to be deceived by falsehood or deliberately break Allah's Law will find themselves in a terrible plight. They will then wish, ardently and again and again, that they had sought Allah's Will and walked in the light of Truth.
That time may be early or late,-in this life, or at death, or at the Day of Judgment, but it must come. Man's own highest interest requires that he should awake to the Reality before it is too late for repentance.
ذَرْهُمْ
يَأْكُلُواْ
وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ ...
15: 3. Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves:
C1936. Literally, "to eat", Cf. 5:66 and n. 776.
... وَيُلْهِهِمُ الأَمَلُ...
let (false) Hope amuse them:
...فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣﴾
soon will knowledge (undeceive them).
C1937. The foolish and the wicked set great store by the pleasures of this world. In their pride they think they have all knowledge. In the fullness of knowledge they will see how wrong they were.
Meanwhile those who have received the Light should not for a single moment wonder at the apparent prosperity of the ungodly in this world. They should leave them alone, confident in the goodness and justice of Allah.
Pickthall’s Version:
15: 2
Pickthall It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims.
Transliteration Rubama_ yawaddul lazina kafaru_ lau ka_nu_ muslimin(a).
[Asad note 3: …………….the expression “alladhina kafaru is indicative of conscious intent [see sura 2, note 6] ]
15: 3
Pickthall Let them eat and enjoy life, and let (false) hope beguile them. They will come to know!
Transliteration Zarhum ya'kulu_ wa yatamatta'u_ wa yulhihimul amalu fa saufa ya'lamu_n(a).
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17. [al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَّن كَانَ
يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ
عَجَّلْنَا
لَهُ فِيهَا
مَا نَشَاء
لِمَن نُّرِيدُ...
17: 18. If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them -- such things as We will, to such persons as We will:
C2196. An explanation is now given of how it is that prosperity sometimes seems to attend the wicked.
The explanation is threefold:
1. the transitory things of this life are worth little in the eternal scheme of things;
2. even they are provided, not just because their recipients wish for them, but according to a definite Plan of Allah; and
3. in the end there is for the wicked the eternal Misery and deprivation of grace,-the Hell which is worse than destruction in the terms of this world.
...ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ﴿١٨﴾
in the end have We provided Hell for them:
they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected.
C2197. All the pride and insolence will then be brought low. The disgrace and the exclusion from the "sight of the Face of Allah" will by themselves be punishments of which the magnitude cannot be measured in the terms of our present material life.
17: 19. Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter,
C2198. This is in contrast to the last verse.
Those who wish for mere earthly good sometimes get it and misuse it. Those whose eyes are fixed on the Hereafter, they too share in their Lord's bounty provided they fulfil the conditions explained in the next note; but their wishes and endeavours are more acceptable in the sight of Allah.
... وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ...
and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith --
C2199. A mere wish for moral and spiritual good is not enough. It must be backed up by hard endeavour and supported by a lively Faith. On those conditions the wishes are accepted by Allah.
...فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا ﴿١٩﴾
they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).
Pickthall’s Version:
17: 18
Pickthall Whoso desireth that (life) which hasteneth away, We hasten for him therein that We will for whom We please. And afterward We have appointed for him hell; he will endure the heat thereof, condemned, rejected.
Transliteration Man ka_na yuridul 'a_jilata'ajjalna_ lahu_ fiha_ ma_ nasya_'u liman nuridu summa ja'alna_ lahu_ jahannam(a), yasla_ha_ mazmu_mam madhu_ra_(n).
17: 19
Pickthall And whoso desireth the Hereafter and striveth for it with the effort necessary, being a believer; for such, their effort findeth favor (with their Lord).
Transliteration Wa man ara_dal a_khirata wa sa'a_ laha_ sa'yaha_ wa huwa mu'minun fa ula_'ika ka_na sa'yuhum masyku ra_(n).