40. Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin
Mecca 60 [85 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللَّهُ
الَّذِي
...
40:64 . It is Allah Who has
C4438. The argument in the last two verses was from man's personal experiences of his physical life.
In this and the next verse a parallel argument is addressed to man on a much higher plane: 'look at the spacious earth and the canopy of the sky; look at the special position you occupy above other animals that you know, in shape and form, and moral and spiritual capacities; consider your refinements in food and fruits and the higher spiritual Sustenance of which your physical food is a type; would you not indeed say that the Lord is good, and would you not glorify His holy name?'
... جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا ...
made for you the earth as a resting place,
C4439. A resting place: I understand this to imply a temporary place of rest or sojourn, a period of probation, to be followed by the eternal Home.
... وَالسَّمَاء بِنَاء...
and the sky as a canopy,
... وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ ...
and has given you shapes -- and made your shapes beautiful --
The shape and form refer to the physical form as well as to the inborn moral and spiritual capacities of man.
As regards physical form, Cf. Milton's description of Adam and Eve,
"Two of far noble shape, erect and tall" (Paradise Lost, iv. 288).
As regards moral and spiritual capacities, they are typified by the breathing of Allah's spirit into man: 15:29.
... وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ...
and has provided for you Sustenance, of things pure and good --
C4441. "Sustenance": all that is necessary for growth and development, physical, moral, and spiritual.
Cf. n. 2105 to 16:73.
... ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ...
such is Allah your Lord.
... فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٦٤﴾
So Glory to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
Asad’s Version:
40:64 It is God who has made the earth a resting-place for you and the sky a canopy, and has formed you - and formed you so well 47 - and provided for you sustenance out of the good things of life. Such is God, your Sustainer: hallowed, then, is God, the Sustainer of all the worlds!
[[Asad’s note - 47 I.e., in accordance with the exigencies of human life. See also note 9 on the first sentence of 7:11.]]
Yuksel’s Version:
40:64 God is the One who made the earth a habitat for you, and the sky as a structure, and He designed you; how beautifully he designed you! He provided you with good provisions. Such is God your Lord. Most Exalted is God, Lord of the worlds.*
Yuksel’s note - 040:064 See 15:20; 20:54 and 35:12-13. Also, see 4:119.
===================================
64. At-Taghabun (Mutual Loss And Gain)
Period Uncertain [108][18 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
هُوَ
الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ
فَمِنكُمْ
كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم
مُّؤْمِنٌ ...
64: 2. It is He Who has created you; and of you are some that are Unbelievers, and some that are Believers:
C5480. It is not that He does not see Rebellion and Evil, nor that He cannot punish them. He created all things pure and good, and if evil crept in by the grant of a limited free-will by Him, it is not unforeseen: it is in His wise and universal Plan, for giving man a chance of rising higher and ever higher.
... وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٢﴾
and Allah sees well all that ye do.
خَلَقَ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضَ
بِالْحَقِّ
وَصَوَّرَكُمْ
فَأَحْسَنَ
صُوَرَكُمْ ...
64: 3. He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportions,
and has given you shape, and made your shapes beautiful:
C5481. Cf. 40:64, and n. 4440: also 7:11 and n. 996.
In addition to the beauty and grandeur of all God's Creation, He has endowed man with special aptitudes, faculties and capacities, and special excellencies which raise him at his best to the position of vicegerent on earth. "Beautiful" also includes the idea of "adapted to the ends for which they were created".
... وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٣﴾
and to Him is the final Goal.
C5482. "The final Goal": not only of mankind, but of all things created, whether material or in the realm of ideas and events. All things return to Allah: as they derive their origin from Him, so is the return or destination of all of them to Allah.
Asad’s Version:
(64:2) He it is who has created you: and among you are such as deny this truth, and among you are such as believe [in it]. 1 And God sees all that you do.
64:3 He has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth, 2 and has formed you - and formed you so well; 3 and with Him is your journey's end. (64:4) He knows all that is in the heavens and on earth; and He knows all that you keep secret as well as all that you bring into the open: for God has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].
[[Asad’s notes - 2 See surah 1 0, note 1 1 .
3 I.e., in accordance with the exigencies of human life. See also note 9 on 7:11. ]]