16. [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
خَلَقَ
الإِنسَانَ
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ
فَإِذَا هُوَ
خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٤﴾
16: 4. He has created man from a sperm drop;
and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!
C2022. Man's physical origin is lowly. Yet do men go back to material things, and neglect or dispute about the highest things in Life.
16: 4
Asad He created man out of a drop of sperm: and lo! This same being shows himself endowed wit the power to think and to argue!
Pickthall He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent.
Yuksel He created the human being from a seed, but then he becomes a clear opponent.
Transliteration Khalaqal insa_na min nutfatin fa iza_ahuwa khasimum mubin(un).
[[Asad’s note - 5 Lit., "he becomes an open contender in argument (khasim)". According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the above phrase is liable to two interpretations:' In the words of Zamakhshari, "one interpretation is that after having been a (mere] drop of sperm, a particle of matter without consciousness or motion, man becomes highly articulate (mintiq); able to argue on his own [for or against a proposition], courageously facing - disputes, and clearly formulating his arguments: [and herein lies] an indication of God's creative power. The other - [interpretation] is that man is [prone to become] a contender in 'argument against his Sustainer, refusing to acknowledge his [very] Creator." Razi, on his part, gives his. unqualified, support to the first of these two interpretations, "because the above verses are meant to stress the evidence of the existence of a wise Creator, and not the fact of men's insolence and their proneness to blasphemy and ingratitude". However, in view of 36:77-78 ('revealed at a considerably earlier period), I am of the opinion that the above two interpretations are not mutually exclusive but, rather, complementary, inasmuch as this passage is meant to bring out man's unique quality as a rational being - a quality that may lead him to great heights of achievement, but may equally well lead him utterly astray: hence my free rendering of this profound elliptic phrase. ]]
Nutfatin –clot, sperm drop
Mubin – clear manifested,
[Aasd note 5. …………two interpretations…In the words of Zamahshari, “one interpretation is that after having been a drop of sperm, a particle of matter without consciousness or motion, man becomes highly articulate [mintiq], able to argue on his own [for or against a proposition], courageously facing disputes, and clerly formulating his arguments: [and herein lies] an indication of God’s creative power. The other [interpretation] is that man is [prone ot become] a contender I nargument against his Sustainer, refusing to acknowledge his [very] Creator.” Razi, on his part, gives his unqualified support to the first of these two interpretations, “because the above verses are meant to stress the evidence of the existence of a wise Creator, and not the fact of men’s insolence and their proneness to blasphemy and ingratitude.” However, in view of 36: 77-78 [revealed at a considerable earlier period], I am of the opinion that the above two interpretations are not mutually exclusive but, rather, complementary, inasmuch as this passage is meant to bring out man’s unique quality as a rational being – a quality that may lead him to great heights of achievement, but may equally well lead him utterly astray: hence my free rendering of this profound, elliptic phrase. ]
[Ruby’s note: I kind of agree with Asad, however the word “khasim’ has in general negative connotation of one who always argue or contend or challenge things even positive things are brought before him/her, one who bring contention even with a positive proposition or reasoning. On the other hand considering the verses before and after, the context seems to overwhelmingly convey the positive aspect of convincing God’s immense gifts and endowments in nature and life: therefore inherent in that idea that a tremendous endowment of reasoning is given to a being which is created from a low physical origin. ]
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18. [ al-Kahf (cave), Mecca 69]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَ
لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ
وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ...
18: 37. His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him:
... أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا ﴿٣٧﴾
"Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man?
C2379. The three stages of man's creation:
first dust, or clay, itself created out of nothing and forming the physical basis of his body; then, out of the produce of the earth as incorporated in the parents body, the sperm drop (with the corresponding receptive element), and then when the different elements were mixed in due proportion, and the soul was breathed into him, the fashioned man.
Pickthall’s Version:
18: 37
Pickthall And his comrade, while he disputed with him, exclaimed: Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a drop (of seed), and then fashioned thee a man?
Transliteration Qa_la lahu_ sa_hibuhu_ wa huwa yuha_wiruhu_ akafarta billazi khalaqaka min tura_bin summa min nutfatin summa sawwa_ka rajula_(n).
36. Surah Ya Sin (O Thou Human Being)
Mecca 41
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ
الْإِنسَانُ
أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ...
36:77. Doth not man see that it is We Who created Him from sperm?
C4023. Man's disobedience and folly are all the more surprising, seeing that-apart from Allah's greatness and mercy-man is himself such a puny creature, created out of something that is less than a drop in the vast ocean of Existence. Yet man has the hardihood to stand out and dispute with his Maker, and institute idle comparisons as in the next verse!
... فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٧٧﴾
Yet behold! he (stands forth) as an open adversary!
وَضَرَبَ
لَنَا مَثَلًا
وَنَسِيَ
خَلْقَهُ...
36: 78. And he makes comparisons for us, and forgets his own (Origin and) Creation:
C4024. That is, man thinks that Allah is like His creatures, who at best have very limited powers, or man draws idle parallels like that mentioned at the end of this verse. 'Who can give life to dry bones, and decomposed ones at that?'
Man certainly cannot, and no power in nature can do that. But why compare the powers and capacities of Allah's creatures with the powers and capacities of the Creator?
The first creation-out of nothing-is far more difficult for us to imagine than a second or subsequent process for which there is already a basis. And Allah has power over all things.
... قَالَ مَنْ يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ ﴿٧٨﴾
he says, "Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?"
قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا
الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا
أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ...
36: 79. Say,
"He will give them life Who created them for the first time!
C4025. Allah's creative artistry is evident in every phase of nature, and it works every minute or second. The more man understands himself and the things within his reach, the more he realises this.
How foolish, then, for any one to set imaginary limits to Allah's powers?
There are more ways of creation than are dreamt of in man's imagination!
... وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٧٩﴾
For He is well-versed in every kind of creation!
Asad’s Version:
36:77 IS MAN, then, not aware that it is We who create him out of a [mere] drop of sperm - whereupon, lo! he shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue? 45
(36:78) And [now] he [argues about Us, and] thinks of Us in terms of comparison," and is oblivious of how he himself was created! [And so] he says, "Who could give life to bones that have crumbled to dust?"
36:79 Say: "He who brought them into being in the first instance will give them life [once again], seeing that He has full knowledge of every act of creation:
[[Asad’s note - 45 See similar passage in 16:4, as well as the corresponding note 5. Completing the interpretation advanced in his (and Zamakhshari's) commentary on the above-mentioned verse, Razi equates here the term khasim (lit., "contender in argument") with the highest manifestation of what is described as natiq ("articulate [or "rational") being").]]
36: 77
Pickthall Hath not man seen that We have created him from a drop of seed? Yet lo! he is an open opponent.
Transliteration Awa lam yaral insa_nu an na_ khalaqna_hu min nutfatin fa iza_ huwa khasimum mubin
36: 78
Pickthall And he hath coined for Us a similitude, and hath forgotten the fact of his creation, saying: Who will revive these bones when they have rotted away?
Transliteration Wa daraba lana_ matsalaw wa nasiya halqah qa_la may yuhyil iza_ma wahiya ramim
Yuksel’s Version:
36:77 Has the human being not seen that We have created him from a seed, that he would become a clear enemy?
36:78 He cites an example for Us, while forgetting his own creation! He says: "Who can resurrect the bones while they are dust?"
36:79 Say, "The One who made them in the first place will resurrect them. He is fully aware of every creation."*
[[Yuksel’s note -036:079-80 After reminding us that He knows all kinds of creation, God gives us the recreation of energy stored in plants through photosynthesis as fossil fuels such as coal or petroleum. Indeed, conservation of energy and its transformation from physical into chemical form and vice versa, is a good example of resurrection. See 4:82.]]