37. Surah as-Saffat

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا...

37: 5. Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and all between them,

...وَرَبُّ الْمَشَارِقِ ﴿٥﴾

and Lord of every point at the rising of the sun!

C4034. Allah is the Lord of everything that exists- 'the heavens and the earth, and all between them'.

He is the Lord of the Mashariq,-of every point at the rising of the sun.

As the Commentators tell us, there are in the solar year only two equinoctial days, when the sun rises due east: on every other the sun rises at a shifting point either north or south of due east.

In 7:137 we have Mashariq al ardhi wa magaribaha, where the plural of the words for East and West is negligible, as the conjunction of the two embraces all points.

The same may be said of 70:40, where Allah is called "Lord of all points in the East and the West".

If we are speaking of longitudes, they may embrace all latitudes. In 55:17 Allah is called "Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests", referring to the extreme points in either case.

A cursory reader may ask, why is only the East referred to here?

The reply is that it is not so much the East as the rising of the sun, on which stress is laid. The Arabic mashriq or mashariq is close enough to the root-word sharaqa, to suggest, not so much the East as the rising of the sun, especially when the plural form is used.

The glorious sun rises from different points, as seen by us, but it illuminates the whole heaven and earth. It is an emblem of Unity.

Other Versions:

37: 5

Asad The sustainer of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between them, and the Sustainer of all the points of sunrise!

Pickthall Lord of the heavens and of the earth and all that is between them, and Lord of the sun's risings.

Transliteration Rab bus sama_wa_ti wal ardi wa ma_ bainahuma_ wa rab bul masya_riq

[Ali’s note: 4034 Allah is the Lord of everything that exists-'the heavens and the earth, and all between them'. He is the Lord of the Mashariq,-of every point at the rising of the sun. As the Commentators tell us, there are in the solar year only two equinoctial days, when the sun rises due east: on every other the sun rises at a shifting point either north or south of due east. In vii. 137 we have Mashariq al ardhi wa magaribaha, where the plural of the words for East and West is negligible, as the conjunction of the two embraces all points. The same may be said of lxx. 40, where Allah is called "Lord of all points in the East and the West". If we are speaking of longitudes, they may embrace all latitudes. In lv. 17 Allah is called "Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests", referring to the extreme points in either case. A cursory reader may ask, why is only the East referred to here? The reply is that it is not so much the East as the rising of the sun, on which stress is laid. The Arabic mashriq or mashariq is close enough to the root-word sharaqa, to suggest, not so much the East as the rising of the sun, especially when the plural form is used. The glorious sun rises from different points, as seen by us, but it illuminates the whole heaven and earth. It is an emblem of Unity. (37.5) ]

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43. Surah Al-Zukhruf

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءنَا قَالَ ...

43: 38. At length, when (such a one) comes to Us, he says (to his evil companion):

C4640. If ever the presence of Allah is felt, or at the time of Judgment, a glimmering of truth comes to the deceived soul, and it cries to its evil companion in its agony, "Would that I had never come across thee! Would that we were separated poles apart!" But it cannot shake off evil. By deliberate choice it had put itself in its snare.

... يَا لَيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ بُعْدَ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ ...

"Would that between me and thee were the distance of East and West!"

C4641. Distance of East and West: literally, 'distance of the two Easts'.

Most Commentators understand in this sense, but some construe the phrase as meaning the distance of the extreme points of the rising of the sun, between the summer solstice and the winter solstice. Cf. n. 4034 to 37:5.

A good equivalent idiom in English would be "poles apart", for they could never meet.

... فَبِئْسَ الْقَرِينُ ﴿٣٨﴾

Ah! Evil is the companion (indeed)!

Pickthall’s Version:

43: 38

Pickthall Till, when he cometh unto Us, he saith (unto his comrade): Ah, would that between me and thee there were the distance of the two horizons--an evil comrade!

Transliteration Hat ta_ iza_ ja_ ana_ qa_la ya_laita baini wa bainaka budal masriqaini fabisal qarin

[Ali” note 4640: If ever the presence of Allah is felt, or at the time of Judgment, a glimmering of truth comes to the deceived soul, and it cries to its evil companion in its agony, "Would that I had never come across thee! Would that we were separated poles apart!" But it cannot shake off evil. By deliberate choice it had put itself in its snare. (43.38)

4641 Distance of East and West: literally, 'distance of the two Easts'. Most Commentators understand in this sense, but some construe the phrase as meaning the distance of the extreme points of the rising of the sun, between the summer solstice and the winter solstice. Cf. n. 4034 to xxxvii. 5. A good equivalent idiom in English would be "poles apart", for they could never meet. (43.38)]

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55. Sura ar-Rahman

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ ﴿١٧﴾

55: 17. (He is) Lord of the two Easts and Lord of the two Wests:

C5184. The two Easts are the two extreme points where the sun rises during the year, and includes all the points between. Similarly the two Wests include the two extreme points of the sun's setting and all the points between. The Dual Number fits with the general atmosphere of Duality in this Sura. Allah is Lord of every region of the earth and sky, and He scatters His bounties everywhere.

See also n. 4641 to 43:38, and n. 4034 to 37:5.

Other Versions:

55: 17

Asad [He is] the Sustainer of the two farthest points of sunrise, and the Sustainer of the two farthest points of sunset.

Pickthall Lord of the two Easts, and Lord of the two Wests!

Transliteration Rab bul masriqaini wa rab bul magribain

[ Asad note 7: ……of the extreme points of sunrise in summer and in winter [see 37:5 and 70:40],…….]