2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِي
جَعَلَ
لَكُمُ الأَرْضَ
فِرَاشاً وَالسَّمَاء
بِنَاء وَأَنزَلَ
مِنَ السَّمَاء
مَاء...
2: 22. Who has made the earth your couch, and the heaven your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens;
... فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقاً لَّكُمْ...
and brought forth therewith fruits for your sustenance;
... فَلاَ تَجْعَلُواْ لِلّهِ أَندَاداً وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونََ ﴿٢٢﴾
then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth).
C41. Further proofs of Allah's goodness to you are given in this verse. Your whole life, physical and spiritual, depends upon Him. The spiritual is figured by the Canopy of Heaven.
The truth has been brought plainly before you. Will you still resist it and go after false gods, the creation of your own fancy?
The false gods may be idols, superstitions, Self, or even great or glorious things like Poetry, Art, or Science, when set up as rivals to Allah. They may be pride of race, pride of birth, pride of wealth or position, pride of power, pride of learning, or even spiritual pride.
2: 22
Asad who has made the earth a resting –place for you and the sky a canopy, and has sent down water from the sky and thereby brought forth fruits for your sustenance: do not , then, claim that there is any power that could rival God, when you know [that He is One]. (Note13)
Pickthall Who hath appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Allah when ye know (better).
Transliteration Allazi ja'ala lakumul arda fira_syaw was sama_'a bina_'a(n), wa anzala minas sama_'i ma_'an fa akhraja bihi minas samara_ti rizqal lakum, fala_ taj'alu_ lilla_hi anda_daw wa antum ta'lamu_n(a).
[ Asad’s note 13: Lit., “ do not give God any compeers” (andad, pl. of nidd). There is full agreement among all commentators that this term implies any object of adoration to which some or all of God’s qualities are ascribed, whether it be conceived as a deity “in its own right” or a saint supposedly possessing certain divine or semi-divine powers……]
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40. Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin
Mecca 60 [85 verses]
[[ Asad’s notes-
55 Lit., "place of rest" (qarar). But see also 77:25-26 and the corresponding note 9. ]]
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!
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!
27. An-Naml (The Ants)
Mecca Period 48
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَمَّن
جَعَلَ
الْأَرْضَ
قَرَارًا...
27: 61. Or, who has made the earth firm to live in;
...وَجَعَلَ خِلَالَهَا أَنْهَارًا وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِيَ ...
made rivers in its midst; set thereon mountains immovable;
C3295. Cf. 16:15 and notes 2038 and 2039.
The terra firma, the flowing water, and the cycle of water circulation-sea, vapour, clouds, rain, rivers, and sea again,-all one and yet all distinct, with a sort of wonderful barrier between salt water and fresh water: can man see all this and yet be ignorant of Allah?
... وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزًا...
and made a separating bar between the two bodies of flowing water?
C3296. Cf. 25:53 and n. 3111 and n. 3112.
...أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ...
(Can there be another) god besides Allah?
...بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
Nay, most of them know not.
Asad’s Version:
27:61 Nay - who is it that has made the earth a fitting abode 55 [for living things], and has caused running waters [to flow] in its midst, and has set upon it mountains firm, and has placed a barrier between the two great bodies of water? 54 Could there be any divine power besides God? Nay, most of those [who think so] do not know
[what they are saying] !
[[ Asad’s notes-
55 Lit., "place of rest" (qarar). But see also 77:25-26 and the corresponding note 9. ]]