6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَهُوَ
الَّذِي
يَتَوَفَّاكُم
بِاللَّيْلِ
وَيَعْلَمُ
مَا
جَرَحْتُم
بِالنَّهَارِ...
6:60. It is He Who doth take your souls by night, and hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day.
...ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى...
By day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled;
...ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٦٠﴾
in the end unto Him will be your return, then will He show you the truth of all that ye did.
C881. As the rest of His Creation is subject to His Law and Plan, so is man's life in every particular and at every moment, awake or asleep.
The mystery of Sleep -"the twin brother of death"- is called the taking of our soul by Him, with the record of all we have done in our waking moments, and this record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in dreams. By day we awaken again to our activities, and so it goes on until we fulfil the term of our life appointed for this earth.
Then comes the other Sleep (death), with the longer record of our Day (Life); and then, in the end comes the Resurrection and Judgment, at which we see everything clearly and not as in dreams, for that is the final Reality.
Asad’s Version:
6: 60 And he it is who causes you to be [like] dead at night, and knows what you work in daytime; and He brings you back to life each day in order that a term set [by Him] be fulfilled. In the end, unto Him you must return: and then He will make you understand all that you were doing [in life].
Yuksel’s Version:
6:60 He is the One who takes you at night, and He knows what you have done during the day, then He sends you back to it until a fixed span; then to Him is your return and He will inform you of what you used to do.*
[[006:060 See 39:42.]]
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10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
هُوَ الَّذِي
جَعَلَ لَكُمُ
اللَّيْلَ
لِتَسْكُنُواْ
فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ
مُبْصِرًا...
10: 67. He it is that hath made you the night that ye may rest therein, and the Day to make things visible (to you).
C1454. Our physical life -and our higher life in so far as it is linked with the physical- is sustained by the alternation of rest and activity, and the fit environment for this alternation is the succession of Nights and Days in our physical world. The Day makes the things "visible to us-" a beautiful symbol, not only of the physical work for which we go about by day, but of the higher activities which are fitly associated with seeing, perception and enquiry.
Intuition (insight) is a little out of that circle because that may come by night, when our other faculties are resting.
...إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾
Verily in this are Signs for those who listen (to His Message).
Pickthall’s Version:
10: 67
Pickthall He it is who hath appointed for you the night that ye should rest therein and the day giving sight. Lo! herein verily are portents for a folk that heed.
Transliteration Huwal lazi ja'ala lakumul laila litaskunu_ fihi wan naha_ra mubsira_(n), inna fi za_lika la a_ya_til li qaumiy yasma'u_n(a).
In the Name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful |
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18. Surah Al Kahf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ
أَيْقَاظًا
وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ...
18: 18. Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep,
C2349. Perhaps their eyes were open, even though their senses were sealed in sleep. They turned about on their sides as men do in sleep.
... وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ...
and We turned them on their right and their left sides:
... وَكَلْبُهُم بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ...
their dog stretching forth his two forelegs on the threshold:
C2350. The name of their dog is traditionally known as Qitmir, but see n. 2336 above.
... لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا ﴿١٨﴾
if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them.
C2351. This graphic picture of the sleepers explains the human mechanism by which their safety was ensured by Allah from their Pagan enemies.
18: 18
Asad And you would have thought that they were awake, whereas they lay asleep. And We caused them to turn over repeatedly, now to the right, now to the left; and their dog [lay] on the threshold, its forepaws outstretched. Had you come upon them you would surely have turned away from them in flight, and would surely have been filled with awe of them.
Pickthall And thou wouldst have deemed them waking though they were asleep, and we caused them to turn over to the right and the left, and their dog stretching out his paws on the threshold. If thou hadst observed them closely thou hadst assuredly turned away from them in flight, and hadst been filled with awe of them.
Transliteration Wa tahsabuhum aiqa_zaw wa hum ruqu_d(uw), wa nuqallibuhum za_tal yamini wa za_tasy syima_l(i), wa kalbuhum ba_situn zira_'aihi bil wasid(i), law-ittala'ta 'alaihim lawallaita minhum fira_raw wa lamuli'ta minhum ru'ba_(n).
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6. [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَهُوَ
الَّذِي
يَتَوَفَّاكُم
بِاللَّيْلِ
وَيَعْلَمُ
مَا
جَرَحْتُم
بِالنَّهَارِ...
6: 60. It is He Who doth take your souls by night, and hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day.
...ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَى أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى...
By day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled;
...ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٦٠﴾
in the end unto Him will be your return, then will He show you the truth of all that ye did.
C881. As the rest of His Creation is subject to His Law and Plan, so is man's life in every particular and at every moment, awake or asleep.
The mystery of Sleep -"the twin brother of death"- is called the taking of our soul by Him, with the record of all we have done in our waking moments, and this record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in dreams. By day we awaken again to our activities, and so it goes on until we fulfil the term of our life appointed for this earth.
Then comes the other Sleep (death), with the longer record of our Day (Life); and then, in the end comes the Resurrection and Judgment, at which we see everything clearly and not as in dreams, for that is the final Reality.
Other Versions:
6: 60
Asad And He it is who causes you to be [like] dead [note 50] at night, and knows what you work in daytime; and He brings you back to life each day [note 51] in order that a term set [by Him] be fulfilled. In the end, unto Him you must return; and then He will make you understand all that you were doing [in life].
Pickthall He it is Who gathereth you at night and knoweth that which ye commit by day. Then He raiseth you again to life therein, that the term appointed (for you) may be accomplished. And afterward unto Him is your return. Then He will proclaim unto you what ye used to do.
Transliteration Wa huwal lazi yatawaffa_kum bil laili wa ya'lamu ma_ jarahtum bin naha_ri summa yab'asukum fihi liyuqda_ ajalum musamma_(n), summa ilaihi marji'ukum summa yunabbi'ukum bima_ kuntum ta'malu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 50 – For a full explanation of the verb ‘tawaffa’ – lit., “he took [something] in full” – see note 44 on 39:42, which is the earliest instance of its use in the Quran.
note 51 – Lit., “therein” – referring to the daytime. The polarity of sleep and wakefulness contains an allusion to life and death (cf. 78:9 – 11). ]]
[[ Ali’s note - 881 As the rest of His Creation is subject to His Law and Plan, so is man's life in every particular and at every moment, awake or asleep. The mystery of Sleep-" the twin brother of death" - is called the taking of our soul by Him, with the record of all we have done in our waking moments, and this record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in dreams. By day we awaken again to our activities, and so it goes on until we fulfill the term of our life appointed for this earth. Then comes the other Sleep (death), with the longer record of our Day (Life); and then, in the end comes the Resurrection and Judgment, at which we see everything clearly and not as in dreams, for that is the final Reality. (6.60)]]
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30. Surah Ar Rum
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمِنْ
آيَاتِهِ
مَنَامُكُم
بِاللَّيْلِ
وَالنَّهَارِ
وَابْتِغَاؤُكُم
مِّن فَضْلِهِ...
30: 23. And among His Signs is the sleep that ye take by night and by day, and the quest that ye (make for livelihood) out of His Bounty:
C3528. If we consider deeply, sleep and dreams, the refreshment we get from sleep to wakefulness as well as from wakefulness to sleep, as also the state of our thoughts and feelings and sub-conscious self in these conditions, are both wonderful and mysterious.
Normally we sleep by night and do our ordinary work "in quest of the Bounty of Allah" by day. But sleep and rest may come and be necessary by day, and we may have to work by night. And our work for our livelihood may pass by insensible transitions to our work or thought or service of a higher and spiritual kind.
These processes suggest a background of things which we know but vaguely, but which are as much miracles as other Signs of Allah.
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
verily in that are Signs for those who hearken.
C3529. From verse 20 to verse 25 are mentioned a series of Signs or Miracles, which should awaken our souls and lead us to true Reality if we try to understand Allah.
1. There is our own origin and destiny, which must necessarily be our subjective starting point: "I think; therefore I am":
no particular exertion of our being is here necessary (30:20).
2. The first beginnings of social life arise through sex and love:
to understand this in all its bearing, we must "reflect" (30:21).
3. The next point is to understand our diversities in speech, color, etc., arising from differences of climate and external conditions; yet there is unity beneath that diversity, which we shall realize by extended knowledge (30:22).
4. Next we turn to our psychological conditions, sleep, rest, visions, insight, etc.; here we want teaching and guidance, to which we must hearken (30:23).
5. Next, we must approach the higher reaches of spiritual hopes and fears, as symbolized by such subtle forces of nature as lightning and electricity, which may kill the foolish or bring prosperity in its train by rain and abundant harvest; to understand the highest spiritual hopes and fears so symbolized, we want the highest wisdom (30:24).
6. And lastly, we may become so transformed that we rise above all petty, worldly, ephemeral things:
Allah calls to us and we rise, as from our dead selves to a Height which we can only describe as the Heaven of stability: here no human processes serve, for the Call of Allah Himself has come (30:25-27).
Asad’s Version:
30:23 And among His wonders is your sleep, at night or in daytime, as well as your [ability to go about in] quest of some of His bounties: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who fare willing to] listen!
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39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)
Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللَّهُ
يَتَوَفَّى
الْأَنفُسَ
حِينَ
مَوْتِهَا
...
39: 42. It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death:
C4306. The mystery of life and death, sleep and dreams, is a fascinating enigma, of which the solution is perhaps beyond the ken of man. A vast mass of superstition as well as imaginative and psychological literature has grown up about it. But the simplest and truest religious doctrine is laid down here in a few words.
In death we surrender our physical life, but our soul does not die; it goes back to a plane of existence in which it is more conscious of the realities of the spiritual world: "Allah takes the soul".
... وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا...
and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep:
C4307. Cf. 6:60.
What is sleep?
As far as animal life is concerned, it is the cessation of the working of the nervous system, though other animal functions, such as digestion, growth, and the circulation of the blood, continue, possibly at a different pace.
It is the repose of the nervous system, and in this respect it is common to man and animals, and perhaps even to plants, if, as is probable, plants have a nervous system. The mental processes (and certainly volition) are also suspended in sleep, except that in ordinary dreams there is a medley of recollections, which often present vividly to our consciousness things that do not or cannot happen in nature as we know it in our coordinated minds.
But there is another kind of dream which is rarer-one in which the dreamer sees things as they actually happen, backwards or forwards in time, or in which gifted individuals see spiritual truths otherwise imperceptible to them. How can we explain this?
It is suggested that our soul or personality,-that something which is above our animal life-is then in a plane of spiritual existence akin to physical death (see last note), when we are nearer to Allah.
In poetic imagery, Sleep is "twin-brother to Death".
... فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى...
those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life), but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed.
C4308. Sleep being twin-brother to Death, our souls are for the time being released from the bondage of the flesh. Allah takes them for the time being.
If, as some do, we are to die peacefully in sleep, our soul does not come back to the physical body, and the latter decays and die.
If we have still some period of life to fulfil according to Allah's decree, our soul comes back to the body, and we resume our functions in this life.
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾
Verily in this are Signs for those who reflect.
C4309. If we contemplate these things, we can see more clearly many spiritual truths: e.g.
1. that our bodily life and death are not the whole story of our existence;
2. that in our bodily life we may be dead to the spiritual world, and in our bodily death, may be our awakening to the spiritual world;
3. that our nightly Sleep, besides performing the function of rest to our physical life, gives us a foretaste of what we call death, which does not end our personality; and
4. that the Resurrection is not more wonderful than our daily rising from Sleep, "twin-brother to Death".
Asad’s Version:
39:42 [Asad] It is God [alone that has this power - He] who causes all human beings to die at the time of their [bodily] death, and [causes to be as dead], during their sleep, those that have not yet died: 44 thus, He withholds [from life] those upon whom He has decreed death, and lets the others go free for a term set [by Him).
In [all] this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!
Yuksel’s Version:
Person (nafs) = Consciousness
39:42 God takes the person when it dies, and during their sleep. He then keeps those that have been overtaken by death, and He sends the others back until a predetermined time. In that are signs for a people who will think.
[[Asad’s note - 44 According to Razi, this passage connects allegorically with the preceding - the light of guidance being likened to life, and man's going astray, to death or, if it is not permanent, to death-like sleep followed by awakening. Beyond this, however, we have here a reminder - in tune with the subsequent passages - of God's almightiness, and especially of His exclusive power to create and to withdraw life. As to the operative verb yatawaffa; it primarily denotes "He takes [something] away in full"; and
because death is characterized by a disappearance of all vital impulses (the "soul") from the once- living body - their being "taken away in full", as it were - this form of the verb has been used tropically, since time immemorial, in the sense of "causing to die", and (in its intransitive form) "dying" or (as a noun) "death" : a usage invariably adhered to in the Qur'an. The traditional likening of sleep to death is
due to the fact that in both cases the body appears to be devoid of consciousness, partially and temporarily in the former case, and completely and permanently in the latter. (The popular translation of anfus - pi . of nafs - as "souls" is certainly inappropriate in the above context, since, according to the fundamental teaching of the Qur'an, man's soul does not "die" at the time of his bodily death but, on the contrary, lives on indefinitely. Hence, the term anfus must be rendered here as "human beings".) ]]
ood
Night's Sleep