God Commands Justice
7. [al-araf, Mecca 39]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
أَمَرَ
رَبِّي
بِالْقِسْطِ...
7: 29. Say:
"My Lord hath commanded justice;
...وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ...
and that ye set your whole selves (to him) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon him, making your devotion sincere as in his sight:
C1010. For wajh, see 2:112 and n. 114.
Our devotion should be sincere, not as in other men's sight, but by presenting our whole selves, heart and soul, to Allah. Even so, it may not be enough; for the sight of our heart and soul may be faulty.
We should call upon Allah to give us the light, by which our sincerity may commend itself to Him as true sincerity "as in His sight"
...كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ ﴿٢٩﴾
such as he created you in the beginning, so shall ye return."
C1011. Cf. 6:94.
Our sincerity should be real sincerity, as in His sight for when we return to Him, we shall be stripped of all pretence, even such self-deception as may satisfy us in this life.
فَرِيقًا
هَدَى
وَفَرِيقًا
حَقَّ
عَلَيْهِمُ
الضَّلاَلَةُ...
7: 30. Some He hath guided:
others have (by their choice) deserved the loss of their way:
C1012. Guidance is for all. But in some it takes effect: in others the doors are closed against it, because they have taken Satan for their friend.
If they have lost their way, they have richly deserved it; for they deliberately took their choice, even though, in their self-righteousness, they may think that their sin is their virtue, and that their Evil is their Good.
...إِنَّهُمُ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ اللّهِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
in that they took the evil ones, in preference to Allah, for their friends and protectors, and think that they receive guidance.
Other Versions:
7: 29
Asad Say: “My Sustainer has [but] enjoined the doing of what is right; and [He desires you to] put your whole being into every act of wrship [note21],
Pickthall Say: My Lord enjoin justice. And set your faces, upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).
Transliteration Qul amara rabbi bil qist(i), wa aqimu_ wuju_hakum 'inda kulli masjidiw wad'u_hu mukhlisina lahud din(a), kama_ bada'akum ta'u_du_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 21 – The term “wajh” (lit., “face”) occurring here is often used, in the abstract sense, to denote a person’s entire being or entire attention – as, for instance, in the phrase ‘aslamtu wajhi li’llahi’, “I have surrendered my whole being unto God”(3:20). The word masjid, which usually signifies the time or place of prostration in prayer (sujud), evidently stands in this context – as well as in verse 31 below – for any act of worship.]]
7: 30
Pickthall A party hath He led aright, while error hath just hold over (another) party, for lo! they choose the devils for protecting friends instead of Allah and deem that they are rightly guided.
Transliteration Fariqan hada_ wa fariqan haqqa 'alaihimud dala_lah(tu), innahumuttakhazusy syaya_tina auliya_'a min du_nilla_hi wa yahsabu_na annahum muhtadu_n(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – This indicates why one can lose God’s guidance when one chose deliberately a wrong path.]
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10. [Yunus, Mecca 51]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِلَيْهِ
مَرْجِعُكُمْ
جَمِيعًا...
10: 4. To Him will be your return -- of all of you.
...وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقًّا...
The promise of Allah is true and sure.
C1388. Haqq: true, right, for just ends, in right proportions, sure and certain:
all these ideas are implied.
...إِنَّهُ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ...
It is He Who beginneth the process of Creation, and repeateth it,
C1389. Cf. n. 120 to 2:117.
Allah's creation is not a simple act, once done and finished with. It is continuous, and there are many stages, not the least important of which is the Hereafter, when the fruits of our life will be achieved.
...لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ بِالْقِسْطِ ...
that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness,
...وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٤﴾
but those who reject Him will have nothing but draughts of boiling fluids, and a Penalty grievous: because they did reject Him.
C1390. Hamim: boiling fluid:
it is associated as in 38:57, with gassaq, a dark, murky, or intensely cold fluid; both indicative of the grievous penalty that results from rebellion against Allah.
Pickthall’s Version:
10: 4
Pickthall Unto Him is the return of all of you; it is a promise of Allah in truth. Lo! He produceth creation, then reproduceth it, that He may reward those who believe and do good works with equity; while, as for those who disbelieve, theirs will be a boiling drink and painful doom because they disbelieved.
Transliteration Ilaihi marji'ukum jami'a_(n), wa'dalla_hi haqqa_(n), innahu_ yabda'ul khalqa summa yu'iduhu_ liyajziyal lazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti bil qist(i), wallazina kafaru_ lahum syara_bum min hamimiw wa 'aza_bun alimum bima_ ka_nu_ yakfuru_n(a).
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11. Surah Hud
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
يَنفَعُكُمْ
نُصْحِي إِنْ
أَرَدتُّ أَنْ
أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ
إِن كَانَ اللّهُ
يُرِيدُ أَن
يُغْوِيَكُمْ...
11: 34. "Of no profit will be my counsel to you, much as I desire to give you (good) counsel, if it be that Allah willeth to leave you astray:
C1527. But Noah's heart bleeds for his people. They are preparing their own undoing! All his efforts are to be vain! Obstinate as they are, Allah's grace must be withdrawn, and then who can help them, and what use is any counsel?
But again he will try to remind them of their Lord, and turn their face to Him. For their ultimate return to His judgment-seat is certain, to answer for their conduct.
...هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾
He is your Lord! and to Him will ye return!"
11: 34
Asad For, my advice will not benefit you- if it be God’s will that you shall remain lost in grievous error. He is your Sustainer, and unto Him you must return.”
Pickthall My counsel will not profit you if I were minded to advise you, if Allah's will is to keep you astray. He is your lord and unto Him ye will be brought hack.
Transliteration Wa la_ yanfa'ukum nushi in arattu an ansaha lakum in ka_nalla_hu yuridu ay yugwiyakum, huwa rabbukum, wa ilaihi turja'u_n(a).
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3. [al-I’Imran, Medina 89 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَفَغَيْرَ
دِينِ
اللّهِ
يَبْغُونَ...
3: 83. Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?
...وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا ...
While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (accepted Islam),
C417. Allah's Truth is manifest, and all that is good and true and sane and normal accepts it with joy.
But even where there is "disease in the heart" (2:10), or judgment is obscured by perversity, every creature must eventually see and acknowledge Allah and His power (2:167).
Cf. R. Bridges: "Testament of Beauty": iv. 1419-22:-
"For God's love is unescapable as nature's environment, which if a man ignore or think to thrust it off, he is the ill-natured fool that runneth blindly on death."
All Nature adores Allah, and Islam asks for nothing peculiar or sectarian; it but asks that we follow our nature and make our will conformable to Allah's Will as seen in Nature, history, and revelation.
Its message is universal.
... وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٨٣﴾
and to Him shall they all be brought back.
Other Versions:
3: 83
Asad Do they seek, perchance, a faith other than in God (note 66), although it is unto Him that whatever is in the heavens and on earth surrenders itself, willingly or unwillingly, since unto Him all must return.
Yusuf Ali Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah? While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have willing or unwilling bowed to His Will (accepted Islam) and to Him shall they all be brought back.
Pickthall Seek they other than the religion of Allah, when unto Him submitteth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly, or unwillingly, and unto Him they will be returned.
Transliteration Afagaira dinilla_hi yabgu_na wa lahu_ aslama man fis sama_wa_ti wal ardi tau'aw wa karhaw wa ilaihi yurja'u_n(a).
[ Ali’s note -417 Allah's Truth is manifest, and all that is good and true and sane and normal accepts it with joy. But even where there is "disease in the heart" (Q. ii. 10), or judgment is obscured by perversity, every creature must eventually see and acknowledge Allah and His power (ii. 167). Cf. R. Bridges: "Testament of Beauty": iv. 1419-22:-"For God's love is unescapable as nature's environment, which if a man ignore or think to thrust it off, he is the ill-natured fool that runneth blindly on death." All Nature adores Allah, and Islam asks for nothing peculiar or sectarian; it but asks that we follow our nature and make our will conformable to Allah's Will as seen in Nature, history, and revelation. Its message is universal. (3.83) ]
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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.
وَهُوَ
الْقَاهِرُ
فَوْقَ
عِبَادِهِ
...
6: 61. He is the Irresistible, (watching) from above over his worshippers,
... وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً...
and He sets guardians over you.
C882. Guardians: most commentators understand this to mean guardian angels. The idea of guardianship is expressed in a general term.
Allah watches over us and guards us, and provides all kinds of agencies, material, moral, and spiritual, to help our growth and development, keep us from harm, and bring us nearer to our Destiny.
...حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا...
At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul,
C883. Angel: the word used is rusul, the Sent Ones, -the same word as for human Messengers sent by Allah to teach mankind.
The agents who come to take our souls at death are accurate in the performance of their duty. They come neither before nor after their appointed time, nor do they do it in any manner other than that fixed by the Command of Allah.
...وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
and they never fail in their duty.
ثُمَّ
رُدُّواْ
إِلَى
اللّهِ
مَوْلاَهُمُ
الْحَقِّ
أَلاَ
لَهُ
الْحُكْمُ
...
6: 62. Then are men returned unto Allah, their True Protector, the (only) reality:
Surely His is the Command?
C884. The only Reality: al-haqq, the Truth, the only True One.
The point is that our illusions of the life of this lower world now vanish, when we are rendered back to Allah, from Whom we came. And now we find that so far from the results of our actions being delayed, they follow more swiftly than we can express in terms of Time.
Here is the answer to the taunt of those who were impatient of the working of Allah's Plans (6:57-58). (R).
... وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ ﴿٦٢﴾
And He is the swiftest in taking account.
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)]]
6: 61
Asad And He alone holds sway over His servants. And He sends forth heavenly forces to watch over you [note 52] until, when death approaches any of you, Our messengers cause him to die: and they do not over look [anyone].
Pickthall He is the Omnipotent over His slaves. He send guardians over you until, when death comes unto one of you, Our messengers receive him, and they neglect not.
Transliteration Wa huwal qa_hiru fauqa'iba_dihi wa yursilu 'alaikum hafazah(tan), hatta_ iza_ ja_'a ahadakumul mautu tawaffathu rusuluna_ wa hum la_ yufarritu_n(a).
6: 62
Asad And they [who have died] are thereupon brought before God, their true Lord Supreme. Oh, verily, His alone is all judgment: and He is the swiftest of all reckoners!
Yusuf Ali Then are men returned unto Allah their Protector the (only) reality: is not His the Command? And He is the swiftest in taking account.
Pickthall Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners.
Transliteration Summa ruddu_ ilalla_hi maula_humul haqq(i),ala_ lahul hukmu wa huwa asra'ul ha_sibin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 52 –Lit., “sends forth guardians over you”. ]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 882 Guardians: most commentators understand this to mean guardian angels. The idea of guardianship is expressed in a general term. God watches over us and guards us, and provides all kinds of agencies, material, moral, and spiritual, to help our growth and development, keep us from harm, and bring us nearer to our Destiny. (6.61)
883 Angel: the word used is rusul, the Sent Ones, -the same word as for human Apostles and Messengers sent by God to teach mankind. The agents who come to take our souls at death are accurate in the performance of their duty. They come neither before nor after their appointed time, nor do they do it in any manner other than that fixed by the Command of God. (6.61)
884 The only Reality: al-haqq, the Truth, the only True One. The point is that our illusions of the life of this lower world now vanish, when we are rendered back to God, from Whom we came. And now we find that so far from the results of our actions being delayed, they follow more swiftly than we can express in terms of Time. Here is the answer to the taunt of those who were impatient of the working of God's Plans (vi. 57-58). (6.62) ]]
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15. [al-Hijr, Mecca 54]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإنَّا لَنَحْنُ
نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ ...
15: 23. And verily, it is We Who give life, and who give death:
C1963. Note how the argument has mounted up from 15:16 onwards to 15:23 -from things most remote from man to things touching his inmost being, and each of them in its own way is a wonderful instance of Allah's glory and goodness, and the beauty, order and harmony of His creation.
- First, the heavens, the zodiacal Signs, the stars , and the mysterious phenomena that we see above us;
- then the earth, and the perfect balance of life and forces therein, with man as an important factor, but not the only factor;
- then, the inexhaustible sources of energy, of which Allah alone is the Provider, but which come to us in measured proportions, as needed; and lastly, Life and Death itself, which will pass away but Allah will remain.
A noble passage, and a fine vindication of Allah's wisdom and providence in dealing with His creatures.
... وَنَحْنُ الْوَارِثُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
it is We Who remain Inheritors (after all else passes away).
C1964. Literally, "We are the Heirs, or Inheritors,"
Cf. 3:180; "To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth."
See also the latter part of n. 988 to 6:165.
Pickthall’s Version:
15: 23
Pickthall Lo! and it is We, even We, Who quicken and give death, and We are the Inheritor.
Transliteration Wa inna_ lanahnu nuhyi wa numitu wa nahnul wa_risin(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 1963 Note how the argument has mounted up from xv. 16 onwards to xv. 23-from things most remote from man to things touching his inmost being, and each of them in its own way is a wonderful instance of Allah's glory and goodness, and the beauty, order and harmony of His creation. First, the heavens, the zodiacal Signs, the stars , and the mysterious phenomena that we see above us; then the earth, and the perfect balance of life and forces therein, with man as an important factor, but not the only factor; then, the inexhaustible sources of energy, of which Allah alone is the Provider, but which come to us in measured proportions, as needed; and lastly, Life and Death itself, which will pass away but Allah will remain. A noble passage, and a fine vindication of Allah's wisdom and providence in dealing with His creatures. (15.23)
1964 Literally, "We are the Heirs, or Inheritors," Cf. iii. 180; "To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth." See also the latter part of n. 988 to vi. 165. (15.23)