29. Al-'Ankabut (The Spider)
Period Uncertain
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
خَلَقَ
اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضَ
بِالْحَقِّ...
29:44. Allah created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions):
In all Allah's Creation, not only is there evidence of intelligent Purpose, fitting all parts together with wisdom, but also of supreme Goodness and cherishing Care, by which all needs are satisfied and all the highest and truest cravings fulfilled. These are like beckoning signals to lead on those who pray and search in Faith.
...إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٤٤﴾
verily in that is a Sign for those who believe.
Asad’s Version:
(29:44) [Asad] [and hence are certain that] God has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth: 3 ' for, behold, in this [very creation] there is a message indeed for all who believe [in Him].
Yuksel’s Version:
29:44 God created the heavens and the earth, with truth. In that is a sign for the faithful.
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30. Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)
Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَعْدَ
اللَّهِ...
30: 6. (It is) the promise of Allah.
C3510. The promise refers to the Decision of all things by the Command of Allah, Who will remove all troubles and difficulties from the path of His righteous Believers, and help them to rejoice over the success of their righteous Cause.
This refers to all times and all situations. The righteous should not despair in their darkest moments, for Allah's help will come.
Ordinarily men are puffed up if they score a seeming temporary success against the righteous, and do not realize that Allah's Will can never be thwarted.
... لَا يُخْلِفُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦﴾
Never does Allah depart from His promise: but most men understand not.
يَعْلَمُونَ
ظَاهِرًا مِّنَ
الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا...
30:7. They know but the outer (things) in the life of this world:
C3511. Men are misled by the outward show of things, though the inner reality may be quite different.
Many seeming disasters are really godsends if we only understood.
... وَهُمْ عَنِ الْآخِرَةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ ﴿٧﴾
but of the End of things they are heedless.
C3512. Akhirat: may refer to the End of things or enterprises in history as well as the Hereafter in the technical theological sense.
أَوَلَمْ
يَتَفَكَّرُوا
فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ...
30: 8. Do they not reflect in their own minds?
... مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
Not but for just ends and for a term appointed, did Allah create the heavens and the earth, and all between them:
C3513. Cf. 15:85.
Here the argument is about the ebb and flow of worldly power, and the next clause is appropriately added, "and for a term appointed". Let not any one who is granted worldly power or advantage run away with the notion that it is permanent. It is definitely limited in the high Purpose of Allah, which is just and true. And an account will have to be given of it afterwards on basis of strict personal responsibility.
... وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ بِلِقَاء رَبِّهِمْ لَكَافِرُونَ ﴿٨﴾
yet are there truly many among men who deny the meeting with their Lord (at the Resurrection)!
C3514. It is therefore all the more strange that there should be men who not only forget themselves but even deny that there is a return to Allah or an End or Hereafter, when a full reckoning will be due for this period of probation.
They are asked to study past history, as in the next verse
Asad’s Version:
30:6 [This is] God's promise. Never does God fail to fulfil His promise - but most people know [it] not:
(30:7) they know but the outer surface of this world's life, whereas of the ultimate things they are utterly unaware. 4 (30:8) Have they never learned to think for themselves? 5
God has not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth and a term set [by Him]: 6 and yet, behold, there are many people who stubbornly deny the truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer!
[[Asad Notes- 4 The term al-akhirah circumscribes, in this context, both the inner reality of this world's life and the ultimate reality of the hereafter.
5 Lit., "Have they never thought within themselves?"
6 I.e., in contrast to God, who is eternal and unlimited, everything created is limited and subject to change and termination. As regards my rendering of ilia bi'1-haqq (lit., "otherwise than with [or "in"] truth") as "without [an inner] truth", see note 1 1 on the second sentence of 10:5. ]]