6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
مِن
دَآبَّةٍ
فِي
الأَرْضِ
وَلاَ
طَائِرٍ
يَطِيرُ
بِجَنَاحَيْهِ
إِلاَّ
أُمَمٌ
أَمْثَالُكُم
...
6: 38. There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you.
C859. "Animals living on the earth" include those living in the water-fishes, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, as well as four-footed beasts. Life on the wing is separately mentioned.
"Tair," which is ordinarily translated as "bird," is anything that flies, including mammals like bats.
In our pride we may exclude animals from our purview, but they live a life, social ad individual, like ourselves, and all life is subject to the Plan and Will of Allah.
In 6:59 we are told that not a leaf falls but by His Will, and things dry and green are recorded in His Book. In other words they all obey His archetypal Plan, the Book which is also mentioned here.
They are all answerable in their several degrees to His Plan ("shall be gathered to their Lord in the end"). This is not Pantheism: it is ascribing all life, activity, and existence to the Will and Plan of Allah.
...مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ...
Nothing have We omitted from the Book,
... ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.
وَالَّذِينَ
كَذَّبُواْ
بِآيَاتِنَا
صُمٌّ
وَبُكْمٌ
فِي
الظُّلُمَاتِ...
6: 39. Those who reject Our Signs are deaf and dumb, in the midst of darkness profound:
C860. The limited free will of man makes a little difference. If he sees the Signs but shuts his ears to the true Message, and refuses (like a dumb thing) to speak out the Message which all Nature proclaims, then according to the Plan ( of his limited free-will) he must suffer and wander, just as, in the opposite case, he will receive grace and salvation.
...مَن يَشَإِ اللّهُ يُضْلِلْهُ وَمَن يَشَأْ يَجْعَلْهُ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٣٩﴾
whom Allah willeth, He leaveth to wander,
whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight.
Other Versions:
6: 38
Asad although there is no beast that walks on earth and no bird that flies on its two wings which is not [God’s] creature [note 30] like yourselves: no single thing have We neglected n Our decree. And once again [note 31]: Unto their Sustainer shall they [all] be gathered.
Pickthall There is not an animal in the earth, nor a flying creature flying on two wings, but they are peoples like unto you. We have neglected nothing in the Book (of Our decrees). Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.
Transliteration Wa ma_ min da_bbatin fil ardi wa la_ ta_'iriy yatiru bi jana_haihi illa_ umamun amsa_lukum, ma_ farratna_ fil kita_bi min syai'in summa ila_ rabbihim yuhsyaru_n(a).
6: 39
Pickthall Those who deny our revelations are deaf and dumb in darkness. Whom Allah will He sendeth astray, and whom He will He placeth on a straight path.
Transliteration Wallazina kazabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ summuw wa bukmun fiz zuluma_t(i), may yasya'illa_hu yudlilhu wa may yasya' yaj'alhu 'ala_ sira_tim mustaqim(in).
[[Asad’s note 30 – Lit., “but they are [God’s] creatures (unam)” The word ‘ummah’ [of which ‘umam’ is the plural] primarily denotes a group of living beings having certain characteristics of circumstances in common. Thus, it is often synonymous with “community”, “people”, “nation”, “genus”, “generation”, and so forth. [Lisan al-Arab, with particular eference to this very Quran verse; also Lane I, 90].
Thus, the meaning of the above passage is this; Man can detect God’s “signs” or “miracles” in all the life-phenomena that surround him, and should, therefore, try to observe them with a view to better understanding ‘God’s way” [sunnat Allah] – which is the Quranic term for what we call “laws of nature”.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 858 Sins are all around them, but they do not understand. If they want a particular Sign to suit their gross ignorance, they will not be humoured, for they can always pick holes in anything that descends to their level. (6.37)
859 "Animals living on the earth" include those living in the water, - fishes, reptiles, crustaceans, insects, as well as four-footed beasts. Life on the wing is separately mentioned. "Tair," which is ordinarily translated as "bird," is anything that flies, including mammals like bats. In our pride we may exclude animals from our purview, but they all live a life, social and individual, like ourselves, and all life is subject to the Plan and the Will of God. In vi. 59 we are told that not a leaf falls but by His Will, and things dry and green are recorded in His Book. In other words they all obey His archetypal Plan, the Book which is also mentioned here. They are all answerable in their several degrees to His Plan ("shall be gathered to their Lord in the end"). This is not Pantheism: it is ascribing all life, activity, and existence to the Will and Plan of God. (6.38)
860 The limited free will of man makes a little difference. If he sees the Signs but shuts his ears to the true Message, and refuses (like a dumb thing) to speak out the Message which all Nature proclaims, then according to the Plan ( of his limited free-will) he must suffer and wander, just as, in the opposite case, he will receive grace and salvation.
(6.39) ]]
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16. [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ إِلَى الطَّيْرِ...
16: 79. Do they not look at the birds,
... مُسَخَّرَاتٍ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاء مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلاَّ اللّهُ...
held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky?
Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah.
C2113. All the wonderful things in creation are due to the artistry, power, and wisdom of Allah. Such is the flight of birds in mid-air.
So also are the inventions and discoveries, due to man's intelligence, in the next verse; for man's intelligence is a gift direct from Allah.
... إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٧٩﴾
Verily in this are Signs for those who believe.
16: 79
Asad Have, then, they never considered the birds, enabled to fly in mid-air, with none but God holding them aloft? In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who will believe!
Pickthall Have they not seen the birds obedient in mid-air? None holdeth them save Allah. Lo! herein, verily, are portents for a people who believe.
Transliteration Alam yarau ilat tairi musakhkhara_tin fi jawwis sama_'(i),ma_ yumsikuhunna illalla_h(u), inna fi za_lika la a_ya_til liqaumiy yu'minu_n(a).
[Ruby’s note: The birds can sustain flight because they are created and the air of sky is created in such a way that they can fly. God is the ultimate cause of all causes, He is the Sustainer of the reality. The verse indicates here not the transitory cause of aerodynamics to sustain birds in the sky through their ability to maneuver wings in particular way against the air, but of the ultimate Cause which Sustains the intermediate physical cause.]
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67. Sura Al-Mulk (Dominion)
Mecca 77
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ ...
67: 19. Do they not observe the birds above them,
C5576. The flight of birds is one of the most beautiful and wonderful things in nature. The make and arrangement of their feathers and bones, and their stream-line shapes, from beak to tail, are instances of purposive adaptation. They soar with outstretched wings; they dart about with folded wings; their motions upwards and downwards, as well as their stabilization in the air, and when they rest on their feet, have given many ideas to man in the science and art of aeronautics.
But who taught or gave to birds this wonderful adaptation?
None but Allah, Whose infinite Mercy provides for every creature just those conditions which are best adapted for its life.
... صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ...
spreading their wings and folding them in?
C5577. In the Arabic, there is an artistic touch which it is not possible to reproduce in the translation. Saffat(spreading their wings) is in the form of the active participle, suggesting the continuous soaring on outspread wings; while yaqbidhna (folding them in) is in the Aorist form, suggesting the spasmodic flapping of wings.
... مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحْمَنُ ...
None can uphold them except (Allah) Most Gracious:
إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ ﴿١٩﴾
truly it is He that watches over all things.
Asad’s Version:
67:19 Have they, then, never beheld the birds above them, spreading their wings and drawing them in? None but the Most Gracious upholds them: for, verily, He keeps all things in His sight.