39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)

Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُ...

39: 36. Is not Allah enough for His servant?

C4296. The righteous man will find Allah enough for all the protection he needs, all the rest and peace he craves for, and all the happiness he can imagine.

If the evil ones wish to frighten him with false gods, he knows that that is mere superstition.

In the case of idols to whom worship is paid, this is easily intelligible. But there are other false gods which men worship,-wealth, position, power, science, selfish desire, and so on.

The idea may occur to them: "this is the right course, but what will men say?" or "shall I lose my case if I tell the truth?" or "will it ruin my chances if I denounce sin in high places?" All such false gods will only mislead and leave their victims in the lurch. The worship of them will lose them the Mercy of Allah, which wants to guide and comfort all who seek Allah.

... وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِالَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ...

But they try to frighten thee with other (gods) besides him!

... وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴿٣٦﴾

For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide.

وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّضِلٍّ...

39: 37. And such as Allah doth guide there can be none to lead astray,

C4297. On the other hand if any one holds fast to Allah's Truth, nothing can mislead or betray him.

... أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍ ذِي انتِقَامٍ ﴿٣٧﴾

is not Allah Exalted in Power, (able to enforce His Will), Lord of Retribution?

C4298. Allah's Power can protect, and will defeat all plots against His Will, as well as punish Evil when it gets beyond bounds.

Asad’s Version:

39:36 IS NOT God enough for His servant? And yet, they would frighten thee with those [imaginary divine powers which they worship] beside Him! 39 But he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide;

(39:37) whereas he whom God guides aright can never be led astray. Is not God almighty, an avenger of evil? And thus it is [with most people): 40 thou ask them, "Who is it that has created the heavens and the earth?" - they Will surely answer, "God." 41

Say: "Have you, then, ever considered what it is that you invoke instead of God? If God wills that harm should befall me, could those [imaginary powers] remove the harm inflicted by Him? Or, if He wills that grace should alight on me, could they withhold His grace [from me]?" Say: "God is enough for me! In Him [alone] place their trust all who have trust [in His existence]."