3. Sura al-Imran [Medina]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَوَلَمَّا
أَصَابَتْكُم
مُّصِيبَةٌ
قَدْ أَصَبْتُم
مِّثْلَيْهَا
قُلْتُمْ أَنَّى
هَـذَا...
3: 165. What! when a single disaster smites you, although ye smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, do ye say?
"Whence is this?"
...قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٦٥﴾
Say (to them): "It is from yourselves:
for Allah hath power over all things."
C474. If Uhud was a reverse to the Muslims, they had inflicted a reverse twice as great on the Makkans at Badr.
This reverse was not without Allah's permission, for He wanted to test and purify the faith of those who followed Islam, and to show them that they must strive and do all in their power to deserve Allah's help.
If they disobeyed orders and neglected discipline, they must attribute the disaster to themselves and not to Allah.
وَلِلّهِ
مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضِ
...
3: 189. To Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth;
... وَاللّهُ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٨٩﴾
and Allah hath power over all things.
Other Versions:
3: 165
Asad And do you, now that a calamity has befallen you after you had inflicted twice as much [on your foes] [note 126], ask yourselves, “How has this come about?” Say: “It has come from your own selves.”[note 127]. Verily, God has the power to will anything:
Pickthall And was it so, when a disaster smote you, though ye had smitten (them with a disaster) twice (as great), that ye said: How is this? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): It is from yourselves. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Awalamma_ asa_batkum musibatun qad asabtum mislaiha_, qultum anna_ ha_za_, qul huwa min 'indi anfusikum, innalla_ha 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
3:189
Asad AND UNTO GOD belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth: and God has the power to will anything.
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5. [al-Maidah, Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَّقَدْ
كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ
قَآلُواْ إِنَّ
اللّهَ هُوَ
الْمَسِيحُ
ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
...
5: 17. In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary.
... قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللّهِ شَيْئًا ...
Say:
"Who then hath the least power against Allah,
... إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ...
if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all, everyone that is on the earth?
... وَلِلّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا...
For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between.
... يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء ...
He createth what He pleaseth.
C717. The most honoured of the prophets of Allah are but men.
All power belongs to Allah, and not to any man. Allah's creation may take many forms, but because in any particular form it is different from what we see daily around us, it does not cease to be Creation, or to be subject to the power of Allah. No creature can be God.
... وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٧﴾
For Allah hath power over all things."
يَا
أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ
قَدْ جَاءكُمْ
رَسُولُنَا
يُبَيِّنُ
لَكُمْ عَلَى
فَتْرَةٍ مِّنَ
الرُّسُلِ ...
5: 19. O People of the Book!
now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in (the series of) Our messengers,
C720. The six hundred years (in round figures) between Christ and Muhammad were truly the dark ages of the world.
Religion was corrupted: the standard of morals fell low: many false systems and heresies arose; and there was a break in the succession of prophets until the advent of Muhammad.
... أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا جَاءنَا مِن بَشِيرٍ وَلاَ نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ ...
lest ye should say: there came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil): but now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil):
... وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٩﴾
and Allah hath power over all things.
أَلَمْ
تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ
اللّهَ لَهُ
مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضِ...
5: 40. Knowest thou not that to Allah (alone) belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth?
C743. Punishment really does not belong to mortals, but to Allah alone.
Only, in order to keep civil society together, and protect innocent people from crime, certain principles are laid down on which people can build up their criminal law. But we must always remember that Allah not only punishes but forgives, and forgiveness is the attribute which is more prominently placed before us.
It is not our wisdom that can really define the bounds of forgiveness or punishment, but His Will or Plan, which is the true standard of righteousness and justice.
... يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاء وَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاء...
He punisheth whom He pleaseth, and He forgiveth whom He pleaseth:
... وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿٤٠﴾
and Allah hath power over all things.
Other Versions:
5: 17
Asad Indeed, the truth deny they who say, “Behold, God is the Christ, son of Mary.” Say:
“and who could have prevailed with God in any way had it been His will to destroy the Christ, son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone who is on earth – all of them?
For, God’s is the dominion over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; He creates what He wills : and God has the power to will anything!”
5: 19
Asad O followers of the Bible! Now, after a long time during which no apostles have appeared, there has come unto you [this] Our Apostle to make clear to you, lest you say, :No bearer of glad tidings has come unto us, not any warner”. For now thee has come unto you a bearer of glad tidings and a warner – since God has the power to will anything.
Pickthall O people of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you to make things plain after an interval (of cessation) of the messengers, lest ye should say: There came not unto us a messenger of cheer nor any warner. Now hath a messenger of cheer and a warner come unto you. Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Ya_ ahlal kita_bi qad ja_'akum rasu_luna_ yubayyinu lakum'ala_ fatratim minar rusuli an taqu_lu_ ma_ ja_'ana_ mim basyiriw wa nazir(in), fa qad ja_'akum basyiruw wa nazir(un), walla_hu 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
5: 40
Asad Do you not know that God’s is the dominion over the heavens and the earth? He chastises whom He wills, and He forgives who He wills: for God has the power to will anything.
Pickthall Knowest thou not that unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth? He punisheth whom He will, and forgiveth whom He will. Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Alam ta'lam annalla_ha lahu_ mulkus sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), yu'azzibu may yasya_'u wa yagfiru limay yasya_'(u), walla_hu 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
[[ Ali’s note - 743 Punishment really does not belong to mortals, but to Allah alone. Only, in order to keep civil society together, and protect innocent people from crime, certain principles are laid down on which people can build up their criminal law. But we must always remember that Allah not only punishes but forgives, and forgiveness is the attribute which is more prominently placed before us. It is not our wisdom that can really define the bounds of forgiveness or punishment, but His Will or Plan, which is the true standard of righteousness and justice. (5.40)
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14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يُثَبِّتُ
اللّهُ الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ بِالْقَوْلِ
الثَّابِتِ
فِي الْحَيَاةِ
الدُّنْيَا
وَفِي الآخِرَةِ...
14: 27. Allah will establish in strength those who believe, with the Word that stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter;
...وَيُضِلُّ اللّهُ الظَّالِمِينَ...
but Allah will leave, to stray, those who do wrong:
...وَيَفْعَلُ اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء ﴿٢٧﴾
Allah doeth what He willeth.
C1903. His Will and Plan may be above comprehension, but will prevail over all things. It is not like the will of man, who may plan good things but is not necessarily able to carry them out.
Other Versions:
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35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
Asad’s Version:
In The Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
35:1
ALL PRAISE is due to God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, who causes the angels to be [His] message-bearers, endowed with wings, two, or three, or four. 1
[Unceasingly] He adds to His creation whatever He wills: 2 for, verily, God has the power to will anything.
(35:2) Whatever grace God opens up to man, none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds, none can henceforth release: for He alone is almighty, truly wise.
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22. [al-Hall, Medina 103]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَدْعُو
لَمَن ضَرُّهُ
أَقْرَبُ مِن
نَّفْعِهِ...
22: 13. (Perhaps) they call on one whose hurt is nearer than his profit:
C2784. Such false worship is not always neutral, bringing neither harm nor good.
Perhaps the harm comes first, and there is no help from Allah. Such minds are themselves demoralised, and render themselves unfit for help!
...لَبِئْسَ الْمَوْلَى وَلَبِئْسَ الْعَشِيرُ ﴿١٣﴾
evil, indeed, is the patron, and evil the companion (for help)!
أَلَمْ
تَرَ أَنَّ
اللَّهَ يَسْجُدُ
لَهُ مَن فِي
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ
وَالشَّمْسُ
وَالْقَمَرُ
وَالنُّجُومُ
...
22: 18. Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth -- the sun, the moon, the stars;
C2790. Cf. 21:79, and n. 2733.
All created things, animate and inanimate, depend on Allah for their existence, and this dependence can be construed as their Sajdah or bowing down in worship.
Their very existence proclaims their dependence. How can they be objects of worship?
...وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ...
the hills, the trees, the animals;
...وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ...
and a great number among mankind?
...وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ...
But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment:
For haqqa in this verse. Cf. 15:64, n. 1990.
...وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ...
and such as Allah shall disgrace -- none can rise to honor:
...إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاء ﴿١٨﴾
for Allah carries out all that He wills.
C2791. Cf. 22:16. There the argument was that those who work in harmony with Allah's Law and Will will get their reward, for Allah always carries out His Plan.
Here is the Parallel argument: those who defy Allah's Will must suffer pain and disgrace, for Allah is well able to carry out His Will.
Other Versions:
22:13
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22: 18
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[[Asad’s note -
21 For the meaning of this "prostration", see 13:15 and 16:48-9, and the corresponding notes. My rendering of the relative pronoun man, in this context, as "all [things and beings] that..." is explained in note 33 on 13:15.
22 According to Zamakhshari and Razi, this interpolated phrase - with its stress on "consciously" is an elliptically implied predicate (khabar) linked with the preceding nominal subject (mubtada 1 ): the purport being that although everything in creation "prostrates itself" before God, willingly or unwillingly (cf 13:15), not all human beings do so consciously. ]]
[[ Ali’s notes:
18. Seest thou not that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth -- the sun, the moon, the stars;
C2790. Cf. 21:79, and n. 2733.
All created things, animate and inanimate, depend on Allah for their existence, and this dependence can be construed as their Sajdah or bowing down in worship.
Their very existence proclaims their dependence. How can they be objects of worship?
...وَالْجِبَالُ وَالشَّجَرُ وَالدَّوَابُّ...
the hills, the trees, the animals;
...وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ...
and a great number among mankind?
...وَكَثِيرٌ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَذَابُ...
But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment:
For haqqa in this verse. Cf. 15:64, n. 1990.
...وَمَن يُهِنِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّكْرِمٍ...
and such as Allah shall disgrace -- none can rise to honor:
...إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاء ﴿١٨﴾
for Allah carries out all that He wills.
C2791. Cf. 22:16. There the argument was that those who work in harmony with Allah's Law and Will will get their reward, for Allah always carries out His Plan.
Here is the Parallel argument: those who defy Allah's Will must suffer pain and disgrace, for Allah is well able to carry out His Will.]]
