32. As-Sajdah (Prostration), 30 verses

Mecca Period 75

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ...

32: 11. Say:

"The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls:

C3642. If death is certain, as it is, and this life by itself in no way satisfies our instincts and expectations, we may be sure that the agency which separates our soul from our body will bring us into the new world.

If we believe in a soul at all-the very foundation of Religion-we must believe in a Future, without which the soul has no meaning.

... ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١١﴾

then shall ye be brought back to your Lord."

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الْمُجْرِمُونَ نَاكِسُو رُؤُوسِهِمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ...

32: 12. If only thou couldst see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord,

... رَبَّنَا أَبْصَرْنَا وَسَمِعْنَا فَارْجِعْنَا ...

(saying:)

"Our Lord! We have seen and we have heard: now then send us back (to the world):

C3643. In life on the new plane, there will be no room for deception or self-deception. The most hardened sinner will see the truth and the justice of the Day of Account. He will wish he could be sent back, but it will be too late. The world as we know it will have already passed away.

... نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ ﴿١٢﴾

we will work righteousness: for we do indeed (now) believe."

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَآتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَاهَا...

32: 13. If We had so willed, We could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance:

C3644. Could evil have been avoided?

Certainly everything is in Allah's power. If it had been His Will and Plan, He could have created a world in which there would have been no choice or will in any of His creatures. But that was not His Will and Plan.

In the world as we see it, man has a certain amount of choice and free-will. That being so, He has provided Signs and means of instruction for man, in order that man's will may be straight and pure.

A necessary corollary will be Punishment for the infraction of His Law. That Punishment must come to pass, for Allah's Word is true and must be fulfilled.

... وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي ...

but the Word from Me will come true.

C3645. Cf. 11:119. n. 1623, and 7:18, and see last note.

Jinns are the evil spirits that tempt men, and the men who will suffer punishment will be those who have succumbed to their temptations.

... لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٣﴾

"I will fill Hell with Jinns and men all together."

Asad’s Version:

32:11

Say: "(One day,] the angel of death who has been given charge of you will gather you, and then unto your Sustainer you will be brought back."

(32: 12) If thou couldst but see [how it will be on Judgment Day), when those who are lost in sin will hang their heads before their Sustainer, [saying:) "O our Sustainer! [Now] we have seen, and we have heard! Return us, then, [to our earthly life) that we may do good deeds: for [now], behold, we are certain [of the truth]!"

32:13 Yet had We so willed, We could indeed have imposed Our guidance upon every human being: 12 but [We have not willed it thus - and so] that word of Mine has come true: "Most certainly will I fill hell with invisible beings as well as with humans, all together!" 13