6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَدْ
نَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُ
لَيَحْزُنُكَ
الَّذِي يَقُولُونَ...
6: 33. We know indeed the grief which their words do cause thee:
...فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَكِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
it is not thee they reject: it is the Signs of Allah, which the wicked condemn.
وَلَقَدْ
كُذِّبَتْ
رُسُلٌ مِّن
قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ
عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ
وَأُوذُواْ
حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ
نَصْرُنَا...
6: 34. Rejected were the Messengers before thee:
with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them:
...وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ وَلَقدْ جَاءكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾
there is none that can alter the Words (and Decrees) of Allah.
Already hast thou received some account of those Messengers.
لِّكُلِّ
نَبَإٍ مُّسْتَقَرٌّ
وَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
﴿٦٧﴾
6: 67. "For every Message is a limit of time, and soon shall ye know it."
Asad’s Version:
6: 33 Well do We know that what that such people say grieves thee indeed: yet, behold, it is not thee to whom they give the lie, but God’s messages do these evildoers deny.
6:34 And, indeed, [even] before thy time have apostles been given the lie, and they endured with patience all those charges of falsehood, and all the hurt done to them, till succor came unto them from Us: for there is no power that could alter [the outcome of ] God’s promises. And some of the histories of those apostles have already come within your ken.
6: 67 Every tiding [from God] has a term set for its fulfillment: and in time you will come to know [the truth].”
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15. [al-hijr, Mecca 54]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
أَهْلَكْنَا
مِن قَرْيَةٍ
إِلاَّ وَلَهَا
كِتَابٌ مَّعْلُومٌ ﴿٤﴾
15: 4. Never did We destroy a population that had not a term decreed and assigned beforehand.
C1938. Kitabun ma'lum: literally, "a writing known".
There are many shades of meaning implied,
- For every people, as for every individual, there is a definite Term assigned: their faculty of choice gives them the opportunity of moulding their will according to Allah's Will, and thus identifying themselves with Allah's Universal Law. During that Term they will be given plenty of rope; after that Term is past, there will be no opportunity for repentance.
- Neither the righteous nor the ungodly can hasten or delay the doom: Allah's Will must prevail, and He is All-Wise.
- The destruction of a people is not an arbitrary punishment from Allah: the people bring it on themselves by their own choice; for the fixed Law or Decree of Allah is always made known to them beforehand, and in many ways.
مَّا
تَسْبِقُ مِنْ
أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا
وَمَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ ﴿٥﴾
15: 5. Neither can a people anticipate its Term, nor delay it.
C1939. Cf. 7:34. Also see the last note.
15: 4
Pickthall And We destroyed no township but there was a known decree for it.
Yuksel We have not destroyed any town except that it had an appointed time.
Transliteration Wa ma_ ahlakna_ min qaryatin illa_ wa laha_ kita_bum ma'lu_m(un).
15: 5
Pickthall No nation can outstrip its term nor can they lag behind.
Yuksel No nation can quicken its fate, nor can they delay.
Transliteration Ma_ tasbiqu min ummatin ajalaha_ wa ma_ yasta'khiru_n(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – I think what is meant here is that God’s laws are set and that dictates outcome. When an individual or community reaches the threshold of extreme wrongdoing it is destroyed. There is not set time period as such but there are set conditions for doom or destruction, if that reaches the consequence is unstoppable. ]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1938 Kitabun ma'lum: literally, "a writing known". There are many shades of meaning implied, (1) For every people, as for every individual, there is a definite Term assigned: their faculty of choice gives them the opportunity of molding their will according to Allah's Will, and thus identifying themselves with Allah's Universal Law. During that Term they will be given plenty of rope; after that Term is past, there will be no opportunity for repentance. (2) Neither the righteous nor the ungodly can hasten or delay the doom: Allah's Will must prevail, and He is All-Wise. (3) The destruction of a people is not an arbitrary punishment from Allah: the people bring it on themselves by their own choice; for the fixed Law or Decree of Allah is always made known to them beforehand, and in many ways. (15.4)
Cf. vii. 34. Also see the last note. (15.5) ]]
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20. [Ta’ha, Mecca 45]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْلَا
كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ
مِن رَّبِّكَ
لَكَانَ لِزَامًا ...
20: 129. Had it not been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (their punishment) must necessarily have come;
C2653. Cf. 10:19 and n. 1407; also 11:110.
In Allah's holy plan and Purpose, there is a wise adjustment of all interests, and a merciful chance and respite given to all, the unjust as well as the just, and His decree or word abides.
The most wicked have a term appointed for them for respite. Had it not been so, the punishment must necessarily have descended on them immediately for their evil deeds.
... وَأَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى ﴿١٢٩﴾
but there is a term appointed (for respite).
Other Versions:
20:129
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[[Asad’s note - 112 Lit., "and a term set [by Him]". This phrase, placed in the original at the end of the sentence, connects - as most of the classical commentators point out - with the opening clause of this verse, and has been rendered accordingly.
113 Cf 10:11 and 16:61. ]]
[[ Ali’s note - 2653 Cf. x. 19 and n. 1407; also xi. 110. In Allah's holy plan and Purpose, there is a wise adjustment of all interests, and a merciful chance and respite given to all, the unjust as well as the just, and His decree or word abides. The most wicked have a term appointed for them for respite. Had it not been so, the punishment must necessarily have descended on them immediately for their evil deeds. (20.129) ]]
