3. [al-Imran, Medina 89 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
أَصَابَكُمْ
يَوْمَ الْتَقَى
الْجَمْعَانِ
فَبِإِذْنِ
اللّهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
﴿١٦٦﴾
3: 166. What ye suffered on the day the two armies met, was with the leave of Allah, in order that He might test the believers.
C475. Test: literally know.
See n. 467 to 3:154.
وَلْيَعْلَمَ
الَّذِينَ
نَافَقُواْ...
3: 167. And the Hypocrites also.
C476. The testing of the Hypocrites was the searching out of their motives and exposing them to the sight of their brethren, who might otherwise have been taken in.
In the first place they gave counsels of caution: in their minds it was nothing but cowardice.
In the second place, what they wished was not the good of the community but its being placed in a contemptible position. When others were for self-sacrifice, they were for ease and fair words. Pretending to be Muslims, they were nearer to Unbelief.
Ironically they pretended to know nothing of fighting, and left their devout brethren to defend their faith and ideas. If that devout spirit did not appeal to them, they might at least have defended their city of Madinah when it was threatened,-defended their hearths and homes as good citizens.
...وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ قَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُواْ...
These were told: "Come, fight in the way of Allah, or (at least) drive (the foe from your city)."
...قَالُواْ لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالاً لاَّتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ ...
They say: "Had we known how to fight, we should certainly have followed you."
...هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلإِيمَانِ ...
They were that day nearer to unbelief than to faith,
...يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ ﴿١٦٧﴾
saying with their lips what was not in their hearts.
But Allah hath full knowledge of all they conceal.
3: 166
Asad and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by God’s leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers,
Pickthall That which befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He might know the true believers;
Transliteration Wa ma_ asa_bakum yaumal taqal jam'a_ni fa bi'iznilla_hi wa liya'lamal mu'minin(a).
3: 167
Asad and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and, when they were told, “Come, fight in God’s cause” – or, “Defend yourselves” [ note 128] – answered, “If we but knew [that it would come to a ] fight, we would indeed follow you.” Unto apostasy were they nearer on that day than unto faith, uttering with their mouths something which was not in heir hearts [note 129], the while God knew fully well what they were trying to conceal:
Pickthall And that He might know the hypocrites, unto whom it was said: Come, fight in the way of Allah, or defend yourselves. They answered: If we knew aught of fighting we would follow you. On that day they were nearer disbelief than faith. They utter with their mouths a thing which is not in their hearts. Allah is best aware of what they hide.
Transliteration Wa liya'lamal lazina na_faqu_, wa qila lahum ta'a_lau qa_tilu_ fi sabililla_hi awidfa'u_, qa_lu_ lau na'lamu qita_lal lattaba'na_kum, hum lilkufri yauma'izin aqrabu minhum lil'ima_n(i), yaqu_lu_na biafwa_hihim ma_ laisa fi qulu_bihim, walla_hu a'lamu bima_ yaktumu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 128 Only a fight in self-defense – in the widest meaning of this term – can be considered a “fight in God’s cause” (see 2: 190-194, and the corresponding notes); and, thus, the particle “or” between these two phrases is almost synonymous with the expression “in other words”.
129 – This is an allusion to the three hundred men who, on the way from Medina to Mount Uhud, forsook the Prophet on the specious plea that he did not really intend to give battle (see note 90 above). But since they knew in their hearts that it would come to a fight, their defection from God’s cause almost amounted to a denial of him (kufr, here rendered as “apostasy”) ]]
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5. [al-Maidah, Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ أَوْفُواْ
بِالْعُقُودِ
...
5: 1. O ye who believe!
fulfil (all) obligations.
C682. This line has been justly admired for its terseness and comprehensiveness.
Obligations: 'uqud the Arabic word implies so many things that a whole chapter of Commentary can be written on it.
First, there are the divine obligations that arise from our spiritual nature and our relation to Allah.
- He created us and implanted in us the faculty of knowledge and foresight: besides the intuition and reason which He gave us.
He made Nature responsive to our needs, and His Signs in Nature are so many lessons to us in our own inner life;
- He further sent Messengers and Teachers, for the guidance of our conduct in individual, social, and public life.
All these gifts create corresponding obligations which we must fulfil.
But in our own human and material life we undertake mutual obligations express and implied.
- We make a promise:
- we enter into a commercial or social contract;
- we enter into a contract of marriage:
- we must faithfully fulfil all obligations in all these relationships.
Our group or our State enters into a treaty; every individual in that group or State is bound to see that as far as lies in his power, such obligations are faithfully discharged.
There are tacit obligations;
- living in civil society, we must respect its tacit conventions unless they are morally wrong, and in that case we must get out of such society.
- There are tacit obligations in the characters of host and guest, wayfarer of companion, employer or employed, etc., which every man of Faith must discharge conscientiously.
The man who deserts those who need him and goes to pray in a desert is a coward who disregards his obligations.
All these obligations are inter-connected. Truth and fidelity are parts of religion in all relations of life.
This verse is numbered separately from the succeeding verses. (R).
... أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الأَنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ...
Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals, with the exceptions named:
C683. That is, the exceptions named not only in the Quran but in the Sunnah as well.
See 5:3 below. (R).
... غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ...
but animals of the chase are forbidden while ye are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb:
C684. Cf. 5:94-96.
Hunting and the use of game are forbidden "while ye are hurumun," i.e., while ye are;
- in the Sacred Precincts, or
- in the special pilgrim garb (ihram), as to which see n. 212, 2:196.
In most cases the two amount to the same thing. The Sacred Precincts are sanctuary both for man and beast.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ ﴿١﴾
for Allah doth command according to His Will and Plan.
C685. Allah's commands are not arbitrary. His Will is the perfect Archetype or Plan of the world.
Everything He wills has regard to His Plan, in which are reflected His perfect wisdom and goodness.
Other Versions:
5: 1
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Be true to your covenants [note1]! Lawful to you is the [flesh of every] beast that feeds on plants, save what is mentioned to you [hereinafter, [note 2]]: but you are not allowed to hunt while you are in the state of pilgrimage. Behold, God ordains in accordance with His ill [note3].
Pickthall O ye who believe! Fulfil your undertakings. The beast of cattle is made lawful unto you (for food) except that which is announced unto you (herein), game being unlawful when ye are on pilgrimage. Lo! Allah ordaineth that which pleaseth Him.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ aufu_ bil 'uqu_d(i), uhillat lakum bahimatul an'a_mi illa_ ma_ yutla_ 'alaikum gaira muhillis saidi wa antum hurum(un), innalla_ha yahkumu ma_ yurid(u).
[[ Asad’s note 1 – The term ‘aqd’ (covenant) denotes a solemn undertaking or engagement involving more than one party. According to Raghib, the covenant referred to in this verse “are of three kinds: the covenants between God and man [i.e., man’s obligations towards God], between man and his own soul, and between the individual and his fellow-men” – thus embracing the entire area of mans’ moral and social responsibilities.
2 – I.e., in verse 3, Literally, the expression ‘bahimat al-anam’ could be translated as “a beast of the cattle”; ….. 3. Lit., “whatever He wills” or “deems fit”: i.e., in accordance with a plan of which he alone has full knowledge. Regarding the prohibition of hunting while on pilgrimage, see verses 94-96 of this surah.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 682 This line has been justly admired for its terseness and comprehensiveness. Obligations: 'uqud the Arabic word implies so many things that a whole chapter of Commentary can be written on it. First, there are the divine obligations that arise from our spiritual nature and our relation to Allah. He created us and implanted in us the faculty of knowledge and foresight: besides the intuition and reason which He gave us. He made Nature responsive to our needs, and His Signs in Nature are so many lessons to us in our own inner life; He further sent Messengers and Teachers, for the guidance of our conduct in individual, social, and public life. All these gifts create corresponding obligations which we must fulfil. But in our own human and material life we undertake mutual obligations express and implied. We make a promise: we enter into a commercial or social contract; we enter into a contract of marriage: we must faithfuly fulfil all obligations in all these relationships. Our group or our State enters into a treaty; every individual in that group or State is bound to see that as far as lies in his power, such obligations are faithfully discharged. There are tacit obligations; living in civil society, we must respect its tacit conventions unless they are morally wrong, and in that case we must get out of such society. There are tacit obligations in the characters of host and guest, wayfarer of companion, employer or employed, etc., etc., which every man of Faith must discharge conscientiously. The man who deserts those who need him and goes to pray in a desert is a coward who disregards his obligations. All these obligations are inter-connected. Truth and fidelity are parts of religion in all relations of life. This verse is numbered separately from the succeeding verses. (5.1)
683 That is, the exceptions named not only in the Qur-an but in the Sunnah as well. See v. 3 below. (5.1)
684 Cf. v. 94-96. Hunting and the use of game are forbidden "while ye are hurumun," i.e., while ye are (1) in the Sacred Precincts, or (2) in the special pilgrim garb (ihram), as to which see n. 212, ii. 196. In most cases the two amount to the same thing. The Sacred Precincts are sanctuary both for man and beast. (5.1)
685 Allah's commands are not arbitrary. His Will is the perfect Archetype or Plan of the world. Everything He wills has regard to His Plan, in which are reflected His perfect wisdom and goodness. (5.1) ]]