7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ
بِهَا وَلَـكِنَّهُ
أَخْلَدَ إِلَى
الأَرْضِ وَاتَّبَعَ
هَوَاهُ...
7: 176. If it had been Our will We should have elevated him with our signs; but he inclined to the earth, and followed his own vain desires.
C1150. Notice the contrast between the exalted spiritual honours which they would have received from Allah if they had followed His Will, and the earthly desires which eventually bring them low to the position of beasts and worse.
...فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الْكَلْبِ ...
His similitude is that of a dog:
... إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ ...
if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or
C1151. The dog, especially in the hot weather, lolls out his tongue, whether he is attacked and pursued and is tired, or he is left alone. It is part of his nature to slobber. So with the man who rejects Allah.
Whether he is warned or left alone, he continues to throw out his dirty saliva. The injury he will do will be to his own soul. But there may be infection in his evil example,. So we must protect others. And we must never give up hope of his own amendment. So we must continue to warn him and make him think.
...أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ...
if you leave him alone he (still) lolls out his tongue.
... ذَّلِكَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا...
That is the similitude of those who reject our signs;
...فَاقْصُصِ الْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿١٧٦﴾
so relate the story; perchance they may reflect.
سَاء
مَثَلاً الْقَوْمُ
الَّذِينَ
كَذَّبُواْ
بِآيَاتِنَا
وَأَنفُسَهُمْ
كَانُواْ يَظْلِمُونَ
﴿١٧٧﴾
7: 177. Evil as an example are people who reject Our signs and wrong their own souls.
7: 176
Asad Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those [messages]: but he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires.
Thus, his parable is that of an [excited] dog: if you approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if you leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling [note 142]. Such are the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our messages. Tell [them], then, this story, so that they might take thought.
Pickthall And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog; if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought.
Transliteration Wa lau syi'na_ larafa'na_hu biha_ wa la_kinnahu_ akhlada ilal ardi wattaba'a hawa_h(u), fa masaluhu_ ka masalil kalb(i), in tahmil 'alaihi yalhas au tatruk-hu yalhas, za_lika masalul qaumil lazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_, faqsusil qasasa la'allahum yatafakkaru_n(a).
7: 177
Pickthall Evil as an example are the folk who denied Our revelations, and were wont to wrong themselves.
Transliteration Sa_'a masalanil qaumul lazina kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ wa anfusahum ka_nu_ yazlimu_n(a).
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9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, Tabuk 9H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَا كَانَ
لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ
أَن يَعْمُرُواْ
مَسَاجِدَ الله
شَاهِدِينَ
عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ
بِالْكُفْرِ...
9: 17. It is not for such as join gods with Allah, to visit or maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to infidelity.
C1266. 'Amara as applied to mosques implies the following ideas:
- to build or repair:
- to maintain in fitting dignity:
- to visit for purposes of devotion: and
- fill with light and life and activity.
For brevity I have only used "maintain" in the Translation. Before the preaching of Islam the Pagans built, repaired, and maintained the Mosque, and celebrated Pagan ceremonies in it. They made an income out of it. Islam protested, and the Pagans ejected Muslims and their Leader from Makkah and shut them out from the Ka'bah itself.
When the Muslims were strong enough to re-take Makkah (A.H. 8), they purified the Mosque and re-established the worship of the true God. If they became Muslims, it was a different matter. The further question arose: should they be allowed to visit it and practice their unseemly Pagan rites?
Obviously this would be derogatory to the dignity and honour of the Mosque, and was forbidden. This was the particular occasion to which the verse refers.
The general deduction is clear. A house of Allah is a place of sincere devotion, not a theatre for vulgar rites nor a source of worldly income. Only sincere Believers have a right of entry.
Who the sincere Believers are, is explained in the next verse.
...أُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ وَفِي النَّارِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ ﴿١٧﴾
The works of such bear no fruit:
in fire shall they dwell.
Other Versions:
9: 17
Asad It is not for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend [note 26] God’s houses of worship, …….that they are denying the truth………..and they who in the fire shall abide! [note 27]
Pickthall It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide.
Transliteration Ma_ ka_na lil musyrikina ay ya'muru_ masa_jidalla_hi sya_hidina 'a_la_ anfusihim bil kufr(i), ula_'ika habitat a'ma_luhum, wa fin na_ri hum kha_lidu_n(a).
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10. [Yunus, Mecca 51]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
أَذَقْنَا
النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً
مِّن بَعْدِ
ضَرَّاء مَسَّتْهُمْ
إِذَا لَهُم
مَّكْرٌ فِي
آيَاتِنَا...
10: 21. When We make mankind taste of some mercy after adversity hath touched them,
Behold! they take to plotting against our Signs!
...قُلِ اللّهُ أَسْرَعُ مَكْرًا...
Say: "Swifter to plan is Allah!"
...إنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكْتُبُونَ مَا تَمْكُرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
Verily, Our Messengers record all the plots that ye make!
C1409. Man turns his thoughts in adversity to Allah. But as soon as the trouble is past, he not only forgets Him but actually strives against His cause.
But such people are poor ignorant creatures, not realising that the Universal Plan of Allah is swifter to stop their petty plans, and that though they fail, the record of them remains eternally against them. (R).
هُوَ الَّذِي
يُسَيِّرُكُمْ
فِي الْبَرِّ
وَالْبَحْرِ...
10: 22. He it is Who enableth you to traverse through land and sea;
...حَتَّى إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا...
so that ye even board ships --
they sail with them with a favorable wind, and they rejoice thereat;
...جَاءتْهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَاءهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ...
then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think they are being overwhelmed:
...دَعَوُاْ اللّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ ...
they cry unto Allah, sincerely offering (their) duty unto Him, saying,
...لَئِنْ أَنجَيْتَنَا مِنْ هَـذِهِ لَنَكُونَنِّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ﴿٢٢﴾
"If Thou dost deliver us from this, we shall truly show our gratitude!"
C1410. All the great inventions and discoveries on which man prides himself are the fruit of that genius and talent which Allah has freely given of His grace. But the spirit of man remains petty, as is illustrated by the parable from the sea.
How the heart of man rejoices when the ship goes smoothly with favourable winds!
How in adversity it turns, in terror and helplessness, to Allah, and makes vows for deliverance! and how those vows are disregarded as soon as the danger is past!
Cf. 6:63.
فَلَمَّا
أَنجَاهُمْ
إِذَا هُمْ
يَبْغُونَ فِي
الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ
الْحَقِّ...
10: 23. But when He delivereth them, Behold! they transgress insolently through the earth in defiance of right!
...يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْيُكُمْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُم...
O mankind!
your insolence is against your own souls --
C1411. In our insolence and pride we do not see how small and ephemeral is that part of us which is mortal. We shall see it at last when we appear before our Judge. In the meantime our ridiculous pretensions only hurt ourselves.
...مَّتَاعَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا...
an enjoyment of the life of the Present:
...ثُمَّ إِلَينَا مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَنُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾
in the end, to Us is your return, and We shall show you the truth of all that ye did.
Pickthall’s Version:
10: 21
Pickthall And when We cause mankind to taste of mercy after some adversity which had afflicted them, behold! they have some plot against Our revelations. Say: Allah is more swift in plotting. Lo! Our messengers write down that which ye plot.
Transliteration Wa iza_ azaqnan na_sa rahmatam mim ba'di darra_'a massathum iza_ lahum makrun fi a_ya_tina_, qulilla_hu asra'u makra_(n), inna rusulana_ yaktubu_na ma_ tamkuru_n(a).
10: 22
Pickthall He it is Who make you to go on the land and the sea till, when ye are in the ships and they sail with them with a fair breeze and they are glad therein, a storm wind reach them and the wave cometh unto them from every side and they deem that they are overwhelmed therein; (then) they cry unto Allah, making their faith pure for Him only; If Thou deliver us from this, we truly will be of the thankful.
Transliteration Huwal lazi yusayyirukum fil barri wal bahr(i), hatta_ iza_ kuntum fil fulk(i), wa jaraina bihim bi rihin tayyibatiw wa farihu_ biha_ ja_'atha_ rihun 'a_sifuw wa ja_'ahumul mauju min kulli maka_niw wa zannu_ annahum uhita bihim, da'awulla_ha mukhlisina lahud din(a), la'in anjaitana_ min ha_zihi lanaku_nanna minasy sya_kirin(a).
10: 23
Pickthall Yet when He hath delivered them, behold! they rebel in the earth wrongfully. O mankind! Your rebellion is only against yourselves. (Ye have) enjoyment of the life of the world; then unto Us is your return and We shall proclaim unto you what ye used to do.
Transliteration Falamma_ anja_hum iza_ hum yabgu_na fil ardi bi gairil haqq(i), ya_ ayyuhan na_su innama_ bagyukum 'ala_ anfusikum mata_'al haya_tid dunya_, summa ilaina_ marji'ukum fanunabbi'ukum bima_ kuntum ta'malu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes:-
409 Man turns his thoughts in adversity to Allah. But as soon as the trouble is past, he not only forgets Him but actually strives against His cause. But such people are poor ignorant creatures, not realizing that the Universal Plan of Allah is swifter to stop their petty plans, and that though they fail, the record of them remains eternally against them. (10.21)
1410 All the great inventions and discoveries on which man prides himself are the fruit of that genius and talent which Allah has freely given of His grace. But the spirit of man remains petty, as is illustrated by the parable from the sea. How the heart of man rejoices when the ship goes smoothly with favourable winds! How in adversity it turns, in terror and helplessness, to Allah, and makes vows for deliverance! and how those vows are disregarded as soon as the danger is past! Cf. vi. 63. (10.22)
1411 In our insolence and pride we do not see how small and ephemeral is that part of us which is mortal. We shall see it at last when we appear before our Judge. In the meantime our ridiculous pretensions only hurt ourselves. (10.23)]]