17. Surah Al Isra

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ...   

17:70.  We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea;

... وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ...

given them for sustenance things good and pure;

...وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلاً ﴿٧٠﴾

and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of Our Creation.

C2265. The distinction and honour conferred by Allah on man are recounted in order to enforce the corresponding duties and responsibilities of man.

-         He is raised to a position of honour above the brute creation:

-         he has been granted talents by which he can transport himself from place to place by land, sea, and now by air:

-        all the means for the sustenance and growth of every part of his nature are provided by Allah;

-        and his spiritual faculties (the greatest gift of Allah) raise him above the greater part of Allah's Creation.

Should he not then realise his noble destiny and prepare for his real life in the Hereafter?

Other versions:

17: 70

Asad Now, indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam, and borne them over land and see, and provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life, and favored them far above most of Our creation.

Pickthall Verily We have honored the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.

Yuksel We have honored the Children of Adam and carried them in the land and the sea, and We have provided for them of the good things, and We have preferred them over many of those We created.

Wa laqad karramna [honor or dignity]_ bani a_dama wa hamalna_hum fil barri wal bahri wa razaqna_hum minat tayyiba_ti wa faddalna_hum 'ala_ kasirim mimman khalaqna_ tafdila_(n).

[Asad note 83 I.e., by bestowing upon them the faculty of conceptual thinking (cf. 2:31 and the corresponding note 23), which makes them superior in this respect to all other animate beings, and even to the angels. By stressing here this unique distinction of man, the present passage connects with, and continues the theme of, verse 61 above.]

[ Ali’s note -2265 The distinction and honor conferred by Allah on man are recounted in order to enforce the corresponding duties and responsibilities of man. He is raised to a position of honor above the brute creation: he has been granted talents by which he can transport himself from place to place by land, sea, and now by air: all the means for the sustenance and growth of every part of his nature are provided by Allah; and his spiritual faculties (the greatest gift of Allah) raise him above the greater part of Allah's Creation. Should he not then realize his noble destiny and prepare for his real life in the Hereafter? (17.70)