5. Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
أَخَذَ اللّهُ
مِيثَاقَ بَنِي
إِسْرَآئِيلَ
وَبَعَثْنَا
مِنهُمُ اثْنَيْ
عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا...
5:12. Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel, and We appointed twelve captains among them,
"Moses... called for the elders of the people... and all the people answered together and said. 'All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.'" (Exod. 19:7-8).
This was under the towering height of Mount Sinai. The chieftains or elders or leaders of the people were selected, one from each of the twelve tribes (see 2:60 and n. 73).
For census purposes the names of the elders of the tribes are given in Num. 1:4-16: they are called "every one the head of the house of his fathers". Later, twelve other "heads of the Children of Israel" were selected to spy but the land of Canaan: their names are mentioned in Num. 13:1-16.
See also, below, 5:20-26 and notes.
... وَقَالَ اللّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ ...
and Allah said: "I am with you:
... لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ ...
- if ye (but) establish regular prayers,
- practice regular charity,
- believe in My apostles, honor and assist them and
... وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ...
- loan to Allah a beautiful loan,
The phrase means "spending in the cause of Allah".
Allah in His infinite grace looks upon this as a loan, for which He gives a recompense manifold.
... لَّأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ ...
verily I will wipe out from you your evils, and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath;
... فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ ﴿١٢﴾
but if any of you, after this, resisteth faith, he hath truly wandered from the path of rectitude."
C711. The path of rectitude: or the even way:
Other versions:
5: 12
Asad And, indeed, God accepted a [similar] solemn pledge from the children of Israel when We caused twelve of their leader to be sent [to Canaam as spies]. And God said: “Behold, I shall be with you! If you are constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and believe in My apostles and aid them, and offer up unto God a goodly loan, I will surely efface your bad deeds and bring you into gardens through which running waters flow. But he from among you who, after this, denies the truth, will indeed have strayed from the right path!”
Pickthall Allah made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We raised among them twelve chieftains: and Allah said: Lo! I am with you. If ye establish worship and pay the poor due, and believe in My messengers and support them, and lend unto Allah a kindly loan, surely I shall remit your sins, and surely I shall bring you into gardens underneath which rivers flow. Whoso among you disbelieve after this will go astray from a plain road.
Transliteration Wa laqad akhazalla_hu misa_qa bani isra_'il(a), wa ba'asna_ minhumusnai 'asyara naqiba_(n), wa qa_lalla_hu inni ma'akum, la'in aqamtumus sala_ta wa a_taitumuz zaka_ta wa a_mantum bi rusuli wa'azzartumu_hum wa aqradtumulla_ha qardan hasanal la'ukaffiranna'ankum sayyi'a_tikum wala'udkhilannakum janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_r(u), fa man kafara ba'da za_lika minkum fa qad dalla sawa_'as sabil(i).
[[ Ali’s notes:
709 Cf. ii. 63 and n. 78, "Moses... called for the elders of the people... and all the people answered together and said. 'All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' " (Exod. xix, 7-8). This was under the towering height of Mount Sinai. The chieftains or elders or leaders of the people were selected, one from each of the twelve tribes (see ii. 60 and n. 73). For census purposes the names of the elders of the tribes are given in Num. i. 4-16: they are called "every one the head of the house of his fathers". Later, twelve other "heads of the Children of Israel" were selected to spy out the land of Canaan: their names are mentioned in Num. xiii. 1-16. See also, below, v. 20-26 and notes. (5.12)
710 Cf. ii. 245, n. 276. The phrase means "spending in the cause of Allah". Allah in His infinite grace looks upon this as a loan, for which He gives a recompense manifold. (5.12)
711 The path of rectitude: or the even way: see ii. 108. n. 109. (5.12) ]]
57. Al-Hadid (Iron)
Medina Period [94]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
لَكُمْ أَلَّا
تُنفِقُوا فِي
سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
وَلِلَّهِ
مِيرَاثُ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ
...
57:10. And what cause have ye why ye should not spend in the Cause of Allah? -- For to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth.
C5285. "To Allah belongs the heritage of... ": see n. 485 to 3:180; also n. 988 to 6:165; and n. 1964 to 15:23.
...لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ...
Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought, before the Victory, (with those who did so later).
C5286. This is usually understood to refer to the Conquest of Makkah, after which the Muslims succeeded to the power and position which the Pagan Quraish had so misused at Makkah. Thereafter the Muslims had the hegemony of Arabia, and in a few centuries, for a time, the hegemony of the world.
But the words are perfectly general, and we must understand the general meaning also: that the people who fight and struggle in Allah's Cause and give of their best to it at any time are worthy of praise: but those are worthy of special distinction who do it when the Cause is being persecuted and in most need of assistance, before victory comes.
...أُوْلَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى...
Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought afterwards. But to all has Allah promised a goodly (reward),
...وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٠﴾
and Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
مَن
ذَا الَّذِي
يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ
قَرْضًا حَسَنًا
...
57:11. Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful Loan?
... فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿١١﴾
For (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit, and he will have (besides) a liberal reward.
Asad’s Version:
(57: 10) And why should you not spend freely in the cause of God, seeing that God's [alone] is the heritage of the heavens and the earth? 8
Not equal are those of you who spent and fought [in God's cause] before the Victory' [and those who did not do so]: they are of a higher rank than those who would spend and fight [only] after it - although God has promised the ultimate good to all [who strive in His cause]. 10 And God is aware of all that you do.
57:11 WHO IS IT that will offer up unto God a goodly loan, which He will amply repay?" For, such [as do so] shall have a noble reward
[Asad’s notes - 8 I.e., "that to God belongs all that is ...", etc.: see note 5 above; also note 22 on 15:23. {{(15:23) for, behold, it is We - We alone - who grant life and deal death, and it is We alone who shall remain after all else will have passed away! 22
22 Lit., "We are [or "shall be"] the inheritors (al-warithun)" : an idiomatic metaphor based, according to the consensus of all classical commentators, on the use of the term "inheritor" or "heir" in the sense of "one who remains after his predecessor has passed away" - in this case, after all creation has perished. (Cf. the expression "the heritage of the heavens and of the earth" used, with reference to God, in 3:180 and 57:10.) }}
9 I.e., before the conquest of Mecca in 8 H., when the Muslims were still weak and their future uncertain.
10 The above principle applies, of course, to the relative merits of believers of all times who strive in God's cause before and/or after success has been achieved.]