Observe Bond with God
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
يَنقُضُونَ
عَهْدَ
اللَّهِ مِن
بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ
وَيَقْطَعُونَ
مَا أَمَرَ
اللَّهُ بِهِ
أَن يُوصَلَ...
2:27. Those who break Allah's Covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder what Allah has ordered to be joined,
... وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ أُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُون ﴿٢٧﴾
and do mischief on earth: These cause loss (only) to themselves.
Other versions:
2: 27
Asad who break their bond with God after it has been established [in their nature] (note 19), and cut asunder what God has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth: these it is that shall be the losers.
Pickthall Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers
Transliteration Allazina yanqudu_na'ahdalla_hi mim ba'di misa_qih(i), wa yaqta'u_na ma_ amaralla_hu bihi ay yu_sala wa yufsidu_na fil ard(i), ula_'ika humul kha_siru_n(a).
[Asad’s note: The “bond with God” (conventionally translated as “God’s covenant”) apparently refers here to man’s moral obligation to use his inborn gifts – intellectual as well physical – in the way intended for them by God. The “establishment” of this bond arises form the faculty of reason which, if properly used, must lead man to a realization of his own weakness and dependence on a causative power and, thus to a gradual cognition of God’s will with reference to his own behavior. This interpretation of the “bond with God” seems to be indicated by the fact that there is no mention of any specific “covenant” in either the receding or the subsequent verses of the passage under consideration. The deliberate omission of an explanatory reference in this connection suggests that the expression “bond with God” stands for something that is rooted in the human situation as such, and can, therefore, be perceived instinctively as well as through conscious experience…………]
[ Ruby’s note: In addition to Asad’s explanation I would like add that this bond with God can be deduced through human reason: If one believes God has created him/her and the entire reality in which he/she exists, then, his/her highest loyalty and duty is to God. The creation and created things and beings solely and completely belong to the Creator and must comply with His Laws and Intended Purpose of the creation beyond any other consideration. This is the essence of Submission or ‘Islam’.
Ruby’s explanation of the “bond with God”, see the article she wrote on ‘Knowledge’ in Nabic – “The unseen umbilical cord between the humans and the Supreme Being. Purer it remains in its nature, higher is its capacity to know and understand through God’s guidance.”
This Bond always exists unless or until one deliberately severs it or diminishes its strength through wrong ideas and actions. This Bond always exist for each and every human being, and this is the basis of having the “right to dignity” of a human, see her article “The call to Muslims” ]
[ Ruby’s note: ‘ahd’, ‘misak’ etc. connotes ‘covenant’, ‘a very strong commitment’, ‘promise’, ‘responsibility’, ‘duty’, etc…….Asad translated this expression ‘ahdallah’ as ‘bond with God’.
Since in any kind of situation of commitment or promise there is a give and take context, some one gives something or does something to another, and on the basis of that right or claim, one demands a commitment or promise of delivery on the other. I believe this meaning is closer to the truth, or the most important idea here: With God’s gift of implanting true nature in human [see 30:30] comes an automatic duty and responsibility to live the life in compliance with the Law He has set in reality. He has given this capacity, this ability, to a human being to sense it and understand it right from his/her true nature. Therefore, out of that capacity and empowerment comes an automatic responsibility on the part of a human being. I believe, this is referred here through the expression “ahdallah”. ]
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5. Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
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!
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 note 1: The term ‘aqd (“covenant”) denotes a solemn undertaking or engagement involving more than one party. According to Raghib, the covenants referred to in this verse “ are of three kinds: the covenants between God and man, between man and his soul, and between individual and his fellow-men” – thus embracing the entire area of man’s moral and social responsibilities.]
[See also Ali’s note on ‘obligation’ ]
9: 23 O you who have attained to faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for allies if a denial of the truth is dearer to them than faith; for those of you who ally themselves with them – it is they, they who are evildoers!
9: 24 Say: “If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure – [if allthese] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His ccuse, then wait until God makes manifest His will; and [know that] God does not grace iniquitous folk with His guidance.”
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13. Ar-R’ad, Medina 96
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ
اللّهِ وَلاَ
يِنقُضُونَ
الْمِيثَاقَ ﴿٢٠﴾
13:20. Those who fulfil the Covenant of Allah and fail not in their plighted word;
Other versions:
13: 20
Asad They who are true to their bond with God and never break their covenant;
Pickthall Such as keep the pact of Allah, and break not the covenant;
Transliteration Allazina yu_fu_na bi 'ahdilla_hi wa la_ yanqudu_nal misa_q(a),
[Asad note 42 The “covenant” is, in this context, a general term embracing the spiritual obligation arising from one’s faith in God and the moral and social obligations, resulting from that faith, towards one’s fellow-men (Zamakhshari)…..see 5:1..”ahd Allah” as “bond with God”, see sura 2, note 19. ]
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16. Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَأَوْفُواْ بِعَهْدِ
اللّهِ إِذَا
عَاهَدتُّمْ...
16:91. Fulfil the Covenant of Allah when ye have entered into it,
... وَلاَ تَنقُضُواْ الأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلاً...
and break not your oaths after ye have confirmed them;
indeed ye have made Allah your surety;
C2128. The immediate reference may or may not be to the oath of fidelity to the Prophet taken at 'Aqaba fourteen months before the Hijrah and repeated a little later: see 5:7, and n. 705.
But the general meaning is much wider. And this may be viewed in two aspects;
- Every oath taken, or covenant made, is a Covenant before Allah, and should be faithfully observed. In this it approaches in meaning to 5:1.
- In particular, every Muslim makes, by the profession, of his Faith, a Covenant with Allah, and he confirms that Covenant every time he repeats that profession. He should therefore faithfully observe the duties taught to him by Islam.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٩١﴾
for Allah knoweth all that ye do.
وَلاَ
تَتَّخِذُواْ
أَيْمَانَكُمْ
دَخَلاً بَيْنَكُمْ
فَتَزِلَّ
قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ
ثُبُوتِهَا...
16:94. And take not your oaths, to practice deception between yourselves, with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted;
C2134. In 16:92, above, the motive for false and fraudulent covenants was pointed out with reprobation. Now are pointed out the consequences, viz.,
- to others, if they had not been deceived, they might have walked firmly on the Path, but now they lose faith and perhaps commit like frauds for which you will be responsible;
- to yourselves; you have not only gone wrong yourselves; but have set others on the wrong path; and you deserve a double Penalty. Perhaps the "evil consequences" refer to this world, and the "Wrath" to the Hereafter.
... وَتَذُوقُواْ الْسُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ...
and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the path of Allah,
... وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٩٤﴾
and a mighty Wrath descend on you.
وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ
بِعَهْدِ اللّهِ
ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً...
16:95. Nor sell the Covenant of Allah for a miserable price:
C2135. Any possible gain that you can make by breaking your Covenant and thus breaking Allah's Law must necessarily be miserable; while your own benefit is far greater in obeying Allah's Will and doing right.
... إِنَّمَا عِندَ اللّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩٥﴾
for with Allah is (a prize) far better for you, if ye only knew.
Other versions:
16: 91
Asad And be true to your bond with God whenever you bind yourselves by a pledge, and do not break oaths after having confirmed them and having called upon God to be witness to your good faith: behold, God knows all that you do.
Pickthall Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.
Transliteration Wa aufu_ bi 'ahdilla_hi iza_ 'a_hattum wa la_ tanqudul aima_na ba'da taukidiha_ wa qad ja'altumulla_ha 'alaikum kafila_(n), innalla_ha ya'lamu ma_ taf'alu_
16: 94
Asad And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving one another – or else [your] foot will slip after having been firm and then you will have to taste the evil [consequences] of your of your having turned away from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you [in the life to come].
Pickthall Make not your oaths a deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted and ye should taste evil forasmuch as ye debarred (men) from the way of Allah, and yours should be an awful doom.
Transliteration Wa la_ tattakhizu_ aima_nakum dakhalam bainakum fa tazilla qadamum ba'da subu_tiha_ wa tazu_qus su_'a bima_ sadattum 'an sabililla_h(i), wa lakum 'aza_bun 'azim(un).
16: 95
Asad Hence, do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain! Verily, that which is with God is by far the best for you, if you but knew it:
Pickthall And purchase not a small gain at the price of Allah's covenant. Lo! that which Allah hath is better for you, if ye did but know.
Transliteration Wa la_ tasytaru_ bi'ahdilla_hi samanan qalila_(n), innama_ 'indalla_hi huwa khairul lakum in kuntum ta'lamu_n(a).
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6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
تَعَالَوْاْ
أَتْلُ
مَا
حَرَّمَ
رَبُّكُمْ
عَلَيْكُمْ
...
6:151. Say:
"Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from":
C976. Instead of following Pagan superstitions, and being in constant terror of imaginary taboos and prohibitions, we should study the true moral law, whose sanction is Allah's Law.
The first step is that we should recognise that He is the One and Only Lord and Cherisher. The mention of goodness to parents immediately afterwards suggests:
- that Allah's love of us and care for us may -on an infinitely higher plane- be understood by our ideal of parental love, which is purely unselfish;
- that our first duty among our fellow creatures is to our father and mother, whose love leads us to the conception of divine love.
Arising from that is the conception of our converse duties to our children. Allah provides sustenance (material and spiritual) not only for us, but for them; hence any custom like the Pagan custom of sacrificing children of Moloch stands condemned.
Then come the moral prohibitions against lewdness and all unseemly acts, relating to sex or otherwise, open or secret. This is followed by the prohibition of killing or fighting.
All these things are conformable to our own interests, and therefore true wisdom from our own point of view.
...أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْئًا ...
- join not anything as equal with Him;
...وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا...
- be good to your parents:
...وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلاَدَكُم مِّنْ إمْلاَقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ...
- kill not your children on a plea of want; -- We provide sustenance for you and for them; --
...وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ...
- come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret;
...وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ...
- take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law:
C977. For the comprehensive word haqq I have used the two words "justice and law"; other significations implied are:
right, truth, what is becoming, etc.
It is not only that human life is sacred, but all life is sacred. Even in killing animals for food, a dedicatory formula "in the name of Allah" has to be employed, to make it lawful:
see 698 to 5:4, and n. 962 to 6:138.
...ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٥١﴾
thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.
وَلاَ
تَقْرَبُواْ
مَالَ
الْيَتِيمِ
إِلاَّ
بِالَّتِي
هِيَ
أَحْسَنُ
حَتَّى
يَبْلُغَ
أَشُدَّهُ...
6:152. - And come not nigh to the orphan's property, except to improve it, until he attain the age of full strength;
...وَأَوْفُواْ الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ ...
- give measure and weight with (full) justice;
...لاَ نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا...
no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear;
...وَإِذَا قُلْتُمْ فَاعْدِلُواْ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى...
- whenever ye speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned;
...وَبِعَهْدِ اللّهِ أَوْفُواْ...
- and fulfil the Covenant of Allah:
...ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿١٥٢﴾
thus doth He command you, that ye may remember.
وَأَنَّ
هَـذَا
صِرَاطِي
مُسْتَقِيمًا
فَاتَّبِعُوهُ...
6:153. Verily, this is My Way, leading straight: follow it:
...وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ...
follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) path:
...ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٥٣﴾
thus doth He command you that ye may be righteous.
C979. Note again the triple refrain with variations, in 6:151, 152, and 153.
- In verse 151, we have the moral law, which it is for our own good to follow: "Thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom."
- In verse 152, we have to deal justly and rightly with others; we are apt to thing too much of ourselves and forget others: "Thus doth He command you, that ye may remember."
- In verse 153 our attention is called to the Straight Way, the Way of Allah, the only Way that leads to righteousness: "Thus doth He command you, that ye may be righteous."
Asad’s Version:
6: 151 Say: “Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you;
Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him;
and do good unto your parents;
and do not kill your children for fear of poverty – for it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them;
and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret;
and do not take any human being’s life – which God has declared to be sacred –otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice;
this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason;
6: 152 And do not touch the substance of an orphan – save to improve it – before he comes of age.”
And give full measure and weight, with equity : [however], We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear; and when you voice an opinion, be just, even though it be against one near of kin.”
And [always] observe your bond with God: this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might keep it in mind.
6: 153 and [know] that this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow it, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate from His way. [All] this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might remain conscious of Him. Asad