42. Ash-Shura (Consultation)
Mecca Period
Asad’s Version:
42:8
Now had God so willed, He could surely have made them all one single community: 6 none the less, He admits unto His grace him that wills [to be admitted] 7 whereas the evildoers shall have none to protect them and none to succour them [on Judgment Day] .
42:9 Did they, perchance, [think that they could) choose protectors other than Him? But God alone is the Protector [of all that exists], since it is He alone who brings the dead to life, and He alone who has the power to will anything.
(42:42) blame attaches but to those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right: for them there is grievous suffering in store!
42:44 AND [thus it is:] he whom God lets go astray" has henceforth no protector whatever: and so thou wilt see such evildoers 44 [on Judgment Day, and wilt hear how] they exclaim as soon as they behold the suffering [that awaits them], "Is there any way of return?" 45
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
شَاء
اللَّهُ
لَجَعَلَهُمْ
أُمَّةً
وَاحِدَةً
وَلَكِن
يُدْخِلُ
مَن
يَشَاء
فِي
رَحْمَتِهِ...
42: 8. If Allah had so willed, He could have made them a single people; but He admits whom He will to His Mercy;
It is one of the Signs of Allah that He has made us different, that we may be tried in the exercise of our will, and that we may reach, through righteousness and Faith, our highest development, and enjoy His gifts of Mercy and Grace. But we must not become contentious, and fall into evil: we must understand our own limitations. Otherwise we shall lose His grace and protection.
...وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُم مِّن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ ﴿٨﴾
and the wrongdoers will have no protector nor helper.
إِنَّمَا
السَّبِيلُ
عَلَى
الَّذِينَ
يَظْلِمُونَ
النَّاسَ
وَيَبْغُونَ
فِي
الْأَرْضِ
بِغَيْرِ
الْحَقِّ...
42: 42. The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrongdoing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice:
C4585. The fact that men seek the lower rather than the higher Law is itself a result of arrogant wrong-doing of which the type was the Pharaoh who claimed to be "your Lord Most High" and oppressed the Israelites, and kept his own people under slavery and subjection, and the false glamour of magic and deception.
...أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٤٢﴾
for such there will be a Penalty grievous.
وَمَن
يُضْلِلِ
اللَّهُ
فَمَا
لَهُ
مِن
وَلِيٍّ
مِّن
بَعْدِهِ...
42: 44. For any whom Allah leaves astray, there is no protector thereafter,
...وَتَرَى الظَّالِمِينَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ يَقُولُونَ هَلْ إِلَى مَرَدٍّ مِّن سَبِيلٍ ﴿٤٤﴾
and thou wilt see the wrongdoers, when in sight of the Penalty, Say:
"Is there any way (to effect) a return?
[[ Adad’s notes - 44 Although this is primarily a reference to "those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right" (verse 42 above), the meaning of the term is general, applying to all kinds of deliberate evildoers.
45 I.e., a "second chance" on earth: cf. 6:27-28. ]]
67. Al-Mulk (Dominion)
Mecca 77
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَمَّنْ هَذَا الَّذِي هُوَ جُندٌ لَّكُمْ يَنصُرُكُم مِّن دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ ...
67:20. Nay, who is there that can help you, (even as) an army, besides (Allah) Most Merciful?
C5578. Not the greatest army that man can muster is of any use against the Wrath of Allah; while the constant watchful care of Allah is all-in-all to us, and we can never do without it. If the godless wander about in search for blessings otherwise than in the Mercy and Grace of Allah, they are wandering in vain delusions.
... إِنِ الْكَافِرُونَ إِلَّا فِي غُرُورٍ ﴿٢٠﴾
In nothing but delusion are the Unbelievers.
Asad’s Version:
(67:20) [And] is there any, besides the Most Gracious, that could be a shield 18 for you, and could succour you [against danger]? They who deny this truth are but lost in self-delusion!