HOW ONE CAN FIND THE WAY

2. Surah Al Baqarah

HOW ONE CAN FIND THE WAY/ A reflection

Ali’s version & Quranic Text:

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾

2: 2. This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.

C26. Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify:

1. the fear of Allah which according to the writer of Proverbs (1:7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom;

2. restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil;

3. hence righteousness, piety good conduct.

All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context.

See also 47:17; and 74:56, n.5808.

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ ...

2: 3. Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer,

... وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾

and spend out of what We have provided for them.

C27. All bounties proceed from Allah.

- They may be physical gifts, e.g., food, clothing, houses, gardens, wealth, etc. or

- intangible gifts, e.g., influence, power, birth and the opportunities flowing from it, health talents, etc. or

- spiritual gifts, e.g., insight into good and evil, understanding of men, the capacity for love, etc.

We are to use all in humility and moderation. But we are also to give out of every one of them something that contributes to the well-being of others.

We are to be neither ascetics nor luxurious sybarites, neither selfish misers nor thoughtless prodigals.

والَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ...

2: 4. And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time,

... وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾

and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.

C28. Righteousness comes from a secure faith, from sincere devotion to Allah, and from unselfish service to Man.

أُوْلَـئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٥﴾

2: 5. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.

C29. Prosperity must be taken as referring to all the kinds of bounty which we discussed in the note 2:3 above.

The right use of one kind leads to an increase in that and other kinds, and that is prosperity.

Other Versions:

2: 2

Asad This Divine Writ – let there be no doubt about it – is [meant to be] a guidance for all the God-conscious (note 2)

Pickthall This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil).

Transliteration Za_likal kita_bu la_ raiba fihi hudal lilmuttaqin(a).

[Ali’s note: 26 Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of God which according to the writer of Proverbs (i.7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil; (3) hence righteousness, piety good conduct. All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context. See also xivii 17; and ixxiv 56, n.5808. (2.2) ]

[Asad’s note: The conventional translation of muttaqi as “God-fearing” does not adequately render the positive content of this expression – namely, the awareness of His all-presence and the desire to mould one’s existence in the light of this awareness; while the interpretation adopted by some translators, “one who guards himself against evil” or “one who is careful of his duty”, does not give more than one particular aspect of the concept of God consciousness.]

2: 3

Asad who believe in [the existence of] that which is the reach of human perception, and are constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance;

Pickthall Who believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them;

Transliteration Allazina yu'minu_na bil gaibi wa yuqimu_nas sala_ta wa mimma_ razaqna_hum yunfiqu_n(a).

[ Asad’s note 3: Al-ghayb is used in the Quran to denote all those sectors or phases of reality which lie beyond the range of human perception and cannot, therefore, be proved or disproved by scientific observation or even adequately comprised within the accepted categories of speculative thought: …………]

[Ruby’s note: I believe the Quran deliberately used this word “gaibi” or “that which is beyond human perception” to convey a general meaning and did not use God in particular. The reason I believe is that it is not only God Who is beyond human perception, there are other things and beings that are also beyond human perception and human being to understand the reality better need to accept that truth beyond human conception and then attempt to understand the truth from the manifested reality. Secondly one needs to accept this idea of “beyond human conception” in order to take clues in understanding the reality better. If this idea is not a part of one’s conviction then one is going to be misled in life to understand the signs given in our reality. These signs [ayat as the Quran puts it] are not only the verses of the Quran but also what is imbued in the entire reality: nature, life, events of life, etc. All these manifested or expressed things do not convey the reality by themselves, but connotes to or implies to much deeper messages of truth. ]

2: 4

Pickthall And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter.

Transliteration Wallazina yu'minu_na bima_ unzila ilaika wa ma_ unzila min qablika, wabil a_khirati hum ya_qinu_n(a).

2: 5

Asad It is they who follow the guidance [which comes] from their Sustainer; and it is they, they who shall attain to a happy state!

Pickthall These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

Transliteration Ula_'ika 'ala_ hudam mir rabbihim wa ula_'ika humul muflihu_n(a)

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53. Sura al-Najm

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَى ﴿٣٥﴾

53: 35. What!

has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see?

C5109. 'So that he can see what will happen in the Hereafter': for no bargains can be struck about matters unknown.

Asad’s Version:

53: 35 Does he have knowledge of something that is beyond the reach of human perception, so that he can see ?

Asad Note 29 : “How can he be sure that there is no life in the hereafter, and no judgment?”

Also indicates, I feel, is that human being should always ponder how little he/she knows and that one should not be certain about this reality in arrogance.

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4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ...

4: 163. We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him;

C668. First we have a general statement:

that inspiration was sent to many Messengers, and the inspiration was of the same kind as that sent to the Prophet Muhammad, for Allah's Message is one.

Note that what is spoken of here is Inspiration, not necessarily a Book.

Every nation or group of people had a messenger: 10:47. Some of these messengers have been mentioned by name in the Quran, and some not: 4:164.

... وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإْسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ ...

We sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,

C669. Cf. 2:136 and 3:84.

The list here given is in three groups.

- The first group, Abraham's family, is the same as in 2:136, (where see the note) and in 3:84.

- Then we have the prophets Jesus, Job and Jonah, who symbolize patience and perseverance.

- Then we have Aaron the priest and Solomon the King, both great, figures, but each subordinate to another primary figure, viz., Moses (mentioned in the next verse) and David (mentioned at the end of this verse),

David's distinction was the Psalms, some of which are still extant. Though their present form is different from the original and they do undoubtedly include Psalms not written by David, the collection contains much devotional poetry of a high order. (R).

... وَعِيسَى وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ ...

to Jesus Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,

... وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُودَ زَبُورًا ﴿١٦٣﴾

and to David We gave the Psalms.

وَرُسُلاً قَدْ قَصَصْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلاً لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ...

4: 164. Of some Messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not;

... وَكَلَّمَ اللّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا ﴿١٦٤﴾

and to Moses Allah spoke direct.

C670. Allah spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. Hence the title of Moses in Muslim theology:

Kalim Allah: the one to whom Allah spoke.

Asad’s Version:

4: 163, 164 Behold, We have inspired thee [ O Prohpet ] just as We inspired Noah and all the prophets after him – as We inspired Abraham, and Ismael, and Issac, and Jacob, and their descendants, including Jesus and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon; and as We vouchsafed unto David a book of divine wisdom; and as [We inspired other] apostles whom We have mentioned to thee ere this, as well as apostles whom We have not mentioned to thee; and as God spoke His word unto Moses: [We sent all these ] apostles as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, so that men might have no excuse before God after [the coming of] these apostles: and God is indeed almighty, wise.

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6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ...

6: 56. Say: "I am forbidden to worship those, other than Allah, whom ye call upon."

C876. There are a number of arguments now put forward against the Makkans who refused to believe in Allah's Message. Each argument is introduced with the word "Say".

Here are the first four:

1. I have received Light and will follow it;

2. I prefer my Light to your vain desires

3. your challenge -"if there is a God, why does He not finish the blasphemers at once?" - it is not for me to take up; punishment rests with God;

4. if it rested with me, it would be for me to take up your challenge; all I know is that God is not unacquainted with the existence of folly and wickedness, and many other things besides, that no mortal can know; you can see little glimpses of His Plan, and you can be sure that He will not be tardy in calling you to account.

...قُل لاَّ أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَاءكُمْ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٦﴾

Say:

"I will not follow your vain desires:

if I did, I would stray from the path, and be not of the company of those who receive guidance."

Asad’s Version:

6: 56 Say [to the deniers of the truth]: “Behold, I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke instead of God.” Say : “I do not follow your errant views – or else I should have gone astray, and should not be among those who have found the right path.”

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8. Surah Al Anfal

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يِا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إَن تَتَّقُواْ اللّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَاناً...

8: 29. O ye who believe!

if ye fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong),

C1202. Cf. 2:53 and 2:185.

The battle of Badr is called the Furqan in Muslim theology, because it was the first trial of strength by battle, in Islam, between the powers of good and evil. Evil was defeated, and those who had real faith were tested and sorted out from those who had not faith enough to follow the banner of Faith.