3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَأَطِيعُواْ
اللّهَ
وَالرَّسُولَ
لَعَلَّكُمْ
تُرْحَمُونَ
﴿١٣٢﴾
3: 132. And obey Allah and the Messenger; that ye may obtain mercy.
وَسَارِعُواْ
إِلَى
مَغْفِرَةٍ
مِّن
رَّبِّكُمْ
...
3: 133. Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord,
... وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾
and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous.
C452. The Fire (3:131) is, as always, contrasted with the Garden, -in other words, Hell contrasted with Heaven, we are told that its width alone is that of the whole of the heavens and the earth,- all the creation we can imagine.
In other words our spiritual felicity covers not merely this or that part of our being, but all life and existence. Who can measure its width, or length, or depth? (R).
الَّذِينَ
يُنفِقُونَ
فِي
السَّرَّاء
وَالضَّرَّاء
وَالْكَاظِمِينَ
الْغَيْظَ
وَالْعَافِينَ
عَنِ
النَّاسِ...
3: 134. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;
C453. Another definition of the righteous (verses 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they are in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time.
They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity or good deeds all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults.
This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.
...وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾
for Allah loves those who do good.
وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَا
فَعَلُواْ
فَاحِشَةً
...
3: 135. And those who, having done something to be ashamed of,
C454. The righteous man, when he finds he has fallen into sin or error, does not whine or despair, but asks for Allah's forgiveness, and his faith gives him hope. If he is sincere, that means that he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amends.
... أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ...
or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,
C455. Sin is a sort of oppression of ourselves by ourselves. This follows from the doctrine of personal responsibility, as opposed to that of blind fate or of an angry God or gods lying in wait for revenge or injury on mankind.
...وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ ...
and who can forgive sins except Allah?
...وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾
And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.
أُوْلَـئِكَ
جَزَآؤُهُم
مَّغْفِرَةٌ
مِّن
رَّبِّهِمْ
...
3: 136. For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord,
...وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا...
and gardens with rivers flowing underneath, an eternal dwelling;
3: 132
Asad And pay heed unto God and the Apostle, so that you might be graced with mercy.
Pickthall And obey Allah and the messenger, that ye may find mercy.
Transliteration Wa ati'ulla_ha war rasu_la la'allakum turhamu_n(a).
3: 133
Asad And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer’s forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious-
Pickthall And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil);
Transliteration Wa sa_ri'u_ ila_ magfiratim mir rabbikum wa jannatin'arduhas sama_wa_tu wal ard(u), u'iddatillmuttaqin(a).
3: 134
Asad who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in tiem of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good;
Pickthall Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good;
Transliteration Allazina yunfiqu_na fis sarra_'i wad darra_'i wal ka_ziminal gaiza wal 'a_fina'nin na_s(i), walla_hu yuhibbul muhsinin(a).
3: 135
Pickthall And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins--Who forgiveth sins save Allah only?--and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did.
Transliteration Wallazina iza_ fa'alu_ fa_hisyatan au zalamu_ anfusahum zakarulla_ha fastagfaru_ li zunu_bihim, wa may yagfiruz zunu_ba illalla_h(u), wa lam yusirru_'ala_ ma_ fa'alu_ wa hum ya'lamu_n(a).
3: 136
Pickthall The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever, a bountiful reward for workers!
Transliteration Ula_'ika jaza_'uhum magfiratum mir rabbihim wa janna_tun tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_, wa ni'ma ajrul 'a_milin(a).