God’s forgiveness if Asked
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ
وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ
لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ
...
3: 96. The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka
C422. Bakka: same as Makkah, perhaps an older name.
The foundation of the Ka'bah goes back to Abraham, but there are place associations in the sacred territories with the names of Adam and Eve. (R).
... مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٩٦﴾
full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:
C423. 'Alamin:
- all the worlds (1:2 and n.20),
- all kinds of beings;
- all nations (3:42):
- all creatures (3:97),
3: 96
Asad Behold, the first Temple ever set up for mankind was indeed the one at Bakkah [note 75]: rich in blessing,
Pickthall Lo! the first Sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Mecca, a blessed place, a guidance to the peoples;
Transliteration Inna awwala baitiw wudi'a linna_si lallazi bi bakkata muba_rakw wa hudal lil'a_lamin(a).
[ Ali’s notes - 422 Bakka: same as Makkah, perhaps an older name. The foundation of the Ka'ba goes back to Abraham. (3.96)
423 'Alamin: all the worlds (i. 2. ii), all kinds of beings; all nations (iii. 42): all creatures (iii. 97), (3.96) ]
[ Asad’s note 75 - ………in some old Arabic dialects the labial consonants b and m, being phonetically close to one another, are occasionally interchangeable. …….Since the prototype of the Kabah was built by Abraham and Ishmael (see 2:125 ff.) – and is, therefore, much older than the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem - ………and herein lies the answer to the second of the two Jewish objections mentioned in note 73 above.]
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8. Surah Al Anfal
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا كَانَ
اللّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ
وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ...
8: 33. But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst thou wast amongst them;
...وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon.
وَمَا لَهُمْ
أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ
اللّهُ وَهُمْ
يَصُدُّونَ
عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ
الْحَرَامِ
وَمَا كَانُواْ
أَوْلِيَاءهُ...
8: 34. But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them, when they keep out (men) from the sacred Mosque -- and they are not its guardians?
...إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾
No men can be its guardians except the righteous;
but most of them do not understand.
Asad’s Version:
8: 33-34 But God did not choose thus to chastise them while you [O Prophet] were still among them, nor would God chastise them when they ask for forgiveness. But what have they in their favor that God should not chastise them seeing that they bar [the believers] from the inviolable House of Worship, although they are not its guardians?