10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَوْ
يُعَجِّلُ
اللّهُ لِلنَّاسِ
الشَّرَّ
اسْتِعْجَالَهُم
بِالْخَيْرِ
لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ
أَجَلُهُمْ...
10: 11. If Allah were to hasten for men the ill (they have earned) as they would fain hasten on the good -- then would their respite be settled at once.
C1398. Those who have no hope for the Future grasp at any temporary advantage, and in their blindness even mockingly ask for immediate punishment for their sins (8:32), thus vainly challenging Allah, in Whom they do not believe.
If the beneficent Allah were to take them at their word, they would have no chance at all. Their doom would be sealed. But even the respite they get they use badly. They merely wander about distractedly like blind men, to and fro. Cf. 2:15.
...فَنَذَرُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ﴿١١﴾
But We leave those who rest not their hope of their meeting with Us, in their trespasses, wandering in distraction to and fro.
Asad’s Version:
10: 11 Now if god were to hasten for human beings the ill in the same manner as they would hasten [the coming to them of what they consider to be] good, their end would indeed come forthwith! But We leave them alone [for a while] – all those who do not believe that they are destined to meet us: in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.
[asad note 17; ……….the implication being, firstly that man is weak (4:28) and therefore prone to sinning; secondly, that God “has willed upon Himself the law of grace and mercy” (see 6:12….) and, consequently, does not punish sinners without taking their circumstances into consideration and giving them time to repent and to mend their ways. ]
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14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَتْ
رُسُلُهُمْ
أَفِي اللّهِ
شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضِ...
14: 10. Their Messengers said:
"Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?
...يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَـمًّى...
It is He Who invites you, in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed!"
C1885. The Prophets (generally) clear both kinds of doubt.
"You cannot doubt the existence of Allah! Behold His works! We are not speaking for ourselves or deceiving you. We speak according to the Message of inspiration from Allah."
Notice that the doubters had said to the Prophets, -Ye invite us.- The Prophets say: "It is Allah Who invites you, and He does it to save you by His grace, and give you plenty of time (but not indefinite time) for penitence and amendment."
...قَالُواْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا...
They said:
"Ah! ye are no more than human, like ourselves!
...تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَآؤُنَا... ...
Ye wish to turn us away from the (gods) our fathers used to worship:
...فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿١٠﴾
then bring us some clear authority."
C1886. Infidelity is illogical and argues in a circle.
If the Prophet speaks of Allah, the Unbeliever says, "You are only a man!"
"But I speak from Allah!"
"Oh well! our ancestral ways of worship are good enough for us!"
"What if they are wrong?"
"What authority have you for saying so?"
"The highest authority, that from Allah!"
And so we come back full circle! Then the wicked rely on violence, but it recoils on them, and they perish.
14: 10
Asad …….”Can there be any doubt about God,……..”……….It is He who calls unto you, so that He may forgive you of your sins and grant you respite until a term.
Pickthall Their messengers said: Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you unto an appointed term. They said: Ye are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring some clear warrant.
Transliteration Qa_lat rusuluhum afailla_hi syakkun fa_tiris sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), yad'u_kum liyagfira lakum min zunu_bikum wa yu'akhkhirakum ila_ ajalim musamma_(n), qa_lu_ in antum illa_ basyarum misluna_, turidu_na an tasuddu_na_ 'amma_ ka_na yanbudu a_ba_'una_ fa'tu_na_ bi sulta_nim mubin(in).
[Asad note 13: …””until the end of your life in this world”. This is, I believe, and indirect allusion to the calamities which are bound to befall, even in this world, “those who are bent on denying the truth” [see the last para of 13:31 and the
note 57 ] –implying that they who consciously respond to the call of God, conveyed through His prophets, would be immune to this kind of suffering and would be graced with abiding spiritual happiness (cf. 13:29). ]