God’s forgiveness if Asked

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?