10. Surah Yunus

Ali’s version & Quranic Text:

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ...

10: 90.  We took the Children of Israel across the sea:

...فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا... ...

Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite.

C1472. Notice the swiftness of the action in the narrative. The execution of poetic justice could not have been described in fewer words.

...حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ...

At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said:

...آمَنتُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلِـهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ...

"I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in:

C1473. That is, in the One True God.

This was death-bed repentance, and even so it was forced by the terror of the catastrophe. So it was not accepted (cf. 4:18) in its entirety.

Only the body was saved from the sea, and presumably, according to Egyptian custom, it was embalmed and the mummy was given due rites of the dead. But the story commemorated for ever Allah's working, in mercy for His people, and in just punishment of oppressors.

...وَأَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٩٠﴾

I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam)."

Pickthall’s Version:

10: 90

Pickthall And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts pursued them in rebellion and transgression, till, when the (fate of) drowning overtook him, he exclaimed: I believe that there is no God save Him in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender (unto Him).

Transliteration Wa ja_wazna_ bi bani isra_'ilal bahra fa atba'ahum fir'aunu wa junu_dahu_ bagyaw wa'adwa_(n), hatta_ iza_ adrakahul garaqu qa_la a_mantu annahu_ la_ ila_ha illal lazi a_manat bihi banu_ isra_'ila wa ana minal muslimin(a).

[[ Ali’s note -

1473 That is, in the One True God. This was death-bed repentance, and even so it was forced by the terror of the catastrophe. So it was not accepted (cf. iv. 18) in its entirety. Only the body was saved from the sea, and presumably, according to Egyptian custom, it was embalmed and the mummy was given due rites of the dead. But the story commemorated forever Allah's working, in mercy for His people, and in just punishment of oppressors. (10.90)