4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ لاَ
يَغْفِرُ أَن
يُشْرَكَ بِهِ
وَيَغْفِرُ
مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ
لِمَن يَشَاء...
4: 48. Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth;
... وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٤٨﴾
to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.
C569. Just as in an earthly kingdom the worst crime is that of treason, as it cuts at the very existence of the State, so in the Divine Kingdom, the unforgivable sin is that of contumacious treason against Allah by putting up Allah's creatures in rivalry against Him. This is rebellion against the Creator.
It is what Plato would call the "lie in the soul."
But even here, if the rebellion is through ignorance, and is followed by sincere repentance and amendment, Allah's Mercy is always open (4:17).
4: 48
Asad Verily, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin [note 64] unto whoever Hi wills: for he who ascribes divinity to auth besides has indeed contrived an awesome sin [note 65].
Pickthall Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners to Allah, he hath indeed invented a tremendous sin.
Transliteration Innalla_ha la_ yagfiru ay yusyraka bihi wa yagfiru ma_ du_na za_lika limay yasya_'(u), wa may yusyrik billa_hi fa qadiftara_ isman 'azima_(n).
[[ Ruby’s notes – The reason why “shirk” is the highest sin is because it is a falsification of the highest truth. A distortion of a “root” corrupts the entire existence. A misconception or distortion of the Creator’s Oneness and omnipotence which is the foundation from which all ideas and actions emanate from is the failure and corruption of the highest degree. ]]
[[ Asad’s note 65 – The continuous stress, in the Quran, on God’s transcendental oneness and uniqueness aims at freeing man from sense of dependence on other influences and powers, and thus at elevating him spiritually and bringing about the “purification” alluded to in the next verse. Since this objectives is vitiated by the sin of “shirk” ( “the ascribing of divine qualities to aught beside God”), the Quran describes it as “unforgivable” so long as it is persisted in, i.e., unless and until the sinner repents (cf. verses 17 and 18 of this surah.).
[[ Ali’s note - 569 Just as in an earthly kingdom the worst crime is that of treason, as it cuts at the very existence of the State, so in the Divine Kingdom, the unforgivable sin is that of contumacious treason against Allah by putting up Allah's creatures in rivalry against Him. This is rebellion against the Creator. It is what Plato would call the "lie in the soul." But even here, if the rebellion is through ignorance, and is followed by sincere repentance and amendment, Allah's Mercy is always open (iv. 17). (4.48) ]]
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REPEATING WRONG DOINGS after asking forgiveness
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
5: 95. O ye who believe!
kill not game, while in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb.
The pilgrim garb, Ihram, has been explained in n. 212, 2:196.
... وَمَن قَتَلَهُ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاء ...
If any of you doth so intentionally, the compensation is
... مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ النَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ هَدْيًا بَالِغَ الْكَعْبَةِ...
- an offering, brought to the Ka'bah of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged by two just men among you;
C801. For an inadvertent breach of the game rule there is apparently no penalty. Intentional breach will be prevented, if possible, by previous action.
If in some case the preventive action is not effective, the penalty is prescribed. The penalty is in three alternatives:
- an equivalent animal should be brought to the Ka'bah for sacrifice; if so, the meat would be distributed to the poor; or the poor must be fed, with grain or money, according to the value of the animal if one had been sacrificed: or
- the offender must fast as many days as the number of the poor who would have been fed under the second alternative.
- Probably the last alternative would only be open if the offender is too poor to afford the first or second, but on this point Commentators are not agreed.
The "equivalent animal" in the first alternative would be a domestic animal of similar value or weight in meat or of similar shape (e.g., goat to antelope), as adjudged by two just men on the spot.
The alternatives about the penalty and its remission ("Allah forgives what is past") or exaction explain the last two lines of the verse: being "Exalted and Lord of Retribution", Allah can remit or regulate according to His just laws.
... أَوْ كَفَّارَةٌ طَعَامُ مَسَاكِينَ أَو عَدْلُ ذَلِكَ صِيَامًا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِ ...
- or by way of atonement, the feeding of the indigent;
- or its equivalent in fasts:
that he may taste of the penalty of his deed.
... عَفَا اللّهُ عَمَّا سَلَف...
Allah forgives what is past:
... وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ اللّهُ مِنْهُ وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ ﴿٩٥﴾
for repetition Allah will exact from him the penalty: for Allah is Exalted, and Lord of Retribution.
Other Versions:
5: 95
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Kill no game while you are in the state of pilgrimage. And whoever of you kills it intentionally, [shall make] amends in cattle equivalent to what he has killed – with two persons of probity giving their judgment thereon – to be brought as an offering to the Kabah; or else he may atone for his by feeding the needy, or by the equivalent thereof in fasting: [this] in order that he taste the full gravity of his deed, [while] God shall have effaced the past. But whoever does it again, God will inflict His retribution on him: for God is almighty, and avenger of evil.
Pickthall O ye who believe! Kill no wild game while ye are on the pilgrimage. Whoso of you killeth it of set purpose he shall pay its forfeit in the equivalent of that which he hath killed, of domestic animals, the judge to be two men among you known for justice; (the forfeit) to be brought as an offering to the Ka'bah; or, for expiation, he shall feed poor persons, or the equivalent thereof in fasting, that he may taste the evil consequences of his deed. Allah forgiveth whatever (of this kind) may have happened in the past, but whoso relapseth, Allah will take retribution from him. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ taqtulus saida wa antum hurum(un), wa man qatalahu_ minkum muta'ammidan fa jaza_'um mislu ma_ qatala minan na'ami yahkumu bihi zawa_ 'adlim minkum hadyam ba_ligal ka'bati au kaffa_ratun ta'a_mu masa_kina au 'adlu za_lika siya_mal liyazu_qa waba_la amrih(i),'afalla_hu 'amma_ salaf(a), wa man 'a_da fa yantaqimulla_hu minh(u), walla_hu 'azizun zuntiqa_m(in).