The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ اشْتَرَى
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
أَنفُسَهُمْ
وَأَمْوَالَهُم
بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ
الجَنَّةَ...
9: 111. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their good; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise):
C1361. In a human bargain both sides give something and receive some advantage. In the divine bargain of Allah with man, Allah takes man's will and soul and his wealth and goods, and gives him in return ever-lasting Felicity.
Man fights in Allah's Cause and carries out His will. All that he has to give up is the ephemeral things of this world, while he gains eternal salvation, the fulfilment of his highest spiritual hopes, -a supreme achievement indeed.
... يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ...
they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain:
... وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ...
a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'án:
C1362. We offer our whole selves and our possessions to Allah, and Allah gives us Salvation. This is the true doctrine of redemption: and we are taught that this is the doctrine not only of the Quran but of the earlier Revelations, -the original Law of Moses and the original Gospel of Jesus.
Any other view of redemption is rejected by Islam, especially that of corrupted Christianity, which thinks that some other person suffered for our sins and we are redeemed by his blood. It is our self-surrender that counts, not other people's merits.
Our complete self-surrender may include fighting for the cause, both spiritual and physical. As regards actual fighting with the sword there has been some difference in theological theories at different times, but very little in the practice of those who framed those theories.
The Jewish wars were ruthless wars of extermination. The Old Testament does not mince matters on this subject. In the New Testament St. Paul, in commending the worthy fruits of Faith, mentions Gideon. Barak, and other warriors of the Old Testament as his ideals, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms... waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens..." (Hebrews, 11:32-34).
The monkish morality of the Gospels in their present form has never been followed by any self-respecting Christian or other nation in history. Nor is it common-sense to ignore lust of blood in unregenerate man as a form of evil which has to be combated "within the limits, set by Allah" (9:112). (R).
... وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللّهِ...
and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah?
... فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ...
Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded:
... وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ﴿١١١﴾
that is the achievement supreme.
9: 112. - Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance:
C1363. We are to rejoice that by giving up such small things as ourselves and our possessions we are to be rewarded with such a great thing as the eternal life of felicity. The truly righteous, whose lives in various aspects are described in this verse, do so rejoice. The good news is to be proclaimed to all Believers, including the weakest among us, so that they may profit by that example.
... الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدونَ...
- that serve Him, and praise Him;
- that wander in devotion to the Cause of Allah;
- that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer;
... الآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ...
- that enjoin good and forbid evil;
وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللّهِ...
- and observe the limits set by Allah; (these do rejoice).
... وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١١٢﴾
So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.
Asad’s Version:
9: 111 Lo! God has bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs: they shall fight in the way of God and shall slay and be slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him In the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. Who fulfils His covenant better than God? Rejoice then in your bargain that you have made, for that is the Supreme triumph. [pickthall]
[Innalaha-hashtaraa minal Muminiina anfasahum wa amwaa lahum bi anna lahumul Jannah……………wa zaalika huwal fawzul azim.]
9: 112 Those who turn in repentance and who worship and praise, and go on and on*, and bow down and prostrate themselves in adoration, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and keep to the bound set by God. And give you the glad tiding to all believers. [asad]
[* see note]
9: 112 [Triumphant] are those who repentant, those who serve [Him], those who praise, those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate, those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep the limits of God – and give glad tiding to believers! [pickthall]
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22. Sura al-Hajj
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا
وَاسْجُدُوا
وَاعْبُدُوا
رَبَّكُمْ...
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo irkaAAoo waosjudoo waoAAbudoo rabbakum waifAAaloo alkhayra laAAallakum tuflihoona |
2:77. O ye who believe!
bow down, prostrate yourselves, and adore your Lord;
...وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٧٧﴾
and do good; that ye may prosper.
C2860. Prosper: in a spiritual sense, both in this life and the Hereafter.
وَجَاهِدُوا
فِي اللَّهِ
حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ...
22:78. And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline):
C2861. As far as the striving is concerned with Jihad in the narrow sense, see the limitations in n. 204 to 2:190 and n. 205 to 2:191.
But the words are perfectly general and apply to all true and unselfish striving for spiritual good.
...هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ...
He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion;
C2862. The Jews were hampered by many restrictions, and their religion was racial.
Christianity, as originally preached, was a hermit religion: "sell whatsoever thou hast" (Mark 10:21); "take no thought for the morrow" (Matt. 6:34).
Islam, as originally preached, gives freedom and full play to man's faculties of every kind. It is universal, and claims to date from Adam: father Abraham is mentioned as the great Ancestor of those among whom Islam was first preached (Jews, Christians, and Arab Quraysh).
...مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ...
it is the cult of your father Abraham.
...هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَذَا...
It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation);
C2863. Before: see Abraham's prayer in 2:128. In this revelation: in this very verse, as well as in other places
...لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ...
that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind!
C2864. See 2:143, and notes 143 and 144.
As the Prophet is a guide and exemplar among us, so Muslims ought to be exemplars amongst mankind. The best witness to Allah's Truth are those who show its light in their lives.
...فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ...
So establish regular Prayer, give regular Charity,
...وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ...
and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector --
...فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ ﴿٧٨﴾
the Best to protect and the Best to help!
22:77
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo irkaAAoo waosjudoo waoAAbudoo rabbakum waifAAaloo alkhayra laAAallakum tuflihoona |
Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning |
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O YOU who have attained to faith! Bow down and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Sustainer [alone], and do good, so that you might attain to a happy state! |
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O ye who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord, and do good, that haply ye may prosper. |
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O you who believe! bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed. |
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O ye who believe! bow down, prostrate yourselves, and adore your Lord; and do good; that ye may prosper. |
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O those who believed! Bow down and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord, and accomplish good so that perhaps you will prosper.‡ |
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You who are true believers, kneel and prostrate yourselves, worship your Lord and do good works, so that you may succeed. |
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You who believe, bow down and kneel before [Him], and worship your Lord; and do good, so that you may succeed. |
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O you people whose hearts have been touched with the divine hand, go down on your knees and bow to the ground in reverence and submission to Allah and prostrate your reason to divine revelation and worship Allah, your Creator, and lift to Him your inward |
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22:78
Wajahidoo fee Allahi haqqa jihadihi huwa ijtabakum wama jaAAala AAalaykum fee alddeeni min harajin millata abeekum ibraheema huwa sammakumu almuslimeena min qablu wafee hatha liyakoona alrrasoolu shaheedan AAalaykum watakoonoo shuhadaa AAala alnnasi faaqeemoo alssalata waatoo alzzakata waiAAtasimoo biAllahi huwa mawlakum faniAAma almawla waniAAma alnnaseeru |
Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning |
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And strive hard in God’s cause with all the striving that is due to Him: it is He who has elected you [to carry His message], and has laid no hardship on you in [anything that pertains to religion, [and made you follow] the creed of your forefather Abraham. It is He who has named you in bygone times as well as in this [divine writ] – “those who have surrendered themselves to God”, so that the Apostle might bear witness to the truth before you, and that you might bear witness to it before all mankind. Thus, be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and hold fast unto God. He is your Lord Supreme: and how excellent is this Lord Supreme, and how excellent this Giver of Succour! |
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And strive for Allah with the endeavour which is His right. He hath chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of your father Abraham (is yours). He hath named you Muslims of old time and in this (Scripture), that the messenger may be a witness against you, and that ye may be witnesses against mankind. So establish worship, pay the poor-due, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting friend. A blessed Patron and a blessed Helper! |
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And strive hard in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving a is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you an hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people; therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper! |
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And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer, give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector - the Best to protect and the Best to help! |
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And struggle for God in a true struggling. He elected you and made not for you in your way of life any impediment. It is the creed of your father Abraham. He named you the ones who submit to God before and in this Recitation that the Messenger be a witness over you and you are witnesses over humanity. So perform the formal prayer and give the purifying alms and cleave firmly to God. He is your Defender. How excellent a Defender and how excellent a Helper! |
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Asad’s Version:
[[ Asad’s notes - 91 For an explanation of this rendering of the phrase ma bayna aydihim wa-ma khalfahum, see surah 2, note 247.
92 The absence of any "hardship" in the religion of Islam is due to several factors: (1) it is free of any dogma or mystical proposition which might make the Qur'anic doctrine difficult to understand or might even conflict with man's innate reason; (2) it avoids all complicated ritual or system of taboos which would impose undue restrictions on man's everyday life; (3) it rejects all self- mortification
and exaggerated asceticism, which must unavoidably conflict with man's true nature (cf in this connection note 1 18 on the first sentence of 2:143); and (4) it takes fully into account the fact that "man has been created weak" (4:28).
93 Abraham is designated here as "your forefather" not only because he was, in fact, an ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad - to whose followers this passage is addressed - but also because he is the prototype (and thus, the spiritual "forefather") of all who consciously "surrender themselves to God" (see next note).
94 The term muslim signifies "one who surrenders himself to God"; correspondingly, islam denotes "self-surrender to God". Both these terms are applied in the Qur'an to all who believe in the One God and affirm this belief by an unequivocal acceptance of His revealed messages. Since the Qur'an represents the final and most universal of these divine revelations, the believers are called upon,in the sequence, to follow the guidance of its Apostle and thus to become an example for all mankind (cf. 2:143 and the corresponding note 119). ]]
