Meaning of Ibadat
51. Surah Adh-Dhariyat (The Dust-Scattering Winds)
Mecca Period 67
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَذَكِّرْ
فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَى
تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
﴿٥٥﴾
51: 55. But teach (thy Message): for teaching benefits the Believers.
وَمَا
خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ
وَالْإِنسَ
إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
﴿٥٦﴾
51: 56. I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me.
C5032. Creation is not for idle sport or play: 21:16. Allah has a serious Purpose behind it, which, in our imperfect state, we can only express by saying that each creature is given the chance of development and progress towards the Goal, which is Allah. Allah is the source and centre of all power and all goodness, and our progress depends upon our putting ourselves into accord with His Will. This is His service.
It is not of any benefit to Him: see the next two verses: it is for our own benefit.
Asad’s Version:
(51:55) yet go on reminding [all who would listen] : for, verily, such a reminder will profit the believers.
(5 1:56) And [tell them that] I have not created the invisible beings 37 and men to any end other than that they may [know and] worship Me. 38
Ali’s version and the Arabic verse
Yuksel’s version
51:55 Remind, for the reminder benefits those who acknowledge.
51:56 I did not create the Jinn and the humans except to serve Me.*
[[ Yuksel’s note - 051:056 See 2:35]]
[[ Asad’s note:
37 For a full discussion of the term jinn ("invisible beings"), see Appendix III. As pointed out by most of the philologists - and stressed by Razi in his comments on the above verse - this term includes also the angels, since they, too, are beings or forces "concealed from man's senses".
38 Thus, the innermost purpose of the creation of all rational beings is their cognition (ma'rifah) of the existence of God and, hence, their conscious willingness to conform their own existence to whatever they may perceive of His will and plan: and it is this twofold concept of cognition and willingness that gives the deepest meaning to what the Qnr'an describes as "worship" ('ibadah). As the next verse shows, this spiritual call does not arise from any supposed "need' - on the part of the Creator, who is self-sufficient and infinite in His power, but is designed as an instrument for the inner development of the worshipper, who, by the act of his conscious self-surrender to the all-pervading Creative Will, may hope to come closer to an understanding of that Will and, thus, closer to God Himself.]]
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The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
يَفْرَحُونَ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْكَ...
13: 36. Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee:
C1857. The Book: in a general sense, Revelation.
"Those to whom the Book hath been given" are both;
- the People of the Book of previous revelations, who study the new Revelation in Arabic without prejudice and find in it confirmation of what their ancestors had received and believed in it, and
- the Muslims who receive the Quran with such joy.
...وَمِنَ الأَحْزَابِ مَن يُنكِرُ بَعْضَهُ...
but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof.
C1858. Ahzab (plural of hizb: parties, sects, troops, clans. The reference may be to the clans mentioned in 33:20 and 22 (that whole Surah is called Ahzab).
But we can understand it in a perfectly general sense. Among all sections of the people there are persons who would receive a portion of Allah's truth but reject whatever does not suit them or fall in with their selfish aims or vain desires. The proper answer to them is:
Surely, Allah's command is universal, -to worship and serve Him and refuse to bend the knee to any other; the man of God finds his staff and support in it; but he must invite all to share in its blessings; it came from Allah, and to Allah shall we all return.
...قُلْ إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللّهَ وَلا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ...
Say:
"I am commanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with Him.
...إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُو وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ ﴿٣٦﴾
Unto Him do I call,
and unto Him is my return."
Other versions:
13: 36 [ar-R’ad, Medina 96]
Yusuf Ali Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee: but there are among the clans those who reject a part thereof. Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah and not to join partners with Him. Unto Him do I call and unto Him is my return."
Pickthall Those unto whom We gave the Scripture rejoice in that which is revealed unto thee. And of the clans there are who deny some of it. Say: I am commanded only that I serve Allah and ascribe unto Him no partner. Unto Him I cry, and unto Him is my return.
Yuksel Those to whom We have previously given the book rejoice at what has been sent down to you, but there are some of the groups that reject parts of it. Say, "I am only ordered to serve God and not to associate any partner with Him. To Him I pray and to Him is the return."
Transliteration Wallazina a_taina_humul kita_ba yafrahu_na bima_ unzila ilaika wa minal ahza_bi may yunkiru ba'dah(u_), qul innama_ umirtu an a'budalla_ha wa la_ usyrika bih(i), ilaihi ad'u_ wa ilaihi ma'a_b(i).