17. Surah Al Isra
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ
أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ
إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ
وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ
إِحْسَانًا...
17: 23. Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him,
and that ye be kind to parents.
...إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا ...
Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life,
C2204. The spiritual and moral duties are now brought into juxtaposition.
We are to worship none but Allah, because none but Allah is worthy of worship, not because "the Lord thy God is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me" (Exod. 20:5).
Note that the act of worship may be collective as well as individual; hence the plural ta'buda.
The kindness to parents is an individual act of piety; hence the singular taqul, qul, etc.
... فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا...
say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them,
...وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا ﴿٢٣﴾
but address them in terms of honor.
Other versions:
17: 23 [al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]
Yusuf Ali Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them but address them in terms of honor.
Pickthall Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them to attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word.
Transliteration Wa qada_ rabbuka alla_ ta'budu_ illa_ iyya_hu wa bil wa_lidaini ihsa_na_(n), imma_ yabluganna'indakal kibara ahaduhuma_ au kila_huma_ fala_ taqul lahuma_ uffiw wa la_ tanharhuma_ wa qul lahuma_ qaulan karima_(n).
18.Surah Al Kahf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
نَحْنُ
نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ
نَبَأَهُم
بِالْحَقِّ...
18: 13. We relate to thee their story in truth:
... إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى ﴿١٣﴾
they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance:
C2342. Their Faith carried them higher and higher on the road to Truth. Faith is cumulative. Each step leads higher and higher, by the grace and mercy of Allah.
وَرَبَطْنَا
عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ ...
18: 14. We gave strength to their hearts:
C2343. So that they were not afraid to speak out openly, and protest the truth of the Unity which they clearly saw in their own minds and hearts.
... إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا...
Behold, they stood up and said:
C2344. We may suppose them to have taken their stand and made a public protest before they betook themselves to the Cave (18:16).
The story really begins at 18:13, and the verses 18:9-12 may be considered as introductory.
As the emphasis is on spiritual lessons, the facts stated in the introductory part are passed over lightly in the story.
... رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلَهًا...
"Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him:
... لَقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذًا شَطَطًا ﴿١٤﴾
if we did; we should indeed have uttered an enormity!"
هَؤُلَاء
قَوْمُنَا
اتَّخَذُوا
مِن دُونِهِ
آلِهَةً...
18: 15. "These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him:
C2345. Besides the heathen gods, the cult of the Emperors also became fashionable in the Roman Empire in the first three centuries of the Christian Era. The statue of Diana (Artemis) at Ephesus had been one of the wonders of the ancient world.
The city was a great seaport and the capital of Roman Asia. We may therefore imagine how the heathen cults must have flourished there.
St. Paul spent three years preaching there, and was mobbed and assaulted, and compelled to leave (Acts, 19:1-4).
... لَّوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِسُلْطَانٍ بَيِّنٍ...
why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do?
... فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا ﴿١٥﴾
Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah?
Other versions:
18: 13
Asad We shall truly relate to you their story: Behold, they were young men who had attained to faith in their Sustainer: and [so] We deepened their consciousness of the right way.
Yusuf Ali We relate to thee their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord and We advanced them in guidance:
Pickthall We narrate unto thee their story with truth. Lo! they were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.
Transliteration Nahnu naqussu 'alaika naba'ahum bil haqq(i), innahum fityatun a_manu_ bi rabbihim wa zidna_hum huda_(w),
18: 14
Yusuf Ali We gave strength to their hearts: Behold they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did; we should indeed have uttered an enormity!"
Pickthall And We made firm their hearts when they stood forth and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We cry unto no god beside Him, for then should we utter an enormity.
Transliteration Wa rabatna_ 'ala_ qulu_bihim iz qa_mu_ faqa_lu_ rabbuna_ rabbus sama_wa_ti wal ardi lan nad'uwa min du_nihi ila_hal laqad qulna_ izan syatata_(n).
18: 15
Asad These people of ours have taken to worshipping [others] deities instead of Him, without being able to adduce any reasonable evidence in support of their beliefs; and who could be more wicked than he who invents a lie about God?
Yusuf Ali "These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him: why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do? Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah?
Pickthall These, our people, have chosen (other) gods beside Him though they bring no clear warrant (vouchsafed) to them. And who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah?
Transliteration Ha_'ula_'i qaumuna-ttakhazu_ min du_nihi a_lihah(tan), lau la_ ya'tu_na 'alaihim bi sulta_nim bayyin(in), faman azlamu mim man-iftara_ nalalla_hi kaziba_(n).
19. Surah Maryam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
رَبُّ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ
وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا...
19: 65. "Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that is between them:
...فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ ...
so worship Him, and be constant and patient in His worship:
...هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيًّا ﴿٦٥﴾
knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?"
C2515. The more we taste of the truth and mystery of life, the more do we realise that there is no one to be mentioned in the same breath as Allah.
He is above all names. But when we think of His beautiful qualities, and picture them to ourselves by names which give us some idea of Him, we can search the whole wide world of our imagination, and we shall not find another to be compared with Him in name or quality.
He is the One: praise be to Him!
Other versions:
19: 65
Asad the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them! Worship, then, Him alone, and remain steadfast in His worship! Dost thou know any whose name is worthy to be mentioned side by side with His?”
Yusuf Ali "Lord of the heavens and of the earth and of all that is between them: so worship Him and be constant and patient in His worship: knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?"
Pickthall Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them! Therefor, worship thou Him and be thou steadfast in His service. Knowest thou one that can be named along with Him? 66. And man saith: When I am dead, shall I forsooth be brought forth alive?
Transliteration Rab bus sama_wa_ti wal ardi wa ma_ bainahuma_ fa'bud hu wash thabir li'iba_datih hal ta'lamu lahu_ samiy ya_