34. Surah Saba-(Sheba) Mecca 58 [54 verses]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا آتَيْنَاهُم مِّن كُتُبٍ يَدْرُسُونَهَا...

34: 44. But We had not given them Books which they could study,

... وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَكَ مِن نَّذِيرٍ ﴿٤٤﴾

nor sent messengers to them before thee as Warners.

C3855. The ancestors (as in the case of the Arabs of the Times of Ignorance) had received no revelation of the dear kind which a messenger and a Book bring them. This is a reason for welcoming, not for rejecting new Truth.

وَكَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ...

34: 45. And their predecessors rejected (the Truth);

... وَمَا بَلَغُوا مِعْشَارَ مَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوا رُسُلِي...

these have not received a tenth of what We had granted to those: yet when they rejected My messengers,

C3856. Passing to Peoples before the immediate ancestors, the People of the Book, or the People of Saba and 'Ad and Thamud, had received favours and gifts, power and wealth, ten times more than were enjoyed by the Pagan Quraish. Yet when they turned away from Allah's Truth, Allah turned away from them, and what terrible consequences descended on them when they lost Allah's Grace! This should make everyone humble, not least the posterity of Muhammad the Messenger if they forsake Allah's Truths! For they have received a higher Teaching!

... فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ ﴿٤٥﴾

how (terrible) was My rejection (of them)!

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَعِظُكُم بِوَاحِدَةٍ...

34: 46. Say:

"I do admonish you on one point:

... أَن تَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ مَثْنَى وَفُرَادَى ثُمَّ تَتَفَكَّرُوا...

that ye do stand up before Allah -- (it may be) in pairs, or (it may be) singly -- and reflect (within yourselves):

C3857. A crowd mentality is not the best for the perception of the final spiritual truths. For these, it is necessary that each soul should commune within itself with earnest sincerity as before Allah: if it requires a Teacher, let it seek out one, or it may be that it wants the strengthening of the inner convictions that dawn on it, by the support of a sympathizer or friend. But careful and heart-felt reflection is necessary to appraise the higher Truths.

... مَا بِصَاحِبِكُم مِّن جِنَّةٍ...

your Companion is not possessed:

C3858. Note that in verses 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50, arguments are suggested to the Prophet, by which he can convince any right-thinking man of his sincerity and truth.

Here the argument is that he is not possessed or out of his mind. If he is different from ordinary men, it is because he has to give a warning of a terrible spiritual danger to the men whom he loves but who will not understand his Message.

... إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ لَّكُم بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ ﴿٤٦﴾

he is no less than a Warner to you, in face of a terrible Penalty."

Asad’s Version:

34:44 And yet, [O Muhammad,] never have We vouchsafed them any revelations which they could quote, 54 and neither have We sent unto them any warner before thee.

(34:45) Thus, too, gave the lie to the truth [many of] those who lived before them; and although those [earlier people] had not attained to even a tenth of [the evidence of the truth] which We have vouchsafed unto these [late successors of theirs], yet when they gave the lie to My apostles, how awesome was My rejection! 55

34:46 Say: "I counsel you one thing only: Be [everconscious of] standing before God, whether you are in the company of others or alone; 56 and then bethink yourselves [that] there is no madness in [this prophet,] your fellow -man: 57 he is only a warner to you of suffering severe to come."