49. Surah Al-Hujurat (The Private Apartments)

Medina Period 106 [18 verses]9H

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ...

49: 15. Only those are Believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger,

...ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ...

and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah:

...أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ ﴿١٥﴾

Such are the sincere ones.

قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ اللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ...

49: 16. Say:

"What! Will ye instruct Allah about your Religion?"

C4936. 'You say (or perhaps even think) that you are Muslims, but where are the fruits of your Faith? Allah knows the innermost motives and secrets of your heart, and you cannot deceive Him by attaching a certain label to yourselves'. Alas! that this answer to the desert Arabs is true of so many others in our own times!

...وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿١٦﴾

but Allah knows all that is in the heavens and on earth:

He has full knowledge of all things.

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا...

49: 17. They impress on thee as favor that they have embraced Islam.

C4937. Islam in itself is a precious privilege. By accepting it we confer no favour on its preacher or on any community. If the acceptance is from the heart, it is a great favour done to those who accept, that the Light of Allah has entered their hearts and they have received guidance.

...قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُم...

Say,

"Count not your Islam as a favor upon me:

...بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿١٧﴾

Nay,

Allah has conferred a favor upon you that He has guided you to the Faith, if ye be true and sincere.

Asad’s Version:

49:15 [Know that true] believers are only those who have attained to faith in God and His Apostle and have left all doubt behind," and who strive hard in God's cause with their possessions and their lives: it is they, they who are true to their word!

49:16 Say: "Do you, perchance, [want to] inform God of [the nature of] your faith" - although God knows all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth? Indeed, God has full knowledge of everything!"

(49:17) Many people 21 think that they have bestowed a favour upon thee [O Prophet] by having surrendered [to thee]. 22 Say thou: "Deem not your surrender a favour unto

me: nay, but it is God who bestows a favour upon you by showing you the way to faith - if you are true to your word! "