19. Surah Maryam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَلَا
تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ
إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ
لَهُمْ عَدًّا ﴿٨٤﴾
19: 84. So make no haste against them, for We but count out to them a (limited) number (of days).
يَوْمَ
نَحْشُرُ
الْمُتَّقِينَ
إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ
وَفْدًا ﴿٨٥﴾
19: 85. The day We shall gather the righteous to (Allah) Most Gracious, like a band presented before a king for honors.
وَنَسُوقُ
الْمُجْرِمِينَ
إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ
وِرْدًا ﴿٨٦﴾
19: 86. And We shall drive the sinners to Hell, like thirsty cattle driven down to water --
C2528. Note the contrast between the saved and the doomed.
- The one march with dignity like honoured ones before a king,
- and the other rush in anguish to their punishment like a herd of cattle driven down by thirst to their watering place.
Note the metaphor of the water. They rush madly for water but are plunged into the Fire!
لَا
يَمْلِكُونَ
الشَّفَاعَةَ
إِلَّا مَنِ
اتَّخَذَ عِندَ
الرَّحْمَنِ
عَهْدًا ﴿٨٧﴾
19: 87. None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious.
Asad’s Version:
19:84
Asad Hence, be not in haste [to call down God's punishment] upon them: for We but number the number of their days. 73
(19:85) On the Day when We shall gather the God-conscious unto [Us,] the Most Gracious, as honored guests,
(19:86) and drive those who were lost in sin unto
hell as a thirsty herd is driven to a well –
(19:87) [on that Day] none will have [the benefit of]
intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious. 74
[[ Asad’s notes
73 Lit., "We number for them but a number". Cf. also the first sentence of verse 75 above.
74 Lit., "except him who has...", etc. According to the classical commentators - including some of
the most outstanding Companions of the Prophet - the "bond with God" denotes, in this context, the realization of His oneness and niqueness; for the wider implications of this term, see surah 2, note 19. Consequently, as pointed out by Razi, even great sinners may hope for God's forgiveness - symbolically expressed by the right of intercession" which will be granted to the prophets on Judgment Day (see note 7 on 10:3)- provided that, during their life on earth, they were aware of
God's existence and oneness. ]]