3. Sura al-Imran

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ...

3: 147. All that they said was:

...ربَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا...

"Our Lord! forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty;

...وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿١٤٧﴾

establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist faith."

فَآتَاهُمُ اللّهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ الآخِرَةِ...

3: 148. And Allah gave them a reward in this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter.

...وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٤٨﴾

For Allah loveth those who do good.

Other versions:

3: 147

Yusuf Ali All that they said was: "Our Lord! forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty; establish our feet firmly and help us against those that resist faith."

Pickthall Their cry was only that they said: Our Lord! Forgive us for our sins and wasted efforts, make our foothold sure, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.

Transliteration Wa ma_ ka_na qaulahum illa_ an qa_lu_ rabbanagfir lana_ zunu_bana_ wa isra_fana_ fi amrina_ wa sabbit aqda_mana_ wansurna_ 'alal qaumil ka_firin(a).

3: 148

Asad whereupon God granted them the rewards of this world, as well as the goodliest rewards of the life to come: for God loves the doers of good.

Yusuf Ali And Allah gave them a reward in this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah loveth those who do good.

Pickthall So Allah gave them the reward of the world and the good reward of the Hereafter. Allah loveth those whose deeds are good.

Transliteration Fa a_ta_humulla_hu sawa_bad dunya_ wa husna sawa_bil a_khirah(ti), walla_hu yuhibbul muhsinin(a).

2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلاَ تُلْقُواْ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ...

2: 195. And spend of your substance in the Cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to your destruction,

C211. Every fight requires the wherewithals for the fight, the "sinews of war".

- If the war is just and in the cause of Allah, all who have wealth must spend it freely. That may be their contribution to the Cause, in addition to their personal effort, or if for any reason they are unable to fight.

- If they hug their wealth, perhaps their own hands are helping in their own self destruction. Or

- if their wealth is being spent, not in the Cause of Allah, but in something which pleases their fancy, it may be that the advantage goes to the enemy, and they are by their action helping their own destruction.

In all things, their standard should be, not selfishness, but the good of their brethren, for such good is pleasing to Allah.

... وَأَحْسِنُوَاْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٩٥﴾

but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.

Asad’s Version:

2:195 ….but do good; for God loves those who do good.

5. Surah Al-Ma'idah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُواْ...

5: 93. On those who believe and do deeds of righteousness there is no blame for what they ate (in the past),

... إِذَا مَا اتَّقَواْ وَّآمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَواْ وَّآمَنُواْ ثُمَّ اتَّقَواْ وَّأَحْسَنُواْ...

when they guard themselves from evil and believe, and do deeds of righteousness, (or) again, guard themselves from evil and do good.

... وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٩٣﴾

For Allah loveth those who do good.

C798. There is a subtle symphony in what appears at first sight to be a triple repetition. The relation of such simple regulations as those of food, or game, or the reverence due to a sacred place or sacred institution, has to be explained vis-à-vis man's higher duties.

Baydawi is right in classifying such duties under three heads;

- those due to Allah,

- those due from a man to himself (his self-respect), and

- those due to other creatures of Allah.

Or perhaps all duties have this threefold aspect.

- The first may be called Believing or Faith;

- the second, Guarding ourselves from evil, or Conscience: and

- the third, doing good or Righteousness.

But the simplest physical rules, e.g., those about eating, cleanliness, etc., if they are good, refer also to the higher aspects.

If we eat bad food, we hurt ourselves, we cause offence to our neighbors, and we disobey Allah.

If we have faith and righteousness, are we likely to be wanting in conscience?

If we have conscience and faith, are we likely to fail in righteousness?

If we have conscience and righteousness, what can be their foundation but faith?

All three manifest themselves in a willing obedience to Allah, and love for Him. We realise His love in loving and doing good to His creatures, and our love for Him is meaningless without such good.

Other versions:

5: 93

Asad …………by partaking of whatever they may [note 108], so long as they are conscious of God and [truly] believe and do righteous deeds, and continue to be conscious of God and toe believe, and grow ever more [109] conscious of God, and persevere in doing good: for God loves the doers of good.

Yusuf Ali On those who believe and do deeds of righteousness there is no blame for what they ate (in the past) when they guard themselves from evil and believe and do deeds of righteousness (or) again guard themselves from evil and do good. For Allah loveth those who do good.

Pickthall There shall be no sin (imputed) unto those who believe and do good works for what they may have eaten (in the past). So be mindful of your duty (to Allah), and do good works; and again: be mindful of your duty, and believe; and once again: be mindful of your duty, and do right. Allah loveth the good.

Transliteration Laisa 'alal lazina a_manu_ wa'amilus sa_liha_ti juna_hun fi ma_ ta'imu_ iza_ mattaqau wa a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti summattaqau wa a_manu_ summattaqau wa ahsanu_, walla_hu yuhibbul muhsinin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 108 – Lit., “in whatever they eat” or “taste” (fi-ma ta’imu). The verb ‘ta’ima’, which primarily signifies “he ate”, applies to eating and drinking as well as –metphorically- to “partaking of” anything that may be desirable…………]]

[[ Ali’s note - 798 There is a subtle symphony in what appears at first sight to be a triple repetition. The relation of such simple regulations as those of food, or game, or the reverence due to a sacred place or sacred institution, has to be explained vis-a-vis man's higher duties. Baidhawi is right in classifying such duties under three heads; those due to Allah, those due from a man to himself (his self-respect), and those due to other creatures of Allah. Or perhaps all duties have this threefold aspect. The first may be called Believing or Faith; the second, Guarding ourselves from evil, or Conscience: and the third, doing good or Righteousness. But the simplest physical rules, e.g., those about eating, cleanliness, etc., if they are good, refer also to the higher aspects. If we eat bad food, we hurt ourselves, we cause offence to our neighbours, and we disobey Allah. If we have faith and righteousness, are we likely to be wanting in conscience? If we have conscience and faith, are we likely to fail in righteousness? If we have conscience and righteousness, what can be their foundation but faith? All three manifest themselves in a willing obedience to Allah, and love for Him. We realise His love in loving and doing good to His creatures, and our love for Him is meaningless without such good. (5.93)]]