Waiting with Faith and Hope

9. Surah At Tawbah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ هَلْ تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَا إِلاَّ إِحْدَى الْحُسْنَيَيْنِ...   

9: 52.  Say:

"Can you expect for us (any fate) other than one of two glorious things (martyrdom or victory)?

...وَنَحْنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمْ أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ اللّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِ أَوْ بِأَيْدِينَا...

But we can expect for you either that Allah will send His punishment from Himself, or by our hands.

...فَتَرَبَّصُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكُم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ ﴿٥٢﴾

So wait (expectant); we too will wait with you."

C1313. The waiting of the Unbelievers and that of the Believers are in different senses.

The Unbelievers wish for disaster to the Believers, but the Believers will either conquer or die as martyrs in the Cause, in either case happy in the issue.

The Believers expect punishment for the Unbelievers for their infidelity, either through their own instrumentality, or in some other way in Allah's Plan, and the Unbelievers would not like it in either case.

Cf. 6:158.

Asad’s Version:

9: 52 Say: “Are you, perchance hopefully waiting for something [bad] to happen to us – save one of the two best things? But as far as you are concerned, we are hopefully waiting for God to inflict chastisement upon you, form Himself or by our hands! Wait, then, hopefully: behold, we shall hopefully wait with you!” [Tabuk Expedition 9 H]

===================================

12. Surha Yusuf (Joseph)

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ...   

12: 83.  Jacob said:

"Nay, but ye have yourselves contrived a story (good enough) for you.

C1756. Jacob was absolutely stunned by the story. He knew his darling little Benjamin too well to believe that he had committed theft. He flatly refused to believe it, and called it a cock-and-bull story, which indeed it was, though not in the sense in which he reproached the nine brothers.

With the eye of faith he saw clearly the innocence of Benjamin, though he did not see every detail of what had happened.

... فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ...

So patience is most fitting (for me).

...عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِي بِهِمْ جَمِيعًا...

Maybe Allah will bring them (back) all to me (in the end):

C1757. With the eye of faith he clung to even a larger hope. Perhaps all three of his lost sons would come back, -Joseph, Benjamin, and Judah. His faith in Allah was unswerving, although alas! the present facts altogether unnerved him. (R).

...إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿٨٣﴾

for He is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom."

Pickthall’s Version:

12: 83 [ see Joseph’s story, sura Joseph]

Pickthall (And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience! It may be that Allah will bring them all unto me. Lo! He, only He, is the Knower, the Wise.

Transliteration Wa tawalla_ 'anhum wa qa_la ya_ asafa_ 'ala_ yu_sufa wa-byaddat aina_hu minal huzni fahuwa kazim(un).