7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ لاَ نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا...

7: 42. But those who believe and work righteousness, no burden do We place on any soul, but that which it can bear,

...أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾

they will be companions of the garden, therein to dwell (for ever).

وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنْ غِلٍّ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهِمُ الأَنْهَارُ...

7: 43. And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury; beneath them will be rivers flowing;

C1021. A man who may have suffered or been disappointed may have a lurking sense of injury it the back of his mind, which may spoil his enjoyment on account of past memory intruding in the midst of felicity. In such cases memory itself is pain. Even sorrow is intensified by memory: as Tennyson says,

"A sorrow's crown of sorrows is remembering happier things."

But that is in this our imperfect life. In the perfect felicity of the righteous, all such feelings will be blotted out. No "heartaches" then and no memories of them! The clouds of the past will have dissolved in glorious light, and no past happiness will be comparable with the perfect happiness which will have then been attained. Nor will any sense of envy or shortcoming be possible in that perfect bliss.

...وَقَالُواْ الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَـذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ...

and they shall say:

"Praise be to Allah, Who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of Allah:

...لَقَدْ جَاءتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ ...

indeed it was the truth that the Messengers of our Lord brought unto us."

...وَنُودُواْ أَن تِلْكُمُ الْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾

And they shall hear the cry:

"Behold! the garden before you! Ye have been made its inheritors, for your deeds (of righteousness)."

C1022. Jesus said: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth": Matt. 5:5.

Here we are told: blessed are the righteous, for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. The stress here is on actual practical deeds of righteousness: whether they find their rewards on earth or not is immaterial: their attention is directed to an infinitely greater reward, the kingdom of heaven.

In the Sermon on the Mount this is promised to the "poor in spirit": Matt. 5:3.


Other Versions:

7: 42

Asad But those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds – [and] We do not burden any human being with more than he is well to bear - …..

Pickthall But (as for) those who believe and do good works We tax not any soul beyond its scope. Such are rightful owners of the Garden. They abide therein.

Transliteration Wallazina a_manu_ wa 'amilus sa_liha_ti la_ nukallifu nafsan illa_ wus'aha_ ula_'ika asha_bul jannah(ti), hum fiha_ kha_lidu_n(a).

7: 43

Pickthall And We remove whatever rancor may be in their hearts. Rivers flow beneath them. And they say: The praise to Allah, Who hath guided us to this. We could not truly have been led aright if Allah had not guided us. Verily the messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth. And it is cried unto them: This is the Garden. Ye inherit it for what ye used to do.

Transliteration Wa naza'na_ ma_ fi sudu_rihim min gillin tajri min tahtihimul anha_r(u), wa qa_lul hamdu lilla_hil lazi hada_na_ liha_za_, wa ma_ kunna_ linahtadiya lau la_ an hada_nalla_h(u), laqad ja_'at rusulu rabbina_ bil haqq(i), wa nu_du_ an tilkumul jannatu u_ristumu_ha_ bima_ kuntum ta'malu_n(a).

[[ Ali’s notes-

1021 A man who may have suffered or been disappointed may have a lurking sense of injury in the back of his mind, which may spoil his enjoyment on account of past memory intruding in the midst of felicity. In such cases memory itself is pain. Even sorrow is intensified by memory: as Tennyson says, "A sorrow's crown of sorrows is remembering happier things." But that is in this our imperfect life. In the perfect felicity of the righteous, all such feelings will be blotted out. No "heartaches" then and no memories of them! The clouds of the past will have dissolved in glorious light, and no past happiness will be comparable with the perfect happiness which will have then been attained. Nor will any sense of envy or shortcoming be possible in that perfect bliss. (7.43)

1022 Jesus said: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth": Matt. v. 5. Here we are told: blessed are the righteous, for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. The stress here is on actual practical deeds of righteousness: whether they find their rewards on earth or not is immaterial: their attention is directed to an infinitely greater reward, the kingdom of heaven. In the Sermon on the Mount this is promised to the "poor in spirit": Matt. v, 3. (7.43) ]]


[[ Asad ‘s note 34 –Lit., “beneath them”: i.e., all blessings will be at their command.]]