Temp- doer of good etc
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
بَلَى
مَنْ أَسْلَمَ
وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ
وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ
فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ
عِندَ رَبِّهِ
...
2: 112. Nay, whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, he will get his reward with his Lord;
C114. The word translated "self" is Wajh, a comprehensive Arabic word. It means;
1. literally "face" but it may imply;
2. countenance or favour, as in 92:20;
3. honour, glory, Presence as applied to Allah, as in 2:115 and perhaps also in 55:27;
4. cause, sake ("for the sake of") as in 76:9;
5. the first part, the beginning as in 3:72;
6. nature, inner being, essence, self, as in 28:88, and perhaps also in 55:27.
Here I understand meaning 6; the face expresses the personality or the whole inner self of man. (R).
... وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾
on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
C115. This phrase comes in aptly in its own context many times.
In this Surah it occurs in 11. 38, 62, 112, 262, 274, and 277. (R).
وَلَكُمْ
فِي الْقِصَاصِ
حَيَاةٌ يَاْ
أُولِيْ الأَلْبَابِ
لَعَلَّكُمْ
تَتَّقُونَ
﴿١٧٩﴾
2: 179. In the law of equality there is (saving of) life to you, O ye men of understanding! that ye may restrain yourselves.
Asad’s Version:
2: 112 Nay, - whoever submits his whole self to God and is a doer of good,- he will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
2: 179 …that you may restrain yourselves.
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3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَسَارِعُواْ
إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ
مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
...
3: 133. Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord,
... وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾
and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous.
C452. The Fire (3:131) is, as always, contrasted with the Garden, -in other words, Hell contrasted with Heaven, we are told that its width alone is that of the whole of the heavens and the earth,- all the creation we can imagine.
In other words our spiritual felicity covers not merely this or that part of our being, but all life and existence. Who can measure its width, or length, or depth? (R).
الَّذِينَ
يُنفِقُونَ
فِي السَّرَّاء
وَالضَّرَّاء
وَالْكَاظِمِينَ
الْغَيْظَ
وَالْعَافِينَ
عَنِ النَّاسِ...
3: 134. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;
C453. Another definition of the righteous (verses 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they are in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time.
They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity or good deeds all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults.
This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.
...وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾
for Allah loves those who do good.
وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَا فَعَلُواْ
فَاحِشَةً ...
3: 135. And those who, having done something to be ashamed of,
C454. The righteous man, when he finds he has fallen into sin or error, does not whine or despair, but asks for Allah's forgiveness, and his faith gives him hope. If he is sincere, that means that he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amends.
... أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ...
or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,
C455. Sin is a sort of oppression of ourselves by ourselves. This follows from the doctrine of personal responsibility, as opposed to that of blind fate or of an angry God or gods lying in wait for revenge or injury on mankind.
...وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ ...
and who can forgive sins except Allah?
...وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾
And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.
فَبِمَا
رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ
اللّهِ لِنتَ
لَهُمْ ...
3: 159. It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them.
C471. The extremely gentle nature of Muhammad endeared him to all, and it is reckoned as one of the Mercies of Allah.
One of the Prophet's titles is "A Mercy to all Creation."
At no time was this gentleness, this mercy, this long-suffering with human weaknesses, more valuable than after a disaster like that at Uhud. It is a quality, which then, as always, bound and binds the souls of countless men to him.
...وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ...
Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee;
...فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ ...
so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them;
... وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الأَمْرِ...
and consult them in affairs (of moment).
...فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ ﴿١٥٩﴾
Then, when thou hast taken a decision, put thy trust in Allah.
For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).
Asad’s Version:
3: 133 - 135 And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious who spend (in His way) in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good; and who when they have committed a shameful deed or have (otherwise) sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for thwo but God could forgive sins? And do not knowingly persist in doing whatever (wrong) they may have done.
3: 159 ….Pardon them, then, and pray that they be forgiven (failures of Uhud). And take counsel with them in all matters of public concern; then, when you have decided upon a course of action, place your trust in God: for, verily, God loves those who place their trust in Him.
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25. Surah Al Furqan
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَعِبَادُ
الرَّحْمَنِ
الَّذِينَ
يَمْشُونَ عَلَى
الْأَرْضِ
هَوْنًا...
25: 63. And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility,
... وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا ﴿٦٣﴾
and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"
C3123. Ignorant: in a moral sense.
Address: in the aggressive sense.
Their humility is shown in two ways:
- to those in real search of knowledge, they give such knowledge as they have and as the recipients can assimilate;
- to those who merely dispute, they do not speak harshly, but say "Peace!", as much as to say,
"May it be well with you, may you repent and be better"; or
"May Allah give me peace from such wrangling"; or
"Peace, and Good-bye; let me leave you!"
Asad’s Version:
25:63 And the servants of (God) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility , and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace !”
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5. Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَبِمَا
نَقْضِهِم
مِّيثَاقَهُمْ
لَعنَّاهُمْ
وَجَعَلْنَا
قُلُوبَهُمْ
قَاسِيَةً ...
5: 13. But because of their breach of their Covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard:
C712. Cursed them: that means that because of the breach of their Covenant, Allah withdrew His overflowing Grace from them.
The withdrawal of Grace made their hearts grow hard in two ways:
1. they were no longer protected from the assaults of evil, and
2. they became impervious even to the message of forgiveness and mercy which is open to all Allah's creatures.
... يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُواْ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ...
they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them,
... وَلاَ تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىَ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِّنْهُمُ ...
nor wilt thou cease to find them, barring a few, ever bent on (new) deceits:
C713. Israel, when it lost Allah's grace as above, began to sin against truth and religion in three ways:
1. they began to misuse Scripture itself, by either taking words out of their right meaning, or applying them to things for which they were never meant;
2. in doing so, they conveniently forgot a part of the Message and purpose of Allah: and
3. they invented new deceits to support the old ones.
... فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ ...
but forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds):
C714. Cf. 2:109 and n. 110, where I have explained the different shades of meaning in the words for "forgiveness."
... إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
for Allah loveth those who are kind.
Asad’s Version:
5: 13 (Children of Israel)…… they distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context; they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind; ………... But pardon them, and forbear; verily, God loves the doers of good.
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6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
هُوَ الْقَادِرُ
عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
عَذَابًا مِّن
فَوْقِكُمْ
أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ
أَرْجُلِكُمْ
...
6: 65. Say:
"He hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below,
C888. Calamities from above and below: such as;
- storms and blizzards, torrential rain, etc., or
- earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.
...أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ...
or to cover you with confusion in party strife giving you a taste of mutual vengeance -- each from the other."
...انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾
See how We explain the Signs by various (symbols), that they may understand.
C889. Cf. 6:46, where this refrain commences the argument now drawing to a close.
فَكُلُواْ
مِمَّا ذُكِرَ
اسْمُ اللّهِ
عَلَيْهِ إِن
كُنتُمْ بِآيَاتِهِ
مُؤْمِنِينَ
﴿١١٨﴾
6: 118. So eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced, if ye have faith in His Signs.
قُلْ
يَا قَوْمِ
اعْمَلُواْ
عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ
إِنِّي عَامِلٌ...
6: 135. Say:
"O my people! do whatever ye can: I will do (my part):
C957. In so far as this is addressed to the Unbelievers it is a challenge:
"Do your utmost; nothing will deter me from my duty: we shall see who wins in the end."
Passing from the particular occasion, we can understand it in a more general sense, which is true for all time. Let the evil ones do their worst. Let those who believe do all they can, according to their opportunities and abilities.
The individual must do the straight duty that lies before him. In the end Allah will judge, and His Judgement is always true and just.
...فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدِّارِ...
soon will ye know who it is whose end will be (best) in the Hereafter:
...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾
certain it is that the wrongdoers will not prosper."
Asad’s Version:
6: 65 Say: “It is He alone who has the power to let loose upon you suffering from above you or from beneath your feet, or to confound you with mutual discord and let you taste the fear of one another.”
6: 118 Eat, then, of that over which God’s name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His messages. 6: 119 and why should you not eat of that over which God’s name has been pronounced, seeing that He has so clearly spelled out to you He has forbidden you unless you are compelled [to do so] ? But, behold, many people lead other astray by their own errant views, without knowledge.
Verily, your Sustainer is fully aware of those who transgress the bounds of what is right
6: 135 Say: ‘O my [unbelieving ] people! Do yet all that may be within your power, [while] I, behold, shall labor [in God’s way]; and in time you will come to know to whom the future belongs. Verily, never will evildoers attain to a happy state!”
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7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَ
مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ
اسْتَعِينُوا
بِاللّهِ
وَاصْبِرُواْ...
7: 128. Said Moses to his people:
"Pray for help from Allah, and (wait) in patience and constancy:
... إِنَّ الأَرْضَ لِلّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ...
for the earth is Allah's to give as a heritage to such of his servants as He pleaseth;
...وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٢٨﴾
and the end is (best) for the righteous.
C1085. Notice the contrast between the arrogant tone of Pharaoh and the humility and faith taught by Moses.
In the end the arrogance was humbled, and humility and faith were protected and advanced.
Asad’s Version:
7: 128 Moses said unto his people: “Turn unto God for aid, and have patience in adversity. Verily, all the earth belongs to God: He gives it as a heritage to such as He wills of his servants; and the future belongs to the God-conscious!”
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4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لاَّ
يَسْتَوِي
الْقَاعِدُونَ
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
غَيْرُ أُوْلِي
الضَّرَرِ ...
4: 95. Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt,
... وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ...
and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah with their goods and their persons.
... فَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً...
Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home):
... وَكُـلاًّ وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْحُسْنَى ...
unto all (in faith) hath Allah promised good:
C614. Allah's goodness is promised to all people of Faith. But there are degrees among men and women of Faith.
- There are people with natural inertia: they do the minimum that is required of them, but no more.
- There are people who are weak in will: they are easily frightened.
- There are people who are so strong in will and so firm in faith that they are determined to conquer every obstacle, whether in their own physical or other infirmities or in the external world around them.
In a time of jihad, when people give their all, and even their lives, for the common cause, they must be accounted more glorious than those who sit at home, even though they have good will to the cause and carry out minor duties in aid.
The special reward of such self-sacrifice is special forgiveness and mercy, as proceeding from the direct approbation and love of Allah.
... وَفَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٩٥﴾
but those who strive and fight hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.
Asad’s Version:
4: 95 ……God has exalted those who strive hard with their possessions and their lives far above those who remain passive.
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19. Surah Maryam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ
أَنتَ عَنْ
آلِهَتِي يَا
إِبْراهِيمُ...
19: 46. (The father) replied:
"Dost thou hate my gods, O Abraham?
...لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهِ لَأَرْجُمَنَّكَ...
If thou forbear not I will indeed stone thee:
...وَاهْجُرْنِي مَلِيًّا ﴿٤٦﴾
now get away from me for a good long while!"
C2498. Note the gentle persuasive tone of Abraham in his speeches in 19:42-45 (for we may suppose those sentences to sum up a long course of arguments) and in 19:47-48, contrasted with the brusque and repellent tone of the father's reply in this verse.
The one was the outcome of the true Light which had come to Abraham from Allah, as the other was the outcome of Pagan arrogance and the worship of brute force.
The spiritual lesson from this episode of Abraham's life may be stated in four propositions:
- the pious son is dutiful to his father and wishes him well in all things, material and spiritual,
- if the father refuses Allah's Light, the son will do his utmost to bring such Light to the father;
- having received the Light, the son will never renounce that Light, even if he has to forfeit his father's love and renounce his home;
- even if the father repels him and turns him out, his answer will be a soft answer, full of love and forgiveness on the one hand, but firmness on behalf of Truth on the other.
قَالَ سَلَامٌ
عَلَيْكَ
سَأَسْتَغْفِرُ
لَكَ رَبِّي ...
19: 47. Abraham said:
"Peace be on thee: I will pray to my Lord for thy forgiveness:
C2499. Cf. 9:114. where this promise of Abraham to pray for his father is referred to, and its limitations pointed out.
... إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِي حَفِيًّا ﴿٤٧﴾
for He is to me Most Gracious.
وَأَعْتَزِلُكُمْ
وَمَا تَدْعُونَ
مِن دُونِ
اللَّهِ...
19: 48. "And I will turn away from you (all) and from those whom ye invoke besides Allah:
...وَأَدْعُو رَبِّي عَسَى أَلَّا أَكُونَ بِدُعَاء رَبِّي شَقِيًّا ﴿٤٨﴾
I will call on my Lord: Perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord, I shall be not unblest."
C2500. Abraham left his father and the home of his fathers (Ur of the Chaldees) and never returned.
He left because he was turned out, and because it was not possible for him to make any compromise with what was false in religion.
In return for abuse, he spoke gentle words. And he expressed his fervent hope that at least he (Abraham) would have Allah's blessing in reply to his prayers.
Here was a prefigurement of another Hijrah many centuries later! In both cases the prayer was abundantly fulfilled.
19: 46
Asad He answered: “Do you dislike my gods, O Abraham? Indeed, if you desist not, I shall most certainly cause you to be stoned to death! Now be gone from me for good!”
Pickthall He said: Rejectest thou my gods, O Abraham? If thou cease not, I shall surely stone thee. Depart from me a long while!
Transliteration Qa_la ara_ghibun anta an a_lihati ya_ ibra_him la il lam tantahi la arjuman naka wah jurni maliy ya_
[ Ruby’s note: This reflects the degradation and obsession of Abraham’s father: he is so derailed and engrossed with worshipping the gods, that he wanted to kill his son, Abraham, for even suggesting otherwise or raising issues that disturbs the very foundation of such unreasonable thinking of worshipping other gods.]
[Ali’s note: 2498 Note the gentle persuasive tone of Abraham in his speeches in xix. 42-45 (for we may suppose those sentences to sum up a long course of arguments) and in xix. 47-48, contrasted with the brusque and repellent tone of the father's reply in this verse. The one was the outcome of the true Light which had come to Abraham from Allah, as the other was the outcome of Pagan arrogance and the worship of brute force. The spiritual lesson from this episode of Abraham's life may be stated in four propositions: (1) the pious son is dutiful to his father and wishes him well in all things, material and spiritual, (2) if the father refuses Allah's Light, the son will do his utmost to bring such Light to the father; (3) having received the Light, the son will never renounce that Light, even if he has to forfeit his father's love and renounce his home; (4) even if the father repels him and turns him out, his answer will be a soft answer, full of love and forgiveness on the one hand, but firmness on behalf of Truth on the other. (19.46) ]
19: 47
Asad [Abraham] replied: “Peace be upon thee! I shall ask my Sustainer to forgive thee: for, behold, He has always been kind unto me.
Pickthall He said: Peace be unto thee! I shall ask forgiveness of my Lord for thee. Lo! He was ever gracious unto me.
Transliteration Qa_la sala_mun 'alaika sa astaghfiru laka rab bi in nahu_ ka_na hafiy ya_
[ ali’s note: 2499 Cf. ix. 114, where this promise of Abraham to pray for his father is referred to, and its limitations pointed out. (19.47)]
19: 48
Asad But I shall withdraw from you all and from whatever you invoke instead of God, and shall invoke my Sustainer [alone]: it may well be that my prayer [for thee] will not remain unanswered by my Sustainer.”
Pickthall I shall withdraw from you and that unto which ye pray beside Allah, and I shall pray unto my Lord. It may be that, in prayer unto my Lord, I shall not be unblest.
Transliteration Wa a'tazilukum wa ma_ tad'u_na min du_nil la_hi wa ad'u_ rab bi asa_ al la_ aku_na bidu'a_i rab bi syaqiy ya_
[ Ali’s note: 2500 Abraham left his father and the home of his fathers (Ur of the Chaldees) and never returned. He left because he was turned out, and because it was not possible for him to make any compromise with what was false in religion. In return for abuse, he spoke gentle words. And he expressed his fervent hope that at least he (Abraham) would have Allah's blessing in reply to his prayers. Here was a prefigurement of another Hijrat many centuries later! In both cases the prayer was abundantly fulfilled. (19.48) ]