39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)

Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]

Asad’s Version:

39:22 Could, then, one whose bosom God has opened wide with willingness towards self-surrender unto Him, so that he is illumined by a light [that flows] fromhis Sustainer, [be likened to the blind and deaf of heart]? Woe, then, unto those whose hearts are hardened against all remembrance of God! They are most obviously lost in error!

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَفَمَن شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ...

39:22 Is one whose heart Allah has opened to Islam, so that he has received enlightenment from Allah, (no better than one hard-hearted)?

C4274. Those who listen to Allah's Message find at each stage Allah's Grace helping them more and more to expand their spiritual understanding and to receive Allah's light, so that they travel farther and farther to their Goal in the Path of Truth and Righteousness.

They are not to be compared to those who shut out Allah's Light from their hearts.

See next note.

... فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مِّن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ...

Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of Allah!

C4275. Just as there is spiritual progress for those who seek Allah, so there is more and more spiritual retrogression for those who close their hearts to Allah. Their hearts get heartened, and they allow less and less Allah's Grace to penetrate within.

But it is obvious that they flounder on the Way, and cannot walk with the firm steps of those of assured Faith.

... أُوْلَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ ﴿٢٢﴾

They are manifestly wandering (in error)!