21. Surah Al Anbiya'

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



قَالَ ...

21: 112. Say:

C2767. See above, n. 2666 to 21:4.

The better reading is "Say" in the imperative, rather than "He (the Prophet) said (or says)" in the indicative mood.

Note that, on that construction, there are three distinct things which the Prophet is asked to say: viz.:

1.      the statement in verses 109-111, addressed to those who turn away from the Message;

2.      the prayer addressed to Allah in the first part of verse 112; and

3.     the advice given indirectly to the Believers, in the second part of verse 112 I have marked these divisions by means of inverted commas.

... رَبِّ احْكُم بِالْحَقِّ...

"O my Lord! judge Thou in truth!"

C2768. That is, Allah's judgment as between the Teacher and those who refuse his Message, or between the righteous and those who taunt them for their poverty, will be the true one, and both the Teacher and the Ummah must leave the judgment to Allah.

...وَرَبُّنَا الرَّحْمَنُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾

"Our Lord Most Gracious is the One Whose assistance should be sought against the blasphemies ye utter!"

C2769. Blasphemy is a dreadful sin. We must guard ourselves from it.

But as regards others, if we cannot prevent it, we must pray to Allah for assistance and not rely upon carnal weapons.


Other versions:





21:112 [al-anbiyaa, Mecca 73] Addressed to Muhammad

Arabic

 

قَالَ رَبِّ احْكُم بِالْحَقِّ ۗ وَرَبُّنَا الرَّحْمَٰنُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ

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Transliteration

 

Qala rabbi ohkum bialhaqqi warabbuna alrrahmanu almustaAAanu AAala ma tasifoona

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Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning

Muhammad Asad

 

Say: “O my Sustainer! Judge Thou in truth!” - and [say]: “Our Sustainer is the Most Gracious, the One whose aid is ever to be sought against all your [attempts at] defining [Him]!”

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M. M. Pickthall

 

He saith: My Lord! Judge Thou with truth. Our Lord is the Beneficent, Whose help is to be implored against that which ye ascribe (unto Him).

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Shakir

 

He said: O my Lord! judge Thou with truth; and our Lord is the Beneficent Allah, Whose help is sought against what you ascribe (to Him).

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Yusuf Ali

 

Say: "O my Lord! judge Thou in truth!" "Our Lord Most Gracious is the One Whose assistance should be sought against the blasphemies ye utter!"

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Wahiduddin Khan

 

Say, My Lord, judge with truth. Our Lord is Gracious One whose help we seek against what you utter.

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[Al-Muntakhab]

 

And invoke Allah O Muhammad to give judgement upon your matter, thus: "Your Judgement O Allah, my Creator, is truth personified; judge O Allah, my Creator between me and those who rejected Your word". And say to them: "and Allah, AL- Rahman is He Whose present help is sought to endure with impunity the blashemies you utter against Him".

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[Progressive Muslims]

 

He said: "My Lord, judge with truth. And our Lord, the Almighty, is sought for what you describe





[[Asad’s note - 1 06 See note 5 on verse 4 of this surah.


107 Lit., "against ['ala] all that you attribute [to Him) by way of description" or "of definition" (see note 88 on the last sentence of 6:100): implying that only God's grace can save man from the blasphemous attempts - prompted by his inherent weakness - to bring God "closer" to his own, human understanding by means of humanly-conceived "definitions" of Him who is transcendent, infinite and unfathomable. ]]



[[Ali’s notes - 112. Say:

C2767. See above, n. 2666 to 21:4.

The better reading is "Say" in the imperative, rather than "He (the Prophet) said (or says)" in the indicative mood.

Note that, on that construction, there are three distinct things which the Prophet is asked to say: viz.:

1.      the statement in verses 109-111, addressed to those who turn away from the Message;

2.      the prayer addressed to Allah in the first part of verse 112; and

3.     the advice given indirectly to the Believers, in the second part of verse 112 I have marked these divisions by means of inverted commas.

... رَبِّ احْكُم بِالْحَقِّ...

"O my Lord! judge Thou in truth!"

C2768. That is, Allah's judgment as between the Teacher and those who refuse his Message, or between the righteous and those who taunt them for their poverty, will be the true one, and both the Teacher and the Ummah must leave the judgment to Allah.

...وَرَبُّنَا الرَّحْمَنُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾

"Our Lord Most Gracious is the One Whose assistance should be sought against the blasphemies ye utter!"

C2769. Blasphemy is a dreadful sin. We must guard ourselves from it.

But as regards others, if we cannot prevent it, we must pray to Allah for assistance and not rely upon carnal weapons.]]