4. [an-Nisa, Medina 92]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللّهُ...   

4: 52.  They are (men) whom Allah hath cursed:

... وَمَن يَلْعَنِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيرًا ﴿٥٢﴾

and those whom Allah hath cursed, thou wilt find, have no one to help.

C574. The Jews were then seeking the aid of the Makkan Pagans against Muhammad, but far from getting any help from them, they and the Pagans were both overthrown.

That was the immediate occasion, but the words have a perfectly general -a universal- meaning.

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ ...

4: 53.  Have they a share in dominion or power?

... فَإِذًا لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيرًا ﴿٥٣﴾

Behold, they give not a farthing to their fellow-men!

C575. The word I have translated farthing is naqir, the groove in a date stone, a thing of no value whatever.

Close-fistedness and envy are among the worst forms of selfishness, and appear specially incongruous in people of power, authority, or influence, from whom is expected generosity in giving and generosity in seeing other people's prosperity or happiness.

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمُ اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ...   

4: 54.  Or do they envy mankind for what Allah hath given them of His bounty?

... فَقَدْ آتَيْنَآ آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٥٤﴾  

But We had already given the people of Abraham the Book and Wisdom, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. 

C576. Such as the kingdoms of David and Solomon, for they had international fame.

فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ ...  

4: 55.  Some of them believed and some of them averted their faces from him:

... وَكَفَى بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا ﴿٥٥﴾

and enough is hell for a burning fire.

C577. Envy is like the eternal fire, which is in itself a hell.

Pickthall’s Version:

4: 52

Pickthall Those are they whom Allah hath cursed, and he whom Allah hath cursed, thou (O Muhammad) wilt find for him no helper.

Transliteration Ula_'ikal lazina la'anahumulla_h(u), wa may yal'anilla_hu falan tajida lahu_ nasira_(n).

4: 53

Pickthall Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even the speck on a date stone.

Transliteration Am lahum nasibum minal mulki fa izal la_ yu'tu_nan na_sa naqira_(n).

4: 54

Pickthall Or are they jealous of mankind because of that which Allah of His bounty hath bestowed upon them? For We bestowed upon the house of Abraham (of old) the Scripture and Wisdom, and We bestowed on them a mighty kingdom.

Transliteration Am yahsudu_nan na_sa 'ala_ ma_ a_ta_humulla_hu min fadlih(i), faqad a_taina_ a_la ibra_himal kita_ba wal hikmata wa a_taina_hum mulkan 'azima_(n).

4: 55

Pickthall And of them were (some) who believed therein and of them were (some) who disbelieved therein. Hell is sufficient for (their) burning.

Transliteration Fa minhum man a_mana bihi wa minhum man sadda 'anh(u), wa kafa_ bi jahannama sa'ira_(n).