7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
قُرِىءَ الْقُرْآنُ
فَاسْتَمِعُواْ
لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواْ
لَعَلَّكُمْ
تُرْحَمُونَ
﴿٢٠٤﴾
7: 204. When the Qur'án is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace:
that ye may receive Mercy.
وَاذْكُر
رَّبَّكَ فِي
نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً
وَخِيفَةً...
7: 205. And do thou (O reader!) bring thy Lord to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence,
...وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ...
without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings;
...وَلاَ تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ ﴿٢٠٥﴾
and be not thou of those who are unheedful.
إِنَّ
الَّذِينَ عِندَ
رَبِّكَ لاَ
يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ...
7: 206.Those who are near to thy Lord, disdain not to do him worship:
C1176. The higher you are in spiritual attainment, the more is your desire and your opportunity to serve and worship your Lord and Cherisher and the Lord and Cherisher of all the worlds: and the greater is your pride in that service and that worship.
...وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ ﴿٢٠٦﴾
they celebrate His praises, and bow down before Him.
C1177. At this stage a Sajdah or prostration is indicated, as a sign of our humble acceptance of the privilege of serving and worshipping Allah, - a fitting close to Surah in which we are led, through a contemplation of the stories of the Messengers of Allah, to the meaning of revelation and its relation to our moral and spiritual progress.
Other Versions:
7: 204
Asad Hence, when the Quran is voiced, hearken unto it, and listen in silence, so that you might be graced with [God’s] mercy.”
Pickthall And when the Qur'an is recited, give ear to it and pay heed, that ye may obtain mercy.
Transliteration Wa iza_ quri'al qur'a_nu fastami'u_ lahu_ wa ansitu_ la'allakum turhamu_n(a).
7: 205
Asad And bethink yourself of your Sustainer humbly and with awe, and without raising your voice, at morn and at evening; and do not allow yourself to be heedless.
Pickthall And do thou [O Muhammad) remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be thou not of the neglectful.
Transliteration Wazkur rabbaka fi nafsika tadarru'aw wa khifataw wa du_nal jahri minal qauli bil guduwwi wal a_sa_li wa la_ takun minal ga_filin(a).
7: 206
Asad Behold, those who are near unto your Sustainer [note 168] are never too proud to worship Him; and they extol His limitless glory, and prostrate themselves before His [alone].
Pickthall Lo! those who are with thy Lord are not too proud to do Him service, but they praise Him and adore Him.
Transliteration Innallazina 'inda rabbika la_ yastakbiru_na 'an 'iba_datihi wa yusabbihu_nahu_ wa lahu_ yasjudu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 168 – Lit., “those who are with your Sustainer”: a metaphorical description of utter God-conscuousness.]]
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5. Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Repast)
Medina Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّمَا
وَلِيُّكُمُ
اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
5: 55. Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,
... الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾
those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).
وَمَن
يَتَوَلَّ
اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ فَإِنَّ
حِزْبَ اللّهِ
هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ
﴿٥٦﴾
5: 56. As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers, it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph.
Asad’s Version:
5: 55, 56 Behold, your only helper shall be God, and His Apostle, and those who have attained to faith – those that are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and bow down [before God] : for, all who ally themselves with God and his Apostle and those who have attained to faith – behold, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall be victorious!
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9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, after Tabuk, 9H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
9: 112. - Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance:
C1363. We are to rejoice that by giving up such small things as ourselves and our possessions we are to be rewarded with such a great thing as the eternal life of felicity. The truly righteous, whose lives in various aspects are described in this verse, do so rejoice. The good news is to be proclaimed to all Believers, including the weakest among us, so that they may profit by that example.
... الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدونَ...
- that serve Him, and praise Him;
- that wander in devotion to the Cause of Allah;
- that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer;
... الآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ...
- that enjoin good and forbid evil;
وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللّهِ...
- and observe the limits set by Allah; (these do rejoice).
... وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١١٢﴾
So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.
Other Versions:
9: 112
Asad ……………..and go on and on [seeking His goodly acceptance] [note 147],…….and keep to the bounds set by God. And give thus [O Prophet] the glad tiding [of God’s promise] to all believers.
Pickthall (Triumphant) are those who turn repentant (to Allah), those who serve (Him), those who praise (Him), those who fast, these who bow down, those who fall prostrate (in worship), those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep the limits (ordained) of Allah And give glad tidings to believers!.
Transliteration At ta_'ibu_nal 'a_bidu_nal ha_midu_nas sa_'ihu_nar ra_ki'u_nas sa_jidu_nala a_miru_na bil ma'ru_fi wan na_hu_na 'anil munkari wal hu_fizu_na li hudu_dilla_h(i), wa basysyiril mu'minin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 147 – Most o the commentators attribute to the expression “as-sa’ihun [lit., “those who wander”) the meaning of as-sa’imun, i.e., “those who fast”, since he who fasts deprives himself, temporarily, of worldly enjoyments ……………..Other authorities, however, ……..prefer the original significance of this term and explain it as more or less synonymous with al-muhajirun (“those who forsake the domain of evil”). To my mind, the expression as-saihun is best rendered as “those who go on and on [seeking God’s goodly acceptance]”, thus combining the literal and metonymical connotation of the term ‘siyahah’.]]
[[Ruby’s note – I think I like the shade of meaning of wondering in the world seeking God’s signs in the pursuit of truth. People who wonder go places to places are better exposed to many things than who stay in one place. But the central here is the intention of wondering. If one wonders just for the sake of wondering and pleasure or curiosity or amusement the purpose is lost. When one wonders with the deep desire and commitment to see the sign of God in the greater reality and wonder with that spirit that act then becomes a worship and service to God. This spirit is similar to that of al-muhajirun but not the same. I believe as-saihun is general in spirit in life and not due to a compulsive situation where as al-muhajirun is due to a compulsive situation but both are with the spirit to do good, to better comply with God’s laws and thus serve God better. ]]