7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً...

7: 55. Call on your Lord with humility and in private:

C1033. In prayer, we must avoid any arrogance or show or loudness, or vanity of requests or words.

If excess is condemned in all things, it is specially worthy of condemnation when we go humbly before our Lord,-we poor creatures before the Omnipotent Who knoweth all.

...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٥﴾

for Allah loveth not those who trespass beyond bounds.

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: 55

Asad Call unto your Sustainer humbly, and in the secrecy of your hearts. Verily, He loves not those who transgress the bounds of what is right:

Pickthall O mankind!) Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He love not aggressors.

Transliteration Ud'u_ rabbakum tadarru'aw wa khufyah(tan), innahu_ la_ yuhibbul mu'tadin(a).

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.]]