20. [Ta’ha, Mecca 45]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



هَارُونَ أَخِي ﴿٣٠﴾

20: 30.  "Aaron, my brother;


Other Versions:


20:30 Prayer Times


Faisbir AAala ma yaqooloona wasabbih bihamdi rabbika qabla tulooAAi alshshamsi waqabla ghuroobiha wamin ana-i allayli fasabbih waatrafa alnnahari laAAallaka tarda

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Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning


Muhammad Asad

 

Hence, bear with patience whatever they [who deny the truth] may say, and extol thy Sustainer's limitless glory and praise Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and extol His glory, too, during some of the hours of the night as well as during the hours of the day, so that thou might attain to happiness.

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M. M. Pickthall

 

Therefor (O Muhammad), bear with what they say, and celebrate the praise of thy Lord ere the rising of the sun and ere the going down thereof. And glorify Him some hours of the night and at the two ends of the day, that thou mayst find acceptance.

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Shakir

 

Bear then patiently what they say, and glorify your Lord by the praising of Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and during hours of the night do also glorify (Him) and during parts of the day, that you may be well pleased

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Yusuf Ali

 

Therefore be patient with what they say, and celebrate (constantly) the praises of thy Lord, before the rising of the sun, and before its setting; yea, celebrate them for part of the hours of the night, and at the sides of the day: that thou mayest have (spiritual) joy.

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Wahiduddin Khan

 

So be patient with anything they may say and glorify your Lord with His praise before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and glorify Him in the hours of the night and at the beginning and end of the day, so that you may find comfort.

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[Al-Muntakhab]

 

Therefore, be patient O Muhammad and put up with what they insolently and defiantly say, and praise Allah, your Creator, and extol His glorious attributes before sunrise and before sunset and some time during the night and at both ends of the day so that you may hopefully be pleased with Allah's distinguished reward.

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[Progressive Muslims]

 

So be patient to what they are saying and glorify the grace of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting, and from the early part of the night glorify, and at the edges of the day that you may be content.






[[ Ali’s notes - 2654 All good men must be patient with what seems to them evil around them. That does not mean that they should sit still and do nothing to destroy evil; for the fight against evil is one of the cardinal points in Islam. What they are told is that they must not be impatient: they must pray to Allah and commune with Him, so that their patience and faith may be strengthened, and they may be able the better to grapple with evil. For they thus not only get strength in this world but pleasure of Allah in the Hereafter as well. (20.130)

2655 Taraf, plural atraf, may mean sides, ends, extremities. If the day be compared to a tubular figure standing erect, the top and bottom are clearly marked, but the sides are not so clearly marked: they would be atraf (plural), not tarafain (dual). Now the prayer before sunrise is clearly Fajr; that before sunset is Asr: "part of the hours of the night" would indicate Magrib (early night, just after sunset), and Isha, before going to bed. There is left Zuhr, which is in the indefinite side or middle of the day : it may be soon after the sun's decline from noon, but there is considerable latitude about the precise hour. The majority of Commentators interpret in favour of the five Canonical prayers, and some include optional prayers. But I think the words are even more comprehensive. A good man's life is all one sweet Song of Praise to Allah. (20.130)

  1. The good things of this life make a brave show, but they are as nothing compared with the good of the Hereafter. Both are provided by Allah. But the former are given to the just and the unjust as a test and trial, and in any case will pass away; while the latter come specially from Allah for His devoted servants, and are incomparably of more value and will last through eternity. (20.131) ]]



[[ Asad’s note - 114 Lit., "at the sides [or "extremities"] of the day". See in this connection also 11:114 and the corresponding note 145. ]]