Ranks of Piety
3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَفَمَنِ
اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَ
اللّهِ كَمَن
بَاء بِسَخْطٍ
مِّنَ اللّهِ
وَمَأْوَاهُ
جَهَنَّمُ ...
3: 162. Is the man who follows the good pleasure of Allah like the man who draws on himself the wrath of Allah, and whose abode is in Hell?
... وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٦٢﴾
A woeful refuge!
هُمْ
دَرَجَاتٌ عِندَ
اللّهِ واللّهُ
بَصِيرٌ بِمَا
يَعْمَلُونَ
﴿١٦٣﴾
3: 163. They are in varying grades in the sight of Allah;
and Allah sees well all that they do.
Other Versions:
3: 162
Pickthall Is one who followeth the pleasure of Allah as one who hath earned condemnation from Allah, whose habitation is the Fire, a hapless journey's end?
Transliteration Afamanittaba'a ridwa_nalla_hi kamam ba_'a bi sakhatim minalla_hi wa ma'wa_hu jahannam(u), wa bi'sal masir(u).
3: 163
Asad They are on [entirely] different levels in the sight of God: God sees all that they do.
Pickthall There are degrees (of grace and reprobation) with Allah, and Allah is Seer of what ye do.
Transliteration Hum daraja_tun 'indalla_h(i), walla_hu basirum bima_ ya'malu_n(a).
[ basir – seeing, yamalun what they are doing ]
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Degrees of Piety
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَتِلْكَ
حُجَّتُنَا
آتَيْنَاهَا
إِبْرَاهِيمَ
عَلَى قَوْمِهِ...
6: 83. That was the reasoning about Us, which We gave to Abraham (to use) against his people:
C902. The spiritual education of Abraham raised him many degrees above his contemporaries, and he as expected to use that knowledge and dignity for preaching the truth among his own people.
...نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاء...
We raise whom We will, degree after degree:
...إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٨٣﴾
for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.
Asad’s Version:
6: 83 And this was Our argument which We vouchsafed unto Abraham against his people: [for] We do raise by degrees whom We will. Verily, your Sustainer is wise, all-knowing. Asad, see note 68
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9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, Tabuk 9H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَجَعَلْتُمْ
سِقَايَةَ
الْحَاجِّ
وَعِمَارَةَ
الْمَسْجِدِ
الْحَرَامِ
كَمَنْ...
9: 19. Do ye make the giving of drink to pilgrims, or the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque, equal to (the pious service of)
C1269. Giving drinks of cold water to thirsty pilgrims, and doing material services to a mosque are meritorious acts, but they are only external. If they do not touch the soul, their value is slight. Far greater, in the sight of Allah, are Faith, Endeavour, and self-surrender to Allah.
Men who practice these will obtain honour in the sight of Allah. Allah's light and guidance comes to them, and not to those self-sufficient beings who think that a little show of what the world considers piety is enough.
...آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ ...
those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive with might and main in the Cause of Allah?
...لاَ يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللّهِ...
They are not comparable in the sight of Allah:
...وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٩﴾
and Allah guides not those who do wrong.
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ وَهَاجَرُواْ
وَجَاهَدُواْ
فِي سَبِيلِ
اللّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ
وَأَنفُسِهِمْ
أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً
عِندَ اللّهِ...
9: 20. Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah's cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah:
C1270. Here is it good description of Jihad. It may require fighting in Allah's cause, its a form of self-sacrifice. But its essence consists in;
- a true and sincere Faith, which so fixes its gaze on Allah, that all selfish or worldly motives seem paltry and fade away, and
- an earnest and ceaseless activity, involving the sacrifice (if need be) of life, person, or property, in the service of Allah.
Mere brutal fighting is opposed to the whole spirit of Jihad, while the sincere scholar's pen or preacher's voice or wealthy man's contributions may be the most valuable forms of Jihad.
...وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾
They are the people who will achieve (salvation).
Other Versions:
9: 19
Pickthall Count ye the slaking of a pilgrim's thirst and tendance of the Inviolable Place of Worship as (equal to the worth of him) who believeth in Allah and the Last Day, and striveth in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
Transliteration Aja'altum siqa_yatal ha_jji wa 'ima_ratal masjidil hara_mi kaman a_mana billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri wa ja_hada fi sabililla_h(i), la_ yastawu_na 'indalla_h(i), walla_hu la_ yahdil qaumaz za_limin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 29 – Many commentators see in this verse an allusion to the boast of the pagan Quraysh, before the Muslim conquest of Mecca, that they were superior to all other people on account of their guardianship of the Kaba and their providing water (siqayah) to pilgrims; ………….According to an authentic Tradition quoted by Muslim, Abu Daud and ibn Hibban ( as well as by Tabari), one of the Prophet’s Companion stated in the mosque of Medina, “I would not care, after having accepted Islam, to do any good deed beyond providing water to the pilgrims!” – whereupon another of the Companions declared, “Nay, the maintenance of the Inviolable House of Worship.” But yet another Companion declared, “Nay, struggle (jihad) in God’s cause is far better than what you have mentioned!” A short time afterwards the above Quranic verse was revealed to the Prophet. It would, therefore, appear that what is meant here is the superior value of faith in God and struggle in His cause as compared with acts which, however meritorious, are concerned only with outward forms; in brief, the immense superiority of real self-surrender to God over mere ritual. ]]
[[ Ruby’s note 9:19 – This verse needs to be read with its context. The previous verse and the context is alluding that it is one’s faith that dictates the merit of one’s actions. The actions of giving water to the thirsty pilgrims and taking care of the Mosque are good work but only if these are done with the dictates of conscience and to please God.
If these are reduce to mere rituals devoid of spirituality and faith in God – particularly one who rejects truth mentioned in the previous verse-- then these may not have any value in these by itself. However these same acts are done with the right intention these acts could be deeply righteous acts. There are degrees of piety in Islam. One’s continuous struggle and ‘striving hard’ for one’s conviction and faith in God is far greater than isolated good work or rituals even though these actions may appear good and praise-worthy. Key here is faith in God and the right intention of doing things. Also important is that one’s comprehensive work and attention to his/her faith in life. Isolated rituals do not have much value in Islam even with marginal faith.
If the tradition mentioned in Asad’s note is right then it further explains the meaning of the verse better. A person declaring these kinds of statements demonstrates serious weakness of faith and the deficient understanding what a faith entails. A complete submission to the moral law of God is Islam that includes all the work and aspects of an entire life. There is no compartmentalization of different aspects of work such as rituals etc. If one says ‘I would not do except this’ then that automatically shows one’s lack of faith. A believer cannot think or work like that because that is an attitude of arrogance as to the parameter of judgment which a person cannot judge. On the hand one cannot feel adequate in doing whatever one is doing before God. The sense of humility, uncertainty about the merit of one’s own work, and reliance on God’s mercy are all part of the inner conviction of a believer. ]]
[[ Ali’s note - 1269 Giving drinks of cold water to thirsty pilgrims, and doing material services to a mosque are meritorious acts, but they are only external. If they do not touch the soul, their value is slight. Far greater, in the sight of Allah, are Faith, Endeavour, and self- surrender to Allah. Men who practice these will obtain honor in the sight of Allah. Allah's light and guidance comes to them, and not to those self-sufficient beings who think that a little show of what the world considers piety is enough. (9.19)]]
9: 20
Asad Those who believe, and who have forsaken the domain of evil [note 30] and have striven hard in God’s cause with their possessions and their lives have the highest rank in the sight of God; and it is they, they who shall triumph [in the end]!
Pickthall Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant.
Transliteration Allazina a_manu_ wa ha_jaru_ wa ja_hadu_ fi sabililla_hi bi amwa_lihim wa anfusihim, a'zamu darajatan 'indalla_h(i), wa ula_'ika humul fa_'izu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 30 – See surah 2, note 203, and surah 4, note 124]
[[ Ali’s notes: -
1270 Here is a good description of Jihad. It may require fighting in Allah's cause, its a form of self-sacrifice. But its essence consists in (1) a true and sincere Faith, which so fixes its gaze on Allah, that all selfish or worldly motives seem paltry and fade away, and (2) an earnest and ceaseless activity, involving the sacrifice (if need be) of life, person, or property, in the service of Allah. Mere brutal fighting is opposed to the whole spirit of Jihad, while the sincere scholar's pen or preacher's voice or wealthy man's contributions may be the most valuable forms of Jihad. (9.20)]]