Forgive Human Frailties and Failings Graciously
15. Surah Al Hijr
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالأَرْضَ
وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا
إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ...
15: 85. We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, but for just ends.
C2005. Allah's Creation is all for a true, just, and righteous purpose. Cf. 10:5.
It is not for mere whim or sport. 21:16.
...وَإِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لآتِيَةٌ فَاصْفَحِ الصَّفْحَ الْجَمِيلَ ﴿٨٥﴾
And the Hour is surely coming (when this will be manifest). So overlook (any human faults) with gracious forgiveness.
C2006. The Hour will not be long delayed when the true Design and Pattern of Life will be manifest. We must not be impatient, if there appear to be, to our limited vision, apparent injustices. We must bear and forbear, and as far as our own personal feelings are concerned, we must overlook other people's faults with "a gracious forgiveness".
إِنَّ
رَبَّكَ هُوَ
الْخَلاَّقُ
الْعَلِيمُ ﴿٨٦﴾
15: 86. For verily it is thy Lord Who is the Master-Creator, knowing all things.
C2007. Khallaq: the emphatic intensive form, as meaning the Creator, Who is perfect in His skill and knowledge, and Whose creation answers perfectly to His design. Therefore no one should think that anything has gone wrong in Allah's creation.
What may seem out of joint is merely the result of our short-sighted standards. It often happens that what appears to us to be evil or imperfect or unjust is a reflection of our own imperfect minds.
See the next two verses and notes.
Other versions:
15: 85
Asad And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without truth; but, behold, the Hour is indeed yet to come. Hence, forgive [men’s failings] with fair forbearance:
Yusuf Ali We created not the heavens the earth and all between them but for just ends. And the Hour is surely coming (when this will be manifest). So overlook (any human faults) with gracious forgiveness.
Pickthall We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them save with truth, and lo! the Hour is surely coming. So forgive, O Muhammad, with a gracious forgiveness.
Transliteration Wa ma_ khalaqnas sama_wati wal arda wa ma_ bainahuma_ illa_ bil haqq(i), wa innas sa_'ata la a_tiyatun fa-sfahis safhal jamil(a).
[ Asad note note 61: I.e. He has created all human beings with full knowledge of their natural differentiation and the disparity in their respective conditions” (Razi) – and this, of course, includes their failings and errors. (Cf: 7:99 –“Make due allowance for man’s nature” – and the corresponding note 162)]
15:Ayah 86
Asad Verily, they Sustainer is the well-knowing Creator of all things!
Yusuf Ali For verily it is thy Lord Who is the Master-Creator knowing all things.
Pickthall Lo! Thy Lord! He is the All Wise Creator.
Transliteration Inna rabbaka huwal khalla_qul 'alim(u).
[Ali’s note: 2007 Khallaq: the emphatic intensive form, as meaning the Creator, Who is perfect in His skill and knowledge, and Whose creation answers perfectly to His design. Therefore no one should think that anything has gone wrong in Allah's creation. What may seem out of joint is merely the result of our short-sighted standards. It often happens that what appears to us to be evil or imperfect or unjust is a reflection of our own imperfect minds. See the next two verses and notes. (15.86)
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَسَارِعُواْ
إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ
مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
...
3: 133. Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord,
... وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾
and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous.
C452. The Fire (3:131) is, as always, contrasted with the Garden, -in other words, Hell contrasted with Heaven, we are told that its width alone is that of the whole of the heavens and the earth,- all the creation we can imagine.
In other words our spiritual felicity covers not merely this or that part of our being, but all life and existence. Who can measure its width, or length, or depth? (R).
الَّذِينَ
يُنفِقُونَ
فِي السَّرَّاء
وَالضَّرَّاء
وَالْكَاظِمِينَ
الْغَيْظَ
وَالْعَافِينَ
عَنِ النَّاسِ...
3: 134. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;
C453. Another definition of the righteous (verses 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they are in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time.
They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity or good deeds all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults.
This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.
...وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾
for Allah loves those who do good.
وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَا فَعَلُواْ
فَاحِشَةً ...
3: 135. And those who, having done something to be ashamed of,
C454. The righteous man, when he finds he has fallen into sin or error, does not whine or despair, but asks for Allah's forgiveness, and his faith gives him hope. If he is sincere, that means that he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amends.
... أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ...
or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,
C455. Sin is a sort of oppression of ourselves by ourselves. This follows from the doctrine of personal responsibility, as opposed to that of blind fate or of an angry God or gods lying in wait for revenge or injury on mankind.
...وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ ...
and who can forgive sins except Allah?
...وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾
And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.
Asad’s Version:
3: 133 - 135 And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious who spend (in His way) in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good; and who when they have committed a shameful deed or have (otherwise) sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for thwo but God could forgive sins? And do not knowingly persist in doing whatever (wrong) they may have done. Asad
3:133 … And a garden whose width is that of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous,-
3: 135 And those who having done something to be ashamed of , or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring God to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,- and who can forgive sins except God! And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong)
they have done. Ali
42. Sura ash-Shura
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ
إِذَا أَصَابَهُمُ
الْبَغْيُ هُمْ
يَنتَصِرُونَ
﴿٣٩﴾
42: 39. - And those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them, (are not cowed but) help and defend themselves.
C4580. This follows from the high value attached to an individual soul's Personality in Islam. Cf. last note.
There are four possible situations that may arise: an individual may have to stand up against an oppressor
1. for his own trampled rights, or
2. for the rights of others within his ken; or
3. a community may have similarly to stand up for its own rights collectively: or
4. for the rights of others.
Nos. 2, 3, and 4 are considered highly meritorious for all, though few have the courage or the spirit to rise to so high a standard.
No. I is specially liable to abuse on account of man's selfishness;
Nos. 2, 3 and 4 are also abused by men pretending to motives of public good when they are serving their own personal interests or idiosyncrasies; hence the qualifications mentioned in the next four verses and the notes thereto.
وَجَزَاء
سَيِّئَةٍ
سَيِّئَةٌ
مِّثْلُهَا
...
42: 40. The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree):
C4581. See last note.
When you stand up for rights, either on private or public grounds, it may be through processes of law, or by way of private defence in so far as the law permits private action. But in all cases you must not seek a compensation greater than the injury suffered. The most you can do is to demand equal redress, i.e., a harm equivalent to the harm done to you. Even this may serve to curb your unregenerate soul, or a community bent on revenge. But the ideal mode is not to slake your thirst for vengeance, but to follow better ways leading to the reform of the offender or his reconciliation. See 41:34, and 23:96.
You can take steps to prevent repetition, by physical or moral means;
the best moral means would be to turn hatred into friendship by forgiveness and love. In that case the compensation or reward (if we must use such terms) is infinitely greater, for it wins the good pleasure of Allah.
But this active righting of wrongs, whether by physical or by moral or spiritual means, which are commended as better, is an antithesis to the monkish doctrine, when you are smitten on one cheek, to turn the other also. This would not suppress, but encourage wrong-doing. It is practised by none but poltroons, and is preached only by hypocrites, or men who want to make slaves of others by depriving them of the power of self- defence. It occurs in two of the four canonical Gospels ( Matt. 5:39, and Luke 6:29), but we need not therefore assume that it was preached by Jesus.
... فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ...
but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, His reward is due from Allah:
C4582. To love Allah is the highest motive of our conduct, for it leads to the love of Allah's creatures; to win the approbation and love of Allah, is the highest reward, far transcending any compensation or satisfaction we can obtain in this life.
...إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾
for (Allah) loveth not those who do wrong.
C4583. Allah does not love those who do wrong. If, therefore we tolerate wrong, or encourage wrong by allowing it to run rampant when we can prevent it, we fail in our duty to Allah.
وَلَمَنِ
انتَصَرَ بَعْدَ
ظُلْمِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ
مَا عَلَيْهِم
مِّن سَبِيلٍ
﴿٤١﴾
42: 41. But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them, against such there is no cause of blame.
C4584. Such people are not to be blamed, though they are following the lower law. The blame is on those who arrogantly ride roughshod over the land, oppressing people with grievous wrong.
See next verse.
إِنَّمَا
السَّبِيلُ
عَلَى الَّذِينَ
يَظْلِمُونَ
النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ
فِي الْأَرْضِ
بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ...
42: 42. The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrongdoing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice:
C4585. The fact that men seek the lower rather than the higher Law is itself a result of arrogant wrong-doing of which the type was the Pharaoh who claimed to be "your Lord Most High" and oppressed the Israelites, and kept his own people under slavery and subjection, and the false glamour of magic and deception.
...أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٤٢﴾
for such there will be a Penalty grievous.
وَلَمَن
صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ
إِنَّ ذَلِكَ
لَمِنْ عَزْمِ
الْأُمُورِ
﴿٤٣﴾
42: 43. But indeed if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs.
C4586. It is harder to be patient and forgive, and yet to get wrongs righted, as was done by the holy Prophet, than to bluster about and "punish the guilty" or "teach them lessons".
It may look like futility or lack of purpose, but in reality it is the highest and noblest form of courage and resolution. And it may carry out the purpose of reform and the suppression of evil even better than stem punishment.
The gentleness of innocence often "persuades where stronger measures fail." But of course circumstances alter cases, and there is some allowance also to be made for the personal equation of the men you have to deal with: in some cases severity may be called for, but it should be from a strict judicial motive, and not merely from personal anger or spite or any lower motive in disguise.
Other versions:
42: 39 – 42 [ash-Shura, Mecca 62 ]
Asad and who, whenever tyranny afflicts them, defend themselves.
But [remember that an attempt at ] requiting evil may, too, become and evil: hence, whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God – for, verily, he does not love evildoers.
Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having been wronged – no blame whatever attaches to them: blame attaches but to those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right: for them there is grievous suffering in store! But withal, if one is patient in adversity and forgives – this, behold, is indeed something to set one’s heart upon!
42: 39
Yusuf Ali And those who when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them (are not cowed but) help and defend themselves.
Pickthall And those who, when great wrong is done to them, defend themselves,
Transliteration Wal lazina iza_ asha_bahumul bagyu hum yantasiru_n
42: 40
Yusuf Ali The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation His reward is due from Allah: for (Allah) loveth not those who do wrong.
Pickthall The guerdon of an ill deed is an ill the like thereof. But whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo! He loveth not wrong doers.
Transliteration Wa jaza_u say yi atin say yi atum mitsluha_ faman afa_ wa aslaha fa ajruhu_ alal la_h in nahu_ la_ yuhib buz za_limin
42: 41
Yusuf Ali But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them against such there is no cause of blame.
Pickthall And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong for such, there is no way (of blame) against them.
Transliteration Wa lamanin tasara bada zulmihi fa ula_ ika ma_ alaihim min sabil
42: 42
Yusuf Ali The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land defying right and justice: for such there will be a Penalty grievous.
Pickthall The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom.
Transliteration In namas sabilu alal lazina yazlimu_nan na_sa wa yabgu_na fil ardi bigairil haq ula_ ika lahum aza_bun alim
42: 43
Yusuf Ali But indeed if any show patience and forgive that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs.
Pickthall And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth, lo! that, verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things.
Transliteration Wa laman sabara wa gafara in na za_lika lamin azmil umu_r