41. Sura Fussilat
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَا
تَسْتَوِي
الْحَسَنَةُ
وَلَا
السَّيِّئَةُ
ادْفَعْ
بِالَّتِي
هِيَ
أَحْسَنُ...
41:34. Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better:
...فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ ﴿٣٤﴾
then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!
.
[[ Ali’s notes - C4504. You do not return good for evil, for there is no equality or comparison between the two.
You repel or destroy evil with something which is far better, just as an antidote is better than poison.
- You foil hatred with love.
- You repel ignorance with knowledge, folly and wickedness with the friendly message of Revelation.
- The man who was in the bondage of sin, you not only liberate from sin, but make him your greatest friend and helper in the cause of Allah!
Such is the alchemy of the Word of Allah!
Asad’s Version:
41: 34
"The acts of goodness and evil cannot be equal. You should repel evil by that which is better. That way those who were hateful towards you will become your good partners and allies"