11.Surah Hud
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ
لآيَةً لِّمَنْ
خَافَ عَذَابَ
الآخِرَةِ...
11: 103. In that is a Sign for those who fear the Penalty of the Hereafter:
...ذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّجْمُوعٌ لَّهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِكَ يَوْمٌ مَّشْهُودٌ ﴿١٠٣﴾
that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together:
that will be a Day of Testimony.
C1604. Yaumunmashhud: To suggest the comprehensive meaning of the Arabic I have translated, "a Day of Testimony".
I proceed to explain the various shades of meaning implied:
- a Day to which all testimony points from every quarter;
- a Day when testimony will be given before Allah's Judgment Seat, by all who are relevant witnesses, e.g., the Prophets that preached, the men or women we benefited or injured, the angels who recorded our thoughts and deeds, or our thoughts and deeds personified;
- a Day which will be witnessed, i.e., seen by all, no matter how or where they died.
وَمَا
نُؤَخِّرُهُ
إِلاَّ لِأَجَلٍ
مَّعْدُودٍ ﴿١٠٤﴾
11: 104. Nor shall We delay it but for a term appointed.
يَوْمَ يَأْتِ
لاَ تَكَلَّمُ
نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ
بِإِذْنِهِ...
11: 105. The day it arrives, no soul shall speak except His leave:
C1605. Speak i.e.,
- either in self-defence or
- in accusation of others or
- to intercede for others, or
- to enter into conversation or
- ask questions, one with another.
It will be a solemn Day, before the Great Judge of all, to whom everything will be known and whose authority will be unquestioned.
There will be no room for quibbling or equivocation or subterfuge of any kind, nor can any one lay the blame on another or take the responsibility of another. Personal responsibility will be enforced strictly.
...فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِيٌّ وَسَعِيدٌ ﴿١٠٥﴾
of those (gathered) some will be wretched and some will be blessed.
C1606. Shaqi (wretched) and Said (blessed) have become almost technical theological terms. They are explained in the four following verses.
فَأَمَّا
الَّذِينَ
شَقُواْ فَفِي
النَّارِ لَهُمْ
فِيهَا زَفِيرٌ
وَشَهِيقٌ ﴿١٠٦﴾
11: 106.Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire:
there will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs:
C1607. The first word, Zafir, translated "sighs", is applied to one part in the process of the braying of an, ass, when he emits a deep breath.
The second, Shahiq, translated, "sobs", is the other process in the braying of an ass, when he draws in a long breath.
This suggestion of an animal proverbial for his folly implies that the wicked, in spite of their arrogance and insolence in this world below, will at last realise that they have been fools after all, throwing away their own chances whenever they got them,
In 67:7 the word Shahiq is applied to the tremendous roaring in-take or devouring of Hell-fire.
خَالِدِينَ
فِيهَا مَا
دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ
وَالأَرْضُ
إِلاَّ مَا شَاء
رَبُّكَ...
11: 107.They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth:
C1608. Khalidin: This is the word which is usually translated "dwell for ever" or "dwell for aye".
Here it is definitely connected with two conditions, viz:
- as long as the heavens and the earth endure, and
- except as Allah wills.
Some Muslim theologians deduce from this the conclusion that the penalties referred to are not eternal, because the heavens and the earth as we see them are not eternal, and the punishments for the deeds of a life that will end should not be such as will never end.
The majority of Muslim theologians reject this view. They hold that the heavens and the earth here referred to are not those we see now, but others that will be eternal. They agree that Allah's Will is unlimited in scope and power, but that it has willed that the rewards and punishments of the Day of Judgment will be eternal.
This is not the place to enter into this tremendous controversy.
...إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ ﴿١٠٧﴾
for thy Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He planneth.
وَأَمَّا
الَّذِينَ
سُعِدُواْ فَفِي
الْجَنَّةِ
خَالِدِينَ
فِيهَا مَا
دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ
وَالأَرْضُ...
11: 108.And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden:
they will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure,
C1609. Exactly the same arguments apply as in the last note.
...إِلاَّ مَا شَاء رَبُّكَ...
except as thy Lord willeth:
...عَطَاء غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ ﴿١٠٨﴾
a gift without break.
C1610. The felicity will be uninterrupted, unlike any joy or happiness which we can imagine in this life and which is subject to chances and changes, as our daily experience shows.
Asad’s Version:
11: 103
Asad ……that Day [ of Judgment] which shall be witnessed [by all that ever lived],
Yusuf Ali In that is a Sign for those who fear the Penalty of the Hereafter: that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together: that will be a Day of Testimony.
Pickthall Lo! herein verily there is a portent for those who fear the doom of the Hereafter. That is a day unto which mankind will be gathered, and that is a day that will be witnessed.
Yuksel In this is a sign for he who fears the retribution of the Hereafter. That is a day to which all the people will be gathered, and that is a day which will witnessed.
Transliteration Inna fi za_lika la a_yatal liman kha_fa 'aza_bal a_khirah(ti), za_lika yaumum majmu_'(ul), lahun na_su wa za_lika yaumum masyhu_d(un).
[[ Ali’s note - 1604 Yaumun mashhud: To suggest the comprehensive meaning of the Arabic I have translated, "a Day of Testimony". I proceed to explain the various shades of meaning implied: (1) a Day to which all testimony points from every quarter; (2) a Day when testimony will be given before Allah's Judgment-seat, by all who are relevant witnesses, e.g., the Prophets that preached, the men or women we benefited or injured, the angels who recorded our thoughts and deeds, or our thoughts and deeds personified; (3) a Day which will be witnessed, i.e., seen by all, no matter how or where they died. (11.103) ]]
11: 104
Asad and which We shall not delay beyond a term set [by Us]. [note 133]
Yusuf Ali Nor shall We delay it but for a term appointed.
Pickthall And We defer it only as a term already reckoned.
Yuksel We do not delay it except to a term already prepared for.
Transliteration Wa ma_ nu'akhkhiruhu_ illa_ li ajalim ma'du_d(in).
[[ Asad’s note 133- Lit., “except till a term computed [by Us]”.]]
11: 105
Yusuf Ali The day it arrives no soul shall speak except by His leave: of those (gathered) some will be wretched and some will be blessed.
Pickthall On the day when it cometh no soul will sneak except by His permission; some among them will be wretched, (others) glad.
Yuksel On the day it comes, no person will speak to another except by His leave. Some of them will be distraught, some will be happy.
Transliteration Yauma ya'ti la_ takallamu nafsun illa_ bi iznih(i), fa minhum syaqiyyuw wa sa'id(un).
[[Ali’s notes - 1606 Shaqi (wretched) and Said (blessed) have become almost technical theological terms. They are explained in the four following verses. (11.105)
11: 106
Yusuf Ali Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: there will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs:
Pickthall As for those who will be wretched (on that day) they will be in the Fire; sighing and wailing will be their portion therein.
Yuksel As for those who are distraught, they will be in the fire; in it for them is a sighing and a wailing.
Transliteration Fa ammal lazina syaqu_ fa fin na_ri lahum fiha_ zafiruw wa syahiq(un),
11: 107
Asad therein to abide as long as the heavens and the earth endure – unless your Sustainer wills it otherwise [note 134]; for, verily, your Sustainer is a sovereign doer of whatever He wills.
Yusuf Ali They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure except as thy Lord wills: for thy Lord is the (sure) Accomplisher of what He planneth.
Pickthall Abiding there so long as the heavens and the earth endure save for that which thy Lord willeth. Lo! thy Lord is Doer of what He will.
Yuksel They will abide in it as long as the heavens and earth exist, except for what your Lord wishes. Your Lord does as He pleases.
Transliteration Kha_lidina fiha_ ma_ da_matis sama_wa_tu wal ardu illa_ ma_ sya_'a rabbuk(a), inna rabbaka fa''a_lul lima_ yurid(u).
[[ Ali’s note - 1608 Khalidin: This is the word which is usually translated "dwell for ever" or "dwell for aye". Here it is definitely connected with two conditions, viz: (1) as long as the heavens and the earth endure, and (2) except as Allah wills. Some Muslim theologians deduce from this the conclusion that the penalties referred to are not eternal, because the heavens and the earth as we see them are not eternal, and the punishments for the deeds of a life that will end should not be such as will never end. The majority of Muslim theologians reject this view. They hold that the heavens and the earth here referred to are not those we see now, but others that will be eternal. They agree that Allah's Will is unlimited in scope and power, but that It has willed that the rewards and punishments of the Day of Judgment will be eternal. (11.107)]]
[[ Asad’s note – I.e., unless God wills to reprieve them (cf. the last paragraph of 6:128 and the corresponding note 114, as well as note 10 on 40:12). The phrase “as long as the heavens and the earth endure” has causes some perplexity to most of the classical commentators in view of the many Quranic statements to the effect that the world as well know it will come to an end on the Last Day, which is synonymous with the Day of Resurrection. …..were used metonymically in the sense of “time beyond count”….See also 20:105-107 and the corresponding note 90, as well note 63 on 14:48.]]
11: 108
Yusuf Ali And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: they will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break.
Pickthall And as for those who will be glad (that day) they will be in the Garden, abiding there so long as the heavens and the earth endure save for that which thy Lord willeth: a gift unfailing.
Yuksel As for those who are fortunate, they will be in paradise; in it they will abide as long as the heavens and earth exist, except for what your Lord wishes, a giving without end.*
Transliteration Wa ammal lazina su'idu_ fa fil jannati kha_lidina fiha_ ma_ da_matis sama_wa_tu wal ardu illa_ ma_ sya_'a rabbuk(a), 'ata_'an gaira majzu_z(in).
[[ Yuksel’s note - 011:108 After the end of the world, the earth together with the universe will be recreated anew (14:48).]]