16.Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِاللّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ ...

16: 38.  They swear their strongest oaths by Allah,

C2063. The strongest oath of the Pagan Arabs would be by the Supreme Allah; less strong oaths would be by their subordinate deities, or their ancestors, or other things they valued or held sacred.

... لاَ يَبْعَثُ اللّهُ مَن يَمُوتُ...  

that Allah will not raise up those who die:

C2064. The usual Pagan creed is:

'If there is a God, it does not follow that He will raise us up; why should He?'

The answer is twofold:

-        Allah has promised it, and Allah's promise is true;

-        He must finally manifest the Truth to them, convict them of their falsehood, and enforce their personal responsibility (16:39).

... بَلَى وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾

Nay, but it is a promise (binding) on Him in truth:

but most among mankind realize it not.

لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ...   

16: 39.  (They must be raised up), in order that He may manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ,

... وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ كَاذِبِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾ 

and that the rejecters of Truth may realize that they had indeed (surrendered to) Falsehood.

C2065. See the last note.

Others version:

16: 38

Asad ……Yea indeed! By a promise which He has willed upon Himself; but most people know it not.

Yusuf Ali They swear their strongest oaths by Allah that Allah will not raise up those who die: Nay but it is a promise (binding) on Him in truth: but most among mankind realize it not.

Pickthall And they swear by Allah their most binding oaths (that) Allah will not raise up him who dieth. Nay, but it is a promise (binding) upon Him in truth, but most of mankind know not,

Transliteration Wa aqsamu_ billa_hi jahda aima_nihim, la_ yab'asulla_hu may yamu_t(u), bala_ wa'dan 'alaihi haqqaw wa la_kinna aksaran na_si la_ ya'lamu_n(a),

16: 39

Asad [He will resurrect them] to the end that HE might make clear unto them all whereon they hold divergent views, and that they who are bent on denying the truth might come to know that they were liars.

Yusuf Ali (They must be raised up) in order that He may manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ and that the rejecters of Truth may realize that they had indeed (surrendered to) Falsehood.

Pickthall That he may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.

Transliteration Liyubayyina lahumul lazi yakhtalifu_na fihi wa liya'lamal lazina kafaru_ annahum ka_nu_ ka_zibin(a).