Hereafter-General
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاذْكُرُواْ
اللّهَ فِي
أَيَّامٍ
مَّعْدُودَاتٍ...
2: 203. Celebrate the praises of Allah during the Appointed Days,
C226. The Appointed Days: the three days after the tenth, when the pilgrims stay on in the Valley of Mina for prayer and praise.
They are the days of Tashriq (see 2:200, n. 223). It is optional for pilgrims to leave on the second or third day.
... فَمَن تَعَجَّلَ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ فَلاَ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَن تَأَخَّرَ فَلا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ لِمَنِ اتَّقَى ...
but if anyone hastens to leave in two days, there is no blame on him, and if anyone stays on, there is no blame on him, if his aim is to do right.
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٢٠٣﴾
Then fear Allah, and know that ye will surely be gathered unto Him.
Others version:
2: 203
Asad And bear God in mind during the appointed days; but he who hurries away within two days shall incur no sin, and he who tarries longer shall incur no sin, provided that he is conscious of God, and know that unto Him you shall be gathered.
Yusuf Ali Celebrate the praises of Allah during the Appointed Days but if anyone hastens to leave in two days there is no blame on him and if anyone stays on there is no blame on him if his aim is to do right. Then fear Allah and know that ye will surely be gathered unto Him.
Pickthall Remember Allah through the appointed days. Then whoso hasteneth (his departure) by two days, it is no sin for him, and whoso delayeth, it is no sin for him; that is for him who wardeth off (evil). Be careful of your duty to Allah, and know that unto Him ye will be gathered.
Transliteration Wazkurulla_ha fi ayya_mim ma'du_da_t(in), fa man ta'ajjala fi yaumaini fa la_ isma 'alaih(i), fa manta'akhkhara fa la_ isma 'alaih(i), li manit taqa_, wattaqulla_ha wa'lamu_ annakum ilaihi tuhsyaru_n(a).
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ
أَن يَغُلَّ
...
3: 161. No prophet could (ever) be false to his trust.
C472. Besides the gentleness of his nature, Al-Mustafa was known from his earliest life for his trustworthiness. Hence his title of Al-Amin. Unscrupulous people often read their own low motives into other men, and their accusation, which is meant to injure, fastens on the various virtues for which the man they attack is well known.
Some of the Hypocrites after Uhud raised some doubts about the division of the spoils, thinking to sow the seeds of poison in the hearts of the men who had deserted their posts in their craving for booty.
Those low suspicions were never believed in by any sensible people, and they have no interest for us now. But the general principles here declared are of eternal value.
1. Prophets of Allah do not act from unworthy motives.
2. Those who act from such motives are the lowest of creatures, and they will make no profit,
3. A prophet of Allah is not to be judged by the same standard as a greedy creature.
4. in Allah's eyes there are various grades of men, and we must try to understand and appreciate such grades.
If we trust our Leader, we shall not question his honesty without cause. If he is dishonest, he is not fit to be a leader. (R).
... وَمَن يَغْلُلْ يَأْتِ بِمَا غَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ...
If any person is so false, He shall, on the Day of Judgment, restore what he misappropriated;
...ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿١٦١﴾
then shall every soul receive its due, whatever it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly.
Asad’s Version:
3: 161 And it is not conceivable that a prophet should deceive - since he who deceives shall be faced with his deceit on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged.
Asad(see note 123, p.92)
3: 161 No prophet could (ever) be false to his trust. If any person is false, he shall on the Day of Judgement, restore what he misappropriated; then shall every soul receive its
due, whatever it earned and none shall be dealt with unjustly. Ali
4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ
تَرَ إِلَى
الَّذِينَ قِيلَ
لَهُمْ كُفُّواْ
أَيْدِيَكُمْ
...
4:77. Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (form fight)
C595. Before the command for fighting was issued there were some who were impatient, and could scarcely be held back. They wanted fighting from human motives,- pugnacity, hatred against their enemies, the gaining of personal ends. Fighting from such motives is wrong at all times.
When the testing time came, and they had to fight, not for their own hand, but for a Sacred Cause, in which there was much suffering and little personal gain, the Hypocrites held back and were afraid.
... وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ...
but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity?
... فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً...
When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as, or even more than, they should have feared Allah:
... وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتَالَ...
they say: "Our Lord! why hast Thou ordered us to fight?
... لَوْلا أَخَّرْتَنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ ...
Wouldst Thou not grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?"
C596. "Our natural term of life," they would say, "is short enough; why should we jeopardize it by fighting in which there is no personal gain?"
The answer is begun in this verse and continued in the next. Briefly, the answer is:
1. in any case the pleasures of this world are short; this life is fleeting; the first thing for a righteous man to do is to emancipate himself from its obsessions;
2. to do your duty is to do right; therefore turn your attention mainly to duty;
3. when duty calls for self-sacrifice, be sure that Allah's call is never unjust, and never such as to exceed your capacity; and
4. if you fear death, you will not by fear escape death; it will find you out wherever you are; why not face it boldly when duty calls?
... قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدَّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ ...
Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world:
... وَالآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً ﴿٧٧﴾
the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!
أَيْنَمَا
تَكُونُواْ
يُدْرِككُّمُ
الْمَوْتُ
وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ
فِي بُرُوجٍ
مُّشَيَّدَةٍ...
4:78. "Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!"
... وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ...
If some good befalls them, they say, "This is from Allah;"
... وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُواْ هَـذِهِ مِنْ عِندِكَ...
but if evil, they say, "This is from thee"
... قُلْ كُلًّ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ...
(O Prophet). "Say: "All things are from Allah.
C597. The Hypocrites were inconsistent, and in this reflect unregenerate mankind.
If a disaster happens, due to their own folly, they blame somebody else; but if they are fortunate, they claim reflected credit by pretending that Heaven has favoured them because of their own superior merits.
The modern critic discards even this pretence, eliminates Heaven altogether, and claims all credit direct to himself, unless he brings in blind Chance, but that he does mostly to "explain" misfortune.
If we look to the ultimate Cause of all things, all things come from Allah. But if we look to the proximate cause of things, our own merit is so small, that we can hardly claim credit for good ourselves with any fairness.
In Allah's hand is all good: 3:26. On the other hand, the proximate cause of our evil is due to some wrong in our own inner selves; for never are we dealt with unjustly in the very least: 4:77.
... فَمَا لِهَـؤُلاء الْقَوْمِ لاَ يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا ﴿٧٨﴾
But what hath come to these people, that they fail to understand a single fact?
لاَّ
يَسْتَوِي
الْقَاعِدُونَ
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
غَيْرُ أُوْلِي
الضَّرَرِ ...
4:95. Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt,
... وَالْمُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ...
and those who strive and fight in the Cause of Allah with their goods and their persons.
... فَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ دَرَجَةً...
Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home):
... وَكُـلاًّ وَعَدَ اللّهُ الْحُسْنَى ...
unto all (in faith) hath Allah promised good:
C614. Allah's goodness is promised to all people of Faith. But there are degrees among men and women of Faith.
- There are people with natural inertia: they do the minimum that is required of them, but no more.
- There are people who are weak in will: they are easily frightened.
- There are people who are so strong in will and so firm in faith that they are determined to conquer every obstacle, whether in their own physical or other infirmities or in the external world around them.
In a time of jihad, when people give their all, and even their lives, for the common cause, they must be accounted more glorious than those who sit at home, even though they have good will to the cause and carry out minor duties in aid.
The special reward of such self-sacrifice is special forgiveness and mercy, as proceeding from the direct approbation and love of Allah.
... وَفَضَّلَ اللّهُ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَاعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٩٥﴾
but those who strive and fight hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.
دَرَجَاتٍ
مِّنْهُ وَمَغْفِرَةً
وَرَحْمَةً...
4:96. Ranks specially bestowed by Him, and Forgiveness and Mercy.
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٩٦﴾
For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Asad’s Version:
4 : 77 Say: Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are conscious of God - since none of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breath .
4: 78 Wherever you may be , death will overtake you - even though you be in towers raised high."
4: 95 Such of the believers as remain passive - other that the disabled - cannot be deemed equal to those who strive hard in God's cause with their possessions and their lives: God has exalted those who strive hard with their possessions and their lives far above those who remain passive.
Although God has promised the ultimate good unto all, yet has God exalted those who strive hard above those who remain passive by a mighty reward-
4:96 degrees thereof - and forgiveness of sins, and His grace; for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
أَنَدْعُو مِن
دُونِ اللّهِ
مَا لاَ يَنفَعُنَا
وَلاَ يَضُرُّنَا...
6: 71. Say:
"Shall we indeed call on others besides Allah, things that can do us neither good nor harm,
C895. In continuation of the seven heads of argument referred to in notes. 876 and 885, we have here the final two heads:
8. who would, after receiving guidance from the living, eternal God, turn to lifeless idols? to do so would indeed show that we were made into fools, wandering to a precipice;
9. therefore accept the only true guidance, the guidance of God, and obey his Law, for we shall have to answer before His judgment-seat.
...وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ...
and turn on our heels after receiving guidance from Allah?
...كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُ أَصْحَابٌ يَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى الْهُدَى ائْتِنَا...
-- like one whom the evil ones have made into a fool, wandering bewildered through the earth, his friends calling 'Come to us', (vainly) guiding him to the Path."
...قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىَ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٧١﴾
Say:
"Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance, and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds;
وَمَنْ
أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ
افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللّهِ كَذِبًا...
6: 93. Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah,
...أَوْ قَالَ أُوْحِيَ إِلَيَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ...
or saith, "I have received inspiration," when he hath received none,
...وَمَن قَالَ سَأُنزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنَزلَ اللّهُ...
or (again) who saith, "I can reveal the like of what Allah hath revealed?"
...وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ ...
If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! --
... وَالْمَلآئِكَةُ بَاسِطُواْ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُواْ أَنفُسَكُمُ...
the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying), "Yield up your souls.
C915. Yield up your souls: or "get your souls to come out of your bodies."
The wicked, we may suppose, are not anxious to part with the material existence in their bodies for the "reward" which in irony is stated to be there to welcome them.
...الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ...
This day shall ye receive your reward, a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah,
...وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٩٣﴾
and scornfully to reject of His Signs!"
Asad’s Version:
6: 71 Say: “Shall we invoke, instead of God, something that can neither benefit us not harm us, and [thus] turn around on our heels after God has guided us aright? –like one whom the satans have enticed into blundering after earthly lust, the while his companions, trying to guide him, call our unto him [from afar], “Come you to us!”
Say: “Verily, God’s guidance is the only guidance: and so we have been bidden to surrender of all the worlds, 6: 72 and to be constant in prayer and conscious of Him: for it is He unto whom you all shall be gathered.”
6: 93 and who could be more wicked than he who invents a lie about God, or says, “This has been revealed unto me,” the while nothing has been revealed to him? – or he who says, “ I, too, can bestow from on high the like of what God has bestowed”? Asad
6:93 ..............”I can reveal the like of what Allah has revealed” ? Ali
If you could but see when these evildoers find themselves in the agonies of death, and the angels stretch forth their hands: “Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with the suffering of humiliation for having attributed to God something that is not true, and for having persistently scorned His messages in your arrogance!” Asad
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَعْتَذِرُونَ
إِلَيْكُمْ
إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ
إِلَيْهِمْ...
9: 94. They will present their excuses to you when ye return to them.
... قُل لاَّ تَعْتَذِرُواْ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا اللّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْ...
Say thou:
"Present no excuses: we shall not believe you:
Allah hath already informed us of the true state of matters concerning you:
... وَسَيَرَى اللّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ...
it is your actions that Allah and His Messenger will observe:
... ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ...
in the end will ye be brought back to Him who knoweth what is hidden and what is open:
... فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٤﴾
then will He show you the truth of all that ye did.
Asad’s Version:
9: 94 [And they will be offering excuses to you when you return to them [form the campaign]. Say: “ Do not offer excuses, we shall not believer you: God has already enlightened us about you. And God will behold your deeds, and His Apostle; and in the end you will be brought before Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature’s sense of mind, and then He will make you truly understand what you were doing [in life].” [Asad]
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
جِئْتُمُونَا
فُرَادَى كَمَا
خَلَقْنَاكُمْ
أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ...
6: 94. "And behold! ye come to Us bare and alone as We created you for the first time:
C916. Some of the various ideas connected with "creation" are noted in n. 120 to 2:117.
In the matter of creation of man there are various processes. If his body was created out of clay, i.e. earthy matter, there was an earlier process of the creation of such earthy matter.
Here the body is left behind, and the soul is being addressed. The soul underwent various processes of fashioning and adapting to its various functions in its various surroundings (32:7-9). But each individual soul, after release from the body, comes back as it was created, with nothing more than it history, "the deeds which it has earned," which are really a part of it. Any exterior things given to help in its development, "the favours which we bestowed on you," it must necessarily leave behind, however it may have been proud of them.
These exterior things may be material things, e.g. wealth, property, signs of power, influence and pride such as sons, relatives, and friends, etc., or they may be intangible things, like talents, intellect, social gifts, etc.
...وَتَرَكْتُم مَّا خَوَّلْنَاكُمْ وَرَاء ظُهُورِكُمْ...
Ye have left behind you all (the favors) which We bestowed on you:
...وَمَا نَرَى مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَاءكُمُ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَاء...
We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs:
...لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنكُم مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ ﴿٩٤﴾
so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"
C917. The false ideas of intercessors, demi-gods, gods, saviours, etc., now vanish like unsubstantial visions, "leaving not a wrack behind."
Now the soul is face to face with reality. Its personal responsibility is brought home to it.
Asad’s Version:
6: 94
Asad ….”And now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as we created you in the first instance; and you have left behind you all that We bestowed on you [in your lifetime]. And We do not see with you those intercessors of yours whom you supposed to have a share in God’s divinity with regard to yourselves! [note 78]. Indeed, all the bonds between you [and your earthly life] are severed, and all your former fancies have forsaken you! [note 79].
Yusuf Ali "And behold! you come to Us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: Ye have left behind you all (the favors) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom ye thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!"
Pickthall Now have ye come unto Us solitary as We did create you at the first, and ye have left behind you all that We bestowed upon you, and We behold not with you those your intercessors, of whom ye claimed that they possessed a share in you. Now is the bond between you severed, and that which ye presumed hath failed you.
Transliteration Wa laqad ji'tumu_na_ fura_da_ kama_ khalaqna_kum awwala marratiw wa taraktum ma_ khawwalna_kum wara_'a zuhu_rikum, wa ma_ nara_ ma'akum syufa'a_'akumul lazina za'amtum annahum fikum syuraka_'(u), laqat taqatta'a bainakum wa dalla'ankum ma_ kuntum taz'umu_n(a).
[[ asad’d note 78 - Lit., “whom you supposed to be [God’s] partners with regard to you” ….., to protect and help you. See note 15 on verse 22 of this surah.
Note-79 Lit., “all that you were wont to assert [or “so suppose”] has gone away from you” – i.e., all the imaginary intercessors or mediators between man and God. ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
Others version:
12: 57
Yusuf Ali But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best for those who believe and are constant in righteousness.
Pickthall And the reward of the Hereafter is better, for those who believe and ward off (evil).
Transliteration Wa ja_'a ikhwatu yu_sufa fadakhalu_ 'alaihi fa'arafahum wa hum lahu_ munkiru_n(a).
12: 109 Transliteration Wa ma_ arsalna_ min qablika illa_ rija_lan nu_hi ilaihim min ahlil qura_, afalam yasiru fil ardi fayanzuru_ kaifa ka_na 'a_qibatul lazina min qablihim, wa lada_rul a_khirati khairul lil lazina-ttaqau, afala_ ta'qilu_n(a). ?
Yusuf Ali Nor did We send before thee (as Apostles) any but men whom We did inspire (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the Hereafter is best for those who do right. Will ye not then understand?
Pickthall We sent not before thee (any messengers) save men whom We inspired from among the folk of the townships. Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? And verily the abode of the Hereafter, for those who ward off (evil), is best. Have ye then no sense?
Transliteration Hatta_ iza-stai'asar rusulu wa zannu_ annahum qad kuzibu_ ja_'ahum nasruna, fanujjiya man nasya_'(u), wa la_ yuraddu ba'suna_ 'anil qaumil mujrimin(a).
56. Sura al-Waqi’ah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
نَحْنُ
قَدَّرْنَا
بَيْنَكُمُ
الْمَوْتَ ...
56: 60. We have decreed Death to be your common lot,
C5250. Just as Allah has created this life that we see, so He has decreed that Death should be the common lot of all of us. Surely, if He can thus give life and death, as we see it, why should we refuse to believe that He can give us other forms when this life is over?
The Future Life, though indicated by what we know now, is to be on a wholly different plane. (R).
... وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ ﴿٦٠﴾
and We are not to be frustrated
Asad’s Version:
56: 60, 61 We have (indeed) decreed that death shall be (ever-present) among you : but there is nothing to prevent Us from changing the nature of your existence and bringing you into being (anew) in a manner (as yet) unknown to you.
57. Sura al-Hadid
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اعْلَمُوا
أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ
الدُّنْيَا
لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ
وَزِينَةٌ ...
57: 20. Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement,
In the present passage the idea is further amplified. In this life people not only play and amuse themselves and each other, but they show off, and boast, and pile up riches and man-power and influence, in rivalry with each other.
...وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ...
pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children:
...كَمَثَلِ ...
Here is a similitude:
C5303. Cf. 39:21, and n. 4273.
Here the Parable is meant to teach a slightly different lesson. Allah's mercies are free and open to all, like His rain. But how do men make use of them? The good men take the real spiritual harvest and store the Spiritual grain. The men who are in love with the ephemeral are delighted with the green of the tares and the grass; but such things give no real nourishment; they soon wither, become dry, and crumble to pieces, like the worldly pleasures and pomps, boasting and tumults, possessions and friends.
...غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ...
How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers;
C5304. Kuffar is here used in the unusual sense of 'tillers or husbandmen', because they sow the seed and cover it up with soil.
But the ordinary meaning, 'Rejecters of Truth', is not absent. The allegory refers to such men.
...فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا...
soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away.
...وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ...
But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong), and Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah).
...وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُور ﴿٢٠﴾ِ
And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?
Many of the attractive vanities of this world are but nets set by Satan to deceive man. The only thing real and lasting is the Good Life lived in the Light of Allah.
Asad’s Version:
57: 20 …..And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion. (Pickthall)
57: 20 …..But (the abiding truth of man's condition will become fully apparent)
in the life to come: (either) suffering severe, or God's forgiveness and His goodly acceptance : for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion. (Asad)