6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَيَوْمَ
يِحْشُرُهُمْ
جَمِيعًا يَا
مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ
قَدِ اسْتَكْثَرْتُم
مِّنَ الإِنسِ...
6: 128. One day will He gather them all together, (and say):
"O ye assembly of Jinns! much (toll) did ye take of men."
C949. Jinns are spirits -here evil spirits.
...وَقَالَ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُم مِّنَ الإِنسِ ...
Their friends amongst men will say:
... رَبَّنَا اسْتَمْتَعَ بَعْضُنَا بِبَعْضٍ وَبَلَغْنَا أَجَلَنَا الَّذِيَ أَجَّلْتَ لَنَا ...
"Our Lord! we made profit from each other: but (alas!) we reached our term -- which Thou didst appoint for us."
C950. It is common experience that the forces of evil make an alliance with each other, and seem thus to make a profit by their mutual log-rolling.
But this is only in this material world. When the limited term expires, their unholy bargains will be exposed, and there will be nothing but regrets.
...قَالَ النَّارُ مَثْوَاكُمْ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا إِلاَّ مَا شَاء اللّهُ...
He will say:
"The fire be your dwelling-place you will dwell therein for ever, except as Allah willeth."
C951. Eternity and infinity are abstract terms. They have no precise meaning in our human experience.
The qualification, "except as Allah willeth," makes it more intelligible, as we can form some idea -however inadequate- of a Will and Plan, and we know Allah by His attribute of Mercy as well as of Justice.
...إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَليمٌ ﴿١٢٨﴾
For thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.
Asad’s Version:
6: 128 And on the day when He shall gather them [all] together, [He will say] “o you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings! A great many human beings have you ensnared!” And those of the humans who were close to them will say: “O our Sustainer ! We did enjoy one another’s fellowship [in life] ; but we have reached the end of our term – the term which You have laid down for us – [we see the error of our ways]!”
He will say : “ The fire shall be your abode, therein to abide – unless God wills it otherwise.” Verily, your Sustainer is wise, all knowing. Asad
11.Surah Hud
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
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.
Others version:
11: 107
Asad Therein to abide as long as the heavens and the earth endure-unless thy Sustainer wills it otherwise: [see asad note 134] verily, thy 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 willeth: 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.
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).
11: 108
Asad ……..unless thy Sustainer wills it otherwise – as a gift unceasing.
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.
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