64 Surah At-Taghabun
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا إِنَّ
مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ
وَأَوْلَادِكُمْ
عَدُوًّا لَّكُمْ
فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ ...
64:14. O ye who believe!
truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them!
C5494. In some cases the demands of families, i.e., wife and children may conflict with a man's moral and spiritual convictions and duties. In such cases he must guard against the abandonment of his convictions, duties, and ideals to their requests or desires. But he must not treat them harshly. He must make reasonable provision for them, and if they persist in opposing his clear duties and convictions, he must forgive them and not expose them to shame or ridicule, while at the same time holding on to his clear duty. Such cases occurred when godly men undertook exile from their native city of Makkah to follow the Faith in Madinah. In some cases their families murmured, but all came right in the end.
... وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٤﴾
But if ye forgive and overlook, and cover up (their faults), verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
C5495. For the different words for "forgiveness", see n. 110 to 2:109.
إِنَّمَا
أَمْوَالُكُمْ
وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ
فِتْنَةٌ ...
64: 15. Your riches and your children may be but a trial:
C5496. Children may be a "trial" in many senses:
their different ways of looking at things may cause you to reflect, and to turn to the highest things of eternal importance;
their relationship with you and with each other may confront you with problems far more complicated than those in separate individual lives, and thus become a test of your own strength of character and sense of responsibility;
their conflict with your ideals (see n. 5494 above) may vex your spirit, but may at the same time search out your fidelity to Allah; and
their affection for you and your affection for them, may be a source of strength for you if it is pure, just as it may be a danger if it is based on selfish or unworthy motives.
So also riches and worldly goods have their advantages as well as dangers.
... وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٥﴾
but in the Presence of Allah, is the highest Reward.
Asad’s Version:
64:14 O YOU who have attained to faith! Behold, some of your spouses" and your children are enemies unto you: so beware of them! 12 But if you pardon [their faults] and forbear, and forgive - then, behold, God will be much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
(64:15) Your worldly goods and your children are but a trial and a temptation, 15 whereas with God there is a tremendous reward.
[[Asad’s notes - 12 Love of his or her family may sometimes tempt a believer to act contrary to the demands of conscience and faith; and, occasionally, one or another of the loved ones - whether wife or husband or child may consciously try to induce the person concerned to abandon some of his or her moral commitments in order to satisfy some real or imaginary "family interest", and thus becomes the other's spiritual "enemy" . It is to this latter eventuality that the next sentence alludes.
13 For an explanation, see note 28 on 8:28, which is almost identical with the present passage.
14 Cf. last sentence of 59:9 and the corresponding note 14.
15 See surah 6, note 65. ]]