4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يُرِيدُ
اللّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ
لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ
سُنَنَ الَّذِينَ
مِن قَبْلِكُمْ
...
4: 26. Allah doth wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you;
... وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ...
and (He doth wish to) turn to you (in Mercy):
... وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٢٦﴾
and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ آمِنُواْ
بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
...
4: 136. O ye who believe! believe in Allah and His Messenger,
... وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِيَ أَنزَلَ مِن قَبْلُ...
and the scripture which He hath sent to His Messenger and the scripture which He sent to those before (him).
C646. If your belief is by habit or birth or the example of those you love or respect or admire, make that belief more specific and personal to yourself. We must not only have faith, but realise that faith in our inmost being.
The chief objects of our Faith are Allah. His Messenger, and His Revelations.
To all these we must give a home in our hearts. The angels we do not see and realise as we realise Allah, who is nearer to us than the vehicle of our life-blood, and the Day of Judgment is for our future experience, but we must not deny them, or we cut off a part of our religious view.
... وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِاللّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا ﴿١٣٦﴾
And who denieth Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray.
لَّـكِنِ
اللّهُ يَشْهَدُ
بِمَا أَنزَلَ
إِلَيْكَ أَنزَلَهُ
بِعِلْمِهِ
وَالْمَلآئِكَةُ...
4: 166. But Allah beareth witness that what He hath sent unto thee He hath sent from His (Own) Knowledge, and the angels bear witness:
C672. Inspiration, though it is clothed in human language, and shaped to the personality of the inspired one, proceeds from the knowledge of Allah. (R).
... يَشْهَدُونَ وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا ﴿١٦٦﴾
but enough is Allah for a Witness.
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ
قَدْ جَاءكُمْ
رَسُولُنَا...
5: 15. O People of the Book!
there hath come to you Our Messenger,
... يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ...
revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary):
... قَدْ جَاءكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿١٥﴾
There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.
C716. Mubin: I wish I could translate by a simpler word than "perspicuous". But "plain" may mean unadorned, the opposite of beautiful, and this Book is among the most beautiful that it is the privilege of mankind to read.
"Clear" would be right as far as it means "unambiguous, self-evident, not involved in mysteries of origin, history, or meaning, one which every one can understand as to the essentials necessary for him, without the intervention of priests or privileged persons".
Mubin has all these meanings, but it suggests, besides, some quality of a shining light, by which we are able to make things clear, to distinguish the true from the false. This I think is suggested better by "perspicuous" than by the word "clear". Besides it is hardly good idiom to speak of "a clear Book."
يَهْدِي
بِهِ اللّهُ
مَنِ اتَّبَعَ
رِضْوَانَهُ
سُبُلَ السَّلاَمِ
...
5: 16. Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety,
... وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنِ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿١٦﴾
and leadeth them out of darkness, by His Will,
unto the light, guideth them to a Path that is Straight.
مِنْ
أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ
كَتَبْنَا عَلَى
بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
...
5: 32. On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel
... أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا...
that if anyone slew a person -- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land -- it would be as if he slew the whole people:
C737. The story of Cain is referred to in a few graphic details in order to tell the story of Israel.
Israel rebelled against Allah, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm but on the contrary came in all humility.
When Allah withdrew His favour from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin.
To kill or seek to kill an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who uphold the ideal. On the other hand, to save an individual life in the same circumstances is to save a whole community.
What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge?
... وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا...
and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.
... وَلَقَدْ جَاء تْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالبَيِّنَاتِ ...
Then although there came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs,
... ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي الأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾
yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.
مَّا
الْمَسِيحُ
ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ
...
5: 75. Christ the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger;
... قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ...
many were the Messengers that passed away before him.
... وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ ...
His mother was a woman of truth.
C783. She never claimed that she was a mother of God, or that her son was God. She was a pious virtuous woman.
... كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ ...
They had both to eat their (daily) food.
... انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الآيَاتِ ...
See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them;
C784. Note how logically the argument has led up from Jewish back-sliding and want of faith, to blasphemies associated with the names of Jesus and Mary, and in the following verses to the worship of senseless stocks and stones.
Allah is One; His Message is one; yet how people's perversity transforms truth into falsehood, religion into superstition!
... ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿٧٥﴾
yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!
لاَ
يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ
اللّهُ بِاللَّغْوِ
فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ
وَلَـكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم
بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ
الأَيْمَانَ
...
5: 89. Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths:
C792. Vows of penance or abstention may sometimes be futile, or even stand in the way of really good or virtuous act.
See 2:224-226, and notes 251, 252.
The general principles established are:
1. take no futile oaths;
2. use not Allah's name, literally or in intention, to fetter yourself against doing a lawful or good act:
3. keep to your solemn oaths to the utmost of your ability;
4. where you are unable to do so, expiate your failure by feeding or clothing the poor, or obtaining some one's freedom, or if you have not the means, by fasting. This is from a spiritual aspect.
If any party suffers damage from your failure, compensation will be due to him, but would be question of law or equity.
... فَكَفَّارَتُهُ ...
for expiation,
... إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ...
- feed then indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families;
- or clothe them;
- or give a slave his freedom.
... فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاَثَةِ أَيَّامٍ...
- If that is beyond your means, fast for three days.
... ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُواْ أَيْمَانَكُمْ ...
That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn.
But keep to your oaths.
... كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٨٩﴾
Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs, that ye may be grateful.
Asad’s Version:
5: 15, 5:16 : O followers of the Bible! Now there has come unto you Our Apostle, to make clear unto you much of what you have been concealing [from yourselves] of the Bible, and to pardon much. (See Asad note 28 )
Now there has come unto you from God a light, and a clear divine writ, through which God shows unto all that seek His goodly acceptance the paths leading to salvation and, by His grace, brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light and guides them onto a straight way.
5: 32...........And, indeed, there came unto them Our apostles with all evidence of the truth: yet, behold, not withstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.
5: 75 The Christ, son of Mary, was but an apostle: all [other] apostles had passed before him; and his mother was one who never deviated from the truth; and they both ate food [like other mortals]. Behold how clear We make these messages unto them: and then behold how perverted are their minds!
5: 89 God will not take you task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought, but He will take you to task for oaths which you have sworn in earnest.
Thus, the breaking off an oath must be atoned for by feeding ten needy persons with more or less the same food as you are wont to give to your own families, or by clothing them, or by freeing a human being from bondage; and he who has not the wherewithal shall fast for three days [instead]. This shall be the atonement for your oaths whenever you have sworn [ and broken them]. But be mindful of your oaths!
Thus God makes clear unto you His Messages, so that you might have cause to be grateful.
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
آتَيْنَاهُمُ
الْكِتَابَ
يَعْرِفُونَهُ
كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ
أَبْنَاءهُمُ...
6: 20. Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons.
In both passages the pronoun translated "this" may mean "him" and refer to Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, as some commentators think.
...الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾
Those who have lost their own souls refuse therefore to believe.
قُلْ
هُوَ الْقَادِرُ
عَلَى أَن يَبْعَثَ
عَلَيْكُمْ
عَذَابًا مِّن
فَوْقِكُمْ
أَوْ مِن تَحْتِ
أَرْجُلِكُمْ
...
6: 65. Say:
"He hath power to send calamities on you, from above and below,
C888. Calamities from above and below: such as;
- storms and blizzards, torrential rain, etc., or
- earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.
...أَوْ يَلْبِسَكُمْ شِيَعاً وَيُذِيقَ بَعْضَكُم بَأْسَ بَعْضٍ...
or to cover you with confusion in party strife giving you a taste of mutual vengeance -- each from the other."
...انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الآيَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾
See how We explain the Signs by various (symbols), that they may understand.
C889. Cf. 6:46, where this refrain commences the argument now drawing to a close.
وَكَذَّبَ
بِهِ قَوْمُكَ
وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ...
6: 66. But thy people reject this, though it is the truth.
...قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ ﴿٦٦﴾
Say:
"Not mine is the responsibility for arranging your affairs;
C890. At the date of this revelation, the Messenger's people had as a body not only rejected Allah's truth, but were persecuting it. The Messenger's duty was to deliver his Message, which he did. He was not responsible for their conduct.
But he told them plainly that all warnings from Allah had their time limit, as they would soon find out, within a very few years. For the leaders of the resistance came to an evil end, and their whole system of fraud and selfishness was destroyed, to make room for the purer Faith of Islam.
Apart from that particular application, there is the more general application, for the present time and for all time.
Other versions:
6: 20 [al-Anam, Mecca 55]
Asad They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this [note 14] as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves –it is they who refuse to believe.
Yusuf Ali Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons. Those who have lost their own souls refuse therefore to believe.
Pickthall Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this Revelation) as they recognize their sons. Those who ruin their own souls will not believe.
Transliteration Allazina a_taina_humul kita_ba ya'rifu_nahu_ kama_ ya'rifu_na abna_'ahum, allazina khasiru_ anfusahum fahum la_ yu'minu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 14 –I.e., the truth of God’s transcendental uniqueness and oneness, which is stressed in all authentic scriptures.]]
[[ Ruby’s note – Those who truly believe see the revelation as truth as reality is the truth. One does not believe that one has a child one just know that truth. That kind of absolute confidence is there by the sincere believers.]]
6: 65 Say: “It is He alone who has the power to let loose upon you suffering from above you or from beneath your feet, or to confound you with mutual discord and let you taste the fear of one another.”
Behold how many facets We give to these messages, so that they might understand the truth;
6: 66 and yet , to all this thy people have given the lie, although it is the truth. Say [then]: “ I am not responsible for your conduct.
52. Surah At-Tur
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
52: 2. By a Decree Inscribed,
C5038. See last note.
The five Signs to which appeal is made are:
- the Mount (of Revelation), verse 1;
- the Book Inscribed, verses 2-3;
- The Much-frequented House, verse 4;
- the Canopy Raised High, verse 5; and
- the Ocean filled with Swell, verse 6.
Let us examine these in detail. Each of them has a figurative meaning.
The Mount is the sublime world of Revelation.
In the case of Moses it is typified by Mount Sinai: Cf. 95:2, where it is mentioned in juxtaposition to the sacred territory of Makkah, 95:3.
In the case of Jesus it is the Mount of Olives: Cf. 95:1, and also Matt. 24:3-51, where Jesus made his striking pronouncement about the Judgment to come.
In the case of Muhammad it is the Mountain of Light, where he first received the revelation: Cf. n. 11
The Book Inscribed is Allah's Eternal word. When it becomes Revelation to man, it is figured forth as something "inscribed", reduced to writing; and as it is made clear to the intelligence of man,
Asad’s Version:
52: 2 Consider revelation, inscribed on wide-open scrolls.
57. Sura al-Hadid
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَا
رُسُلَنَا
بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ
وَأَنزَلْنَا
مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ
وَالْمِيزَانَ
لِيَقُومَ
النَّاسُ
بِالْقِسْطِ...
57: 25. We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice;
C5313. Three things are mentioned as gifts of Allah. In concrete terms they are;
the Book,
the Balance, and
Iron,
which stand as emblems of three things which hold society together, viz.
Revelation, which commands Good and forbids Evil;
Justice, which gives to each person his due;
and the strong arm of the Law, which maintains sanctions for evil-doers.
For Balance, see also 42:17, and n. 4550.
...وَأَنزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ ...
and We sent down Iron,
C5314. "Sent down": anzala:
in the sense of revealed to man the use of certain things, created in him the capacity of understanding and using them: cf. 39:6: "sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs".
... فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ...
in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind,
C5315. Iron: the most useful metal known to man. Out of it is made steel, and from steel and iron are made implements of war, such as swords, spears, guns, etc., as well as instruments of peace, such as ploughshares, bricklayers' trowels, architects' and engineers' instruments, etc.
Iron stands as the emblem of Strength, Power, Discipline, Law's sanctions, etc. Iron and steel industries have also been the foundation of the prosperity and power of modem manufacturing nations'. (R).
...وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ...
that Allah may test who it is that will help, unseen Him and His messengers;
C5316. In 21:49, I have translated "in their most secret thoughts" for the more literal "unseen" (bilgaibi). Perhaps the more literal "unseen" may do if understood in the adverbial sense; as explained in 35:18, n. 3902. The sincere man will help the Cause, whether he is seen or brought under notice or not.
C5317. To help Allah and His messengers is to help their Cause. It is to give men an opportunity of striving and fighting for His Cause and proving their true mettle, for thus is their spirit tested.
As explained in the next line, Allah in Himself is Full of Strength, Exalted in Power, and Able to enforce His Will, and He has no need of others' assistance.
...إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ ﴿٢٥﴾
for Allah is Full of Strength, exalted in Might (and able to enforce His will).
"Strength" is specific: Power or Might is more abstract, the ability to enforce what is willed.
Asad’s Version:
57: 25 We sent afortime Our messengers with Clear Sighs and sent down with them the Book and the balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice ; … Ali
57: 25 Indeed, (afortime) did We send forth Our apostles with all evidence of this truth; and through them We bestowed revelation from on high, and a balance (wherewith to weigh right and wrong), so that men might behave with equity; … Asad
57:25 We verily sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance, that mankind may observe right measure; … Pickthall