7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
يَا أَيُّهَا
النَّاسُ إِنِّي
رَسُولُ اللّهِ
إِلَيْكُمْ
جَمِيعًا الَّذِي...
7: 158. Say:
"O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah,
C1131. Our attention having been directed to various prophets, who were sent with missions to their several peoples, and in each of whose careers there is some prefigurement of the life of the last and greatest of them, we are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths.
It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lut from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestor worship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind.
...لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ...
to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth:
...لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ...
there is no god but He:
it is He that giveth both life and death.
...فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ...
So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believed in Allah and His words:
C1132. "Unlettered," as applied to the Prophet here and in verse 157 above, has three special significations.
1. He was not versed in human learning: yet he was full of the highest wisdom, and had a most wonderful knowledge of the previous Scriptures. This was a proof of his inspiration.
It was a miracle of the highest kind, a "Sign", which every one could test then, and every one can test now.
2. All organized human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavour of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it.
3. In 3:20 and 62:2, the epithet is applied to the Pagan Arabs, because, before the advent of Islam, they were unlearned.
That the last and greatest of the Prophets should arise among them, and they and their language be made the vehicle of the new, full and universal light, has also a meaning, which is explained in C. 12-15.
...وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٨﴾
follow him that (so) ye may be guided."
Other versions:
7: 158
Asad Say [O Muhammad]: “O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you [note 126] [sent by Him] unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs! There is no deity save Him; He [alone] grants life and deals death!” Believe, then, in God and His apostle – the unlettered Prophet who believes in God and his words – and follow him, so that you might find guidance!
Yusuf Ali Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all as the apostle of Allah to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His apostle the unlettered Prophet who believed in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided."
Pickthall Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all--(the messenger of) Him unto whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He quickeneth and He giveth death. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believeth in Allah and in His words and follow him that haply ye may be led aright.
Transliteration Qul ya_ ayyuhan na_su inni rasu_lulla_hi ilaikum jami'anillazi lahu_ mulkus sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), la_ ila_ha illa_ huwa yuhyi wa yumit(u), fa a_minu_ billa_hi wa rasu_lihin nabiyyil ummiyyil lazi yu'minu billa_hi wa kalima_tihi wattabi'u_hu la'allakum tahtadu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 126 – This verse, placed parenthetically in the midst of the story of Moses and the children of Israel, is meant to elucidate the preceding passage. Each of the earlier prophets was sent to his, and only his, community: …………………In contrast, the message of the Quran is universal – that is, addressed to mankind as a whole – and is neither time-bound nor confined to any particular cultureal environment. It is for this reason that Muhammad, through whom this message was revealed, is described in the Quran (21:107) as an evidence of “[God’s] grace towards all the worlds” (i.e. towards all mankind), and as “the Seal of all Prophets” (33: 40) – in other words, the last of them.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1131 Our attention having been directed to various prophets, who were sent with missions to their several peoples, and in each of whose careers there is some prefigurement of the life of the last and greatest of them, we are now asked to listen to the proclamation of Muhammad's universal mission. We contemplate no longer, after this, partial truths. It is not now a question of saving Israel from the bondage of Egypt, nor teaching Midian the ethics of business, nor reclaiming the people of Lot from sexual sin or Thamud from the sin of oppression in power, or 'Ad from arrogance and ancestorworship. Now are set forth plainly the issues of Life and Death, the Message of Allah, the One Universal God to all mankind. (7.158)
"Unlettered," as applied to the Prophet here and in verse 157 above, has three special significations. (1) He was not versed in human learning: yet he was full of the highest wisdom, and had a most wonderful knowledge of the previous Scriptures. This was a proof of his inspiration. It was a miracle of the highest kind, a "Sign", which every one could test then, and every one can test now. (2) All organised human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavour of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it. (3) In iii.20 and lxii. 2, the epithet is applied to the Pagan Arabs, because, before the advent of Islam, they were unlearned. (7.158) ]]
[[ Ruby’s note 7:158 – I disagree with this interpretation that the messages to other prophets were only for the respective people to whom they came. Those messages and the message of Muhammad have fundamentals that never change and always are universal. Those fundamental parts were present in all of the prophets’ messages and were for mankind. The Quran clearly and emphatically lays down this idea of ‘no differentiation’ among prophets as to their messages. As far as position the Quran does not give any believer to assign a higher or a lower position to any of God’s prophets. If there is any such scale that is know to God alone. Believers are commanded not to differentiate among the prophets. 41:43, 42:13-15, 2:136, 2:285, 3:84, 4:152, etc.]
11.Surah Hud
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
أَرْسَلْنَا
نُوحًا إِلَى
قَوْمِهِ إِنِّي
لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
مُّبِينٌ ﴿٢٥﴾
11: 25. We sent Noah to his people (with a mission):
"I have come to you with a Clear Warning:
أَن لاَّ
تَعْبُدُواْ
إِلاَّ اللّهَ...
11: 26. "That ye serve none but Allah:
...إِنِّيَ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ ﴿٢٦﴾
verily I do fear for you the Penalty of a Grievous Day."
C1517. Noah's mission was to a wicked world, plunged in sin. The mission had a double character, as in the mission of all Prophets of Allah: it had to warn men against evil and call them to repentance, and it had to give them the glad tidings of Allah's Grace in case they turned back to Allah: it was a Guidance and Mercy.
Other versions:
11: 25 [Hud, Mecca 52]
Asad And indeed , we sent forth Noah unto his people: “Behold, I come unto you with the plain warning.
Yusuf Ali We sent Noah to his people (with a mission): "I have come to you with a Clear Warning:
Pickthall And We sent Noah unto his folk (and he said): I am a plain warner unto you.
Transliteration Wa laqad arsalna_ nu_han ila_ qaumihi inni lakum nazirum mubin(un),
[asad note 45: …….and stresses the fact that the fundamental message of the Quran is the same as that conveyed to man by the earlier prophets (manar XII, 59f),…see also surah 7, note 45]
11: 26
Yusuf Ali "That ye serve none but Allah: verily I do fear for you the Penalty of a Grievous Day."
Pickthall That ye serve none, save Allah. Lo! I fear for you the retribution of a painful Day.
Transliteration Alla_ ta'budu_ illalla_h(a), inni akha_fu 'alaikum 'aza_ba yaumin alim(in).
14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
هَـذَا بَلاَغٌ
لِّلنَّاسِ
وَلِيُنذَرُواْ
بِهِ...
14: 52. Here is a Message for mankind: let them take warning therefrom,
...وَلِيَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ...
and let them know that He is (no other than) One Allah:
C1931. Here is another aspect of the Truth of Unity. Allah being One, all justice is of one standard, for Truth is one, and we see it as one as soon as the scales of phenomenal diversity fall from our eyes. The one true Reality then emerges.
Blessed are those who treasured this Truth in their souls already in their life of probation.
...وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ ﴿٥٢﴾
let men of understanding take heed.
Other versions:
14: 52
Yusuf Ali Here is a Message for mankind: let them take warning therefrom and let them know that He is (no other than) One Allah: let men of understanding take heed.
Pickthall This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that men of understanding may take heed.
Transliteration Ha_za_ bala_gul lin na_si wa liyunzaru_ bihi wa liya'lamu_ annama_ huwa ila_huw wa_hiduw wa liyazzakkara ulul alba_b(i).
16.Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا
فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
رَّسُولاً أَنِ
اعْبُدُواْ
اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ
الطَّاغُوتَ...
16: 36. For We assuredly sent amongst every People a Messenger, (with the Command),
"Serve Allah and eschew Evil":
C2060. Even though Allah's Signs are everywhere in Nature and in men's own conscience, yet in addition Allah has sent human Messengers to every People to call their attention to the Good and turn them from Evil.
So they cannot pretend that Allah has abandoned them or that He does not care what they do. His divine Grace always invites their will to choose the right.
... فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ...
of the people were some whom Allah guided, and some on whom Error became inevitably (established).
C2061. While some people accept the guidance of the divine Grace, others so surrender themselves to Evil that it must necessarily follow that Evil obtains a grip over them. They have only to travel through Time or Space to see the end of those who abandoned their lights and surrendered to Evil and Error.
For haqqat and the meaning of haqq in this connection cf. 15:64.
... فَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ﴿٣٦﴾
So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).
إِن تَحْرِصْ
عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ
فَإِنَّ اللّهَ
لاَ يَهْدِي
مَن يُضِلُّ...
16: 37. If thou art anxious for their guidance, yet Allah guideth not such as He leaves to stray,
C2062. When once Allah's Grace is rejected by any one, such a person loses all help and guidance. Such persons are then outside Allah's Grace, and therefore they are outside guidance.
... وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾
and there is none to help them.
Other versions:
16: 36 [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
Yusuf Ali For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) "Serve Allah and eschew Evil": of the people were some whom Allah guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).
Pickthall And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers!
Yuksel We have sent a messenger to every nation: "You shall serve God and avoid transgression." Some of them were guided by God, and some of them deserved to be misguided. So travel in the land, and see how the punishment was of those who denied.
Transliteration Wa laqad ba'asna_ fi kulli ummatir rasu_lan an-i'budulla_ha wa-jtanibu_t ta_gu_t(a), fa minhum man hadalla_hu wa minhum man haqqat 'alaihid dala_lah(tu), fa siru_ fil ardi fa-nzuru_ kaifa ka_na 'a_qibatul mukazzibin(a).
16: 37 [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
Yusuf Ali If thou art anxious for their guidance yet Allah guideth not such as He leaves to stray and there is none to help them.
Pickthall Even if thou (O Muhammad) desirest their right guidance, still Allah assuredly will not guide him who misleadeth. Such have no helpers.
Yuksel If you are concerned for their guidance, God does not guide whom He misleads. They will have no victors.
Transliteration In tahris 'ala_ huda_hum fa innalla_ha la_ yahdi may yudillu wa ma_ lahum min na_sirin(a).