CHANGING DIV. MESSAGES
3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ لَن
تُغْنِيَ عَنْهُمْ
أَمْوَالُهُمْ
وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُهُم
مِّنَ اللّهِ
شَيْئًا...
3: 10. Those who reject faith, neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against Allah:
...وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمْ وَقُودُ النَّارِ ﴿١٠﴾
they are themselves but fuel for the fire.
قَدْ
كَانَ لَكُمْ
آيَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ
الْتَقَتَا...
3: 13. "There has already been for you a Sign in the two armies that met (in combat):
C352. This refers to the battle of Badr in Ramadhan in the second year of the Hijrah.
The little exiled community of Makkan Muslims, with their friends in Madinah had organized themselves into a God-fearing community, but were constantly in danger of being attacked by their Pagan enemies of Makkah in alliance with some of the disaffected elements (Jews and Hypocrites) in or near Madinah itself.
The design of the Makkans was to gather all the resources they could, and with an overwhelming force, to crush and annihilate Muhammad and his party. To this end Abu Sufyan was leading a richly-laden caravan from Syria to Makkah. He called for armed aid from Makkah,
The battle was fought in the plain of Badr, about 150 kilometers south-west of Madinah. The Muslim force consisted of only about 313 men, mostly ill-armed, but they were led by Muhammad, and they were fighting for their Faith.
The Makkan army, well-armed and well-equipped, numbered over a thousand and had among its leaders some of the most experienced warriors of Arabia, including Abu Jahl, the inveterate foe and persecutor of Islam.
Against all odds the Muslims won a brilliant victory, and many of the enemy leaders, including Abu Jahl, were killed. (R).
...فِئَةٌ تُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ ...
one was fighting in the Cause of Allah, the other resisting Allah; these saw with their own eyes twice their number.
C353. It was impossible, without the miraculous aid of Allah, for such a small and ill-equipped force as was the Muslim band, to defeat the large and well-found force of the enemy. But their Faith firmness, zeal, and discipline won them divine aid.
Enemy prisoners stated that the enemy ranks saw the Muslim force to be many times larger than it was.
...وَاللّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَاء...
But Allah doth support with His aid whom He pleaseth.
...إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لَّأُوْلِي الأَبْصَارِ﴿١٣﴾
In this is a warning for such as have eyes to see."
Asad’s Version:
3: 10 ..they shall be the fuel of fire! …the like of what happened to Pharaoh’s people an those who lived before them: they gave the lie to Our Messages- and so God took them to task for their sins: for God is severe in retribution.
5: 13 Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden – [so that now] they distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context; they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind; and from all but a few of them you will always experience treachery. But pardon them, and forbear; verily, God loves the doers of good.
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.
وَمَنْ
أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ
افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللّهِ كَذِبًا
أَوْ كَذَّبَ
بِآيَاتِهِ...
6: 21. Who doth more wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah or rejecteth His Signs?
...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
But verily the wrongdoers never shall prosper.
Asad’s Version:
6: 20 They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves – it is they who refuse to believe.
6: 21 And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God or gives the lie to His messages?
Verily, such eveildoers will never to a happy state: ( 22) for one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who ascribed divinity to aught beside God: “Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in God: “Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in Gid’s divinity?”
7. Sura al-Araf
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَمَنْ
أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ
افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللّهِ كَذِبًا
أَوْ كَذَّبَ
بِآيَاتِهِ...
7: 37. Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects his signs?
...أُوْلَـئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُم مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ...
For such, their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of decrees);
C1018. It must not be supposed that the rebels against Allah would at once be cut off in this life for their sins. They will get the portion allotted to them, including the good things of life and the chance of repentance and reformation, during their probationary period on this earth.
During that period they will have a full run. After that period expires, they will be called to account. They will themselves see that the false things, in which they put their trust, were false, and they will confess their sin, but it will be too late.
...حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ قَالُواْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ...
until, when Our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls, they say:
"Where are the things that ye used to invoke besides Allah?"
...قَالُواْ ضَلُّواْ عَنَّا وَشَهِدُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ كَافِرِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾
They will reply, "They have left us in the lurch,"
and they will bear witness against themselves, that they had rejected Allah.
Other versions:
7: 37 [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
Asad And who could be more wicked than they who attribute their own lying inventions to God or give the lie to His messages? Whatever has been decreed to be their lot [in life] will be theirs – till there shall come unto them Our messengers to cause them to die,…………….
Yusuf Ali Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or rejects his signs? For such their portion appointed must reach them from the Book (of decrees); until when Our messengers (of death) arrive and take their souls they say: "where are the things that ye used to invoke besides Allah?" They will reply "they have left us in the lurch" and they will bear witness against themselves that they had rejected Allah.
Pickthall Who doeth greater wrong than he who invent a lie concerning Allah or deny Our tokens. (For such) their appointed portion of the Book (of destiny) reaches them till, when Our messengers come to gather them, they say: Where (now) is that to which ye cried beside Allah? They say: They have departed from us. And they testify against themselves that they were disbelievers.
Transliteration Faman azlamu mimmaniftara_'alalla_hi kaziban au kazzaba bi a_ya_tih(i), ula_'ika yana_luhum nasibuhum minal kita_b(i), hatta_ iza_ ja_'athum rusuluna_ yatawaffaunahum, qa_lu_ aina ma_ kuntum tad'u_na min du_nilla_h(i), qa_lu_ dallu_'anna_ wa syahidu_ 'ala_ anfusihim annahum ka_nu_ ka_firin(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 1018 It must not be supposed that the rebels against Allah would at once be cut off in this life for their sins. They will get the portion allotted to them, including the good things of life and the chance of repentance and reformation, during their probationary period on this earth. During that period they will have a full run. After that period expires, they will be called to account. They will themselves see that the false things, in which they put their trust, were false, and they will confess their sin, but it will be too late. (7.37)]]