42. Sura ash-Shura
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
شَرَعَ
لَكُم مِّنَ
الدِّينِ مَا
وَصَّى بِهِ
نُوحًا وَالَّذِي
أَوْحَيْنَا
إِلَيْكَ...
42: 13. The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah-the which We have sent by inspiration to thee-
C4541. Allah's Religion is the same in essence, whether given, for example, to Noah, Abraham, Moses, or Jesus, or to our holy Prophet. The source of unity is the revelation from Allah.
In Islam it is "established" as an institution, and does not remain merely a vague suggestion.
...وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ...
and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus:
... أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ...
Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in Religion, and make no divisions therein:
C4542. Faith, Duty or Religion, is not a matter to dispute about. The formation of sects is against the very principle of Religion and Unity. What we should strive for is steadfastness in duty and faith, and unity among mankind.
...كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ...
to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them.
C4543. Unity, unselfishness, love for Allah and man,-these things are inconsistent with selfish aggrandizement, unjust suppression of our fellow-creatures, false worship, and false conduct to our brethren. Hence the Gospel of Unity, though it is in complete accord with the pure pattern after which Allah made us, is yet hard to those who love self and falsehood. But Grace is free to all, and in His wise Plan, He will specially select Teachers to show the Way to humanity, and no one who turns to Him will lack guidance.
...اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ ﴿١٣﴾
Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).
وَمَا
تَفَرَّقُوا
إِلَّا مِن
بَعْدِ مَا
جَاءهُمُ الْعِلْمُ
بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ...
42: 14. And they became divided only after knowledge reached them -- through selfish envy as between themselves.
C4544. Cf. 2:213.
If you reject Truth after it has reached you, it can only be through selfish contumacy or envy.
...وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى لَّقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ...
Had it not been for a Word that went forth before from thy Lord, (tending) to a Term appointed, the matter would have been settled between them:
C4545. Cf. 10:19, and n. 1407.
Allah's decree has allowed a certain Term during which a sinner has the chance of repentance and forgiveness. Were it not so, sin would be punished at once, and the matter would be decided straightway.
So also, when people reject Truth from selfish or contumacious motives, they get rope: perchance they may repent.
...وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُورِثُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ ﴿١٤﴾
but truly those who have inherited the Book after them are in suspicious (disquieting) doubt concerning it.
"Those who have inherited the Book" are the People of the Book, of the ages since the Book or Revelation came to them. Referring to the Jews and Christians, contemporary with our Prophet, how true it is that they were broken up into hostile sects which hated and persecuted each other!
Islam came to unite them, and it did. For the present phases of Christianity and Judaism are of later growth.
فَلِذَلِكَ فَادْعُ وَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءهُمْ...
42: 15. Now then, for that (reason), call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, nor follow thou their vain desires;
C4547. How beautifully the mission of Islam is commended in this verse!
1. The more sectarianism and division there is in the world, the more need is there for the Gospel of Unity.
2. It must steadfastly pursue its way.
3. It must not be deflected by worldly or political motives.
4. Its faith must be directly in Allah and in Allah's Revelation. "The Book" mentioned here covers all the revelations sent by Allah to His prophets.
5. it must judge justly between warring factions, as the Religion of Peace and Unity.
...وَقُلْ
آمَنتُ بِمَا
أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ
مِن كِتَابٍ
وَأُمِرْتُ
لِأَعْدِلَ
بَيْنَكُمُ...
"I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you.
...اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ...
Allah is Our Lord and your Lord.
For us (is the responsibility for) Our deeds, and for you for your deeds.
There is no contention between us and you.
C4548. The Mission of Islam is further described.
6. The God whom it preaches is not an exclusive God: He is the Lord of the Worlds: to any given person, of whatever faith, 'He is your Allah, as well as mine.'
7. Our Faith is not a question of words; it is deeds which decide; each one of us has personal responsibility for his own conduct.
8. There is no cause of contention whatever, when we preach Unity, Truth, and the Hereafter.
9. If you have doubts, the final arbiter is Allah, and His pleasure is our Goal.
...اللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٥﴾
Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (Our) final goal.
Asad’s Version:
(42: 13) In matters of faith, 12 He has ordained for you that which He had enjoined upon Noah - and into which We gave thee [O Muhammad] insight through revelation" - as well as that which We had enjoined upon Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: Steadfastly uphold the [true] faith, and do not break up your unity therein."
[And even though] that [unity of faith] to which you call them appears oppressive to those who are wont to ascribe to other beings or forces a share in His divinity, God draws unto Himself everyone who is willing, and guides unto Himself everyone who turns unto Him.
42:14
And [as for the followers of earlier revelation,] they broke up their unity, out of mutual jealousy, only after they had come to know [the truth]. 15 And had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, [postponing all decision] until a term set [by Him], all would indeed have been decided between them (from the outset]." As it is, behold, they who have inherited their divine writ from those who preceded them 17 are [now] in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about what it portends. 18
42:15
Because of this, then," summon [all mankind), and pursue the right course, as thou hast been bidden [by God]; and do not follow their likes and dislikes, but say:
"I believe in whatever revelation God has bestowed from on high; and I am bidden to bring about equity in your mutual views. 20 God is our Sustainer as well as your Sustainer. To us shall be accounted our deeds, and to you, your deeds. Let there be no contention between us and you: God will bring us all together - for with Him is all journeys' end."
[[Asad’s notes - 1 5 Lit., "they did not break up their unity until after knowledge had come to them" - i.e., the knowledge that God is one, and that the teachings of all of His prophets were essentially the same. Cf. 2:213 and, more explicitly, 23:53, which comes immediately after the statement that "this community of yours is one single community" (see also note 30 on 23:53).
16 For an explanation of this passage, see note 29 on 10:19.
17 Lit., "who have become heirs to the divine writ after them": obviously referring to the Bible and its followers in later times.
18 Lit., "about it" - i.e., in doubt as to whether the relevant scripture has really been revealed by God, and, ultimately, as to whether there is any truth in the concept of "divine revelation" as such. 19 I.e., because of this breach of the original unity of men's faith in the One God.
20 Lit., "between you" - i.e., "to induce you to be more tolerant of one another" : evidently an allusion to the bitterness which stands in the way of an understanding between the various sects and schools of thought in all revealed religions. ]]