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.

Other versions:

5: 15 [al-Maidah, Medina 112 ]

Asad …………..Now there has come unto you form God a light, and a clear divine writ,

Yusuf Ali O People of the Book! there hath come to you Our Apostle revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.

Pickthall O people of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which ye used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now hath come unto you light from Allah and a plain Scripture,

Transliteration Ya_ ahlal kita_bi qad ja_'akum rasu_luna_ yubayyinu lakum kasiram mimma_ kuntumtukhfu_na minal kita_bi wa ya'fu_ 'an kasir(in), qad ja_'akum minalla_hi nu_ruw wa kita_bum mubin(uy).

[[ Ali’s note - 716 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." (5.15) ]]

5: 16

Asad through which God shows unto all that seek His goodly acceptance the paths leading to salvation [note 29] and, by His grace, brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light and guides them onto a straight way.

Yusuf Ali Wherewith Allah guide all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety and lead them out of darkness by His Will unto the light guide them to a Path that is Straight.

Pickthall Whereby Allah guide him who seek His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He bring them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guide them unto a straight path.

Transliteration Yahdi bihilla_hu manittaba'aridwa_nahu_ subulas sala_mi wayukhrijuhum minaz zuluma_tiilan nu_ri bi iznihi wa yahdihim ila_ sira_tim mustaqim(in).

[[ Asad’s note 29 – The word ‘salam’, here rendered as “salvation’, has no proper equivalent in the English language. It denotes inner peace, soundness and security from evil of any kind, both physical and spiritual, and the achievement of what, in Christian terminology, is described as “salvation”: with the difference, however, that the Christian concept of salvation presupposes the existence of an a-priori state of sinfulness, which is justified in Christianity by the doctrine of “original sin”, but is not justified in Islam, which does not subscribe to this doctrine. …………]

6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا قَدَرُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِذْ قَالُواْ مَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ مِّن شَيْءٍ...

6: 91. No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)":

C909. Qadara: to weight, judge, or estimate the value or capacity of anything; to have power so to do.

Cf. Qadir in 4:149 and n. 655.

The Jews who denied the inspiration of Muhammad had a good answer in their own books about the inspiration of Moses.

To those who do not believe in Moses, the answer is more general:

is it a just estimate of Allah to think either that He has not the power or the will to guide mankind, seeing that He is Omnipotent and the Source of all good?

If you say that guidance comes, not through an inspired book or man, but through our general intelligence, we point to the spiritual ignorance of ‘you and your ancestors’ the sad spiritual darkness of men and nations high in the intellectual scale.

...قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ الْكِتَابَ الَّذِي جَاء بِهِ مُوسَى نُورًا وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ...

Say:

"Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought? a light and guidance to man:

C910. Cf. 5:47 and n. 750, and 5:49.

In those passages Guidance (in practical conduct) is put before Light (or spiritual insight), as they refer to ordinary or average men.

Here Light (or spiritual insight) is put first as the question is: does God send inspiration?

...تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا...

but ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while ye conceal much (of its contents):

C911. The Message to Moses had unity: it was one Book.

The present Old Testament is a collection of books ("sheets") of various kinds: see Appendix II. end of Surah 5. In this way you can make a show, but there is no unity, and much of the spirit is lost or concealed or overlaid.

The same applies to the New Testament:

see Appendix III, after Appendix II.

...وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُواْ أَنتُمْ وَلاَ آبَاؤُكُمْ...

therein were ye taught that which ye knew not -- neither ye nor your fathers."

...قُلِ اللّهُ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿٩١﴾

Say: "Allah (sent it down)":

then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.

وَهَـذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ...

6: 92. And this is a Book which We have revealed, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it:

C912. Muharak: blessed, as having received Allah's blessing; bringer of blessings to others, as having been blessed by Allah.

Allah's highest blessing is the Guidance and Light which the Book brings to us, and which brings us nearer to Him.

...وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا...

that thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her.

C913. Mother of Cities: Makkah, now the Qiblah and Centre of Islam.

If this verse was (like the greater part of the Chapter) revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah, and before Makkah was made the Qiblah of Islam, Makkah was nonetheless the Mother of Cities, being traditionally associated with Abraham and with Adam and Eve (see 2:125, and n. 217 to 2:197).

All round Makkah: would mean, the whole world if we took upon Mecca as the centre.

...وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالآخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ...

Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book),

...وَهُمْ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٩٢﴾

and they are constant in guarding their prayers.

C914. An earnest study of the Quran is true worship; so is Prayer, and so are all deeds of goodness and charity.

Other versions:

6: 91 [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]

Yusuf Ali No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: "Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)": Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought? a light and guidance to man: but ye make it into (separate) sheets for show while ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not neither ye nor your fathers." Say: "Allah (sent it down)": then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.

Pickthall And they measure not the power of Allah its true measure when they say: Allah hath naught revealed unto a human being. Say (unto the Jews who speak thus): Who revealed the Book which Moses brought, a light and guidance for mankind, which ye have put on parchments which ye show, but ye hide much (thereof), and by which ye were taught that which ye knew not yourselves nor (did) your fathers (know it)? Say: Allah. Then leave them to their play of cavilling.

Transliteration Wa ma_ qadarulla_ha haqqa qadrihi iz qa_lu_ ma_ anzalalla_hu 'ala_ basyarim min syai'(in), qul man anzalal kita_bal lazi ja_'a bihi mu_sa_ nu_raw wa hudal linna_si taj'alu_nahu_ qara_tisa tubdu_naha_ wa tukhfu_na kasira_(n), wa 'ullimtum ma_ lam ta'lamu_ antum wa la_ a_ba_'ukum, qulilla_h(u), summa zarhum fi khaudihim yal'abu_n(a).

6: 92

Asad And this, too, is a divine writ which We have bestowed from on high – blessed, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations] [note 74 – and [this] in order that you may warn the foremost of all cities and all who dwell around it [note 75]. And those who believe in the life to come do believe in this [warning]; and it is they who are ever-mindful of their prayers.

Yusuf Ali And this is a Book which We have revealed bringing blessings and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that you may warn the Mother of Cities and all around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book) and they are constant in guarding their prayers.

Pickthall And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed, confirming that which (was revealed) before it, that you may warn the Mother of Villages and those around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe herein, and they are careful of their worship.

Transliteration Wa ha_za_ kita_bun anzalna_hu muba_rakum musaddiqul lazi baina yadaihi wa litunzira ummal qura_ wa man haulaha_, wallazina yu'minu_na bil a_khirati yu'minu_na bihi wa hum 'ala_