47. Muhammad [38 verses]

Medina 95

Asad’s Version:

47:20 NOW THOSE who have attained to faith say, "Would that a revelation [allowing us to fight] were bestowed from on high! " 25 But now that a revelation clear in and by itself, 26 mentioning war, has been bestowed from on high, thou canst see those in whose hearts is disease looking at thee, [O Muhammad,] with the look of one who is about to faint for fear of death! And yet, far better for them would be

47:21) obedience [to God's call] and a word that could win [His) approyal: for, since the matter has been resolved [by His revelation], it would be but for their own good to remain true to God.

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ الْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ ﴿٢١﴾

47: 21. Were it to obey and say what is just,

and when a matter is resolved on, it were best for them if they were true to Allah.

C4846. The resolution is not taken except under guidance from Allah. Those, therefore, who fail to implement it by their own effort and sacrifice, are not true to Allah.

And such disloyalty or cowardice is not even good for them from a worldly point of view. With what face can they meet their friends after their disgraceful conduct?

Yuksel’s Version:

47:21 Obedience and to speak righteousness until the matter is decided, then if they trust God it would be better for them.

[[Asad’s notes - 25 I am rendering the term surah here and in the next sentence as "a revelation", for whereas there is no surah as such which deals exclusively with questions of war, there are numerous references to it in various surahs; and this is evidently the meaning of this term in the present context as well as in 9::86. There is no doubt that this verse precedes the revelation, in the year 1 H, of 22:39, which states categorically - and for the first time - that the believers are allowed to wage war whenever "war is wrongfully waged" against them (see in his connection note 57 on 22:39).

26 This is a reference to 22:39-40. For an explanation of the expression muhkamah ("clear in and by itself), see note 5 on 3 :7. (As in the preceding sentence, the term surah has been rendered here, exceptionally, as "revelation".) ]]