3. Sura al-Imran
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
نَزَّلَ
عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ
بِالْحَقِّ
مُصَدِّقاً
لِّمَا بَيْنَ
يَدَيْهِ ...
3: 3. It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it;
... وَأَنزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ ﴿٣﴾
and He sent down Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus).
C344. In some editions the break between verses 3 and 4 occurs here in the middle of the sentence, but in the edition of Hafiz Uthman, followed by the Egyptian Concordance Fath-ur-Rahman, the break occurs at the word Furqan.
In verse-divisions our classicists have mainly followed rhythm. As the word Furqan from this point of view is parallel to the word Intiqam, which ends the next verse. I have accepted the verse-division at Furqan as more in consonance with Quranic rhythm. It makes no real difference to the numbering of the verses, as there is only a question of whether one line should go into verse 3 or verse 4. (R).
Other versions:
3: 3
Yusuf Ali It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step) in truth the Book confirming what went before it; and He sent down Law (Of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind and He sent down the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).
Pickthall He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
Transliteration Nazzala 'alaikal kita_ba bil haqqi musaddiqal lima_ baina yadaihi wa anzalat taura_ta wal injil.
2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
والَّذِينَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْكَ وَمَا
أُنزِلَ مِن
قَبْلِكَ...
2: 4. And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time,
... وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾
and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.
C28. Righteousness comes from a secure faith, from sincere devotion to Allah, and from unselfish service to Man.
Other versions:
2: 4
Yusuf Ali Then those who reject Faith in the Signs of Allah will suffer the severest penalty and Allah is Exalted in Might Lord of Retribution.
Pickthall Aforetime, for a guidance to mankind; and hath revealed the Criterion (of right and wrong). Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a heavy doom. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).
Transliteration Min qablu hudal linna_si wa anzalal furqa_n(a), innal lazina kafaru_ bi a_ya_tilla_hi lahum 'aza_bun syadid(un), walla_hu 'azizun zuntiqa_m(in).
[ Ali’s notes: -
344 In some editions the break between verses 3 and 4 occurs here in the middle of the sentence, but in the edition of Hafiz Uthmqan, followed by the Egyptian Concordance Fath-ur-Rahman, the break occurs at the word Furqan. In verse-divisions our classicists have mainly folloved rhythm. As the word Furqan from this point of view is parallel to the word Intiqam, which ends the next verse. I have accepted the verse-division at Furqan as more in consonance with Quranic rhythm. It makes no real difference to the numbering of the verses, as there is only a question of whether one line should go into verse 3 or verse 4. (3.3)
345 Criterion: Furqan: for meaning see ii. 53 n. 68. (3.3)]
6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
جَاءتْهُمْ
آيَةٌ قَالُواْ
لَن نُّؤْمِنَ
حَتَّى نُؤْتَى
مِثْلَ مَا
أُوتِيَ رُسُلُ
اللّهِ...
6: 124. When there comes to them a Sign (from Allah), they say:
"We shall not believe until we receive one (exactly) like those received by Allah's messengers."
C946. Besides the teaching in Allah's Word, and the teaching in Allah's world, of nature and history and human contacts, many Signs also come to the ungodly, in the shape of warnings or otherwise, which the ungodly either do not heed, or deliberately reject.
The Signs in the two cases are not the same, and that becomes one of their perverse arguments against Faith. But Allah's working will be according to His own Will and Plan, and not according to the wishes whims of the ungodly.
...اللّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ ...
Allah knoweth best where (and how) to carry out His mission.
...سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ صَغَارٌ عِندَ اللّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَمْكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٤﴾
Soon will the wicked be overtaken by humiliation before Allah, and a severe punishment, for all their plots.
فَمَن
يُرِدِ اللّهُ
أَن يَهْدِيَهُ
يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ
لِلإِسْلاَمِ...
6: 125. Those whom Allah (in His Plan) willeth to guide, He openeth their breast to Islam;
C947. Allah's Universal Plan is the Qadha wa Qadr, which is so much misunderstood. That Plan is unalterable, and that is His Will.
It means that in the spiritual world, as in t physical world, there are laws of justice, mercy, grace, penalty, etc., which work as surely as anything we know.
If, then, a man refuses Faith, becomes a rebel, with each step he goes further and further down, and his pace will be accelerated; he will scarcely be able to take spiritual breath, and his recovery -in spite of Allah's mercy which he has rejected-will be as difficult as if he had to climb up to the skies.
On the other hand, the godly will find, with each step, the next step easier. Jesus expressed this truth paradoxically:
"He that hath, to him shall be given; but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath": Mark, 4:25.
John (6:65) make Jesus say: "No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."
...وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاء...
those whom He willeth to leave straying, He maketh their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies:
...كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٢٥﴾
thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.
Other versions:
6: 124
Yusuf Ali When there comes to them a Sign (from Allah) they say: "We shall not believe until we receive one (exactly) like those received by Allah's apostles." Allah knows best where (and how) to carry out His mission. Soon will the wicked be overtaken by humiliation before Allah and a severe punishment for all their plots.
Pickthall And when a token cometh unto them, they say: We will not believe till we are given that which Allah's messengers are given. Allah knows best with whom to place His message. Humiliation from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty for their scheming.
Transliteration Wa iza_ ja_'athum a_yatun qa_lu_ lan nu'mina hatta_ nu'ta_ misla ma_ u_tiya rusululla_h(i), alla_hu a'lamu haisu yaj'alu risa_latah(u_), sayusibul lazina ajramu_ saga_run'indalla_hi wa aza_bun syadidum bima_ ka_nu_ yamkuru_n(a).
6: 125
Asad ………...God inflicts horror upon those who will not believe.
Yusuf Ali Those whom Allah (in His Plan) wills to guide He opens their breast to Islam; those whom He wills to leave straying He makes their breast close and constricted as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.
Pickthall And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expand his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His will to send astray, He makes his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah lays ignominy upon those who believe not.
Transliteration Fa may yuridilla_hu ay yahdiyahu_ yasyrah sadrahu_ lil isla_m(i), wa may yurid ay yudillahu_ yaj'al sadrahu_ dayyiqan harajan ka annama_ yassa''adu fis sama_'(i), kaza_lika yaj'alulla_hur rijsa 'alal lazina la_ yu'minu_n(a).
14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللّهِ
الَّذِي لَهُ
مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَمَا فِي
الأَرْضِ...
14: 2. Of Allah, to Whom do belong all things in the heavens and on earth!
...وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ ﴿٢﴾
But alas for the Unbelievers for a terrible Penalty (their Unfaith will bring them)! --
C1872. See the last note.
That being the case, in what a sad plight are those who reject the Faith and Grace offered to them, and draw down on themselves all the terrible consequences of that rejection, -the Wrath to come!
الَّذِينَ
يَسْتَحِبُّونَ
الْحَيَاةَ
الدُّنْيَا
عَلَى الآخِرَةِ...
14: 3. Those who love the life of this world more than the Hereafter,
C1873. The Unbelievers are here characterized in three ways:
1. they love this ephemeral life and its vanities more than the true Life which goes into the Hereafter;
2. they not only harm themselves but mislead others,
3. their own crooked minds search for something crooked in Allah's straight Path (Cf. 7:45).
But in doing so, they go farther and farther from the Truth.
...وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا...
who hinder (men) from the Path of Allah and seek therein something crooked:
...أُوْلَـئِكَ فِي ضَلاَلٍ بَعِيدٍ ﴿٣﴾
they are astray by a long distance.
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ
رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن
شَكَرْتُمْ
لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ...
14: 7. And remember! your Lord caused to be declared (publicly):
"If ye are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you;
C1879. The various shades of meaning in Shakara are explained in n. 1877 above.
...وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ ﴿٧﴾
but if ye show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed."
Kafara implies:
- to reject Faith, as in 2:6 and n. 30;
- to be ungrateful for mercies and favours received, as here;
- to resist Allah or Faith, as in 3:13;
- to deny (the Signs of Allah), as in 3:21, or deny the mission of Messengers, as in 14:9.
Kafir in the most general sense may be translated "Unbeliever".
Other versions:
14: 2
Yusuf Ali Of Allah to Whom do belong all things in the heavens and on earth! But alas for the Unbelievers for a terrible Penalty (their Unfaith will bring them)!
Pickthall Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. And woe unto the disbelievers from an awful doom.
Transliteration Alla_hil lazi lahu_ ma_ fis sama_wa_ti wa ma_ fil ard(i), wa wailul lil ka_firina min 'aza_bin syadid(in),
14: 3
Yusuf Ali Those who love the life of this world more than the Hereafter who hinder (men) from the Path of Allah and seek therein something crooked: they are astray by a long distance.
Pickthall Those who love the life of the world more than the Hereafter, and debar (men) from the way of Allah and would have it crooked: such are far astray.
Transliteration Allazina yastajibu_nal haya_tad dunya_ 'alala a_khirati wa yasuddu_na 'an sabililla_hi wa yabgu_naha_ 'iwaja_(n), ula_'ika fi dala_lim ba'id(in).
14: 7
Yusuf Ali And remember! your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "If ye are grateful I will add more (favors) unto you; but if ye show ingratitude truly My punishment is terrible indeed."
Pickthall And when your Lord proclaimed: If ye give thanks, I will give you more; but if ye are thankless, lo! my punishment is dire.
Transliteration Wa iz ta'azzana rabbukum la'in syakartum la'azidannakum wa la'in kafartum inna 'azaa_bi lasyadid(un).