65 At-Talaq The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ عَتَتْ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهَا وَرُسُلِهِ ...

65:8.    How many populations that insolently opposed the command of their Lord and of His messengers,

C5521. Insolent impiety consists not only in the breach of the rites of religion. Even more vital is the defiance of the laws of nature which Allah has made for us. These laws, for us human beings include those which relate to our fellow-beings in society to whom kindness and consideration form the basis of our social duties. Our duties to our families and our children in intimate matters such as were spoken of in the last Section, are as important as any in our spiritual life. Peoples who forgot the moral law in marriage or family life perished in this world and will have no future in the Hereafter. The lessons apply not only to individuals but to whole nations or social groups.

... فَحَاسَبْنَاهَا حِسَابًا شَدِيدًا وَعَذَّبْنَاهَا عَذَابًا نُّكْرًا ﴿٨﴾

did We not then call to account -- to severe account? -- and We imposed on them an exemplary Punishment.

C5522. This refers to the present life: apparently the Hereafter is implied in verse 10 below.

فَذَاقَتْ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهَا وَكَانَ عَاقِبَةُ أَمْرِهَا خُسْرًا ﴿٩﴾

65:9.    Then did they taste the evil result of their conduct, and the End of their conduct was Perdition.

أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا ...

65: 10.  Allah has prepared for them a severe Punishment (in the Hereafter).

C5523. See last note.

... فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُوْلِي الْأَلْبَابِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَدْ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا ﴿١٠﴾

Therefore fear Allah, O ye men of understanding -- who have believed! -- for Allah hath indeed sent down to you a Message --

C5524. There is no excuse for us to go astray, seeing that Allah in His infinite Mercy has explained to us His Message by His many Signs around us and clearly by means of the human Teachers and Messengers whom He has sent for our instruction:

Asad’s Version:

65:8 AND HOW MANY a community has turned with disdain from the commandment of its

Sustainer and His apostles! 16 - whereupon We callled them all to account with an accounting severe, and caused them to suffer with a suffering unnameable:

(65:9) and thus they had to taste the evil outcome of their own doing: 17 for, [in this world,] the end of their doings was ruin,

(65:10) [the while] God has readied for them [yet more] suffering severe [in the life to come]. Hence, remain conscious of God, O you who are endowed with insight - [you] who have attained to faith! God has indeed bestowed on you a reminder from on high.

[[ Asad’s notes - 16 This connects with, and stresses, the fact that all the preceding injunctions are divine ordained.

17 See note 4 on 64:5. ]]