3. Sura al-Imran

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَسَارِعُواْ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ...

3: 133. Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord,

... وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾

and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous.

C452. The Fire (3:131) is, as always, contrasted with the Garden, -in other words, Hell contrasted with Heaven, we are told that its width alone is that of the whole of the heavens and the earth,- all the creation we can imagine.

In other words our spiritual felicity covers not merely this or that part of our being, but all life and existence. Who can measure its width, or length, or depth? (R).

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ...

3: 134. Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;

C453. Another definition of the righteous (verses 134-35). So far from grasping material wealth, they give freely, of themselves and their substance, not only when they are well-off and it is easy for them to do so, but also when they are in difficulties, for other people may be in difficulties at the same time.

They do not get ruffled in adversity, or get angry when other people behave badly, or their own good plans fail. On the contrary they redouble their efforts. For the charity or good deeds all the more necessary in adversity. And they do not throw the blame on others. Even where such blame is due and correction is necessary, their own mind is free from a sense of grievance, for they forgive and cover other men's faults.

This as far as other people are concerned. But we may be ourselves at fault, and perhaps we brought some calamity on ourselves. The righteous man is not necessarily perfect. In such circumstances his behaviour is described in the next verse.

...وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾

for Allah loves those who do good.

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً ...

3: 135. And those who, having done something to be ashamed of,

C454. The righteous man, when he finds he has fallen into sin or error, does not whine or despair, but asks for Allah's forgiveness, and his faith gives him hope. If he is sincere, that means that he abandons his wrong conduct and makes amends.

... أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ...

or wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allah to mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,

C455. Sin is a sort of oppression of ourselves by ourselves. This follows from the doctrine of personal responsibility, as opposed to that of blind fate or of an angry God or gods lying in wait for revenge or injury on mankind.

...وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ ...

and who can forgive sins except Allah?

...وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾

And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.

أُوْلَـئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ...

3: 136. For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord,

...وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا...

and gardens with rivers flowing underneath, an eternal dwelling;

...وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ ﴿١٣٦﴾

how excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!

Other versions:

3: 133-35 [ al-Imran Madina 89 ]

Asad And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a paradise

as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious who spend (in His way) in time of plenty and in time of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good; and who when they have committed a shameful deed or have (otherwise) sinned against themselves, remember God and pray that their sins be forgiven - for thwo but God could forgive sins? And do not knowingly persist in doing whatever (wrong) they may have done.

3: 133

Yusuf Ali Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord and for a garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth prepared for the righteous.

Pickthall And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil);

Transliteration Wa sa_ri'u_ ila_ magfiratim mir rabbikum wa jannatin'arduhas sama_wa_tu wal ard(u), u'iddatillmuttaqin(a).

3: 134

Asad who spend [in His way] in time of plenty and in tiem of hardship, and hold in check their anger, and pardon their fellow-men because God loves the doers of good;

Yusuf Ali Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good.

Pickthall Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good;

Transliteration Allazina yunfiqu_na fis sarra_'i wad darra_'i wal ka_ziminal gaiza wal 'a_fina'nin na_s(i), walla_hu yuhibbul muhsinin(a).

3: 135

Yusuf Ali And those who having done something to be ashamed of or wronged their own souls earnestly bring Allah to mind and ask for forgiveness for their sins and who can forgive sins except Allah? And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done.

Pickthall And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins--Who forgiveth sins save Allah only?--and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did.

Transliteration Wallazina iza_ fa'alu_ fa_hisyatan au zalamu_ anfusahum zakarulla_ha fastagfaru_ li zunu_bihim, wa may yagfiruz zunu_ba illalla_h(u), wa lam yusirru_'ala_ ma_ fa'alu_ wa hum ya'lamu_n(a).

3: 136

Yusuf Ali For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens with rivers flowing underneath an eternal dwelling; how excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!

Pickthall The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever, a bountiful reward for workers!

Transliteration Ula_'ika jaza_'uhum magfiratum mir rabbihim wa janna_tun tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_, wa ni'ma ajrul 'a_milin(a).

2. Surah Al Baqarah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ...

2: 134. That was a People that hath passed away.

They shall reap the fruit of what they did, and ye of what ye do!

... وَلاَ تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٣٤﴾

of their merits there is no question in your case!

C133. I have made a free paraphrase of what would read literally:

"Ye shall not be asked about what they used to do."

On the Day of Judgment each soul would have to answer for its own deeds: it cannot claim merit from others, nor be answerable for the crimes or sins of others.

Here the argument is:

if the Jews or Christians claim the merits of Father Abraham and the Patriarchs or of Jesus, we cannot follow them. Because there were righteous men in the past, it cannot help us unless we are ourselves righteous.

The doctrine of personal responsibility is a cardinal feature of Islam.

وَقَالُواْ كُونُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تَهْتَدُواْ...

2: 135. They say: "Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (to salvation)."

... قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ...

Say thou:

"Nay!

(I would rather) the religion of Abraham the true,

C134. Hanif: inclined to right opinion, orthodox (in the literal meaning of the Greek words), firm in faith, sound and well-balanced, true.

Perhaps the last word, True, sums up most of the other shades.

The Jews, though taught Unity, went after false gods, and the Christians invented the Trinity or borrowed it from Paganism. We go back to pure, Hanif doctrine of Abraham, to live and die in faith in the One True God.

... وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٣٥﴾

and he joined not gods with Allah."

Other versions:

2: 134

Yusuf Ali Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good.

Pickthall Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good;

Transliteration Allazina yunfiqu_na fis sarra_'i wad darra_'i wal ka_ziminal gaiza wal 'a_fina'nin na_s(i), walla_hu yuhibbul muhsinin(a).

2: 135

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