37 . Surah As-Saffat
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مَنْ
عَمِلَ
سَيِّئَةً
فَلَا
يُجْزَى
إِلَّا
مِثْلَهَا...
37: 40. "He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof:
... وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ...
and he that works a righteous deed -- whether man or woman -- and is a believer --
... فَأُوْلَئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ﴿٤٠﴾
such will enter the Garden (of Bliss):
therein will they have abundance without measure.
C4413. Cf. 2:212.
This sustenance will not only last. It will be a most liberal reward, far above any merits of the recipient.
وَيَا
قَوْمِ
مَا
لِي...
37: 41. "And O my People! how (strange) it is for me
C4414. It may seem strange according to the laws of this world that he should be seeking their Good while they are seeking his damnation! But that is the merit of Faith. Its mission is to rescue its enemies and Allah's enemies, as far as their will will consent!
... أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِي إِلَى النَّارِ ﴿٤١﴾
to call you to Salvation while ye call me to the Fire!
تَدْعُونَنِي
لِأَكْفُرَ
بِاللَّهِ
وَأُشْرِكَ
بِهِ
مَا
لَيْسَ
لِي
بِهِ
عِلْمٌ...
37: 42. "Ye do call upon me to blaspheme against Allah, and to join with Him Partners of whom I have no knowledge;
C4415. The worship of Pharaoh was blasphemy, but it had many sides, including the worship of heroes, animals, powers of good and evil in nature, and idols of all kinds.
It is this comprehensive cult which required warnings again and again, but Allah is Exalted in Power, and gives such forgiveness on repentance.
... وَأَنَا أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الْعَزِيزِ الْغَفَّارِ ﴿٤٢﴾
and I call you to the Exalted in Power, Who forgives again and again!"
لَا
جَرَمَ
أَنَّمَا
تَدْعُونَنِي
إِلَيْهِ
لَيْسَ
لَهُ
دَعْوَةٌ
فِي
الدُّنْيَا
وَلَا
فِي
الْآخِرَةِ...
37: 43. "Without doubt ye do call me to one who is not fit to be called to, whether in this world, or in the Hereafter;
C4416. Faith is not content with its own inner vision and conviction. It can give ample arguments. Three are mentioned here:
1. nothing but Allah is worthy of worship, either in this world of sense or in the next world;
2. our Return will be to Allah, the Eternal Reality; and
3. the worship of Falsehood must necessarily lead to the Penalty of Falsehood, unless Allah's Mercy intervenes and forgives on our sincere repentance. (R).
... وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَا إِلَى اللَّهِ...
our Return will be to Allah;
... وَأَنَّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ﴿٤٣﴾
and the Transgressors will be Companions of the Fire!
فَسَتَذْكُرُونَ
مَا
أَقُولُ
لَكُمْ...
37: 44. "Soon will ye remember what I say to you (now),
C4417. The next verse shows his thought to the last is with his People. 'No matter what you do to me: you will have cause to remember my admonition, when perhaps it is too late for you to repent. For my part I commit myself to the care of Allah, and my Faith tells me that all will be right.'
... وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ...
my (own) affair I commit to Allah:
... إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ﴿٤٤﴾
for Allah (ever) watches over His Servants."
فَوَقَاهُ
اللَّهُ
سَيِّئَاتِ
مَا
مَكَرُوا...
37: 45. Then Allah saved him from (every) ill that they plotted (against him),
... وَحَاقَ بِآلِ فِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٥﴾
but the brunt of the Penalty encompassed on all sides the People of Pharaoh.
C4418. The Pharaoh of the time of Moses, and his people, suffered many calamities in this world: 7:130-136.
But those were nothing to the Penalties mentioned in the next verse.
النَّارُ
يُعْرَضُونَ
عَلَيْهَا
غُدُوًّا
وَعَشِيًّا...
37: 46. In front of the Fire will they be brought, morning and evening:
C4419. When the Judgment really comes, it is not like an ordinary physical disaster. The Fire of Punishment is ever present-morning and evening- i.e. at all times. The sentence becomes final and there is no mitigation.
... وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٦﴾
and (the Sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established:
"Cast ye the People of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!"
وَإِذْ
يَتَحَاجُّونَ
فِي
النَّارِ
...
37: 47. Behold, they will dispute with each other in the Fire!
C4420. Just as Unity, Harmony, and Peace are indications of Truth, Bliss, and Salvation, so Reproaches, Disputes, and Disorders are indications of Hell.
... فَيَقُولُ الضُّعَفَاء لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا...
The weak ones (who followed) will say to those who had been arrogant,
...إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ النَّارِ ﴿٤٧﴾
"We but followed you:
can ye then take (on yourselves) from us some share of the Fire?"
قَالَ
الَّذِينَ
اسْتَكْبَرُوا
إِنَّا
كُلٌّ
فِيهَا...
37: 48. Those who had been arrogant will say:
"We are all in this (Fire)!
C4421. Note the evasion and cynicism of the answer, befitting the character of spiritual misleaders!
'What! are we not suffering with you in the same Fire! Pray to Allah if you like! He has pronounced His Judgment!'
Cf. 14:21-22.
... إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَكَمَ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ ﴿٤٨﴾
Truly, Allah has judged between (His) Servants!"
وَقَالَ
الَّذِينَ
فِي
النَّارِ
لِخَزَنَةِ
جَهَنَّمَ...
37: 49. Those in the Fire will say to the Keepers of Hell:
C4422. Cf. 39:71.
The poor misguided ones will turn to the angels who are their Keepers, asking them to pray and intercede for them. But the angels are set there to watch over them, not to intercede for them. In their innocence they ask, 'Did you have no warnings from messengers, men like yourselves, in your past life?'
ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ يُخَفِّفْ عَنَّا يَوْمًا مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ﴿٤٩﴾
"Pray to your Lord to lighten us the Penalty for a Day (at least)!"
Other versions:
(37:40) [Asad] Not so, however, God's true servants:"
(37:41) [in the hereafter,] theirs shall be a sustenance which they 17 will recognize
(37:42) as the fruits [of their life on earth]; and honoured shall they be
(37:43) in gardens of bliss,
(37:44) facing one another [in love] upon thrones of happiness. 18
37:45 A cup will be passed round among them [with a drink] from unsullied springs, (37:46) clear, delightful to those who drink it:
(37:47) no headiness will be in it, and they will not get drunk thereon.
(37:48) And with them will be mates of modest gaze, 19 most beautiful of eye,
(37:49) [as free of faults] as if they were hidden [ostrich] eggs. 20
37:40 [Yuksel] Except for God's servants who are faithful.
37:41 For them will be known provisions.
37:42 Fruits, and they will be honored.
37:43 In the gardens of bliss.
37:44 On furnishings which are opposite one another.
37:45 They will be served with cups of pure drinks.
37:46 Clear and tasty for the drinkers.
37:47 There is no bitterness therein, nor will they tire from it.
37:48 With them are attendants with wide eyes and a splendid look.
37:49 They are like fragile eggs.
[[Asad’s note - 17 Lit., "a known sustenance". For a tentative explanation of this phrase, see note 17 on 2:25.]]