35. Sura Fatir

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ هُوَ الْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ...

35:31 [Ali] That which We have revealed to thee of the Book is the Truth -- confirming what was (revealed) before it:

... إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِعِبَادِهِ لَخَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٣١﴾

for Allah is assuredly -- with respect to His servants -- well acquainted and Fully-Observant.

C3918. All Revelation is one. The Quran therefore confirms the main and uncorrupted features of previous revelations.

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا...

35: 32. Then We have given the Book for inheritance to such of Our servants as We have chosen:

C3919. The force of "then" is that of finality.

The Quran is that last Book revealed, Or

it may be here to point the contrast between "to thee" in the last verse, i.e., the holy Prophet, in contradistinction to the People of Islam, who inherited the Book after him.

... فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ...

but there are among them some who wrong their own souls;

... وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ...

some who follow a middle course;

But some follow a middle course:

in their case "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak": their intentions are good, but they have much to learn yet of the true Muslim life and Muslim virtues.

... وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ...

and some who are, by Allah's leave, foremost in good deeds;

... ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ ﴿٣٢﴾

that is the highest Grace.

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا ...

35: 33. Gardens of Eternity will they enter:

C3921. "The Garden" signifies their environment:

all they see about them will give them comfort, rest, and satisfaction, and a feeling of beauty and dignity.

... يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا...

therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls;

The jewels and clothes signify their personal external state:

here, again, everything will give them a sense of beauty and dignity, comfort, rest, and satisfaction.

And finally, most important of all, comes their internal state, where again they will have the same sense of beauty, dignity, comfort, rest, and satisfaction: this is indicated by their words of Praise (verses 34-35).

C3922. bracelets of gold and pearls; Cf. 18:31 and 22:23.

... وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ ﴿٣٣﴾

and their garments there will be of silk.

وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ...

35: 34. And they will say:

"Praise be to Allah, Who has removed from us (all) sorrow:

... إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٤﴾

for Our Lord is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Ready to appreciate (service):

الَّذِي أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ الْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِ...

35: 35. "Who has, out of His bounty, settled us in a Home that will last:

... لَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ ﴿٣٥﴾

no toil nor sense of weariness shall touch us therein."

C3924. In case it should be thought that perpetual happiness might cloy or be dull, as would be the case in this life, it is added-as the experience of those who attain that state-that it is not so on that plane of existence. Not only is there Joy, but it remains fresh and leads to no weariness.

Asad’s Version:

35:32 And so, We have bestowed this divine writ as a heritage unto such of Our servants as We chose: and among them are some who sin against themselves; and some who keep half-way [between right and wrong]; 22 and some who, by God's leave, are foremost in deeds of goodness: [and] this, indeed, is. a merit most high!

35:33 [Hence,] gardens of perpetual bliss will they enter, therein to be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and therein to be clad in raiments of silk; 23

(35:34) and they will say: "All praise is due to God, who has caused all sorrow to leave us: for, verily, our Sustainer is indeed much- forgiving, ever-responsive to gratitude –

(35:35) He who, out of His bounty, has made us alight in this abode of life enduring, wherein no struggle can assail us, and wherein no weariness can touch us! "

[[ Asad’s notes - 22 See 7:46 and the corresponding note 37.

23 Regarding this symbolic "adornment" of the blessed in paradise, see note 41 on 18:31.]]