57 Al-Hadid (Iron)
Medina Period [94]
Ali’s version and the Arabic text
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ
وَرُسُلِهِ
أُوْلَئِكَ
هُمُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ...
57:19. And those who believe in Allah and His messengers -- they are the Sincere (Lovers of truth),
The four categories there mentioned as constituting the beautiful Company of Faith are:
the Prophets who teach, the Sincere Lovers of Truth,
the Martyrs, and
the Righteous who do good.
Of these, the prophets or messengers have already been mentioned in this verse. The Righteous who do good are mentioned as the men and women given over to deeds of charity in verse 18.
...وَالشُّهَدَاء ...
and the witnesses (who testify),
C5300.
The Witnesses are not only Martyrs, but all those who carry the Banner of Truth against all odds and in all positions of danger, whether by pen or speech, or deed or counsel.
... عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ...
in the eyes of their Lord: they shall have their Reward and their Light,
C5301. Note that these two are specially high degrees in the Hereafter, just short of Prophethood. For they have not only their reward in the Hereafter, like those who practice charity (verse 18 above), but they themselves become sources of light and leading.
...وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُوْلَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿١٩﴾
but those who reject Allah and deny Our Signs -- they are the Companions of Hell-Fire.
Asad’s version
(57:19) For, they who have attained to faith in God and His Apostle - it is they, they who uphold the truth, and they who bear witness thereto] before God: 28 [and so] they shall have their reward and their light!
But as for those who are bent on denying the truth and on giving the lie to Our messages - it is they who are destined for the blazing fire !