14. Surah Ibrahim

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّقَرَّنِينَ فِي الأَصْفَادِ ﴿٤٩﴾

14: 49.  And thou wilt see the Sinners that day bound together in fetters --

C1926. Cf. 36:8, 40:71, 69:30. [Eds.]

سَرَابِيلُهُم ...

14: 50.  Their garments

C1927. Sirbal,- plural, Sarabil,- a garment or coat of mail, breast plate;

something covering the most vital parts of the body; like the shirt or the Indian kurta.

... مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ ﴿٥٠﴾

of liquid pitch, and their faces covered with Fire;

C1928. Qatiran: black pitch, a resinous substance exuding from certain kinds of trees like the terebinth or the pines, or distilled from wood or coal.

It catches fire readily. Issuing from the upper garments (Sartabil) the flames soon cover the face, the most expressive part of man's essence or being.

The metaphor of fetters (n. 1926) is now changed to that of pitch, which darkens and sets on fire the soul of man.

Other versions:

14: 49

Asad ….linked together in fetters

Yusuf Ali And thou wilt see the Sinners that day bound together in fetters

Pickthall Thou wilt see the guilty on that day linked together in chains.

Transliteration Wa taral mujrimina yauma'izim muqarranina fil asfa_d(i).

[ Ruby’s note – may connote: as they were linked in sin in this life ]

14: 50

Yusuf Ali Their garments of liquid pitch and their faces covered with Fire;

Pickthall Their raiment of pitch, and the Fire covering their faces.

Transliteration Sara_biluhum min qatira_niw wa tagsya_ wuju_hahumun na_r(u),