10. Surah Yunus
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
أَهْلَكْنَا
الْقُرُونَ
مِن قَبْلِكُمْ
لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ...
10: 13. Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong:
...وَجَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُؤْمِنُواْ...
their Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but they would not believe!
...كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
Thus do We requite those who sin!
ثُمَّ
جَعَلْنَاكُمْ
خَلاَئِفَ فِي
الأَرْضِ مِن
بَعْدِهِم
لِنَنظُرَ
كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤﴾
10: 14. Then We made you heirs in the land after them, to see how ye would behave!
C1401. This is addressed to the Quraish in the first instance, for they had succeeded to the 'Ad and the Thamud heritage.
But the application is universal, and was true to the 'Abbasi Empire in the time of Harun-ar-Rashid, or the Muslim Empire in Spain or the Turkish Empire in its palmiest days, and indeed, apart from political power, to the Muslims and non-Muslims of our own days.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى
عَلَيْهِمْ
آيَاتُنَا
بَيِّنَاتٍ...
10: 15. But when Our Clear Signs are rehearsed unto them,
...قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَـذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ...
those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, say:
"Bring us a Reading other than this, or change this."
C1402. Reading: in the Arabic, the word is "Quran", which may mean Reading or in the special sense, the Quran.
The duty of Allah's Messenger is to deliver Allah's Message as it is revealed to him, whether it please or displease those who hear it.
Selfish men want to read their own desires or fancies into religious precepts, and thus they are often willing to use Religion for their own ends. Most of the corruptions of Religion are due to this cause. But Religion is not to be so prostituted.
...قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِن تِلْقَاء نَفْسِي...
Say:
"It is not for me, of my own accord, to change it:
...إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ...
I follow naught but what is revealed unto me:
...إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿١٥﴾
if I were to disobey my Lord, I should myself fear the Penalty of a Great Day (to come)."
قُل
لَّوْ شَاء
اللّهُ مَا
تَلَوْتُهُ
عَلَيْكُمْ
وَلاَ أَدْرَاكُم
بِهِ...
10: 16. Say:
"If Allah had so willed, I should not have rehearsed it to you, nor would He have made it known to you.
C1403. It is in Allah's Plan that He should reveal Himself in certain ways to His creatures, and His Messengers are the instruments that carry out His will.
It is in itself gracious Mercy that He should thus make His Will known. We should be grateful for His guidance instead of carping at it.
فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِيكُمْ عُمُرًا مِّن قَبْلِهِ...
A whole lifetime before this have I tarried amongst you:
...أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
will ye not then understand?"
C1404. Muhammad Al-Mustafa had lived his whole life of purity and virtue amongst his people, and they knew and Mustafa acknowledged it before he received his mission.
They knew he loved his nation and was loyal to it. Why should they turn against him when he had to point out under inspiration all their sins and wrong-doing?
It was for their own good. And he had to plead again and again with them:
"Will you not understand, and see what a glorious privilege it is for you to receive true guidance from Allah?"
فَمَنْ
أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ
افْتَرَى عَلَى
اللّهِ كَذِبًا
أَوْ كَذَّبَ
بِآيَاتِهِ...
10: 17. Who doth more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah, or deny His Signs?
...إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿١٧﴾
But never will prosper those who sin.
Other versions:
10: 13 [Yunus, Mecca 51]
Yusuf Ali Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong: their Apostles came to them with Clear Signs but they would not believe! Thus do We requite those who sin!
Pickthall We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong; and their messengers (from Allah) came unto them with clear proofs (of His Sovereignty) but they would not believe. Thus do We reward the guilty folk:
Transliteration Wa laqad ahlaknal quru_na min qablikum lamma_ zalamu_, wa ja_'athum rusuluhum bil bayyina_ti wa ma_ ka_nu_ liyu'minu_, kaza_lika najzil qaumal mujrimin(a).
10: 14
Yusuf Ali Then We made you heirs in the land after them to see how ye would behave!
Pickthall Then We appointed you viceroys in the earth after them, that We might see how ye behave.
Transliteration Summa ja'alna_kum khala_'ifa fil ardi mim ba'dihim liyanzura kaifa ta'malu_n(a).
10: 15
Yusuf Ali But when Our Clear Signs are rehearsed unto them those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us say: "Bring us a Reading other than this or change this." Say: "It is not for me of my own accord to change it: I follow naught but what is revealed unto me: if I were to disobey my Lord I should myself fear the Penalty of a Great Day (to come)."
Pickthall And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it. Say (O Muhammad): It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow that which is inspired in me. Lo! If I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day.
Transliteration Wa iza_ tutla_ 'alaihim a_ya_tuna_ bayyina_t(in), qa_lal lazina la_ yarju_na liqa_'ana'ti bi qur'a_nin gairi ha_za_ au baddilh(u), qul ma_ yaku_nu li an ubaddilahu_ min tilqa_'i nafsi, in attabi'u illa_ ma_ yu_ha_ ilayy(a), inni akha_fu in 'asaitu rabbi 'aza_ba yaumin 'azim(in).
10: 16
Yusuf Ali Say: "If Allah had so willed I should not have rehearsed it to you nor would He have made it known to you. A whole lifetime before this have I tarried amongst you: will ye not then understand?"
Pickthall Say: If Allah had so willed I should not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you. I dwelt among you a whole lifetime before it (came to me). Have ye then no sense?
Transliteration Qul lau sya_'alla_hu ma_ talautuhu_ 'alaikum wa la_ adra_kum bih(i), faqad labistu fikum 'umuram min qablih(i), afala_ ta'qilu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes -
1403 It is in Allah's Plan that He should reveal Himself in certain ways to His creatures, and His Messengers are the instruments that carry out His will. It is in itself gracious Mercy that He should thus make His Will known. We should be grateful for His guidance instead of carping at it. (10.16)
1404 Muhammad Al-Musafa had lived his whole life of purity and virtue amongst his people, and they knew and Mustafa acknowledged it before he received his mission. They knew he loved his nation and was loyal to it. Why should they turn against him when he had to point out under inspiration all their sins and wrong-doing? It was for their own good. And he had to plead again and again with them: "Will you not understand, and see what a glorious privilege it is for you to receive true guidance from Allah?" (10.16)]]
10: 17
Yusuf Ali Who doth more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah or deny His Signs? But never will prosper those who sin.
Pickthall Who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah and denieth His revelations? Lo! the guilty never are successful.
Transliteration Fa man azlamu mimman-iftara_ 'alalla_hi kaziban au kazzaba bi a_ya_tih(i),innahu_ la_ yuflihul mujrimu_n(a).