2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالَ
لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ
إِنَّ اللّهَ
قَدْ بَعَثَ
لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ
مَلِكًا...
2: 247. Their Prophet said to them: "Allah hath appointed Talut as king over you."
C280. Talut is the Arabic name for Saul, who was tall and handsome, but belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel. His worldly belongings were slender, and it was when he went out to search for some asses which had been lost from his father's house that he met Samuel and was anointed king by him.
The people's fickleness appeared immediately he was named. They raised all sorts of petty objections to him. The chief consideration in their minds was selfishness: each one wanted to be leader and king himself, instead of desiring sincerely the good of the people as a whole, as a leader should do.
... قَالُوَاْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِالْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ الْمَالِ...
They say: "How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority, and he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance?"
... قَالَ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُ بَسْطَةً فِي الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِسْمِ...
He said: "Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess;
... وَاللّهُ يُؤْتِي مُلْكَهُ مَن يَشَاء...
Allah granteth His authority to whom He pleaseth.
... وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٤٧﴾
Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things."
2: 247
Asad And their prophet said unto those elders [note 237]: “ Behold, now God has raised up Saul to be your king.”
They said: ”How can he have dominion over us when we have a better claim to dominion than he, and he has not (even) been endowed with abundant wealth?”(The prophet) replied: Behold, God has exalted him above you, and endowed him abundantly with knowledge and bodily perfection. And God bestows His dominion [note 238] upon whom he wills: for God is infinite, all-knowing.”
Pickthall Their Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough? He said: Lo! Allah hath chosen him above you, and hath increased him abundantly in wisdom and stature. Allah bestoweth His sovereignty on whom He will. Allah is All Embracing, All Knowing.
Transliteration Wa qa_la lahum nabiyyuhum innalla_ha qad ba'asa lakum talu_ta malika_(n), qa_lu_ anna_ yaku_nu lahul mulku 'alaina_ wa nahnu ahaqqu bil mulki minhu wa lam yu'ta sa'atam minal ma_l(i), qa_la innalla_has tafa_hu 'alaikum waza_dahu_ bastatan fil 'ilmi wal jism(i), walla_hu yu'ti mulkahu_ may yasya_'(u), walla_hu wa_si'un 'alim(un).
[ Asad’s note 238 – An allusion to the Quranic doctrine that all dominion and all that may be “owned” by man belongs to God alone, and that man holds it only in trust from Him.
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5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَّقَدْ
كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ
قَآلُواْ إِنَّ
اللّهَ هُوَ
الْمَسِيحُ
ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
...
5: 17. In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary.
... قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللّهِ شَيْئًا ...
Say:
"Who then hath the least power against Allah,
... إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ...
if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all, everyone that is on the earth?
... وَلِلّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا...
For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between.
... يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء ...
He createth what He pleaseth.
C717. The most honoured of the prophets of Allah are but men.
All power belongs to Allah, and not to any man. Allah's creation may take many forms, but because in any particular form it is different from what we see daily around us, it does not cease to be Creation, or to be subject to the power of Allah. No creature can be God.
... وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٧﴾
For Allah hath power over all things."
وَقَالَتِ
الْيَهُودُ
وَالنَّصَارَى
نَحْنُ أَبْنَاء
اللّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ...
5: 18. (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah, and His beloved."
C718. Sons of Allah:
Cf. Job, 38:7; "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy."
In the 29th Psalm, 1st verse, the authorized Translation "O ye mighty" should apparently be "O ye sons of Elim". El being a name of God,
Cf. also Genesis, 6:2: "The sons of God saw the daughters of men." Beloved:
Cf. Psalms, 127:2: "He giveth his beloved sleep."
If used figuratively, these and like words refer to the love of Allah. Unfortunately, "son" used in a physical sense, or "beloved" in an exclusive sense as if Allah loved only the Jews, make a mockery of religion.
... قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ ...
Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins?
Nay, ye are but men, of the men He hath created:
... يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاء...
He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and He punisheth whom He pleaseth:
... وَلِلّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ...
and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between:
C719. This refrain in the last verse negatives the idea of sonship, and in this verse negatives the idea of an exclusive "Beloved".
In both cases it means that Allah is independent of physical relationship or exclusive partiality.
... وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٨﴾
and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."
يَا
أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ
قَدْ جَاءكُمْ
رَسُولُنَا
يُبَيِّنُ
لَكُمْ عَلَى
فَتْرَةٍ مِّنَ
الرُّسُلِ ...
5: 19. O People of the Book!
now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in (the series of) Our messengers,
C720. The six hundred years (in round figures) between Christ and Muhammad were truly the dark ages of the world.
Religion was corrupted: the standard of morals fell low: many false systems and heresies arose; and there was a break in the succession of prophets until the advent of Muhammad.
... أَن تَقُولُواْ مَا جَاءنَا مِن بَشِيرٍ وَلاَ نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ ...
lest ye should say: there came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil): but now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil):
... وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٩﴾
and Allah hath power over all things.
Other Versions:
5: 17
Pickthall They indeed have disbelieved who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say : Who then can do aught against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth? Allah's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He creates what He will. And Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Laqad kafaral lazina qa_lu_ innalla_ha huwal masihubnu maryam(a), qul famay yamliku minalla_hi syai'an in ara_da ay yuhlikal masihabna maryama wa ummahu_ wa man fil ardi jami'a_(n), wa lilla_hi mulkus sama_wa_ti wal ardi wa ma_ bainahuma_, yakhluqu ma_ yasya_'(u), walla_hu 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
5: 18
Asad ……………and with Him is all journey’s end.”
Pickthall The Jews and Christians say: We are sons of Allah and His loved ones. Say: Why then doth He chastise you for your sins? Nay, ye are but mortals of His creating. He forgives whom He will, and chastises whom He will. Allah's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and unto Him is the journeying.
Transliteration Wa qa_latil yahu_du wan nasa_ra_ nahnu abna_'ulla_hi wa ahibba_'uh(u_), qul falima yu'azzibukum bi zunu_bikum, bal antum basyarum mimman khalaq(a), yagfiru limay yasya_'u wa yu'azzibu may yasya_'(u), wa lilla_hi mulkus sama_wa_ti wal ardi wa ma_ bainahuma_, wa ilaihil masir(u).
5: 19
Asad O followers of the Bible! Now, after a long time during which no apostles have appeared, there has come unto you [this] Our Apostle to make clear to you, lest you say, :No bearer of glad tidings has come unto us, not any warner”:…………….
Pickthall O people of the Scripture! Now hath Our messenger come unto you to make things plain after an interval (of cessation) of the messengers, lest ye should say: There came not unto us a messenger of cheer nor any warner. Now hath a messenger of cheer and a warner come unto you. Allah is Able to do all things.
Transliteration Ya_ ahlal kita_bi qad ja_'akum rasu_luna_ yubayyinu lakum'ala_ fatratim minar rusuli an taqu_lu_ ma_ ja_'ana_ mim basyiriw wa nazir(in), fa qad ja_'akum basyiruw wa nazir(un), walla_hu 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).
[[ Ali’s notes - 718 Sons of God: Cf. Job, xxxviii. 7; "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." In the 29th Psalm, 1st verse, the authorised Translation "O ye mighty" should apparently be "O ye sons of Elim". El being a name of God, Cf. also Genesis, vi. 2: "The sons of God saw the daughters of men." Beloved: Cf. Psalms, cxxvii, 2: "He giveth his beloved sleep." If used figuratively, these and like words refer to the love of Allah. Unfortunately, "son" used in a physical sense, or "beloved" in an exclusive sense as if Allah loved only the Jews, make a mockery of religion. (5.18)
719 This refrain in the last verse negatives the idea of sonship, and in this verse negatives the idea of an exclusive "Beloved". In both cases it means that Allah is independent of physical relationship or exclusive partiality, (5.18)
720 The six hundred years (in round figures) between Christ and Muhammad were truly the dark ages of the world. Religion was corrupted: the standard of morals fell low: many false systems and heresies arose; and there was a break in the succession of prophets until the advent of Muhammand. (5.19) ]]
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35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يُولِجُ
اللَّيْلَ فِي
النَّهَارِ
وَيُولِجُ
النَّهَارَ
فِي اللَّيْلِ...
35: 13. He merges Night into Day, and He merges Day into Night,
C3891. Cf. 22:61.
The phases of Light in nature may have other uses. But for man they mark periods of rest and activity, and have great influence on his physical, moral, and spiritual life.
... وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى...
and He has subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law): each one runs its course for a term appointed.
C3892. Cf. 13:2.
The sun and the moon mark phases of light, and serve man during the periods of the day and the night.
The sun marks the seasons, and is the source of heat and energy and physical life for the whole solar system.
The sun and the moon run according to fixed laws, and they will continue to do so, not for ever, but for the period appointed for their duration by Allah.
... ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ...
Such is Allah your Lord: to Him belongs all Dominion.
C3893. Allah's might and majesty, and Allah's goodness and wisdom, having been shown by a few examples, it follows that it is folly to seek or worship any other power but Allah. It only throws off man into false paths, and takes him farther and farther away from the Truth.
... وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ ﴿١٣﴾
And those whom ye invoke besides Him have not the least power.
C3894. Qitmir: the thin, white skin that covers the date-stone. It has neither strength nor texture, and has no value whatever.
Any one relying on any power other than that of Allah relies on nothing whatever. The Qitmir is worse than the proverbial "broken reed".
Cf. 4:53 and 4:124, where the word naqir, 'the groove in a date-stone', is used similarly for a thing of no value or significance.
Asad’s Version:
35: 13
He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and He makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has made the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws], each running its course for a term set [by Him]. 12 Thus is God, your Sustainer: unto Him belongs all dominion - whereas those whom you invoke instead of Him do not own so much as the husk of a date-stone!
[[Asad’s note - 12 See surah 13, note 5. ]]