35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)

Mecca Period 43

Asad’s Version:

35:3 O men! Call to mind the blessings which God has bestowed upon you! Is there any creator, other than God, that could provide for you sustenance out of heaven and earth? 3 There is no deity save Him: and yet, how perverted are your minds! 4

35:4 But if they [whose minds are perverted] give thee the lie, [O Prophet, remember that] even so, before thy time, have [other] apostles been given the lie: for [the unbelievers always refuse to admit that] all things go back to God [as their source].

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ...

35: 3. O men! call to mind the grace of Allah unto you!

... هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْضِ...

Is there a Creator, other than Allah, to give you Sustenance from heaven or earth?

C3874. As the primal Cause of all things is Allah, an appeal is made to man to turn to Allah instead of running after false fancies. Allah is not only the source, but the centre of all life and activity, and all affairs return to Him. The world is sustained, and human life is sustained, by Allah's grace and providence.

"Sustenance" is to be taken, in Quranic language, for all that helps to maintain and develop every aspect of life, physical and spiritual. It would be the height of folly, then, for man to ignore Allah's gracious Message, as explained in His Revelation.

... لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ...

There is no god but He:

... فَأَنَّى تُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿٣﴾

how then are ye deluded away from the Truth?

وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ...

35: 4. And if they reject thee, so were messengers rejected before thee:

C3875. And yet there will be human perversity which will reject the True and accept the False.

The prophet of Allah is not discouraged by this, as everything ultimately returns to Allah, and we must trust to His Wisdom in His Universal Plan. (R).

... وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الأمُورُ ﴿٤﴾

to Allah go back for decision all affairs.

39. Az-Zumar (The Throngs)

Mecca Period 59 [75 verses]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنكُمْ...

39:7 It ye reject (Allah), truly Allah has no need of you;

... وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ...

but He liketh not ingratitude from His servants:

... وَإِن تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ...

if ye are grateful, He is pleased with you.

... وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى...

No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another.

C4255. Cf. 6:164.

The account is between you and Allah. No one else can take your burdens or carry your sins. Vicarious atonement would be unjust.

... ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ...

In the end, to your Lord is your return, when He will tell you the truth of all that ye did (in this life).

You have to return to Allah in the Hereafter. You will find that He knows all that you did in this life, and its full significance. He will explain to you even better than you can understand yourself; because all your secret hidden motives, which you sometimes tried to ignore yourself, are fully known to Him.

... إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ﴿٧﴾

For He knoweth well all that is in (men's) hearts.

Asad’s Version:

39:7 If you are ingrate" - behold, God has no need of you; none the less, He does not approve of ingratitude in His servants: whereas, if you show gratitude, He approves it in you. And no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden. 12 In time, unto your Sustainer you all must return, and then He will make you [truly] understand all that you were doing [in life]: for, verily, He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].