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 ...
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.
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
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) ]]