31 Luqman

Mecca Period [57]

Asad’s Version:

31:14

"And [God says:] 'We have enjoined upon man goodness towards his parents: his mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his utter dependence on her lasted two years:" (hence, O man,] be grateful towards Me and towards thy parents, (and remember that] with Me is all journeys' end. 15

(31:15) '"[Revere thy parents;] yet should they endeavour to make thee ascribe

divinity, side by side with Me, to something which thy mind cannot accept (as divine], 16 obey them not; but (even then] bear them company in this world's life with kindness, and follow the path of those who turn towards Me. In the end, unto Me you all must return; and thereupon I shall make you (truly] understand all that you were doing (in life].'

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ...

31:14 And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents:

...حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ...

in travail upon travail did his mother bear him,

...وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ...

and in years twain was his weaning:

C3596. The set of milk teeth in a human child is completed at the age of two years, which is therefore the natural extreme limit for breast-feeding.

In our artificial life the duration is much less.

...أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ ...

(hear the command),

"Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents:

...إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٤﴾

to Me is (thy final) Goal.

وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ عَلى أَن تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ...

31: 15. "But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge,

C3597. Where the duty to man conflicts with the duty to Allah, it means that there is something wrong with the human will, and we should obey Allah rather than man.

But even here, it does not mean that we should be arrogant or insolent. To parents and those in authority, we must be kind, considerate, and courteous, even where they command things which we should not do and therefore disobedience becomes our highest duty.

The worship of things other than Allah is the worship of false things, things which are alien to our true knowledge, things that go against our own pure nature as created by Allah.

... فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا...

obey them not;

...وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا...

yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration),

...وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ...

and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love):

C3598. In any apparent conflict of duties our standard should be Allah's Will, as declared to us by His command.

That is the way of those who love Allah: and their motive in disobedience to parents or human authority where disobedience is necessary by Allah's Law is not self willed rebellion or defiance, but love of Allah, which means the true love of man in the highest sense of the word.

And the reason we should give is:

"Both you and I have to return to Allah; therefore not only must I follow Allah's Will, but you must command nothing against Allah's Will."

...ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ...

in the End the return of you all is to Me,

... فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٥﴾

and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did."

C3599. These conflicts may appear to us strange and puzzling in this life. But in Allah's Presence we shall see their real meaning and significance.

- It may be that that was one way in which our true mettle could be tested: for it is not easy to disobey and love man at the same time.

35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)

Mecca Period 43

Asad’s Version:

35:18 AND NO BEARER of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden; 15 and if one weighed down by his load calls upon [another] to help him carry it, nothing thereof may be carried [by that other], even if it he one's near of kin." Hence, thou canst [truly] warn only those who stand in awe of their Sustainer although He is beyond the reach of their perception, 17 and are constant in prayer, and [know that] whoever grows in purity, attains to purity but for the good of his own self, and (that] with God is all journeys' end.

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى...

35:18 Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burden.

C3900. Bearer: hamilatun: feminine in Arabic, as referring to the soul (nafs), as in 6:164.

... وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى...

If one heavily laden should call another to (bear) his load, not the least portion of it can be carried (by the other), even though he be nearly related.

... إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالغَيْبِ ...

Thou canst but admonish such as fear their Lord unseen

C3902. Bil-gaibi: unseen in the adverbial sense.

The man, who, though he does not see Allah, so realises Allah's Presence in himself as if he saw Him, is the man of genuine Faith, and for him Allah's Revelation comes through many channels and is always fruitful.

... وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ...

and establish regular Prayer

C3903. Prayer is one of the means of purifying ourselves of lower motives in life, for in prayer we seek the Presence of Allah.

... وَمَن تَزَكَّى فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّى لِنَفْسِهِ ...

and whoever purifies himself does so for the benefit of his own soul;

But the purity which we seek is for our own souls: we confer no favour on Allah or on any Power in the spiritual world, as some imagine who make "gifts" to Allah. In any case the destination of all is to Allah.

... وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٨﴾

and the destination (of all) is to Allah.

40. Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin

Mecca 60 [85 verses]

Asad’s Version:

40:1 Ha; Mim. 1

40:2 THE BESTOWAL from on high of this divine writ issues from God, the Almighty, the All- Knowing,

(40:3) forgiving sins and accepting repentance, severe in retribution, limitless in His bounty. There is no deity save Him: with Him is all journeys' end.

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

حم ﴿١﴾

40:1. Ha Mim.

C4356. See the Introduction to this Surah.

تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ ﴿٢﴾

40: 2. The revelation of this Book is from Allah, Exalted in Power, Full of Knowledge --

C4357. This verse is the same as Surah 39:1, except for the last words describing the attribute of Allah.

In Surah 39:1, it was "Full of Wisdom", because stress was laid on the wisdom of Allah's Plan in ordering His World. In this Surah the stress is laid on Allah's Knowledge, before which the shallow knowledge of men is vain (40:83).

غَافِرِ الذَّنبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوْبِ...

40: 3. Who forgiveth Sin, accepteth Repentance,

C4358. Allah's knowledge is supreme and all-reaching. But there are other attributes of His, which concern us even more intimately; e.g., He forgives sin and accepts our repentance when it is sincere and results in our change of heart and life:

but He is also just, and strict in punishment; and so no loophole will be left for Evil except in repentance. And further, all His attributes reach forward to everything: His Mercy, as well as His Knowledge and Justice; His Bounties as well as His Punishments.

... شَدِيدِ الْعِقَابِ ذِي الطَّوْلِ ...

is strict in Punishment, and hath a Long Reach (in all things).

... لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ...

There is no god but He:

... إِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٣﴾

to Him is the Final Goal.

50. Qaf [45 verses]

Mecca Period 34

Asad’s Version:

50:43 Verily, it is We who grant life and deal death; and with Us will be all journeys' end

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي وَنُمِيتُ وَإِلَيْنَا الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٤٣﴾

50: 43.  Verily it is We Who give Life and Death; and to Us is the Final Goal