30. Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)
Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
اللَّهُ
يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ
...
30:11. It is Allah Who begins (the process of) creation;
then repeats it;
... ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١١﴾
then shall ye be brought back to Him.
Asad’s Version:
30:11
GOD CREATES [man] in the first instance, and then brings him forth anew:' and, in the end, unto Him you all will be brought back. (30:12) And when the Last Hour dawns, those who were lost in sin will be broken in spirit: (30: 13) for they will have no intercessors in the beings to whom they were wont to ascribe a share in God's divinity, 10 seeing that [by then] they themselves will have ceased to believe in their erstwhile blasphemous fancies. 11
30:11
Allahu yabdao alkhalqa thumma yuAAeeduhu thumma ilayhi turjaAAoona |
Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning |
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GOD CREATES [man] in the first instance, and then brings him forth anew: and, in the end, unto Him you all will be brought back. |
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Allah produceth creation, then He reproduceth it, then unto Him ye will be returned. |
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Allah originates the creation, then reproduces it, then to Him you shall be brought back. |
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It is Allah Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; then shall ye be brought back to Him. |
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God begins the creation. Again, He causes it to return. Again, you will be returned to Him. |
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God originates the creation, and shall repeat it, then to Him you shall be returned. |
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God begins with creation, then He performs it all over again; then to Him will you return. |
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Allah starts creation and reproduces it. He creates and recreates* and to Him shall all of you be sent back. |
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God initiates the creation, then He repeats it, then to Him you will return. |
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God brings creation into being; in the end He will reproduce it and it is to Him you will be recalled. |
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Allah originateth the creation, then He shall restore it, then unto Him ye shall be returned. |
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[[Asad’s notes - 9 I.e., He will bring him forth anew: cf 10:4 and the corresponding note 8. (A more general formulation of the same statement is found inverse 27 of this surah.)]]
[[ Ali’s note - C3517. Nothing exists of its own accord or fortuitously. It is Allah Who originates all creation.
What appears to be death may be only transformation: for Allah can and does recreate. And His creative activity is continuous. Our death is but a phenomenal event. What we become after death is the result of a process of recreation by Allah, Who is both the source and the goal of all things.
When we are brought back to him, it will be as conscious and responsible beings, to receive the consequences of our brief life on this earth.]]
