14. Surah Ibrahim, Mecca 72
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالَ
مُوسَى إِن
تَكْفُرُواْ ...
14: 8. And Moses said:
"If ye show ingratitude,
C1880. Ingratitude not only in feeling or words, but in disobedience, and willful rejection and rebellion.
If the whole of you band together against Allah, you do not detract from Allah's power one atom, because, Allah does not depend upon you for anything, and His goodness and righteousness and praiseworthiness cannot be called in question by your contumacy.
... أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ﴿٨﴾
ye and all on earth together -- yet is Allah free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
C1881. Cf. 22:64, 29:6, 35:15. [Eds.]
14: 8
Asad And Moses added: “If you should [ever] deny the truth – you and whoever else lives on earth, all of you – [know that] verily, God is indeed self-sufficient, ever to be praised!”
Pickthall And Moses said: Though ye and all who are in the earth prove thankless, lo! Allah verily is Absolute, Owner of Praise.
Transliteration Wa qa_la mu_sa_ in takfuru_ antum wa man fil ardi jami'a_(n), fa innalla_ha laganiyyun hamid(un).
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31. Luqman
Mecca Period [57]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ
الْحِكْمَةَ
أَنِ اشْكُرْ
لِلَّهِ...
31:12 We bestowed (in the past) wisdom on Luqman: "Show (thy) gratitude to Allah."
C3593. The sage Luqman, after whom this Surah is called, belongs to Arab tradition. Very little is known of his life. He is usually associated with a long life, and his title is Mu'ammar (the long-lived). He is referred by some to the age of the 'Ad people, for whom see n. 1040 to 7:65. He is the type of perfect wisdom.
It is said that he belonged to a humble station in life, being a slave or a carpenter, and that he refused worldly power and a kingdom.
Many instructive apologies are credited to him, similar to ,'Esop'e Fables in Greek tradition. The identification of Luqman and Aesop has no historical foundation, though it is true that the traditions about them have influenced each other.
...وَمَن يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ...
Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul:
...وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ﴿١٢﴾
but if any is ungrateful, verily Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
C3594. Cf. 14:8.
The basis of the moral Law is man's own good, and not any benefit to Allah, for Allah is above all needs, and "worthy of all praise"; i.e.,
even in praising Him, we do not advance His glory. When we obey His Will, we bring our position into conformity with our own nature as made by Him.
31. Luqman
Mecca Period [57]
Asad’s Version:
31:25
AND THUS it is [with most people]: if- 22 thou ask them, "Who is it that has created the
heavens and the earth?" - they will surely answer, "God."
Say: "[Then you ought to know that] all praise is due to God!" - for most of them do not know [what this implies]. 23 (31:26) Unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. Verily, God alone is self-sufficient, the One to whom all praise is due !
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَئِن
سَأَلْتَهُم
مَّنْ خَلَقَ
السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضَ...
31: 25 If thou ask them, who it is that created the heavens and the earth,
...لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ...
they will certainly say, "Allah."
...قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ...
Say: "Praise be to Allah!"
...بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾
But most of them understand not.
لِلَّهِ
مَا
فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ...
31: 26. To Allah, belong all things in heaven and earth:
...إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٦﴾
verily Allah is He (that is) free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
C3615. Cf. above, 31:12. There was begun the argument about showing gratitude to Allah, introducing Luqman's teaching and philosophy.
Such gratitude is shown by our understanding His love and doing our duty to Him by serving our fellow-men. For Allah Himself is Free from all wants and is in no way dependent on our service.
That argument has been illustrated in various ways. But now we are told that it can never be completed, for no human tongue or human resources can be adequate either to praise him or to expound His Word.
[[Asad’s notes -
22 For the above rendering of la'in, see surah 30, note 45.
23 I.e., they give the above answer unthinkingly, following a vague habit of thought, without realizing that a cognition of God as the Ultimate Cause of all existence logically postulates one's full surrender to Him, and to Him alone.
35. Al-Fatir (The Originator)
Mecca Period 43
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ
الْفُقَرَاء
إِلَى اللَّهِ...
35:15 O ye men! it is ye that have need of Allah:
... وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿١٥﴾
but Allah is the One Free of all wants, Worthy of all praise
Asad’s Version:
35:15 O men! It is you who stand in need of God, whereas He alone is self-sufficient, the One to whom all praise is due.