3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
بَلِ
اللّهُ مَوْلاَكُمْ
وَهُوَ خَيْرُ
النَّاصِرِينَ
﴿١٥٠﴾
3: 150. Nay, Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers.
3: 150
Asad Nay, but God alone is your Lord Supreme, and His is the best succor [note 105].
Pickthall But Allah is your Protector, and He is the best of helpers.
Transliteration Balilla_hu maula_kum, wa huwa khairun na_sirin(a).
[ Asad’s note 105– Lit., “He is the best of all who bring succor”.]
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8. [al-Anfal, Medina 88, after Badr 2H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَا
جَعَلَهُ اللّهُ
إِلاَّ بُشْرَى
وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ
بِهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ...
8: 10. Allah made it but a message of hope, and an assurance to your heart:
...وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلاَّ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ...
(in any case) there is no help except from Allah:
C1185. All help comes ultimately from Allah. In special cases it may take special forms to put heart into us, and to fit in with our feelings and our psychology.
...إِنَّ اللّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿١٠﴾
and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.
وَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ
فَاعْلَمُواْ
أَنَّ اللّهَ
مَوْلاَكُمْ...
8: 40. If they refuse, be sure that Allah is your Protector --
...نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ ﴿٤٠﴾
the best to protect and the best to help.
وَإِن
يُرِيدُواْ
أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ
فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ
اللّهُ...
8: 62. Should they intend to deceive thee, verily Allah sufficeth thee:
...هُوَ الَّذِيَ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِ وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٦٢﴾
He it is that hath strengthened thee with his aid and with (the company of) the believers:
C1229. In working for peace there may be a certain risk of treachery on the other side. We must take that risk: because the men of Faith have Allah's aid to count upon and the strength of the united body of the righteous. (R).
وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ
قُلُوبِهِمْ...
8: 63. And (moreover) He hath put affection between their hearts:
...لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً مَّا أَلَّفَتْ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ...
not if thou hadst spent all that is in the earth, couldst thou have produced that affection,
...وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٦٣﴾
but Allah hath done it:
for He is Exalted in might, Wise.
C1230. On the immediate occasion, the greatest miracle and most wonderful working of Allah's grace was the union of hearts produced among the jarring, war-like, excitable Clements of Arabia under the gentle, firm, and wise guidance of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
At all times we must pray to Allah for this gift above all, -union, understanding, and pure and sincere affection among those who take Allah's name. With it there is strength and success. Without it there is humiliation, slavery, and moral degradation.
There may be many causes of difference and dispute. The reconciliation can only come from the glory and wisdom of Allah.
يَا
أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ
حَسْبُكَ اللّهُ
وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ
مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٦٤﴾
8: 64. O Prophet! sufficient unto thee is Allah, (unto thee) and unto those who follow thee among the believers.
C1231. The Believers: mere lip-profession of belief, or even the kind of belief that does not result in action, is not enough.
To those whose belief is so sincere that it results in complete trust in Allah and in fearless action in His service, the consequences on this earth do not matter. Allah's good pleasure is enough for them.
Other Versions:
8: 10
Asad And God ordained this only as a glad tiding, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest since no succor can come from any save God: verily, God is almighty, wise!
Pickthall Allah appointed it only as good tidings, and that your hearts thereby might be at rest. Victory cometh only by the help of Allah. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.
Transliteration Wa ma_ ja'alahulla_hu illa_ busyra_ wa litatma'inna qulu_bukum, wa man nasru illa_ min 'indilla_h(i), innalla_ha 'azizun hakim(un).
8: 40
Asad and if they turn away [from righteousness], know that God is your Lord Supreme: [and] how excellent is this Lord Supreme, and how excellent this Giver of Succor!
Pickthall And if they turn away, then know that Allah is your Befriender, a transcendent Patron, a transcendent Helper!
Transliteration Wa in tawallau fa'lamu_ annalla_ha maula_kum, ni'mal maula_ wa ni'man nasir(u).
8: 62
Asad And should they seek but to deceive you [by their show of peace] – behold, God is enough for you [note 67]. He it is who ahs strengthened you with His succor, and by giving you believing followers [note 68].
Pickthall And if they would deceive thee, then lo! Allah is sufficient for thee. He it is Who supporteth thee with His help and with the believers,
Transliteration Wa iy yuridu_ ay yakhda'u_ka fa inna hasbakalla_h(u), huwal lazi ayyada bi nasrihi wa bil mu'minin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 67 – The implication is that “even if they offer peace only with a view to deceiving you, this [offer of] peace must be accepted since all judgment [of their intentions] must be based on outward evidence alone” (Razi): in other words, mere suspicion cannot be made an excuse for rejecting an offer of peace.
68 - …………..thus signifying the visible means (wasitah) by which God succored the Prophet. ]]
[[ Ali’s note - 1229 In working for peace there may be a certain risk of treachery on the other side. We must take that risk: because the men of Faith have Allah's aid to count upon and the strength of the united body of the righteous. (8.62) ]]
[[ Ruby’s note – Giving the benefit of doubt to enemies, adversaries and rivals is as per the spirit of Islam. If there is a risk in going ahead with this good work, accepting this risk in itself is a step towards earning success and victory before God if one places trust in God. In the final hour the victory would be coming for the ones who has taken the risk in the cause of peace in serving God.]]
8: 63
Asad whose hearts He has brought together : [for,] if you had expended all that is on earth, you could not have brought their hearts together: ……..
Pickthall And (as for the believers) hath attuned their hearts. If thou hadst spent all that is in the earth thou couldst not have attuned their hearts, but Allah hath attuned them. Lo! He is Mighty, Wise.
Transliteration Wa allafa baina qulu_bihim, lau anfaqta ma_ fil ardi jami'am ma_ allafta baina qulu_bihim wa la_kinnalla_ha allafa bainahum, innahu_ 'azizun hakim(un).
8: 64
Pickthall O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for thee and those who follow thee of the believers.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhan nabiyyu hasbukalla_hu wa manittaba'aka minal mu'minin(a).
[[ Ruby’s notes – The affection and allegiance with which the followers of the Prophet fought and carried out all his commands and the enormous trust and confidence they placed on the Prophet is indeed an extra-ordinary leverage and help in carrying out the prophetic mission. God is reminding the Prophet of this extra-ordinary empowerment and gift and reminding that this could not be possible except by God’s help.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1230 On the immediate occasion, the greatest miracle and most wonderful working of Allah's grace was the union of hearts produced among the jarring, war-like, excitable clements of Arabia under the gentle, firm, and wise guidance of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. At all times we must pray to Allah for this gift above all,-union, understanding, and pure and sincere affection among those who take Allah's name. With it there is strength and success. Without it there is humiliation, slavery, and moral degradation. There may be many causes of difference and dispute. The reconciliation can only come from the glory and wisdom of Allah. (8.63)
1231 The Believers: mere lip-profession of belief, or even the kind of belief that does not result in action, is not enough. To those whose belief is so sincere that it results in complete trust in Allah and in fearless action in His service, the consequences on this earth do not matter. Allah's good pleasure is enough for them. (8.64) ]]