6. [al-Anam, Cattle Mecca 55]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ ﴿١٨﴾

6: 18. "He is the Irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers;

and He is the Wise, acquainted with all things."

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ ...

6: 61. He is the Irresistible, (watching) from above over his worshippers,

... وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً...

and He sets guardians over you.

C882. Guardians: most commentators understand this to mean guardian angels. The idea of guardianship is expressed in a general term.

Allah watches over us and guards us, and provides all kinds of agencies, material, moral, and spiritual, to help our growth and development, keep us from harm, and bring us nearer to our Destiny.

...حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا...

At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul,

C883. Angel: the word used is rusul, the Sent Ones, -the same word as for human Messengers sent by Allah to teach mankind.

The agents who come to take our souls at death are accurate in the performance of their duty. They come neither before nor after their appointed time, nor do they do it in any manner other than that fixed by the Command of Allah.

...وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ ﴿٦١﴾

and they never fail in their duty.

ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللّهِ مَوْلاَهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ ...

6: 62. Then are men returned unto Allah, their True Protector, the (only) reality:

Surely His is the Command?

C884. The only Reality: al-haqq, the Truth, the only True One.

The point is that our illusions of the life of this lower world now vanish, when we are rendered back to Allah, from Whom we came. And now we find that so far from the results of our actions being delayed, they follow more swiftly than we can express in terms of Time.

Here is the answer to the taunt of those who were impatient of the working of Allah's Plans (6:57-58). (R).

... وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ ﴿٦٢﴾

And He is the swiftest in taking account.

Other Versions:

6: 18

Asad for He alone holds sway over His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware.

Pickthall He is the Omnipotent over His slaves, and He is the Wise, the Knower.

Transliteration Wa huwal qa_hiru fauqa 'iba_dih(i), wa huwal hakimul khabir(u).

6: 61

Asad And He alone holds sway over His servants. And He sends forth heavenly forces to watch over you [note 52] until, when death approaches any of you, Our messengers cause him to die: and they do not over look [anyone].

Pickthall He is the Omnipotent over His slaves. He send guardians over you until, when death comes unto one of you, Our messengers receive him, and they neglect not.

Transliteration Wa huwal qa_hiru fauqa'iba_dihi wa yursilu 'alaikum hafazah(tan), hatta_ iza_ ja_'a ahadakumul mautu tawaffathu rusuluna_ wa hum la_ yufarritu_n(a).

6: 62

Asad And they [who have died] are thereupon brought before God, their true Lord Supreme. Oh, verily, His alone is all judgment: and He is the swiftest of all reckoners!

Pickthall Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners.

Transliteration Summa ruddu_ ilalla_hi maula_humul haqq(i),ala_ lahul hukmu wa huwa asra'ul ha_sibin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 52 –Lit., “sends forth guardians over you”. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 882 Guardians: most commentators understand this to mean guardian angels. The idea of guardianship is expressed in a general term. God watches over us and guards us, and provides all kinds of agencies, material, moral, and spiritual, to help our growth and development, keep us from harm, and bring us nearer to our Destiny. (6.61)

883 Angel: the word used is rusul, the Sent Ones, -the same word as for human Apostles and Messengers sent by God to teach mankind. The agents who come to take our souls at death are accurate in the performance of their duty. They come neither before nor after their appointed time, nor do they do it in any manner other than that fixed by the Command of God. (6.61)

884 The only Reality: al-haqq, the Truth, the only True One. The point is that our illusions of the life of this lower world now vanish, when we are rendered back to God, from Whom we came. And now we find that so far from the results of our actions being delayed, they follow more swiftly than we can express in terms of Time. Here is the answer to the taunt of those who were impatient of the working of God's Plans (vi. 57-58). (6.62) ]]

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13. Surah Ar Ra'd, Medina 96

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ...

13: 16.  Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?"

C1828. The meaning of "Rabb" is explained in n. 20, to 1:2.

...قُلِ اللّهُ...

Say: "It is Allah."

...قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاء لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلاَ ضَرًّا...

Say: "Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?"

C1829. Cf. 5:76.

...قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ...

Say:

"Are the blind equal with those who see?

...أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ...

Or the depths of darkness equal with Light?"

...أَمْ جَعَلُواْ لِلّهِ شُرَكَاء خَلَقُواْ كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ...

Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar?

C1830. This verse may be analyzed into six parts, each two parts going together like question and answer. Each except the fifth part is introduced by the word "Say", which is equivalent in old Arabic to inverted commas.

The fifth part, "or do they assign .... similar?" is not introduced by "Say", because it is in the indirect form.

-        Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the Worlds?

It is Allah,

-        And yet you worship other gods?

No, no one can be equal to Him, any more than darkness is equal to light.

-        Your other gods have created nothing by which you can be misled?

No indeed; He is the only Creator, the One and Supreme.

...قُلِ اللّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ﴿١٦﴾

Say:

"Allah is the Creator of all things:

He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible."

Other Versions:

13: 16

Asad ………Say: “God is the Creator of all things; and He is the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists.”

Pickthall Say (O Muhammad): Who is Lord of the heaven and the earth? Say: Allah! Say: Take ye then (others) beside Him for protectors, which, even for themselves, have neither benefit nor hurt? Say: Is the blind man equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light? Or assign they unto Allah partners Who created the like of His creation so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them? Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Almighty.

Transliteration Qul mar rabbus sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), qulilla_h(u), qul afa-ttakhaztum min du_nihi auliya_'a la_ yamliku_na li anfusihim naf'aw wa la_ darra_(n), qul hal yastawil a'ma_ wal basir(u), am hal tastawiz zuluma_tu wan nu_r(u), am ja'ala_ lilla_hi syuraka_'a khalaqa_ ka khalqihi fa tasya_bahal khalqu 'alaihim, qulilla_hu kha_liqu kulli syai'iw wa huwal wa_hidul qahha_r(u).