46 Al-Ahqaf (The Sand-Dunes)

Mecca Period 66

Asad’s version

46:9 Say: "I am not the first of [God's] apostles; 10 and [like all of them] I do not know what will be done with me or with you:" for I am nothing but a plain warner."

The Quranic text and Ali’s version

قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعًا مِّنْ الرُّسُلِ وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلَا بِكُمْ...

46:9. Say:

"I am no bringer of new-fangled doctrine among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you.

C4782. 'What is there to forge? All prophets have taught the Unity of Allah and our duty to mankind. I bring no new fangled doctrine, but eternal truths that have been known to good men through the ages. It is to reclaim you that I have come, I do not know what will be your fate for all this callousness, nor what you will do to me. But this I know, that I am preaching truth and righteousness as inspired by Allah. My duty is only to proclaim aloud and clearly the Message entrusted to me by Allah. The rest I leave to Allah.'

...إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٩﴾

I follow but that which is revealed to me by inspiration: I am but a Warner open and clear."

[[ Asad’s note - 10 Thus Tabari, Baghawi, Razi, Ibn Kathir, implying - as Razi stresses - "I am but a human being like all of God's message-bearers who preceded me". Alternatively, the phrase may be rendered as "I am no innovator among the apostles" - i.e., "I am not preaching anything that was not already preached by all of God's apostles before me" (Razi and Baydawi): which coincides with the Qur'anic doctrine of the identity of the ethical teachings propounded by all of God's prophets. ]]

Yuksel’s version

46:9 Say, "I am no different from the other messengers, nor do I know what will happen to me or to you. I only follow what is inspired to me. I am no more than a clear warner"