4: 49 [an-Nisa, Medina 92]
Asad Are you not aware of those who consider themselves pure? [note 66] Nay, but it is God who causes whomever He wills to grow in purity; and none shall be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth. [note 67]
Yusuf Ali Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who claim sanctity for themselves? Nay but Allah doth sanctify whom He pleaseth but never will they fail to receive justice in the least little thing.
Pickthall Hast thou not seen those who praise themselves for purity? Nay, Allah purifieth whom He will, and they will not be wronged even the hair upon a date stone.
Transliteration Alam tara ilal lazina yuzakku_na anfusahum, balilla_hu yuzakki may yasya_'u wa la_ yuzlamu_na fatila_(n).
4: 50
Asad Behold how they attribute their own lying inventions to God – than which there is no sin more obvious. [note 68]
Yusuf Ali Behold! how they invent a lie against Allah! but that by itself is a manifest sin!
Pickthall See, how they invent lies about Allah! That of itself is flagrant sin.
Transliteration Unzur kaifa yaftaru_na'alalla_hil kazib(a), wa kafa_ bihi ismam mubina_(n).
[[ Ali’s notes - 570 The sanctimonious or self-sanctified people are the farthest from sanctity or purity, which can only proceed from Allah. They cannot play with Allah's Truth and yet go on claiming to be guided and purified or justified by Allah. Their falsehood in itself condemns them: no further proof is needed of their selfishness and evil. (4.49)
571 Literally, the small skin in the groove of a date stone, a thing of no value; fatil. (4.49) ]]
[[ Asad’s notes - 66 – I.e., the Hews, who consider themselves to be “God’s chosen people” and , therefore, a priori destined for God’s grace, and the Christians, who believe in Jesus’ “vicarious atonement” for the sins of mankind. There is also an obvious connection between this observation and the reference to “shirk” in the preceding verse, inasmuch as the Jews and the Christians, while not actually believing in the existence
of any deity apart from God, ascribe divine or semi-divine qualities, in varying degrees, to certain human beings: the Christians by their elevation of Jesus to the status of a manifestation of God in human form and their open worship of a hierarchy of saints, and the Jews by their attribution of law-giving powers to the great Talmudic scholars whose legal verdicts are supposed to override, if need be, any ordinance of the scriptures (cf. in this respect 9:31). It goes without saying that this condemnation applies also to those Muslims who have fallen into the sin of worshipping saints and according them something of the reverence which is due to God alone. Consequently, the expression “those who consider themselves pure” comprises, in this context, all who think of themselves as believing in the One God (simply because they do not consciously worship a plurality of deities) but are, nevertheless, guilty of the sin of “shirk” in the deeper sense of this term.]]
53 An-Najm (The Unfolding)
Mecca Period [23]
Asad’s version
(53:32) As for those who avoid the [truly] grave sins and shameful deeds even though they may sometimes stumble 23 - behold, thy Sustainer is abounding in forgiveness. He is fully aware of you 25 when He brings you into being out of dust, 26 and when you are still hidden in your mothers' wombs: do not, then, consider yourselves pure - [for] He knows best as to who is conscious of Him. 27 HAST THOU, then, ever considered him who turns away [from remembering Us, and cares for no more than the life of this world],
(53:34) and gives so little [of himself for the good of his soul], and so grudgingly? 28
Ali’s version and the Arabic text
الَّذِينَ
يَجْتَنِبُونَ
كَبَائِرَ
الْإِثْمِ
وَالْفَوَاحِشَ
إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ...
53:32. Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds. Only (falling into) small faults,
...إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ...
verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness.
C5106. Allah's attributes of Mercy and Forgiveness are unlimited. They come into action without our asking, but on our bringing our wills as offerings to Him. Our asking or prayer helps us to bring our minds and wills as offering to Him. That is necessary to frame our own psychological preparedness. it informs Allah of nothing, for He knows all.
...هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ...
He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth, and when ye are hidden in your mother's wombs,
...فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَى ﴿٣٢﴾
therefore justify not yourselves. He knows best who it is that guards against evil.
C5107. As Allah knows our inmost being, it is absurd for us to justify ourselves either by pretending that we are better than we are or by finding excuses for our conduct. We must offer ourselves unreservedly such as we are: it is His Mercy and Grace that will cleanse us. If we try, out of love for Him, to guard against evil, our striving is all that He asks for.
[[Asad’s notes - 23 I.e., whereas good deeds will be rewarded with far more than their merits may warrant, evil will be recompensed with no more than its equievalent (cf. 6: 1 60); and either will be decided by the Almighty without the need of "mediation" or "intercession".
24 Lit., "save for a touch [thereof] " : a phrase which may be taken to mean "an occasional stumbling into sin" - i.e., not deliberately - followed by sincere repentance (Baghawi, Razi, Ibn Kathir).
25 Sc., "and of your inborn weakness" - an implied echo of the statement that "man has been created weak" (4:28) and, therefore, liable to stumble into sinning.
26 Lit., "out of the earth": see second half of note 47 on 3:59, as well as note 4 on 23:12.
27 I.e., "never boast about your own purity", but remain humble and remember that "it is God who causes whomever He wills to remain pure" (4:49).
28 My rendering of the above two verses (together with the two interpolations between brackets) is based on Razi's convincing interpretation of this passage as a return to the theme touched upon in verses 29-30. ]]