55. Sura ar-Rahman [most gracious]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ ...
55: 33. O ye assembly of Jinns and men!
C5194. Cf. 6:130, where the Jinns and men are addressed collectively. That whole passage, 6:130-134, should be read as a commentary on this verse.
'If you think that because you do things in secret, or because some of your sins do not seem to meet their inevitable punishment or some of your good deeds seem to go unnoticed, do not be deceived. Judgment will soon come. You cannot possibly escape out of the zones in which your lives have been cast, without authority from Allah. Be grateful to Allah for the chances He has given you'.
"All that hath been promised unto you will come to pass: nor can ye frustrate it in the least bit" (6:134).
... إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا ...
if it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye!
... لَا
تَنفُذُونَ
إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ
﴿٣٣﴾
not without authority shall ye be able to pass!
55: 33
Asad O you who live in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and humans! 15 If you [think that you] can pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth," pass beyond them! [But] you cannot pass beyond them, save by a sanction [from God]! 17
Pickthall O company of jinn and men, if ye have power to penetrate (all) regions of the heavens and the earth; then penetrate (them)! Ye will never penetrate them save with (Our) sanction.
Transliteration Ya_ masaral jin ni wal insi inis tatatum an tanfuzu_min aqta_ris sama_wa_ti wal ardi fanfuzu_ la_ tanfuzu_na il la_ bisulta_n
[[Asad’s note - 15 For an explanation of this rendering of ma'shar al-jinn wa-'l-ins, see note 112 on the first paragraph of6:128.
16 I.e., in order to escape God's judgment and chastisement.
17 I.e., "unless He wills to reprieve you": cf the last paragraph of 6:128 and the corresponding note 114. ]]