6. [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَذَلِكَ
جَعَلْنَا
لِكُلِّ نِبِيٍّ
عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ
الإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ
...
6: 112. Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy, evil ones among men and Jinns,
C941. What happened in the history of the Holy Prophet happens in the history of all righteous men who have a Message from Allah. The spirit of evil is ever active and uses men to practice deception by means of highly embellished words and plausible excuses and objections.
Allah permits these things in His Plans. It is not for us to complain. Our faith is tested, and we must stand the test steadfastly.
...يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا...
inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.
...وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾
If thy Lord had so planned, they would not have done it:
so leave them and their inventions alone.
6: 112
Asad And thus it is that against every prophet We have set up as enemies the evil forces from among humans as well as from among invisible beings that whisper unto one another glittering half-truths meant to delude the mind. But they could not do this unless your Sustainer had so willed; stand, therefore, aloof from them and from all their false imagery!
Pickthall Thus have We appointed unto every Prophet an adversary--devils of humankind and jinn who inspire in one another plausible discourse through guile. If thy Lord willed, they would not do so; so leave them alone with their devising;
[[ Ali’s note - 941 What happened in the history of the Holy Prophet happens in the history of all righteous men who have a Message from God. The spirit of evil is ever active and uses men to practice deception by means of highly embellished words and plausible excuses and objections. God permits these things in His Plans. It is not for us to complain. Our faith is tested, and we must stand the test steadfastly. (6.112) ]]
[[ Asad’s note 98 - Lit., “embellished speech” or “varnished falsehood” (lane III, 1223) “by way of delusion” – i.e., half-truths which entice man by their deceptive attractiveness and cause him to overlook all real spiritual values (see also 25:30-31)……..The term “shayatin” (lit., “satans”), on the other hand, is often used in the Quran in the sense of evil forces inherent in man as well as in the spiritual world (cf. 2:14, and the corresponding note). According to several well-authenticated Traditions, quoted by Tabari, the Prophet was asked, “Are there satans from men?” – and he replied, “Yes, and hteye are more evil than the satans from among the invisible beings (al-jinn).” Thus, the meaning of the above verse is t hat every prophet has had to contend against the spiritual – and often physical – enmity of the evil ones who, for whatever reason, refuse to listen to the voice of truth and try to lead others astray.]]