6. [al-Anam, Cattle Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
تَأْكُلُواْ
مِمَّا لَمْ
يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ
اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ
وَإِنَّهُ
لَفِسْقٌ ...
6: 121. Eat not of (meats) on which Allah's name hath not been pronounced:
that would be impiety.
...وَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَادِلُوكُمْ ...
But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you;
...وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٢١﴾
if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be pagans.
6: 121
Asad Hence, ear not of that over which God’s name has not been pronounced: for this would be sinful conduct indeed. And, verily, the evil impulses [within men’s hearts] whisper unto those who have made them their own [note 106] that they should involve you in argument [as to what is and what is not a sin]; and if you pay heed unto them, lo! you will become [like] those who ascribe divinity to other beings or forces beside God [note 107].
Pickthall And eat not of that whereon Allah's name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire thee minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.
Transliteration Wa la_ ta'kulu_ mimma_ lam yuzkarismulla_hi 'alaihi wa innahu_ lafisq(un), wa innasy syaya_tina layu_hu_na ila_ auliya_'ihim liyuja_dilu_kum, wa in ata'tumu_hum innakum lamusyriku_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 106 –Lit., “the satans whisper unto those who are near to them (ila awliya ihim). For my above rendering of “shayatin” as “evil impulses” , see note 10 on 2:14 and note 31 on 14:22.]]
[[ Asad’s note 107 – I.e., “your own evil impulses are trying to draw you into argument as to what does and what does not constitute a sin in order to make you lose sight of God’s clear ordinances in this respect; and if you follow their abribrary, deceptive reasoning, you will elevate them, as to were, to the position of moral law-givers, and thus ascribe to them a right that belongs to God alone.”]]
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19. Surah Maryam, Mecca 44
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاتَّخَذُوا
مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ
آلِهَةً لِّيَكُونُوا
لَهُمْ عِزًّا ﴿٨١﴾
19: 81. And they have taken (for worship) gods other than Allah, to give them power and glory!
C2525. 'Izz: exalted rank, glory, power, might, the ability to impose one's will or to carry out one's will.
كَلَّا
سَيَكْفُرُونَ
بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ
وَيَكُونُونَ
عَلَيْهِمْ
ضِدًّا ﴿٨٢﴾
19: 82. Instead, they shall reject their worship, and become adversaries against them.
C2526. Cf. 10:28-30, where the idols deny that they knew anything of their worship, and leave their worshippers in the lurch;
and 5:119, where Jesus denies that he asked for worship, and leaves his false worshippers to the punishment of Allah.
أَلَمْ
تَرَ أَنَّا
أَرْسَلْنَا
الشَّيَاطِينَ
عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
تَؤُزُّهُمْ
أَزًّا ﴿٨٣﴾
19: 83. Seest thou not that We have set the Evil Ones on against the Unbelievers, to incite them with fury?
C2527. Under the laws instituted by Allah, when evil reaches a certain stage of rebellion and defiance, it is left to gather momentum and to rush with fury to its own destruction. It is given a certain amount of respite, as a last chance: but failing repentance, its days are numbered.
The godly therefore should not worry themselves over the apparent worldly success of evil, but should get on with their own duties in a spirit of trust in Allah.
Asad’s Version:
19:81
Asad For [such as] these have taken to worshipping deities other than God, hoping that they would
be a [source of] strength for them. 70
Asad (19:82) But nay! [On Judgment Day] these [very objects
of adoration] will disavow the worship that was paid to them, and will turn against those [who
had worshipped them] !
19:83
Asad ART THOU NOT aware that We have let loose all [manner of] satanic forces 71 upon those
who deny the truth - [forces] that impel them [towards sin] with strong impulsion? 72
[[ Asad’s notes
70 This refers to the type of man spoken of in the preceding passage as well as inverses 73-75:
people who "worship" wealth and power with an almost religious devotion, attributing to these
manifestations of worldly success the status of divine forces.
71 Lit., "the satans", by which term the Qur'an often describes all that is intrinsically evil,
especially the immoral impulses in maris own soul (cf. note 10 on 2:14 and note 33 on verse 44
of the present surah).
72 See note 31 on 15:41. According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the expression "We have let loose
(arsalna) all [manner of] satanic forces (shayatin) upon those who deny the truth" has here the
meaning of "We have allowed them to be active (khallayna) among them", leaving it to maris free will to accept or to reject those evil influences or impulses. Razi, in particular, points in this
context to surah 14, verse 22, according to which Satan will thus address the sinners on Resurrection Day: "I had no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded to me. Hence, blame
not me, but blame yourselves. " See also note 3 1 on 1 4:22, in which Razi's comment is quoted verbatim. ]]