7. Sura al-Araf, Mecca 39

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا...

7: 40. To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance,

لاَ تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاء وَلاَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ...

no opening will there be of the gates of heaven nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle:

...وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾

such is Our reward for those in sin.

Other Versions:

7: 140

Asad [And] he said: “Am I to seek for you a deity other than God, although it is He who has favored you above all other people? [note 102]

Pickthall He said : Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah when He hath favored you above (all) creatures?

Transliteration Qa_la agairalla_hi abgikum ila_haw wa huwa faddalakum 'alal 'a_lamin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 102 – I.e., by having raised so many prophets out of their midst.]]

[[ Ruby’s note – It is not clear what is meant by this special favor to Jews. It is possible what Asad points out in his note 102. However, it may be that at that time Moses was sent to them and not another people. And through Moses Israelites were saved from the Egyptian bondage. It is not clear this special “status” or endowment took place only at that time and in the past or it is meant for all time to come? From historical point of view Jews actually have not been a dominant power or culture in the world. Most of the history they did not have a land to rule, the religion did not spread worldwide as Christianity and Islam, they have been repeatedly persecuted and suffered at the hands of others and dominated by others. Therefore the highest favor or gift that is implied could only belong to at the time of Moses. Also may be the special favor was taken away because of their arrogance and corruption of God’s message later down the line.]]