5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَتَجِدَنَّ
أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ
عَدَاوَةً
لِّلَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ
وَالَّذِينَ
أَشْرَكُواْ
...
5: 82. Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans;
... وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى...
and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say: "We are Christians:"
C789. The meaning is not that they merely call themselves Christians, but that they were such sincere Christians that they appreciated Muslim virtues, as did the Abyssinians to whom Muslim refugees went during the persecution in Makkah. (R).
... ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا ...
because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world,
C790. Qissis: I have translated as "devoted to learning," following the Commentators. it seems to be a foreign word, possibly Abyssinian rather than Syriac, as the reference seems to be to the Abyssinian Christians.
Their real devotion to learning and the renunciation of the world by the Monastic Orders are contrasted with the hypocrisy and arrogance of the Pharisees and Scribes.
... وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿٨٢﴾
and they are not arrogant.
وَإِذَا
سَمِعُواْ مَا
أُنزِلَ إِلَى
الرَّسُولِ
...
5: 83. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger,
... تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ...
thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth:
... يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾
they pray:
"Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses.
وَمَا
لَنَا لاَ نُؤْمِنُ
بِاللّهِ وَمَا
جَاءنَا مِنَ
الْحَقِّ...
5: 84. "What cause can we have not to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us,
... وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبَّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٨٤﴾
seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?"
فَأَثَابَهُمُ
اللّهُ بِمَا
قَالُواْ جَنَّاتٍ
تَجْرِي مِن
تَحْتِهَا
الأَنْهَارُ
خَالِدِينَ
فِيهَا...
5: 85. And for this their prayer hath Allah rewarded them with gardens, with rivers flowing underneath, their eternal home.
... وَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾
Such is the recompense of those who do good.
وَالَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
وَكَذَّبُواْ
بِآيَاتِنَا
أُوْلَـئِكَ
أَصْحَابُ
الْجَحِيمِ
﴿٨٦﴾
5: 86. But those who reject faith and belie our Signs, they shall be companions of Hell-fire.
Asad’s Version:
5: 82 You will surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God;
5: 82 – 86 and you will surely find that, of all people, they who say , “Behold, we are Christians,” come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance. For, when they come to understand what has been bestowed from on high upon this Apostle, you cannot see their eyes overflow with tears, because they recognize something of its truth; [and] they say: “ O our Sustainer! We do believe ; make us one, then, with all who bear witness to the truth.
And how could we fail to believe in God and in whatever truth has come unto us, when we so fervently desire that our Sustainer count us among the righteous?”
And for this their belief God will reward them with gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for such in the requital of the doers of good; whereas they who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages – they are destined for the blazing fire.
===================================
9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ
عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ
اللّهِ...
9: 30. The Jews call Uzayr a son of God,
C1283. In n. 718 to 5:18, 1 have quoted passages from the Old Testament, showing how freely the expression "sons of Allah" was used by the Jews. A sect of them called 'Uzair a son of Allah, according to Baidhawl.
In Appendix II (Surah 5) I have shown that the constitution of Judaism dates from 'Uzair (Ezra). The Christians still call Christ the Son of God.
...وَقَالَتْ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللّهِ...
and the Christians call Christ the son of God.
...ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ...
That is a saying from their mouths;
يُضَاهِؤُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَبْلُ...
(in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say.
C1284. Taking men for gods or sons of Allah was not a new thing. All ancient mythologies have fables of that kind. There was less excuse for such blasphemies after the Prophets of Allah had clearly explained out true relation to Allah than in the times of primitive ignorance and superstition.
...قَاتَلَهُمُ اللّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
Allah's curse be on them:
how they are deluded away from the truth!
C1285. Cf. 5:75.
Asad’s Version:
9: 30 and the Jews say, “Ezra is God’s son,” while the Christians say, “The Christ is God’s son.” Such are the saying which they utter with their mouths, following in spirit assertions made in earlier times by people who denied the truth!” [They deserve the imprecation:] “May God destroy them!”
How perverted are their minds! They have taken their rabbis and their monks – as well as the Christ, son of Mary – for their lords beside God, although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!