4. Sura an-Nisa

Medina 92 [Hijra 4]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّواْ أَيْدِيَكُمْ ...

4: 77.  Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (form fight)

C595. Before the command for fighting was issued there were some who were impatient, and could scarcely be held back. They wanted fighting from human motives,- pugnacity, hatred against their enemies, the gaining of personal ends. Fighting from such motives is wrong at all times.

When the testing time came, and they had to fight, not for their own hand, but for a Sacred Cause, in which there was much suffering and little personal gain, the Hypocrites held back and were afraid.

... وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ...  

but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity?

... فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً...  

When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as, or even more than, they should have feared Allah:

... وَقَالُواْ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتَالَ...  

they say: "Our Lord! why hast Thou ordered us to fight?

... لَوْلا أَخَّرْتَنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ ...

Wouldst Thou not grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?"

C596. "Our natural term of life," they would say, "is short enough; why should we jeopardize it by fighting in which there is no personal gain?"

The answer is begun in this verse and continued in the next. Briefly, the answer is:

1.     in any case the pleasures of this world are short; this life is fleeting; the first thing for a righteous man to do is to emancipate himself from its obsessions;

2.     to do your duty is to do right; therefore turn your attention mainly to duty;

3.     when duty calls for self-sacrifice, be sure that Allah's call is never unjust, and never such as to exceed your capacity; and

4.     if you fear death, you will not by fear escape death; it will find you out wherever you are; why not face it boldly when duty calls?

... قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدَّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ ...

Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world:

... وَالآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى وَلاَ تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلاً ﴿٧٧﴾

the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

Asad’s Version:

4 : 77 Say: Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are conscious of God - since none of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breath .

4: 77

Asad Are you not aware of those who have been told, “Curb your hands [note 91] and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues”? But as soon as fighting [in God’s cause] is ordained for them, lo, some of them stand in awe of men as one should stand in awe of God – or in even greater awe – and say, “O our Sustainer! Why have you ordained fighting for us? If only you had granted us a delay for a little while!” Say: “Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are conscious of God – since none of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth.

Yusuf Ali Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them behold! a section of them feared men as or even more than they should have feared Allah: they say: "Our Lord! why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not grant us respite to our (natural) term near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

Pickthall Hast thou not seen those unto whom it was said: Withhold your hands, establish worship and pay the poor due, but when fighting was prescribed for them behold, a party of them fear mankind even as their fear of Allah or with greater fear, and say: Our Lord! Why hast thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou wouldst give us respite yet a while! Say (unto them, O Muhammad): The comfort of this world is scant; the Hereafter will be better for him who wardeth off (evil); and ye will not be wronged the down upon a date stone.

Alam tara ilal lazina qila lahum kuffu_ aidiyakum wa aqimus sala_ta wa a_tuz zaka_h(ta), falamma_ kutiba'alaihimul qita_lu iza_ fariqum minhum yakhsyaunan na_sa ka khasyyatilla_hi au asyadda khasyyah(ti), wa qa_lu_ rabbana_ lima katabta'alainal qita_l(a), lau la_ akhkhartana_ ila_ ajalin qarib(in), qul mata_'ud dunya_ qalil(un), wal a_khiratu khairul limanittaqa_, wa la_ tuzlamu_na fatila_(n).

4: 124

Asad whereas anyone – be it man or woman – who does [whatever he can] of good deeds and is a believer withal, shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone.

Yusuf Ali If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or female and have faith they will enter heaven and not the least injustice will be done to them.

Pickthall And whoso doeth good works, whether of male or female, and he (or she) is a believer, such will enter paradise and they will not be wronged the dint in a date-stone.

Transliteration Wa may ya'mal minas sa_liha_ti min zakarin au unsa_ wa huwa mu'minun fa ula_'ika yadkhulu_nal jannata wa la_ yuzlamu_na naqira_(n).

[[ Ali’s note - 633 Naqir = the groove in a date-stone, a thing of no value whatever. Cf. n. 575 to iv. 53. (4.124) ]]

17: 71

Asad One Day We shall common all human beings according to the conscious disposition which governed their deeds: whereupon they whose record shall be placed in their right hand – it is they who will read their record [with happiness] . Yet none shall be wronged by as much as a hair’s breadth:

Yusuf Ali One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure) and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

Pickthall On the day when We shall summon ill men with their record, whoso is given his book in his right hand such will read their book and they will not be wronged a shred.

[see Asad note 84 – 86 …….A symbolic image, often used in the Quran, denoting …..righteousness …..just as the ‘left hand’ indicates its opposite (cf. 69:19 and 25, as well as 84:7) ]

18: 49

Asad ……..thy Sustainer does not wrong anyone.

Yusuf Ali And the Book (of Deeds) will be placed (before you); and thou wilt see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein; they will say "Ah! woe to us! what a book is this! It leaves out nothing small or great but takes account thereof!" They will find all that they did placed before them: and not one will thy Lord treat with injustice.

Pickthall And the Book is placed, and thou seest the guilty fearful of that which is therein, and they say: What Kind of a book is this that leaveth not a small thing nor a great thing but hath counted it! And they find all that they did confronting them, and thy Lord wrongeth no one.

Transliteration Wa wudi'al kita_bu fataral mujrimina musyfiqina mimma_ fihi wa yaqu_lu_na ya_ wailatana_ ma_li ha_zal kita_bi la_ yuga_diru sagirataw wa la_ kabiratan illa_ ahsa_ha_, wa wajadu_ ma_ 'amilu_ ha_dira_(n), wa la_ yazlimu rabbuka ahada_(n).

23:62 [al-Muminun, Mecca 74]

وَلَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا...

23:62 [Ali]. On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear:

C2913. Cf. 2:286 and n. 339 .

...وَلَدَيْنَا كِتَابٌ يَنطِقُ بِالْحَقِّ...

before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth:

C2914. The record speaks clearly, and shows exactly what each soul has done and thought, and what is due to it in justice.

The worst will receive full justice. The best will receive far more than their due: 28:84.

...وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾

they will never be wronged.

23:63

[Ali]

بَلْ قُلُوبُهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةٍ مِّنْ هَذَا...

63. But their hearts are in confused ignorance of this;

C2915. This is said of the Unbelievers who rejected Faith and rejoiced in the vanities of this world. In spite of the proclamation of Truth, they are doubtful of the future Life and Judgment.

...وَلَهُمْ أَعْمَالٌ مِن دُونِ ذَلِكَ هُمْ لَهَا عَامِلُونَ ﴿٦٣﴾

and there are, besides that, deeds of theirs, which they will (continue) to do --

C2916. In addition to their rejection of Faith, they have against them positive deeds of wrong-doing, from which, on account of their contempt of the Light from Allah, they will not desist until they are sharply pulled up for punishment: and then repentance will be too late!

23:64

حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذْنَا مُتْرَفِيهِم بِالْعَذَابِ إِذَا هُمْ يَجْأَرُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

64. Until, when We seize in Punishment those of them who received the good things of this world, behold, they will groan in supplication!

[[Asad’s notes - 34 This passage obviously connects with the last sentence of verse 56 - "Nay, but they do not perceive [their error] ! " - and, hence, refers to the people spoken of in verse 54 as being "lost in their Ignorance" (fi ghamratihim).

35 Namely, actions and dogmatic assertions which utterly contradict the teachings of the very apostles whom they claim to follow, like ascribing divine qualities to beings other than God, worshipping saints, or rejecting divine revelations which do not accord with their own likes and dislikes or with their customary mode of thinking.

36 See surah 17, note 22. The particular reference, in this context, to people "who [at present] are lost in the pursuit of pleasures" contains an allusion to verse 55 above (see my explanation in note 32, especially the last sentence). The "taking to task though suffering" spoken of here may refer to the Day of Judgment or - as in 17:16 to the inevitable social ruin which, in the long run,wrong beliefs and actions bring with themselves in this world. ]]

40 Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin

Mecca 60 [85 verses]

40:17 On that Day will every human being be requited for what he has earned: no wrong [will be done] on that Day: verily, swift in reckoning is God!

(40:18) Hence, warn them of that Day which draws ever nearer, when the hearts will chokingly come up to the throats: no loving friend will the evildoers have, nor any intercessor who would be heeded: 15

(40:19) [for] He is aware of the [most] stealthy glance, and of all that the hearts would conceal. 14

[[ Asad’s notes - 14 God's omniscience is shown here as the reason why there can be no "intercession" with Him in the commonly-accepted sense of this term (cf surah 10, note 27).

15 I.e., saints, whether real or imaginary, or angels. (The pronoun alladhina is used only with reference to sentient beings endowed with reason.)]]

40 Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin

Mecca 60 [85 verses]

40:39 "O my people! This worldly life is but a brief enjoyment, whereas, behold, the life to come is the home abiding.

(40:40) [There,] anyone who has done a bad deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof, whereas anyone, be it man or woman, who has done righteous deeds and is a believer withal - all such will enter paradise, wherein they shall be blest with good beyond all reckoning! 28

40:41 "And, O my people, how is it 2 ' that I summon you to salvation, the while you summon me to the fire?

(40:42) - [for] you call upon me to deny [the oneness of] God and to ascribe a share in His divinity to aught of which I cannot [possibly] have any knowledge, 30 the while I summon you to [a cognition of] the Almighty, the All-Forgiving!