[ 24 an-Nur, Medina 102]

24:25 [Asad’s version]

On that day will God pay them in full their just due, and they will come to know that God alone is the Ultimate Truth, manifest, and manifesting [the true nature of all that has ever been done]. 30

يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ...

25. On that Day Allah will pay them back (all) their just dues,

...وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ ﴿٢٥﴾

and they will realize that Allah is the (very) Truth, that makes all things manifest.

C2977. All that we thought of hiding will be clear as day before Allah's Judgment Seat, because He is the very essence of Truth and Reality. He is the true Light (24:35), of which all physical light is merely a type or reflection.

[[Asad’s notes 24:25- 30 Regarding the double meaning ("manifest" and "manifesting") inherent in the adjective mubin, see note 2 on 12:1; for my rendering of God's attribute al-haqq as "the Ultimate Truth", see note 99 on 20:1 14. In this particular instance, the active form of mubin ("manifesting") apparently relates to God's revelation, on Judgment Day, of the true nature of man's actions and, thus, of

the enormity of the sin to which this passage refers.

31 Lit, "innocent of all that they [i.e., the slanderers] may say".

32 See note 5 on 8:4. The reference, in this context, to God's "forgiveness of sins" (maghfirah) is obviously meant to stress the innate weakness of man's nature, which makes him prone to sinning, however good and pure he may be (cf 4:28).]]

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24:39 [An-Nur, Medina 102]

But as for those who are bent on denying the truth, their [good] deeds are like a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty supposes to be water - until, when he approaches it, he finds that it was nothing: 5 ' instead, he finds [that] God [has always been present] with him, and [that] He will pay him his account in full - for God is swift in reckoning!

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَاء...

24:39 [Ali] But the Unbelievers -- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water;

C3010. We have had various metaphors to give us an idea of the beneficent Light of Allah. Now we have contrasted metaphors to enable us to see those who deny or refuse that Light, and are overwhelmed in utter darkness.

The Light (of Allah) is an absolute Reality, and is mentioned first, and the souls that follow that Light are a reflected reality and are mentioned after the Light.

On the other hand the Darkness is not a reality in itself, but a negation of reality; the reflected existences that refuse the Light are mentioned, and then their state, which is Unreality.

Two metaphors are given:

- a mirage, in this verse,

- and the depths of darkness in the sea, in the next,

...حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئًا ...

until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing:

C3011. The mirage, of which I have seen several instances in the Arabian deserts and in Egypt, is a strange phenomenon of illusion. It is a trick of our vision.

In the language of our Parable, it rejects the Light which shows us the Truth, and deceives us with Falsehood.

A lonely traveller in a desert, nearly dying of thirst, sees a broad sheet of water. He goes in that direction, lured on and on, but finds nothing at all. He dies in protracted agony.

... وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسَابَهُ...

but he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account:

C3012. The rebel against Allah finds himself like the man deluded by a mirage. The Truth which he rejected is always with him. The mirage which he accepted leads to his destruction.

...وَاللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٣٩﴾

and Allah is swift in taking account.

مَن جَاء بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا...

27: 89. [Ali] If any do good, good will (accrue) to them therefrom;

...وَهُم مِّن فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ آمِنُونَ ﴿٨٩﴾

and they will be secure from terror that Day.

وَمَن جَاء بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ...

90. And if any do evil, their faces will be thrown headlong into the Fire:

C3320. Headlong: it may be that the very things of which we were proudest, which we considered foremost in our present order of the world, will be the first to go into the Fire, as they are but the window-dressing (faces) of Evil.

...هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٠﴾

"Do ye receive a reward other than that which ye have earned by your deeds?"

C3321. There will be no punishment except such as has been deserved by actual conduct in the present life of probation.

27:87 And on that Day the trumpet [of judgment] will be sounded, and all [creatures] that are in the heavens and all that are on earth will be stricken with terror, except such as God wills [to exempt]: and in utter lowliness all will come unto Him. (27:88) And thou wilt see the mountains, which [now] thou deemest so firm, pass away as clouds pass away: a work of God, who has ordered all things to perfection! 78 Verily, He is fully aware of all that you do!

27:89 Whoever shall come [before Him] with a good deed will gain [further] good therefrom; 7 ' and they will be secure from the terror of that Day. (27:90) But they who shall come with evil deeds 80 - their faces will be thrust into the fire, [and they will be asked:] "Is this aught but a just requital 81 for what you were doing [in life]?"

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِيَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا...

27: 86 [Ali]. See they not that We have made the Night for them to rest in and the Day to give them light?

C3316. Night, Day, Rest, and Light. both in the literal and the symbolic sense.

- Any one with a scrap of faith or spiritual insight could see that the Night is blessing when used for rest and a curse when used to cover ignorance or sin;

- and that the Day is for work and enlightenment, and its misuse is gross ingratitude to Allah.

Or, understand Truth and practise Righteousness while it is yet Light and the Message of Allah is here to guide you:

for there comes the Night when Endeavour will cease and there will be no room for Repentance.

...إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٨٦﴾

Verily in this are Signs for any people that believe!

...وَيَوْمَ يُنفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاء اللَّهُ...

87. And the Day that the Trumpet will be sounded -- then will be smitten with terror those who are in the heavens, and those who are on earth, except such as Allah will please (to exempt):

...وَكُلٌّ أَتَوْهُ دَاخِرِينَ ﴿٨٧﴾

and all shall come to His (Presence) as beings conscious of their lowliness.

C3317. Arrogance will flee with Ignorance, and Self will sec itself in its true place-that of humility and lowliness-when the scales of ignorance fall from its eyes.

وَتَرَى الْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِيَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ...

88. Thou seest the mountains and thinkest them firmly fixed: but they shall pass away as the clouds pass away:

C3318. This is so in the present phase of phenomenal things, both literally and figuratively.

There seems nothing more firm or fixed or permanent than the "eternal hills": yet when the new order of things comes and the new World is brought into being, they will be as flimsy and unsubstantial as clouds.

So, in the revaluation of things in the Hereafter persons or things or ideas that seem so great and so firmly established now will pass away like mere fancies and give way to the Reality of Allah.

...صُنْعَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ...

(such is) the artistry of Allah, Who disposes of all things in perfect order:

C3319. Atqana: to arrange or dispose of things with art, or so as to obtain the most perfect results.

The present phenomenal world and the Future that is to be, all have a definite object and purpose in the Plan of Allah, Who knows perfectly what we are, what we do, what we think, and what we need. Who can praise His artistry enough?

...إِنَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾

for He is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

مَن جَاء بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا...

89. If any do good, good will (accrue) to them therefrom;

...وَهُم مِّن فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ آمِنُونَ ﴿٨٩﴾

and they will be secure from terror that Day.

40 Ghafir (Forgiving)/al mumin

Mecca 60 [85 verses]

(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

[[Asad’s notes -

28 I.e., beyond any earthly imagination. The concept of rizq (expressed in the verb yurzaqun) has here its full significance of all that is good and of benefit to a living being, comprising things material as well as intellectual and spiritual; hence my rendering of yurzaqun (lit., "they will be given sustenance") as "they shall be blest with good".

53 An-Najm (The Unfolding)

Mecca Period [23]

Asad’s version

53:31 Indeed, unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth: and so He will reward those who do evil in accordance with what they did, and will reward those who do good with ultimate good. 23

Ali’s version and the Arabic text

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ...

31.  Yea, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth;

... لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاؤُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى ﴿٣١﴾

so that He rewards those who do evil, according to their deeds, and He rewards those who do good, with what is best.

C5105. All deeds have their consequences, good or ill. But this is not an iron law, as the Determinists in philosophy, or the preachers of bare Karma, would have us believe.

Allah does not sit apart. He governs the world. And Mercy as well as Justice are His attributes. In His Justice every deed or word or thought of evil has its consequence for the doer or speaker or thinker. But there is always in this life room for repentance and amendment. As soon as this is forthcoming, Allah's Mercy comes into action. It can blot out our evil, and the "reward" which it gives is nearly always greater than our merits.

[[Asad’s note - 23 I.e., whereas good deeds will be rewarded with far more than their merits may warrant, evil will be recompensed with no more than its equialent (cf. 6: 1 60); and either will be decided by the Almighty without the need of "mediation" or "intercession". ]]