Sura-5 [Al Maida Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
وَأَنزَلْنَا
إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ
بِالْحَقِّ
مُصَدِّقًا
لِّمَا بَيْنَ
يَدَيْهِ
مِنَ الْكِتَابِ
وَمُهَيْمِنًا
عَلَيْهِ ...
5:48. To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety;
C759. After the corruption of the older revelations, the Quran comes with a twofold purpose:
1. to confirm the true and original Message, and
2. to guard it, or act as a check to its interpretation.
The Arabic word Muhaymin is very comprehensive in meaning. It means one who;
- safeguards,
- watches over,
- stands witness,
- preserves, and
- upholds.
The Quran safeguards "the Book", for it has preserved within it the teachings of all the former Books. It watches over these Books in the sense that it will not let their true teachings to be lost. It supports and upholds these Books in the sense that it corroborates the Word of Allah which has remained intact in them. It stands a witness because it bears testimony to the Word of Allah contained in these Books and helps to sort it out from the interpretations and commentaries of the people which were mixed with it: what is confirmed by the Quran is the Word of Allah and what is against it is that of the people. (R).
... فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ...
so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the truth that hath come to thee.
... لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا...
To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way.
C760. Law: shirat, rules of practical conduct.
Open Way: Minhaj. The finer things which are above the law, but which are yet available to everyone, like a sort of open highway. The light in verses 44 and 46 though laws and rules may take different forms among different People.
... وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً ...
If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people,
... وَلَـكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَآ آتَاكُم فَاسْتَبِقُوا الخَيْرَاتِ...
but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues.
C761. By origin mankind were a single people or nation: 4:1, and 2:213. That being so Allah could have kept us all alike, with one language, one kind of disposition, and one set of physical conditions (including climate) to live in. But in His wisdom, He gives us diversity in these things, not only at any given time, but in different periods and ages.
This tests our capacity for Unity (Wahdaniyat) still more, and accentuates the need of Unity and Islam.
... إِلَى الله مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾
The goal of you all is to Allah;
it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute.
C762. Men are wont to make conflicting claims regarding Allah, the ultimate destiny of man, and other questions of vital importance.
No matter how vehement and eloquent the proponents of false doctrines might be, their efforts will prove fruitless and it will be indisputably clear on the Day of Judgment as to who entertained false notions and who cherished the truth. (Eds).
Asad’s Version:
5: 48
Asad And unto the [O Prophet] have We vouchsafed this divine writ, setting forth the truth, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains of earlier revelations and determining what is true therein (note 64). Judge, then, between the followers of earlier revelation in accordance with what God has bestowed from on high (note 65), and do not follow their errant views, forsaking the truth that has come unto thee.
Unto every one of you have We appoint a [different] law and way of life (note 66). And if God has so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but [He willed it otherwise} in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto God you all must return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.
Yusuf Ali To thee We sent the Scripture in truth confirming the scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety; so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed and follow not their vain desires diverging from the truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way. If Allah had so willed He would have made you a single people but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute.
Transliteration Wa anzalna_ ilaikal kita_ba bil haqqi musaddiqal lima_ baina yadaihi minal kita_bi wa muhaiminan 'alaihi fahkum bainahum bima_ anzalalla_hu wa la_ tattabi' ahwa_'ahum 'amma_ ja_'aka minal haqq(i), li kullin ja'alna_ minkum syir'ataw wa minha_ja_(n), wa lau sya_'alla_hu laja'alakum ummataw wa_hidataw wa la_kil liyabluwakum fi ma_ a_ta_kum fastabiqul khaira_t(i), ilalla_hi marji'ukum jami'an fa yunabbi'ukum bima_ kuntum fihi takhtalifu_n(a).
[[ Asad note 66: The expression “every one of you” denotes the various communities of which mankind is composed. The term ‘shirah’ signifies, literally, “ the way to a watering-place” (from which men and animals derive the element indispensable to their life), and is used in the Quran to denote a system of law necessary for a community’s social and spiritual welfare. The term ‘minhaj’, on the other hand, denotes an “ open road”, usually in an abstract sense: that is, “ a way of life”, The term ‘shirah’ and ‘minhaj’ are more restricted in their meaning than the term ‘din’ , which comprises not merely the laws relating to a particular religion but also the basic, unchanging spiritual truths which, according to the Quran, have been preached by every one of God’s apostles, while the particular body of laws (Shirah or shariah) promulgated through them, and the way of life (minhaj) recommended by them, varied in accordance with the exigencies of the time and of each community’s cultural development. This “unity in diversity” is frequently stressed in the Quran. Because of the universal applicability and textual incorruptibility of its teachings – as well as of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad is “the seal of all prophets” , i.e., the last of them – the Quran represents the culminating point of all revelation and offers the final, perfect way to spiritual fulfillment.
This uniqueness of the Quranic message does not, however, preclude all adherents of earlier faiths from attaining to God’s grace: for – as the Quran so often points out – those among them who believe uncompromisingly in One God and the Day of Judgment and live righteously “need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve”.
[[ Asad’s notes: 64- The participle ‘muhaymin’ is derived from the quadrilateral verb ‘haymana’, “he watched [over a thing]” or “controlled [it]”, and is used here to describe the Quran as the determinant factor in deciding what is genuine and what is false in the earlier scriptures (see Manar VI, 410ff.).
65- Lit., “judge, then, between them…” etc. This apparently applies not merely to judicial cases but also to opinion as to what is right or wring in the ethical sense (see note 55 above)………
68 - ….Thus, the Quran impresses upon all who believe in God – Muslims and non-Muslims alike – that the differences in their religious practices should make them “vie with one another in doing good works” rather than lose themselves in mutual hostility. ]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 759 After the corruption of the older revelations, the Qur-an comes with a twofold purpose: (1) to confirm the true and original Message, and (2) to guard it, or act as a check to its interpretation. The Arabic word Muhaimin is very comprehensive in meaning. It means one who safeguards, watches over, stands witness, preserves, and upholds. The Qur-an safeguards "the Book", for it has preserved within it the teachings of all the former Books. It watches over these Books in the sense that it will not let their true teachings to be lost. It supports and upholds these Books in the sense that it corroborates the Word of Allah which has remained intact in them. It stands a witness because it bears testimony to the Word of Allah contained in these Books and helps to sort it out from the interpretations and commentaries of the people which were mixed with it: what is confirmed by the Qur-an is the Word of Allah and what is against it is that of the people. (5.48)
760 Law: shir'at = rules of practical conduct. Open Way: Minhaj = The guidance of the Prophet in all aspects of life. (5.48)
761 By origin mankind were a single people or nation: iv. 1, and ii. 213. That being so Allah could have kept us all alike, with one language, one kind of disposition, and one set of physical conditions (including climate) to live in. But in His wisdom, He gives us diversity in these things, not only at any given time, but in different periods and ages. This tests our capacity for Unity (Wahdaniyat) still more, and accentuates the need of Unity and Islam. (5.48)
762 Men are wont to make conflicting claims regarding Allah, the ultimate destiny of man, and other questions of vital importance. No matter how vehement and eloquent the proponents of false doctrines might be, their efforts will prove fruitless and it will be indisputably clear on the Day of Judgment as to who entertained false notions and who cherished the truth. (5.48) ]]
[[ Ruby’s note – The capacity to unity depends on our desire to differentiate the more profound things and criteria from the ones which are not and on our commitment to truth and searching truth. ]]
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Sura -42 [ Ash-Shura, Mecca 53 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
فَلِذَلِكَ فَادْعُ وَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءهُمْ...
42:15. Now then, for that (reason), call (them to the Faith), and stand steadfast as thou art commanded, nor follow thou their vain desires;
C4547. How beautifully the mission of Islam is commended in this verse!
1. The more sectarianism and division there is in the world, the more need is there for the Gospel of Unity.
2. It must steadfastly pursue its way.
3. It must not be deflected by worldly or political motives.
4. Its faith must be directly in Allah and in Allah's Revelation. "The Book" mentioned here covers all the revelations sent by Allah to His prophets.
5. it must judge justly between warring factions, as the Religion of Peace and Unity.
...وَقُلْ
آمَنتُ
بِمَا
أَنزَلَ
اللَّهُ
مِن
كِتَابٍ
وَأُمِرْتُ
لِأَعْدِلَ
بَيْنَكُمُ...
"I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you.
...اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ...
Allah is Our Lord and your Lord.
For us (is the responsibility for) Our deeds, and for you for your deeds.
There is no contention between us and you.
C4548. The Mission of Islam is further described.
6. The God whom it preaches is not an exclusive God: He is the Lord of the Worlds: to any given person, of whatever faith, 'He is your Allah, as well as mine.'
7. Our Faith is not a question of words; it is deeds which decide; each one of us has personal responsibility for his own conduct.
8. There is no cause of contention whatever, when we preach Unity, Truth, and the Hereafter.
9. If you have doubts, the final arbiter is Allah, and His pleasure is our Goal.
...اللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٥﴾
Allah will bring us together, and to Him is (Our) final goal.
Asad’s Version:
42: 15
Asad Because of this then, summon [all mankind], and pursue the right course, as you have been bidden; and do not follow their likes and dislikes, but say:
“ I believe in whatever revelation God has bestowed from on high; and I am bidden to bring about equity in your mutual views. God is our Sustainer as well as your Sustainer. To us shall be accounted our deeds, and to you, yours. Let there be no contention between us and you: God will bring us all together – for with Him is all journeys’ end.”
Yusuf Ali Now then for that (reason) call (them to the Faith) and stand steadfast as thou art commanded nor follow thou their vain desires; but say: "I believe in the Book which Allah has sent down; and I am commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is Our Lord and your Lord. For us (is the responsibility for) Our deeds and for you for your deeds. There is no contention between us and you. Allah will bring us together and to Him is (Our) final goal.
Pickthall Unto this, then, summon (O Muhammad). And be thou upright as thou art commanded, and follow not their lusts, but say: I believe in whatever Scripture Allah hath sent down, and I am commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. Unto us our works and unto you your works; no argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and unto Him is the journeying.
Transliteration Fa liza_lika fadu wastaqim kama_ umirta wa la_ tat tabi ahwa_ ahum wa qul a_mantu bima_ anzalal la_hu min kita_b wa umirtu li adila bainakum al la_hu rab buna_ wa rab bukum lana_ ama_luna_ wa lakum ama_lukum la_ huj jata bainana_ wa bainakum al la_hu yajmau bainana_ wa ilaihil masir