Sura- 6 [Al Anam mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
قُلْ
أَرَأَيْتُكُم
إِنْ
أَتَاكُمْ
عَذَابُ
اللّهِ
أَوْ
أَتَتْكُمُ
السَّاعَةُ...
6:40. Say:
"Think ye to yourselves, if there come upon you the wrath of Allah, or the hour (that ye dread),
...أَغَيْرَ اللّهِ تَدْعُونَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾
would ye then call upon other than Allah?
(Reply) if ye are truthful!"
بَلْ
إِيَّاهُ
تَدْعُونَ
فَيَكْشِفُ
مَا
تَدْعُونَ
إِلَيْهِ
إِنْ
شَاء...
6:41. "Nay, On Him would ye call,
and if it be His Will, He would remove (the distress) which occasioned your call upon Him,
...وَتَنسَوْنَ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٤١﴾
and ye would forget (the false gods) which ye join with Him!"
Asad’s Version:
6: 40
Asad Say: “Can you see yourselves invoking any but God when God’s chastisement befalls you [in this world], or the Last Hour comes upon you? [Tell me this,] if you are men of truth!
Yusuf Ali Say: "Think ye to yourselves if there come upon you the wrath of Allah or the hour (that ye dread) would ye then call upon other than Allah? (Reply) if ye are truthful!
Pickthall Say: Can ye see yourselves, if the punishment of Allah come upon you or the Hour come upon you, calling upon other than Allah? Do ye then call (for help) to any other than Allah? (Answer that) if ye are truthful.
Transliteration Qul ara'aitakum in ata_kum'aza_bulla_hi au atatkumus sa_'atu agairalla_hi tad'u_n(a), in kuntum sa_diqin(a).
6: 41
Asad Nay, but it is Him alone that you will invoke – whereupon He may, if He so wills, remove that [ill] which caused you to call unto Him; and you will have forgotten all that to which you [now] ascribe divinity side by side with Him.”
Yusuf Ali "Nay On Him would ye call and if it be His Will He would remove (the distress) which occasioned your call upon Him and ye would forget (the false gods) which ye join with Him!"
Pickthall Nay, but unto Him ye call, and He removeth that because of which ye call unto Him, if He will, and ye forget whatever partners ye ascribed unto Him.
Transliteration Bal iyya_hu tad'u_na fa yaksyifu ma_ tad'u_na ilaihi in sya_'a wa tansauna ma_ tusyriku_n(a).
[ Ruby’s note: In real distress and crisis, when the worldly causes including the demigods of life, fail to bring about the result of the resolution, one realizes that finally one needs to resort to God and God alone. That is why in crisis when nothing is working, people starts praying seriously.
However, one does no keep in mind that it is God alone to whom all decision rests, He is the Cause of all causes, He is the Disposer of all affairs, whether good time of bad, whether small or big. The things that seems to be the real Causes in this life, such as wealth, power, know-how, etc., and the personalities who seem to be invincible and infallible, all become futile and ineffective. Only then one realizes that one does not have any other thing to turn to except God.
Implication here is that one should not do this. At all times, one can look to God alone for guidance and help in all matters of life, whether good or bad, big or small matters.]
Sura -17 [Al-Israa, Mecca 50]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
رَّبُّكُمُ الَّذِي
يُزْجِي لَكُمُ
الْفُلْكَ فِي
الْبَحْرِ
لِتَبْتَغُواْ
مِن فَضْلِهِ...
17:66. Your Lord is He that maketh the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea, in order that ye may seek of His Bounty:
C2261. This illustration of the sea, and the skill with which, by Allah's grace, men pass through it with ease in order to earn material gains by commerce, social gains by human intercourse, and spiritual gains by knowledge, is frequently used to enforce Allah's goodness to man.
Cf. 2:164.
...إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا ﴿٦٦﴾
for He is unto you Most Merciful.
وَإِذَا
مَسَّكُمُ
الْضُّرُّ فِي
الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ
مَن تَدْعُونَ
إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ...
17:67. When distress seizes you at sea, those that ye call upon -- besides Himself -- leave you in the lurch!
...فَلَمَّا نَجَّاكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ...
But when He brings you back safe to land, ye turn away (from Him).
...وَكَانَ الإِنْسَانُ كَفُورًا ﴿٦٧﴾
Most ungrateful is man!
C2262. Against Allah's gracious gifts and mercies is contrasted man's ingratitude.
In danger he remembers Allah, the One True God, but relapses into his own fancies when the danger is past.
Cf. also 10:22-23. (R).
Asad’s Version:
17: 66
Rabbukumul lazi yuzji lakumul fulka fil bahri litabtagu_ min fadlih(i), innahu_ ka_na bikum rahimu_(n).
Asad Your Sustainer is He who causes ships to move onward for you through the sea, so that you might go about in quest of some of His bounty: verily, a dispenser of grace is He unto you.
Yusuf Ali Your Lord is He that make the Ship go smoothly for you through the sea in order that ye may seek of His Bounty: for He is unto you Most Merciful.
Pickthall (O mankind), your Lord is He Who drive for you the ship upon the sea that ye may seek of His bounty. Lo! He was ever Merciful toward you.
Wa iza_ massakumud durru fil bahri dalla man tad'u_na illa_ iyya_h(u), falamma_ najja_kum ilal barri a'radtum, wa ka_nal insa_nu kafu_ra_(n).
17: 67
Asad And whenever danger befalls you at sea, all those that you are wont to invoke forsake you, [and nothing remains for you] save Him: but as soon as He has brought you safe shore, you turn aside [and forget Him] – for, indeed, bereft of all gratitude is man!
Yusuf Ali When distress seizes you at sea those that ye call upon besides Himself leave you in the lurch! But when He brings you back safe to land ye turn away (from Him). Most ungrateful is man!
Pickthall And when harm touch you upon the sea, all unto whom ye cry (for succour) fail save Him (alone), but when He bring you safe to land, ye turn away, for man was ever thankless.