Sura-15 [Al Hijr mecca 54]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
وَإِذْ
قَالَ رَبُّكَ
لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ
إِنِّي خَالِقٌ
بَشَرًا مِّن
صَلْصَالٍ مِّنْ
حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ ﴿٢٨﴾
15;28. Behold! thy Lord said to the angels:
"I am about to create man, from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape;
فَإِذَا
سَوَّيْتُهُ
وَنَفَخْتُ
فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي
فَقَعُواْ لَهُ
سَاجِدِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾
15:29. "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
C1968. Among other passages where the creation of Adam is referred to, cf. the following;
Note that here the emphasis is on three points:
1. the breathing from Allah's spirit into man i.e., the faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give man superiority over other creatures:
2. the origin of evil in arrogance and jealousy on the part of Satan, who saw only the lower side of man (his clay) and failed to see the higher side, the faculty brought in from the spirit of Allah;
3. that this evil only touches those who yield to it, and has no power over Allah's sincere servants, purified by His grace (15:40, 42).
Adam is not here mentioned by name, but only Man, whose symbol is Adam.
فَسَجَدَ
الْمَلآئِكَةُ
كُلُّهُمْ
أَجْمَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
15:30. So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together
Other versions:
15: 28
Yusuf Ali Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape;
Pickthall And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered.
Transliteration Wa iz qa_la rabbuka lil mala_'ikati inni kha_liqum basyaram min salsa_lim min hama'im masnu_n(in).
15: 29
Yusuf Ali "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
Pickthall So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.
Transliteration Fa iza-stawaituhu_ wa nafakhtu fihi mir ru_hi fa qa'u_ lahu_ sa_jidin(a).
[[ Ali’s note -1968 Among other passages where the creation of Adam is referred to, cf. the following; ii. 30-39; vii. 11-25. Note that here the emphasis is on three points: (1) the breathing from Allah's spirit into man i.e., the faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give man superiority over other creatures: (2) the origin of evil in arrogance and jealousy on the part of Satan, who saw only the lower side of man (his clay) and failed to see the higher side, the faculty brought in from the spirit of Allah; (3) that this evil only touches those who yield to it, and has no power over Allah's sincere servants, purified by His grace (xv. 40, 42). Adam is not here mentioned by name, but only Man. (15.29)
15: 30
Yusuf Ali So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together:
Pickthall So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together
Transliteration Fasajadal mala_'ikatu kulluhum ajma'u_n(a),
17: 33
Yusuf Ali Nor take life which Allah has made sacred except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully We have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life: for he is helped (by the Law).
Pickthall And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right. Whoso is slain wrongfully, We have given power unto his heir, but let him not commit excess in slaying. Lo! he will be helped.
Transliteration Wa la_ taqtulun nafsal lati harramalla_hu illa_ bil haqq(i), wa man qutila mazlu_man faqad ja'alna_ li waliyyihi sulta_nan fala_ yusrif fil qatl(i), innahu_ ka_na mansu_ra_(n).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38:73 God breathed His “Spirit” in every human being ; makes life sacrosanct
Sura- 38 [Sad Mecca 38]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
إِذْ
قَالَ
رَبُّكَ
لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ
...
38:71. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels:
C4225. Two passages may be compared with this: viz.:
1. 2:30-39, where merely the first stages of the Rebellion against Allah and its consequences to mankind are mentioned, and
2. 15:29-40, where the further intrusion of evil in man's life here below is referred to, and an assurance is given that Evil will have no power except over those who yield to it.
The latter is the passage most relevant here, as we are now dealing with the spiritual power of Revelation to defeat the machinations of Evil.
... إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِن طِينٍ ﴿٧١﴾
"I am about to create man from clay:
C4226. This shows that the material world round us was created by Allah before Allah fashioned man and breathed of His soul into him. Geology also shows that man came on the scene at a very late stage in the history of this planet.
فَإِذَا
سَوَّيْتُهُ
وَنَفَخْتُ
فِيهِ
مِن
رُّوحِي
فَقَعُوا
لَهُ
سَاجِدِينَ
﴿٧٢﴾
38:72. "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
C4227. See n. 1968 to 15:29, where the spiritual significance of this is explained.
Other versions:
38: 71
Yusuf Ali Behold thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from clay:
Pickthall When thy Lord said unto the angels: lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire,
Yuksel For your Lord said to the angels: "I am creating a human being from clay."
Transliteration Iz qa_la rab buka lilmala_ ikati in ni kha_liqun basyaram min tin
38: 72
Yusuf Ali "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
Pickthall And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down before him prostrate,
Yuksel "So when I have evolved him, and breathed into him from My Spirit, then you shall submit to him."
Transliteration Fa iza_ saw waituhu_ wa nafaktu fihi mir ru_hi faqau_ lahu_ sa_jidin
[[ Ali’s notes - 4226 This shows that the material world round us was created by Allah before Allah fashioned man and breathed of His soul into him. Geology also shows that man came on the scene at a very late stage in the history of this planet. (38.71)
4227 See n. 1968 to xv. 29, where the spiritual significance of this is explained. (38.72) ]]
38: 73
Yusuf Ali So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together;
Pickthall The angels fell down prostrate, every one.
Yuksel The angels submitted, all of them,
Transliteration Fasajadal mala_ ikatu kul luhum ajmau_n
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5: 32 [ al-Maida, Medina 112 ]
Asad …………it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind. [note 40]
Yusuf Ali On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear Signs yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.
Pickthall For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if be had killed all mankind, and whoso save the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty) , but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.
Yuksel It is because of this that We have decreed for the Children of Israel, "Anyone who kills a person who has not committed murder, or who has not committed mischief in the land; then it is as if he has killed all the people! Whoever spares a life, then it is as if he has given life to all the people." Our messengers had come to them with clarification, but many of them are, after this, still transgressing on the earth.
Transliteration Min ajli za_lika katabna_ 'ala_ bani isra_'ila annahu_ man qatala nafsam bi gairi nafsin au fasa_din fil ardi fa ka'annama_ qatalan na_sa jami'a_(n), wa man ahya_ha_ fa ka'annama_ ahyan na_sa jami'a_(n), wa laqad ja_'athum rusuluna_ bil bayyina_ti summa inna kasiram minhum ba'da za_lika fil ardi lamusrifu_n(a).
[ Asad’s note 40 -……….The expression “We have ordained unto the children of Israel” does not, of course, detract from the universal validity of this moral: it refers merely to its earliest enunciation.]
[ Ali’s note 737 - The story of Cain is referred to in a few graphic details in order to tell the story of Israel. Israel rebelled against Allah, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm but on the contrary came in all humility. When Allah withdrew His favor from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin. To kill or seek to kill an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who uphold the ideal. On the other hand, to save an individual life in the same circumstances is to save a whole community. What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge? (5.32) ]