Sura- 36 [ Ya Sin Mecca 41]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَلَوْ نَشَاء لَطَمَسْنَا عَلَى أَعْيُنِهِمْ...   

36:66.  If it had been Our Will, We could surely have blotted out their eyes;

C4012. "If it had been Our Will": i.e., if such had been the Will and Plan of Allah.

If Allah had not intended to give man his limited free-will, or power of choice, the case would have been different: there would have been no moral responsibility which could have been enforced. They could have had no sight or intelligence, and they could not have been blamed for not seeing or understanding. But such is not the case.

... فَاسْتَبَقُوا الصِّرَاطَ فَأَنَّى يُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٦٦﴾

then should they have run about groping for the Path, but how could they have seen?

وَلَوْ نَشَاء لَمَسَخْنَاهُمْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِهِمْ...   

36:67.  And if it had been Our Will, We could have transformed them (to remain) in their places:

C4013. If Allah's Plan had been to grant no limited freedom of choice or will to men. He could have created them quite different, or could have transformed them into stationary creatures, either in physical form as in the case of trees, or in moral or spiritual qualities, where there was no possibility either of progress or deterioration. Man would then have been unable to reach the heights of grandeur which are now open to him, or, if he goes wrong, to return through the door of repentance and mercy, and still pursue his path of ascent.

But it was Allah's Plan to give man all these privileges, and man must shoulder all the responsibilities that go with them.

... فَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا مُضِيًّا وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ ﴿٦٧﴾

then should they have been unable to move about, nor could they have returned (after error).

Section 5

وَمَنْ نُعَمِّرْهُ نُنَكِّسْهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ...    

36:68.  If We grant long life to any, We cause him to be reversed in nature:

C4014. This connects on with the last verse.

Everything is possible with Allah. If you doubt how man can be transformed from his present nature, contemplate the transformations he already undergoes in his present nature at different ages.

-        As a child powers of mind and body are still undeveloped.

-        As he grows, they grow, and certain moral qualities, such as courage, daring, the will to conquer, unfold themselves.

-        In extreme old age these are again obscured, and a second childhood supervenes. The back of the man who walked proudly straight and erect is now bent.

If these transformations take place even in his present nature and constitution, how much easier was it for Allah to cast him in an immobile mould?

But Allah granted him instead the high possibilities and responsibilities referred to in the last note.

... أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾

will they not then understand?

Asad’s Version:

36:66 [Asad] NOW HAD IT BEEN Our will [that men should not be able to discern between right and wrong], We could surely have deprived them of their sight, 33 so that they would stray forever from the [right] way: for how could they have had insight [into what is true]? 34

36:67 And had it been Our will [that they should not be free to choose between right and wrong], We could surely have given them a different nature 35 [and created them as beings rooted] in their places, so that they would not be able to move forward, and could not turn back. 36

(36:68) But [let them always remember that] if We lengthen a human being's days, We also cause him to decline in his powers [when he grows old]: will they not, then, use their reason? 37