11.Surah Hud

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الْقُرَى نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ...   

11: 100. These are some of the stories of communities which We relate unto thee:

...مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌ ...

of them some are standing,

C1601. Some are standing: like corn, which is ready to be reaped.

Among the communities which remained was, and is, Egypt, although the Pharaoh and his wicked people have been swept away.

The simile of standing corn also suggests that at no time can town or community expect permanency, except in the Law of the Lord.

... وَحَصِيدٌ ﴿١٠٠﴾

and some have been mown down (by the sickle of time).

C1602. Notions grow and ripen and are mown down. If they disobeyed Allah, their end is evil; if they were true and godly, their harvest was good.

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ...   

11: 101.It was not We that wronged them: they wronged their own souls:

...فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ آلِهَتُهُمُ الَّتِي يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ لِّمَّا جَاء أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ...

the deities, other than Allah, whom they invoked, profited them no whit when there issued the decree of thy Lord:

C1603. All false and fleeting shadows must vanish before the reality and permanence of the decree of Allah. If we worshipped the false, we earned nothing but perdition.

...وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ ﴿١٠١﴾

nor did they add aught (to their lot) but perdition!

وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ...   

11: 102.Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous,

...إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ ﴿١٠٢﴾  

indeed, and severe is His chastisement.

Other versions:

11: 100

Asad This account [note 131],…….

Yusuf Ali These are some of the stories of communities which We relate unto thee: of them some are standing and some have been mown down (by the sickle of time).

Pickthall That is (something) of the tidings of the townships' (which were destroyed of old). We relate it unto thee (Muhammad). Some of them are standing and some (already) reaped.

Yuksel That is from the news of the towns which We relate to you; some are still standing and some have been wiped-out.

Transliteration Za_lika min amba_'il qura_ naqussuhu_ 'alaika minha_ qa_'imuw wa hasid(un).

[[ Ali’s notes - 1601 Some are standing: like corn, which is ready to be reaped. Among the communities which remained was, and is, Egypt, although the Pharaoh and his wicked people have been swept away. The simile of standing corn also suggests that at no time can town or community expect permanency, except in the Law of the Lord. (11.100)

1602 Notions grow and ripen and are mown down. If they disobeyed Allah, their end is evil; if they were true and godly, their harvest was good. (11.100) ]]

[[ Asad’s note 131- Lit., “This is the accounts” (a constitution identitical with that employed in 3:44, 11:49, and 12:102), alluding to the fact that only certain aspects of the relevant stories, and not the complete stories as such, are presented here …: the purpose being, as always in the Quran, the illustration of an ethical principle or principles, and of men’s varying reaction s to the guidance which God offers them directly through His prophets and indirectly through the observable phenomena of His creations. …..]]

11: 101

Yusuf Ali It was not We that wronged them: they wronged their own souls: the deities other than Allah whom they invoked profited them no whit when there issued the decree of thy Lord: nor did they add aught (to their lot) but perdition!

Pickthall We wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves; and their gods on whom they call beside Allah availed them naught then came thy Lords command; they added to them naught save ruin.

Yuksel We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. Their gods that they called on besides God did not rescue them at all when your Lord's command came, and they only added to their destruction.

Transliteration Wa ma_ zalamna_hum wa la_kin zalamu_ anfusahum fama_ agnat a_lihatuhumul lati yad'u_na min du_nilla_hi min syai'il lamma_ ja_'a amru rabbik(a), wa ma_ za_du_hum gaira tatbib(in).

11: 102

Yusuf Ali Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous indeed and severe is His chastisement.

Pickthall Even thus is the grasp of thy Lord when he grasp the townships while they are doing wrong. Lo! His grasp is painful, very strong.

Yuksel Such is the taking of your Lord when He takes the towns while they are wicked. His taking is painful, severe.

Transliteration Wa kaza_lika akhzu rabbika iza_ akhazal qura_ wa hiya za_limah(tun), inna akhzahu_ alimun syadid(un).