14. Surah Ibrahim
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قَالَتْ
لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ
إِن نَّحْنُ
إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ
مِّثْلُكُمْ...
14: 11. Their Messengers said to them:
"True, we are human like yourselves,
...وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ...
but Allah doth grant His grace to such of His servants as He pleases.
...وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ...
It is not for us to bring you an authority except as Allah permits.
...وَعلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١١﴾
And on Allah let all men of faith put their trust.
وَمَا لَنَا
أَلاَّ نَتَوَكَّلَ
عَلَى اللّهِ
وَقَدْ هَدَانَا
سُبُلَنَا...
14: 12. "No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed He has guided us to the Ways we (follow).
...وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَى مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا...
We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us:
...وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ﴿١٢﴾
for those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah."
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
لِرُسُلِهِمْ
لَنُخْرِجَنَّـكُم
مِّنْ أَرْضِنَآ
أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ
فِي مِلَّتِنَا...
14: 13. And the Unbelievers said to their Messengers:
"Be sure we shall drive you out of our land, or ye shall return to our religion."
C1887. The arguments in a circle were explained in the last note. But Infidelity looks upon argument merely as an amusement. Its chief weapon is physical force.
As its only belief is in materialism, it thinks that threats of force will put down the righteous. It offers the choice between exile and violence against conformity to its own standards of evil, which it thinks to be good.
But Faith is not to be cowed down by Force. Its source of strength is Allah, and it receives the assurance that violence will perish ultimately by violence, and that Faith and Good must stand and be established. In fact the good must inherit the earth and the evil ones be blotted out.
...فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
But their Lord inspired (this Message) to them:
"Verily We shall cause the wrongdoers to perish!
وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّـكُمُ
الأَرْضَ مِن
بَعْدِهِمْ...
14: 14. "And verily We shall cause you to abide in the land, and succeed them.
...ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِي ...
This for such as fear the time when they shall stand before My tribunal --
C1888. "Fear" means here "have present before their minds something which should cause fear, so that they should shape their conduct in order to avoid the ill consequences of wickedness."
... وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ ﴿١٤﴾
such as fear the punishment denounced."
14: 15. But they sought victory and decision (there and then),
C1889. Cf. 8:19.
1 have assumed that "they" in this verse is the same as "them" in the preceding verse, i.e., the ungodly.
Hoping for victory they forced a decision, and they got it-against themselves.
Or they challenged a punishment, and it came in good time.
Some Commentators construe "they" here to mean "the Prophets": in that case the verse would mean:
"The Prophets prayed for a victory and decision, and the ungodly were frustrated in their efforts to suppress the Truth."
... وَخَابَ كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ ﴿١٥﴾
and frustration was the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor.
C1890. Cf. 11:59.
Other versions:
14: 11
Yusuf Ali Their apostles said to them: "True we are human like yourselves but Allah doth grant His grace to such of His servants as He pleases. It is not for us to bring you an authority except as Allah permits. And on Allah let all men of faith put their trust.
Pickthall Their messengers said unto them: We are but mortals like you, but Allah giveth grace unto whom He will of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you a warrant unless by the permission of Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust!
Transliteration Qa_lat lahum rusuluhum in nahnu illa_ basyarum mislukum wa la_kinnalla_ha yamunnu 'ala_ may yasya_'u min 'iba_dih(i), wa ma_ ka_na lana_ an na'tiyakum bi sulta_nin illa_ bi iznilla_h(i), wa 'alalla_hi falyatawakkalil mu'minu_
[Asad note 14: it is to the contents of the divine message propounded to them that all seekers after truth must turn for illumination [ see 7:75 and 13:43, as well as the corresponding notes]. The Quran dwells in many places ………….for a morally valid and intellectually justifiable conviction of the intrinsic truth of such a message can be gained only through “conscious insight accessible to reason” [ 12:108].
14: 12
Asad And how could we not place our trust in God, seeing that it is He who has shown us the path which we are to follow? Hence, we shall certainly bear with patience whatever hurt you may do us….”
Yusuf Ali "No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed He has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us: for those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah."
Pickthall How should we not put our trust in Allah when He hath shown us our ways? We surely will endure that hurt ye do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust!
Transliteration Wa ma_ lana_ alla_ natawakkala 'alalla_hi wa qad hada_na_ subulana_, wa lanasbiranna 'ala_ ma_ a_zaitumu_na_, wa 'alalla_hi fal yatawakkalil mutawakkilu_n(a).
[Asad note 15: Lit., “guided us on our paths” – a plural indicating the fundamental identity of the message preached by all the prophets.]
14: 13
Yusuf Ali And the Unbelievers said to their apostles: "Be sure we shall drive you out of our land or ye shall return to our religion." But their Lord inspired (this Message) to them: "Verily We shall cause the wrongdoers to perish!
Pickthall And those who disbelieved said unto their messengers: Verily we will drive you out from our land, unless ye return to our religion. Then their Lord inspired them, (saying): Verily We shall destroy the wrong-doers,
Transliteration Wa qa_lal lazina kafaru_ li rusulihim lanukhrijannakum min ardina_ au lata'u_dunna fi millatina_, fa auha_ ilaihim rabbuhum lanuhlikannaz za_lim
14: 14
Asad and most certainly shall We cause you to dwell on earth [long] after they have passed away: this is [My promise] unto all who stand in awe of My presence, and stand in awe of My warning!”
Yusuf Ali "And verily We shall cause you to abide in the land and succeed them. This for such as fear the time when they shall stand before My tribunal such as fear the punishment denounced."
Pickthall And verily We shall make you to dwell in the land after them. This is for him who feareth My Majesty and feareth My threats.
Transliteration Wa lanuskinannakumul arda mim ba'dihim, za_lika liman kha_fa maqa_mi wa kha_fa wa'id(i).
[ Asad note 18: Lit., “After them”: implying a divine promise that the truth preached by the apostles would outlive its detractors [cf. verse 9 above, “None knows them [now] save God”], and would triumph in the end.
Note 19: As Zamakhshari points out, the divine promise expressed in the above verse in equivalent to the statement in 7:128 that “the future (al-aqibah) belongs to the God-conscious”. ]
14: 15
Asad And they prayed [to God] that the truth be made to triumph. And every arrogant enemy of the truth shall be undone.
Yusuf Ali But they sought victory and decision (there and then) and frustration was the lot of every powerful obstinate transgressor.
Pickthall And they sought help (from their Lord) and every froward potentate was brought to naught;
Transliteration Wa-staftahu_ wa kha_ba kullu jabba_rin 'anid(im),
[ Ruby’s note: the meaning of ‘istaftaha’ “he sought to open [something]”, and ‘wastaftahu’ connoting vindication or opening the door of truth. Shuayb prayed in 7:89, “Lay You open [iftah] the truth between us and our people”.]