10. Surah Yunus

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُل لاَّ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي ضَرًّا وَلاَ نَفْعًا إِلاَّ مَا شَاء اللّهُ...   

10: 49.  Say:

"I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except as Allah willeth.

C1440. Cf. 7:188.

...لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ...

To every People is a term appointed:

C1441. This repeats 7:34, but the significance is different in the two contexts.

Here the reply is to the Unbelievers' mocking incredulity (see n. 1439) as to whether there is such a thing as a Hereafter: they suggest to the Prophet of Allah that if his claim to inspiration from Allah is true, he should get them punished at once for rejecting him.

In 7:34 the reference is to the punishment of iniquity as described in 7:33: sin is not necessarily punished at once: every People or generation gets a chance-, when their term is fulfilled, the final adjustment is made.

...إِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ فَلاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾

when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay,

nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation).

Other versions:

10: 49 The Messenger Has No Special Power

Yusuf Ali Say: "I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except as Allah willeth. To every People is a term appointed: when their term is reached not an hour can they cause delay nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation).

Pickthall Say: I have no power to hurt or benefit myself, save that which Allah willeth. For every nation there is an appointed time. When their time cometh, then they cannot put it off an hour, nor hasten (it).

Yuksel Say, "I do not posses for myself any harm or benefit except what God wills. For every nation is a time. When their time comes, they cannot delay it one moment nor advance it."

Transliteration Qul la_ amliku li nafsi darraw wa la_ naf'an illa_ ma_ sya_'alla_h(u), li kulli ummatin ajal(un), iza_ ja_'aajaluhum fala_ yasta'khiru_na sa_'ataw wa la_ yastaqdimu_n(a).