5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَوْمَ
يَجْمَعُ اللّهُ
الرُّسُلَ
فَيَقُولُ
مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ...
5: 109. One day will Allah gather the Messengers together, and ask:
"What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?
... قَالُواْ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ ﴿١٠٩﴾
They will say:
"We have no knowledge: it is Thou who knowest in full all that is hidden."
C814. A scene of the Day of Reckoning is put before us in graphic words, showing the responsibility and the limitations of the Prophets of Allah, sent to preach His Message to men, with special reference to the Message of Jesus.
The Messengers are sent to preach the Truth. What fantastic forms the Message takes in men's reactions to it was beyond their knowledge, at the time, and beyond their responsibility. (R).
Other versions:
5: 109 [al-Maidah, Medina 112]
Asad On the Day when God shall assemble all the apostles and shall ask, “What response did you receive?” – they will answer, “We have no knowledge; verily, it is You alone who fully know all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception.” [note 130]
Yusuf Ali One day will Allah gather the apostles together and ask: "What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)? They will say: "We have no knowledge: it is thou who know in full all that is hidden.
Pickthall In the day when Allah gather together the messengers, and says: What was your response (from mankind)? they say: We have no knowledge. Lo! Thou, only Thou art the Knower of Things Hidden.
Transliteration Yauma yajma'ulla_hur rusula fa yaqu_lu ma_za_ ujibtum, qa_lu_ la_ 'ilma lana_, innaka anta 'alla_mul guyu_b(i).
[[ Asad’s note 130 – Cf. verse 99 above: “No more is the Apostle bound to do than deliver the message” – for, neither can he force people to follow the right path, not can he know what is in their hearts. (see also 4:41-42)]]
[[ Ali’s note - 814 A scene of the Day of Reckoning is put before us in graphic words, showing the responsibility and the limitations of the Prophets of Allah, sent to preach His Message to men, with special reference to the Message of Jesus. The Messengers are sent to preach the Truth. What fantastic forms the Message takes in men's reactions to it was beyond their knowledge, at the time, and beyond their responsibility. (5.109) ]]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ
إِذْ قَالَ
لِقَوْمِهِ
اعْبُدُوا
اللَّهَ وَاتَّقُوهُ...
29: 16. And (We also saved) Abraham: Behold, he said to his people,
"Serve Allah and fear Him:
C3438. The story of Abraham has been told in various phases in different passages. The ones most germane to the present passage are:
21:51-72 (his being cast into the fire and being saved from it); and
19:41-49 (his voluntary exile from the home of his fathers).
Here the story is not told but is referred to in order to stress the following points;
- Abraham's people only responded to his preaching by threatening to burn him (29:16-18, 24);
- evil consorts with evil but will have a rude awakening (29:25);
- the good adhere to the good, and are blessed (29:26-27).
Note that the passage 29:19-23 is a parenthetical comment, though some Commentators treat a portion of it as part of Abraham's speech.
...ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٦﴾
that will be best for you -- if ye understand!
إِنَّمَا
تَعْبُدُونَ
مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ
أَوْثَانًا
وَتَخْلُقُونَ
إِفْكًا...
29: 17. "For ye do worship idols besides Allah, and ye invent falsehood.
...إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لَكُمْ رِزْقًا...
The things that ye worship besides Allah have no power to give you sustenance:
...فَابْتَغُوا عِندَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ وَاعْبُدُوهُ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ...
then seek ye sustenance from Allah, serve Him, and be grateful to Him:
C3439. Sustenance: in the symbolic as well as the literal sense. Seek from Allah all that is necessary for your upkeep and development, and for preparing you for your future Destiny.
Lay all your hopes in Him and in no one else. Dedicate yourselves to His worship. He will give you all that is necessary for your growth and well being, and you should show your gratitude to Him by conforming your will entirely to His.
...إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١٧﴾
to Him will be your return.
وَإِن
تُكَذِّبُوا
فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ
أُمَمٌ مِّن
قَبْلِكُمْ...
29: 18. "And if ye reject (the Message), so did generations before you:
...وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ ﴿١٨﴾
and the duty of the messenger is only to preach publicly (and clearly)."
Asad’s Version:
Period Uncertain
29:16 AND ABRAHAM, [too, was inspired by Us] when he said unto his people: "Worship God, and be conscious of Him: this is the best for you, if you but knew it!
(29: 17) You worship only [lifeless] idols instead of God, and [thus] you give visible shape to a lie!" Behold, those [things and beings] that you worship instead of God have it not in their power to provide sustenance for you: seek, then, all [your] sustenance from God, and worship Him [alone) and be grateful to Him: [for] unto Him you shall be brought back!
29:18
"And if you give [me) the lie - well, [other) communities have given the lie (to God's prophets) before your time: but no more is an apostle bound to do than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to him]."
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