Sura Maryum Chapter 19 Mecca : Chronological order 44
Sura Maryum was revealed in Mecca. The period is about fifth and sixth year after the Prophet’s mission. Part of this sura was recited before the King of Abyssinia by the Muslim emigrants in order to show the Islamic attitude towards Jesus.
This sura especially towards the end emphasizes repeatedly that on the Day of Judgment a person would appear before God alone and the accountability would be one-to-one basis. No excuse or intercession would be allowed. But then God’s mercy is also repeatedly mentioned.
It completely invalidates the concept of trinity and exhorts that God --- as being the primary Creator of all existence and all things --- cannot disgrace Himself to be a part of that process of Creation. Everything in the seen and unseen Universe including all human beings are just but servants to God. In this regard, this sura contains some critically important and fundamental verses of the Quran. Some of these key concepts are as follows:
19. [Maryam, Mecca 44]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاذْكُرْ
فِي الْكِتَابِ
مَرْيَمَ...
19: 16. Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary,
C2470. Cf. the story of Mary as related in 3:42-51.
Here the whole theme is different:
it is the personal side of the experiences of the worshippers of Allah in relation to their families or environment.
...إِذِ انتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا ﴿١٦﴾
when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.
C2471. To a private eastern chamber, perhaps in the Temple. She went into privacy, from her people and from people in general, for prayer and devotion.
It was in this state of purity that the angel appeared to her in the shape of a man. She thought it was a man. She was frightened, and she adjured him not to invade her privacy.
فَاتَّخَذَتْ
مِن دُونِهِمْ
حِجَابًا...
19: 17. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them:
...فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا ﴿١٧﴾
then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.
قَالَتْ
إِنِّي أَعُوذُ
بِالرَّحْمَن
مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ
تَقِيًّا ﴿١٨﴾
19: 18. She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah."
قَالَ
إِنَّمَا أَنَا
رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ
لِأَهَبَ لَكِ
غُلَامًا
زَكِيًّا ﴿١٩﴾
19: 19. He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son."
C2472. Allah had destined her to be the mother of the Prophet Jesus Christ, and now had come the time when this should be announced to her.
قَالَتْ
أَنَّى يَكُونُ
لِي غُلَامٌ
وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي
بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ
أَكُ بَغِيًّا ﴿٢٠﴾
19: 20. She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?"
19: 21. He said: "So (it will be):
...قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ...
thy Lord saith, 'That is easy for Me:
...وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا...
and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':
C2473. The mission of Jesus is announced in two ways:
1. he was to be a Sign to men; his wonderful birth and wonderful life were to turn an ungodly world back to Allah; and
2. his mission was similar to that of all prophets of Allah.
But the point here is that the Israelites, to whom Jesus was sent, were a hardened race, for whom the message of Jesus was truly a gospel of Mercy.
...وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا ﴿٢١﴾
it is a matter (so) decreed."
C2474. For anything that Allah wishes to create, He says "Be", and it is (Cf. 3:47).
There is no interval between His decree and its accomplishment, except such as He imposes by His decree. Time may be only a projection of our own minds in this world of relativity.
فَحَمَلَتْهُ
فَانتَبَذَتْ
بِهِ مَكَانًا
قَصِيًّا ﴿٢٢﴾
19: 22. So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.
C2475. The annunciation and the conception, we may suppose, took place in Nazareth (of Galilee), say 65 miles north of Jerusalem.
The delivery took place in Bethlehem about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. It was a remote place, not only with reference to the distance of 71 miles, but because in Bethlehem itself the birth was in an obscure corner under a palm-tree, from which perhaps the babe was afterwards removed to a manger in a stable.
فَأَجَاءهَا
الْمَخَاضُ
إِلَى جِذْعِ
النَّخْلَةِ...
19: 23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree:
...قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا ﴿٢٣﴾
she cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"
C2476. She was but human, and suffered the pangs of an expectant mother, with no one to attend on her. The circumstances being peculiar, she had got far away from her people.
فَنَادَاهَا
مِن تَحْتِهَا
أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي
قَدْ جَعَلَ
رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ
سَرِيًّا ﴿٢٤﴾
19: 24. But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-free):
"Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee;
وَهُزِّي
إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ
النَّخْلَةِ
تُسَاقِطْ
عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا
جَنِيًّا ﴿٢٥﴾
19: 25. "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.
C2477. Unseen Providence had seen that she should not suffer from thirst or from hunger. The rivulet provided her with water also for ablutions.
فَكُلِي
وَاشْرَبِي
وَقَرِّي
عَيْنًا...
19: 26. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye.
C2478. Cool thine eye: An idiom for "comfort thyself and be glad".
The literal meaning should not, however, be lost sight of. She was to cool her eyes (perhaps full of tears) with the fresh water of the rivulet and take comfort that a remarkable babe had been born to her.
She was also to look around, and if any one came near, she was to decline all conversation. It was quite true: she was under a vow, and could not talk to any one.
...فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي...
And if thou dost see any man, say,
...إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا ﴿٢٦﴾
'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being.' "
C2479. She was to decline all conversation with man or woman, on the plea of a vow to Allah.
The "fast" here does not mean abstinence literally from eating and drinking. She has just been advised to eat the dates and drink of the stream. It means abstinence from the ordinary household meals, and indeed from human intercourse generally.
فَأَتَتْ
بِهِ قَوْمَهَا
تَحْمِلُهُ...
19: 27. At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms).
...قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّا ﴿٢٧﴾
They said:
"O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!
C2480. The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were ready to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How she had disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood!
We may suppose that the scene took place in the Temple in Jerusalem, or in Nazareth.
19: 28. "O sister of Aaron!
C2481. Aaron the brother of Moses was the first in the line of Israelite priesthood.
Mary and her cousin Elisabeth (mother of Yahya) came of a priestly family, and were therefore, "sisters of Aaron" or daughters of 'Imran (who was Aaron's father). See n. 375 to 3:35.
Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How, they said, she had fallen, and disgraced the name of her progenitors!
... مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا ﴿٢٨﴾
thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"
19: 29. But she pointed to the babe.
C2482. What could Mary do?
How could she explain?
Would they, in their censorious mood, accept her explanation?
All she could do was to point to the child, who, she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke, defended his mother, and preached-to an unbelieving audience.
...قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا ﴿٢٩﴾
They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
قَالَ
إِنِّي عَبْدُ
اللَّهِ...
19: 30. He said:
"I am indeed a servant of Allah:
...آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا ﴿٣٠﴾
He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet;
وَجَعَلَنِي
مُبَارَكًا
أَيْنَ مَا
كُنتُ...
19: 31. "And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be,
...وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا ﴿٣١﴾
and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live;
C2483. There is a parallelism throughout the accounts of Jesus and Yahya, with some variations. Both the parallelisms and the variations are interesting.
For instance Jesus declares at the very outset that he is a servant of Allah, thus negativing the false notion that he was Allah or the son of Allah.
The greatness of Yahya is described in 19:12-13 in terms that are not applied to Jesus, but the verses 19:14-15 as applied to Yahya are in almost identical terms with those applied to Jesus here (19:32-33).
Devotion in Prayer and Charity is a good description of Christ at its best, and pity, purity, and devotion in Yahya are a good description of the ways leading to Prayer and Charity, just as John led to Jesus.
وَبَرًّا
بِوَالِدَتِي
وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي
جَبَّارًا
شَقِيًّا ﴿٣٢﴾
19: 32. "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;
C2484. Overbearing violence is not only unjust and harmful to those on whom it is practised; it is perhaps even more harmful to the person who practices it, for his soul becomes turbid, unsettled, and ultimately unhappy and wretched,-the state of those in Hell. Here the negative qualities are "not overbearing or miserable."
As applied to John they were "not overbearing or rebellious." John bore his punishment from the State without any protest or drawing back.
وَالسَّلَامُ
عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ
وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ
أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ
أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا ﴿٣٣﴾
19: 33. "So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the Day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"!
C2485. Cf. 19:15, and n. 2469.
Christ was not crucified (4:157). (R).
ذَلِكَ
عِيسَى ابْنُ
مَرْيَمَ...
19: 34. Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary:
...قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ ﴿٣٤﴾
(it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.
C2486. The disputations about the nature of Jesus Christ were vain, but also persistent and sanguinary. The modem Christian churches have thrown them into the background, but they would do well to abandon irrational dogmas altogether.
مَا كَانَ
لِلَّهِ أَن
يَتَّخِذَ مِن
وَلَدٍ سُبْحَانَهُ...
19: 35. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son.
Glory be to Him!
...إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿٣٥﴾
When He determines a matter, He only says to it,
"Be,"
and it is.
C2487. Begetting a son is a physical act depending on the needs of men's animal nature. Allah Most High is independent of all needs, and it is derogatory to Him to attribute such an act to Him. It is merely a relic of pagan and anthropomorphic materialist superstitions.
وَإِنَّ
اللَّهَ رَبِّي
وَرَبُّكُمْ
فَاعْبُدُوهُ
هَذَا صِرَاطٌ
مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٣٦﴾
19: 36. Verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye:
this is a Way that is straight.
C2488. As opposed to the crooked superstitions which take refuge in all sorts of metaphysical sophistries to prove three in one and one in three. In the Quran there is no crookedness (18:1). Christ's teaching was simple, like his life, but the Christians have made it crooked.
فَاخْتَلَفَ
الْأَحْزَابُ
مِن بَيْنِهِمْ...
19: 37. But the sects differ among themselves:
...فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن مَّشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٣٧﴾
and woe to the Unbelievers because of the (coming) Judgment of a momentous Day!
C2489. Judgment. the word in the original is Mash-had, which implies many things:
- the time or place where evidence is taken, as in a Court of Judgment;
- the time or place where people are produced (to be judged); and
- the occasion for such production for the taking of evidence.
A very expressive phrase for the Day of Judgment.
أَسْمِعْ
بِهِمْ وَأَبْصِرْ
يَوْمَ يَأْتُونَنَا...
19: 38. How plainly will they see and hear, the Day that they will appear before Us!
...لَكِنِ الظَّالِمُونَ الْيَوْمَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٣٨﴾
But the unjust today are in error manifest!
C2490. Cf. 50:22. and that whole passage, where the Resurrection is described.
وَأَنذِرْهُمْ
يَوْمَ الْحَسْرَةِ
إِذْ قُضِيَ
الْأَمْرُ...
19: 39. But warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined:
C2491. Hasrat: Sighs, sighing, regrets, distress.
...وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٣٩﴾
for (behold), they are negligent and they do not believe!
إِنَّا
نَحْنُ نَرِثُ
الْأَرْضَ
وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا ...
19: 40. It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon:
C2492. Cf. 3:180. n. 485; 15:23, n. 1964,
Material property passes from one to another: when one dies, another inherits it. Allah gives life and death, and all that survives after physical death goes back to Allah, the original source of all things.
... وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٤٠﴾
to Us will they all be returned.
Other Versions:
19: 16
Asad And call to mind, through this divine writ, Many. Lo! She wihdrew from her family to an eastern place.
Pickthall And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East,
Transliteration Wadz kur fil kita_bi maryam idzin tabadzat min ahliha_ maka_nan syarqiy ya_
[ Asad’s note 12 Lit., “in the divine writ”, In this surah as well as in “Al Imran” the story of the birth of John is followed by that of Jesus – firstly, because of the obvious parallelism in the form of the announcement of these two births.]
19: 17
Asad and kept herself in seclusion from them, whereupon We sent unto her Our angel of revelation, who appeared to her in the shape of a well-made human being.
Pickthall And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man.
Transliteration Fat takhadzat min du_nihim hija_ba_ fa arsalna_ ilaiha_ ru_hana_fatamats sala laha_ basyaran sawiy ya_
19: 18
Pickthall She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art God fearing.
Transliteration Qa_lat in ni a'u_dzu bir rahma_ni minka in kunta taqiy ya_
19: 19
Asad [The angel] answered: “I am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] ‘I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.”
Pickthall He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.
Transliteration Qa_la in nama_ ana rasu_lu rab bik li ahaba laki ghula_man zakiy ya_
19: 20
Pickthall She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste!
Transliteration Qa_lat an na_ yaku_nu li ghula_muw wa lam yamsasni basyaruw wa lam aku baghiy ya_
19: 21
Asad [The angel] answered: “Thus it is; ‘This is easy for Me; ………so that We might make him a symbol unto mankind and an act of grace from Us.’”
Pickthall He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained.
Transliteration Qa_la kadza_lik qa_la rab buki huwa alay ya hay yin wa linaj'alahu_ a_ya_tal lin na_si wa rahmatam min na_ wa ka_na amram maqdhiy ya_
19: 22
Asad and in time she conceived him, and then she withdrew with him to a far- off place.
Pickthall And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a place.
Transliteration Fahamalat hu fan tabadzat bihi maka_nan qashiy ya_
19: 23
Asad And [when] the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree, she exclaimed: “Oh, would that I had died ere this, and had become a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!”
Pickthall And the pangs of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died ere this and had become a thing of naught, forgotten!
Transliteration Fa aja_ ahal makha_dhu ila_ jidz'in nakhlah qa_lat ya_ laitani mit ti qabla ha_dza_ wa kuntu nas yam mansiy ya_
19: 24
Asad Thereupon [a voice] called out to her from beneath the that [palm-tree]: “Grieve not! Thy Sustainer has provided a rivulet [running] beneath thee;
Pickthall Then (one) cried unto her from below her, saying: Grieve not! Thy Lord hath placed a rivulet beneath thee,
Transliteration Fana_da_ha_ min tahtiha_ al la_ tahzani qad ja'ala rab buki tahtaki sariy ya_
19: 25
Asad and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee.
Pickthall And shake the trunk of the palm tree toward thee, thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee.
Transliteration Wa huz zi ilaiki bijidz'in nakhlati tusa_qith alaiki ruthaban janiy ya_
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[Ali’s note: 2477 Unseen Providence had seen that she should not suffer from thirst or from hunger. The rivulet provided her with water also for ablutions. (19.25) ]
19: 26
Asad Eat, then, and drink, and let thine eye be gladdened! And if thou should see any human being, convey this unto him: “Behold, abstinence from speech have I vowed unto the Most Gracious; hence, I may not speak today to any mortal.’ “ [note20]
Pickthall So eat and drink and be consoled. And if thou meetest any mortal, say: Lo! I have vowed a fast unto the Beneficent, and may not speak this day to any mortal.
Transliteration Fakuli was rabi wa qar ri aina_ fa im ma_ tarayin na minal basyari ahadan faqu_li in ni nadzartu lir rahma_ni shauman falan ukal limal yauma insiy ya_
[ Asad’s note 20: In its primary sense, the ‘sawm’ denotes “abstinenece” or “self-denial”, in the present context it is synonymous with samt (“abstinence from speech”); in fact – as pointed out by Zamakhshari – the latter term is said to have figured in the Quran-copy belonging to ‘Abd Allah ibn Masud……]
19: 27
Asad And in time she returned to her people, carrying the child with her. They said: “O Mary! Thou hast indeed done an amazing thing!
Pickthall Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing.
Transliteration Fa atat bihi qaumaha_ tahmiluh qa_lu_ ya_ maryamu laqad ji'ti sai an fariy ya_
19: 28
Asad O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother a loose woman!”
Pickthall Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot.
Transliteration Ya_ ukhta ha_ru_na ma_ ka_na abu_kim ra a sau iw wa ma_ ka_nat um muki baghiy ya_
19: 29
Pickthall Then she pointed to him. They said How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy?
Transliteration Fa asa_rat ilaihi qa_lu_ kaifa nukal limu man ka_na fil mahdi shabiy ya_
19: 30
Asad [But] he said: “ Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto revelation and made me a prophet,
Pickthall He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet,
Transliteration Qa_la in ni abdul la_h a_ta_niyal kita_ba wa ja'a ani nabiy ya_
19: 31
Asad and made me blessed wherever I may be; and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live,
Pickthall And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive,
Transliteration Wa ja'alani muba_rakan aina ma_ kuntu wa ausha_ni bis sala_ti waz zaka_ti ma_ dumtu hay ya_
19: 32
Asad and [has endowed me with] piety towards my mother; and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace.
Pickthall And (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest.
Transliteration Wa bar ram biwa_lidati wa lam yaj'alni jab ba_ran syaqiy ya_
19: 33
Pickthall Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!
Transliteration Was sala_mu 'alay ya yauma wulidtu wa yauma amu_tu wa yauma ub'atsu hay ya_
19: 34
Asad Such was, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree.
Pickthall Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt.
Transliteration Za_lika 'isab nu maryam qaulal haq qil lazi fihi yamtaru_n
19: 35
Asad It is not conceivable that God should have taken unto Himself a son: limitless is He in His glory! When He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it “Be” – and it is!
Pickthall It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.
Transliteration Ma_ ka_na lil la_hi ay yat takhidza miw waladin subha_nah idza_ qadha_ amran fa in nama_ yaqu_lu lahu_ kun fayaku_n
19: 36 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: “Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this [alone] is a straight way.”
Pickthall And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.
Transliteration Wa in nal la_ha rab bi wa rab bukum fa'budu_h ha_dza_ shira_thum mustaqim
[ Ruby’s notes: This is simple. The Creator who created everything, why He would become part of His own creation? The Almighty who is the Sustainer of everything, why He would manifest Himself as one of the thing or person He Sustains? The One who is infinite and beyond comprehension, why He would reveal Himself as a finite thing or person? These questions are rational questions and the answers should be simple: it does not make any sense to think and worship an infinite unseen Supreme Being as a finite person in flesh and blood. The concept of Trinity does not stand a chance before the concept Islam offers about God. And this very idea of God and worship of Him should be the foundation from of life and its work. This then should constitute the true submission, the Straight Path, the Religion for mankind defined in the Quran in 30:30. ]
[ Ali’s note : 2487 Begetting a son is a physical act depending on the needs of men's animal nature. Allah Most High is independent of all needs, and it is derogatory to Him to attribute such an act to Him. It is merely a relic of pagan and anthropomorphic materialist superstitions. (19.35)
2488 As opposed to the crooked superstitions which take refuge in all sorts of metaphysical sophistries to prove three in one and one in three. In the Qur-an there is no crookedness (xviii. 1). Christ's teaching was simple, like his life, but the Christians have made it crooked. (19.36) ]
19: 37
Asad And yet, the sects [that follow the Bible] are at variance among themselves [about the nature of Jesus]! Woe, then, unto all who deny the truth when that awesome Day will appear!
Pickthall The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day.
Transliteration Fakh talafal ahza_bu mim bainihim fawailul lil lazina kafaru_ mim mashadi yaumin 'azhim
19: 38
Asad How well will they hear and see [the truth] on the Day when they come before Us! Today, however, these evildoers are obviously lost in error:
Pickthall See and hear them on the Day they come unto Us! Yet the evil-doers are today in error manifest.
Transliteration Asmi'bihim wa abshir yauma ya'tu_nana_ la_kiniz zha_limu_nal yauma fi dhala_lim mubin
19: 39
Asad hence, warn them of [the coming of] the day of Regrets, when everything will have been decided – for as yet they are heedless, and they do not believe [in it].
Pickthall And warn them of the Day of anguish when the case hath been decided. Now they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not.
Transliteration Wa andzirhum yaumal hasrati idz qudhiyal amr wa hum fi ghaflatiw wahum la_ yu'minu_n
19: 40
Asad Behold, We alone shall remain after the earth and all who live on it have passed away, and [when] unto Us all will have been brought back.
Pickthall Lo! We inherit the earth and all who are thereon, and unto Us they are returned.
Transliteration In na_ nahnu naritsul ardha wa man alaiha_ wa ilaina_ yurja'u_n
[ Asad’s note 30: Lit., “WE alone shall the earth and all who are on it”………………see 15:23 note 22………on the use of the term “inheritor” or “heir” in the sense of “one who remains after his predecessor has passed away” – in this case, after all creation has perished. (Cf the expression “the heritage of the heaven and the earth” used with reference to God, in d:180 and 57:10)]
[ Ruby’s note: This is a profound revelation regarding the nature of things we see in reality and the nature of God. What essentially conveyed here is that God is the ultimate reality on which all other transitory realities are based. When the physical base of the Universe is destroyed or recapitulated, what remains is the Essential Being, the source OR CAUSE of all existence, He is the ONLY eternal EXISTENCE. In science the concept of Big Bang gives the implication of this profound truth of our existence and this reality. May be one day science -- by understanding how energy transformed into matter and what happened in the millionth second after the Big Bang—could shed more light into this idea of the Ultimate Existence. ]