4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَهْلَ
الْكِتَابِ
لاَ
تَغْلُواْ
فِي
دِينِكُمْ
وَلاَ
تَقُولُواْ
عَلَى
اللّهِ
إِلاَّ
الْحَقِّ
...
4: 171. O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth.
C675. Just as a foolish servant may go wrong by excess of zeal for his master, so in religion people's excesses may lead them to blasphemy or a spirit the very opposite of religion.
The Jewish excesses in the direction of formalism, racialism, exclusiveness, and rejection of Christ Jesus have been denounced in many places. Here the Christian attitude is condemned, which raises Jesus to an equality with Allah: in some cases venerates Mary almost to idolatry: attributes a physical son to Allah: and invents the doctrine of the Trinity, opposed to all reason, which according to the Athanasian Creed, unless a man believes, he is doomed to hell for ever.
Let our Muslims also beware lest they fall into excesses either in doctrine or in formalism.
... إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ...
Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a Messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him:
... فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ...
so believe in Allah and His Messengers.
... وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ ثَلاَثَةٌ انتَهُواْ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ ...
Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you:
C676. Christ's attributes are mentioned:
- that he was the son of a woman, Mary and therefore a man;
- but a messenger, a man with a mission from Allah, and therefore entitled to honour;
- a Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by Allah's word "Be" (kun), and he was: 3:59;
- a spirit proceeding from Allah, but not Allah:
his life and his mission were more limited than in the case of some other Messengers, though we must pay equal honour to him as a Prophet of Allah.
The doctrines of Trinity, equality with Allah, and sonship, are repudiated as blasphemies. Allah is independent of all needs and has no need of a son to manage His affairs.
The Gospel of John (whoever wrote it) has put in a great deal of Alexandrian and Gnostic mysticism round the doctrine of the Word (Greek, Logos), but it is simply explained here. (R).
... إِنَّمَا اللّهُ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ سُبْحَانَهُ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ...
for Allah is One Allah: glory be to Him: (for Exalted is He) above having a son.
... لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَات وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ...
To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth.
... وَكَفَى بِاللّهِ وَكِيلاً ﴿١٧١﴾
And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
لَّن
يَسْتَنكِفَ
الْمَسِيحُ
أَن
يَكُونَ
عَبْداً
لِّلّهِ
وَلاَ
الْمَلآئِكَةُ
الْمُقَرَّبُونَ...
4: 172. Christ disdaineth not to serve and worship Allah, nor do the angels, those nearest (to Allah):
C677. Christ often watched and prayed, as a humble worshipper of Allah; and his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane was full of human dignity, suffering, and self-humiliation (see Matt. 26:36-45).
... وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيهِ جَمِيعًا ﴿١٧٢﴾
those who disdain His worship and are arrogant, He will gather them all together unto Himself to (answer).
C678. The disdainful and the arrogant are the crew of Satan, who will be gathered together before the Supreme Throne for punishment.
Other versions:
4: 171 [an-Nisa, Median 92]
Asad O followers of the Gospel! Do not overstep the bounds in your religious beliefs, and do not say of God anything but the truth. The Christ Jesus, son of Mary, was but God’s Apostle – His promise which He had conveyed unto Mary – and a soul created by Him. Believe, then, in God and His apostles, and do not say, “ [God is] a trinity”. Desist [from this assertion] for your own good. God is but One God; utterly remote is He, in His glory, from having a son: unto Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and none is as worthy of trust as God. Asad
Ali O People of t he Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: ......a Messenger of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in God and His Messengers......To Him belong all things......And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs.
Pickthall 4: 171.......And God is sufficient as Defender.
4: 172 Asad Never did the Christ feel too proud to be God’s servant, nor do the angels who are near unto Him.
Yusuf Ali Christ disdaineth not to serve and worship Allah nor do the angels those nearest (to Allah): those who disdain His worship and are arrogant He will gather them all together unto himself to (answer).
Pickthall The Messiah will never scorn to be a slave unto Allah, nor will the favored angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him;
Transliteration Lay yastankifal masihu ay yaku_na 'abdala lilla_hi wa lal mala_'ikatul muqarrabu_n(a), wa may yastankif 'an 'iba_datihi wa yastakbir fa sayahsyuruhum ilaihi jami'a_(n).
[[ Ali’s notes - 677 Christ often watched and prayed, as a humble worshipper of Allah; and his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane was full of human dignity, suffering, and self- humiliation (see Matt. xxvi. 36-45). (4.172)
678 The disdainful and the arrogant are the crew of Satan, who will be gathered together before the Supreme Throne for punishment. (4.172)]]