2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ
أَخَذْنَا
مِيثَاقَكُمْ
لاَ تَسْفِكُونَ
دِمَاءكُمْ
وَلاَ تُخْرِجُونَ
أَنفُسَكُم
مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ...
2: 84. And remember We took your Covenant (to this effect): shed no blood amongst you, nor turn out your own people from your homes;
C88. Verse 83 referred to the universal moral law.
This verse 84 refers to its application under a special Covenant entered into with the Jews of Madinah by the new-born Muslim Commonwealth under its Guide and teacher Muhammad.
This Covenant is given in Ibn Hisham's Sirat-ur-Rasul, and comments on it will be found in Ameer Ali's Spirit of Islam (London 1922), pp. 57-61.
It was entered into in the second year of the Hijrah, and was treacherously broken by the Jews almost immediately afterwards.
... ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ ﴿٨٤﴾
and this ye solemnly ratified, and to this ye can bear witness.
ثُمَّ
أَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاء
تَقْتُلُونَ
أَنفُسَكُمْ
وَتُخْرِجُونَ
فَرِيقاً مِّنكُم
مِّن دِيَارِهِمْ
...
2: 85. After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes;
... تَظَاهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِالإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ...
assist (their enemies) against them, in guilt and rancor;
... وَإِن يَأتُوكُمْ أُسَارَى تُفَادُوهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ ...
and if they come to you as captives, ye ransom them, though it was not lawful for you to banish them.
C89. I understand "ransom them" here to mean "take ransom for them" though most of the Commentators take it to mean "give ransom for them".
Mustafa had made a Pact which, if it had been faithfully observed by all parties, would have brought a reign of law and order for Madinah. But some of the treacherous Jews never intended to observe its terms. They fought and slew each other and not only banished those who were obnoxious to them but intrigued with their enemies. If by chance they came back into their hands as captives, they demanded ransom for them to return to their homes although they had no right to banish them at all.
If we understand by "ransom them" pay "ransom for them to release them from the hands of their enemies," it would mean that they did this pious act for show, although they were themselves the authors of their unlawful banishment.
I think the former makes better sense.
... أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ...
Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest?
... فَمَا جَزَاء مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلاَّ خِزْيٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا...
But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life?
... وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى أَشَدِّ الْعَذَابِ ...
and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty.
... وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٨٥﴾
For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.
أُولَـئِكَ
الَّذِينَ
اشْتَرَوُاْ
الْحَيَاةَ
الدُّنْيَا
بِالآَخِرَةِ
...
2: 86. These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter;
... فَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ﴿٨٦﴾
their penalty shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped
Other versions:
2: 84
Asad And lo! We accepted your solemn pledge that you would not shed one another’s blood, and would not drive one another from your homelands – whereupon you acknowledge it; and thereto you bear witness [even now].
Yusuf Ali And remember We took your Covenant (to this effect): shed no blood amongst you nor turn out your own people from your homes; and this ye solemnly ratified and to this ye can bear witness.
Pickthall And when We made with you a covenant (saying): Shed not the blood of your people nor turn (a party of) your people out of your dwellings. Then ye ratified (Our covenant) and ye were witnesses (thereto).
Transliteration Wa iz akhazna_ misa_qakum la_ tasfiku_na dima_'akum wa la_ tukhriju_na anfusakum min diya_rikum, summa aqrartum wa antum tasyhadu_n(a).
2: 85 And yet, it is you who slay one another and drive some of your own people from their homelands, aiding one another against them in sin and hatred; but if they come to you as captives, you ransom them – although the very [act of] driving them away has been make unlawful to you! [note 69]
Do you, then, believe in some parts of the divine writ and deny the truth of other parts? What, then, could be the reward of those among you who do such things but ignominy in the life of this world and, on the Day of Resurrection, commitment to most grievous suffering? For God is not unmindful of what you do.]
Yusuf Ali After this it is ye the same people who slay among yourselves and banish a party of you from their homes; assist (their enemies) against them in guilt and rancor; and if they come to you as captives ye ransom them though it was not lawful for you to banish them.
Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.
Pickthall Yet ye it is who slay each other and drive out a party of your people from their homes, supporting one another against them by sin and transgression, and if they came to you as captives ye would ransom them, whereas their expulsion was itself unlawful for you.
Believe ye in part of the Scripture and disbelieve ye in part thereof? And what is the reward of those who do so save ignominy in the life of the world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be consigned to the most grievous doom. For Allah is not unaware of what ye do.
Transliteration Summa antum ha_'ula_'i taqtulu_na anfusakum wa tukhriju_na fariqam minkum min diya_rihim, taza_hara_na 'alaihim bil ismi wal'udwa_n(i), wa iy ya'tu_kum usa_ra_ tufa_du_hum wa huwa muharramun 'alaikum ikhra_juhum afatu'minu_na bi ba'dil kita_bi wa takfuru_na bi ba'd(in), fama_ jaza_'u may yaf'alu za_lika minkum illa_ khizyun fil haya_tid dunya_, wa yaumal qiya_mati yuraddu_na ila_ asyaddil 'aza_b(i), wa malla_hu bi ga_filin 'amma_ ta'malu_n(a).
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[ Ruby’s note: In religion there is no place for half hearted faith. A sincere faith should be based on Truth and nothing but the truth, no matter how difficult it is, and there should not be any mix up of truth with falsehood. This is the right idea. However, human beings are not perfect and they are not always right in their understanding. Any mix up because of ignorance or because of one’s limitation to understand the right thing due to one’s situation of birth, family, society, culture etc. would probably be forgiven.
However, the mix up which would deserve serious consequence is a deliberate attempt to change the truth due to one’s arrogance, envy, negligence and addictions of life. The Quran is repetitively warning the seriousness of this failure. One ever true religion for human kind is based on the truth, and this truth is the nature of human being and things with which God has created reality. Any deviation from this true nature [“fitra”] is a step towards falsehood. God is proclaimed to be the Ultimate Truth or Reality. When one resorts to any kinds of false things, lies or distortions, one is violation the fundamental Law of God. The law of truth is at the truth of every thing. Justice is based on truth, and without justice there cannot be true harmony or peace. This idea is at the core and most fundamental idea of Islam.]
[ Ali’s notes: 87 So far from the Covenant being of the kind you suggest in ii. 80, the real Covenant is about the moral law, which is set out in ii. 83. This moral law is universal and if you break it, no privileges will lighten your punishment or help you in any way (ii. 86). "Speak fair to the people" not only means outward courtesy from the leaders to the meanest among the people, but the protection of the people from being exploited, deceived, defrauded, or doped with things to lull their intelligence. (2.83)
88 Verse 83 referred to the universal moral law. This verse 84 refers to its application under a special Covenant entered into with the Jews of Medina by the new-born Muslim Commonwealth under its Guide and teacher Muhammad. This Covenant is given in Ibn Hisham's Sivat-ur-Rasul, and comments on it will be found in Ameer Ali's Spirit of Islam (London 1922), pp. 57-61. It was entered into in the second year of the Hijra, and was treacherously broken by the Jews almost immediately afterwards. (2.84)
89 I understand "ransom them" here to mean "take ransom for them" though most of the Commentators take it to mean "give ransom for them". Mustafa had made a Pact which, if it had been faithfully observed by all parties, would have brought a reign of law and order for Medina. But some of the treacherous Jews never intended to observe its terms. They fought and slew each other and not only banished those who were obnoxious to them but intrigued with their enemies. If by chance they came back into their hands as captives, they demanded ransom for them to return to their homes although they had no right to banish them at all. If we understand by "ransom them" pay "ransom for them to release them from the hands of their enemies," it would mean that they did this pious act for show, although they were themselves the authors of their unlawful banishment. I think the former makes better sense. (2.85) ]
[ Asad’s notes: 66: In the preceding passages, the children of Israel have been reminded of the favors that were bestowed on them. Now, however, the Quran reminds them of the fact that the way of righteousness has indeed been shown to them by means of explicit social and moral injunctions: and this reminder follows directly from the statement that the human condition in the life to come depends exclusively on the manner of one’s life in this world, and not on one’s descent.
Note 68: The Old Testament contains many allusions to the waywardness and stubborn rebelliousness of the children of Israel – e.g., Exodus xxxii, 9, xxxiii, 3, xxxiv, 9; Deuteronomy, ix, 6-8, 23-24, 27.
Note 69: This is a reference to the conditions prevailing at Medina at the time of the Prophet’s ‘hijrah’. The two Arab tribes of Medina – Al Aws and Khazra – were in pre-Islamic times permanently at war with one another; and out of the three Jewish tribes living there- the Banu Qaynuqa, Banu n-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah – the first- named two were allied with Khazraj, while the third was allied with Al-Aws. Thus, in the course of their warfare, Jew would kill Jew in alliance with pagans (“aiding one another in sin and hatred”): a twofold crime from the viewpoint of Mosaic Law. Nevertheless, they would subsequently ransom their mutual captives in obedience to that very same Law – and it is this glaring inconsistency to which the Quran alludes in the next sentence.]
2: 86
Asad All who buy the life at the price of the life to come – their suffering shall not be lightened, nor shall they be succored!
Yusuf Ali These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter; their penalty shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped.
Pickthall Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the Hereafter: Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support.
Transliteration Ula_'ikal lazinas tarawul haya_tad dunya_ bil a_khirah(ti), fala_ yukhaffafu 'anhumul 'aza_bu wa la_ hum yunsara_n(a).