12. Surha Yusuf (Joseph)
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَذَلِكَ
يَجْتَبِيكَ
رَبُّكَ
وَيُعَلِّمُكَ
مِن
تَأْوِيلِ
الأَحَادِيثِ...
12: 6. "Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and events)
C1636. If Joseph was to be of the elect, he must understand and interpret Signs and events aright. The imagination of the pure sees truths, which those not so endowed cannot understand. The dreams of the righteous prefigure great events, while the dreams of the futile are mere idle futilities. Even things that happen to us are often like dreams.
The righteous man receives disasters and reverses, not with blasphemies against Allah, but with humble devotion, seeking to ascertain His Will. Not does he receive good fortune with arrogance, but as an opportunity for doing good to friends and foes alike. His attitude to histories and stories is the same; he seeks the edifying material which leads to Allah.
وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى آلِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَا أَتَمَّهَا عَلَى أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَقَ...
and perfect His favor to thee and to the posterity of Jacob -- even as He perfected it to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime!
...إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٦﴾
For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."
C1637. Whatever happens is the result of Allah's Will and Plan. And He is good and wise, and He knows all things. Therefore we must trust Him.
In Joseph's case he could look back to his fathers, and to Abraham, the True, the Righteous, who through all adversities kept his Faith pure and undefiled, and won through.
وَاتَّبَعْتُ
مِلَّةَ
آبَآئِـي
إِبْرَاهِيمَ
وَإِسْحَقَ
وَيَعْقُوبَ...
12: 38. "And I follow the ways of my fathers -- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
C1691. Again the same note of personal modesty.
'You may think I am as young as you, or younger. Yes, but I have the heritage of great men renowned for wisdom and truth, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Surely what they knew is worthy of respect. Never did they swerve a hair's breadth from the Gospel of Unity.
It is not that we boast. It was Allah's grace that taught us and Allah's grace is teaching all mankind. But men show their ingratitude by inventing other so-called gods'.
...مَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِاللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ...
and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah:
...ذَلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ اللّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
that (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind:
yet most men are not grateful.
Asad’s Version:
12: 6
Asad ……..will thy Sustainer elect thee, and will impart unto thee some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings, and will bestow the full measure of His blessings upon thee and upon the House of Jacob- even as, aforetime, He bestowed it in full measure upon thy forefathers Abraham and Isaac. Verily, thy Sustainer is all-knowing, wise!”
Yusuf Ali "Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and events) and perfect His favor to thee and to the posterity of Jacob even as He perfected it to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! For Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."
Pickthall Thus thy Lord will prefer thee and will teach thee the interpretation of events, and will perfect his grace upon thee and upon the family of Jacob as he perfected it upon thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Lo! thy Lord is Knower, Wise.
Transliteration Wa kaza_lika yajtabika rabbuka wa yu'allimuka min ta'wilil aha_disi wa yutimmu ni'matahu_'alaika wa 'ala_ a_li ya'qu_ba kama_ atammaha_ 'ala_ abawaika min qablu ibra_hima wa isha_q(a), inna ibra_hima 'alimun hakim(un).
12: 38
Yusuf Ali "And I follow the ways of my fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob; and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah: that (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: yet most men are not grateful.
Pickthall And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It never was for us to attribute aught as partner to Allah. This is of the bounty of Allah unto us (the seed of Abraham) and unto mankind; but most men give not thanks.
19. Surah Maryam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ
وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ
مِن دُونِ
اللَّهِ...
19: 49. When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah,
...وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّا ﴿٤٩﴾
We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob,
and each one of them We made a prophet.
C2501. Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob are mentioned here as carrying on one line of Abraham's traditions. The other line was carried on by Isma'il, who is mentioned independently five verses lower down, as his line got special honour in the Holy Prophet of Islam. That is why his mention comes after that of Moses.
Cf. 21:72.
وَوَهَبْنَا
لَهُم مِّن
رَّحْمَتِنَا
وَجَعَلْنَا
لَهُمْ لِسَانَ
صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا ﴿٥٠﴾
19: 50. And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them,
and We granted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth.
C2502. Abraham and his son and grandson Isaac and Jacob, and their fine, maintained the banner of Allah's truth for many generations, and they won deservedly high praise-the praise of truth-on the tongues of men.
Abraham prayed that he should be praised by the tongue of truth among men to come in later ages: 26:84.
Ordinary praise may mean nothing: it may be due to selfish flattery on the part of others or artful management by the person praised. Praise on the tongue of sincere truth is praise indeed!
Asad’s Version:
19: 49
Asad And after he had withdrawn from them and from all that they were worshipping instead of God, We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, and made each of them a prophet;
Yusuf Ali When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob and each one of them We made a prophet.
Pickthall So, when he had withdrawn from them and that which they were worshipping beside Allah. We gave him Isaac and Jacob. Each of them We made a Prophet.
Transliteration Falam ma tazalahum wa ma_ ya'budu_na min du_nil la_hi wahabna_ lahu_ is ha_qa wa ya'qu_b wa kul lan ja'alna_ nabiy ya_
[ Ali’s note: 2501 Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob are mentioned here as carrying on one line of Abraham's traditions. The other line was carried on by Isma'il, who is mentioned independently five verses lower down, as his line got special honour in the Holy Prophet of Islam. That is why his mention comes after that of Moses. Cf. xxi. 72. (19.49) ]
19: 50
Asad and We bestowed upon them [manifold] gifts out of Our grace, and granted them a lofty power to convey the truth [unto others].
Yusuf Ali And We bestowed of Our Mercy on them and We granted them lofty honor on the tongue of truth.
Pickthall And We gave them of Our mercy, and assigned to them a high and true renown.
Transliteration Wa wahabna_ lahum mir rahmatina_ wa ja'alna_ lahum lisa_na shidqin 'aliy ya_
[ Asad’s note 36: Lit., “a lofty language of truth” or “of truthfulness” – the term “lisan”
(“language” or “tongue”) being used here metonymically for what may be pronounced by the tongue (Zamakhshari). An alternative interpretation of the phrase, advanced by many commentators, is “granted them a lofty renown for truth” or “truthfulness”, or simply “ a most goodly renown”.]
[Ali’s note: 2502 Abraham and his son and grandson Isaac and Jacob, and their line, maintained the banner of Allah's truth for many generations, and they won deservedly high praise-the praise of truth-on the tongues of men. Abraham prayed that he should be praised by the tongue of truth among men to come in later ages: xxvi. 84. Ordinary praise may mean nothing: it may be due to selfish flattery on the part of others or artful management by the person praised. Praise on the tongue of sincere truth is praise indeed! (19.50) ]
21. Surah Al Anbiya'
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَوَهَبْنَا
لَهُ إِسْحَقَ
وَيَعْقُوبَ
نَافِلَةً...
21: 72. And We bestowed on him Isaac and, as an additional gift, (a grandson), Jacob,
C2728. Nafilat has many meanings:
- booty;
- extra work or prayer;
- extra or additional gift;
- grandson.
The two last significations are implied here. Not only was Abraham given a son in his old age; he was given not only Isaac, but several sons, the chief being Isma'il and Isaac, who both joined in burying him (Gen. 25:9); and he also saw grandsons. Isma'il is specially mentioned later (21:85) apart from Isaac's line, on account of his special importance for Islam.
...وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا صَالِحِينَ ﴿٧٢﴾
and We made righteous men of every one (of them).
وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ
أَئِمَّةً
يَهْدُونَ
بِأَمْرِنَا...
21: 73. And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command,
...وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ...
and We sent them inspiration
= to do good deeds,
- to establish regular prayers, and
- to practice regular charity;
...وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ ﴿٧٣﴾
and they constantly served Us (and Us only).
C2729. The spiritual lesson from this passage may be recapitulated. The righteous man makes no compromise with evil. If the votaries of evil laugh at him he pays them in their own coin, but he stands firmly by his principles.
His firmness causes some confusion among the followers of evil, and he openly declares the faith that is in him. They try, openly and secretly, to injure or kill him, but Allah protects him, while evil perishes from its own excesses.
Asad’s Version:
21:72 [al-Anbiyaa, Mecca 73]
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(21:73) and made them leaders who would guide [others] in accordance with Our behest: for We inspired them [with a will] to do good works, and to be constant in prayer, and to dispense charity: and Us [alone) did they worship.
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37. Surah As-Saffat (Those Ranged In Ranks)
Mecca 56 [182 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
كَذَلِكَ
نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ
﴿١١٠﴾
37: 110. Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.
إِنَّهُ
مِنْ عِبَادِنَا
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
﴿١١١﴾
37: 111. For he was one of Our believing Servants.
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ
بِإِسْحَقَ
نَبِيًّا مِّنَ
الصَّالِحِينَ
﴿١١٢﴾
37: 112. And We gave him the good news of Isaac -- a prophet -- one of the Righteous.
C4105. Isaac was Abraham's second son, born of Sarah, when Abraham was 100 years of age. See n. 4101.
He was also blessed and became the ancestor of the Jewish people. See next note.
وَبَارَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى إِسْحَقَ...
37: 113. We blessed him and Isaac:
...وَمِن
ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا
مُحْسِنٌ وَظَالِمٌ
لِّنَفْسِهِ
مُبِينٌ ﴿١١٣﴾
but of their progeny are (some) that do right, and (some) that obviously do wrong, to their own souls.
C4106. So long as the Children of Israel upheld the righteous banner of Allah, they enjoyed Allah's blessing, and their history is a portion of sacred history. When they fell from grace, they did not stop Allah's Plan: they injured their own souls.
Asad’s Version:
37:110 Thus do We reward the doers of good –
(37: 1 1 1) for he was truly one of our believing servants
(37:112) And [in time] We gave him the glad tiding of Isaac, [who, too, would be] a prophet, one of the righteous;
(37: 1 13) and We blessed him and Isaac: but among the offspring of these two there were [destined] to be both doers of good and such as would glaringly sin against
themselves.' 15
