Sura-4 [Al Nissa Medina 92]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ...   

4:41.  How then if We brought from each people a witness,

... وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَـؤُلاء شَهِيدًا ﴿٤١﴾  

and We brought thee as a witness against these people!

C560. Each Prophet and Leader is a witness for his People and his contemporaries-for those who accept Allah, and against those who reject Him.

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَعَصَوُاْ الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّى بِهِمُ الأَرْضُ...   

4:42.  On that day those who reject faith and disobey the Messenger will wish that the earth were made one with them:

C561. Those who reject Allah's message will wish, when their eyes are opened, that they were reduced to dust, for existence itself will be agony to them.

They might like to hide in the dust, but nothing is hidden from Allah. All their past will stand out clear before Him.

... وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللّهَ حَدِيثًا ﴿٤٢﴾

but never will they hide a single fact from Allah!

C.63 (The running Commentary, in Rhythmic Prose)

(4:43-70)

By clean and pure, and seek not occasions

For quibbles, nor go after sorcery

Or false gods. Be faithful

In your trusts, learn obedience,

And settle your quarrels under the guidance

Of Allah's Messenger. Every keep away

From hypocrisy and every kind of falsehood.

Then will you be admitted to a glorious Fellowship

With the highest and noblest in the spiritual world.

Asad’s Version:

4: 41

Asad How, then, [will the sinners fare on Judgment Day,] when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community [note 52], and bring thee [O Prophet] as witness against them?

Yusuf Ali How then if We brought from each people a witness and We brought thee as a witness against these people!

Pickthall But how (will it be with them) when we bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammad) a witness against these?

Yuksel How is it then when We bring forth from every nation a witness, and bring you as a witness over these?*

Transliteration Fa kaifa iza_ ji'na_ min kulli ummatim bi syahidiw wa ji'na_ bika 'ala_ ha_'ula_'i syahida_(n).

4: 42

Asad Those who were bent on denying the truth and paid no heed to the Apostle will on that Day wish that the earth would swallow them [note 53]: but they shall not [be able to] conceal from God anything that has happened.

Yusuf Ali On that day those who reject faith and disobey the Apostle will wish that the earth were made one with them: but never will they hide a single fact from Allah!

Pickthall On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the messenger will wish that they were level with the ground, and they can hide no fact from Allah.

Yuksel

On that day those who rejected and disobeyed the messenger will wish that the earth would swallow them; but they cannot hide anything said from God.

Transliteration Yauma'iziy yawaddul lazina kafaru_ wa 'asaur rasu_la lau tusawwa_ bihimul ard(u), wa la_ yaktumu_nalla_ha hadisa_(n).

[[Ali’s notes - 560 Each Prophet and Leader is a witness for his People and his contemporaries-for those who accept Allah, and against those who reject Him. (4.41)

561 Those who reject Allah's message will wish, when their eyes are opened, that they were reduced to dust, for existence itself will be agony to them. They might like to hide in the dust, but nothing is hidden from Allah. All their past will stand out clear before Him. (4.42)]]

[[ Asad’s note 52 – I.e., the earlier apostles, of whom every community or civilization has had a share.]]