6. [al-Anam, Cattle Mecca 55]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَادةً...

6: 19. Say: "What thing is most weighty in evidence?"

...قُلِ اللّهِ شَهِيدٌ بِيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ ...

Say: "Allah is Witness between me and you:

...وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لأُنذِرَكُم بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ...

this Qur'án hath been revealed to me by inspiration that I may warn you and all whom it reaches.

...أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ اللّهِ آلِهَةً أُخْرَى...

Can ye possibly bear witness that besides Allah there is another god?"

...قُل لاَّ أَشْهَدُ...

Say: "Nay! I cannot bear witness!"

...قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٩﴾

Say: "But in truth He is the One Allah, and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him.

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءهُمُ...

6: 20. Those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons.

C850. Cf. 2:146 and n. 151.

In both passages the pronoun translated "this" may mean "him" and refer to Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, as some commentators think.

...الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٢٠﴾

Those who have lost their own souls refuse therefore to believe.

Asad’s Version:

6:19 ....”He is the One God; and, behold, far be it from me to ascribe divinity, as you do, to aught beside Him!”

6: 20 They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know this* as they know their own children; yet those [of them] who have squandered their own selves – it is they who refuse to believe.

(* “This” the above quote in 6:19, and Asad note 14: the truth of God’s transcendental uniqueness and oneness, which is stressed in all authentic scriptures.)