Sura-3 [Al-Imran, Medina 89 ]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ...

3;85. If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him;

C418. The Muslim position is clear.

The Muslim does not claim to have a religion peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion. In its view all Religion is one, for the Truth is one. It was the religion preached by all the earlier Prophets. It was the truth taught by all the inspired Books.

In essence it amounts to a consciousness of the Will and Plan of Allah and a joyful submission to that Will and Plan.

If any one wants a religion other than that, he is false to his own nature, as he is false to Allah's Will and Plan. Such a one cannot expect guidance, for he has deliberately renounced guidance.

...وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾

and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُواْ أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ...

3:86. How shall Allah guide those who reject faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Messenger was true and that clear signs had come unto them?

...وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٨٩﴾

But Allah guides not a people unjust.

Asad’s Version:

3: 85

Asad For, if one goes in search of a religion other than self- surrender unto God, it will never be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the lost.

Yusuf Ali If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

Pickthall And whoso seeketh as religion other than the Surrender (to Allah) it will not be accepted from him, and he will be a loser in the Hereafter.

Transliteration Wa may yabtagi gairal isla_mi dinan falay yuqbala minh)u), wa huwa fil a_khirati minal kha_sirin(a).

[ Ali’s note - 418 The Muslim position is clear. The Muslim does not claim to have a religion peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion. In its view all Religion is one, for the Truth is one. It was the religion preached by all the earlier Prophets. It was the truth taught by all the inspired Books. In essence it amounts to a consciousness of the Will and Plan of Allah and a joyful submission to that Will and Plan. If any one wants a religion other than that, he is false to his own nature, as he is false to Allah's Will and Plan. Such a one cannot expect guidance, for he has deliberately renounced guidance. (A) Cf. ii. 161-62. (3.85) ]

3: 86

Asad How would God bestow his guidance upon people who have resolved to deny the truth after having attained to faith,

Yusuf Ali How shall Allah guide those who reject faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Apostle was true and that clear signs had come unto them? But Allah guides not a people unjust.

Pickthall How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and (after) they bore witness that the messenger is true and after clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty) had come unto them. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Transliteration Kaifa yahdilla_hu qauman kafaru_ ba'da ima_nihim wa syahidu_ annar rasu_la haqquw wa ja_'ahumul bayyina_t(u), walla_hu la_ yahdil qaumaz za_limin(a).