6. Sura al-Anam
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلاَ
تَطْرُدِ
الَّذِينَ
يَدْعُونَ
رَبَّهُم
بِالْغَدَاةِ
وَالْعَشِيِّ
يُرِيدُونَ
وَجْهَهُ...
6: 52. Send not away those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face.
C870. Face: wajh: see 2:112 and n. 114.
...مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ...
Naught have they to gain from thee, and naught hast thou to gain from them,
C871. Some of the rich and influential Quraish thought it beneath their dignity to listen to Muhammad's teaching in company with the lowly disciples, who were gathered round him. But he refused to send away these lowly disciples, who were sincere seekers after Allah.
From a worldly point of view they had nothing to gain from them as they had no influence. But that was no reason for turning them away; indeed their true sincerity entitled them to precedence over worldly men in the kingdom of God, whose justice was vindicated in Muhammad's daily life in this as in other things. If their sincerity was in any way doubtful, it involved no responsibility for the Preacher.
...فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾
that thou shouldst turn them away, and thus be (one) of the unjust.
Asad’s Version:
6: 52 Hence, repulse not [any of ] those who at morn and evening invoke their Sustainer, seeking His countenance. You are in no wise accountable for them –just as they are in no wise accountable for you – and you have therefore no right to repulse them: for then you would be among the evildoers.
Asad note 41: ......................but to people who, while not being Muslims in the current sense of this word, believe in God and are always “seeking His countenance”.........Although primarily addressed to the Prophet, the exhortation voiced in this passage is directed to all followers of the Quran. They are enjoined not to repulse anyone who believes in God – even though his beliefs may not fully answer to the demands of the Quran – but, on the contrary, to try tot help him by means of a patient explanation of the Quranic teachings.