[This beautiful verse exhorts believers to be tolerant of diversity and gracious in inviting them to Islam. ]

Sura-22 [Al Hajj madina 103]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ...

Likulli ommatin jaAAalna mansakan hum nasikoohu

22:67. To every People have we appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow,

C2848. Rites and ceremonies may appear to be an unimportant matter compared with "weightier matters of the Law" and with the higher needs of man's spiritual nature. But they are necessary for social and religious organisation, and their effect on the individual himself is not to be despised.

In any case, as they are visible external symbols, they give rise to the most heated controversies. Such controversies are to be deprecated.

That does not mean that our rites and ceremonies are to be made light of. Those in Islam rest on the highest social and religious needs of man, and if we are convinced that we are on the Right Way, we should invite all to join us, without entering into controversies about such matters.

...فَلَا يُنَازِعُنَّكَ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَادْعُ إِلَى رَبِّكَ...

fala yunaziAAunnaka fee al-amri waodAAu ila rabbika

let them not then dispute with thee on the matter, but do thou invite (them) to thy Lord:

...إِنَّكَ لَعَلَى هُدًى مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٦٧﴾

innaka laAAala hudan mustaqeemin

for thou art assuredly on the Right Way.

وَإِن جَادَلُوكَ فَقُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٦٨﴾

22:68. If they do wrangle with thee, say,

"Allah knows best what it is ye are doing."

C2849. 'You are only wrangling about matters about which you have no knowledge nor any deep religious feeling. The springs of your conduct are all open before Allah, and He will judge you.'

اللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾

22:69. "Allah will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which ye differ."

C2850. 'You not only find fault with the very few and simple rites and ceremonies in Islam: you, outside Islam, have no rites and ceremonies which you are yourselves agreed upon, either as Christians or as Jews, or one compared with the other.'

Asad’s Version:

22:67

UNTO every community have We appointed [different] ways of worship, 82 which they ought to observe. Hence, [O believer,] do not let those [who follow ways other than thine] draw thee into disputes on this score, 85 but summon [them all] unto thy Sustainer: for, behold, thou art

indeed on the right way.

(22:68) And if they [try to] argue with thee, say [only]: "God knows

best what you are doing." 84

22:69

[For, indeed,] God will judge between you [all] on Resurrection Day with regard to all on which you were wont to differ. 83 (22:70) Dost thou not know that God knows all that occurs in heaven as well as on earth? All this, behold, is in [God's] record: verily, [to know] all this is easy for God.

**********************************

[[Asad’s notes - 83 I.e., do not allow thyself to be drawn into disputes" (Zamakhshari and Baghawi).

84 Cf. 10:41 - "To me [shall be accounted] my doings, and to you, your doings: you are not accountable for what I am doing, and I am not accountable for whatever you do".

85 See surah 2, note 94. ]]

**********************************

(22:70) Dost thou not know that God knows all that occurs in

heaven as well as on earth? All this, behold, is in [God's] record: verily, [to know] all this is

easy for God.

22:67 [al-Hajj, Medina 103]