19.Surah Maryam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:



فَلَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدًّا ﴿٨٤﴾

(19: 84).  So make no haste against them, for We but count out to them a (limited) number (of days).

يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ وَفْدًا ﴿٨٥﴾

(19: 85). The day We shall gather the righteous to (Allah) Most Gracious, like a band presented before a king for honors.

وَنَسُوقُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وِرْدًا ﴿٨٦﴾

(19: 86).  And We shall drive the sinners to Hell, like thirsty cattle driven down to water --

C2528. Note the contrast between the saved and the doomed.

-        The one march with dignity like honoured ones before a king,

-        and the other rush in anguish to their punishment like a herd of cattle driven down by thirst to their watering place.

Note the metaphor of the water. They rush madly for water but are plunged into the Fire!

لَا يَمْلِكُونَ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَنِ عَهْدًا ﴿٨٧﴾

(19: 87).  None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious.


Asad’s Version:



Asad (19: 84) Hence, be not in haste [to call down God's punishment] upon them: for We but number the number of their days. 73


Asad (19:85) On the Day when We shall gather the God-conscious unto [Us,] the Most Gracious, as honored guests,

Asad (19:86) and drive those who were lost in sin unto hell as a thirsty herd is driven to a well


Asad (19:87) [on that Day] none will have [the benefit of]

intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious. 74



[[ Asad’s notes


73 Lit., "We number for them but a number". Cf. also the first sentence of verse 75 above.


74 Lit., "except him who has...", etc. According to the classical commentators - including some of

the most outstanding Companions of the Prophet - the "bond with God" denotes, in this context, the realization of His oneness and niqueness; for the wider implications of this term, see surah 2, note 19. Consequently, as pointed out by Razi, even great sinners may hope for God's forgiveness - symbolically expressed by the right of intercession" which will be granted to the prophets on Judgment Day (see note 7 on 10:3)- provided that, during their life on earth, they were aware of

God's existence and oneness. ]]







19: 87

Asad [on that Day] none will have [the benefit of] intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious.

Pickthall They will have no power of intercession, save him who hath made a covenant with his Lord.


Transliteration La_ yamliku_nas syafa_'ata il la manit takhadza indar rahma_ni ahda_


[ Asad’s note 74 – Lit., “except him who has ….” etc. ………….Consequently, as pointed out by Razi, even great sinners may hope for God’s forgiveness – symbolically expressed by the right of “intercession” which will eb granted to the prophets on Judgment Day………………]

[ Ruby’s note 19:87 – I think this concession to exercise “intercession” or appeal to God on behalf of others may also be given to people other than the prophets, such as the loved ones, a righteous person to appeal for his/her people or for the entire humanity, etc. However the person who wcould appeal to God must be righteous person and created a bond with God in this life. ]


[[ Yuksel’s note -

019:087 The Quran categorically rejects the idea of intercessor as an angel or human "savior" commonly believed by the majority of religious people (2:48; 10:18). In the Day of Judgment, the judgment completely belongs to God. The intercession that the Quran approves is no more than testifying the truth (78:38). Messengers and righteous people cannot save anyone who deserves punishment (9:80; 74:48). Muhammad's only intercession, ironically, will be a negative testimony about those who deserted the Quran by hoping for his intercession (25:30). See 2:48. ]]



[[Asad’s note to 19:87 - 74 Lit., "except him who has...", etc. According to the classical commentators - including some of

the


most outstanding Companions of the Prophet - the "bond with God" denotes, in this context, the

realization of His oneness and uniqueness; for the wider implications of this term, see surah 2,

note 19. Consequently, as pointed out by Razi, even great sinners may hope for God's

forgiveness -


symbolically expressed by the right of "intercession" which will be granted to the prophets on

Judgment Day (see note 7 on 10:3)- provided that, during their life on earth, they were aware of

God's existence and oneness. ]]



19:87

La yamlikoona alshshafaAAata illa mani ittakhatha AAinda alrrahmani AAahdan

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Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning

Muhammad Asad

 

[on that Day] none will have [the benefit of] intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious.

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M. M. Pickthall

 

They will have no power of intercession, save him who hath made a covenant with his Lord.

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Shakir

 

They shall not control intercession, save he who has made a covenant with the Beneficent Allah.

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Yusuf Ali

 

None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (Allah) Most Gracious.

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[Al-Muntakhab]

 

No one shall have the advantage nor the power of intercession except him who has been promised to this effect by AL-Rahman.

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[Progressive Muslims]

 

None will posses intercession, except for he who has taken a pledge with the Almighty.

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Abdel Haleem

 

no one will have power to intercede except for those who have permission from the Lord of Mercy.

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Abdul Majid Daryabadi

 

They shall not own intercession, excepting those who have taken of the Compassionate a covenant. *Chapter:19

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Ahmed Ali

 

They do not own/possess the mediation, except who took/received at the merciful a promise/contract .

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Aisha Bewley

 

They have no right of intercession. None do but those who have a contract with the All-Merciful.

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Ali Ünal

 

(Those who have taken deities so that they may intercede with God on their behalf should know that) none will have a right of intercession except such as have a covenant with the All-Merciful (by virtue of the quality of their faith and worship, and their nearness to Him).

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Ali Quli Qara'i

 

No one will have the power to intercede [with Allah], except for him who has taken a covenant with the All-beneficent.

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Amatul Rahman Omar

 

(On that day,) intercession shall be denied to all, save him who holds a promise from the Most Gracious (God).

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Hamid S. Aziz

 

We will drive the guilty into hell, like thirsty herds to water.

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Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali

 

They do not possess (any means of) intercession, except the ones who have taken to him from the Providence of the All-Merciful a covenant.

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Muhammad Sarwar

 

no one will be able to intercede for the others except those whom the Beneficent God has given authority.

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Muhammad Taqi Usmani

 

none will have power to intercede, except the one who has entered into a covenant with the All-Merciful (Allah).

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Shabbir Ahmed

 

None will have the benefit of intercession unless he has entered into a bond with the Beneficent during the life of the world.

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Syed Vickar Ahamed

 

None shall have the power to plead (for them), except such a one, who has had permission from (Allah) the Most Gracious (Ar-Rahman).

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Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)

 

None will have [power of] intercession except he who had taken from the Most Merciful a covenant.

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Farook Malik

 

[on that Day] none will have [the benefit of] intercession unless he has [in his lifetime] entered into a bond with the Most Gracious.'°

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Controversial, deprecated, or status undetermined works

Bijan Moeinian

 

No one will have the ability to intercede, except those who conform to the laws of the Most Gracious.

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Faridul Haque

 

People do not own the right to intercede, except those * who have made a covenant with the Most Gracious. (* The Holy Prophets and virtuous people will be given the permission to intercede. Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him - will be the first to intercede.)

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Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah

 

who have no power of intercession, except those who have taken a covenant with the Merciful.

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Maulana Muhammad Ali

 

They have no power of intercession, save him who has made a covenant with the Beneficent.

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Muhammad Ahmed - Samira

 

None will have power to intercede for them except one who obtains a promise from Ar-Rahman.

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Sher Ali

 

None will have the power of intercession save he who has received a promise from the Gracious God.

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Yusuf Ali (org.)

 

None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from (God) Most Gracious.

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Rashad Khalifa

 

No one will possess the power to intercede, except those who conform to the laws of the Most Gracious.

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Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works

Arthur John Arberry

 

having no power of intercession, save those who have taken with the All-merciful covenant.

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Edward Henry Palmer

 

They shall not possess intercession, save he who has taken a compact with the Merciful.

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George Sale

 

They shall obtain no intercession, except he only who hath received a covenant from the Merciful.

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John Medows Rodwell

 

None shall have power to intercede, save he who hath received permission at the hands of the God of Mercy.

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