6. [al-Anam, Cattle Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَهُوَ
الْقَاهِرُ
فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ
...
6: 61. He is the Irresistible, (watching) from above over his worshippers,
... وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً...
and He sets guardians over you.
C882. Guardians: most commentators understand this to mean guardian angels. The idea of guardianship is expressed in a general term.
Allah watches over us and guards us, and provides all kinds of agencies, material, moral, and spiritual, to help our growth and development, keep us from harm, and bring us nearer to our Destiny.
...حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا...
At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul,
C883. Angel: the word used is rusul, the Sent Ones, -the same word as for human Messengers sent by Allah to teach mankind.
The agents who come to take our souls at death are accurate in the performance of their duty. They come neither before nor after their appointed time, nor do they do it in any manner other than that fixed by the Command of Allah.
...وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
and they never fail in their duty.
ثُمَّ
رُدُّواْ إِلَى
اللّهِ مَوْلاَهُمُ
الْحَقِّ أَلاَ
لَهُ الْحُكْمُ
...
6: 62. Then are men returned unto Allah, their True Protector, the (only) reality:
Surely His is the Command?
C884. The only Reality: al-haqq, the Truth, the only True One.
The point is that our illusions of the life of this lower world now vanish, when we are rendered back to Allah, from Whom we came. And now we find that so far from the results of our actions being delayed, they follow more swiftly than we can express in terms of Time.
Here is the answer to the taunt of those who were impatient of the working of Allah's Plans (6:57-58). (R).
... وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ ﴿٦٢﴾
And He is the swiftest in taking account.
Other Versions:
6: 61
Asad And He alone holds sway over His servants. And He sends forth heavenly forces to watch over you [note 52] until, when death approaches any of you, Our messengers cause him to die: and they do not over look [anyone].
Pickthall He is the Omnipotent over His slaves. He send guardians over you until, when death comes unto one of you, Our messengers receive him, and they neglect not.
Transliteration Wa huwal qa_hiru fauqa'iba_dihi wa yursilu 'alaikum hafazah(tan), hatta_ iza_ ja_'a ahadakumul mautu tawaffathu rusuluna_ wa hum la_ yufarritu_n(a).
6: 62
Asad And they [who have died] are thereupon brought before God, their true Lord Supreme. Oh, verily, His alone is all judgment: and He is the swiftest of all reckoners!
Pickthall Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners.
Transliteration Summa ruddu_ ilalla_hi maula_humul haqq(i),ala_ lahul hukmu wa huwa asra'ul ha_sibin(a).
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13. Surah Ar Ra'd, Medina 96
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ
أَنَّا نَأْتِي
الأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا
مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا...
13: 41. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders?
C1865. In the Prophet's ministry at Makkah, the Most stiff-necked opposition came from the seat and centre of power in Makkah. The humbler people -the fringe of Makkan society- came in readily, as also did some tribes round about Makkah.
After the Hijrah there was a hard struggle between Makkah and Madinah and at last the bloodless conquest of Makkah in A.H. 8 made the Pagan structure finally collapse, though it had already been sapped to its foundations. So, generally, Truth finds easiest entrance through the humble and lowly, and not in the beginning at the headquarters of power, but in the fullness of time it makes its way everywhere with irresistible force.
...وَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ لاَ مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ...
(Where) Allah commands, there is none to put back His command:
...وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٤١﴾
and He is swift in calling to account.
13: 41
Pickthall See they not how We visit the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? (When) Allah doometh there is none that can postpone His doom, and He is swift at reckoning.
Yuksel Do they not see that We come to the land and reduce it from its borders? God gives judgment and there is none to override His judgment. He is quick reckoning.
Transliteration Awalam yarau anna_ na'til arda nanqusuha_ min atra_fiha_, walla_hu yahkumu la_ mu'aqqiba li hukmih(i), wa huwa sari'ul hisa_b(i).
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14. Surah Ibrahim, Mecca 72
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
14: 50. Their garments
C1927. Sirbal,- plural, Sarabil,- a garment or coat of mail, breast plate;
something covering the most vital parts of the body; like the shirt or the Indian kurta.
... مِّن قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمْ النَّارُ ﴿٥٠﴾
of liquid pitch, and their faces covered with Fire;
C1928. Qatiran: black pitch, a resinous substance exuding from certain kinds of trees like the terebinth or the pines, or distilled from wood or coal.
It catches fire readily. Issuing from the upper garments (Sartabil) the flames soon cover the face, the most expressive part of man's essence or being.
The metaphor of fetters (n. 1926) is now changed to that of pitch, which darkens and sets on fire the soul of man.
لِيَجْزِي
اللّهُ كُلَّ
نَفْسٍ مَّا
كَسَبَتْ...
14: 51. That Allah may requite each soul according to its deserts;
C1929. Its deserts: i.e., according to what it earned by its own acts, good or evil, in its life of probation.
...إِنَّ اللّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٥١﴾
and verily Allah is Swift in calling account.
C1930. Swift in calling to account: We can understand this in two significations.
1. Let not the wicked think that because Allah, out of His infinite grace and mercy, grants respite, therefore the retribution will be slow in coming.
When the time comes in accordance with Allah's Plan and Wisdom, the retribution will come so swiftly that the ungodly will be surprised and they will wish they could get more respite (14:44).
2. On the great Day of Reckoning, let it not be supposed that, because there will be millions of souls to be judged, there will be any delay in judgment as in a human tribunal.
It will be a new world and beyond the flight of Time. Or
if a metaphor from time as we conceive it in this world can be taken, it will all be as it were in the twinkling of an eye (16:77).
هَـذَا بَلاَغٌ
لِّلنَّاسِ
وَلِيُنذَرُواْ
بِهِ...
14: 52. Here is a Message for mankind: let them take warning therefrom,
...وَلِيَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ...
and let them know that He is (no other than) One Allah:
C1931. Here is another aspect of the Truth of Unity. Allah being One, all justice is of one standard, for Truth is one, and we see it as one as soon as the scales of phenomenal diversity fall from our eyes. The one true Reality then emerges.
Blessed are those who treasured this Truth in their souls already in their life of probation.
...وَلِيَذَّكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ ﴿٥٢﴾
let men of understanding take heed.
Pickthall’s Version:
14: 50
Pickthall Their raiment of pitch, and the Fire covering their faces.
Transliteration Sara_biluhum min qatira_niw wa tagsya_ wuju_hahumun na_r(u),
14: 51
Pickthall That Allah may repay each soul what it hath earned. Lo! Allah is swift at reckoning.
Transliteration Liyajziyalla_hu kulla nafsim ma_ kasabat, innalla_ha sari'ul hisa_b(i).
14: 52
Pickthall This is a clear message for mankind in order that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that He is only One God, and that men of understanding may take heed.
Transliteration Ha_za_ bala_gul lin na_si wa liyunzaru_ bihi wa liya'lamu_ annama_ huwa ila_huw wa_hiduw wa liyazzakkara ulul alba_b(i).
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24. Surah an-Nur, Medina 102
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ
كَفَرُوا
أَعْمَالُهُمْ
كَسَرَابٍ
بِقِيعَةٍ
يَحْسَبُهُ
الظَّمْآنُ
مَاء...
24: 39. But the Unbelievers -- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water;
C3010. We have had various metaphors to give us an idea of the beneficent Light of Allah. Now we have contrasted metaphors to enable us to see those who deny or refuse that Light, and are overwhelmed in utter darkness.
The Light (of Allah) is an absolute Reality, and is mentioned first, and the souls that follow that Light are a reflected reality and are mentioned after the Light.
On the other hand the Darkness is not a reality in itself, but a negation of reality; the reflected existences that refuse the Light are mentioned, and then their state, which is Unreality.
Two metaphors are given:
- a mirage, in this verse,
- and the depths of darkness in the sea, in the next,
...حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئًا ...
until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing:
C3011. The mirage, of which I have seen several instances in the Arabian deserts and in Egypt, is a strange phenomenon of illusion. It is a trick of our vision.
In the language of our Parable, it rejects the Light which shows us the Truth, and deceives us with Falsehood.
A lonely traveller in a desert, nearly dying of thirst, sees a broad sheet of water. He goes in that direction, lured on and on, but finds nothing at all. He dies in protracted agony.
... وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسَابَهُ...
but he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account:
C3012. The rebel against Allah finds himself like the man deluded by a mirage. The Truth which he rejected is always with him. The mirage which he accepted leads to his destruction.
...وَاللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ ﴿٣٩﴾
and Allah is swift in taking account.
Asad’s Version:
24:39
But as for those who are bent on denying the truth, their [good] deeds are like a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty supposes to be water - until, when he approaches it, he finds that it was nothing: 5 ' instead, he finds [that] God [has always been present] with him, and [that] He will pay him his account in full - for God is swift in reckoning!