4. Sura an-Nisa
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ
أَن تُؤدُّواْ
الأَمَانَاتِ
إِلَى أَهْلِهَا...
4: 58. Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due;
... وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُواْ بِالْعَدْلِ...
and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice:
... إِنَّ اللّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِ...
verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you!
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا ﴿٥٨﴾
for Allah is He who heareth and seeth all things.
إِنَّا
أَنزَلْنَا
إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ
بِالْحَقِّ
لِتَحْكُمَ
بَيْنَ النَّاسِ
بِمَا أَرَاكَ
اللّهُ ...
4: 105. We have sent down to thee the Book in truth, that thou mightest judge between men, as guided by Allah:
... وَلاَ تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا ﴿١٠٥﴾
so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their trust.
C621. The Commentators explain this passage with reference to the case of Taima ibn Ubairaq, who was nominally a Muslim but really a Hypocrite, and given to all sorts of wicked deeds.
He was suspected of having stolen a set of armour, and when the trial was hot, he planted the stolen property into the house of a Jew, where it was found. The Jew denied the charge and accused Taima, but the sympathies of the Muslim community were with Taima on account of his nominal profession of Islam.
The case was brought to the Prophet, who acquitted the Jew according to the strict principle of justice, as "guided by Allah."
Attempts were made to prejudice him and deceive him into using his authority to favour Taima. When Taima realized that his punishment was imminent he fled and turned apostate. (R).
The general lesson is that the righteous man is faced with all sorts of subtle wiles; the wicked will try to appeal to his highest sympathies and most honourable motives to deceive him and use him as an instrument for defeating justice. He should be careful and cautious, and seek the help of Allah for protection against deception and for firmness in dealing the strictest justice without fear or favour.
To do otherwise is to betray a sacred trust; the trustee must defeat all attempts made to mislead him.
وَاسْتَغْفِرِ
اللّهِ إِنَّ
اللّهَ كَانَ
غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
﴿١٠٦﴾
4: 106. But seek the forgiveness of Allah; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
وَلاَ
تُجَادِلْ عَنِ
الَّذِينَ
يَخْتَانُونَ
أَنفُسَهُمْ...
4: 107. Contend not on behalf of such as betray their own souls:
C622. Own souls are a sort of trust with us. We have to guard them against all temptation. Those who surrender to crime or evil, betray that trust.
We are warned against being deceived into taking their part, induced either by plausible appearances, or by such incentives to partiality as that they belong to our own people or that some link connects them with us, whereas when we are out to do justice, we must not allow any irrelevant considerations to sway us.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ خَوَّانًا أَثِيمًا ﴿١٠٧﴾
for Allah loveth not one given to perfidy and crime.
يَسْتَخْفُونَ
مِنَ النَّاسِ
وَلاَ يَسْتَخْفُونَ
مِنَ اللّهِ...
4: 108. They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah,
... وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لاَ يَرْضَى مِنَ الْقَوْلِ...
seeing that He is in their midst when they plot by night, in words that He cannot approve:
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا ﴿١٠٨﴾
and Allah doth compass round all that they do.
C623. The plots of sinners are known fully to Allah, and He can fully circumvent them if necessary, according to the fullness of His wisdom.
The word used is: Compass them round.- Muhit: not only does Allah know all about it, but He is all round it: if in His wisdom He allows it, it is not because He has not complete control over it, but because, having it as it were enclosed in a complete circle. He can use it to further His own Plan. Even out of evil He can bring good.
Other versions:
4: 58 [an-Nisa, Medina 92]
Asad Behold, God bids you to deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entitled thereto, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice [note 75]. Verily, most excellent is what God exhorts you to do: verily, God is all-hearing, all-seeing!
Yusuf Ali Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He give you! for Allah is He who hear and see all things.
Pickthall Lo! Allah command you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonish you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.
Yuksel Elect/Appoint Qualified People and Observe Justice
4:58 God orders you to delegate the responsibilities to those who are qualified. If you judge between the people, then you shall judge with justice. It is always the best that God prescribes for you. God is Hearer, Seer.*
Transliteration Innalla_ha ya'murukum an tu'addul ama_na_ti ila_ ahliha_, wa iza_ hakamtum bainan na_si an tahkumu_ bil 'adl(i), innalla_ha ni'imma_ ya'izukum bih(i), innalla_ ka_na sami'am basira_(n).
4: 59
Asad O you who have attained to faith! Pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle and unto those from among you [note 76] who have been entrusted with authority; and if you are at variance over any matter, refer it unto God and the Apostle [note 77], if you [truly] believe in God and the Last Day. This is the best [for you], and best in the end [note 78].
Yusuf Ali O ye who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves refer it to Allah and His Apostle if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination.
Pickthall O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end.
Yuksel 4:59 O you who acknowledge, obey God and obey the messenger and those entrusted amongst you. But if you dispute in any matter, then you shall refer it to God and His messenger, if you acknowledge God and the Last day. That is better and a more suitable solution.*
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ ati'ulla_ha wa ati'ur rasu_la wa ulil amri minkum, fa in tana_za'tum fi syai'in fa ruddu_hu ilalla_hi war rasu_li in kuntum tu'minu_na billa_hi wal yaumil a_khir(i), za_lika khairuw wa ahsanu ta'wila_(n).
[[ Ali’s note - 580 Ulu-l-amr = those charged with authority or responsibility or decision, or the settlement of affairs. All ultimate authority rests in Allah. Prophets of Allah derive their authority from Him. As Islam makes no sharp division between sacred and secular affairs, it expects governments to be imbued with righteousness. Likewise Islam expects Muslims to respect the authority of such government for otherwise there can be no order or discipline. (4.59)]]
[[ Asad’s note 77 – I.e., to the Quran and the sunnah ( the sayings and the practice) of the Prophet. See also verse 65 of this surah.
78 – Rear in conjunction with 3:26, which speaks of God as “the Lord of all dominion” – and therefore the ultimate source of all moral and political authority – the above passage lays down a fundamental rule of conduct for the individual believer as well as the conceptual basis for the conduct of the Islamic state. ………The stress, in this context, on “those from among you who have been entrusted with authority” makes it clear that the holders of authority (ulu ‘I-amr) in an Islamic state must be Muslims.]]
[[ Ruby’s note – I completely disagree with Asad that the meaning of “those from among you who have been entrusted with authority” means the leaders need to be Muslims.
This is a self-evident and unqualified statement which is timeless and very broad in meaning. However, at the time of this revelation in Median, the Prophet had established a constitution of Medina which treated the non-Muslims [Jews, Christians and the Pagans] on equal footing with Muslims in offering the rights and sharing the responsibilities of governance and affairs of the city-State of Medina. This is the context of this injunction. Therefore, the non-Muslims who were trusted with the decision making process are included in that time. For a later time, this contains even more general and universal application.]]
4: 105, 106..... Hence, do not contend with those who are false to their trust, but pray God to forgive [them]: behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
4: 107, 108 Yet do not argue in behalf of those who are false to their own selves: verily, God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful ways. They would conceal their doings from men; but from God they cannot conceal them – for He is with them whenever they devise, in the dark of night, all manner of beliefs which He does not approve. And God indeed encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do. Asad
5. Surah Al-Ma'idah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ أَوْفُواْ
بِالْعُقُودِ
...
5: 1. O ye who believe!
fulfil (all) obligations.
C682. This line has been justly admired for its terseness and comprehensiveness.
Obligations: 'uqud the Arabic word implies so many things that a whole chapter of Commentary can be written on it.
First, there are the divine obligations that arise from our spiritual nature and our relation to Allah.
- He created us and implanted in us the faculty of knowledge and foresight: besides the intuition and reason which He gave us.
He made Nature responsive to our needs, and His Signs in Nature are so many lessons to us in our own inner life;
- He further sent Messengers and Teachers, for the guidance of our conduct in individual, social, and public life.
All these gifts create corresponding obligations which we must fulfil.
But in our own human and material life we undertake mutual obligations express and implied.
- We make a promise:
- we enter into a commercial or social contract;
- we enter into a contract of marriage:
- we must faithfully fulfil all obligations in all these relationships.
Our group or our State enters into a treaty; every individual in that group or State is bound to see that as far as lies in his power, such obligations are faithfully discharged.
There are tacit obligations;
- living in civil society, we must respect its tacit conventions unless they are morally wrong, and in that case we must get out of such society.
- There are tacit obligations in the characters of host and guest, wayfarer of companion, employer or employed, etc., which every man of Faith must discharge conscientiously.
The man who deserts those who need him and goes to pray in a desert is a coward who disregards his obligations.
All these obligations are inter-connected. Truth and fidelity are parts of religion in all relations of life.
This verse is numbered separately from the succeeding verses. (R).
... أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الأَنْعَامِ إِلاَّ مَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْكُمْ...
Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals, with the exceptions named:
C683. That is, the exceptions named not only in the Quran but in the Sunnah as well.
See 5:3 below. (R).
... غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ...
but animals of the chase are forbidden while ye are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb:
C684. Cf. 5:94-96.
Hunting and the use of game are forbidden "while ye are hurumun," i.e., while ye are;
- in the Sacred Precincts, or
- in the special pilgrim garb (ihram), as to which see n. 212, 2:196.
In most cases the two amount to the same thing. The Sacred Precincts are sanctuary both for man and beast.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ ﴿١﴾
for Allah doth command according to His Will and Plan.
C685. Allah's commands are not arbitrary. His Will is the perfect Archetype or Plan of the world.
Everything He wills has regard to His Plan, in which are reflected His perfect wisdom and goodness.
Asad’s Version:
5: 1 O you who believe! Fulfill (all) obligations. Ali
5:1 O you who have attained to faith! Be true to your covenants! Asad
[Note 1: The term ‘aqd’ (covenant) denotes a solemn undertaking or engagement involving more than one party. According to Raghib, the covenant referred to in this verse ‘are of three kinds: the covenants between God and man, between man and his soul, and between the individual and his fellow-men” – thus embracing the entire area of man’s moral and social responsibilities.]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاذْكُرُواْ
إِذْ أَنتُمْ
قَلِيلٌ مُّسْتَضْعَفُونَ
فِي الأَرْضِ...
8: 26. Call to mind when ye were a small (band), despised through the land,
...تَخَافُونَ أَن يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ ...
and afraid that men might despoil and kidnap you;
C1199. On the immediate occasion the Muslims were reminded that;
- they were a small band in Makkah despised and rejected;
- living in a state of insecurity for their persons,
- their lives, their property,
and those of their dependants, persecuted and exiled and how by the grace of Allah they found a safe asylum in Madinah;
- how they found friends and helpers,
- how their many needs were cared for, and
- how at length they gathered strength and numbers enough to defeat the forces of godlessness, injustice, and oppression.
But for every individual, in some form or other, the lesson applies. His spiritual life begins humbly; he is despised and laughed at, perhaps persecuted and shut out from ordinary privileges open to all; but Allah gives him strength; friends spring up for him; and he is sustained until his highest spiritual desires are gradually fulfilled.
... فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُم بِنَصْرِهِ ...
but He provided a safe asylum for you, strengthened you with his aid,
...وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٢٦﴾
and gave you good things for sustenance: that ye might be grateful.
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ لاَ
تَخُونُواْ
اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ...
8: 27. O ye that believe!
betray not the trust of Allah and the Messenger,
...وَتَخُونُواْ أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
nor misappropriate knowingly things entrusted to you.
C1200. Trusts may be of various kinds:
- property, goods, credit, etc.;
- plans, confidences, secrets, etc.;
- knowledge, talents, opportunities, etc.,
which we are expected to use for our fellowmen.
Men may betray the trust of Allah and His Prophet by misusing property, or abusing the confidence reposed in them, or the knowledge or talents given to them. On that special occasion, when the plans for the protection of Allah's worshippers against annihilation were of special importance, the Prophet's trust and confidence had to be guarded with special care.
Occasions for scrupulously respecting the trust and confidence of our fellow-men occur every day in our life, and few of us can claim perfection in this respect. Hence the special distinction of the Prophet of Allah, who earned the title of Al-Amin, the one who was true to every trust reposed in him.
Asad’s Version:
8: 26-27 O you who have attained to faith, do not be false t o God and the Apostle, and do not knowingly be false to the trust that has been reposed in you; and know that your worldly goods and your children are but a trial and a temptation, and that with God there is a tremendous reward. [see asad note 27 re: “amanah”]