4. [ an-Nisa, Medina 92 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
النَّاسُ
اتَّقُواْ
رَبَّكُمُ
الَّذِي
خَلَقَكُم
مِّن
نَّفْسٍ
وَاحِدَةٍ
...
4: 1. O mankind!
reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person,
... وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا ....
created, of like nature, his mate,
Minha: I follow the construction suggested by Imam Razi.
The particle min would then suggest here a species, a nature, a similarity.
The pronoun ha refers of course to Nafs. (R).
.. وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاء...
and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;
... وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ ...
reverence Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights),
... إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا ﴿١﴾
for Allah ever watches over you.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhan na_suttaqu_ rabbakumul lazi khalaqakum min nafsiw wa_hidatiw wa khalaqa minha_ zaujaha_ wa bassa minhuma_ rija_lan kasiraw wa nisa_'a(n), wattaqulla_hal lazi tasa_'alu_na bihi wal arha_m(a), innalla_ha ka_na'alaikum raqiba_(n).
4: 1
Asad O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women [note 1]. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!
Pickthall O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim ( your rights ) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bore you ). Lo! Allah hath been a Watcher over you.
[[ Asad’s note 1- Out of many meanings attributable to the term ‘nafs’ – soul, spirit, mind, animate being, living entity, human being, person, self (in the sense of a personal identity), humankind, life-essence, vital principle, and so forth – most of the classical commentators choose “human being”, and assume that it refers here to Adam. Muhammad Abduh, however rejects this interpretation stresses the common origin and brotherhood of the human race (which, undoubtedly, is the purport of the above verse), without, at the same time, unwarrantably tying it to the Biblical account of the creation of Adam and Eve. My rendering of ‘nafs’, in this context, as “living entity” follows the same reasoning. – As regards the expression ‘zawjaha’ (“its mate”), it is to be noted that , with reference to animate beings, the term ‘zawj’ (“a pair”, “one of a pair”, or “a mate”) applies to the male as well as to the female component of a pair of couple; hence, with reference to human beings, it signifies a woman’s mate (husband) as well as a man’s mate (wife). Abu Muslim – as quoted by Razi – interprets the phrase “He created out of it (minha) its mate” as meaning “He created its mate [i.e., its sexual counterpart] out of its own kind (min jinsiha)”, thus supporting the view of Muhammad Abduh refereed to above.
The literal translation of ‘minha’ as “out of it” clearly alludes, in conformity with the text, to the biological fact that both sexes have originated from “one living entity”.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 504 Nafs may mean: (1) soul; (2) self; (3) person, living person; (4) will, good pleasure, as in iv. 4 below. Minha: I follow the construction suggested by Imam Razi. The particle min would then suggest here a species, a nature, a similarity. The pronoun ha refers of course to Nafs. (4.1)
505 All our mutual rights and duties are referred to Allah. We are His creatures: His Will is the standard and measure of Allah; and our duties are measured by our conformity with His Will. "Our wills are ours, to make them Thine," says Tennyson (In Memoriam). Among ourselves (human beings) our mutual rights and duties arise out of Allah's Law, the sense of Right that is implanted in us by Him. (4.1)
506 Among the most wonderful mysteries of our nature is that of sex. The unregenerate male is apt, in the pride of his physical strength, to forget the all-important part which the female plays in his very existence, and in all the social relationships that arise in our collective human lives. The mother that bore us must ever have our reverence. The wife, through whom we enter parentage, must have our reverence. Sex, which governs so much of our physical life, and has so much influence on our emotional and higher nature, deserves-not our fear, or our contempt, or our amused indulgence, but-our reverence in the highest sense of the term. With this fitting introduction we enter on a discussion of women, orphans, and family relationships. (4.1) ]]
Nafs means soul, nature, mind, spirit, living entity, human being, etc., NO GENDER ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
Zawj means a pair, one of a pair, or a mate, spouse and may mean any gender, male or female.
Minha means 'out of it'
===================================
7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
هُوَ
الَّذِي
خَلَقَكُم
مِّن
نَّفْسٍ
وَاحِدَةٍ
وَجَعَلَ
مِنْهَا
زَوْجَهَا
لِيَسْكُنَ
إِلَيْهَا...
7: 189. It is He who created you from a single person, and made his mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her (in love).
C1162. Cf. 4:1, and n. 504, where the construction is explained.
...فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّاهَا حَمَلَتْ حَمْلاً خَفِيفًا فَمَرَّتْ بِهِ...
When they are united, she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed).
...فَلَمَّا أَثْقَلَت دَّعَوَا اللّهَ رَبَّهُمَا ...
When she grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying):
C1163. The mystery of the physical birth of man, as it affects the father and the mother, only touches the imagination of the parents in the later stages when the child is yet unborn and yet the life stirs within the body of the expectant mother.
The coming of the new life is a solemn thing, and is fraught with much hope as well as much unknown risk to the mother herself.
The parents in their anxiety turn to Allah. If this feeling of solemnity, hope, and looking towards Allah were maintained after birth, all would be well for the parents as well as for the rising generation. But the attitude changes, as the verses following show.
... لَئِنْ آتَيْتَنَا صَالِحاً لَّنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ﴿١٨٩﴾
"If Thou givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful."
C1164. Goodly: salih: includes the following ideas:
- sound in body and mind;
- healthy;
- righteous;
- of good moral disposition.
فَلَمَّا
آتَاهُمَا
صَالِحاً
جَعَلاَ
لَهُ
شُرَكَاء
فِيمَا
آتَاهُمَا...
7: 190. But when He giveth them a goodly child, they ascribe to others a share in the gift they have received:
C1165. When the child is born, the parents forget that it is a precious gift of Allah, -a miracle of Creation, which should lift their minds up to the higher things of Allah.
Instead their gradual familiarity with the new life makes them connect it with many superstitious ideas or rites and ceremonies, or they take it as a matter of course, is a little plaything of the material world. This leads to idolatry or false worship, or the selling up of false standards, in derogation of the dignity of Allah.
...فَتَعَالَى اللّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٩٠﴾
but Allah is exalted, high above the partners they ascribe to Him.
أَيُشْرِكُونَ
مَا
لاَ
يَخْلُقُ
شَيْئاً
وَهُمْ
يُخْلَقُونَ
﴿١٩١﴾
7: 191. Do they indeed ascribe to Him as partners things that can create nothing, but are themselves created?
Other Versions:
7: 189
Asad It is He who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it brought into being its mate, so that man might incline [with love] towards woman [note 155]. ………
Pickthall He it is who did create you from a single soul, and there from did make his mate that he might take rest in her. And when he covered her she bore a light burden, and she passed (unnoticed) with it, but when it became heavy they cried unto Allah, their Lord, saying: If thou give unto us aright we shall be of the thankful.
Transliteration Huwal lazi khalaqakum min nafsiw wa_hidatiw wa ja'ala minha_ zaujaha_ liyaskuna ilaiha_, falamma_ tagasysya_ha_ hamalat hamlan khafifan fa marrat bih(i), falamma_ asqalat da'awalla_ha rabbahuma_ la'in a_taitana_ sa_lihal lanaku_nanna minasy sya_kirin(a).
[[ Asad’s note 155 – Lit., “so that he might incline towards her”, For an explanation of the terms “one living entity” and “its mate”, see 4:1, and the corresponding note.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 1162 Cf. iv. 1, and n. 504, where the construction is explained. (7.189)
1163 The mystery of the physical birth of man, as it affects the father and the mother, only touches the imagination of the parents in the later stages when the child is yet unborn and yet the life stirs within the body of the expectant mother. The coming of the new life is a solemn thing, and is fraught with much hope as well as much unknown risk to the mother herself. The parents in their anxiety turn to Allah. If this feeling of solemnity, hope, and looking towards Allah were maintained after birth, all would be well for the parents as well as for the rising generation. But the attitude changes, as the verses following show. (7.189)
1164 Goodly: salih: includes the following ideas: sound in body and mind; healthy; righteous; of good moral disposition. (7.189)]]
7: 190
Pickthall But when He gave unto them aright, they ascribed unto Him partners in respect of that which He had given them. High is He exalted above all that they associate (with Him).
Transliteration Falamma_ a_ta_huma_ sa_lihan ja'ala_ lahu_ syuraka_'a fima_ a_ta_huma_, fata'a_lalla_hu 'amma_ yusyriku_n(a).
[[ Ali’s note - 1165 When the child is born, the parents forget that it is a precious gift of Allah,-a miracle of Creation, which should lift their minds up to the higher things of Allah. Instead, their gradual familiarity with the new life makes them connect it with many superstitious ideas or rites and ceremonies, or they take it as a matter of course, is a little plaything of the material world. This leads to idolatry or false worship, or the selling up of false standards, in derogation of the dignity of Allah. (7.190)]]
[[ Asad’s note 156 - ….many of them look upon the contributing factors of sound childbirth [like personal care during pregnancy, medial assistance, eugenics, etc.] as something “independent of God”, forgetting that all these contributing factors are – like the birth of the child itself – but an outcome of God’s will and grace: a manifestation of what the Quran calls “the way of God” (sunnat Allah).
7: 191
Pickthall Attribute they as partners to Allah those who created naught, but are themselves created,
Transliteration Ayusyriku_na ma_ la_ yakhluqu syai'aw wa hum yukhlaqu_n(a).
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6. [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَهُوَ
الَّذِيَ
أَنشَأَكُم
مِّن
نَّفْسٍ
وَاحِدَةٍ
...
6: 98. It is He who hath produced you from a single person:
C923. Produced: ansha'a = made you grow, increase, develop, reach maturity: another of the processes of creation. This supplements n. 120 to 2:117 and n.916 to 6:94.
It is one of the wonders of Allah's Creation, that from one person we have grown to be so many, and each individual has so many faculties and capacities, and yet we are all one.
In the next verse we have the allegory of grapes and other fruits: all grapes may be similar to look at, yet each variety has a distinctive flavour and other distinctive qualities, and each individual grape may have its own special qualities. So for man.
... فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ...
here is a place of sojourn and a place of departure:
C924. In the sojourn of this life we must respond to Allah's hand in fashioning us, by making full use of all our faculties, and we must get ready for our departure into the Life that will be eternal.
...قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿٩٨﴾
We detail Our signs for people who understand.
Other Versions:
6: 98
Asad And He it is who has brought you [all] into being out of one living entity [note 82], and [has appointed for each of you] a time-limit [on earth] and a resting place [after death] [note 83]: clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these messages unto people who can grasp the truth!
Pickthall And He it is Who hath produced you from a single being, and (hath given you) a habitation and a repository. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who have understanding.
Transliteration Wa huwal lazi ansya'akum min nafsiw wa_hidatin fa mustaqarruw wa mustauda', qad fassalnal a_ya_ti liqaumiy yafqahu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes - 923 Produced: ansha-a= made you grow, increase, develop, reach maturity: another of the processes of creation. This supplements n. 120 to ii. 916 and n. 916 to vi. 94. It is one of the wonders of God's Creation, that from one person we have grown to be so many, and each individual has so many faculties and capacities, and yet we are all one. In the next verse we have the allegory of grapes and other fruits: all grapes may be similar to look at, yet each variety has a distinctive flavour and other distinctive qualities, and each individual grape may have its own special qualities. So for man. (6.98)
In the sojourn of this life we must respond to God's hand in fashioning us, by making full use of all our faculties, and we must get ready for our departure into the Life that will be eternal. (6.98)]]
[[ Asad’s note 82 – see surah 4, note 1.
note 83 – The commentators differ widely as to the meaning of the terms “mustaqarr” and “mustawda” in this context. However, taking into account the primary meaning of mustaqarr as “the limit of a course” – i.e., the point at which a thing reaches its fulfillment or end – and of “mustawda” as “a place of consignment” or “repository”, we arrive at the rendering adopted by me above. This rendering finds, moreover, strong support in 11:6, where God is spoken of as providing sustenance for every living being and knowing “its time-limit [on earth] and its resting –place [after death]” (mustaqarraha wa-mustawda aha), as in verse 67 of the present surah, where mustaqarr is used in the sense of “a term set for the fulfillment [of God’s tiding]”. ]]