Sura 17, al-Israa, Mecca 50
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
صَرَّفْنَا
فِي هَـذَا
الْقُرْآنِ
لِيَذَّكَّرُواْ...
17: 41. We have explained (things) in various (ways) in this Qur'án, in order that they may receive admonition,
...وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ نُفُورًا ﴿٤١﴾
but it only increases their flight (from the Truth)!
Transliteration Wa laqad sarrafna_ fi ha_zal qura'a_ni liyazzakkaru_, wa ma_ yaziduhum illa_ nafu_ra_(n).
قُل
لَّوْ كَانَ
مَعَهُ آلِهَةٌ
كَمَا يَقُولُونَ
إِذًا لاَّبْتَغَوْاْ
إِلَى ذِي الْعَرْشِ
سَبِيلاً ﴿٤٢﴾
17: 42. Say:
if there had been (other) gods with Him -- as they say -- behold, they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!
سُبْحَانَهُ
وَتَعَالَى
عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ
عُلُوًّا
كَبِيرًا ﴿٤٣﴾
Qul lau ka_na ma'ahu_ a_lihatun kama_ yaqu_lu_na izal la-btagau ila_ zil 'arsyi sabila_(n)
17: 43. Glory to Him!
He is high above all that they say! -- Exalted and Great (beyond measure)!
تُسَبِّحُ
لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ
السَّبْعُ
وَالأَرْضُ
وَمَن فِيهِنَّ...
Transliteration Subha_nahu_ wa ta'a_la_ 'amma_ yaqu_lu_na 'uluwwan kabira_(n).
17: 44. The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory:
...وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدَهِ وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ...
there not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory!
...إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٤﴾
Verily He is Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving!
Transliteration Tusabbihu lahus sama_wa_tus sab'u wal ardu wa man fihinn(a), wa im min syai'in illa_ yusabbihu bi hamdihi wa la_kil la_ tafqahu_na tasbihahum, innahu_ ka_na haliman gafu_ra_(n).
17: 41
Pickthall We verily have displayed (Our warnings) in this Qur'an that they may take heed, but it increaseth them in naught save aversion.
Yuksel We have cited in this Quran so they may remember, but it only increases their aversion!
17: 42
Asad Say: "If there were - as some people assert [other] deities side by side with Him, surely [even] they would have to strive to find a way unto Him who is enthroned on His almightiness?" 50
Pickthall Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): If there were other gods along with Him, as they say, then had they sought a way against the Lord of the Throne.
Yuksel Say, "If there had been gods with Him as they say, then they would have tried to gain a way to the Possessor of Authority."
17: 43
Pickthall Glorified is He, and High Exalted above what they say!
Yuksel Be He glorified and high above from what they say.
.
17: 44
Pickthall The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein praise Him, and there is not a thing but hymneth his praise; but ye understand not their praise. Lo! He is ever Clement, Forgiving.
Yuksel He is glorified by the seven heavens and the earth and who is in them, and there is not a thing but it glorifies His praise, but you do not understand their glorification. He is Compassionate, Forgiving
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[Asad’s note:
50 The term 'arsh (lit., "throne" or, more properly, "seat of power") is used in the Qur'an to denote God's absolute sway over all that exists; hence, the expression dhu 'l-'arsh may be suitably rendered as "He who is enthroned in His almightiness". Beyond this, the commentators are not entirely agreed as to the purport of the above sentence. Some take it to mean that "had there been other deities apart from God, they would endeavour to deprive Him of some or all of His power, and would thus create chaos in the universe" . Others - and most prominently among them Tabari and Ibn Kathir have a far better, though somewhat more complicated explanation to offer. Starting from the legitimate assumption that those who believe in the existence of other deities or divine powers apart from God regard them as no more than mediators between man and Him, the argument runs thus: If those alleged divine or semi-divine "mediators" would really exist, then it is obvious that, being no more than mediators, even they would have to recognize Him as the Supreme Being - which would amount to admitting that they have no power of their own but are, in the last resort, entirely dependent on and subject to Him: and this unavoidable conclusion implies a negation of any divinity in those imaginary "mediators". This being so, is it not far more reasonable for man to turn directly to God, who is almighty, all-seeing, all-hearing, and has therefore no need of any mediator? ]
[ Ali’s notes:-
C2227. Things are explained in the Quran from all points of view, individual and national, by means of stories, parables, and figures of speech, and by way of categorical commands.
But those who are evil, instead of profiting by such instruction, often go farther and farther away from the Truth.
C2228. There is only One True God. But if, as polytheists say, there had been subsidiary gods, they would yet have had to submit to the Throne of the Supreme God, for they could have done nothing without Him. Thus the Islamic idea of the unity of the Godhead is quite different from the polytheistic ideas of a supreme god, as in the Greek Pantheon, where Jupiter was often defied by the minor deities! But such ideas are absurd, as stated in the next verse.
C2229. All Creation, animate and inanimate, sings Allah's praises and celebrates His glory,
- animate, with consciousness, and
- inanimate, in the evidence which it furnishes of the unity and glory of Allah.
All Nature bears witness to His power, wisdom, and goodness. It is only "ye", i.e., those who reject the whole trend of your nature and deny Faith simply because ye have been given a limited amount of choice and free-will,
- it is only such as "ye" that understand not what every other creature understands and proclaims with joy and pride.
What must be your degradation! And yet Allah bears with you and forgives you! Such is His goodness! (R).]