Surah 17. Al-Israa, Ayah 100
| قُلْ لَوْ أَنْتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَائِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّي إِذًا لَأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الْإِنْفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ قَتُورًا |
| Transliteration | : | qul law 'antum tamlikon khazaa'in rah.mah rabb -e 'idhan la- amsaktum khashyah al- infaaq wa- kaana al- 'insaan qator(an) |
| Pickthall | : | Say (unto them): If ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely hold them back for fear of spending, for man was ever grudging. |
| Asad | : | Say: "If you were to own all the treasure-houses of my Sustainer's bounty,117 lo! you would still try to hold on [to them] tightly for fear of spending [too much]: for man has always been avaricious whereas God is limitless in His bounty]."118 |
| Malik | : | Say to them: "Even if you had all the treasures of my Rabb's blessings at your disposal, you would still hold them back for fear of spending. Man is ever so stingy!" |
| Yusuf Ali | : | Say: "If ye had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord behold ye would keep them back for fear of spending them: for man is (ever) niggardly!" 2307 |
Note - 117Lit., "grace" (rahmah).
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Note - 118I.e., since man is, by his very nature, dependent on
material possessions, he instinctively tries to hold on
to them; God, on the other hand, is self-sufficient and,
therefore, above all need of placing any limits on His
bestowal of bounty (hence my interpolation). This implied
reference to God's grace and bounty is necessitated by
the emphasis, in the preceding as well as in the
subsequent passages, on the fact that He has never ceased
to guide man, through His prophets, towards the good
life.
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Note - 2307A fresh argument is now addressed to those who would
confine Allah's revelations to a limited circle of men,
such as they themselves belonged to. The immediate
reference was to the Jews, who could not understand how
any Gentiles could receive revelations and guidance even
superior to what they considered their own birth-right.
But the tendency is widespread in the human race. A
particular race, or caste, or a particular kind of
culture, claims to be the custodian of Allah's Message,
whereas it is universal. Allah's Mercy is universal, and
He scatters the priceless Treasures of His Mercy
broadcast among His creatures. They are not exhausted by
spending. It is only the misers who hoard their wealth
for fear it should be used up by spending. 'Are you
spiritual misers going to keep back Allah's holy Message
from the multitude? Is that the reason why you deny the
advent of the new Teacher, who comes as a Mercy to all
men-to all Creation?'
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I.e., since man is, by his very nature, dependent on material possessions, he instinctively tries to hold on to them; God, on the other hand, is self-sufficient and, therefore, above all need of placing any limits on His bestowal of bounty (hence my interpolation). This implied reference to God's grace and bounty is necessitated by the emphasis, in the preceding as well as in the subsequent passages, on the fact that He has never ceased to guide man, through His prophets, towards the good life. |
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A fresh argument is now addressed to those who would confine Allah's revelations to a limited circle of men, such as they themselves belonged to. The immediate reference was to the Jews, who could not understand how any Gentiles could receive revelations and guidance even superior to what they considered their own birth-right. But the tendency is widespread in the human race. A particular race, or caste, or a particular kind of culture, claims to be the custodian of Allah's Message, whereas it is universal. Allah's Mercy is universal, and He scatters the priceless Treasures of His Mercy broadcast among His creatures. They are not exhausted by spending. It is only the misers who hoard their wealth for fear it should be used up by spending. 'Are you spiritual misers going to keep back Allah's holy Message from the multitude? Is that the reason why you deny the advent of the new Teacher, who comes as a Mercy to all men-to all Creation?' |
