Surah 26. Ash-Shuara

And, verily, [the essence of] this [revelation] is indeed found in the ancient books of divine wisdom [as well].⁸³

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "in the scriptures (zubur, sing. zabur) of the ancients" (see surah {21}, note [101]). This interpretation of the above verse - advanced among others by Zamakhshari and Baydawi (and, according to the former, attributed to Imam Abu Hanifah as well) - is in full consonance with the oft-repeated Qur'anic doctrine that the basic teachings revealed to Muhammad are in their purport (ma'ani) identical with those preached by the earlier prophets. Another, more popular interpretation is, "...this [Qur'an] has been mentioned [or "foretold"] in the earlier scriptures" (see in this connection note [33] on 2:42 and - with particular reference to a prediction made by Jesus - note [6] on 61:6 ).

This fact was foretold in the scriptures of the former people.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo, it is in the Scriptures of the men of old.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Is it not evidence enough for them⁸⁴ that [so many] learned men from among the children of Israel have recognized this [as true]?⁸⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., for those who disbelieve in the prophethood of Muhammad.

Sc., "and in consequence have become Muslims": for instance, 'Abd Allah ibn Salam, Ka'b ibn Malik and other learned Jews of Medina in the lifetime of the Prophet, Ka'b al-Ahbar the Yemenite and a number of his compatriots during the reign of 'Umar, and countless others throughout the world who embraced Islam in the course of centuries. The reason why only learned Jews and not learned Christians as well are spoken of in this context lies in the fact that - contrary to the Torah, which still exists, albeit in a corrupted form - the original revelation granted to Jesus has been lost (see surah {3}, note [4]) and cannot, therefore, be cited in evidence of the basic identity of his teachings with those of the Qur'an.

Is it not sufficient proof for the people that the learned men of the children of Israel knew about it?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Is it not a token for them that the doctors of the Children of Israel know it?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But [even] had We bestowed it from on high upon any of the non-Arabs,

  - Mohammad Asad

Even so that if We had revealed it to a non-Arab,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if We had revealed it unto one of any other nation than the Arabs,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and had he recited it unto them [in his own tongue], they would not have believed in it.⁸⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

As the Qur'an points out in many places, most of the Meccan contemporaries of Muhammad refused in the beginning to believe in his prophethood on the ground that God could not have entrusted "a man from among themselves" with His message: and this in spite of the fact that the Qur'an was expressed "in the clear Arabic tongue", which they could fully understand: but (so the argument goes) if the Prophet had been a foreigner, and his message expressed in a non-Arabic tongue, they would have been even less prepared to accept it- for then they would have had the legitimate excuse that they were unable to understand it (cf. 41:44 ).

and he had recited it to them in fluent Arabic, they would still not have believed in it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And he had read it unto them, they would not have believed in it.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus have We caused this [message] to pass [unheeded] through the hearts of those who are lost in sin:⁸⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., not to take root in their hearts, but to "go into one ear and out of the other". As regards Clod's "causing" this to happen, see surah {2}, note [7], and surah {14}, note [4].

We have thus caused unbelief in the hearts of the guilty.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Thus do We make it traverse the hearts of the guilty.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

they will not believe in it till they behold the grievous suffering

  - Mohammad Asad

They are not going to believe in it until they see the painful scourge

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will not believe in it till they behold the painful doom,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

that will come upon them [on resurrection,] all of a sudden, without their being aware [of its approach];

  - Mohammad Asad

which, in their heedlessness, will come to them suddenly.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So that it will come upon them suddenly, when they perceive not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and then they will exclaim, "Could we have a respite?"⁸⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., a second chance in life.

Then they will ask: "Can we be given some respite?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then they will say: Are we to be reprieved?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do they, then, [really] wish that Our chas-tisement be hastened on?⁸⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

For this sarcastic demand of the unbelievers, see 6:57 and 8:32 , as well as the corresponding notes; also verse {187} of the present surah.

Do they wish to hurry on Our scourge?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Would they (now) hasten on Our doom?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But hast thou ever considered [this]: If We do allow them to enjoy [this life] for some years,

  - Mohammad Asad

Just think! If We let them enjoy this life for many years,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou then seen, We content them for (long) years,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and thereupon that [chastisement] which they were promised befalls them-

  - Mohammad Asad

and then the scourge with which they are threatened falls upon them,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And then cometh that which they were promised,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

of what avail to them will be all their past enjoyments?

  - Mohammad Asad

of what avail will their past enjoyments be to them?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(How) that wherewith they were contented naught availeth them?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And withal, never have We destroyed any community unless it had been warned

  - Mohammad Asad

Never have We destroyed a population to whom We did not send Warners;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We destroyed no township but it had its warners

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and reminded:⁹⁰ for, never do We wrong [anyone].

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "unless it had its warners by way of a reminder": see 6:131 , 15:4 , 20:134 , and the corresponding notes.

they were forewarned, and We have never been unjust.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

For reminder, for We never were oppressors.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [this divine writ is such a reminder:] no evil spirits have brought it down:⁹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

During the early years of his prophetic mission, some of Muhammad's Meccan opponents tried to explain the rhetorical beauty and persuasiveness of the Qur'an by insinuating that he was a soothsayer (kahin) in communion with all manner of dark forces and evil spirits (shayatin).

This Qur'an is not brought down by the shaitans:

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The devils did not bring it down.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall