Surah 42. Ash-Shura

Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having been wronged - no blame whatever attaches to them:

  - Mohammad Asad

Those who avenge themselves when wronged cannot be blamed.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There is no blame on those who enforce justice after being wronged.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong for such, there is no way (of blame) against them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But indeed if any do help and defend themselves after a wrong (done) to them against such there is no cause of blame. ⁴⁵⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Such people are not to be blamed, though they are following the lower law. The blame is on those who arrogantly ride rough-shod over the land, oppressing people with grievous wrong. See next verse.

blame attaches but to those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right: for them there is grievous suffering in store!

  - Mohammad Asad

The blameworthy are those who oppress their fellow men and conduct themselves with wickedness and injustice in the land. It is they who will have painful punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Blame is only on those who wrong people and transgress in the land unjustly. It is they who will suffer a painful punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The blame is only against those who oppress men with wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land defying right and justice: for such there will be a Penalty grievous. ⁴⁵⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The fact that men seek the lower rather than the higher Law is itself a result of arrogant wrong-doing of which the type was the Pharaoh who claimed to be "your Lord Most High" and oppressed the Israelites, and kept his own people under slavery and subjection, and the false glamour of magic and deception.

But withal, if one is patient in adversity and forgives - this, behold, is indeed something to set one's heart upon!⁴²

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {41:34-35}, as well as note [44] on 13:22 .

Those who endure with fortitude and forgive others, surely exhibit great courage in conducting their affairs.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And whoever endures patiently and forgives- surely this is a resolve to aspire to.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth, lo! that, verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But indeed if any show patience and forgive that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs. ⁴⁵⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is harder to be patient and forgive, and yet to get wrongs righted, as was done by the holy Prophet, than to bluster about and "punish the guilty" or "teach them lessons". It may look like futility or lack of purpose, but in reality it is the highest and noblest form of courage and resolution. And it may carry out the purpose of reform and the suppression of evil even better than stem punishment. The gentleness of innocence often "persuades where stronger measures fail." But of course circumstances alter cases, and there is some allowance also to be made for the personal equation of the men you have to deal with: in some cases severity may be called for, but it should be from a strict judicial motive, and not merely from personal anger or spite or any lower motive in disguise.

AND [thus it is:] he whom God lets go astray⁴³ has henceforth no protector whatever: and so thou wilt see such evildoers⁴⁴ [on Judgment Day, and wilt hear how] they exclaim as soon as they behold the suffering [that awaits them], "Is there any way of return?"⁴⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [4] on 14:4 .

Although this is primarily a reference to "those who oppress [other] people and behave outrageously on earth, offending against all right" (verse {42} above), the meaning of the term is general, applying to all kinds of deliberate evildoers.

I.e., a "second chance" on earth: cf. {6:27-28}.

He whom Allah let go astray has no protector after Him. When they will face the punishment, you will see the wrongdoers exclaim: "Is there any way back to the world?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And whoever Allah leaves to stray will have no guide after Him. You will see the wrongdoers, when they face the torment, pleading, 'Is there any way back 'to the world'?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after Him. And thou (Muhammad) wilt see the evil doers when they see the doom, (how) they say: Is there any way of return?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For any whom Allah leaves astray there is no protector thereafter and thou wilt see the wrongdoers when in sight of the Penalty Say: "Is there any way (to effect) a return? ⁴⁵⁸⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the actual consequences of evil are in sight, the foolish sinner wishes that it were possible to get back to the life of probation. But he neglected or abused it and rejected Allah's Grace all the time. How can he then be restored to a closed chapter of his life?

And thou wilt see them exposed to that [doom], humbling themselves in abasement, looking [around] with a furtive glance - the while those who had attained to faith will say, "Verily, lost on [this] Day of Resurrection are they who have squandered their own and their followers' selves!"⁴⁶ Oh, verily, the evildoers will fall into long-lasting suffering,

  - Mohammad Asad

The term ahl denotes primarily the "people" of one town, country or family, as well as the "fellow-members" of one race, religion, profession, etc. In its wider, ideological sense it is applied to people who have certain characteristics in common, e.g., ahl al-'ilm ("people of knowledge", i.e., scholars), or who follow one and the same persuasion or belief, e.g., ahlal-kitab ("the followers of [earlier] revelation"), ahl al-Qur'an ("the followers of the Qur'an"), and so forth. Since, as has been pointed out in note

You will see them brought before awed and humiliated, looking at it with stealthy glances. The true believers will say: "The real losers indeed are those who have lost themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection." Beware! Surely the wrongdoers shall suffer everlasting punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And you will see them exposed to the Fire, fully humbled out of disgrace, stealing glances 'at it'. And the believers will say, 'The 'true' losers are those who have lost themselves and their families on Judgment Day.' The wrongdoers will certainly be in everlasting torment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And thou wilt see them exposed to (the Fire), made humble by disgrace, and looking with veiled eyes. And those who believe will say: Lo! the (eternal) losers are they who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Resurrection. Lo! are not the wrong-doers in perpetual torment?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And thou wilt see them brought forward to the (Penalty) in a humble frame of mind because of (their) disgrace (and) looking with a stealthy glance. And the Believers will say: "Those are indeed in loss who have given the perdition their own selves and those belonging to them on the Day of Judgement. Behold! truly the wrongdoers are in a lasting Penalty!" ^{4588 4589}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They were very arrogant in their probationary life. Now they will be humbled to the dust. And they will be in utter despair and misery. They will not be able to see the favours and good things of the other life (Cf. xx. 124-126). Even their misery, which will face them as a terrible Reality, they will only be able to look at askance, so thoroughly cowed will be their spirit.

This will be their thought, and their realised experience: 'after all, any troubles and sorrows, any persecutions and taunts which they suffered in the life of probation from the enemies of truth, were of no consequence; the real loss was that revealed at the Judgment at the restoration of true values; the wicked and the arrogant have lost their own souls, and have brought to perdition all who attached themselves to them and followed their evil ways; and this Penalty is one that will endure! How much more real it is!'

and will have no protector whatever to succour them against God: for he whom God lets go astray shall find no way [of escape].

  - Mohammad Asad

They shall have no protectors who could help them besides Allah. The one whom Allah lets go astray has no way of escape.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will have no protectors to help them against Allah. And whoever Allah leaves to stray, for them there is no way.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they will have no protecting friends to help them instead of Allah. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no road.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And no protectors have they to help them other than Allah: and for any whom Allah leaves to stray there is no way (to the Goal). ⁴⁵⁹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The argument begun in verse 44 above is here rounded off. 'If once men finally cut themselves off from Allah's guidance and care, they will have no protection whatever. All their false objects of worship will only mislead them further and further. How they will wish the fact blotted out when they are in sight of Judgment, and vainly wish for time to be reversed! They will be in the Fire, while the men whom they despised and rejected will have reached the final Goal! For them there will be no such way!'

[Hence, O men,] respond to your Sustainer before there comes, at God's behest,⁴⁷ a Day on which there will be no turning back: [for] on that Day you will have no place of refuge, and neither will you be able to deny aught [of the wrong that you have done].

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "from God".

Answer the call of your Rabb before that Day arrives which cannot be averted against the will of Allah. There shall be no refuge for you on that Day, nor shall you be able to deny your sins.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Respond to your Lord before the coming of a Day from Allah that cannot be averted. There will be no refuge for you then, nor 'grounds for' denial 'of sins'.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Other possible translations: 1. “You will have no refuge then, nor will you have an advocate ˹against punishment˺.” 2. “You will have no refuge then, nor ˹grounds˺ to protest ˹the torment˺.”

 Other possible translations: 1. “You will have no refuge then, nor will you have an advocate ˹against punishment˺.” 2. “You will have no refuge then, nor ˹grounds˺ to protest ˹the torment˺.”

Answer the call of your Lord before there cometh unto you from Allah a Day which there is no averting. Ye have no refuge on that Day, nor have ye any (power of) refusal.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hearken ye to your Lord before there come a Day which there will be no putting back because of (the ordainment of) Allah! That Day there will be for you no place of refuge nor will there be for you any room for denial (of your sins)! ^{4591 4592}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Day of Judgment is inevitable. Allah has ordained it, and it cannot in any way be put back.

At Judgment no one can escape the consequences of his crimes or deeds. And no one can disavow them or deny them, or by any chance pretend that they do not apply to him.

BUT IF they turn away [from thee, O Prophet, know that] We have not sent thee to be their keeper: thou art not bound to do more than deliver the message [entrusted to thee]. And, behold, [such as turn away from Our messages are but impelled by the weakness and inconstancy of human nature:⁴⁸ thus,] when We give man a taste of Our grace, he is prone to exult in it;⁴⁹ but if misfortune befalls [any of] them in result of what their own hands have sent forth, then, behold, man shows how bereft he is of all gratitude!⁵⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

This interpolation - necessary for a proper understanding of the context - is based on Razi's convincing explanation of how this passage connects with the preceding one. Man is, as a rule, absorbed in a pursuit of material goods and comforts, the achievement of which he identifies with "happiness"; hence, he pays but scant attention to spiritual aims and values, and the more so if he is called upon to abandon his selfish pursuits in favour of the - to him as yet hypothetical - life in the hereafter.

I.e., when God bestows on him a measure of material benefits, man tends to exult in this "success" as such, attributing it exclusively to his own ability and cleverness (cf. the first sentence of 41:50

I.e., instead of remembering his past happiness with gratitude, he calls the very existence of God in question, arguing that if God did really exist, He "could not possibly have permitted" so much misfortune and unhappiness to prevail in the world: a fallacious argument inasmuch as it does not take the reality of the hereafter into account and is, moreover, based on a concept of God in terms of purely human feelings and expectations.

Now if they give no heed, they should know that We have not sent you, O Muhammad, to be their keeper. Your only duty is to convey My message. Man is such that when We give him a taste of Our Mercy, he is very happy about it; but when, through his own fault, an evil afflicts him, he becomes utterly ungrateful."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But if they turn away, We have not sent you 'O Prophet' as a keeper over them. Your duty is only to deliver 'the message'. And indeed, when We let someone taste a mercy from Us, they become prideful 'because' of it. But when afflicted with evil because of what their hands have done, then one becomes totally ungrateful.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 They totally deny previous favours.

 They totally deny previous favours.

But if they are averse, We have not sent thee as a warder over them. Thine is only to convey (the message). And lo! when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us he exulteth therefor. And if some evil striketh them because of that which their own hands have sent before, then lo! man is an ingrate.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If then they turn away We have not sent thee as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message). And truly when We give man a taste of Mercy from Ourselves He doth exult thereat but when some ill happens to him on account of the deeds which His hands have sent forth truly then is man ungrateful! ^{4593 4594}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The warning is now given, that men may repent and do good, and pray for Allah's Mercy and Grace. If the warning is not heeded or is rejected, the prophet of Allah is not responsible for bringing about the Penalty or for forcing people to come to the right Path. He is not a guard set over them to free them from the need of exercising their limited free-will.

Cf. xxx. 36. It is a sad reflection that men, when they receive some gift out of Allah's Mercy, exult in their good fortune and attribute it to some merit in themselves, instead of to the Grace and Mercy of Allah, thus missing the real lesson of Life. On the other hand, when they are in trouble, due to their own errors and shortcomings, they fall into despair and blame Allah, instead of blaming themselves. This is rank ingratitude. So they miss the true lesson of Life in that case also.

God's alone is the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills: He bestows the gift of female offspring on whomever He wills, and the gift of male offspring on whomever He wills;

  - Mohammad Asad

To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He pleases. He gives daughters to whom He pleases and gives sons to whom He pleases.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

To Allah 'alone' belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He blesses whoever He wills with daughters, and blesses whoever He wills with sons,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Unto Allah belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He createth what He will. He bestoweth female (offspring) upon whom He will, and bestoweth male (offspring) upon whom He will;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan). ⁴⁵⁹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Verses 49-50 deal, in their ordinary meaning, with Allah's creative power replete with knowledge and continued purpose, contrasted with man's instincts and gropings after knowledge. The mystery of sex and parenthood is referred to in a new light. With reference to children, a parent is often spoken of as the "author" of their being. The growth of population and the proportion of males and females in it have various sociological and psychological implications; yet how little do parents really know about them? If advancing knowledge threw light on what may be called the mechanical aspects of the question, the profounder problems touched by it are beyond the reach of man. Yet they are not governed by chance. Allah has a meaning and purpose in all things, and His power is complete to carry out His purpose.

or He gives both male and female [to whomever He wills], and causes to be barren whomever He wills: for, verily He is all-knowing, infinite in His power.⁵¹

  - Mohammad Asad

The purport of this passage is a re-affirmation of the fact that whatever happens to man is an outcome of God's unfathomable will: a fact which is illustrated in the sequence by the most common, recurrent phenomenon in man's life - the unpredictability of male or female births, as well as of barrenness: and so, too, God's bestowal of worldly happiness and unhappiness cannot be measured or predicted in terms of what man may regard as his "due".

To some He gives both sons and daughters, and makes barren whom He will; surely He is All-knowledgeable, All-Powerful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

or grants both, sons and daughters, 'to whoever He wills', and leaves whoever He wills infertile. He is indeed All-Knowing, Most Capable.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or He mingleth them, males and females, and He maketh barren whom He will. Lo! He is Knower, Powerful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or He bestows both males and females and He leaves barren whom He will: for He is Full of knowledge and power. ⁴⁵⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To parents themselves it is a mystery why a male or female child is given at any birth, or how the balance of the two sexes is made up in a family or in large groups of mankind, or why in some cases the womb is barren and the would be parents are denied the joys and responsibilities of parenthood. But each individual human soul is precious in the Plan of Allah, and all these variations, besides their reactions on parents and on society, have a purpose to fulfil in the large Plan of Allah.

And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration,⁵² or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]⁵³ for, verily, He is exalted, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

This is the primary meaning of wahy, a term which combines the concepts of suddenness and inner illumination (Raghib); in the usage of the Qur'an, it is often, though by no means always, synonymous with "revelation". - The above passage connects with the first paragraph of verse 48, which speaks of the divine message entrusted to the Prophet.

Cf. 53:10 .

It is not vouchsafed to any human being that Allah should speak to him face to face, He speaks either through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through sending a messenger (angel Gabriel) authorized by Him to reveal His will; surely He is most High, most Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is not 'possible' for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever He wills by His permission. He is surely Most High, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And it was not (vouchsafed) to any mortal that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil, or (that) He sendeth a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Lo! He is Exalted, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration of from behind a veil or by the sending of a Messenger to reveal with Allah's permission what Allah wills: for He is Most High Most Wise. ^{4597 4598 4599 4600}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This leads us on to the higher spiritual meaning of verses 49-50, as leading up to verses 51-53. Man is but a speck in Allah's creation. His growth and family relationships are not by any means comparable to Allah's creative acts, whose various stages are referred to in n. 120 to ii. 117, n. 916 to vi. 94, and n. 923 to vi. 98. That being so in the mysteries of man's daily life, how much more profound is the contrast between man and Allah in the apprehension of the higher spiritual problems concerned with Revelation? How can man be fit to speak to Allah? He is not fit. But there are three ways in which Allah, in His infinite Mercy, communicates with man, as described in verses 51-53.

Allah is Most High, Most Wise: man is, in spite of his high destiny, often the lowest of the low (xcv. 5). Yet Allah, out of His infinite Mercy and Grace, has bestowed His revelation on man. How does it come about? Three ways are mentioned: (1) Wahyun, Inspiration; (2) from behind a veil; and (3) by the sending of a Messenger: see the notes following. Wahyun, Inspiration, is interpreted to be of two kinds: (1) a suggestion thrown by Allah into the heart or mind of man, by which man understands the substance of the Message, whether it is a command or prohibition, or an explanation of a great truth; and (2) verbal or literal inspiration, by which the actual words of Allah are conveyed in human language.

Behind a veil: not of course a material veil, but the veil of Light. Muslim relates a tradition that the Prophet said: "His veil is Light: were He to withdraw it, then would the august splendours of His countenance surely consume everything that comes within His Sight."

Messenger: Rasul: the angel Gabriel, through whom the revelations were given to the holy Prophet.

And thus, too,⁵⁴ [O Muhammad,] have We revealed unto thee a life-giving message,⁵⁵ [coming] at Our behest. [Ere this message came unto thee,] thou didst not know what revelation is, nor what faith [implies]:⁵⁶ but [now] We have caused this [message] to be a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our servants: and, verily, [on the strength thereof] thou, too, shalt guide [men] onto the straight way -

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in all the three ways mentioned in the preceding verse.

The term ruh (lit., "spirit" or "soul") has in the Qur'an often the meaning of "divine inspiration" (see surah {16}, note [2]). In the present context, it evidently denotes the contents of the divine inspiration bestowed on the Prophet Muhammad, i.e., the Qur'an (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), which is meant to lead man to a more intensive spiritual life: hence my above rendering.

I.e., that the very concept of "faith" implies man's complete self-surrender (islam) to God.

Thus, have We revealed to you O Muhammad, a Spirit (inspired Book - The Qur'an) by Our command: while you did not know what is The Book and what is the Iman (faith)? But We have made it (The Qur'an) a light whereby We guide those of Our servants whom We please; and surely you are guiding mankind to the Right Way

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And so We have sent to you 'O Prophet' a revelation by Our command. You did not know of 'this' Book and faith 'before'. But We have made it a light, by which We guide whoever We will of Our servants. And you are truly leading 'all' to the Straight Path-

  - Mustafa Khattab

And thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And thus have We by Our command sent inspiration to thee: thou knowest not (before) what was Revelation and what was Faith; but We have made the (Qur'an) a Light wherewith We guide such of Our servants as We will; and verily thou dost guide (men) to the Straight Way ^{4601 4602}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Before the receipt of his mission in his fortieth year, the holy Prophet, though a man of steadfast virtue and purity and unflinching in his search for Truth, was yet unacquainted with Revelation in the highest sense of the term and with the certainty that comes from perfected Faith, or realised nearness to Allah. Ruh, which I have here translated Inspiration has also been understood by some Commentators to refer to the angel Gabriel, the vehicle of Revelation. The Light of the Qur-an made all things clear to man, and to the world.

The Qur-an and the inspired Prophet who proclaimed it, are here identified. They were a Guide to men, showing the Straight Way. This Way is described in various ways: for example, see i. 6, and n. 22; xviii. 1-2, and notes 2326-27; and xc. 11-18.

the way that leads to God, to whom all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth belongs. Oh, verily, with God is the beginning and the end of all things!⁵⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "unto God do all things (al-umur) pursue their course": i.e., all things go back to Him as their source, and from His will depends the course which they take (Baydawi).

the Way of Allah - to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Beware! All affairs will eventually return to Allah for a decision.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

the Path of Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Surely to Allah all matters will return 'for judgment'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

The path of Allah, unto Whom belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Do not all things reach Allah at last?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The Way of Allah to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth: Behold (how) all affairs tend towards Allah! ⁴⁶⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The most comprehensive description of the Straight Way is that it is the Way of Allah, the Way of the Universal Law.