Surah 10. Yunus

Say: "Consider whatever there is in the heavens and on earth!" But of what avail could all the messages and all the warnings be to people who will not believe?

  - Mohammad Asad

Say: "Look at whatever exists in the heavens and the earth." Signs and warnings do not benefit those people who do not believe.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say: Behold what is in the heavens and the earth! But revelations and warnings avail not folk who will not believe.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Can such, then, expect anything else [to befall them] but the like of the days of [calamity which befell] those [deniers of the truth] who passed away before them? Say: "Wait, then, [for what will happen:] verily, I shall wait with you!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Now are they waiting for evil days like the ones that befell the people who passed away before them? Say: "Wait if you will; I too will wait with you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

What expect they save the like of the days of those who passed away before them? Say: Expect then! I am with you among the expectant.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[For thus it always happens: We seal the doom of all who deny the truth and give the lie to Our messages;] and thereupon We save Our apostles and those who have attained to faith.¹²⁵ Thus have We willed it upon Ourselves: We save all who believe [in Us].¹²⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

My long interpolation at the beginning of this verse is based, in the main, on Zamakhshari's interpretation of it. It is necessitated by the fact that the adverbial conjunction thumma ("thereupon" or "thereafter") does not relate here to the immediately preceding passage but to a theme repeatedly occurring in the Qur'an and only indirectly alluded to in verse {102} above: namely, the experiences of the earlier prophets with their recalcitrant communities, the doom of those who gave the lie to their messages and, in every case, a divine deliverance of the prophet concerned and of those who followed him. Rashid Rida' describes this passage, rightly, as "one of the most outstanding examples of the elliptic mode of expression (ijaz) to be found in the Qur'an" (Manar XI, 487).

Razi explains the phrase haqqan 'alayna (lit., "as is incumbent upon Us") as denoting no more than a logical necessity, i.e., the unavoidable fulfilment of God's "willing it upon Himself", and not a "duty" on His part: for, neither is anything "incumbent" upon Him who has the power to will anything, nor - as Razi points out - has man any "right" with regard to his Creator.

When such a time comes, We rescue Our Rasools and those who believe - this is Our way; it is but right that We rescue the believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then shall We save Our messengers and the believers, in like manner (as of old). It is incumbent upon Us to save believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

SAY [O Prophet]: "O mankind! If you are in doubt as to what my faith is, then [know that] I do not worship those beings whom you worship beside God,¹²⁷ but [that] I worship God alone, who shall cause you [all] to die:¹²⁸ for I have been bidden to be among those who believe [in Him alone]."

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and call you to account on Judgment Day". The use of the pronoun alladhina in the phrase "those whom you worship" shows that it relates here to rational beings - like saints, etc. - and not to inanimate representations. As regards the term din (rendered here as "faith", see the first half of note [249] on 2:256 ).

The specific reference, in this context, to God as the One who causes all living beings to die is meant to impress upon "those who deny the truth" the fact that after their death they will be placed before Him for judgment.

Say: "O people! Doubt my Deen (religion) if you will, but never will I worship those that you worship besides Allah. I worship Allah, Who has the power to cause your death, and I am commanded to be one of the believers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! If ye are in doubt of my religion, then (know that) I worship not those whom ye worship instead of Allah, but I worship Allah who causeth you to die, and I have been commanded to be of the believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, [O man,] set thy face steadfastly towards the [true] faith, turning away from all that is false,¹²⁹ and be not among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God.

  - Mohammad Asad

In classical Arabic usage, and particularly in the Qur'an, the word "face" is often employed as a metonym for one's whole being because it is the face, more than any other part of the human body, that expresses man's personality ([cf. surah {2}, note [91]). - For an explanation of the term hanif, see surah {2}, note [110].

I am further commanded: " Dedicate yourself to the Deen (religion) in all uprightness and be not of the mushrikin (who associate other gods with Allah).

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And, (O Muhammad) set thy purpose resolutely for religion, as a man by nature upright, and be not of those who ascribe partners (to Allah).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus, do not invoke, side by side with God, anything that can neither benefit thee nor harm thee: for, behold, if thou do it, thou wilt surely be among the evildoers!

  - Mohammad Asad

You shall not pray to others than Allah who can neither benefit nor harm you, for if you do, you shall certainly become one of the wrongdoers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And cry not, beside Allah, unto that which cannot profit thee nor hurt thee, for if thou didst so then wert thou of the wrong-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [know that] if God should touch thee with misfortune, there is none who could remove it save Him; and if He intends good for thee, there is none who could turn away His bounty: He causes it to alight upon whomsoever He wills of His servants. And He alone is truly forgiving, truly a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

If Allah afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He; and if He intends to bestow a favor, none can withhold His bounty. He bestows it on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If Allah aflicteth thee with some hurt, there is none who can remove it save Him; and if He desireth good for thee, there is none who can repel His bounty. He striketh with it whom He will of His bondmen. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

SAY [O Prophet]: "O mankind! The truth from your Sustainer has now come unto you. Whoever, therefore, chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever chooses to go astray, goes but astray to his own hurt. And I am not responsible for your conduct."

  - Mohammad Asad

O Muhammad, declare: "O mankind! The truth has come to you from your Rabb! He that follows guidance (Right Way) follows it for his own good, and he that goes astray does so at his own risk; for I am not a custodian over you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say: O mankind! Now hath the Truth from your Lord come unto you. So whosoever is guided, is guided only for (the food of) his soul, and whosoever erreth erreth only against it. And I am not a warder over you.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [as for thyself, O Muhammad,] follow but what is being revealed unto thee, and be patient in adversity, until God shall give His judgment: for He is the best of all judges.

  - Mohammad Asad

O Prophet, follow what is revealed to you and be patient till Allah passes His judgement, for He is the best of all the Judges.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And (O Muhammad) follow that which is inspired in thee, and forbear until Allah give judgment. And He is the Best of Judges.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall