Surah 21. Al-Anbiya

'Other' messengers had already been ridiculed before you 'O Prophet', but those who mocked them were overtaken by what they used to ridicule.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Mocked were (many) apostles before thee; but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked. ²⁷⁰¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The same verse occurs at vi. 10, where see n. 843. 'What they are mocking at now will be in a position to mock them in due time.'

Ask 'them, O Prophet,' 'Who can defend you by day or by night against the Most Compassionate?' Still they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say "Who can keep you safe by night and by day from (the Wrath of) (Allah) Most Gracious?" Yet they turn away from the mention of their Lord. ²⁷⁰²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'Allah is most Gracious: if, in spite of His great mercy, you are so rebellious and depraved as to incur His Wrath, who is there who can save you? His Wrath can descend on you at any time, by night or by day.'

Or do they have gods- other than Us- that can protect them? They cannot 'even' protect themselves, nor will they be aided against Us.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or have they gods that can guard them from Us? They have no power to aid themselves nor can they be defended from Us. ²⁷⁰³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ashhaba: to join as companion: with 'an or min it has also the meaning of to defend or remove from someone. The full signification can only be got by a long paraphrase: 'they are not fit to be mentioned in the same breath with Us, nor can they be defended from Us.'

In fact, We have allowed enjoyment for these 'Meccans' and their forefathers for such a long time 'that they took it for granted'. Do they not see that We gradually reduce 'their' land from its borders? Is it they who will then prevail?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nay We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; see they not that we gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win? ^{2704 2705}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'Umr or 'Umur: age, generation, period, time, life. Here "period" is most appropriate, as it covers many generations, "these men and their fathers."

The particular signification is that Islam spread from the outer borders, social and geographical, gradually inwards. The social fringe was the humbler people, such as slaves and poor men. The geographical reference is to Madinah and tribes away from the Makkah centre. The proud and unbelieving Quraish were the last to come in when the circle was gradually drawn tighter and tighter around them. The general signification applies to all times. Allah's Truth makes its way first among the poor and the lowly, those whose minds are unsoiled by prejudices of false pride or false knowledge, but it gradually hems in the obstinate, until it prevails in the end.

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'I warn you only by revelation.' But the deaf cannot hear the call when they are warned!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say "I do but warn you according to revelation": but the deaf will not hear the call (even) when they are warned! ²⁷⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

According to the English saying: "none is so deaf as those who will not hear". When they deliberately shut their ears to warning from the Merciful Allah, meant for their own good, the responsibility is their own. But their cowardice is shown in the next verse by their behaviour when the first breath of the Wrath reaches them.

If they were touched by even a breath of your Lord's torment, they would certainly cry, 'Woe to us! We have really been wrongdoers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

If but a breath of the Wrath of thy Lord do touch them they will then say "Woe to us! we did wrong indeed!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We will set up the scales of justice on the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And 'even' if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as a 'vigilant' Reckoner.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account. ^{2707 2708}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Not the smallest action, word, thought, motive, or predilection but must come into the account of Allah. Cf. Browning (in Rabbi Ben Ezra): "But all, the world's coarse thumb And finger failed to plumb, So passed in making up the main account; All instincts immature. All purposes unsure. That weighed not as his work, yet swelled the man's account; Thoughts hardly to be packed Into a narrow act. Fancies that broke through language and escaped; All I could never be, All, men ignored in me, This, I was worth to God, Whose wheel the pitcher shaped."

The literalism of Sale has here excelled itself: he translates, "and there will be sufficient accountants with us"! What is meant is that when Allah takes account, His accounting will be perfect: there will be no flaw in it, as there may be in earthly accountants, who require other people's help in some matters of account which they do not understand for want of knowledge of that particular department they are dealing with. Allah's knowledge is perfect, and therefore His justice will be perfect also; for He will not fail to take into account all the most intangible things that determine conduct and character. See last note. There is no contradiction between this and xviii. 104-105, where it is said that men of vain works, i.e., shallow hypocritical deeds, will have no weight attached to their deeds, In fact the two correspond.

Indeed, We granted Moses and Aaron the standard 'to distinguish between right and wrong'- a light and a reminder for the righteous,

  - Mustafa Khattab

In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the Criterion (for judgment) and a Light and a Message for those who would do right ²⁷⁰⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf- ii. 53 and n. 68, where the meaning of Furqan is discussed. Here three things are mentioned as given to Moses and Aaron: (1) The Criterion for judgment: this might well be the wonderful Proofs they saw of Allah's goodness and glory from which they could have no doubt as to Allah's will and command; (2) the Light; this was the inner enlightenment of their soul, such as comes from inspiration: and (3) the Message, the Book, the original Book of Moses, which Aaron as his lieutenant would also use as a guide for his people.

who are in awe of their Lord without seeing Him,¹ and are fearful of the Hour.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This can also mean that they are in awe of their Lord as much in private as they are in public.

Those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts and who hold the Hour (of Judgment) in awe. ²⁷¹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note the three kinds of fear mentioned in xxi. 48-49. Taqwa is the fear of running counter to the will of Allah; it is akin to the love of Him; for we fear to offend those we love; it results in right conduct, and those who entertain it are "those who would do right". Then there is Khayat, the fear of Allah, lest the person who entertains it may be found, in his inmost thoughts, to be short of the standard which Allah wishes for him; this is also righteous but in a less high degree than Taqwa which is akin to love. And thirdly, there is the fear of consequences on the Day of Judgment (ishfaq); this also may lead to righteousness, but is on a still lower plane. Perhaps the three correspond to the Criterion, the Light, and the Message (or Warning) of the last verse.

And this 'Quran' is a blessed reminder which We have revealed. Will you 'pagans' then deny it?

  - Mustafa Khattab

And this is a blessed Message which We have sent down: will ye then reject it? ²⁷¹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Here is a Prophet and a Book, greater than Moses and his Book. Are you going to reject him and it?

And indeed, We had granted Abraham sound judgment early on, for We knew him well 'to be worthy of it'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct and well were We acquainted with him. ^{2712 2713}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Rushd: right conduct, corresponding in action to the quality expressed in the epithet Hanif (sound or true in Faith) applied to Abraham in ii. 135 and elsewhere.

Hence Abraham's title "Friend of Allah" (Khalil-ullah): iv. 125.

'Remember' when he questioned his father and his people, 'What are these statues to which you are so devoted?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Behold! he said to his father and his people "What are these images to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted?" ²⁷¹⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Reference is made to Abraham in many places. In xix. 42-49 it was with reference to his relations to his father: the problem was how a righteous man should deal with his father, when his duty to his father conflicts with his duty to Allah. Here the problem is: how a righteous man should deal with evil and overcome it; how he should fight against evil, and if he is subjected to the fire of persecution, how his firmness draws Allah's Mercy, and the very troubles he is placed in become his comfort and joy.

They replied, 'We found our forefathers worshipping them.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said "We found our father worshipping them."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He responded, 'Indeed, you and your forefathers have been clearly astray.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said "Indeed ye have been in manifest error-ye and your fathers."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They asked, 'Have you come to us with the truth, or is this a joke?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They said "Have you brought us the Truth or are you one of those who jest?" ²⁷¹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Abraham looked at life with a serious eye, and his people took it light-heartedly. He was devoted to Truth, and they cared more for ancestral custom. In the conflict he seemed to be in their power. But he was fearless, and he triumphed by Allah's Grace.