Surah 28. Al-Qasas

Say: "Have you ever considered [this]: If God had willed that there should always be night about you, without break, until the Day of Resurrection - is there any deity other than God that could bring you light?⁷⁶ Will you not, then, listen [to the truth]?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who [i.e., "where"] is a deity . . .". etc.. obviously implying that no such "deity" exists.

O Prophet, ask them: "Have you ever considered that if Allah were to make the night perpetual till the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you light?" Will you not listen?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made night everlasting for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is a God beside Allah who could bring you light? Will ye not then hear?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: "Have you ever considered [this]: If God had willed that there should always be daylight about you, without break, until the Day of Resurrection - is there any deity other than God that could bring you [the darkness of] night, wherein you might rest? Will you not, then, see [the truth]?"⁷⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "Will you not recognize the miracle of planned and purposeful creation?"

Ask them again: "Have you ever considered that if Allah were to make the day perpetual till the Day of Resurrection, which deity other than Allah could bring you the night in which you could rest? Will you not see?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made day everlasting for you till the Day of Resurrection, who is a God beside Allah who could, bring you night wherein ye rest? Will ye not then see?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For it is out of His grace that He has made for you the night and the day, so that you might rest therein as well as seek to obtain [what you need] of His bounty: and [He gave you all this] so that you might have cause to be grateful.

  - Mohammad Asad

It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night that you may rest in it, and the day that you may seek His bounty, so that you may render thanks.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Of His mercy hath He appointed for you night and day that therein ye may rest, and that ye may seek His bounty, and that haply ye may be thankful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND ON THAT DAY⁷⁸ He will call unto those [that shall have been arraigned before His judgment seat], and will ask: "Where, now, are those [beings or powers] whom you imagined to have a share in My divinity?"⁷⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the Day of Resurrection - thus reverting to the theme enunciated in verses {62-66} above.

This repetition of God's "question", already mentioned in verse {62} above, is meant to stress the utter inability of the sinners concerned to justify their erstwhile attitude rationally; hence my interpolation at the beginning of the next verse.

They should be mindful of that Day when He will call them and ask: "Where are those deities whom you deemed My associates?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And on the Day when He shall call unto them and say: Where are My partners whom ye pretended?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [they will remain silent: for by then] We will have called forth witnesses from within every community,⁸⁰ and will have said [unto the sinners]: "Produce an evidence for what you have been claiminng!"⁸¹ And so they will come to understand that all truth is God's [alone]:⁸² and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.⁸³

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the prophets who had appeared at various stages of man's history, and who will now bear witness that they had duly conveyed God's message to the people for whom it was meant.

Lit., "Produce your evidence" - i.e., for the possibility of anyone or anything having a share in God's divinity.

I.e., that He is the Ultimate Reality, and that whatever is or could be is an outcome of His will alone.

For the meaning of the phrase ma kanu yaftarun (lit., "all that they were wont to invent" - rendered by me here as well as in 6:24 , 7:53 , 10:30 , 11:21 and 16:87 as "all their false imagery"), see surah {11}, note [42]; also note [15] on 6:22 . A specific instance of such "false imagery" - the futility of man's relying on his own wealth and worldly power - is illustrated in the immediately following legend of Qarun (see next note).

And We shall bring forth a witness from every nation and ask: "Bring your proof about other deities besides Me." Then they shall come to know that in reality there is only One God, Allah, and gods of their own inventions have left them in the lurch."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We shall take out from every nation a witness and We shall say: Bring your proof. Then they will know that Allah hath the Truth, and all that they invented will have failed them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[NOW,] BEHOLD, Qarun was one of the people of Moses;⁸⁴ but he arrogantly exalted himself above them - simply because We had granted him such riches that his treasure-chests alone would surely have been too heavy a burden for a troop of ten men or even more.⁸⁵ When [they perceived his arrogance,] his people said unto him: "Exult not [in thy wealth], for, verily, God does not love those who exult [in things vain]!

  - Mohammad Asad

The structure of the above sentence is meant to show that even a person who had been a follower of one of the greatest of God's apostles was not above the possibility of sinning under the influence of false pride and self-exaltation - a particular example of the "false imagery" referred to in the preceding passage. The conventional "identification" of Qarun with the Korah of the Old Testament (Numbers xvi) is neither relevant nor warranted by the Qur'anic text, the more so as the purport of this legend is a moral lesson and not a historical narrative. this, by the way, explains also the juxtaposition, elsewhere in the Qur'an ( 29:39 and 40:24 ), of Qarun with Pharoah, the arch-sinner.

The term 'usbah denotes a company of ten or more (up to forty) persons; since it is used here metonymically, pointing to the great weight involved, it is best rendered as above. - The noun mafatih is a plural of both miftah or miftah ("key") and muftah ("that which is under lock and key", i.e., a "hoard of wealth" or "treasure chest"), which latter meaning is obviously the one intended in the present context.

The fact is that Qarun (Korah) was one of Musa's people, but he rebelled against them. We had given him such treasures that their very keys were a heavy burden to a band of strong men. When his people said to him: "Do not exult, for Allah does not love the exultant.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Now Korah was of Moses folk, but he oppressed them and We gave him so much treasure that the stores thereof would verily have been a burden for a troop of mighty men. When his own folk said unto him: Exult not; lo! Allah loveth not the exultant;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Seek instead, by means of what God has granted thee, [the good of] the life to come,⁸⁶ without forget-ting, withal, shine own [rightful] share in this world;⁸⁷ and do good [unto others] as God has done good unto thee; and seek not to spread corruption on earth: for, verily, God does not love the spreaders of corrup-tion!"

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by spending in charity and on good causes.

Lit., "and do not forget . . .", etc.: a call to generosity and, at the same time, to moderation (cf. 2:143 -"We have willed you to be a community of the middle way").

Rather seek, by means of what Allah has given you, to attain the abode of the hereafter, while not neglecting your share in this world. Be good to others as Allah has been good to you, and do not seek mischief in the land, for Allah does not love the mischief makers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But seek the abode of the Hereafter in that which Allah hath given thee and neglect not thy portion of the world, and be thou kind even as Allah hath been kind to thee, and seek not corruption in the earth; lo! Allah loveth not corrupters,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Answered he: "This wealth] has been given to me only by virtue of the knowledge that is in me!"⁸⁸ Did he not know that God had destroyed [the arrogant of] many a generation that preceded him-people who were greater than he in power, and richer in what they had amassed? But such as are lost in sin may not be asked about their sins....⁸⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "as a result of my own experience, shrewdness and ability" (cf. 39:49 and the corresponding note [55]).

Obviously implying that "such as are lost in sin" (al-mujrimun) are, as a rule, blind to their own failings and, therefore, not responsive to admonition.

He replied: "All that I have been given is by virtue of the knowledge that I possess." Did he (Qarun) not know that Allah had destroyed many people before, who were mightier in strength and greater in riches than him? But the criminals are not called to account immediately for their sins.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: I have been given it only on account of knowledge I possess. Knew he not that Allah had destroyed already of the generations before him men who were mightier than Him in strength and greater in respect of following? The guilty are not questioned of their sins.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And so he went forth before his people in all his pomp; [and] those who cared only for the life of this world would say, "Oh, if we but had the like of what Qarun has been given! Verily, with tremendous good fortune is he endowed!"

  - Mohammad Asad

One day he came out before his people in his worldly glitter. Those who sought the life of this world said: "Would that we had the like of Qarun's fortune! He is indeed a very lucky man."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then went he forth before his people in his pomp. Those who were desirous of the life of the world said: Ah, would that unto us had been given the like of what hath been given unto Korah! Lo! he is lord of rare good fortune.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But those who had been granted true knowl-edge said: "Woe unto you! Merit in the sight of God⁹⁰ is by far the best for any who attains to faith and does what is right: but none save the patient in adversity can ever achieve this [blessing]."

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "God's reward", se., "of spiritual merit".

But those who were endowed with knowledge said: "Alas for you! Better is the reward of Allah for him that has faith and does good deeds; but none shall attain it save those who endured with fortitude."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But those who had been given knowledge said: Woe unto you! The reward of Allah for him who believeth and doeth right is better, and only the steadfast will obtain it.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And thereupon We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling; and he had none and nothing to succour him against God, nor was he of those who could succor themselves.⁹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "he had no host whatever to succour him ...", etc. Qarun's being "swallowed by the earth" may possibly be a metaphor of a catastrophic, unforeseen loss - from whatever cause - of all his worldy goods and, thus, of erstwhile grandeur.

Then We caused the earth to swallow him, together with his dwelling, and he had no host to help him against Allah; nor was he able to defend himself.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then he had no host to help him against Allah, nor was he of those who can save themselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And on the morrow, those who but yesterday had longed to be in his place exclaimed: "Alas [for our not having been aware] that it is indeed God [alone] who grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, unto whichever He wills of His crea-tures! Had not God been gracious to us, He might have caused [the earth] to swallow us, too! Alas [for our having forgotten] that those who deny the truth can never attain to a happy state!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Now the same people who envied him for his lot the day before, began to say: "Alas! We had forgotten that it is indeed Allah Who enlarges the provision for whom He wills and restricts it from whom He pleases. If Allah had not been gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us too. Alas! We did not remember that the disbelievers never attain felicity."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And morning found those who had coveted his place but yesterday crying: Ah, welladay! Allah enlargeth the provision for whom He will of His slaves and straiteneth it (for whom He will). If Allah had not been gracious unto us He would have caused it to swallow us (also). Ah, welladay! the disbelievers never prosper.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As for that [happy] life in the hereafter, We grant it [only] to those who do not seek to exalt themselves on earth, nor yet to spread corruption: for the future belongs to the God-conscious.⁹²

  - Mohammad Asad

This last clause makes it clear that, in order to have spiritual value, man's "not seeking" worldly grandeur or self-indulgence in things depraved must be an outcome, not of indifference or of a lack of opportunity, but solely of a conscious moral choice.

As for the abode of the Hereafter, We have reserved it for those who seek neither glory nor corruption in the earth; the ultimate good is for the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

As for that Abode of the Hereafter We assign it unto those who seek not oppression in the earth, nor yet corruption. The sequel is for those who ward off (evil).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Whosoever shall come [before God] with a good deed will gain [further] good therefrom;⁹³ but as for any who shall come with an evil deed-[know that] they who do evil deeds will not be requited with more than [the like of] what they have done.⁹⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [79] on the identical phrase in 27:89 .

Cf. 6:160 and the corresponding note [162].

Anyone who brings a good deed shall have something even better; while anyone who brings an evil deed will find that those who perform evil deeds will be punished only to the extent of their misdeeds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whoso bringeth a good deed, he will have better than the same; while as for him who bringeth an ill deed, those who do ill deeds will be requited only what they did.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

VERILY, [O believer,] He who has laid down this Qur'an in plain terms, making it binding on thee,⁹⁵ will assuredly bring thee back [from death] to a life renewed ⁹⁶ Say [unto those who reject the truth]: My Sustainer knows best as to who is right-guided⁹⁷ and who is obviously lost in error!"

  - Mohammad Asad

According to Mujahid (as quoted by Tabari), the phrase farada 'alayka is almost synonymous with a'taka, "He gave [it] to thee". This, however, elucidates only one part of the above complex expression, which, I believe, has here a meaning similar to that of faradnaha ("We laid it down in plain terms") occurring én the first verse of surah {24} (An-Nur) and explained in the corresponding note [1]. In the present context, the particle 'alayka ("upon thee"), with its pronominal suffix, gives to the above clause the additional meaning of a moral obligation on the part of the recipient of the Qur'anic message to conform his or her way of life to its teachings; hence my compound rendering of the phrase.

The term ma'ad denotes, literally, "a place [or "a state"] to which one returns", and, tropically, one's "ultimate destination" or "ultimate condition", in the present context, it is obviously synonymous with "life in the hereafter". This is how most of the classical authorities interpret the above phrase. But on the vague assumption that this passage is addressed exclusively to the Prophet, some commentators incline to the view that the noun has here a specific, purely physical connotation-"a place of return"-allegedly referring to God's promise to His Apostle (given during or after the latter's exodus from Mecca to Medina) that one day he would return victoriously to the city of his birth. To my mind, however, the passage has a much deeper meaning, unconnected with any place or specific point in history: it is addressed to every believer, and promises not only a continuation of life after bodily death but also a spiritual rebirth, in this world, to anyone who opens his heart to the message of the Qur'an and comes to regard it as binding on himself.

Lit., "as to who comes with guidance".

O Prophet, rest assured that He Who charged you with The Qur'an will bring you to the best destination. Say: "My Rabb best knows him who has brought guidance and him who is in manifest error."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! He Who hath given thee the Qur'an for a law will surely bring thee home again. Say: My Lord is best aware of he who bringeth guidance and him who is in error manifest.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall