Surah 4. An-Nisaa'

but pray God to forgive [them]:¹³⁴ behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

This obviously refers to the hypocrites as well as to the half-hearted followers of the Qur'an spoken of earlier in this surah: both are accused of having betrayed the trust reposed in them, inasmuch as they pretend to have accepted the Qur'anic message but, in reality, are trying to corrupt it (see verse {81}). Since they are already aware of what the Qur'an demands of them and are, nevertheless, bent on evading all real self-surrender to its guidance, there is no use in arguing with them.

seek Allah's forgiveness, surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Yet do not argue in behalf of those who are false to their own selves:¹³⁵ verily, God does not love those who betray their trust and persist in sinful ways.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "you may ask God to forgive them, but do not try to find excuses for their behaviour". It is significant that the Qur'an characterizes a betrayal of trust, whether spiritual or social, as "being false to oneself" - just as it frequently describes a person who deliberately commits a sin or a wrong (zulm) as "one who sins against himself" or "wrongs himself" (zalim nafsahu)- since every deliberate act of sinning damages its author spiritually.

Do not plead on behalf of those who betray their own souls; Allah does not love the treacherous, sinful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And plead not on behalf of (people) who deceive themselves. Lo! Allah loveth not one who is treacherous and sinful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They would conceal their doings from men; but from God they cannot conceal them - for He is with them whenever they devise, in the dark of night, all manner of beliefs¹³⁶ which He does not approve. And God indeed encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "that of belief" (min al-qawl). It is to be remembered that the noun qawl does not denote merely "a saying" or "an utterance" (which is its primary significance): it is also employed tropically to denote anything that can be described as a "conceptual statement" - like an opinion, a doctrine, or a belief - and is often used in this sense in the Qur'an.

They might be able to hide their crimes from people, but they cannot hide from Allah. He is with them even when they plot by night in words that He cannot approve. Allah encompasses all their actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They seek to hide from men and seek not to hide from Allah. He is with them when by night they hold discourse displeasing unto Him. Allah ever surroundeth what they do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Oh, you might well argue in their behalf in the life of this world: but who will argue in their behalf with God on the Day of Resurrection, or who will be their defender?

  - Mohammad Asad

You may plead for them in this life, but who will plead for them with Allah on the Day of Resurrection? Or who will be their defender?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! ye are they who pleaded for them in the life of the world. But who will plead with Allah for them on the Day of Resurrection, or who will then be their defender?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Yet he who does evil or [otherwise] sins against himself, and thereafter prays God to forgive him, shall find God much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace:

  - Mohammad Asad

If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul and then seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Yet whoso doeth evil or wrongeth his own soul, then seeketh pardon of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for he who commits a sin, commits it only to his own hurt;¹³⁷ and God is indeed all-knowing, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "he who earns a sin, earns it only against himself".

Whoever commits a sin, he commits it against his own soul. Allah is knowledgeable, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whoso committeth sin committeth it only against himself. Allah is ever Knower, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But he who commits a fault or a sin and then throws the blame therefore on an innocent person, burdens himself with the guilt of calumny and [yet another] flagrant sin.

  - Mohammad Asad

But if anyone commits a crime and charges an innocent person with it (a Muslim from the tribe of Bani Dhafar committed theft and put the blame on a Jew who was innocent), he indeed shall bear the guilt of slander and a flagrant sin.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And whoso committeth a delinquency or crime, then throweth (the blame) thereof upon the innocent, hath burdened himself with falsehood and a flagrant crime.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And but for God's favour upon thee and His grace, some of those [who are false to themselves] would indeed endeavour to lead thee astray; yet none but themselves do they lead astray. Nor can they harm thee in any way, since God has bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ and [given thee] wisdom, and has imparted unto thee the knowledge of what thou didst not know. And God's favour upon thee is tremendous indeed.

  - Mohammad Asad

If Allah's grace and mercy were not with you to save you from their mischief, a group of them (tribe of Bani Dhafar) was determined to lead you astray. They led astray none but themselves, and they cannot do you any harm. Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and taught you what you did not know; great indeed is the grace of Allah upon you.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But for the grace of Allah upon thee (Muhammad), and His mercy, a party of them had resolved to mislead thee, but they will mislead only themselves and they will hurt thee not at all. Allah revealeth unto thee the Scripture and wisdom, and teacheth thee that which thou knewest not. The grace of Allah toward thee hath been infinite.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

NO GOOD comes, as a rule, out of secret confabulations - saving such as are devoted to enjoining charity, or equitable dealings, or setting things to rights between people:¹³⁸ and unto him who does this out of a longing for God's goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a mighty reward.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "There is no good in much of their secret confabulation (najwa) - excepting him who enjoins...", etc. Thus, secret talks aiming at positive, beneficial ends - for instance, peace negotiations between states or communities - are excepted from the disapproval of "secret confabulations" because premature publicity may sometimes be prejudicial to the achievement of those ends or may (especially in cases where charity is involved) hurt the feelings of the people concerned.

There is no virtue in most of the secret counsels of the people; it is, however, good if one secretly enjoins charity, kindness, and reconciliation among people; the one who does this to please Allah, will soon be given a mighty reward.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There is no good in much of their secret conferences save (in) him who enjoineth alms giving and kindness and peace making among the people. Whoso doeth that, seeking the good pleasure of Allah, We shall bestow on him a vast reward.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But as for him who, after guidance has been vouchsafed to him, cuts himself off from the Apostle and follows a path other than that of the believers - him shall We leave unto that which he himself has chosen,¹³⁹ and shall cause him to endure hell: and how evil a journey's end!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "him We shall [cause to] turn to that to which he [himself] has turned" - a stress on man's freedom of choice.

Anyone who is hostile to the Rasool after guidance has been plainly conveyed to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall leave him in the path he has chosen and cast him into Hell; which is an evil refuge.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And whoso opposeth the messenger after the guidance (of Allah) hath been manifested unto him, and followeth other than the believer's way, We appoint for him that unto which he himself hath turned, and expose him unto hell a hapless journey's end!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

VERILY, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He wills: for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God have indeed gone far astray.

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely Allah will never forgive the one who commits the sin of shirk and may forgive anyone else if He so pleases. One who commits shirk has indeed gone far away from the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! Allah pardoneth not that partners should be ascribed unto him. He pardoneth all save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah hath wandered far astray.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

In His stead, they invoke only lifeless symbols¹⁴⁰ - thus invoking none but a rebellious Satan

  - Mohammad Asad

The term inath (which is the plural of untha, "a female being") seems to have been applied by the pre-Islamic Arabs to their idols, probably because most of them were considered to be female. Hence, according to some philologists, the plural form inath signifies "inanimate things" (cf. Lane I, 112). Ibn 'Abbas, Qatadah and Al-Hasan al Basri explain it as denoting anything that is passive and lifeless (Tabari); this definition has been adopted by Raghib as well. On the other hand, Tabari mentions a Tradition, on the authority of 'Urwah, according to which a copy of the Qur'an in the possession of 'A'ishah contained the word awthan ("idols") instead of inath (cf. also Zamakhshari and Ibn Kathir). The rendering "lifeless symbols" is most appropriate in this context inasmuch as it adequately combines the concept of "idols" with that of "inanimate things".

The pagans call upon female deities beside Him; by doing so they call nothing but the rebellious Shaitan

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They invoke in His stead only females; they pray to none else than Satan, a rebel--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

whom God has rejected for having said, "Verily, of Thy servants I shall most certainly take my due share,

  - Mohammad Asad

on whom Allah has laid His curse; and who has said: "I will take a good portion of Your servants and mislead them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whom Allah cursed, and he said: Surely I will take of Thy bondmen an appointed portion,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and shall lead them astray, and fill them with vain desires; and I shall command them - and they will cut off the ears of cattle [in idolatrous sacrifice]; and I shall command them - and they will corrupt God's creation!"¹⁴¹ But all who take Satan rather than God for their master do indeed, most clearly, lose all:

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {7:16-17}. The pre-Islamic Arabs used to dedicate certain of their cattle to one or another of their idols by cutting off or slitting the ears of the animal, which was thereupon considered sacred (Tabari). In the above context, this reference is used metonymically to describe idolatrous practices, or inclinations, in general. The allusion to Satan's inducing man to "corrupt [lit., "change"] God's creation" has a meaning to which sufficient attention is but seldom paid: Since this creation, and the manner in which it manifests itself, is an expression of God's planning will, any attempt at changing its intrinsic nature amounts to corruption. - For the wider meaning of the term shaytan ("Satan" or "satanic force"), see first half of note [16] on 15:17 .

I will create in them false desires and order them to slit the ears of cattle. I will order them to tamper with Allah's creation." Therefore, whoever takes Shaitan as a guardian instead of Allah, has indeed become a clear-cut loser.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And surely I will lead them astray, and surely I will arouse desires in them, and surely I will command them and they will cut the cattle's ears, and surely I will command them and they will change Allah's creation. Whoso chooseth Satan for a patron instead of Allah is verily a loser and his loss is manifest.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

he holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires: yet whatever Satan promises them is but meant to delude the mind.¹⁴²

  - Mohammad Asad

The term ghurur signifies anything by which the mind is beguiled or deceived - for instance, utter self-abandonment to earthly joys, or the absurd belief that there is no limit to man's aims and achievements.

Shaitan makes promises to stir up in them false desires; but Shaitan makes them promises only to deceive them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He promiseth them and stirreth up desires in them, and Satan promiseth them only to beguile.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall