Surah 96. Al-Alaq

Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way,

  - Mohammad Asad

Have you considered, if He was on the right guidance,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou seen if he (relieth) on the guidance (of Allah)

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

or is concerned with God-consciousness?⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "or enjoins God-consciousness (taqwa)" - i.e., whether his aim is to deepen his fellowmen's God-consciousness by insisting that religion is a purely personal matter: the obvious implication being that this is not his aim, and that he is not on the right way in thinking and acting as he does. - Throughout this work, the term taqwa - of which the present is the earliest instance in the chronology of Qur'anic revelation - has been rendered as "God-consciousness", with the same meaning attaching to the verbal forms from which this noun is derived. (See also surah {2}, note [2].).

or was enjoining true piety, why he would forbid someone from prayer?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Or enjoineth piety?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hast thou considered whether he may [not] be giving the lie to the truth and turning his back [upon it]?⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "because in his arrogance he cannot face it".

Have you considered, if he denies the truth and turns away, what will happen?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Hast thou seen if he denieth (Allah's guidance) and is froward?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Does he, then, not know that God sees [all]?

  - Mohammad Asad

Does he not know that Allah is observing all things?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Is he then unaware that Allah seeth?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay, if he desist not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead -⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "by his forelock" - an ancient Arabian expression denoting a person's utter subjection and humiliation (see 11:56 and the corresponding note [80]). However, as Razi points out, the term "forelock" (nasiyah) is here used metonymically for the place on which the forelock grows, i.e., the forehead (cf. also Taj al-'Arus).

Nay! Let him know that if he does not stop, We will drag him by the forelock,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Nay, but if he cease not, We will seize him by the forelock--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

the lying, rebellious, forehead! -

  - Mohammad Asad

a lying, sinful forelock.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The lying, sinful forelock--

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and then let him summon [to his aid] the counsels of his own [spurious] wisdom,⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "his council". According to the commentators who tend to interpret verses such as this in purely historical terms, this may be a reference to the traditional council of elders (dar annadwah) in pagan Mecca; but more probably, I think, it is an allusion to the arrogance which so often deludes man into regarding himself as "self-sufficient" (verses {6-7} above).

So let him call his supporters for help,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then let him call upon his henchmen!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[the while] We shall summon the forces of heavenly chastisement!

  - Mohammad Asad

We too shall call the guards of hell to deal with him.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We will call the guards of hell.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay, pay thou no heed to him, but prostrate thyself [before God] and draw close [unto Him]!

  - Mohammad Asad

Nay! Do not obey him! Prostrate yourself and bring yourself closer to your Rabb.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Nay! Obey not thou him. But prostrate thyself, and draw near (unto Allah).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall