Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary (in progress) * - Translations’ Index
فَلَوۡلَا كَانَتۡ قَرۡيَةٌ ءَامَنَتۡ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوۡمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخِزۡيِ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَتَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ
(98) [2461]Never a ˹single˺ town Believed ˹when its time had elapsed˺, and its Belief had been of benefit to it; except the people of Yūnus ˹Jonah˺, when they ˹sincerely˺ Believed, We lifted ˹the cover˺ of the Punishment of abasement off of them and We made them enjoy ˹life˺ for a certain period.
[2461] God Almighty only once allowed an exception to this law. The sincere Faith of the people of Jonah (عليه السلام) delivered them at the very last moment.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلَوۡ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَأٓمَنَ مَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كُلُّهُمۡ جَمِيعًاۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكۡرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُواْ مُؤۡمِنِينَ
(99) Had your Lord wished, the dwellers of Earth, all of them together, would Believe; [2462]do you ˹Muhammad˺ force people ˹in spite of themselves˺ till they become Believers!
[2462] This underlines the Prophet’s (ﷺ) anxious stand, which God is telling him to be ready to let go of: “And what of one, the evil of whose deeds has been made to seem fair to him, such that he thinks it beautiful? Truly God leads astray whomsoever He will and guides whomsoever He will; so let not your soul ˹Muhammad˺ go to waste in regrets over them—truly Allah knows that which they do” (35: 8).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تُؤۡمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَيَجۡعَلُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ
(100) It is not for a soul to Believe except by Allah’s permission; and He places blight over those who mind not[2463].
[2463] The blighted are those who are heedless of God’s Signs and warnings (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, al-Saʿdī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلِ ٱنظُرُواْ مَاذَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَمَا تُغۡنِي ٱلۡأٓيَٰتُ وَٱلنُّذُرُ عَن قَوۡمٖ لَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
(101) [2464]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Look ˹at˺ what is in the skies and the land!” But Signs and warners avail naught people who never Believe!
[2464] Sings and admonishments will avail them nothing, given that they turned away and their hearts are sealed off. This further establishes the hopelessness of their case: “And who does greater wrong than one who has been reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then turns away from them and forgets that which his hands have sent forth? Verily, We have put sheaths over their hearts, lest they would perceive it, and in their ears there is impairment. Even if you call them to guidance, they will never be ˹rightly˺ guided” (18: 57).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
فَهَلۡ يَنتَظِرُونَ إِلَّا مِثۡلَ أَيَّامِ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ قُلۡ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓاْ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمُنتَظِرِينَ
(102) Do they wait for nothing but the like of the days of those bygone before! Say ˹Muhammad˺: “Wait then! I shall be with you among those who wait!”[2465]
[2465] The Messenger’s (ﷺ) waiting is different from that of the Deniers’; they await nothing but Punishment, similar to that which befell bygone nations, but he will wait in expectance of deliverance (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْۚ كَذَٰلِكَ حَقًّا عَلَيۡنَا نُنجِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
(103) Then, We deliver Our Messengers and those who Believe; like so it is incumbent upon Us to deliver the Believers.[2466]
[2466] Sincere Faith delivers! This is a set law of God’s (عز وجل), as in the case of earlier Messengers (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr): “Verily Allah defends those who Believe” (22: 38).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
قُلۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِي شَكّٖ مِّن دِينِي فَلَآ أَعۡبُدُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنۡ أَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمۡۖ وَأُمِرۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
(104) [2467]Say ˹Muhammad˺: “O people, if you are in doubt about my religion, then ˹I hereby declare that˺ I shall not worship those whom you worship besides Allah; but I do worship Allah Who terminates your lives[2468] and I was commanded to be among the Believers[2469].
[2467] This is what the sura has been building up to; a declaration that clearly sets the Believers apart and detaches them from the Deniers (cf. al-Rāzī, al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar). The self-reflective language in which the statement is dictated to the Noble Messenger (ﷺ) indicates a shoring up of his stand on the issue.
[2468] Power over life and death is mentioned here in particular to point out God Almighty’s unchecked Power over His creation, which comes in sharp contradistinction to the idolaters’ helpless deities. It is also meant to remind them that death is not far away so that they may desist (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[2469] This stand-affirming declaration, smacks of Noah’s (عليه السلام) ending Aya 72 above: “I was commanded to be among those who submit”. However, sincere Belief (īmān) is mentioned here rather than unquestioning submission (islām) because the context is about Believing firmly in God’s promise that empowers taking a stand (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī).
[2468] Power over life and death is mentioned here in particular to point out God Almighty’s unchecked Power over His creation, which comes in sharp contradistinction to the idolaters’ helpless deities. It is also meant to remind them that death is not far away so that they may desist (cf. al-Wāḥidī, al-Basīṭ, Ibn ʿĀshūr).
[2469] This stand-affirming declaration, smacks of Noah’s (عليه السلام) ending Aya 72 above: “I was commanded to be among those who submit”. However, sincere Belief (īmān) is mentioned here rather than unquestioning submission (islām) because the context is about Believing firmly in God’s promise that empowers taking a stand (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, al-Shawkānī).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَأَنۡ أَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفٗا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
(105) And ˹I was commanded˺: “Devote your face[2470] for the religion ˹being˺ rightly-oriented, and never be among the Associators;
[2470] Iqāmat al-wajh (lit. keeping the face forward facing) is dedicating worship only and wholeheartedly to God: “I hereby direct my face to He Who Originated the Heavens and Earth, ˹being˺ rightly-oriented, and never am I one of the Associators” (6: 79). (For more on this issue cf. 7: 29.) Iqāmāt al-wajh implies total submission to the will of God.
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
وَلَا تَدۡعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَۖ فَإِن فَعَلۡتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذٗا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
(106) do not invoke those besides Allah who can neither benefit you nor harm you. If you do so, then you are ˹surely˺ among the wrongdoers”.[2471]
[2471] An all-time command for those who are hopeful and well-deserving of Divine Assistance: “Verily, it has been revealed to you ˹Muhammad˺ and to those who came before you that: “Should you Associate ˹others with Allah˺, your doing will be frustrated and you shall be among the losers!”” (39: 65)
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary (in progress) - Translations’ Index
Translated by Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary