Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung, and after years of devoted study became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age. His translation of the Holy Qur'an is one of the most lucid and well-referenced works in this category, dedicated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (people who think). Forwarded by Dr Ismat Kamal.
Chapter 28, Verses 86 – 88
Now [as for thyself, O believer,] thou couldst never foresee that this divine writ would [one day] be offered to thee: but [it did come to thee] by thy Sustainer’s grace.
Hence, never uphold those who deny the truth [of divine guidance], and never let them turn thee away from God’s messages after they have been bestowed upon thee from on high; instead, summon [all men] to thy Sustainer.
And never be of those who ascribe divinity to aught but Him, and never call upon any other deity side by side with God.
There is no deity save Him. Everything is bound to perish, save His [eternal] Self. With Him rests all judgment; and unto Him shall you all be brought back.
Chapter 29, Verses 2 – 3
Do men think that on their [mere] saying, “We have attained to faith”, they will be left to themselves, and will not be put to a test?
Yea, indeed, We did test those who lived before them; and so, [too, shall be tested the people now living: and] most certainly will God mark out those who are lying.
Chapter 29, Verses 6 – 9
Hence, whoever strives hard [in God’s cause] does so only for his own good: for, verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds! And as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds, We shall see most certainly efface their [previous] bad deeds, and shall most certainly reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did.
Now [among the best of righteous deeds which] We have enjoined upon man [is] goodness towards his parents; yet [even so,] should they endeavor to make thee ascribe divinity, side by side with Me, to something which thy mind cannot accept [as divine], obey them not: [for] it is unto Me that you all must return, whereupon I shall make you [truly] understand [the right and wrong of] all that you were doing [in life].
But as for those who have attained to faith and have done righteous deeds, We shall most certainly cause them to join the righteous [in the hereafter as well].
