Gems from the Holy Qur’an
From the Translation by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
About the translator:
Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born to 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 his conversion to Islam traveled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far east as Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. After years of devoted study, he 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” (For people who think”).
Chapter 27, Verses 71-72
And [when] they ask, “When is this promise [of resurrection] to be fulfilled? [Answer this, O you who believe in it,] if you are men of truth!” – say thou: “It may well be that something of that which [in your ignorance] you so hastily demand [ 1 ] has already drawn close to you…”
Chapter 27, Verses 91 - 92
[Say, O Muhammad:] “I have been bidden to worship the Sustainer of this City - Him who has made it sacred, and unto whom all things belong; and I have been bidden to be of those who surrender themselves to Him, and to convey this Qur’an [to the world].
Whoever, therefore chooses to follow the right path, follows it for his own good; and if any wills to go astray, say [unto him]: “I am only a warner!”
Chapter 28, Verses 52-55
As for those unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime – they [are bound to] believe in this one [as well]; and whenever it is [clearly] conveyed unto them, they [are bound to] profess, “We have come to believe in it, for, behold, it is the truth from our Sustainer – and, verily, even before this we surrendered ourselves unto Him!”
These it is that shall receive a twofold reward for having been patient in adversity, and having repelled evil with good, [ 2 ] and having spent on others out of what We provided them as sustenance, and whenever they heard frivolous talk, having turned away from it and said “Unto us shall be accounted our deeds, and unto you, your deeds. Peace be upon you – [but] we do not seek out such as are ignorant [of the meaning of right and wrong].”
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Translator’s Notes
[ 1 ] I.e., the end of their own life, which must precede their resurrection.
[ 2 ] In the present context, the reference to “patience in adversity” and “repelling evil with good” evidently relates to the loss of erstwhile communal links, social ostracism, and all manner of physical or moral persecution which is so often the lot of persons who accept religious tenets different from those of their own community.
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