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 25, Verses 72 – 77
And [know that true servants of God are only] those who never bear witness to what is false, and [who], whenever they pass by [people engaged in] frivolity, pass on with dignity; and who, whenever they are reminded of their Sustainer’s messages, do not throw themselves upon them [as if] deaf and blind; [ 1 ] and who pray, “O Our Sustainer! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes, and cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee!”
[Such as] these will be rewarded for all their patient endurance [in life] with a high station [in paradise], and will be met therein with a greeting of welcome and peace, therein to abide; [and] how goodly an abode and [how high] a station!
Say [unto those who believe]: “No weight or value would my Sustainer attach to you were it not for your faith [in Him]!
[And say unto those who deny the truth]: “You have indeed given the lie [to God’s message], and in time this [sin] will cleave unto you!”
Chapter 26, Verses 4 – 6
Had We so willed, We could have sent down unto them a message from the skies, so that their necks would [be forced to] bow down before it in humility.
[But We have not willed it:] and so, whenever there comes unto them any fresh reminder from the Most Gracious, they [who are blind of heart] always turn their backs upon it: thus, indeed, have they given the lie [to this message as well]. But [in time] they will come to understand what it was that they were wont to deride!
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Translator’s Notes
[ 1 ] Explaining this verse, Zamakhshari remarks that whereas the average run of people approach the divine writ with a mere outward show of eagerness, “throwing themselves upon it” for the sake of appearances but, in reality, not making the least attempt to understand the message as such and, hence, remaining deaf and blind to its contents – the truly God-conscious are deeply desirous of understanding it, and therefore “listen to it with wide-awake ears and look into it with seeing eyes”.
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