From the translation by
Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
About the translator:
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
his conversion to Islam travelled 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 22, Verses 39 - 41
Permission [to fight] is given to those against
whom war is being wrongfully waged - and, verily,
God indeed has the power to succour them-: those
who have been driven from their homelands against
all right for no other reason than their saying,
“Our Sustainer is God!”
For, if God had not enabled people to defend themselves
against one another, [all] monasteries and churches
and synagogues and mosques - in [all of] which God’s
name is abundantly extolled -would surely have been
destroyed [ere now].
And God will most certainly succour him who succours
His cause: for, verily, God is most powerful, almighty,
[well aware of] those who, [even] if We firmly establish
them on earth, remain constant in prayer, and give
in charity, and enjoin the doing of what is right
and forbid the doing of what is wrong: but with
God rests the final outcome of all events.
Chapter 22, Verses 67 - 68
Unto every community have We appointed [different]
ways of worship, which they ought to observe. Hence
[O believer,] do not let those [who follow ways
other than thine] draw thee into disputes on this
score, but summon [them all] unto thy Sustainer:
for, behold, thou art indeed on the right way, and
if they try to argue with thee, say [only]: “God
knows best what you are doing.”
Chapter 22, Verse 73
O men! A parable is set forth [herewith]; hearken,
then, to it! Behold, those beings whom you invoke
instead of God cannot create [as much as] a fly,
even were they to join all their forces to that
end! And if a fly robs them of anything, they cannot
[even] rescue it from him! Weak indeed is the seeker,
and week the sought!
Chapter 22, Verse 77
O you who have attained to faith! Bow down and prostrate
yourselves, and worship your Sustainer [alone],
and do good, so that you might attain to a happy
state!