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View Full Version : The Quraan word-by-word translation



Muhaba
07-09-2009, 07:13 PM
I thought that learning the Quraan’s translation word-by-word might help people understand the Quraan when they read or listen to the Arabic as well as help them learn Arabic.

So I’m going to try writing the word-by-word translation in English.


How to use word-by-word translation:
Try to memorize a few words at a time. After learning a few verses’ translation, check how much of the Quraan you understand when reading or listening to the Quraan in Arabic.


Format: word-by-word translation of each verse followed by the actual verse translation.

Note: in the following, the Arabic of the Quraan is taken from Multilingual Quraan http://www.**************quran/ and the English translation of the verses is from the Noble Quraan, http://noblequran.com/translation/index.html . word-by-word translation is my own. Please correct if any word is not translated correctly.
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Muhaba
07-09-2009, 07:17 PM
Word-by-word translation of Surah 1, Al-Fathiha

Bi – With
Ism – name
Allah – Allah
Al- The
Rahmaan – Beneficent
Al- The
Raheem – Merciful

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.


Al- The
Hamd – praises
Lil- for
Allah – Allah
Rab – Lord
Al- the
Alameen – worlds


الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).


Al Rahmaan *– The Beneficent
Al-Raheem – The Merciful

الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.


Maalik – Lord
Yawm – Day
Deen – Judgment

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)

Eeyaka – it is you
Na - we
’abudo - worship
Wa
Eeyaka – it is you
Na - we
asthaeen – ask for help


إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).

Ihdi- guide
Na – us
Al siraat – the way
Al mustaqeem – straight

اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ
Guide us to the Straight Way


Siraat – the way
Alazeena – those
anumtha - you have blessed
Alai – on
Him – them
Ghair – not
Al maghdoob – anger
Alaihim – on them
Wa – and
La – not
Daaleen - astray

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ
The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).

-------------

* Note: In Arabic there are two types of letters: The Shumsi letters and the Qamari letters. When “Al” precedes the shumsi letters, the L is Al is not pronounced (Al-Shums is pronounced as Ash-Shums). When Al precedes the Qamari letters, the L in Al is pronounced (Al-Qamar is pronounced as Al-Qamar).
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Muhaba
07-12-2009, 11:35 PM
Quiz
This quiz is meant to check your progress. If you score less than 70%, you should revise before continuing.

Translate the following words:

ism –
Hamd –
Rabil Alameen -
alazeena –
ghair –
yawm –
anamtha -
alaihim –
siraat -
lil –
ihdina -
Reply

Muhaba
07-12-2009, 11:42 PM
Word-by-word translation of Surah 2, Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Bi – with
Ism – name
Allah
Al Rahmaan – the Beneficent
Al Raheem – The Merciful

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ


Alif. Laam. Mim. – letters of the Arabic alphabet whose meaning is not known to any other than Allah.


الم
Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'an and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings].



Dhaalika – this is
Al kitaab – the book
Laa – no
Raib – doubt
Fee – in
Hai – it
Huda – guidance
Li – for
Al Mutaqeen – the God-fearing



ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
This is the Book (the Qur'an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)].


***


Note: in arabic, laa means no, not, does not but la means for sure.
Laa = لاَ = no, not, does not
La = لَ = for sure


***

Alazeena – those
Yo’minoona – (they) believe
Bi – with
Al ghaib – the unseen
Wa – and
Yokeemoon – they establish
Al salaat – the prayer
Wa – and
Min – of
Maa – that
Razaqnaahum – we have provided them
Yunfiqoon – they spend


الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and spend out of what we have provided for them [i.e. give Zakat , spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allah's Cause - Jihad, etc.].


***

note: the word yo’minoon is the plural form of the verb yo’min which means to believe. The suffix oon makes the verb masculine plural. Other examples are yokeemoon (they believe with certainty), yunfiqoon (they spend). This suffix (-oon) is only added to the present tense of the (regular) verbs to make them plural.

The suffix naa means “we” when attached to the past tense of the verb, for example, razaqa means provided and razaqnaa means “We provided”. The second pronoun (hum) means “to them” so razaqnaahum means “We have provided to them.”
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Muhaba
07-12-2009, 11:44 PM
Quiz
This quiz is meant to check your progress. If you score less than 70%, you should revise before continuing.

Translate the following words:

raib -
huda -
li -
fee -
yo'minoona
yunfiqoon
bi -
min -
maa -
razaqnaahum -

Reply

Imam
07-16-2009, 07:23 PM
Great work sister Muhaba ,I think of participating with you in the work :)


Are you a native Arabic speaker?

peace
Reply

Muhaba
07-20-2009, 12:23 AM
Thank you. I'm not a native speaker but i've lived in Arab countries since i was quite young.

i try to post this a couple times a week. insha-Allah will be posting the next one soon.
Reply

Muhaba
07-20-2009, 04:16 PM
Wa – and
Alazeena – those
Yo’minoona – believe
Bi – on
Maa – that
Onzila – revealed
ilaika – to you
(ila = to, ka = you)
Wa – and
Maa – that
Onzila – revealed
Min – from
Qabl- before
ka – you
(qablika = before you)
wa – and
bil – on
aakhirati – the hereafter
hum – they
yookinoon – believe with certainty



والَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
And who believe in (the Qur'an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him) and in [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.).



Olaaika – those
Ala – on
Huda – guidance
Min – from
Rabihim – their Lord [Rab = Lord, him = them]
Wa – and
Olaaika – those
Hum – they are
Almuflihoon – the successful



أُوْلَـئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful.

***

Al Muflihoon: this is a plural masculine noun. The suffix “oon” when added to a regular masculine noun makes the masculine noun plural. This suffix (-oon) indicates that the noun is the subject.
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Muhaba
07-20-2009, 04:17 PM
Quiz

This quiz is meant to check your progress. If you score less than 70%, you should revise before continuing.

Translate the following words:

wa -
Alazeena –
Olaaika -
min Rabihim -
Al Muflihoon -

Onzila –
ilaika –
qablik -
bil –
aakhirati –
Reply

Thinker
07-20-2009, 04:29 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
And who believe in (the Qur'an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him) and in [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.).
Can I know why some words are in brackets?
Reply

MinAhlilHadeeth
07-20-2009, 04:45 PM
:salamext:

Don't you think it's quite risky translating the Qur'aan, and dangerous ground? Such matters are best left to the 'Ulamaa.
Reply

Thinker
07-20-2009, 08:02 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Faizah
:salamext:

Don't you think it's quite risky translating the Qur'aan, and dangerous ground? Such matters are best left to the 'Ulamaa.
Why do you feel it might be “risky?”
Reply

Muhaba
07-21-2009, 04:36 AM
I am not translating the Quraan. I am just giving the defination of the words so that when people read or listen to the Quraan they will understand it easily. This might also help ppl learn arabic.
Reply

Muhaba
07-21-2009, 04:48 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
Can I know why some words are in brackets?
I am using the noble Quran translation http://noblequran.com/translation/index.html . The words in brackets are explanations. they arent there in the arabic so they are placed in brackets.

There are various reasons why such explanations may be included. Some arabic words have more than one meaning. Some are explanations from commentary. Because the Quraan was revealed according to circumstances, to understand it one must read the commentary. The commentary will give you the whole background.
Reply

Thinker
07-21-2009, 09:39 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
to understand it one must read the commentary. The commentary will give you the whole background.
Thank you for the explanation it was helpful but sometimes answers throw up more questions.

Who added the commentary, what is a commentary? I have learned (correct me if I am wrong) that Gabriel dictated God’s message to Muhammad (presumably in the language Muhammad used) and he flawlessly memorised each word and that in turn was flawlessly recorded. I presume that the words given by God were clear and unambiguous, so why would you need a commentary?
Reply

Banu_Hashim
07-21-2009, 09:48 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Faizah
:salamext:

Don't you think it's quite risky translating the Qur'aan, and dangerous ground? Such matters are best left to the 'Ulamaa.
I think the whole ummah should learn Arabic so we can understand the Qur'an. We shouldn't just leave it to the scholars to understand the book of Allah. We don't need to derive fatwas, that we can leave to the scholars but just to contemplate the Qur'aan, to take a few minutes out of the day to ponder over a verse, would be such a wonderful thing don't you think ?

And by learning the vocab as posted in bits here, you can understand so much of the Qur'aan, as common phrases are used in the Qur'aan is different bits. It's all up to us.
Reply

Thinker
07-21-2009, 11:40 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Banu_Hashim
I think the whole ummah should learn Arabic so we can understand the Qur'an. We shouldn't just leave it to the scholars to understand the book of Allah. We don't need to derive fatwas, that we can leave to the scholars but just to contemplate the Qur'aan, to take a few minutes out of the day to ponder over a verse, would be such a wonderful thing don't you think ?

And by learning the vocab as posted in bits here, you can understand so much of the Qur'aan, as common phrases are used in the Qur'aan is different bits. It's all up to us.
I much agree with your view and if I were Muslim or a little younger I would do just that. Clearly there differences amongst so called scholars on the interpretation of the Qu’ran, I note that the translation/interpretation used in this thread differs from others and I would have thought the obvious answer for free thinking Muslims would be to learn Arabic and make up their own minds about what the verses say. That said, I have read more posts on this forum discouraging self interpretation than I have read encouraging it; in fact yours may be the first! One poster here appears to believe that such actions are ‘risky.’
Reply

_PakistaN_
07-21-2009, 05:44 PM
yup, i was going to say that. Don't post the meaning of the Quran if you are not 100% sure.
Reply

Muhaba
07-24-2009, 03:00 PM
Inna – indeed
Alazeena – those who
Kafaaroo – have disbelieved
Sawaa – it is the same
Alaihim – to them
A – if
Anzur – warn
Tha – you
Hum –them
(a-anzurthahum – if you warn them)
Um – or
Lum – did not
Thunzirhum – you warn them
(um lum thunzirhum = or you did not warn them)
Laa – no, not
Yo’minoon – they believe
(laa yo’minoon – they do not believe)


إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.



Khatama – sealed
Allaho – Allah has
Ala – on
Quloob – hearts
Him – their
(quloobihim – their hearts)
Wa – and
Ala – on
Sam’i – hearing
Him – their
(sam’ihim – their hearing)
Wa – and
Ala – on
Absaar – sight
Him – their
(absaarihim – their eyesight)
Ghishaawah – a covering
Wa – and
lahum – for them
a’zaab – punishment
azeem – great


خَتَمَ اللّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عظِيمٌ

Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allah's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.


***

note: in Arabic the adjective comes after the noun it describes, so “a great torment” is written as “a’zaabun azeemun.”

Some nouns are regular. Their plural is formed by adding the suffix “oon” / “een” if the noun is masculine and adding the suffix “aat” if the noun is feminine (for example mo’minoon/mo’mineen and mo’minaat). There are also irregular nouns whose plural is formed by changing the word. Some examples are “Qalb” (heart) whose plural is “Quloob” and “Basr” (Sight) whose plural is “Absaar.”

Normally, if a singular or feminine noun is the subject, it has a damma on the last letter. If it is the object, it has a fathhah on the last letter.

A plural masculine noun which is the subject ends with “oon” but ends in “een” if it is the object (normally).
Reply

Muhaba
07-24-2009, 03:21 PM
Quiz

This quiz is meant to check your progress. If you score less than 70%, you should revise before continuing.

Translate the following words:

Kafaaroo –
Alaihim -
Sawaa –
Inna –
A anzurthahum –

Um –
Lum –
laa yo’minoon –
Thunzirhum –
Laa –

‘Ala –
Khatama –
lahum –
Quloob –
quloobihim –

sam’ihim –
absaarihim –
Ghishaawah –
a’zaab –
azeem –

Reply

Muhaba
07-24-2009, 03:28 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
Thank you for the explanation it was helpful but sometimes answers throw up more questions.

Who added the commentary, what is a commentary? I have learned (correct me if I am wrong) that Gabriel dictated God’s message to Muhammad (presumably in the language Muhammad used) and he flawlessly memorised each word and that in turn was flawlessly recorded. I presume that the words given by God were clear and unambiguous, so why would you need a commentary?
one reason why the commentary is necessary is that the Quraan was revealed in speech form so when it was written down as a book, explanation was necessary to understand it. You also need to know the background as well as islamic meanings to terms such as salah, etc. for example, in the verse you quoted before, a person who doesn't know much about islam would not understand the verse without the words in brackets.

And who believe in (the Qur'an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him) and in [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.).

A person reading the Quraan for the first time might ask the following questions: what has been sent down? How was it sent down? to whom was it sent down? what was sent down before it which we have to believe in also? what is the Hereafter? What will happen in the Hereafter? So the words in brackets help clarify those questions.

Here is an example of commentary:


Note: it is a miracle of the Quraan that if you have a question in your mind or need some particular statement, when reading the Quraan, you will find what you are looking for right away even without searching! I wanted to post an example of tafseer but also wanted something for atheists although didn’t know where in the Quraan I could find such material. So, praying that Allah would help me find it, I randomly opened a volume of tafseer to the middle, and after turning a few pages, came to this Surah. Since it has statements of the signs of Allah, I decided to post from this Surah. As I typed, I was surprised at the statement in the commentary to verse 2, which has material for atheists.

*~*~*

From Tafheem-Ul-Quraan
By Saeed Abu Al A’la Maududi

[center]
بســـم الله الـرحـمـن الـرحـيــم


XIII
Al-Ra’ad الرعد

Introduction


Name:

This Surah takes its name from the word الرعد (Al-Ra’ad) (thunder) that occurs in verse 13. It is merely the symbolic name of the Surah and does not in any way mean that the Surah deals with the scientific problems connected with thunder.

Period of Revelation:
The internal evidence (verses 27 – 31 and verses 34 – 48) shows that this Surah was revealed in the last stage of the Mission of the Holy Prophet at Makkah and during the same period in which Surahs Yunus, Hud, and Al-A’raf were sent down. The manner of speech indicates that a long time had passed since the Holy Prophet had been conveying the Message. On the one hand, his opponents had been contriving different devices to defeat him and his Mission, and, on the other, his followers had been expressing a desire that by showing a miracle the disbelievers might be brought to the Right Way. In answer, Allah impressed upon the Believers that it is not His way to convert people by this method and that they should not lose heart, if He is giving the enemies of the Truth a rope long enough to hand themselves. Otherwise, He is able to show such signs as may bring the dead out of their graves and make them speak (verse 31), but even then these obdurate people will invent an excuse to explain this away. All this decisive evidence clearly proves that this Surah was revealed during the last stage of the Prophet’s Mission at Makkah.

Central Theme
The first verse enunciates the main theme of this Surah, that is, “the Message of Muhammad (Allah’s peace be upon him) is the very Truth, but it is the fault of the people that they are rejecting it.” This is the pivot on which the whole Surah turns. This is why it has been shown over and over again in different ways that the basic components of the Message – Tauhid, Ressurrection, and Prophethood – are a reality: therefore they should believe sincerely in these for their own moral and spiritual good. They have been warned that they shall incur their own ruin if they reject them, for kufr by itself is sheer folly and ignorance. Moreover, the aim of the Surah is not merely to satisfy the minds but also to appeal to the hearts to accept the Faith. Therefore it des not merely put forward logical arguments in support of the truth of the Message and against the peoples wrong nothions, but at appropriate intervals it makes frequent use of sympathetic and earnest appeals to win over their hearts by warning them of the consequences of kufr and by holding out the happy rewards of Faith so that the foolish people should give up their obduracy.

Besides this, the objections of the opponents have been answered without any mention of them, and those doubts which are proving a hindrance in the way of the Message or were being created by the opponents have been removed. At the same time, the Believers, who had been passing through a long and hard ordeal and were feeling tired, and writing anxiously for Allah’s succor, have been comforted and filled with hope and courage.

*~*~*

(Verses 1 to 5 with commentary)


1. Alif. Lam. Mim. Ra. These are the verses of the Divine Book; and that which has been sent down to you from your Lord is the very truth, but most (of your) people do not believe in this.


This is the introduction to this Surah, in which its aim and object has been enunciated in a few words. Allah has addressed the Holy Prophet to this effect: “O Prophet! Most of your people are rejecting the teachings of the Quraan for one reason or another, but the fact is that what We are sending down to you is the Truth whether people believe it or not.”

After this brief introduction, the discourse deals with the main subject of the Surah, which consists of three basic things. First, “the whole of the universe belongs to Allah alone, and none besides Him has any right to service and worship.” Second, “there is another life after this life, in which you shall have to render an account of all your actions.” Third, “I am a Messenger of Allah. Whatever I am presenting before you is not from myself but from Allah.” As the people were rejecting these three things, these have been reiterated over and over again in various forms to remove doubts and objections from the minds of the disbelievers.


2. It is Allah Who raised up the heavens without such pillars as you could see.

In other words, “Allah keeps the myriads of heavenly bodies in space without any visible and perceptible support.” Though there is nothing apparent and visible that is supporting these bodies, yet there is an invariable and imperceptible Power which is not only holding and keeping each and everyone of these huge bodies, including the earth we inhabit, in their proper places and orbits but also does not let any collision take place between them.


Then He sat Himself upon the Throne of His Kingdom.

For fuller details of “He sat Himself on the Throne of His Kingdom,” please refer to explanatory note 41 of Surah Al-A’raf. Here the purpose will be served if it is understood that this thing has been mentioned in the Quraan at many places in order to bring out clearly the fact that Allah has not only created the earth, but also rules over His Kingdom, and that His universe is a factory that is not working automatically as some ignorant people seem to thing nor is it being ruled by many gods as other ignorant people seem to believe. But it is a regular system that is being run and ruled over by its Creator.


He subjected the sun and the moon to a law.

It should be noted here that the addressees themselves accepted the truth of all the claims that have been made in this verse. Therefore, no proofs were required of the facts that it is Allah Who raised up the heavens without any visible support and subjected the sun and the moon to a fixed order. These things have been mentioned here only as arguments to prove that Allah is the sole Sovereign and ruler of the whole universe.

Now let us consider the question: How can such an argument as this convince those who do not believe at all in the existence of God nor acknowledge that He is the Creator of the universe and the Director of all its affairs? The answer is that the arguments in support of the Doctrine of Tauhid advanced in the Quran to convince the mushriks equally apply against the atheists to prove the existence of God. It is like this: The whole of the universe – the earth, the moon, the sun, and the countless heavenly bodies – constitute a perfect system which is working under the same all-powerful law. This is a proof that such a system must have been designed by some All-Powerful Sovereign, Who possesses wisdom and unerring knowledge. This proves conclusively the existence of that Allah who has no other equal nor associate nor partner. For there can be no system without an administrator, no law without a ruler, no wisdom without a sage, and no knowledge without the possessor of that knowledge. Above all, no one can ever conceive that there can be any creation without a Creator except the one who is obdurate (obstinate, stubborn) or has no sense left in him at all.



Everything in the universe is running its course to its fixed term.

This system is not only a standing proof of the fact that an All-Powerful Sovereign is ruling over it, but is also an evidence of the great wisdom underlying it; it also bears witness that there is nothing everlasting in it. Everything in it remains for a fixed term after which it comes to an end. This is equally true for each and every component part of it as well as for the whole system. It is quite evident from its physical structure that there is nothing everlasting and immortal. There must be some fixed term for the system as a whole, after the expiry of which it shall come to an end. Then there shall be another world. Therefore it is most likely that there shall be Resurrection as predicted in the Quran. Nay, its inevitability is beyond any doubt.

And Allah alone is directing the whole affair. He makes His Signs plain;

Allah makes plain those Signs which help prove the truth of what the Holy Prophet was informing them. These Signs are spread all over the universe and everyone who observes these with open eyes can perceive that the realities towards which the Quraan invites the people are testified by these Signs.

perhaps you may be convinced of meeting your Lord.

The preceding Signs have been cited to prove two things: First, the universe has only one Creator and Administrator. Second, there shall be life in the Hereafter in which everyone shall be judged in the Divine Court and awarded rewards and punishments on merit. As the first thing was quite obvious, it has not been mentioned in the conclusion drawn from the Signs. But the second thing, life in the Hereafter, has been mentioned because that was rather hidden from perception. Therefore, it has specifically been stated that these Signs have been made plain in order “to convince you that you shall meet your Lord in the Hereafter and render an account of all your actions in this world.”

Now let us consider how these Signs help prove life in the Hereafter. These make it evident in two ways:

1) When we consider how the big heavenly bodies as the sun and the moon are completely subject to the will of Allah, our hearts feel convinced that Allah, Who has created these things and regulated their movements so orderly around their orbits, has undoubtedly the power to bring to life the whole human race after its death.

2) The terrestrial system also proves that its Creator is All-Wise. Therefore it can never be imagined that the All-Wise Creator could have created man and endowed him with wisdom and intelligence and invested him with power and authority, and then left him free to do what he liked with these, without being responsible and accountable for their use or abuse. For His Wisdom demands that He should take full account of all the acts and deeds of man in this world. It requires that He should take to task those who committed aggressions and compensate their victims and He should give rewards to those who practiced virtue, and punishments to those who did wicked deeds. In short, His Wisdom requires that He should call to account every human being and demand: “How did you carry out the trust that was placed in your hands in the shape of your wonderful body with its wonderful faculties and the numerous resources of the earth?” It may be that a foolish and unjust ruler of this world might entrust the affairs of his kingdom in the hands of his agents and them forget to call them to account, but such a thing can never be expected from the All-Wise and All-Knowing Allah.

It is this way of observing and considering the heavenly bodies that can convince us that life in the Hereafter is both possible and inevitable.


3. And it is He Who has spread out the earth, and fixed the immovable mountains in it, and made the rivers flow on it. He has created in pairs every kind of fruit, and He covers the day with the veil of night.


After citing some heavenly Signs in support of the doctrines of Tauhid and the Hereafter, a few Signs are being cited from the earth for the same purpose. Briefly, the following are the arguments for Tauhid, Resurrection, and accountability:

1) Tauhid: The fact that the earth is closely connected with the heavenly bodies (which help create life on it), and the fact that the mountains and the rivers are so inter-related with that life are clear proofs that all these things have not been created by separate and different gods nor are being governed by gods with independent powers and authorities. Had it been so, there could not have been so much harmony, congruity, accord, and unity of purpose among them; nor could these relationships have continued for such a long time. For it is quite obvious that if there had not been One All-Powerful and All-Wise Allah, it could not have been possible and practicable for different gods to sit together and evolve out such a harmonious system of the universe without any discord or conflict between its myriads of bodies.

2) Resurrection: This wonderful planet, the earth, is itself a great proof that its Creator is All-Powerful and can, therefore, raise the dead whenever He wills. For it is floating in space around the sun and it has high mountains fixed in it and has large rivers flowing on its surface; it produces countless fruit-bearing trees and it brings about the cycles of the day and the night with precise regularity.

All these things bear witness to the boundless power of its Creator. It would, therefore, be sheer folly to doubt that such All-powerful Creator is incapable of raising mankind to life after death.

3) Accountability: The earth, with all its wonderful and purposeful signs, is a clear evidence of the fact that its Creator is All-Wise. Therefore it cannot even be imagined that He has created man, His noblest creation, without any purpose. Just as His wisdom is apparent from the structure of the earth, its mountains, its rivers, the pairs of its trees and fruits, its night and day, so it is quite obvious that it has not been made the habitation of man without any purpose, nor will it be brought to naught without the fulfillment of that purpose. Clearly mankind shall be accountable to its Creator for the fulfillment of that Divine purpose.

Surely there are great Signs in these for those who reflect.


4. And behold! There are different regions on the earth close to one another;

That is, “If you observe carefully, you will find Divine wisdom, design, and purpose in the diversity of the structure of the earth. Though it has countless regions adjoining one another, they are different from one another in their shapes, colors, component parts, characteristics, potentialities, productive capacity, and source of minerals. This diversity has countless points of wisdom and advantage. Let alone other creatures, if we consider the diversity of regions from the point of the good it has done to mankind, we shall have to acknowledge that this is the result of the well-thought and well-planned design of the all-Wise Creator. For this diversity has helped the growth of human civilization so much that only an unreasonable person can assign this to mere accident.

there are vineyards, corn fields and groves of date-palm with single or double trunk.

Some of the date-palm trees have only a single trunk from the root while others have two or more stems from the same root.

All are irrigated with the same water, but We make some more tasteful than others. Most surely, there are many signs in all these things for those who use their common sense.

The things mentioned in this verse contain many other Signs besides the proofs of Tauhid and the boundless powers and All-Comprehensive Wisdom of Allah. Let us consider one of these, that is the diversity in the universe, including mankind. There is the one and the same earth but all its regions are quite different from one another. Then there is the one and the same water but it helps to produce different kinds of corn and fruits. Then one and the same tree bears fruit which, in spite of likeness, differs from one another in shapes, sizes, and other features. Then there is one and the same root from which sometimes one and at other times two trunks sprout up, with their own different characteristics. If one considers these aspects of diversity, one shall come to the conclusion that the Divine wisdom demands the same kind of diversity in the natures, temperaments, and inclinations of human beings and, therefore, in their conducts. So, one need not worry about the existence of this diversity. As has been stated in verse 31, if Allah had willed, He could have created all human beings alike and virtuous by birth. But the wisdom that underlies the creation of the universe, including mankind, requires diversity and not uniformity. Otherwise, all this creation would have become meaningless.

5. Now if there is anything for you to marvel at, you should marvel at their saying: “What! When we have become dust, shall we then be raised to a new life again?” These are the people who have denied their Lord;

They “have denied their Lord:” their denial of the Hereafter is, in fact, the denial of the Power and Wisdom of Allah. As they say that it is impossible to bring them again to life after their death, it implies that, God forbid, their Allah, who has created them, lacks not only power but wisdom too.

they are those who shall have collars around their necks;

As a collar around the neck is a symbol of imprisonment, the words “collars around their necks” have been used here idiomatically to show that they are slaves of ignorance, obduracy, lust, and are blind followers of their forefathers. As their thinking is influenced by their prejudices, they cannot believe in the Hereafter and would deny this, though there is every reason to believe that it is inevitable.

they shall be the dwellers of Hell and therein they shall dwell forever.
Reply

rk9414
07-24-2009, 03:32 PM
:sl:

Here's a website I like to use for word by word translation

http://quran.uk.net/Corpus.aspx
Reply

Muhaba
07-24-2009, 03:38 PM
^ thank you!
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Thinker
07-24-2009, 07:28 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
one reason why the commentary is necessary is that the Quraan was revealed in speech form so when it was written down as a book, explanation was necessary to understand it.
I do appreciate you taking the time to try and explain and I am in no doubt as to your sincerity. I have read through all that you have written several times. Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that the majority of what you have written is not what was revealed by God’s messenger but what was added later by man. Surely it would not have been beyond the ability of God to have left a message which was absolutely clear and which needed nothing adding or explaining? You say the message was revealed in speech form, I am not sure what ‘speech form is but if it is not clear and unambiguous why did God use it, surely God’s objective was to leave a clear and unambiguous message?
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جوري
07-24-2009, 08:38 PM
Sanfilippo syndrome, or Mucopolysaccharidosis III is clear and unambiguous (to Most doctors) why would you as a lay-man need an explanation if your son were afflicted or if you were touched by said condition in any fashion?

Try to carry that analogy through..

all the best
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barrio79
07-24-2009, 09:06 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
Sanfilippo syndrome, or Mucopolysaccharidosis III is clear and unambiguous (to Most doctors) why would you as a lay-man need an explanation if your son were afflicted or if you were touched by said condition in any fashion?

Try to carry that analogy through..

all the best
I cannot see how these comments are " on topic " but I am reminded that in some communities to use "medical conditions describing conditions that are not pleasant " as adjectives for derogatory or demeaning purposes is seen as unseemly.
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جوري
07-24-2009, 09:12 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by barrio79
I cannot see how these comments are " on topic " but I am reminded that in some communities to use "medical conditions describing conditions that are not pleasant " as adjectives for derogatory or demeaning purposes is seen as unseemly.
I have no idea what your comment here means or how it relates to said topic?...
Prayer is obligatory, as such it is mentioned in the Quran, clear, unambiguous as is everything else.. the style and method and direction has to be explained by someone.. it isn't merely enough to say go pray!..

It isn't merely enough for a doctor to say your son has Sanfilippo syndrome, or hunter's or Hurler's or tay-sachs, or pompe's or Gaucher etc etc without elucidating for you what it all means!

What is the point of any book without a teacher?

now do us all a favor and take a hike unless you have something of substance to impart to said topic.. Again, I really hate to have my time wasted!
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MinAhlilHadeeth
07-24-2009, 11:59 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Banu_Hashim
I think the whole ummah should learn Arabic so we can understand the Qur'an. We shouldn't just leave it to the scholars to understand the book of Allah. We don't need to derive fatwas, that we can leave to the scholars but just to contemplate the Qur'aan, to take a few minutes out of the day to ponder over a verse, would be such a wonderful thing don't you think ?

And by learning the vocab as posted in bits here, you can understand so much of the Qur'aan, as common phrases are used in the Qur'aan is different bits. It's all up to us.
Yes, but there is a difference between trying to understand the Qur'aan and posting up translation (word-by-word, or otherwise), wouldn't you agree? There are so many factors that need to be considered before presenting the meaning of even a single ayah from the Qur'aan in any language. After all, this is the Kalaam of Allaah, and we would never wish to lie against Him or speak about His Kalaam without 'ilm.

Allaahu A'lam.
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جوري
07-25-2009, 04:58 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Faizah
Yes, but there is a difference between trying to understand the Qur'aan and posting up translation (word-by-word, or otherwise), wouldn't you agree? There are so many factors that need to be considered before presenting the meaning of even a single ayah from the Qur'aan in any language. After all, this is the Kalaam of Allaah, and we would never wish to lie against Him or speak about His Kalaam without 'ilm.

Allaahu A'lam.

That is very true also.. looking at individual words can really throw someone who is ignorant of Arabic off especially in Quranic context..
for instance the word كَبَدٍ is translated as Pain/toil and also liver
http://translation.babylon.com/Arabic/to-English

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

90: 4] Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

now, imagine someone simply taking the word of their choosing and translating it as man was created into a liver...

we need scholars/lexicographers/and sages to mentor us.. and we need to pay attention, we are the only hope of keeping this deen from swerving when so many want us astray and have a vested interest in keeping us busied with trifles,frivols and wars.
at the end of time knowledge will be lifted we'll be stuck with ignorants and I am afraid such is our time..

anyhow, any little effort is good insha'Allah, so long as it is in the positive direction...

:w:
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Muhaba
07-25-2009, 07:34 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
I do appreciate you taking the time to try and explain and I am in no doubt as to your sincerity. I have read through all that you have written several times. Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that the majority of what you have written is not what was revealed by God’s messenger but what was added later by man. Surely it would not have been beyond the ability of God to have left a message which was absolutely clear and which needed nothing adding or explaining? You say the message was revealed in speech form, I am not sure what ‘speech form is but if it is not clear and unambiguous why did God use it, surely God’s objective was to leave a clear and unambiguous message?
God sent the Prophet (SAW) for a reason. If God wanted, He could have just given us the Book. But He sent Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to explain Islam to us. Quraan was revealed bit by bit over 23 years and was explained by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) through words and actions.

We have to follow the Quran the way it was interpreted by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) not through our own interpretations.
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Muhaba
07-25-2009, 07:50 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
That is very true also.. looking at individual words can really throw someone who is ignorant of Arabic off especially in Quranic context..
for instance the word كَبَدٍ is translated as Pain/toil and also liver
http://translation.babylon.com/Arabic/to-English

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

90: 4] Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

now, imagine someone simply taking the word of their choosing and translating it as man was created into a liver...

we need scholars/lexicographers/and sages to mentor us.. and we need to pay attention, we are the only hope of keeping this deen from swerving when so many want us astray and have a vested interest in keeping us busied with trifles,frivols and wars.
at the end of time knowledge will be lifted we'll be stuck with ignorants and I am afraid such is our time..

anyhow, any little effort is good insha'Allah, so long as it is in the positive direction...

:w:
Which is why I give the verse with actual translation from the Noble Quraan website.
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Banu_Hashim
07-25-2009, 08:24 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
That is very true also.. looking at individual words can really throw someone who is ignorant of Arabic off especially in Quranic context..
for instance the word كَبَدٍ is translated as Pain/toil and also liver
http://translation.babylon.com/Arabic/to-English

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

90: 4] Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

now, imagine someone simply taking the word of their choosing and translating it as man was created into a liver...

we need scholars/lexicographers/and sages to mentor us.. and we need to pay attention, we are the only hope of keeping this deen from swerving when so many want us astray and have a vested interest in keeping us busied with trifles,frivols and wars.
at the end of time knowledge will be lifted we'll be stuck with ignorants and I am afraid such is our time..

anyhow, any little effort is good insha'Allah, so long as it is in the positive direction...

:w:
Of course. Word by word translation is not perfect when you can have multiple meanings for a word. That's where you need a teacher of Arabic/ scholar/lexicographer to help you understanding the context as well.

Context is important, especially in those Madani surahs where Islamic Law is essentially explained. For Makki surahs near the end of Juz 'Amma, it's easier to understand using word by word/ phrase by phrase.

My intention for understanding the Qur'aan is for my personal benefit when reading the Qur'aan. I don't want to publish an authoritative translation world wide or a tafsir or anything like that. I'd leave that to the experts.
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Banu_Hashim
07-25-2009, 08:33 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Faizah
Yes, but there is a difference between trying to understand the Qur'aan and posting up translation (word-by-word, or otherwise), wouldn't you agree? There are so many factors that need to be considered before presenting the meaning of even a single ayah from the Qur'aan in any language. After all, this is the Kalaam of Allaah, and we would never wish to lie against Him or speak about His Kalaam without 'ilm.

Allaahu A'lam.
Yes. I agree.
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جوري
07-25-2009, 02:32 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
Which is why I give the verse with actual translation from the Noble Quraan website.

:sl:

I know dear sister, and I certainly think your effort here is monumental.. my comment wasn't meant as an attack, rather an agreement with what sister Faizah said, as well, highlight why the ignorant shouldn't be made to translate the Quran, and we have a couple of orientalists on board who try to do just that and impose on us, their desired understanding!

:w:
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imen1984
07-25-2009, 02:42 PM
Crescent Quran Corpus.
This is a word for word Quaran translation with grammer, search ,dictionary and transliteration for english speakers, its is 100% accurate.
http://quran.uk.net/

:statisfie
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Thinker
07-26-2009, 03:03 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by imen1984
Crescent Quran Corpus.
This is a word for word Quaran translation with grammer, search ,dictionary and transliteration for english speakers, its is 100% accurate.
http://quran.uk.net/
I note that in ‘The Noble Quran’ site it translates the word auliya from verse 3:28 as supporters, helpers, etc and the site quran.uk.net spells the word as awliyāa and translates it as allies, yet the other standard translations translate the word as ‘friend’ and the IslamQ&A site also uses the translation ‘friend.’ Is this another example of ambiguity in the Qu’ran which allows for the translation and interpretation that suits you?
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Muhaba
07-27-2009, 02:33 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
:sl:

I know dear sister, and I certainly think your effort here is monumental.. my comment wasn't meant as an attack, rather an agreement with what sister Faizah said, as well, highlight why the ignorant shouldn't be made to translate the Quran, and we have a couple of orientalists on board who try to do just that and impose on us, their desired understanding!

:w:
Thanks for clarifying! I was starting to think this might not be such a good idea after getting all the negative comments.

I do hope ppl understand the Quraan when they read/listen to it. It's such an awesome Book and understanding the arabic is like nothing else. No translation can replace the Arabic.
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Muhaba
07-27-2009, 02:40 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
I note that in ‘The Noble Quran’ site it translates the word auliya from verse 3:28 as supporters, helpers, etc and the site quran.uk.net spells the word as awliyāa and translates it as allies, yet the other standard translations translate the word as ‘friend’ and the IslamQ&A site also uses the translation ‘friend.’ Is this another example of ambiguity in the Qu’ran which allows for the translation and interpretation that suits you?
I don't know why you think it's ambiguity. That word has several meanings.

In any case, that verse shouldn't be read out of context, as it would give an incorrect meaning. Read also Surah 60, verses 1 - 9.
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Thinker
07-27-2009, 04:03 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
I don't know why you think it's ambiguity. That word has several meanings.

In any case, that verse shouldn't be read out of context, as it would give an incorrect meaning. Read also Surah 60, verses 1 - 9.
Indeed the word does have several meanings. In the past when I have asked about ambiguity one of the explanations I have received is that Arabic is so superior to English that there are sometime no words in English to give the true meaning of the Arabic word. In English we have the words, friend, ally, helper and supporter all of which are similar and all of which have a subtle difference. It appears that in Arabic there is only one word awliyāa and you have to figure out what it means from the context in which it is used; that doesn’t sound too superior to me!

Surah 60, verses 1 - 9.
1. O ye who believe! Take not my enemies and yours as friends (or protectors),- offering them (your) love, even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because ye believe in Allah your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My Good Pleasure, (take them not as friends), holding secret converse of love (and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path.
2. If they were to get the better of you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil: and they desire that ye should reject the Truth.
3. Of no profit to you will be your relatives and your children on the Day of Judgment: He will judge between you: for Allah sees well all that ye do.
4. There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: "We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah. we have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and hatred for ever,- unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone": But not when Abraham said to his father: "I will pray for forgiveness for thee, though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah." (They prayed): "Our Lord! in Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) Final Goal.
5. "Our Lord! Make us not a (test and) trial for the Unbelievers, but forgive us, our Lord! for Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
6. There was indeed in them an excellent example for you to follow,- for those whose hope is in Allah and in the Last Day. But if any turn away, truly Allah is Free of all Wants, Worthy of all Praise.
7. It may be that Allah will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies. For Allah has power (over all things); And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
8. Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.
9. Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.


I have read them and nothing leaps out at me in terms of explaining the issues about which we speak?
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UmmHasan
07-27-2009, 04:06 PM
Cool..Nice thread!
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جوري
07-27-2009, 04:23 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker

I have read them and nothing leaps out at me in terms of explaining the issues about which we speak?

What is the issue you seem to be having in a nutshell?

the word أَوْلِيَاء denotes all the above closest to guardians..
When you say walyi amriha, usually denotes the parent of a girl or the guardian or a girl.. you need to read context to understand.. it isn't about mere words..

when I use the word season in English, do I mean spring and fall, or do I mean mrs dash as a substitute for salt?

when I use the word stem, do I mean the form of a word after all affixes are removed thematic vowels are part of the stem, or do I mean A slender or elongated structure that supports a plant or fungus or a plant part or plant organ, or do I mean The tube of a tobacco pipe or do I mean A turn made in skiing; the back of one ski is forced outward and the other ski is brought parallel to it or do I mean Grow out of, have roots in, originate in or do I mean Cause to point inward as in stem your skis or do I mean Stop the flow of a liquid "stem the tide" or do I mean Remove the stem from "for automatic natural language processing, the words must be stemmed"?

I think you'll need to read the entire passage to understand.. No one is asking you for a breslow vs clark's classifications here.. there is nothing mind boggling, if rendering a desired significance then it can be deemed as an innovation and there are certainly plenty who do that.. They are just not Ahel as'sunnah (traditional Muslims) only the folks who are fostered by the likes of spensor and pipes and their ilk. It is crystal for the rest of us or we seek knowledge from the folks of knowledge!

all the best
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Muhaba
07-28-2009, 06:32 AM
Actually, in Arabic there are also different words for friend, supporter, protector, etc. but the word awliya can mean any one of those meanings. It's a comprehensive word. and that's what makes Arabic superior. You only need to use just that one word to get all of those meanings. So all of those meanings are appropriate and I think the translation which gives all those meanings (and not just one of them) is the better translation. A person reading the translation would then know that this verse isn't just discouraging protecting the disbelievers but is also discouraging supporting the disbelievers, befriending them, etc.
3:28:
Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliya (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allah is the final return.


Of course, you need to read the verse in context with the other verses as well as the rest of the Quraan and you need to learn how the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) applied these verses. You also need to know the circumstances when this verse was revealed.

This verse doesn't mean that you can't be friends with all unbelievers but those who are enemies of Muslims, those who wage war on muslims or who drive them out of their homes, etc. (as is proven from 60:1-9)

Even if the word meant friend, there would be still nothing wrong with it. There's even a saying in English "A friend's enemy is an enemy." I mean, if you were your friend's enemy's friend, what kind of a friend would you be? not a very loyal one for sure!
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Muhaba
07-28-2009, 01:05 PM
Wa – and
Min – from
Al naas – the people
Mun – the one
Yaqoolo – he says
Aamunnaa – we believe
Bi – on
Allah – Allah
Wa – and
Bi – on
Al yawm – the day
Al aakhiri – the last
Wa – and
Maa – not (do not)
Hum – they
Bimomineen – of the believers ?


وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allah and the Last Day" while in fact they believe not.


***



yaqoolo is the present tense of the verb Qaala (he said). Yaqoolo means he says. In Arabic, the masculine present tense verb starts with the letter “ya” ي and normally has a damma on the last letter. Other examples are yo'mino (he believes), yonfiqo (he spends), yunziro (he warns), yubsiro (he sees).



Yokhaadioon – they deceive
Allaha – Allah
Wa – and
Alazeena – those who
Aamanoo – believe
Wa – and (but)
Maa – do not
Yukhdaoona – deceive
Illa – except
Anfosa – selves
Hum - them
(Anfosahom – themselves)
Wa – and
Maa – do not
Yushoroon – they realize



يُخَادِعُونَ اللّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلاَّ أَنفُسَهُم وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ

They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!


yokhadaoona Allaha – they (think) to deceive Allah. Here if you note, Allah has a fathha on the last letter. This is because the word is an object and not the subject. In Arabic the object (the one receiving the action) has a fathha on the last letter if it is singular. Another object in the above is the word “anfosa” (selves). It also has a fathha on the last letter of the root word (anfos). “alazeena” is also an object in this sentence but this word doesn’t change form in the different positions (object, subject, etc).
Reply

Muhaba
07-28-2009, 01:08 PM
Quiz

This quiz is meant to check your progress. If you score less than 70%, you should revise before continuing.

Translate the following words:

aamunnaa -
an-naas -
hum -
mun -
yokhaadioon -

aamanoo -
illa -
anfos -
yushoroon -
yaqoolo -
Reply

Thinker
07-29-2009, 03:19 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by muhaba
Actually, in Arabic there are also different words for friend, supporter, protector, etc. but the word awliya can mean any one of those meanings. It's a comprehensive word. and that's what makes Arabic superior. You only need to use just that one word to get all of those meanings. So all of those meanings are appropriate and I think the translation which gives all those meanings (and not just one of them) is the better translation. A person reading the translation would then know that this verse isn't just discouraging protecting the disbelievers but is also discouraging supporting the disbelievers, befriending them, etc.
3:28:
Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliya (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself (His Punishment), and to Allah is the final return.


Of course, you need to read the verse in context with the other verses as well as the rest of the Quraan and you need to learn how the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) applied these verses. You also need to know the circumstances when this verse was revealed.

This verse doesn't mean that you can't be friends with all unbelievers but those who are enemies of Muslims, those who wage war on muslims or who drive them out of their homes, etc. (as is proven from 60:1-9)

Even if the word meant friend, there would be still nothing wrong with it. There's even a saying in English "A friend's enemy is an enemy." I mean, if you were your friend's enemy's friend, what kind of a friend would you be? not a very loyal one for sure!
Forgive me for labouring this point and becoming an irritant. I accept that there is much I do not know and that’s one of the reasons I pursue this and other questions – to learn. Of course I am a native English speaker but I do speak some other languages, not Arabic I hasten to add but I do understand that not all languages are structured in the same way as English. That said, it seems to me that language is all about communication and I might suggest that a better language is one which can communicate an idea unambiguously in as few words as possible. You say that Arabic does have words for support, helper, ally and friend and you say that Auliya can mean all or any of those words and so we must conclude that as a specific Arabic word was available to God he chose to use a word which meant 4 things and so the translation should include them all and thus read . . . . Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliya (supporters or helpers or allies or friends) instead of the believers and on the presumption that what you tell me about the meaning of the word makes absolute sense the problem is that many (if not all) of the translations I have read do not translate as supporters or helpers or allies or friend.

You go on to say that Muslims can take unbelievers as friends, unfortunately the scholars do not agree with you. The closest I have seen on any scholarly interpretation of this text is that Muslims are allowed be friendly with non-believers but being friendly with someone is not the same as being their friend.

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/2179/friends (and others)

Befriending and liking them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger…” [al-Mujaadilah 58:22]

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as awliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but awliya’ to one another…” [al-Maa’idah 5:51].
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Muhaba
08-04-2009, 05:54 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Thinker
You go on to say that Muslims can take unbelievers as friends, unfortunately the scholars do not agree with you. The closest I have seen on any scholarly interpretation of this text is that Muslims are allowed be friendly with non-believers but being friendly with someone is not the same as being their friend.

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/2179/friends (and others)

Befriending and liking them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger…” [al-Mujaadilah 58:22]

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as awliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but awliya’ to one another…” [al-Maa’idah 5:51].
well i don't really know. the thing is, we aren't supposed to be friends with anyone who disbeys Allah intentionally whether they call themselves Muslim or not. There's a hadith about being friends with someone who does haraam. If you tell them not to do the haraam thing and the next day the person continues doing haraam and you continue being friends with them like normal, then you will have sinned. And I don't know the exact hadith. maybe someone can quote it. There's also a hadith that we should stop a wrong/haraam thing with our hands, if that's not possible then with our tongue, and if that's not possible then we should hate it in our heart and that is the weakest state of iman (faith). so if a person is doing a haraam thing (whether he/she is muslim or not) then we have to at least hate the haraam thing if we are true muslims. and we can't love a person who intentionally disobeys Allah. If a person continues to do a haraam thing and we can't stop them, then we should get away. If we don't then we may end up getting punished along with the person doing haraam, as the case with one group of ppl who continued being friends with the ppl who fished on Saturdays (Sabbath).

As for not taking kafirs as friends, there may be a reason for that. Allah knows everyone's hearts. Muslims are pure-hearted and will be sincerely friends with the kaafirs but kaafirs will always feel an enmity toward the muslims. The muslim will wholly trust the kaafir friend and will never think of harming them because Muslims fear Allah and will not harm anyone. On the other hand, the kaafir doesn't fear Allah and may harm the muslim. This was done in India in 2003. The Muslims lived like brothers and sisters with hindus, but the hindus didn't feel that way deep down. In 2003 they burnt muslim houses and trains and killed many muslims. So Allah knows whats best for us. If He says not to be friends with kaafirs, then it is for the muslims' own good.

last year the rabbis in Israel told the israeli soldiers to kill all muslims and not to show any mercy to them. The kaafirs are just not sincere to the muslims. now if a muslim trusts a kaafir, he may get harmed. So that may be the reason why Allah has told us not to become friends with kaafirs, if that's what He has ordered.
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RashidRafi@@
03-23-2021, 08:45 PM
@sister Muhaba , word-by -word translation of the Quraan by you is excellent . Each word is clearly translated and easily understandable . My request to you is word by word translation of the following :Emaan e Mufussil Emaan e Mujummil the Aazaan the entire Salah Surahs Iqlaas Falaq and Anaas Tashahhud Dua e Qunoot and Kalmaas 4 and 6 . I enjoy reading your word for word translations and am trying to memorize the words . God bless you . Please post a quick and positive reply . Brother Rashid Rafi @@
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