English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 10: Yunus — Jonah (Revealed at Makkah: 11 sections, 109 verses)
Section 6 (Verses 10:54–10:60): Mercy takes Precedence over Punishment
Translation:
وَ لَوۡ اَنَّ لِکُلِّ نَفۡسٍ ظَلَمَتۡ مَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ لَافۡتَدَتۡ بِہٖ ؕ وَ اَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَۃَ لَمَّا رَاَوُا الۡعَذَابَ ۚ وَ قُضِیَ بَیۡنَہُمۡ بِالۡقِسۡطِ وَ ہُمۡ لَا یُظۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۵۴﴾
10:54 And if every soul that has done wrong had all that is in the earth, it would offer it for ransom. And they will manifest regret when they see the punishment. And it will be decided between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.
اَلَاۤ اِنَّ لِلّٰہِ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ اَلَاۤ اِنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰہِ حَقٌّ وَّ لٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَہُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۵۵﴾
10:55 Now surely whatever is in the heavens and the earth is Allah’s. Now surely Allah’s promise is true, but most of them do not know.
ہُوَ یُحۡیٖ وَ یُمِیۡتُ وَ اِلَیۡہِ تُرۡجَعُوۡنَ ﴿۵۶﴾
10:56 He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned.
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ قَدۡ جَآءَتۡکُمۡ مَّوۡعِظَۃٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ شِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِی الصُّدُوۡرِ ۬ۙ وَ ہُدًی وَّ رَحۡمَۃٌ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ﴿۵۷﴾
10:57 O people, an admonition has indeed come to you from your Lord and a healing for what is in the hearts; and a guidance and a mercy for the believers.1
قُلۡ بِفَضۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ بِرَحۡمَتِہٖ فَبِذٰلِکَ فَلۡیَفۡرَحُوۡا ؕ ہُوَ خَیۡرٌ مِّمَّا یَجۡمَعُوۡنَ ﴿۵۸﴾
10:58 Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy, in that they should rejoice. It is better than what they hoard.
قُلۡ اَرَءَیۡتُمۡ مَّاۤ اَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ رِّزۡقٍ فَجَعَلۡتُمۡ مِّنۡہُ حَرَامًا وَّ حَلٰلًا ؕ قُلۡ آٰللّٰہُ اَذِنَ لَکُمۡ اَمۡ عَلَی اللّٰہِ تَفۡتَرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۹﴾
10:59 Say: Do you see the sustenance that Allah has sent down for you, then you make (a part) of it unlawful and (a part) lawful. Say: Has Allah commanded you or do you forge a lie against Allah?2
وَ مَا ظَنُّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَفۡتَرُوۡنَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ الۡکَذِبَ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَی النَّاسِ وَ لٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَہُمۡ لَا یَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿٪۶۰﴾
10:60 And what do those think who forge lies against Allah of the day of Resurrection? Surely Allah is Bountiful to people, but most of them do not give thanks.
Commentary:
- They demanded punishment again and again, but they are told that Allah has sent to them that in which they will find a healing and a guidance and a mercy for them, viz. the Quran. Compare 29:51, where, in answer to a demand for a sign which should destroy them, the disbelievers are told: “Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you (O Prophet) the Book which is recited to them? Surely there is mercy in this and a reminder for a people who believe”. ↩
- Just as Allah gave them the means of their physical sustenance, He has also sent His grace and mercy for their spiritual welfare through revelation. Yet they deprive themselves of the spiritual sustenance as if it were unlawful. Or the reference may be to their declaring certain things to be unlawful for them out of reverence for their idols. ↩