003:141

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                      003:141

اِنۡ يَّمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحٌ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ الۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ‌ؕ وَتِلۡكَ الۡاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيۡنَ النَّاسِۚ وَلِيَـعۡلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنۡكُمۡ شُهَدَآءَ‌ؕ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَۙ‏  

In-yum-sus-koom-qur-hoon-fa-qud                                                                                           Mus-sul-qao-ma-qur-hoon-mith-lo-hoo                                                                                         Wa-til-kul-auy-yaa-mo-no-daa-way-lo-haa-bain-nun-naa-say                                               Wa-lay-yau-la-mul-laa-hool-la-zee-na-aa-ma-noo                                                                  Wa-yut-ta-khay-za-min-koom-sho-ha-daa-aa                                                                             Wul-laa-ho-laa-yo-hib-booz-zaa-lay-mee-n

If an injury reaches to you, then surely (remember that)                                             An injury like that did come to the other people.                                                        And these are the days that We rotate among people                                              And that Allah exposes those who have believed                                                      And takes witnesses from among you.                                                                              And by God Allah loves not the wrongdoers.

• اِنۡ — In — If (= If; in case; under the circumstances; when; whenever. A/t/a, Should)
• يَمۡسَسۡ — Yum-sus — Reaches (= v., pres., s., m., 3^rd person. Certain to strike that won’t  ever miss. Affects. Afflicts. Arrives. Befalls. Comes to. Gets to. Hits. Reaches. Smites. Strikes. Touches. A/t/a, ‘has touched,’ ‘have received,’ ‘afflicted’ and ‘have suffered’ but that  in the past tense is not of what the Holy Qor-aan has stated in the present tense)
• كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person., You . The Holy Qor-aan states that way when addressing both men and women jointly)
• قَرۡحٌ — Qur-hoon — Injury (= n., Bad thing; blow; difficulty; harm; hurt; ill effect; loss; misfortune; problem; wound. A/t/a, ‘outer injury’)
• فَ — Fa — Then (= As a result; consequently; hence; so; then; thereafter)
• قَدۡ — Qud — Surely (= This word lays emphasis. Absolutely; categorically; assuredly; certainly; clearly; definitely; specially;  doubtlessly; obviously; for sure; in spite of; positively; specifically; verily; with no doubt whatsoever. Also, recall; remember. The translation ‘Be Sure a similar  wound has touched the others’ [See the Note below]  urges believers to strike the opponents hard)
•  مَسَّ — Mus-sa…(ul) — Did come (= v., past., s., 3^rd person.,  Affected; afflicted; arrived; has hit; inflicted; reached; smacked; struck; stuck; touched; was received. The correct translations include ‘are afflicted.’  The word مَسَّ used here is the past tense of the word يَمۡسَسۡ  used above)
• الۡقَوۡمَ — Qao-ma — The people (= n., s., 1. Army; enemy; faction; nation. 2. Addressees; attendees; fellows; followers; folks; groups; hosts; opponents.   The word الۡقَوۡمَ  here refers to a much smaller group (of the Disbelievers) while the word النَّاسِ used further down in this verse describes an enormously large pool (of the People at large in the whole wide world)
• قَرۡحٌ — Qur-hoon — Injury (= n., Bad thing; blow; difficulty; harm; hurt; ill effect; loss; misfortune; problem; wound. See  قَرۡحٌ  above)
• مِّثۡلُ — Mith-lo — Like (= Alike.  Comparable in kind, likeness, looks, quality or recital.  Duplicate.  Identical. Illustration.  Just like.  Of the same kind, looks, quality, shape, similarity or type. Similar. Substitute. Also, duplicating; replicating; resembling)
• هٗ — Hoo — That (= pro., s., m., 3^rd person. Refers to the aforesaid injury)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• تِلۡكَ — Til-ka…(ul) — These are (= All the mentioned, stated, such or told. Also, those shown, specified or stated right here’)
• الۡاَيَّامُ — Auy-yaa-mo — The days (= n, pl., Ends of periods, spans or times; junctures; terms.  A/t/a, ‘days with their ups and downs,’ ‘days (good and not so good) … by turns,’ ‘days of vicissitudes,’ ‘vicissitudes of time,’ ‘days (of varying fortunes) … by turns,’ ‘varying fortunes’ and ‘vicissitudes’)
• نُدَاوِلُ — No-daa-way-lo — We rotate (= v., pres., pl, 1^st person., Alternate; bring one after the other in cycles and turns; circulate; revolve. A/t/a, ”We cause to follow one another,’ ‘We bring … by turns’ and ‘We cause to alternate’)
• هَا — Haa — It (= pro., s., f., 3^rd person., Refers to aforesaid ‘curse’)
• بَيۡنَ — Bai-na…(un) — Between (= Among; betwixt. Also, ahead, facing or in front of)
• النَّاسِ — Naa-say — The people (= n., s., Addressees; attendees; fellows; followers; folks; mankind; nation; tribes. All people regardless of color, creed, culture or country of origin. The word الۡقَوۡمَ  used above refers to a much smaller group (the Disbelievers) while the word النَّاسِ used here describes an enormously large pool (the People at large in the whole wide world)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
• لِ — Lay — For (= For the benefit, object, purpose or reason; so that. Also, relative to; regarding; intended for; concerning. A/t/a, ‘(it is so that you may be admonished) and that (among other things)’ and ‘to the end’)
• يَـعۡلَمَ — Yau-la-ma..(ul) — He exposes (= v., pres., s., 3^rd person. This word when used with the name of Allah means He adds to knowledge, discloses,  distinguishes, divulges, informs, instructs, makes known; publicizes, reveals, shows, teaches about or tests. A/t/a correctly such as Allah ’cause to be known,’ ’caused to be distinguished,’ ‘may test’ and ‘may distinguish.’ However, incorrect is the opposite translation ‘Allah may know’ and author M Muhmmad Ali who in his Note 494 to this verse argued that “Allah may know” didn’t contradict the fact that “Allah knows everything” but no reasonable person can accept this fallacy because Allah knows everything, and it is only man who needs to benefit from the teaching provided in verses such as 003:141, 003:143, 003:167, 005:095)
• اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The One and the Only One Almighty God)
• ٱلَّذِينَ — Ul-la-zee-na — Those who (= pl., m, 3^rd person. All those articles, things or persons)
• اٰمَنُوۡا — Aa-ma-noo — They Believed  (= v., past., pl., 3^rd person. Believed in the Holy Qor-aan, became Moslems and entered in the Faith of Iss-laam — See the explanation in our Commentary Islam – 101. Also, those who made peace, protected, rescued, saved  or secured themselves from sin and against fear; those who accepted, admitted, affirmed, approved, concurred, confirmed, corroborated, embraced, evidenced, proved,  testified or witnessed their entry in Islam. See the Note 002:026c)   
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
• يَتَّخِذَ — Yut-ta-khay-za — He takes (= v., pres., s., 3^rd person., Adopts; catches; holds down; owns; seizes; sets up. A/t/a, ‘may choose;’ ‘may raise;‘ ‘may take;’  ‘take to Himself’)
• مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class or category or several articles, counts, kind, things, persons or phenomenon)
• كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2^nd person., You . The Holy Qor-aan states that way when addressing both men and women jointly. A/t/a, ‘From your ranks’)
• شُهَدَآءَ‌ — Sho-ha-daa-aa — Witnesses (= n., s., Attester, observer, onlooker, testifier, verifier, watch, watcher or witness. Adducer of proof. Bearer, giver or provider of evidence or testimony. Producer of corroboration. Also, a helper, seer or supporter. ** See the Note to verse 004:070.  A/t/a, ‘martyrs’ and ‘martyr-witnesses’)
• وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= This vaao is tantamount to taking oath; solemn declaration or calling as a witness. Normally a Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; also; and; but; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• لَا — Laa — Not (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
• يُحِبُّ — Yo-hib-bo..(oz) — Loves (= v., pres., s., 3^rd person., Adores; appreciates; attaches; cherishes; covet; craves for the attention of; desires; likes; prefer; want; wishes)
• الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ‏ — Zaa-lay-mee-n — The wrongdoers (= n., pl., Bad people.  Criminals.  Culprits.  Doers of harm, hurt or injury.  Evil-doers.  Polytheists. Transgressors. Those who commit, do, practice, repeat or habitually pursue the evil and cause grievous wrongs to others.  Unfair.  Unjust. Violators. Wicked)

** Note 003:141. The simple and straightforward translation of this verse is as set above. However, there are translators whose work conspicuously differs as quoted below.

1. A Yusuf Ali translated it as a direction for vengeance. “If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others.”

2. AR/AM Omar translated it as a consolation. “If you have received an outer injury (in the battle of Uhud), surely, the (disbelieving) people have already received a similar injury (in the same battle).”

3. M Mohsin Khan and T D Al-Hilali translated it as an assurance. “If a wound (or killing) has touched you, be assured a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others (disbelievers).”

4. N J Dawood translated it as follows. “If you have suffered a defeat, so did the enemy.”

Not only the above translations differ in range between the martial tones and the kind assurances to the believers, they also are in the past tense. Using past tense invariably describes one event that had happened. But the Holy Qor-aan lays the divine rule in the present participle tense.

Using present tense indicates the direction as a rule of universal application that will keep on happening in all times to come, for the whole mankind, everywhere in perpetuity.