003:153

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                    003:153

 

وَلَقَدۡ صَدَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَعۡدَهٗۤ اِذۡ تَحُسُّوۡنَهُمۡ بِاِذۡنِهٖ‌ ۚ  حَتّٰۤی اِذَا فَشِلۡتُمۡ وَتَـنَازَعۡتُمۡ فِى الۡاَمۡرِ وَعَصَيۡتُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَاۤ اَرٰٮكُمۡ مَّا تُحِبُّوۡنَ  ‌ؕ  مِنۡكُمۡ مَّنۡ يُّرِيۡدُ الدُّنۡيَا وَمِنۡكُمۡ مَّنۡ يُّرِيۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَةَ  ‌‌‌ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمۡ عَنۡهُمۡ لِيَبۡتَلِيَكُمۡ‌ ۚ  وَلَقَدۡ عَفَا عَنۡكُمۡ‌ ؕ  وَ اللّٰهُ ذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏

 

Wa-la-qud-sa-da-qa-ko-mool-laa-ho-wau-aa-da-hoo                                                                  Iz-ta-hoos-soo-na-hoom-bay-iz-nay-he                                                                                      Hut-taa-ezaa-fa-shil-toom-wa-ta-naa-zau-toom-fil-um-ray                                                    Wa-asai-toom-min-bau-day-maa-araa-koom-maa-to-hib-boon

Min-koom-mun-yo-ree-dood-doon-ya-wa                                                                                    Min-koom-mun-yo-ree-dool-aa-khay-ra-tay

Thoom-ma-sa-ra-fa-koom-un-hoom-lay-yub-ta-la-ya-koom                                                Wa-la-qud-afaa-un-koom                                                                                                                    Wul-laa-ho-zoo-fudz-lin-alul-moe-may-nee-n

 

And most certainly Allah always fulfilled His promise to you                                When you make them feel things according to His plan                                              Until when you flinched, and you disputed the Order,                                                  And you disobeyed after He had shown you what you love.

Among you is he who seeks the goodness of the present life and                              Among you is he who seeks the benefits of the later life.

Then He turned you away from them so that He tests you.                                   And most certainly He pardoned you.                                                                                And by God Allah is the Master of Benevolence for the believers.

  

  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but;  also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
  • لَ —  La —  Certainly (= Absolutely; assuredly; categorically; clearly, definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly;  indeed; positively; really; truly; seriously; sincerely; specifically; surely; verily)
  • قَدۡ — Qud — Surely (= This word lays emphasis by repeating the meanings of  the above word. See our Commentary titled as the  “2 Words of Emphasis used together Multiply Effect)
  • صَدَقَ — Sa-da-qa — Fulfilled (= v., past., s., 3rd person., Proved true, made good;  materialized the truth)
  • كُمُ — Ko-mo(ol) — To you  (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person., You . The Holy Qor-aan states   that way when addressing both men and women jointly
  • اللّٰهُ –Laa-ho —  Allah (= The One and the Only One Almighty God)
  • وَعۡدَ —  Wau-da — Promise (= n., Announcement; assurance; guarantee; pledge; word. One translator  added here the words “on the day of Uhud” but no words correspond to them in the text of the Holy Qor-aan)
  • هٗ — Hoo — His (= pro., s., m., 3rd person. Refers to the Almighty God)
  • اِذۡ —  Iz — Whenever (= At the time or event; when)
  • تَحُسُّوۡنَ — Ta-hoos-soo-na — You make … feel (= v., pres., s., 2nd person., Make another see, sense or spot things. Make another aware as to who has upper hand showing strength, superiority and supremacy.  Also, defeat; destroy; kill; route; slay. This verb in the  present tense is translated correctly as you kill or ‘about to annihilate’ them.  Translation in the past tense as you ‘were slaying them to pieces (in the Battle of Uhud),’ ‘were killing,’ ‘were slaying and destroying them,’ ‘routed,’ ‘slew’ and ‘defeated’ them are not accurate)
  • هُمۡ‌ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. Refers to your enemy)
  • بِ — Bay  —  According to (= Literally the word  بِ  means ‘with’. Also, according to; as per; pursuant to)
  • اِذۡنِ — Iz-nay — Plan (= n., Approval; authority; command; decree; leave; order;  permission; scheme of things; will)
  • هٖ — He — His (= pro., s., m., 3rd person. Refers to the Almighty God)
  • حَتّٰى — Hut-ta — Until (= By the end of the period or term; till the time)
  • اِذَاۤ — Ezaa — When (= At the time or event; when)
  • فَشِلۡ — Fa-shil — Flinched (= v., past., s., 2nd person., Failed; faltered; fell; flailed, slipped. A/t/a, ‘became weak-hearted,’  ‘became lax,’  ‘your courage failed,‘lost your courage,’ or ‘lost your heart’ )
  • تُمۡ — Toom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See كُمُ above)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • تَـنَازَعۡ — Ta-naa-zau — Disputed (= v., past., s., 2nd person. Claimed; clashed; contended; contested; debated; differed; disagreed; quarreled; rowed; wrangled. Had among you developed an  argument, challenge, doubt, query or question. A/t/a,  ‘fell to disputing’  and  ‘discord reigned’)
  • تُمۡ — Toom —  You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ above)
  • فِى — Fi..(l) — In (= About; concerning; in reference, regarding relative to  the event, time, place, period, thing or situation)
  • الۡاَمۡرِ — Um-ray — The order (= n., s., 1. Authority; command; control; decision; decree; direction; instruction; judgment; responsibility; rule. 2. Affair; issue; matter; situation. See Note 002:211)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • عَصَيۡ — Asai — Disobeyed  (= v., past., s., 2nd person., Did not carry out as instructed;   failed to follow; violated the command. A/t/a with the addition ‘and you disobeyed (your leader Abdullah bin Jubair)’ 
  • تُمۡ —  Toom — You —  (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • مِنۡ — Min — From (= Among, from or out of the class, category or count of)
  • بَعۡدِ — Bau-day — After (= Afterwards; subsequent to; succeeding. After ‘Victory  was within your grasp. … He withdrew His support from you’ or ‘He withdrew His help from you ‘  are mere explanatory addition and no translation of the Holy Qor-aan. Such extrapolations, explanations and interpretations open the door for those who lash who lash at a translation assuming it to be the true scripture but that really is neither true nor justified)
  • مَاۤ — Maa — All that (= What; whatever; whatsoever)
  • اَرٰى — Araa — He had shown (= v., past., s., 3rd person., Crystallized; demonstrated;
    enabled to see; laid before; made visible; materialized;  precipitated; presented; taught.  A/t/a, ‘brought that (victory) … within your sight,’  ‘had shown you,’  ‘brought you within view of’ and ‘brought you in sight (of the Booty)’  )
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • مَّا —  Maa — What (= All that; whatever; whatsoever)
  • تُحِبُّوۡنَ‌ — To-hib-boo-na —  You love (= v., pres., 2nd person., Adore; appreciate; aspire; cherish;  covet; crave; deeply desire; enamored with; feel very  much attached; find irresistibly captivating, lucrative or luring; fond of; having fun with; like; long; seeking  attention of; want; wish for. A/t/a ‘booty.’  The word used here is in the present tense; its correct  translation can be ‘ye covet’; its translation in the  past tense as you ‘loved,’  ‘desired,’  ‘coveted’  or ‘wished’  are inaccurate. Some unpleasant effects of inaccuracies are highlighted in our Commentary titled as the Preciseness – Hallmark of the Arabic)
  • مِنۡ — Min — From among (= Among, from or out of the class, category or count of)
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • مَّنۡ — Mun — Who (= Anyone; whoever; whom; whomever; whoso)
  • يُرِيۡدُ — Yo-ree-do … (od) — Seeks (= v., pres., 3rd person. Men with a distinct possibility to never reach their planned goal, the accurate translation of this word is aim, aspire, choose, conform, covet,   crave, desire, go after, hanker, like, long, plan, pursue, scheme, seek, wish, want or yearn. See Note 002:186. It is correct to translate as ‘that hanker’ and ‘who hanker.’ But it is inaccurate to translate it in the past tense such as ‘some chose’ and ‘who desired,’ as well as for the 2nd person’ as ‘you desired’)
  • ٱلدُّنۡيا — Doon-yaa — The present life (= Close at hand.  Life … on earth, of near or short term. The near life, of this world. The near one. The World  at hand with its benefits, happiness or pleasures. The Hither, the opposite of the Hereafter or Life after death. )
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • مِنۡ — Min — From among (= Among, from or out of the class, category or count of)
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • مَّنۡ — Mun — Who (= Anyone; whoever; whom; whomever; whoso)
  • يُرِيۡدُ — Yo-ree-do(ol) — Seeks  (= v., pres, s., 3rd person.,  See يُرِيۡدُ above and the Note 002:186. Correct translations include ‘that desire’)
  • الۡاٰخِرَةِ — Aa-khay-ra-tay — The Hereafter (=  Beyond this life. Life … after death, ahead, coming, in future, later, next or yet to come later. Judgment Day. Resurrection.  Something in the far distant future. Succeeding hour. The Ending. The last day. The Last or other world. The time ahead, in future, yet to come. The coming, last, later, next or the other world)
  • ثُمَّ —  Thoom-ma — Then (= After that; further more; subsequently; thereafter )
  • صَرَفَ — Sa-ra-fa — Turned away (= v., past., s., 3rd person., Changed direction; diverted.  A/t/a, He ‘safeguarded you against the attack of the enemy,’  ‘made you flee from them,’  ‘He turned you,’  ‘He turned you away from (gaining clear victory over) them (the enemy)’ and ‘allowed you to be defeated’)
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You  (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • عَنۡ — Un — From (= About; concerning; regarding; relative to)
  • هُمۡ‌ —  Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. Refers to the enemy, foes; opponents)
  • لِ —  Lay — So that  (= For the purpose or reason of, in order to; on account of;  so that. Also because of; concerning; due to; regarding; relative to; to; towards)
  • يَبۡتَلِيَ — Yub-ta-lay-ya — He may test (= v., pres., s., 3rd person., Bringing out the real stuff of  which you are made of; evaluating; examining; proving your real worth; trying. A/t/a, ‘He might reveal your (true) selves’ )
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • لَ — La — Certainly (= Absolutely; assuredly; categorically; clearly, definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly; indeed; positively; really; truly;  seriously; sincerely; specifically; surely; verily)
  • قَدۡ — Qud — Surely (= This word lays emphasis by repeating the meanings of the above word. See our Commentary titled as the  “2 Words of Emphasis used together Multiply Effect“)
  • عَفَا — Afaa — Pardoned (= v., past., s., 3rd person., Afforded or granted relief; corrected the error; excused; exonerated; forgave; forgiven; granted relief; relieved or removed the burden; looked the other way; overlooked)
  • عَنۡ — Un — From (= About; concerning; regarding; relative to)
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person. You. See تُمۡ   above)
  • 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)
  • ذُوۡ — Zoo — Master of (= Bestowed or endowed with; owner; possessor)
  • فَضۡلٍ — Fudz-lin — Benevolence  (= n., Abundance in bestowing, bounteous; delivering, giving and showing blessings, benevolence, bounties,  generosity, goodness or liberality. Full of grace. Giving freely, generously, and liberally. Gracious. Mater of Kindness. Provider of peace, prosperity and tranquility)      .
  • عَلَي — Ala…(ul) — On / over / for (= Above; against; before; during; for; on; on top of; over;  to; upon)
  • الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ — Mo-may-nee-n — The believers (= n,. Adherents of Islam; those who enter the Faith, believe and follow the Holy Qor-aan, the Islaam and  become Moslems. Followers in Faith. Men of faith.  The faithful)

 

** Note 003:153. This verses is among those that are interpreted to relate to the Battle of Ohd (mostly stated as Uhud) although that battle-field has not been named like the Badar in the verse 003:124. Historically these verses could have been revealed after the Ohd skirmish.

Rules of universal application both implied or specified are set in the Holy Qor-aan as assurances to the believers. Rules materialized in the events of the battles of Badr and Ohd are:                                                                                                                                                The divine help comes to believers [003:123 to 127] against disbelievers [003:128/129]. The definition of the believers and what they should expect [003:130 to 137].                    The description of things that happen to the combatants in wars [003:138 to 144].                 The distinction between supporters of the prophets and their opponents [003:145 to 150].

 

One Rule of universal application is stated in the verse 003:153. Certainly Allah has fulfilled His promise to you whenever you make them feel you as He has planned — by giving you mastery over your opponents — until you have slipped, disputed and disobeyed the Commands after He has shown you some of what you love. The distinct and obvious milestones are:-

  • God has planned that you will gain strength, superiority and mastery on your opponents.
  • One sign of your mastery is that the opponents will feel your practices produce results.
  • Gaining the upper hand would lure some of you to greed, power and worldly goodies.
  • You will fall to temptations after seeing God-given gifts and bounties within your reach.
  • You will initially slip, then dispute what was commanded, and finally disobey out right.
  • God does all this for the purpose of testing and trying you out.
  • God will nevertheless forgive you even after you have committed all those follies.

 

Violating the Rule of universal application stated in the verse 003:153 was illustrated in the past event of the Battle of Ohd in which believers suffered several painful experiences.

  1. Initially they struck effective blows and it looked like they were about to win the battle.
  2. The prospects of winning made them greedy and the temptation caused them lot of grief.
  3. They argued with each other and disregarded instructions to stay on a key position which was necessary to close the event with a total victory but which opportunity they lost.
  4. At that time the enemy noticed how the lure of an almost-win distracted the believers. It took advantage of the flaw, successfully carried out a come-back, and hurt the believers.
  5. Finally the Almighty God helped the believers as He always does. In this case also He forgave them and saved them from the humiliation of a total defeat as He always does.

 

Some inaccurate translations and additions inserted without any corresponding word in the original text of the verse 003:153 are stated below. Some ill effects of such inaccuracies have been detailed in several Commentaries including the Preciseness – Hallmark of the Arabic.

— Words “on the day of Uhud” were added by a translator though the Holy Qor-aan neither mentioned Ohd nor any words correspond to them in the original text.

— The word تَحُسُّوۡنَ    (ta-hoos-soo-na) is a verb in the present tense that can mean you make them feel you or you kill and destroy. Its translation in the past tense as ‘you slew,’  ‘were killing,’ or ‘were slaying’ is inaccurate.

— The  word  تُحِبُّوۡنَ‌ (to-hib-boo-na) is a verb in the present tense and means you cherish, covet, desire, love, want or wish. Its translation in the past tense as ‘you loved’ is inaccurate.

— Some works reflect (a) a disregard of the present for the past and past for the present tenses, (b) inconsistency in translations, and/or (c) additions engineered by the author. One work stated that “After He had shown you that which you loved, He withdrew His Help. Among you were those who desired the present world and among you were those who desired the next.”  Another copied the above word-by-word but changed the last word ‘next’ with ‘Hereafter.’ Another stated that “… He withdrew His support from you. Some of you desired the goods of this world and some of you desired the Hereafter.” Another stated “… He had shown you that for which ye long. Some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the Hereafter.” Nevertheless they all translated the verb in the present tense with that in the past tense.

— The word يُرِيۡدُ (yo-ree-do) is a verb in the present tense for the 3rd person and can mean he aims, seeks, seeks, etc as detailed in Note 002:186.  It is correctly translated as ‘that hanker.’ Inaccurate translations of the same in the past tense as ‘who desired’ and also in the 2nd person as ‘you desired’ are extremely unfortunate. Giving past tense to the operative word makes the entire clause wherein it is used a mere narration of a past event and so timed. Such poor translations are not just wrong but also strengthen the theorists of Abrogation who claim that portions of the Holy Qor-aan are now obsolete as they related to those who were involved in just that one event, i.e., the warriors of Ohd Battle. The fact is that the verb يُرِيۡدُ (yo-ree-do) is in present participle form which means that the reality mentioned in it is unendingly true — for all times including the periods yet to come, for all people including the people yet to be born, for all occasions covered by a rule of universal application. Every inaccurate translation of Holy Book is the greatest disservice that anyone can render.

 

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