The Holy Qor-aan 003:078
اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يَشۡتَرُوۡنَ بِعَهۡدِ اللّٰهِ وَاَيۡمَانِهِمۡ ثَمَنًا قَلِيۡلًا اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ لَا خَلَاقَ لَهُمۡ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَلَا يَنۡظُرُ اِلَيۡهِمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيۡهِمۡ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ اَ لِيۡمٌ
In-nul-la-ze-na-yush-ta-roo-na Bay-ah-dil-laa-hay-wa-ai-maa-nay-him Tha-ma-nun-qa-le-lun O-laa-aiy-ka-laa-kha-laa-qa-la-hoom-fil-aa-khay-ra-tay Wa-laa-yo-kul-lay-mo-ho-mool-laa-ho Wa-laa-yun-za-ro-elai-him-yao-mul-qay-yaa-ma-tay Wa-laa-yo-zuk-ke-him Wa-la-hoom-azaa-boon-alee-m
Certainly those who sell The pledge with Allah and their faiths For a paltry price They all won’t have a share in the Hereafter. And Allah won’t talk to them. And He won’t look at them on the Judgment Day. And He won’t cleanse them. And for them is a painful punishment.
- اِنَّ — In-na…(ul) — Certainly (= Absolutely; definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly; indeed; positively; really; seriously; surely; truly; verily)
- ٱلَّذِينَ — Ul-la-ze-na– Those who (= pl., m, 3rd person. All those articles, things or persons)
- يَشۡتَرُوۡنَ — Yush-ta-roo-na — Sell (= v., pl., Barter; buy and sell; exchange; give; purchase; take; trade; traffic)
- بِ — Bay — With (= Literally the word بِ means ‘with’)
- عَهۡدِ — Ah-day..(il) — Contract * (= n., agreement; commitment; covenant; pledge; promise. A binding, firm, serious or solemn affirmation, assurance, confirmation, undertaking or ratification)
- اللّٰهِ — Laa-hay — Allah (= The One and the Only One Almighty God)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
- اَيۡمَانِ — Ai-maa-nay — Faith * (= n., Affirmation; behest of Faith; belief; oath; solemn declaration; total confidence; trust. A/t/a, pledge; promise; vow. Also, a swear when NOT used as a word of a bad language, blaspheme, curse or cuss)
- هِمۡ — Him — Their (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. Refers to ‘Sellers of promise to Allah for a paltry price’)
- ثَمَنًا — Tha-ma-nun — A price (= Consideration paid and accepted in an exchange for an article bought or sold; end; gain; profit; sum; value)
- قَلِيۡلًا — Qa-le-lun — Paltry (= A bit; a few; a short while in time; comparatively insignificant; less, little, small or tiny in number, quality or quantity; miserably low. A/t/a, worldly)
- اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ — O-laa-aiy-ka — They all (= Acts; facts, items, persons or things)
- لَا — Laa — Won’t (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
- خَلَاقَ — Kha-laa-qa — Share (= Big share; entitlement; good fortune; ownership; part; portion; slice)
- لَ — La — For (= For the attention, benefit, convenience, determination, object, general convenience or purpose; to; towards. Also, concerning, regarding; relative to; intended for)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. See هِمۡ above)
- فِىۡ — Fee…(il) — In (= Amidst, among, contained or inside a duration, time, place, period, thing or situation).
- ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ — Aa-khay-ra-tay — The Hereafter (= Life in the Hereafter; beyond this life; life after death; next life or world; the distant world yet to come; later on or the far one. The life and the world yet to come)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لَا — Laa — Not (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
- يُكَلِّمُ — Yo-kul-lay-mo — He will talk * (= v., Address; bestow a favor, communicate; converse; say; speak. A/t/a, admonish; preach; profess; ‘deign to speak to them.’ Some translations have added words such as affectionately, kindly and generously * )
- هُمُ — Ho-mo..(ol) — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. See هِمۡ above)
- اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The One and the Only One Almighty God)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لَا — Laa — Not (= Absolute denial; never; not at all; total negation)
- يَنۡظُرُ — Yun-zo-ro — Look at * (= v., s., Consider; gaze; have regard for; look upon; see; take notice of; think about; watch. Also, realize; reflect
- اِلَيۡ — E-lai — At (= In the direction of; to; towards)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. See هِمۡ above)
- يَوۡمَ — Yao-ma..(ul) — Day (= s., A period, term or time that ends; juncture)
- الۡقِيٰمَةِ — Qay-yaa-ma-tay — Judgment (= Reckoning; Resurrection; Ultimate settlement)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لَا — Laa — Won’t (= Absolute denial; never; no; not at all; total negation)
- يُزَكِّيۡ — Yo-zuk-ki — Cleanse * (= v., pres., s., 3rd person., 1. Cleanse, clean or purify of sin; sanctify. 2. Develop and grow someone by the cleansing process of removing his impurities, shortcomings and weaknesses. 3. Make another develop, grow, increase or multiply in spiritual understanding. See also the Note 002:175)
- هِمۡ — Him — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. See هِمۡ above)
The Warning about Punishment in next five words is given for misdeeds named in verses 002:011, 002:175, 003:078, 003:092, 003:178 and many others.
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ above)
- لَ — La — For (= For the attention, benefit, convenience, determination, object, general convenience or purpose; to; towards. Also, concerning, regarding; relative to; intended for)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3 rd person. See هِمۡ above)
- عَذَابٌ — Azaa-boon — Punishment (= Appropriate, due and fair agony, chastisement, doom, penalty, recompense, torment, torture or scourge)
- اَلِيۡمٌ — Aa-lee-moon — Painful (= adj., Grievous; hard task; severe; stern; woeful)
* Note 003:078. This verse has highlighted two significant phenomenon.
I
It takes two parties to make an agreement or contract. Man pledged and promised certain things to his Creator who accepted them. The phrase عَهۡدِ اللّٰهِ refers to the promises made to God.
On the other hand, man can express his mind. So his unilateral actions profess what he believes. The phrase اَيۡمَانِهِمۡ refers to such expressions that man makes on his own.
The verse specifies both kinds of multi-party contracts and single-party expressions of one’s mind. There are people who sell them presently for small gains. Their preference for an immediate return loses the sight of the far better results in future.
II
God Almighty specified in the Scriptures as to what He expects of every human being. Most people willingly spend their lives in accordance with the Commandments and Prohibitions. Those unwilling must nevertheless obey the Rules of Universal Application where laid down. This verse states three of His attributes with which God will treat man and adjudge his actions on the day of Judgment.
- He would converse, speak and talk to most lovingly and generously – but not to some.
- He would see and look at the deeds of most kindly and forgivingly – but not of some.
- He would cleanse impurities in most affectionately and thoroughly – but not in some.
God Almighty is indeed Affectionate, Forgiving, Generous, Giving, Kind and Loving to all His creatures. But by this verse He has warned the sellers of His signs, His good name, and their oaths. This group of violators — known as the Clergy or Mullah who notoriously do these violations well and all the time — has been promised stiff penalty. The translations stating God’s love, affection, forgiveness, generosity and kindness to such violators are not appropriate.
That is the reason why the simple and straightforward translation mandates that (a) the three attributes be presented as sternly as they have been stated in the original text and (b) no translator should try to soften up the impact of this strong warning against selling God’s signs.
003:082
The Holy Qor-aan 003:082
وَاِذۡ اَخَذَ اللّٰهُ مِيۡثَاقَ النَّبِيّٖنَ لَمَاۤ اٰتَيۡتُكُمۡ مِّنۡ كِتٰبٍ وَّحِكۡمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ لَـتُؤۡمِنُنَّ بِهٖ وَلَـتَـنۡصُرُنَّهٗ ؕ قَالَ ءَاَقۡرَرۡتُمۡ وَاَخَذۡ تُمۡ عَلٰى ذٰ لِكُمۡ اِصۡرِىۡؕ قَالُوۡۤا اَقۡرَرۡنَا ؕ قَالَ فَاشۡهَدُوۡا وَاَنَا مَعَكُمۡ مِّنَ الشّٰهِدِيۡنَ
Wa-iz-aa-kha-zul-laa-ho-me-thaa-qun-na-be-ye-na La-maa-aa-tai-to-koom-min-kay-taa-bin-wa-hik-ma-tin Thoom-ma-jaa-aa-koom-ra-soo-loon Mo-sud-day-qoon-lay-maa-ma-aa-koom La-toe-may-noon-na-bay-he-wa-la-tun-so-roon-na-hoo Qaa-la-aa-uq-rur-toom Wa-aa-khuz-toom-alaa-zaa-lay-koom-iss-re Qaa-la-aa-uq-rur-naa Qaa-la-fush-ha-do-wa-aa-na Ma-aa-koom-may-nush-sha-hay-dee-n
And when Allah took the Prophets’ Pledge. “Surely when We gave you from the Book and the wisdom Then came to you a Messenger An attester for what was already with you You surely would believe him and support him.” He (Allah) asked, “Do you promise And take My Covenant as binding on you.” They (Believers) said, “We promise.” He (Allah) said, “So be a witness and I am Along with you among the witnesses.”
See Phrase Mo-sud-day-qun-lay-maa … for details of its meanings
* Note 003:082. Commentary titled ‘Translations with Different words’ shows how some authors have used different words to translate the text of the Holy Qor-aan. Also, it shows how the Holy Qor-aan has given a similar message with the different words in the following example
The word نَّبِيّٖ — from the rootن ب ا which means to inform or give a new news — refers to a person who has been set up by the Almighty God to give mankind the news or information they did not know before.
The word رَسُوۡلٌ — from the root ر س ل which means to depute, dispatch or send — refers to a person who has been sent by the Almighty God to give mankind the news or information they did not know before.
Both these words have been used in this one verse. Both these words have been translated as the Messenger an Apostle, Messenger; Prophet, Saint and Sage.