003:005

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                        003:005

مِن قَبۡلُ هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ‌ۗ

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ شَدِيدٌ۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ۬ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ

Min-qub-lo-ho-dun-lin-naa-say                                                                                                          Wa-un-za-lul-foor-qaan

In-nul-la-zee-na-ka-fa-roo-be-aa-yaa-til-laa-hay                                                                    La-hoom-azaa-boon-sha-deed                                                                                                          Wul-laa-ho-azee-zoon-tay-qaam.

From before that as a guidance for the mankind.                                                           And He sent down the Criteria.

Surely those who disbelieved Allah’s signs                                                                       For them is a grievous punishment.                                                                                    And Allah is the Mightiest Avenger (= Capable of taking revenge). 

• مِنۡ — Min — From (= From the class, category, count, persons or out of)
• قَبۡلُ —  Qub-lo — Before (= Aforetime; antecedently; earlier than; prior to)
• هُدً۬ى —  Ho-daa — Guidance (= n., Correct course; proper path; right road, line or way)
• لِّ — Lay…(in) — For (= For any item, person or thing)
• لنَّاسِ —  Naa-say — The people (= Folks; human beings; mankind; nation)
• وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
• أَنزَلَ — Un-za-la…(ul) — Sent down (= Entrusted; inspired; revealed)
• ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ — Foor-qaan — The Criterion (= Argument. Book. Clear proof. Code. Criteria. Differentiation. Discrimination. Distinction. Judgment. The divine signs, ability given to humans, instrument, knowledge, means, methods or ways to adjudge, decide,   differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, know, judge or see the good from the bad, the right from the wrong and the truth from the falsehood)
• اِنَّ — In-na…(ul) – -Most certainly (= Absolutely; definitely; doubtlessly; indeed; positively; surely; truly; verily)
• ٱلَّذِينَ — La-zee-na — Those who (= pl., male, 3rd person articles, thing or persons)
• كَفَرُوۡا — Ka-fa-roo — Disbelieved (= Acted ungratefully; denied, refused or rejected to believe in Allah, the Holy Qor-aan and Islaam to become Moslem.A/t/a Abusers; deniers; disbelievers; fault-finders; heretics; infidels; non-appreciating; non-believers; opponents; unbelievers; thankless, ungrateful. Who are non-users or fail to make proper use of God-given gifts)
• بِ — Bay — In (= This word in Arabic literally means ‘with’. Sometimes its English translation as ‘in’ is more accurate)
•  ايَـٰتِ  — Aa-yaa-tay…(il) — Revelations (= pl., Corroborations; evidences; indications; lessons; messages; manifestations; pointers; proofs; portents; signs; symbols; tokens; verses; whatever created a clear conviction. Also, abilities, gifts, talents or opportunities)
• اللّٰهِ — Laa-hay — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• لَ — La — For (= So as to bear, get, go through, have, receive or suffer)
• هُمۡ — Hoom — Them (= Pronoun referring to ‘all those men, masculine gender)
• عَذَابٌ — Azaa-boon — Punishment (= Chastisement; doom; penalty; recompense; torment; torture)
• شَدِيد — Sha-deed — Grievous (= Fierce; gruesome; heavy; severe; stern; strong)
• وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= This vaao is tantamount to taking oath; solemn declaration)
• اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
• عَزِيۡزٌ — Azee-zoon — Mightiest (= Highest; most elevated, honored, respected and revered. Superlative form suggesting None-is-mightier-than-Him. Exalted in might)
• ذُوٱنتِقَامٍ — Zoon-tay-qaam — Avenger (= Able to requite. Avenger of wrongs. Capable of taking  revenge. Enforcer of retribution. Lord of Retribution.  Has the power to punish in return for any wrong done.  This phrase is a combination of two words. The first is   ذُو (zoo) which means able, capable, controller, master  or owner of. The second is ٱنتِقَام (in-tay-qaam) which means avenging or taking revenge)

** Note 003:005. A criticism is levied against various translators who have included the first part of this verse and/or its translation as a part of the preceding verse.  Doing so may produce some academic hair-splitting differences in the over-all interpretation of the verses when translated separately or collectively.

In reality, however, placing a part of this verse in the preceding verse neither changes the Text nor materially influence its meanings. That’s why this site decided not to post these verses together as 003:004 and 005. Instead, following the general consensus this site has put them up  separately as two verses numbering 003:004 and 003:005.

• Imam A. Yusuf Ali (USA 1977) in his work presented both the subject text and its translation as a part of the preceding verse.

• Dr. Ahmad Zindan (London 1989) in his work did not provide the Text, but he presented its translation as a part of the preceding verse.

• Dr Al-Hilali and Dr Khan (Saudi Arabia – Revised Edition January 2001)  in their work presented both the subject text and its translation as a part of this verse.

• M Zafrulla Khan Khan (India 2012) presented in his work the Text as a part this verse and presented its translation in one continuation of both the verses.

• Mirza B. D. Mahmood Ahmad (IIPL 1957) presented in his work the Text as a part this verse but its translation as a part of the preceding verse.

• Malik Ghulam Farid (IIPL 1988) presented in his work the Text is as a part this verse but provided its Translation as a part of preceding verse.

• Maulana A. A. Maodoodi (Lahore 1989) presented the Text as a part this verse and its translation as a part of the preceding verse.

• Mermaduke Pickthall (Print Taj Co Print) placed both the text and its translation as a part of just this one verse.

• Maulana Muhammad Ali (Lahore 1985) placed both verses [cited mostly in above works as #4 and #5] in their entirety as only one verse and numbered it #3. Thus he eliminated any difference between whether the subject text and its translation were part of one verse or that of the other.

• Dr. Muhammad Mohsin Khan (Riyadh 2001) presented in his work both the text and translation as a part of this verse.

• N. J. Dawood (1974) in his work did not provide the Text, but presented its Translation as a part of the preceding verse.

• Maulwi Sher Ali (QPR Ed 1966) presented both the Text and Translation as a part of the preceding verse, but in a later edition (12th Ed 1979) presented the Text as a part this verse and provided its Translation as a part of preceding verse.