Surah 37. As-Saffat

and succoured them, so that [in the end] it was they who achieved victory.

  - Mohammad Asad

We helped them so they became victorious.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And helped them so that they became the victors.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We gave them the divine writ that made [right and wrong] distinct,⁴⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "the Torah, wherein there was guidance and light ... unto those who followed the Jewish faith" ( 5:44 ).

We gave them the Glorious Book (Torah),

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We gave them the clear Scripture

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and guided them the straight way,

  - Mohammad Asad

and guided them both to the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And showed them the right path.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and left them thus to be remem-bered among later generations:

  - Mohammad Asad

We left their good names among the later generations.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We left for them, among the later folk (the salutation):

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Peace be upon Moses and Aaron!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Salutation to Musa and Haroon.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Peace be unto Moses and Aaron!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus do We reward the doers of good-

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus do We reward the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! thus do We reward the good.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for those two were truly among Our believing ser-vants.

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely they were two of Our believing devotees.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! they are two of our believing slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND, BEHOLD, Elijah [too] was indeed one of Our message-bearers⁴⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

The Hebrew prophet Elijah (Ilyas in Arabic) is mentioned in the Bible (I Kings xvii ff. and II Kings i-ii) as having lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah - i.e., in the ninth century B.C. - and having been succeeded by Elisha (Al-Yasa' in Arabic). The above stress on his, too, having been "one of the message-bearers" (min al-mursalin) recalls the Qur'anic principle that God makes "no distinction between any of His apostles" (cf. 2:136 and {285}, 3:84 , 4:152 , and the corresponding notes).

Ilyas (Elias) was surely one of Our Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo! Elias was of those sent (to warn)

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

when he spoke [thus] to his people: "Will you not remain conscious of God?

  - Mohammad Asad

Behold he said to his people: "Have you no fear of Allah?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When he said unto his folk: Will ye not ward off (evil)?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Will you invoke Baal and forsake [God,] the best of artisans⁴⁹ -

  - Mohammad Asad

As regards this rendering of ahsan al-khaliqin, see surah {23}, note [6]. - The term ba'l (conventionally spelt Baal in European languages) signified "lord" or "master" in all branches of ancient Arabic, including Hebrew and Phoenician; it was an honorific applied to every one of the many "male" deities worshipped by the ancient Semites, especially in Syria and Palestine. In the Old Testament this designation has sometimes the generic connotation of "idol-worship" - a sin into which, according to the Bible, the early Israelites often relapsed.

Would you invoke Bal (their invented god) and forsake the best of the Creators

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Will ye cry unto Baal and forsake the best of Creators,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

God, your Sustainer and the Sustainer of your forebears of old?"

  - Mohammad Asad

- Allah - Who is your Rabb and the Rabb of your forefathers?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah, your Lord and Lord of your forefathers?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But they gave him the lie: and therefore they will most surely be arraigned [on Judgment Day],

  - Mohammad Asad

But they denied him, so they will certainly be called to account,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But they denied him, so they surely will be haled forth (to the doom)

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

excepting only [those who were] God's true servants;

  - Mohammad Asad

with the exception of sincere devotees of Allah.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Save single-minded slaves of Allah.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and him We left thus to be remem-bered among later generations:

  - Mohammad Asad

We left his good name among the later generations.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And we left for him among the later folk (the salutation):

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Peace be upon Elijah and his followers!"⁵⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

The form Il-Yasin in which this name appears in the above verse is either a variant of Ilyas (Elijah) or, more probably, a plural - "the Elijahs" - meaning "Elijah and his followers" (Tabar', Zamakhshari, et al.). According to Tabari, 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud used to read this verse as "Peace be upon Idrasin", which, apart from giving us a variant or a plural of Idris ("Idris and his followers"), lends support to the view that Idris and Ilyas are but two designations of one and the same person, the Biblical Elijah. (See also note [41] on 19:56 .)

Salutation to Ilyas.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Peace be unto Elias!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus do We reward the righteous.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! thus do We reward the good.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for he was truly one of Our believing servants!

  - Mohammad Asad

He was surely one of Our believing devotees.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! he is one of our believing slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND, BEHOLD, Lot was indeed one of Our mes-sage-bearers;

  - Mohammad Asad

Lut was one of Our Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo! Lot verily was of those sent (to warn),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[and so,] when [We decreed the doom of his sinful town,⁵¹ ] We saved him; and his household,

  - Mohammad Asad

See {7:80-84} and {11:69-83}.

Behold, We delivered him and his whole family

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

When We saved him and his household, every one,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

except an old woman who was among those that stayed behind;⁵²

  - Mohammad Asad

As is evident from 7:83 and 11:81 , that woman was Lot's wife, who had chosen to stay behind (cf. note [66] on 7:83 ).

except an old woman who was among those who remained behind,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Save an old woman among those who stayed behind;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall