Surah 6. Al-An'am

Hence, eat not of that over which God's name has not been pronounced: for this would be sinful conduct indeed. And, verily, the evil impulses [within men's hearts] whisper unto those who have made them their own¹⁰⁶ that they should involve you in argument [as to what is and what is not a sin]; and if you pay heed unto them, lo! you will become [like] those who ascribe divinity to other beings or forces beside God.¹⁰⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the satans whisper unto those who are near to them (ila awliya'ihim)". For my above rendering of shayatin as "evil impulses", see note [10] on 2:14 and note [31] on 14:22 .

I.e., "your own evil impulses are trying to draw you into argument as to what does and what does not constitute a sin in order to make you lose sight of God's clear ordinances in this respect; and if you follow their arbitrary, deceptive reasoning, you will elevate them, as it were, to the position of moral law-givers, and thus ascribe to them a right that belongs to God alone."

Do not eat of that meat on which Allah's name has not been pronounced, since that is most surely a transgression. In fact the shaitans inspire their friends that they should argue with you, and if you obey them, most surely you will be considered a mushrik.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Do not eat of what is not slaughtered in Allah's Name. For that would certainly be 'an act of' disobedience. Surely the devils whisper to their 'human' associates to argue with you.¹ If you were to obey them, then you 'too' would be polytheists.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Because Muslims are allowed to eat the meat of animals slaughtered properly and not carrion, the pagans of Mecca used to argue, “Why are you only allowed to eat what you yourselves kill but not what Allah causes to die?”

And eat not of that whereon Allah's name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire thee minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Eat not of (meats) on which Allah's name hath not been pronounced: that would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you; if ye were to obey them ye would indeed be pagans.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

IS THEN HE who was dead [in spirit] and whom We thereupon gave life, and for whom We set up a light whereby he might see his way among men¹⁰⁸ - [is then he] like one [who is lost] in darkness deep, out of which he cannot emerge? [But] thus it is: goodly seem all their own doings to those who deny the truth.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "whereby he walks among men". All the commentators agree in that the expression "he who was dead" is metaphorical, and that it refers to people who become spiritually alive through faith and are thereupon able to pursue their way through life unerringly.

Can a person who was dead (ignorant), and whom We raised to life and gave the Light to walk with among people, be like the one who is in the depths of darkness from which he can never come out? Since they treat both of them alike, the actions of the unbelievers are made lucrative to them,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Can those who had been dead, to whom We gave life and a light with which they can walk among people, be compared to those in complete darkness from which they can never emerge?¹ That is how the misdeeds of the disbelievers have been made appealing to them.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The Quran often compares disbelief to death and blindness whereas belief is compared to life and the ability to see.

Is he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light wherein he walketh among men, as him whose similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made fair-seeming for the disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Can he who was dead to whom We gave life and a Light whereby he can walk amongst men be like him who is in the depths of darkness from which he can never come out? Thus to those without faith their own deeds seem pleasing. ⁹⁴⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Here is an allegory of the good man with his divine mission and the evil man with his mission of evil. The former, before he got his spiritual life, was like one dead. It was God's grace that gave him spiritual life, with a Light by which he could walk and guide his own footsteps as well as the footsteps of those who are willing to follow God's light. The opposite type is that which hates God's light, which lives in the depths of darkness, and which plots and burrows against all that is good. But the plots of evil recoil on itself, although it thinks that they will hurt the good. Can these two types be for a moment compared with each other? Perhaps the lead in every centre of population is taken by the men of evil. But the good men should not be discouraged. They should work in righteousness and fulfil their mission.

And it is in this way that We cause the great ones in every land to become its [greatest] evildoers,¹⁰⁹ there to weave their schemes: yet it is only against themselves that they scheme - and they perceive it not.

  - Mohammad Asad

Because the consciousness of their importance makes them more or less impervious to criticism, the "great ones" are, as a rule, rather less inclined than other people to question the moral aspects of their own behaviour: and the resulting self-righteousness only too often causes them to commit grave misdeeds.

and that is why in every town We have placed the criminals as their ring leaders to plot therein, they plot against none but their own souls, though they do not perceive it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And so We have placed in every society the most wicked to conspire in it. Yet they plot only against themselves, but they fail to perceive it.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And thus have We made in every city great ones of its wicked ones, that they should plot therein. They do but plot against themselves, though they perceive not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus have We placed leaders in every town its wicked men to plot (and burrow) therein: but they only plot against their own souls and they perceive it not.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And whenever a [divine] message comes to them, they say, "We shall not believe unless we are given the like of what God's apostles were given!"¹¹⁰ [But] God knows best upon whom to bestow His message. Abasement in the sight of God will befall those who have become guilty of evildoing, and suffering severe for all the schemes which they were wont to weave.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., direct revelation.

Whenever there comes to them a sign (verses of The Qur'an) they say: "We shall not believe until we are given directly that which is given to the Rasools of Allah." Allah knows best to whom He should give His Message. Soon these criminals will be overtaken by humiliation and by a severe punishment from Allah for their evil plots.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whenever a sign comes to them, they say, 'We will never believe until we receive what Allah's messengers received.' Allah knows best where to place His message. The wicked will soon be overwhelmed by humiliation from Allah and a severe punishment for their evil plots.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And when a token cometh unto them, they say: We will not believe till we are given that which Allah's messengers are given. Allah knoweth best with whom to place His message. Humiliation from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty for their scheming.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When there comes to them a Sign (from Allah) they say: "We shall not believe until we receive one (exactly) like those received by Allah's apostles." Allah knoweth best where (and how) to carry out His mission. Soon will the wicked be overtaken by humiliation before Allah and a severe punishment for all their plots. ⁹⁴⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the teaching in God's Word, and the teaching in God's world, of nature and history and human contacts, many Signs also come to the ungodly, in the shape of warnings or otherwise, which the ungodly either do not heed, or deliberately reject. The Signs in the two cases are not the same, and that becomes one of their perverse arguments against Faith. But God's working will be according to His own Will and Plan, and not according to the wishes whims of the ungodly.

And whomsoever God wills to guide, his bosom He opens wide with willingness towards self-surrender [unto Him]; and whomsoever He wills to let go astray, his bosom He causes to be tight and constricted, as if he were climbing unto the skies: it is thus that God inflicts horror upon those who will not believe.

  - Mohammad Asad

Whomever Allah wills to guide, He opens his chest to Islam and whomever He intends to confound, He makes his chest narrow and squeezes so tight that, at the very idea of Islam, he feel as if his soul is going to climb up towards the sky. That is how Allah places a blight on those who do not believe,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whoever Allah wills to guide, He opens their heart to Islam.¹ But whoever He wills to leave astray, He makes their chest tight and constricted as if they were climbing up into the sky. This is how Allah dooms those who disbelieve.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Islam literally means ‘submission to the Will of Allah.’

And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah layeth ignominy upon those who believe not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Those whom Allah (in His Plan) willeth to guide He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying He maketh their breast close and constricted as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe. ⁹⁴⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

God's Universal Plan is the Qadha wa Qadr, which is so much misunderstood. That Plan is unalterable, and that is His Will. It means that in the spiritual world, there are laws of justice, mercy, grace, penalty, etc., which work as surely as anything we know. If, then, a man refuses Faith, becomes a rebel, with each step he goes further and further down, and his pace will be accelerated; he will scarcely be able to take spiritual breath, and his recovery, -in spite of God's mercy which he has rejected,-will be as difficult as if he had to climb up to the skies. On the other hand, the godly will find, with each step, the next step easier. Jesus expressed this truth paradoxically: "He that hath, to him shall be given; but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath": Mark, iv. 25. John (vi 65) make Jesus say: "No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."

And undeviating is this thy Sustainer's way.¹¹¹ Clearly, indeed, have We spelled out these messages unto people who [are willing to] take them to heart!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and this thy Sustainer's way is straight" - i.e., unchanging in its application of the law of cause and effect to man's inner life as well. - The term rijs occurring in the preceding sentence, and rendered by me as "horror", signifies anything that is intrinsically loathsome, horrible or abominable; in this case, it would seem to denote that awesome feeling of utter futility which, sooner or later, overcomes everyone who does not believe that life has meaning and purpose.

whereas in fact this way (Al-Islam) is the Right Way of your Rabb and We have spelled out Our revelations very clearly for the people who use their common sense.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That is your Lord's Path- perfectly straight. We have already made the signs clear to those who are mindful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

This is the path of thy Lord, a straight path. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who take heed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

This is the way of thy Lord leading straight: We have detailed the Signs for those who receive admonition.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Theirs shall be an abode of peace with their Sustainer; and He shall be near unto them in result of what they have been doing.

  - Mohammad Asad

For them there will be a home of peace with their Rabb. He will be their protector because of their good deeds.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will have the Home of Peace with their Lord, Who will be their Guardian because of what they used to do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For them is the abode of peace with their Lord. He will be their Protecting Friend because of what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For them will be a Home of Peace in the presence of their Lord: He will be their Friend because they practiced (righteousness).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

AND ON THE DAY when He shall gather them [all] together, [He will say:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings! A great many [other] human beings have you ensnared!"¹¹² And those of the humans who were close to them¹¹³ will say: "O our Sustainer! We did enjoy one another's fellowship [in life]; but [now that] we have reached the end of our term - the term which Thou hast laid down for us - [we see the error of our ways]!" [But] He will say: "The fire shall be your abode, therein to abide - unless God wills it otherwise."¹¹⁴ Verily, thy Sustainer is wise, all-knowing.

  - Mohammad Asad

According to most of the commentators, the invisible beings (al-jinn) referred to here are the "evil forces" (shayatin) among them, such as are spoken of in verse {112} of this surah. It is generally assumed that these very beings or forces are addressed here; but the primary meaning of the term ma'shar appearing in this context warrants, in my opinion, a different conclusion. It is true that this term is often used to denote a group or community or genus of sentient beings which have certain characteristics in common: a conventional - and undoubtedly justifiable - use based on the verb 'asharahu, "he consorted [or "was on intimate terms"] with him" or "lived in close communion with him". But it is precisely this verbal origin of the term ma'shar which gives us a clue as to what is really meant here. Since, in its primary significance, a person's ma'shar denotes those who are on intimate terms or in close communion with him (cf. Lisan al-'Arab: "A man's ma'shar is his family"), we may well assume that it has a similar significance in the above Qur'anic phrase. Thus, to my mind, the allocution ya ma'shar al-jinn does not denote, "O you community of [evil] invisible beings" but, rather, "O you who are [or "have lived"] in close communion with [evil] invisible beings": in other words, it is addressed to the misguided human beings who have been seduced by "glittering half-truths meant to delude the mind" {verse 112}. This interpretation is reinforced by the words, "Have there not come unto you apostles from among yourselves", occurring in verse {130} below: for the Qur'an speaks always only of apostles who belonged to the human race, and never of apostles from among the jinn. (As regards the wide significance of this latter term, see Appendix III.)

I.e., close to the evil invisible beings. It is to be remembered that the primary meaning of wali (of which awliya' is the plural) is "one who is close [to another]".

I.e., unless He graces them with His mercy (see verse {12} of this surah, and the corresponding note). Some of the great Muslim theologians conclude from the above and from the similar phrase occurring in 11:107 (as well as from several well-authenticated sayings of the Prophet) that - contrary to the bliss of paradise, which will be of unlimited duration - the suffering of the sinners in the life to come will be limited by God's mercy. (See in this connection the hadith quoted in note [10] on 40:12 .)

On the Day when He will assemble them all together, ( Allah will address the Jinns): "O assembly of Jinns! You seduced mankind in great number." And their votaries from among mankind will say: "Our Rabb, we have both enjoyed each other's fellowship but alas! Now we have reached the end of our term which You had decreed for us." Then Allah will say: "Now hellfire is your dwelling-place; you will live therein forever unless Allah ordains otherwise." Surely your Rabb is Wise, Knowledgeable.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Consider' the Day He will gather them 'all' together and say, 'O assembly of jinn! You misled humans in great numbers.' And their human associates will say, 'Our Lord! We benefited from each other's company,¹ but now we have reached the term which You appointed for us.' 'Then' He will say, 'The Fire is your home, yours to stay in forever, except whoever Allah wills to spare.'² Surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 For example, the jinn helped humans with magic, while the jinn had a feeling of importance when they had a human following.

 i.e., disobedient Muslims. They will be punished according to the severity of their sins, but eventually no Muslim will stay in Hell forever.

In the day when He will gather them together (He will say): O ye assembly of the jinn! Many of humankind did ye seduce. And their adherents among humankind will say: Our Lord! We enjoyed one another, but now we have arrived at the appointed term which Thou appointedst for us. He will say: Fire is your home. Abide therein for ever, save him whom Allah willeth (to deliver). Lo! thy Lord is Wise, Aware.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

One day will He gather them all together (and say): "O ye assembly of Jinns! much (toll) did ye take of men." Their friends amongst men will say: "Our Lord! we made profit from each other: but (alas!) we reached our term which Thou didst appoint for us." He will say: "The fire be your dwelling-place you will dwell therein for ever except as Allah willeth." For thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge. ^{948 949 950 951}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. vi. 100, n. 929.

I.e., you have misled a great number of human beings.

It is common experience that the forces of evil make an alliance with each other, and seem thus to make a profit by their mutual log-rolling. But this is only in this material world. When the limited term expires, their unholy bargains will be exposed, and there will be nothing but regrets.

Eternity and infinity are abstract terms. They have no precise meaning in our human experience. The qualification, "except as God willeth," makes it more intelligible, as we can form some idea -however inadequate- of a Will and Plan, and we know God by His attribute of Mercy as well as of Justice.

And in this manner do We cause evildoers to seduce one another¹¹⁵ by means of their [evil] doings.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "to be close to one another", or "get hold of one another". The expression "in this manner" (kadhalika), which introduces the above sentence, is an obvious allusion to the manner in which the evil ones "whisper unto one another glittering half-truths meant to delude the mind" verse {112} of this surah.

That is how, in the hereafter, We will make wrongdoers the comrades of one another on account of what they earned during their life on Earth with evil friendship.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This is how We make the wrongdoers 'destructive' allies of one another because of their misdeeds.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thus We let some of the wrong-doers have power over others because of what they are wont to earn.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus do We make the wrong-doers turn to each other because of what they earn. ⁹⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 950 above. Evil consorts with evil because of their mutual bargains. But in doing so they save the righteous from further temptation.

[And thus will God continue:] "O you who have lived in close communion with [evil] invisible beings and [like-minded] humans! Have there not come unto you apostles from among yourselves, who conveyed unto you My messages and warned you of the coming of this your Day [of Judgment]?" They will answer: "We do bear witness against ourselves!" - for the life of this world had beguiled them: and so they will bear witness against themselves that they had been denying the truth.

  - Mohammad Asad

At that time Allah will also ask: "O Assembly of Jinns and mankind! Did not there come to you the Rasools from amongst you who proclaimed to you My revelations and warned you about the meeting of this Day?" They will reply: "Yes they did, We bear witness against our own souls." Today this worldly life has deceived them but on that Day they will testify against themselves that they were indeed kuffar (unbelievers).

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Allah will ask,' 'O assembly of jinn and humans! Did messengers not come from among you, proclaiming My revelations and warning you of the coming of this Day of yours?' They will say, 'We confess against ourselves!' For they have been deluded by 'their' worldly life. And they will testify against themselves that they were disbelievers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

O ye assembly of the jinn and humankind! Came there not unto you messengers of your own who recounted unto you My tokens and warned you of the meeting of this your Day? They will say: We testify against ourselves. And the life of the world beguiled them. And they testify against themselves that they were disbelievers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O ye assembly of Jinns and men! came there not unto you apostles from amongst you setting forth unto you of the meeting of this day of yours?" They will say: "We bear witness against ourselves." It was the life of this world that deceived them. So against themselves will they bear witness that they rejected faith. ⁹⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Apostles from amongst you." This is addressed to the whole gathering of men and Jinns. Are the Jinns but disembodied spirits of evil men?

And so it is that thy Sustainer would never destroy a community¹¹⁶ for its wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware [of the meaning of right and wrong]:

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "communities". The term qaryah (lit., "town", "village" or "land") denotes also the people of a town or land - in short, a "community" - and it is in this sense that this term is mostly, though not always, used in the Qur'an.

This testimony will be taken in order to prove, that your Rabb would not destroy towns without just cause while their residents were ignorant of the Reality.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This 'sending of the messengers' is because your Lord would never destroy a society for their wrongdoing while its people are unaware 'of the truth'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

This is because thy Lord destroyeth not the townships arbitrarily while their people are unconscious (of the wrong they do).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(The apostles were sent) thus for thy Lord would not destroy for their wrong-doing men's habitations whilst their occupants were unwarned.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for all shall be judged according to their [conscious] deeds¹¹⁷ - and thy Sustainer is not unaware of what they do.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "all shall have grades out of what they did", i.e., consciously - since God does not take people to task for any wrong they may have committed unless it was done in conscious contravention of a moral law already made clear to them by the prophets.

All will be awarded ranks according to their deeds, and your Rabb is not unaware of what they do.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They will each be assigned ranks according to their deeds. And your Lord is not unaware of what they do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For all there will be ranks from what they did. Thy Lord is not unaware of what they do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To all are degrees (or ranks) according to their deeds: for thy Lord is not unmindful of anything that they do. ⁹⁵⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

On good and evil there are infinite degrees, in our deeds and motives: so will there be degrees in our spiritual position. For everything is known to God, better than it is to ourselves.

And thy Sustainer alone is self-sufficient, limitless in His grace. If He so wills, He may put an end to you and thereafter cause whom He wills to succeed you - even as He has brought you into being out of other people's seed.

  - Mohammad Asad

Your Rabb is Self-Sufficient, Lord of Mercy. If He wants, He can destroy you all and replace you with others as He pleases, just as He raised you from the offspring of other people.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Your Lord is the Self-Sufficient, Full of Mercy. If He wills, He can do away with you and replace you with whoever He wills, just as He produced you from the offspring of other people.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Thy Lord is the Absolute, the Lord of Mercy. If He will, He can remove you and can cause what He will to follow after you, even as He raised you from the seed of other folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thy Lord is Self-sufficient full of Mercy: if it were His Will He could destroy you and in your place appoint whom He will as your successors even as he raised you up from the posterity of other people. ⁹⁵⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

God is not dependent on our prayer or service. It is out of His Mercy that He desires our own good. Any race or people to whom He gives chances should understand that its failure does not affect God. He could create others in their place, as He did in times past, and is doing in our own day, if only we had the wit to see it.

Verily, that [reckoning] which you are promised is bound to come, and you cannot elude it!

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely what you are being threatened with, must come to pass and you can do nothing about it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, what you have been promised will certainly come to pass. And you will have no escape.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! that which ye are promised will surely come to pass, and ye cannot escape.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

All that hath been promised unto you will come to pass: nor can ye frustrate it (in the least bit). ⁹⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Both the good news and the warning which God's apostles came to give will be fulfilled. Nothing can stop God's Universal Plan. See n. 947 to vi. 125.

Say: "O my [unbelieving] people! Do yet all that may be within your power, [while] I, behold, shall labour [in God's way]; and in time you will come to know to whom the future belongs.¹¹⁸ Verily, never will evildoers attain to a happy state!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "to whom the [happy] end of the abode shall belong". The term "abode" (dar) is used in the Qur'an with reference to both the life of this world (dar ad-dunya) and the life to come (dar al-akhirah). Most of the commentators are of the opinion that it refers here to the life to come; Zamakhshari, however, relates it to life on earth. Since either of these interpretations is agreeable with the text, I have chosen the above rendering which comprises both.

O Muhammad, tell them: "O my people! If you don't listen to me, do whatever you want and I'll do whatever I deem right; you will soon find out who is to gain the reward of the hereafter; rest assured that the wrongdoers will not get salvation."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'O my people! Persist in your ways, for I 'too' will persist in mine. You will soon know who will fare best in the end. Indeed, the wrongdoers will never succeed.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say (O Muhammad) : O my people! Work according to your power. Lo! I too am working. Thus ye will come to know for which of us will be the happy sequel. Lo! the wrong- doers will not be successful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Say: "O my people! do whatever ye can: I will do (my part): soon will ye know who it is whose end will be (best) in the Hereafter: certain it is that the wrong-doers will not prosper." ⁹⁵⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In so far as this is addressed to the Unbelievers it is a challenge: "Do your utmost; nothing will deter me from my duty: we shall see who wins in the end." Passing from the particular occasion, we can understand it in a more general sense, which is true for all time. Let the evil ones do their worst. Let those who believe do all they can, according to their opportunities and abilities. The individual must do the straight duty that lies before him. In the end God will judge, and His judgement is always true and just.