Surah At-Tur (52:21)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء
وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين - امابعد
Thanks to be Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.
Recently the Christian missionary website “answering-islam” has published yet another absurd article with their usual gobbledygook titled: Did Allah forget the wives? In this article the author has hopelessly tried to address Muslim women at large. However, the underlying reason as always is to brainwash the Christian readers by using different English translations of the Glorious Qur’aan, subliminally suggesting that the Glorious Qur’aan in no different than four contradictory Christian Gospels. Of course this works with many brainwashed Christians, but not with all the Christians. In this refutation I will inSha Allaah expose the usual and absolute ignorance of the author of the article and the people behind the website “answering-islam” while also pointing out their usual deception.
Website “answering-islam”
writes:
The Muslim translators Pickthall, Yusuf Ali and Shakir render Surah 52:21 the following way:
|
Pickthall |
Yusuf Ali |
Shakir |
|
And they who believe and whose seed follow them in faith, We cause their seed to join them (there), and We deprive them of nought of their (life's) work. Every man is a pledge for that which he hath earned. |
And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith, - to them shall We join their families: Nor shall We deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their works: (Yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds. |
And (as for) those who believe and their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their offspring and We will not diminish to them aught of their work; every man is responsible for what he shall have wrought. |
Response!
The actual and/or original Ayaah 52:21
in the original language it was revealed is as follows:
وَالَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ
وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٌ
The author should have been honest with the readers by citing the above original Ayaah 52:21 that was revealed by Allaah to Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم, and then should have made his case on facts. I must assert that unlike Jews and Christians Muslims do have the original Qur’aan available to each and every Muslim that enables us to correct the translation errors, notice the distortions and incorrect translations etc. Though the translations have their absolute limitations, but in general there is nothing wrong in the above translations quoted by the author. However the author has deliberately attempted to mislead the readers with absolute distortion and by twisting the translation of Abdullah Yusuf Ali, which is a combination of two usual things (1) their ill will and ulterior motives (2) their ignorance. Let me now present word for word translation of the Ayaah 52:21 from Arabic to English, while comparing the quote by the website “answering-islam”; before I point out the absurdity and ignorance of the website “answering-islam.”
|
بِإِيمَانٍ in faith |
ذُرِّيَّتُهُم their offspring |
وَاتَّبَعَتْهُم and mfollow theْ |
آمَنُوا believe who |
وَالَّذِين َ and those |
|
أَلَتْنَاهُم We shall decease them |
وَمَا and not |
ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ their offspring |
بِهِمْ them to |
أَلْحَقْنَا We shall join |
|
امْرِئٍ person |
كُلُّ every |
شَيْءٍ thing |
مِّن any |
مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم their deeds of |
|
|
|
رَهِينٌ pledge |
كَسَبَ has earned he |
بِمَا that which for |
|
Pickthall |
Yusuf Ali |
Shakir |
|
And they who believe and whose seed follow them in faith, We cause their seed to join them (there), and We deprive them of nought of their (life's) work. Every man is a pledge for that which he hath earned. |
And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith, - to them shall We join their families: Nor shall We deprive them (of the fruit) of aught of their works: (Yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds. |
And (as for) those who believe and their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their offspring and We will not diminish to them aught of their work; every man is responsible for what he shall have wrought. |
Readers
can examine both and see that the Arabic word وَالَّذِين is used for plural pronoun i.e. And
those or And they or And (as for) those. Thus, includes both
and/or either genders or spouses at large who are subject of discussion here
and/or are addressed. Lexically no
way both words Arabic and English connotes to one gender (male) as fallaciously
and fraudulently suggested by the website “answering-islam.” Please don’t
take my words for this, and check an English Dictionary. Here I have exposed the first deception and absolute
ignorance of the website “answering-islam.”
Website
“answering-islam” writes:
What is the correct translation? "Families" is obviously a much broader term than "offspring". The family includes also the spouse (or, in Islam, possibly wives in the plural), and perhaps even parents. The Arabic original, however, says "seed", which refers to the children only. Why, then, would Yusuf Ali render the word as "families"? Is this only a minor inaccuracy? Unintentional carelessness? Or is he again trying to cover up a serious problem by his mistranslation?
Response!
Abdullah
Yusuf Ali has translated the Arabic word ذُرِّيَّتُهُم as whose families rather “offspring”
which is neither an error nor a testament of guilt or alleged truth as asserted
by the author. The reason why Abdullah Yusuf Ali has translated the word ذُرِّيَّتُهُم in “whose families
and/or their families” because in the original Ayaah 52:21 this word ذُرِّيَّتُهُم has been used
twice. Let us look into the American Heritage Dictionary for the meaning of
word “family.”
fam·i·ly (f²m“…-l¶, f²m“l¶) n., pl. fam·i·lies. Abbr. fam. 1.a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting
of a man and woman and their offspring. b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term
commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place. 2. All the members of a
household under one roof. 3. A group of persons
sharing common ancestry. See Usage
Note at collective noun. 4. Lineage,
especially distinguished lineage. 5. A locally independent organized crime unit, as of the
Cosa Nostra. 6.a. A group of like things; a class. b. A group of individuals derived
from a common stock: the family of
human beings. 7. Biology. A
taxonomic category of related organisms ranking below an order and above a
genus. A family usually consists of several genera. 8. Linguistics.
A group of languages descended from the same parent language, such as the
Indo-European language family. 9. Mathematics. A set of functions or surfaces that can be generated
by varying the parameters of a general equation. 10. Chemistry.
A group of elements with similar chemical properties. 11. Chemistry.
A vertical column in the periodic table of elements. --fam·i·ly adj. 1. Of or having to
do with a family: family problems. 2. Being
suitable for a family: family movies. [Middle English familie,
from Latin familia, household, servants of a household, from famulus,
servant.]
Readers can now see that the
words “offspring” and “family or families” are interchangeable
and connotes to each other without any shadow of a doubt whatsoever. By the way
seed and offspring are the same thing in any language when used for children,
since the author has ulterior motives and also, is ignorant of Islaamic
Shariah rules of elucidation and interpretation! That is why he/she (?)
does not understand the translation rules at all. The word ذُرِّيَّتُهُم
in the Ayaah 52:21 is derived from the root letters ذرر therefore, the word ذُرِّيَّةِ
is a noun and means (children, progeny, descendents). The Arabic word ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ correctly translated as “their
offspring.” This only proves an absolute misrepresentation of the truth and
distortion of facts by the website “answering-islam” to obscure and obfuscate
the truth of Islaam. If the Christianity is a true religion than why this
deception and distortion? Why not let the facts speak for themselves?
Website
“answering-islam” writes:
To understand what is going on, we need to read this verse in context. The following is Surah 52:17-21 in Arberry's translation:
17
Surely the godfearing shall be in gardens and bliss,
18
rejoicing in that their Lord has given them; and their Lord shall guard them against the chastisement of Hell.
19
Eat and drink, with wholesome appetite, for that you were working.
20
Reclining upon couches ranged in rows; and We shall espouse them to wide-eyed houris.
21
And those who believed, and their seed followed them
in belief, We shall join their seed with them,
and We shall not defraud them of aught of their work; every man shall be
pledged for what he earned.
It should be obvious: If there are children (seed, offspring), then there must be mothers as well!
Without question, children are part of a man's pride and achievement in life. Certainly it will be a great comfort for them to know that their children will be with them in Paradise. However, mothers often love their children even more than the fathers do, they have sacrificed much in raising them. While the men go out, have a career, earn money, have success in this world and get most of the recognition, the women stay at home, and invest themselves in their chilren. The children are often all they have, and now they are told in this passage: In the next life, your children will be with their fathers, who also get other women, and you are not even worth mentioning!
Response!
The website “answering-islam” is dead wrong while giving the wrong impression that they have the knowledge of Qur’aan, by suggesting the context is based on Ayaat 52:17-21. The fact is the context is found from Ayaah 52:17 through Ayaah 52:28 (52:17-28) and the synopsis of the contents is as follows:
“The
God-fearing righteous Believers (Muslims) are informed of blissful life they
will enjoy in Paradise where they will be espoused to wide-eyed “Housris”
and would be served fruits, meat and wine by youths who look like hidden
pearls. The inmates of Paradise, while sitting on couches and enjoying
themselves will be joined by their righteous offspring as an additional
bounty from Allaah, will say, “Surely we were aforetime among our household,
ever fearful of the Hereafter, so, Allah, the Benign and the Merciful has
favored us and saved us from chastiment of Hell.”
The
phrase “those who believe or those who believed” in
any language and religion includes men and women or husbands and wives (in
fact all those who believed). Here the website “answering-islam”
fraudulently singling out the wives, who are included in the phrase “those
who believe” وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا to create a
probable cause to attack Islaam. It is
like crippling a bird’s wings and then condemning the bird for not flying.
Website
“answering-islam” writes:
Certainly we have to ask: Where are the wives of the godfearing?
The believers are promised that
they will get houris in Paradise (v.
20), i.e. not their earthly wives, but beautiful women especially created to be
available as sex partners to the faithful. And they are promised that they will
see their children again (if those believed in Muhammad as well).
Response!
Obviously here the author’s mind in gutter, perhaps
thinking of “Playboy Mansion”, otherwise, a person with average intelligence
can understand that the phrase “those who believe” وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
includes husbands and wives (both) who are
the subject of the Ayaah 52:21, while the offspring are the predicate. Nowhere
the Ayaah 52:21 is suggesting sex, implicitly or explicitly, thus, the “sex” idea
is the brainchild of author’s filthy mind and not part of Qur’aanic Ayaah
52:21.
Website
“answering-islam” writes:
The believers (i.e. the men) will be given perfect, beautiful, sensuous houris. Why should they care about those old, nagging, and comparatively ugly wives that were so difficult to live with on earth?
Islamic paradise is a man's world. The Quran grew out of the fantasy and imagination of one man trying to secure the loyalty of the men around him by the promises he included in his "revelations". It is not the word of God.
This passage is unjust and
incredibly cruel to women.
Response!
The
website “answering-islam” is living in the satanic world of its own, because it
uses over and over again the same stereotyped and bigoted expressions. There is
nothing in author’s rhetoric beside jargon and clichés. How can this passage
and/or Ayaah 52:21 be unjust and how can it be incredibly cruel to women; when
the phrase is assuring and/or guaranteeing the husbands and wives by using the
phrase “those who believe” وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا explicitly and conclusively. It is
precisely upon this part of the Ayaah 52:21 that one important deliberate
omission is made by the website “anwering-islam.” Where the author
selects parts of the Ayaah 52:21 upon the subject of reward and treats it as
whole, while deliberately omitting from the Ayaah 52:21 the inclusion of wives.
Is it not a most extraordinary spectacle
that the website “answering-islam” should publish an absurd article and ask for
any confidence in its assertions, calling upon people to believe that it is
true and fair interpretation of Ayaah 52:21, while the leading part about
the wives from the Ayaah 52:21 is carefully suppressed.
Website
“answering-islam” writes:
Seemingly, Yusuf Ali was at least embarrassed. His mistranslation of S. 52:21 reveals how uncomfortable he was with this, so that he tried to render it more politically correct for his western readers.
Note: If such a "revelation" had been given to one particular faithful believer who had an unbelieving wife with a difficult character, this could perhaps be accepted. However, this is a general statement, a promise directed to all Muslim believers, including those whose wives are faithful and devoted Muslim believers themselves.
Anyone who believes that God is just will have to reject the Quran. It is not the word of God.
A question to ponder for all Muslim women: What will you get in Paradise?
Response!
First and foremost this is far from truth that Abdullah
Yusuf Ali was uncomfortable while translating the Ayaah 52:21, his
translation is correct and does not support the claims made by the website
“answering-islam.” I am not a fan of his (Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s work), one
example would suffice by citing my article: Abdullah Yusuf
Ali’s Perverted Commentary of Glorious Qur’aan 28: 25-27! Readers can also learn about the translators of the
Glorious Qur’aan by reading English
Translations of Qur’aan. A MUST READ! All this gobbledygook is nothing but as usual diversionary
tactics, which is a norm in the articles published by the website
“answering-islam” as the end of their articles as their fear mongering tactics.
The very last and the most absurd questions asked by the author has already
been answered and/or is found the opening phrase of the Ayaah 52:21, which
reads:
“those who
believe” وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
Thus,
the Believing women (Muslimaat مسلمات) will
be with their husbands and children in the Paradise. Now the final word: Please show us where in the New Testament, Christian
women explicitly given the glad tiding of Paradise, especially wives. Please
be advised the verse must state that husbands and wives will go to Paradise and
their righteous children will join them in Paradise? Obviously, when the website “answering-islam” decided to
distort the truth of Islaam, they must have a solution for the women in the
world. Otherwise what is the point of writing something like this if you have
no solution? How Christianity treats the women can be explored by reading the
following articles:
Wife Killing &
Daughter Burning in the Bible!
How women are
treated in Bible and Qur’aan!
Women’s Freedom in the West Or It is Men’s Freedom
from Financial Burden?
Thursday,
April 14, 2005