The
QAYYŪM AL-ASMĀ' OF THE BĀB.
Part II
سورة العلماء
Sūrat al-`ulamā'
(The Surah of the Divines)
on Qur'ān 12:1
Translation Stephen N. Lambden
In Progress 1982-2020 - last revised 23-12-2019.
SCANS OF THE 1261 MS.
ADD
QA. 002A -05./ QA.002B-06
Translation Stephen N. Lambden UCMerced.
Sūrat al-`ulamā'
(The Surah of the Divines)
INBMC III - 1261/1845 Ms. QA2a,
[1]
بسم اللّه الرّحمن الرّحيم
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
[2]
الر تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
A-L-R
Alif-Lām-Rā'.
[ Abjad = 1+30+200 = 231]
"These are the verses of the Manifest Book" (= Q.12:1)
[3]
آلم
[4]
Alif-Lām-Mīm.
[Abjad = 1+30+40 = 71]
This Book is from God, about the magnitude of the Remembrance (fi sha'n al-dhikr), revealed, in very truth, from the region of the Theophanic [Sinaitic] Fire (al-nār). [5] We, verily, made the verses of this Book eloquent, [6] an admonition and an expression of good news for the servants of the All-Merciful who, in very truth, are faithful to God and to His verses. [7] Those [servants] that is, who do not exhibit pride before their parents but sincerely fear the both of them according to the letter of the knowledge of the Book; like a just sovereign (sulṭan `ādil) who, in very truth, controlleth (`asuf an) his charge. [8] Such [servants], furthermore, as fear their Lord with respect to a Day the evil of which is, in very truth, written down in the Mother Book. [9] We fear the All-Merciful with respect to [the coming of] a distressful Day (yawm `abūs), the name of which is inscribed in the Mother Book [cf. Q.76:10f.]; [10] a Day when the individual will prove unable to exercise control over the least thing for the Command (al-amr) that Day belong unto to God, the Exalted. And God beareth witness unto all things. [11] We, verily, made the [revelation of] verses to be a proof of Our Message unto you. Can ye produce a single letter to match them? Bring forth then your evidence if ye be of those insightful of God, the True One. [12] "By God! should men and spirits (jinn) combine to compose the like of one chapter (sūrah) of this Book, they would surely fail, even though they were to assist one another" (SWB). (cf. Q. 17:90).
[13]
O concourse of divines (`ulamā') !
Fear God! from this day onwards in setting forth your personal opinions (arā'; sing. ra'y) for the [messianic] Remembrance (al-dhikr) is among you by virtue of Us. He, in very truth, is Judge and Witness. [14] Turn away from that which ye cling to, aside that is, from the Book of God, the True One; for, at the resurrection, ye shall, upon the Bridge (sirāt), in very truth, be held answerable. [15] God, verily, hath made personal [religious] conjecture (al-ẓann) a manifest sin in all the scriptural Tablets (al-alwāḥ). [16] It may well be that God will pardon you of that which you yourselves have committed prior to this your day for He, verily, was forgiving and merciful unto those endowed with the gift of prophecy [the prophets] (al-munabiyyīn).
[17] God, verily, hath forbidden you to exercise judgment contrary to the Truth and to indulge in independent theological reasoning (ijtihād) unrelated to the pure knowledge contained in this Book. [18] We, verily, have sent down unto you this very Book as a testimony unto the Truth to the end that you may know [how to distinguish] that which God hath decreed through His grace as opposed to that which you far fetchedly propose contrary to the Truth. [19] Indeed, at the resurrection a point on the Bridge hath, in very truth, been reserved at which you will be held answerable. [20] God will enquire of his servants that which they know about the religion of God apart from the the decree of the True One concealed in this Book. [21] God will suddenly enable you to envision the signs [verses] of the [messianic] Remembrance (ayāt al-dhikr) on earth, for such, in very truth, is near at hand.
[22]
"O concourse of the people of the Book (ahl al-kitab)!
Fear ye God! and pride not yourselves in your learning. Follow the Book (al-kitāb) which hath its origin with the Remembrance (al-dhikr), through, in very truth, the Remembrance (al-dhikr) ] (cf. SWB: XX).
By God the True One!
No soul hath followed it [the Book] except he hath followed all the [previously revealed] scriptures (ṣuḥuf) sent down from heaven on the part of God, the True One. And God, verily, is well-informed of that which ye do. (Cf. SWB: XX). [23] And no soul is there that hath disavowed the Book save he hath disavowed the singularity of the All-Merciful (wadāniyyat al-raḥmān) and disbelieved in the Prophets (al-nabiyyin) and the scriptures (ṣuḥuf) sent down, in very truth, from heaven. The abode of this latter one is, in very truth, hell-fire (al-nār). Such a judgment hath indeed been decreed by God; as, in very truth, stipulated in the Mother Book (umm al-kitāb). [24] If God willed it He could assuredly guide all humanity. [25] God hath indeed manifested Our verses unto all the worlds. The Remembrance (al-dhikr) is certainly the True One, in very truth, from God. And God is powerful over all things. [26] Of a surety, such of mankind as have disbelieved in Our signs are reckoned to have disbelieved in God, the Exalted. [27] He [God] will inform those who have disbelieved of their seat in the vale of Sijjīn (wād min al-sijjin) which God, in the Mother Book, hath named Jaḥīm, the blazing hell (Q. 26:91b; 8:37-8 etc.). [28] We, in very truth, shall cause you to taste the heat of boiling water (ḥarr al-ḥamīm) and shall, according to the decree stipulated in the Book, substitute for you the fire of a scorching wind (nār al-simun). [29] This is assuredly the Truth from God, a punishment (jazā') meted out in view of your obstinate attitude towards Our verses and towards the Remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh), the Exalted. [30] This punishment (jazā') is in accordance with your wretchedness before God and before Our verses. [31] And the command of your Lord. the All-Merciful, is assuredly the Truth. And the threat of God, shall indeed, in very truth be fulfilled.
[32]
Praise be to God Who hath sent down upon Our servant [the Bāb] the Light (al-nūr) which is with Him to the end that he might, in very truth, be [even as] an Upright [alphabetical] Trace [Line] (khaṭṭ an mustaqīm an ) in all the worlds. [33] We, verily, hath inspired thee [the Bāb] with the like of that with which God inspired Us for thou, verily, were indeed one elevated, inscribed in the Mother Book. [34] And that which is in the heavens and on the earth belongs, in very truth, unto God. God forgiveth whomsoever He willeth and punisheth whomsoever He willeth. And He, God, is powerful over all things. [35] Fear ye the Day on which ye shall return unto God and on which there will be no judge except God. Thereon shall every soul be recompensed according to that which it hath committed. And We shall not fail in taking the least thing into consideration, even to the extent of a speck on a date-stone. [36] The Remembrance (al- dhikr) hath believed in that which was sent down unto him from His Lord. And the [true] believers believed in God and in His verses. He does not distinguish between any one of His verses. [True] Muslims, in very truth, say, `O our Lord! We have hearkened to the call of the Remembrance of God (dhikr allāh) and have obeyed him. So forgive us [our sins] for Thou, verily, art the True One, and unto Thee, in very truth, is the retreat which is a place of return (Q. 2: 284-5).
[37]
O ye believers!
We, in very truth, shall not burden you except as far as you are capable [of obedience]. And dominion belongeth to God alone. God desireth to lessen for you [the severity of] the punishment. He will send His mercy unto you. There is no soul that hath committed the least thing save We, verily, recorded that which it hath committed, preserved according to the decree of the Book. [38] They [the believers] say, "O our Lord! God is our Lord, the True One. No God is there except Him. Forgive us through Thy mercy. And have mercy upon Us for Thou art our Protector. Write down for us the return unto Thee, a place of return such as, in very truth, accords with the Truth" (cf. Q. 2:286). [39] God is the One Who, no God is there except Him. He, verily, created the letter "A" (Alif) for his servant (li-`abdihi) [or: `subsequent to His Own Self (ba`dihi)] something powerful (quwiyy an) according to the Logos-Command (al-amr).
[40]
God is the One Who, no God is there except Him. He, verily, determined the letter "L" (Lām) to be expressive of [His] Wisdom (ḥikma) measured out according to the decree of the Book (`ala ḥukm al-kitāb taqdīr an). [41] God is the One Who, no God is there except Him. He, verily, made the letter "R" (rā') to be [indicative of] the outreach [extension] (inbisāt) of His Logos-Command according to that which He hath, in very truth, willed in the Mother Book, as stipulated in the vicinity of the theophanic [Sinaitic] Fire (al-nār). [42]
Arabic and English of QA. II Surat al-`Ulama'
[1]
بسم اللّه الرّحمن الرّحيم
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
[2]
الر تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
A-L-R
Alif-Lām-Rā'.
"These are the verses of the Manifest Book" (= Q.12:1)
[3]
آلم
[4]
ذلك الكتاب من عند اللّه الحقّ فی شأن الذّكر قد كان بالحقّ حول النّار منزولاً
Alif-Lām-Mīm.
This Book is from God, about the magnitude of the Remembrance (fi sha'n al-dhikr), revealed, in very truth, from the region of the Sinaitic Fire (al-nār).
[5]
و انّا نحن قد جعلنا الايات فی ذلك الكتاب مبيناً
We, verily, made the verses of this Book eloquent,
[6]
تذكرة و بشری لعباد الرّحمن من كان باللّه و باياته علی الحقّ اميناً
an admonition and an expression of good news for the servants of the All-Merciful who, in very truth, are faithful to God and to His verses.
[7]
الّذين لايحبرون الوالدين و يرهبون بالصّدق عنهما علی حرف من علم الكتاب كسلطان عادل قد كان بالحقّ علی الملك عسوفاً
Those [servants] that is, who do not exhibit pride before [their] parents but sincerely fear the both of them according to the letter of the knowledge of the Book; like a just sovereign (sulṭan `ādil) who, in very truth, controlleth (`asuf an) his charge.
Check Versification above
Select Textual Notes to QA2 - in progress …
- قد كان بالتّائبين غفّاراً رحيماً , QA 2:17b in Mss.... we read
- QA 2:22b in mss. XXX ... و اتّبعوا الكتاب من عند الذّكر* [بالذّكر...?] مبين
- QA 2:23 BWC Trans. in SWB: XX at times this trans. presupposes a different text as marked in red:
O concourse of the people of the Book! Fear ye God and pride not yourselves in your learning. Follow ye the Book which His Remembrance hath revealed in praise of God, the True One. He Who is the Eternal Truth beareth me witness, whoso followeth this Book hath indeed followed all the past Scriptures which have been sent down from heaven by God, the Sovereign Truth. Verily, He is well informed of what ye do". (SWB: XX)
- QA 2:30 read for "His verses", "Our verses" Add. ms. details
[30]
انّ هذا جزإ علی المثل بما كنتم باللّه و باياته * or باياتنا شقيّاً
- QA 2:38 note the trans.
"Such as are the true followers of Islam would say: `O Lord our God! We have hearkened to the call of Thy Remembrance and obeyed Him. Forgive us our sins. Thou art, verily, the Eternal Truth, and unto Thee, our infallible Retreat, must we all return.'(1)
- QA 2:37 note the two possible variant readings at * :
Read not "God desireth" but read "God XXX"
يا ايّها المؤمنون
انّا بالحقّ لانكلّفكم الّا بما استطعتم و قد كان الملك للّه وحده يريد /* يری اللّه ان يخفّف * / يخفف عنكم العذاب
و يرسل عليكم رحمته و ما من نفس قد اكسبت /* اكتسبت بشیء الّا و قد كتبنا له* بما اكتسبت علی حكم الكتاب محفوظاً
- QA 2:39 note the variant readings at * : not "created" but "determined" : which is probably a repetition of qadar as it occurs in QA 2:40
اللّه الّذی لا اله الّا هو قد خلق* / قدّر حرف الالف لعبده علی الامر قويّاً
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