Surah 16. An-Nahl, Ayah 124
| إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ |
| Transliteration | : | 'inna-maa jucila as- sabt calaa 'alladhena ikhtalafo fe -hi wa- 'inna rabb -ka li- yah.kum bayna -hum yawm al- qiyaamah fa- maa kaano fe -hi yakhtalifon |
| Pickthall | : | The Sabbath was appointed only for those who differed concerning it, and lo! thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ. |
| Asad | : | [and know that the observance of] the Sabbath was ordained only for those who came to hold divergent views about him;147 but, verily, God will judge between them on Resurrection Day with regard to all on which they were wont to differ."148 |
| Malik | : | As for the Sabbath, it was ordained for those who differed about its observance. Surely your Rabb will judge between them on the Day of Judgment about that over which they differ. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | The Sabbath was only made (strict) to those who disagreed (as to its observance); but Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment as to their differences. 2159 2160 |
Note - 147I.e., about Abraham. The implication is that the majority
of the Jews had deviated from the true creed of Abraham
(which is the meaning of the phrase, "those who came to
hold divergent views about him") inasmuch as most of them
became convinced that they were "God's chosen people"
simply because of their physical descent from that great
Prophet: an assumption which
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Note - 148I.e., He will judge between those who are convinced of
their ultimate salvation on the basis of their alleged
status of "God's chosen people", and those who believe in
man's individual responsibility before God: and thus the
discourse returns to the problem of God-consciousness and
righteous living.
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Note - 2159If Abraham's Way was the right way, the Jews were ready
with the taunt, "Why don't you then observe the Sabbath?"
The answer is twofold. (1) The Sabbath has nothing to do
with Abraham. It was instituted with the Law of Moses
because of Israel's hardness of heart (ii. 74); for they
constantly disputed with their Prophet Moses (iii 108),
and there were constantly among them afterwards men who
broke the Sabbath (ii. 65, and n. 79). (2) Which was the
true Sabbath Day? The Jews observe Saturday. The
Christians, who include the Old Testament in their
inspired Scripture, observe Sunday, and a sect among them
(the Seventh Day Adventists) disagree, and observe
Saturday. So there is disagreement among the People of
the Book. Let them dispute among themselves. Their
dispute will not be settled till the Day of Judgment.
Meanwhile, Muslims are emancipated from such stringent
restrictions. For them there is certainly the Day of
United Prayer on Friday, but it is in no sense like the
Jewish or the Scotch Sabbath!
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Note - 2160Cf. ii. 113.
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I.e., about Abraham. The implication is that the majority of the Jews had deviated from the true creed of Abraham (which is the meaning of the phrase, "those who came to hold divergent views about him") inasmuch as most of them became convinced that they were "God's chosen people" simply because of their physical descent from that great Prophet: an assumption which |
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I.e., He will judge between those who are convinced of their ultimate salvation on the basis of their alleged status of "God's chosen people", and those who believe in man's individual responsibility before God: and thus the discourse returns to the problem of God-consciousness and righteous living. |
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If Abraham's Way was the right way, the Jews were ready with the taunt, "Why don't you then observe the Sabbath?" The answer is twofold. (1) The Sabbath has nothing to do with Abraham. It was instituted with the Law of Moses because of Israel's hardness of heart (ii. 74); for they constantly disputed with their Prophet Moses (iii 108), and there were constantly among them afterwards men who broke the Sabbath (ii. 65, and n. 79). (2) Which was the true Sabbath Day? The Jews observe Saturday. The Christians, who include the Old Testament in their inspired Scripture, observe Sunday, and a sect among them (the Seventh Day Adventists) disagree, and observe Saturday. So there is disagreement among the People of the Book. Let them dispute among themselves. Their dispute will not be settled till the Day of Judgment. Meanwhile, Muslims are emancipated from such stringent restrictions. For them there is certainly the Day of United Prayer on Friday, but it is in no sense like the Jewish or the Scotch Sabbath! |
