76.1. Hal ata AAala al-insani hiinunmina alddahri lam yakun schay-an madhkuuran
76.1. Hath there come Upon man (ever) any period of time in which he was a thing unremembered? (Pickthall)
76.1. War nicht über den Menschen eine Spanne von der vergehenden Zeit gekommen, in der er gar nicht erwähnt wurde? (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.1. Ist (nicht) über den Menschen eine Spanne der endlosen Zeit gekommen, in der er nichts Nennenswertes ist? (Bubenheim)
76.1. Hat es für den Menschen eine Zeit gegeben, in der er (bevor ihm im Mutterleib Leben eingehaucht wurde) nichts war, was einen Namen hätte? (Azhar)
76.1. Überkam den Menschen eine Weile von der Zeit, wo er nichts Erwähnbares war?! (Zaidan)
76.1. Hat es für den Menschen nicht einmal einen Zeitabschnitt gegeben, in dem er (noch) nichts Nennenswertes war? (Paret)
76.1. Gab es nicht für den Menschen eine Zeit, da er nichts Nennenswertes war? (Rasul)
76.2. Lo! We create man from a drop of thickened fluid to test him; so We make him hearing, knowing. (Pickthall)
76.2. Wir haben ja den Menschen aus einem Tropfen Vermischungen geschaffen, Wir prüfen ihn, also haben Wir ihn hörend, sehend gemacht, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.2. Wir haben den Menschen ja aus einem Samentropfen, einem Gemisch erschaffen, (um) ihn zu prüfen. Und so haben Wir ihn mit Gehör und Augenlicht versehen. (Bubenheim)
76.2. Wir erschufen den Menschen aus einem Samentropfen mit vielfältigen Elementen, dann prüften Wir ihn und gaben ihm Gehör und Augenlicht. (Azhar)
76.2. Gewiß, WIR erschufen den Menschen aus vermischter Nutfa, um ihn zu prüfen, dann machten WIR ihn hörend, sehend. (Zaidan)
76.2. Wir haben den Menschen aus einem Tropfen, einem Gemisch (von Sperma) (min nutfatin amschaadschin) geschaffen, um ihn auf die Probe zu stellen. Und wir haben ihm Gehör und Gesicht verliehen. (Paret)
76.2. Wahrlich, Wir erschufen den Menschen aus einer Ergußmischung, auf daß Wir ihn prüfen möchten; dann machten Wir ihn hörend und sehend. (Rasul)
76.3. Lo! We have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or disbelieving. (Pickthall)
76.3. Wir haben ihn ja den Weg rechtgeleitet, - gleich, ob er dankend oder ob er dankverweigernd ist, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.3. Wir haben ihn ja den (rechten) Weg geleitet, ob er nun dankbar oder undankbar sein mag. (Bubenheim)
76.3. Wir haben ihm den rechten Weg gewiesen, so wird er entweder dankbar (gläubig) oder undankbar (ungläubig). (Azhar)
76.3. Gewiß, WIR leiteten ihn zum Weg recht, entweder dankend oder äußerst kufr-betreibend. (Zaidan)
76.3. Wir haben ihn den (rechten) Weg geführt, mochte er (nun) dankbar sein (und die Rechtleitung annehmen), oder undankbar. (Paret)
76.3. Wir haben ihm den rechten Weg gezeigt, mochte er nun dankbar oder undankbar sein. (Rasul)
Tafsir von Maududi für die Ayaat 1 bis 3
Has there also passed on man a period of the endless time when he was not yet a thing worthy of mention? ( 1 ) Indeed, We created man from a mixed sperm drop, ( 2 ) to try him, ( 3 ) and therefore We made him capable of hearing and seeing. ( 4 ) We showed him the way, whether to be grateful or disbelieving. ( 5 )
Desc No: 1 Most of the conunentators and translators have taken hal in the first sentence hal ata alal-insan-i, in the meaning of qad. Accordingly, they interpret this sentence to mean; "No doubt, there has indeed passed on man a time." But, in fact, the word hal in Arabic is used only as an interrogative particle, and its object is not to ask a question in every case, but this apparently interrogative particle is used in different meanings on different occasions. For example, sometimes, in order to find out whether a certain incident has taken place or not, we ask: "Has this thing happened?" Sometimes we do not mean to ask a question but to deny something and we express the denial, thus: "Can any other also do this?" Sometimes we want somebody to affirm something and so ask him: "Have I paid what was due to you? And sometimes we do not intend to have something just affirmed but we put a question in order to make the addressee pay particular attention to something which follows his affirmation as a sequel. For example, we ask someone: "Have I harmed you in any way'?" The object is not only to make him affirm that one has not done him any harm, but also to make him think how far one is justified to harm somebody who has not harmed him in any way. The interrogative sentence in the verse before us illustrates this last meaning. 'i ne object is not only to make man affirm that there has indeed passed on him such a period of time but also to make him think that the God Who developed and shaped him into a perfect man from an insignificant, humble beginning, would not be helpless to create him once again.
In the second sentence, hin um-min ad-dahr the word dahr implies the endless time, the beginning and end of which are unknown to tnan and hin is the particular period of tune which might at some time have passed during this endless period. What is meant to be said is that in this immensely long span of time there has passed g long period when human race was altogether non-existent. Then a time came in it when a species called Man was created, and in the same period a time has passed on every person when a beginning was made to bring him into existence from nothingness.
The third sentence, "when he was not yet a thing worthy of mention" implies that a part of him existed in the form of a microscopic gene in the sperm drop of the father and a part in the form of a microscopic ovum in the mother. For long ages man did not even know that he comes into being when the sperm gene and the ovum combine. Now both have been observed by means of powerful microscopes but even now no one can say how much of man exists in the father's germ and how much in the mother's ovum. Then, the initial cell that comes into being by the combination of the two at the time of conception is such an insignificant thing that it can be seen only through highly powerful microscopes and seeing it also no one at first sight can claim that it is a man taking shape, nor that even if a man emerges from this humble beginning, what will be his size and stature, what will be his form and figure, and what will be his capabilities and personality like. This is the meaning of the sentence that at that tithe he was not yet a thing worthy of any mention although a beginning of his being as a man had been made.
Desc No: 2 "From a mixed sperm-drop": from the intermingling of the male sperm with the female ovum and not separately from the sperm and the ovum.
Desc No: 3 This shows man's real position in the world and the position of the world for man. He is not like the trees and animals that the object of his creation be fulfilled on the earth itself, and he should die and perish here after he has played his appointed role over a period of time according to the law of nature. Furthermore, this world is neither a place of punishment for him, as the monks think, nor a place of rewards as the believers of the law of transmigration think, nor a place of entertainment and enjoyment, as the materialists think, nor a battlefield, as the followers of Darwin and Marx think, but in fact it is a place of test and trial for him. That which he regards as his age, is in fact the time given him for the test. Whatever powers and capabilities he has been given in the world, the thing, that have been placed under his control and authority, the various positions and capacities in which he functions, and the relationships that he enjoys with other men, all these are the countless papers of the test and this test continues till the last breath of his life. The result is not to be announced in this world but in the Hereafter when all his answer-books will have been assessed, decision will be given whether he has come out successful or failed. And his success or tailure wholly depends on what he thought of himself while he functioned here and how he answered the papers that were given him here. If he believed that he had no God, or that he was the slave of many gods, and while answering the papers thought that he was not to be held accountable before his Creator in the Hereafter, his whole lifework went wrong. And if he regarded himself as the slave of One God and worked in the way approved by God, with the accountability of the Hereafter always in view, he stood successful in the test. (This theme has occurred at many places in the Qur'an and has been dealt with at length in the corresponding notes. It is not possible to give all the references, but those who are interested in it may see the explanation of it in its different aspects under "Test and Trial" in the Index. In no other book beside the Qur'an has this truth been explained at such length ) .
Desc No: 4 The word .sami' (hearing) and basir (seeing) in the original actually imply being "sensible and intelligent". These words of the Arabic language are never used in respect of the animal although it also hears-and sees. Thus, hearing and seeing here do not imply the powers of hearing and seeing which have been given to the animals too, but those means through which man obtains knowledge and then draws conclusions from it. Besides, since hearing and seeing are among the most important means of knowledge for man, only these two have been mentioned briefly; otherwise it actually implies giving man all those senses of the body by which he gathers information. Then the senses given to man are quite different in their nature from those given to animals, for at the back of every sense he has a thinking brain, which collects information gained through the senses; arranges it, draws conclusions from it, forms opinions, and then takes some decisions which become the basis of his attitude and conduct in life. Hence, after saying, "We created man in order to try him," to say, "therefore, We made him capable of hearing and seeing¦ actually contains the meaning that Allah save him the faculties of knowledge and reason to enable him to take the test. Obviously, if this were not the meaning and the meaning of making man hearing and seeing just implied the one who could hear and see, then a blind and deaf person would stand exempted from the test, whereas unless a person is utterly devoid of knowledge and reason, there can be no question of his being exempted from the test.
Desc No: 5 That is, "We did not just leave him to himself after giving him the powers of knowledge and reason, but We also guided him so that he knows which is the path of gratefulness and which of ungratefulness, so that whichever path he chooses in his later life, he himself is responsible for it. In Surah Al-Balad, the same subject has been expressed, thus "And We showed him both the conspicuous ways (of good and evil)." And in Surah Ash-Shams, thus "By the human self, and by Him Who balanced it (with all the external and internal powers), then inspired it with its wickedness and its piety " When all these explanations are kept in view and also those detailed statements of the Qur'an in which it has been stated what arrangements Allah has made for man's guidance in the world, it becomes evident that in this verse "showing the way" does not imply any one form of guidance but many forms of it which arc limitless and countless. For example. (1) Along with the faculties of knowledge and reason man has also been endowed with a moral sense by which he discerns between good and evil, regards some acts and qualities as evil even if he himself is involved in them, and regards some other acts and qualities as good even if he himself is avoiding them. So much so that even those people who for the satisfaction of their selfish motives and desires have invented philosophies by which they have justified many evils for themselves, protest loudly when they are themselves treated with the same evils by others, and then it becomes known that in spite of their false philosophies they actually regard them as evil. Likewise, when a man himself is benefited by a good treatment from another person, he is from within forced to commend and appreciate it even though he might be looking upon good acts and qualities as ignorance folly and antiquated things, (2) In every man Allah has placed the faculty of Conscience (the lawwamah), which checks and pricks him every time he is about to commit an evil, or is in the process of committing it, or has already committed it. However hard man may try to silence his Conscience or make it insensitive, he dces not have the power to destroy it completely. He may become shameless and prove himself to be absolutely devoid of the Conscience, he may also try to deceive the world by argumentation, he may even invent a thousand excuses to justify his acts in order to deceive himself, but despite all this the censor that Allah has placed in his nature is so active and powerful that it does not let remain hidden from an evil person what he actually is. This same thing has been stated in Surah Al-Qiyamah, thus: "Man knows his own self best even though he may offer many excuses." (v. 15) (3) In man's own self and outside him, from the earth to the heavens, there lie scattered in the universe countless such signs which clearly show that all this could not happen without a God, nor could there be many gods to create this life and control and administer it. Likewise, these very signs, inside man and outside him, clearly point also to the Resurrection and Hereafter. If man shuts down his eyes on them, or refuses to ponder over them intelligently, or avoids to admit the truths which they point out, he himself would be to blame. For Allah has shown no negligence in laying out every possible sign of the truth for the guidance of man. (4) Man does come across in his own life, and in the contemporary world and in the experiences of past history, countless such incidents which prove that a supreme power is ruling over him and the entire universe before whom he is absolutely powerless, whose Will is dominant over everything and whose help he needs at every moment. These experiences and observations which point to the truth do not exist only outside him but in man's own nature as well there exists the evidence of the existence of the supreme power on the basis of which even the most confirmed atheist spreads out his hands in prayer before God when in distress and the most hardened polytheist abandons all false gods and starts invoking One God only for help. (5) Man's intellect and his nature assert positively that crime ought to be punished and good deeds ought to be rewarded. On this very basis in every society of the world a system of the courts is established in one form or another, and the services and works, which are regarded as commendable are also rewarded in one way or another. This is a clear proof of the fact that there is a necessary relationship between morality and the law of retribution, which man cannot possibly deny. Now, if it is admitted that in this world there are countless such crimes which cannot be punished at all. to say nothing of punishing them fully and adequately, and there are also countless such virtues, which cannot be rewarded at all, to say nothing of rewarding them fully and adequately, there is no alternative but to acknowledge the Hereafter, unless, of course, a foolish person may assume, or a stubborn person may insist on having the opinion, that man who has been endowed with the concept of justice, has taken birth in a world which in itself is devoid of the concept of justice; and then it remains for him to answer the question as to how and wherefrom this man, who was born in such a world, obtained this concept of justice. To reinforce these means of guidance Allah sent Messengers and revealed Books in the world for the purpose of giving clear and definite guidance to man; in these Books it was clearly explained what is the way of gratefulness and what is the way of ungratefulness and unbelief and what will be the consequences of following either way. The teaching brought by the Prophets and the Books has spread throughout the world in countless perceptible. and imperceptible ways, on such a large scale that no section of human population has remained unaware of the concept of God and the Hereafter, of the distinction between good and evil, and of the moral principles and legal rulings presented by them, whether it knows or dces not know that it has obtained this knowledge only through the teachings of the Prophets and the Books they brought. Even those who disbelieve in the Prophets and the Books today, or are unaware of them, also are following many of those things which have reached them actually through their teachings while they do not know what is the real source of these teachings. "
76.6. A spring wherefrom the slaves of Allah drink, making it gush forth abundantly, (Pickthall)
76.6. Einer Quelle, es trinken an ihr die Knechte Allahs, die sie überströmen lassen, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.6. aus einer Quelle, aus der Allahs Diener trinken, die sie sprudelnd hervorströmen lassen. (Bubenheim)
76.6. aus einer Quelle, aus der Gottes Diener trinken und die sie so fließen lassen, wie sie möchten. (Azhar)
76.6. aus einer Quelle, aus der ALLAHs Diener trinken, sie lassen sie kräftig sprudeln. (Zaidan)
76.6. von einer Quelle, an der die (auserwählten) Diener Allahs trinken, und die sie unausgesetzt (aus der Erde hervor) sprudeln lassen (yufadschiruunahaa tafdschieran). (Paret)
76.6. (Er wird gespeist aus) einer Quelle, von der die Diener Allahs trinken, und die sie in reichlichem Maße hervorsprudeln lassen. (Rasul)
76.7. Yuufuuna bialnnadhri wayakhafuunayawman kana scharruhu mustatiiran
76.7. Because they perform the vow and fear a day whereof the evil is wide spreading, (Pickthall)
76.7. Sie erfüllen das Gelübde, und sie fürchten einen Tag, dessen Böses sich weit ausbreitet, (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.7. Sie erfüllen das Gelübde und fürchten einen Tag, dessen Übel sich wie im Flug ausbreitet, (Bubenheim)
76.7. Sie erfüllen das Gelübde und fürchten einen Tag, dessen Unheil weit und breit um sich greift. (Azhar)
76.7. Sie erfüllen das Gelübde und fürchten einen Tag, dessen Bosheit ausgebreitet ist. (Zaidan)
76.7. Sie erfüllten (solange sie lebten), was sie gelobt hatten, und machten sich auf einen Tag gefaßt, dessen Unheil sich überall ausbreiten wird (kaana scharruhuu mustatieran), (Paret)
76.7. Sie vollbringen das Gelübde, und sie fürchten einen Tag, dessen Übel sich weithin ausbreitet. (Rasul)
76.8. And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him, (Pickthall)
76.8. Und sie geben die Speise, aus Liebe zu Ihm, dem Armen und der Waise und dem Gefangenen: (Ahmad v. Denffer)
76.8. und sie geben - obwohl man sie liebt - Speise zu essen einem Armen, einer Waisen und einem Gefangenen: (Bubenheim)
76.8. Sie geben ihr Essen (das sie selbst gern gegessen hätten) einem Bedürftigen, einer Waise und einem Kriegsgefangenen, und sie sagen dabei: (Azhar)
76.8. Und sie speisen die Speise trotz Liebe ihr gegenüber den Armen, den Waisen und den Gefangengehaltenen: (Zaidan)
76.8. und gaben (hin und wieder) einem Armen, einer Waise oder einem Gefangenen etwas - mochte es ihnen noch so lieb (und für den eigenen Verbrauch erwünscht) sein - zu essen (Paret)
76.8. Und sie geben Speise - und mag sie ihnen (auch) noch so lieb sein - dem Armen, der Waise und dem Gefangenen , (Rasul)
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