From the translation by
Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
About the translator:
Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss,
was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later
Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first
visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding
foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung,
and after his conversion to Islam travelled and
worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa
to as far east as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
After years of devoted study he became one of the
leading Muslim scholars of our age. His translation
of the Holy Qur’an is one of the most lucid
and well-referenced works in this category, dedicated
to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon” (For people
who think
Chapter 29, Verse 41
The parable of those who take [beings or forces]
other than God for their protectors is that of a
spider which makes for itself a house: for, behold,
the frailest of all houses is the spider’s
house. Could they but understand this!
Chapter 29, Verses 45 - 46
Convey [unto others] whatever of this divine writ
has been revealed unto thee, and be constant in
prayer: for, behold, prayer restrains [man] from
loathsome deeds and from all that runs counter to
reason; and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest
[good]. And God knows all that you do.
And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation
otherwise than in a most kindly manner - unless
it be of such of them as are bent on evildoing -
and say: “We believe in that which has been
bestowed from on high upon us, as well as that which
has been bestowed upon you: for our God and your
God is one and the same, and it is unto Him that
We [all] surrender ourselves.”
Chapter 29, Verses 57 - 59
Every human being is bound to taste death, [and]
in the end unto Us shall be brought back: whereupon
unto those who have attained to faith and wrought
good works We shall most certainly assign mansions
in that paradise through which running waters flow,
therein to abide: how excellent a reward for those
who labor - those who are patient in adversity and
in their Sustainer place their trust!
Chapter 29, Verse 67
Are they, then, not aware that We have set up a
sanctuary secure [for those who believe in Us],
the while all around them men are being carried
away [by fear and despair]? [ 1 ] Will they, then,
[continue to] believe in things false and vain,
and thus God’s blessings deny?
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Translator’s Notes
[ 1 ] In contrast to the “sanctuary secure”
- the inner peace and sense of spiritual fulfillment
which God bestows on those who truly believe in
Him - the atheist or agnostic is more often than
not exposed to fear of the Unknown and a despair
born of the uncertainty as to what will happen to
him after death.