Towards Understanding the Quran
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Surah Maryam 19:83-98   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-15[1], 16-40 [2], 41-50 [3], 51-65 [4], 66-82 [5], 83-98 [6]
اَلَمْDo notتَرَyou seeاَنَّاۤthat Weاَرْسَلْنَا[We] have sentالشَّیٰطِیْنَthe devilsعَلَیuponالْكٰفِرِیْنَthe disbelieversتَؤُزُّهُمْinciting themاَزًّاۙ(with) incitement فَلَاSo (do) notتَعْجَلْmake hasteعَلَیْهِمْ ؕagainst themاِنَّمَاOnlyنَعُدُّWe countلَهُمْfor themعَدًّاۚa number یَوْمَ(The) DayنَحْشُرُWe will gatherالْمُتَّقِیْنَthe righteousاِلَیtoالرَّحْمٰنِthe Most Graciousوَفْدًاۙ(as) a delegation وَّ نَسُوْقُAnd We will driveالْمُجْرِمِیْنَthe criminalsاِلٰیtoجَهَنَّمَHellوِرْدًاۘthirsty لَاNotیَمْلِكُوْنَthey will have the powerالشَّفَاعَةَ(of) the intercessionاِلَّاexceptمَنِ(he) whoاتَّخَذَhas takenعِنْدَfromالرَّحْمٰنِthe Most Graciousعَهْدًاۘa covenant وَ قَالُواAnd they sayاتَّخَذَHas takenالرَّحْمٰنُthe Most Graciousوَلَدًاؕa son لَقَدْVerilyجِئْتُمْyou have put forthشَیْـًٔاa thingاِدًّاۙatrocious تَكَادُAlmostالسَّمٰوٰتُthe heavensیَتَفَطَّرْنَget tornمِنْهُtherefromوَ تَنْشَقُّand splits asunderالْاَرْضُthe earthوَ تَخِرُّand collapseالْجِبَالُthe mountainهَدًّاۙ(in) devastation اَنْThatدَعَوْاthey invokeلِلرَّحْمٰنِto the Most Graciousوَلَدًاۚa son وَ مَاAnd notیَنْۢبَغِیْis appropriateلِلرَّحْمٰنِfor the Most GraciousاَنْthatیَّتَّخِذَHe should takeوَلَدًاؕa son اِنْNotكُلُّallمَنْwhoفِی(are) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthاِلَّاۤbutاٰتِی(will) comeالرَّحْمٰنِ(to) the Most Graciousعَبْدًاؕ(as) a slave لَقَدْVerilyاَحْصٰىهُمْHe has enumerated themوَ عَدَّهُمْand counted themعَدًّاؕa counting وَ كُلُّهُمْAnd all of themاٰتِیْهِ(will) come (to) Himیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionفَرْدًا alone 19. Maryam Page 312اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelievedوَ عَمِلُواand didالصّٰلِحٰتِgood deedsسَیَجْعَلُwill bestowلَهُمُfor themالرَّحْمٰنُthe Most Graciousوُدًّا affection فَاِنَّمَاSo onlyیَسَّرْنٰهُWe (have) made it easyبِلِسَانِكَin your tongueلِتُبَشِّرَthat you may give glad tidingsبِهِwith itالْمُتَّقِیْنَ(to) the righteousوَ تُنْذِرَand warnبِهٖwith itقَوْمًاa peopleلُّدًّا hostile وَ كَمْAnd how manyاَهْلَكْنَاWe (have) destroyedقَبْلَهُمْbefore themمِّنْofقَرْنٍ ؕa generationهَلْCanتُحِسُّyou perceiveمِنْهُمْof themمِّنْanyاَحَدٍoneاَوْorتَسْمَعُhearلَهُمْfrom themرِكْزًا۠a sound

Translation

(19:83) Do you not see that We have sent devils upon the unbelievers who greatly incite them (to oppose the Truth)?

(19:84) Therefore, do not hasten (in seeking a scourge against them). We are counting their days.51

(19:85) The Day shall soon come when We shall bring together the God-fearing to the Most Compassionate Lord, as honoured guests;

(19:86) and We shall drive the guilty ones to Hell as a thirsty herd.

(19:87) On that Day none will have the power to intercede for them except those who received a sanction from the Most Compassionate Lord.52

(19:88) They claim: "The Most Compassionate Lord has taken a son to Himself."

(19:89) Surely you have made a monstrous statement.

(19:90) It is such a monstrosity that heavens might well-nigh burst forth at it, the earth might be cleaved, and the mountains fall

(19:91) at their ascribing a son to the Most Compassionate Lord.

(19:92) It does not befit the Most Compassionate Lord that He should take a son.

(19:93) There is no one in the heavens and the earth but he shall come to the Most Compassionate Lord as His servant.

(19:94) Verily He encompasses them and has counted them all.

(19:95) On the Day of Resurrection each one of these will come to Him singly.

(19:96) Indeed, the Most Compassionate Lord will soon create enduring love for those who believe and do righteous works.53

(19:97) Therefore, We have revealed the Qur'an in your tongue and made it easy to understand that you may give glad tidings to the God-fearing and warn a contentious people.

(19:98) How numerous are the peoples that We destroyed before them! Do you now perceive any one of them, or hear even their whisper?

Commentary

51. The Muslims were asked not to get impatient at the excesses the unbelievers committed. For the time for them to be struck by God’s punishment had drawn near; they had gone just too far, exceeding all limits.

The term granted to them by God was all but over, and one only had to wait a little while before they would be seized by God’s scourge.

52. The verse seems to suggest two things regarding intercession. Firstly, it will be possible only to intercede for those in whose favor God allows intercession. Secondly, intercession will only be made by those whom God permits to do so, such are the words of the verse that they seem to embrace both elements.

The one who conforms to the first statement is one who has faith and lives a good life in devotion to God, one who is deserving of God’s pardon and forgiveness. As for the second statement, it means that God will let it be known who may intervene, and it is only they, no one else, who will be able to intercede. This should dispel the illusions of those who look with great hope at some people, feeling sure that they will intercede on their behalf. What will actually happen is that no one except those whom God permits to intercede will be able to utter even a single word in His presence.

53. The believers throughout Makka were at that time subjected to the most abject humiliation. Here they are being told that that situation will not endure.

Soon they will become God’s favorites, the heroes of all mankind, on account of their moral excellence. People will involuntarily be attracted to them.

People will simply adore them, bowing to them in respect. As for their - opponents, they are doomed to ignominy. Leadership which rests on sin and transgression, on arrogance and trickery, can never win the hearts of people; the most that it can do is force them into outward obedience. Conversely, those — who invite people to the right way and are themselves invested with honesty, veracity, sincerity and good morals, are bound to win over hearts in the end even if they provoke revulsion at the outset. It is simply impossible for those who lack honesty and sincerity to impede their path for long.