Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)
content therewith, but if a trial befalleth him, he falleth away utterly. He loseth both the world and the Hereafter. That is the sheer loss.1
12. He calleth, beside Allah, unto that which hurteth him not nor benefiteth him. That is the far error.
13. He calleth unto him whose harm is nearer than his benefit; verily an evil patron and verily an evil friend!
14. Lo! Allah causeth those who believe and do good works to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow. Lo! Allah doth what He intendeth.
15. Whoso is wont to think (through envy) that Allah will not give him (Muhammad) victory in the world and the Hereafter (and is enraged at the thought of his victory), let him stretch a rope up to the roof (of his dwelling), and let him hang himself. Then let him see whether his strategy dispelleth that whereat he rageth!2
16. Thus We reveal it as plain revelations, and verily Allah guideth whom He will.
17. Lo! those who believe (this Revelation), and those who are Jews, and the Sabaeans and the Christians and the Magians and the idolaters — Lo! Allah will decide between them on the Day of Resurrection. Lo! Allah is Witness over all things.
18. Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honour. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.
1 Tradition says that the reference is to certain Arabs who came to the Prophet at Al-Madînah and professed Al-Islâm; then, if they prospered in a worldly sense, they were content, but if they had to suffer at all they relapsed to idolatry.
2 The meaning is that Allah will undoubtedly cause the Prophet to triumph in both worlds, and therefore his opponents have no strategy save that of despair.
