Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)
not remote or indifferent, partial or capricious. Those who do good earn His favour, and those who do ill earn His wrath, no matter what may be their creed or race; and no one, by the lip profession of a creed, is able to escape His law of consequences.
It belongs to the middle group of Meccan Sûrahs.
The Romans
1. Alif. Lâm. Mîm.1
2. The Romans have been defeated
3. In the nearer land, and they, after their defeat will be victorious
4. Within ten years — Allah’s is the command in the former case and in the latter — and in that day believers will rejoice
5. In Allah’s help to victory. He helpeth to victory whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Merciful.
6. It is a promise of Allah. Allah faileth not His promise, but most of mankind know not.
7. They know only some appearance of the life of the world, and are heedless of the Hereafter.
8. Have they not pondered upon themselves? Allah created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, save with truth and for a destined end. But truly many of mankind are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord.
9. Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature
1 See Sûr. II, v. 1, footnote.
