The Distinction (Al-Furqân)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹Blessed is He who sent down the criterion to His servant that it may be an admonition to all creatures.

²He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: no son has He begotten nor has He a partner in His dominion: it is He who created all things and ordered them in due proportions.

³And yet they have taken besides Him gods that can create nothing but are themselves created; that have no control of hurt or good to themselves; nor can they control death nor life nor resurrection.

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Tabaraka lazi nazalal furqana ala abdihi liyakuna lilalamina nazira

²Allazi lahu mulku samawati walarddi wa lam yatahizu waladan wa lam yakunu lahu sharikun fil mulki wa halaqa kulla shaan faqaduarahu taqdiran

³Watakhazu min dunihi alihatan la yakhuluquna shaan wa hum yukhulaquna wa la yamlikuna li anfusihim duarran wa la nafaan wa la yamlikuna mautan wa la hayatan wa la nusuran

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴But the unbelievers say: “What is this but a lie which he has forged and others have helped him at it.” In truth it is they who have put forward an iniquity and a falsehood.

⁵And they say: “Tales of the ancients which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening.”

⁶Say: “It was sent down by Him who knows the mystery in the heavens and the earth: verily, He is often forgiving, most merciful.”

⁷And they say: “What sort of an apostle is this who eats food and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him?

⁴Wa qalal lazina kafaru in haza illa ifkun iftarahu wa aanahu alaihi qaumun aharuna faqad jau ttulman wa zuuran

⁵Wa qalu asattirul awwalina kutatabaha fahiya tumla alaihi bukratan wa assila

⁶Qul anzalahu lazi yaalamu sira fi samawati wal arddi innahu kana gafuran rahiman

⁷Wa qalu mali haza rasuli yakulu tuaama wa yamsi fil aswaqi lau la unzila ilaihi malakun fayakuna maahu naziran

[Commentary continues below.]

⁸“Or why has not a treasure been bestowed on him or why has he not a garden for enjoyment?” The wicked say: “You follow none other than a man bewitched.”

⁹See what kinds of companions they make for you! But they have gone astray and never a way will they be able to find!

¹⁰Blessed is He who if that were His will could give you better than those gardens beneath which rivers flow; and He could give you palaces.

¹¹No, they deny the hour: but We have prepared a blazing fire for such as deny the hour.

¹²When it sees them from a place far off they will hear its fury and its raging sigh.

¹³And when they are cast, bound together into a constricted place, therein they will plead for destruction there and then!

⁸Au yulqa ilaihi kanzun au takunu lahu jan natuyyakulu minha wa qalaz zalimuna in tar tabiuna il la rajulam mas hura

⁹Unzur kaifa darabu lakal amsala fadal lu fala yastatiuna sabila

¹⁰Tabarakal lazi in saa jaala laka hairam min zalika jan natin tajri min tahtihal anharu wa yajal laka qusura

¹¹Bal kazzabu bissaah wa atadna liman kazzaba bissaati saira

¹²Iza raat hum mim makanim baidin samiu laha tagay yuzaw wa zafira

¹³Wa iza ulqu minha makanan day yiqam muqar ranina daau hunalika subura

[Commentary continues below.]

¹⁴“This day plead not for a single destruction: plead for destruction often repeated!”

¹⁵Say: “Is that best or the eternal garden promised to the righteous? For them that is a reward as well as a goal.

¹⁶“For them there will be therein all that they wish for: they will dwell there forever: a promise to be prayed for from your Lord.”

¹⁷And the day He will gather them together as well as those whom they worship besides Allah He will ask: “Was it you who led these my servants astray or did they stray from the path themselves?”

¹⁴La tadul yauma suburaw wahidaw wadu suburan kasira

¹⁵Qul azalika hairun am jan natul huldil lati wuidal mut taqun kanat lahum jaza awwa masira

¹⁶Lahum fiha ma yasya una halidina kana ala rabbika wadam mas ula

¹⁷Wa yauma yahsuruhum wa ma yabuduna min dunil lahi fayaqulu a antum adlaltum ibadi ha ulai am hum dal lus sabil

[Commentary continues below.]

¹⁸They will say: “Glory to You! not meet was it for us that we should take for protectors others besides You: but You did bestow on them and their fathers good things until they forgot the message: for they were a people lost.¹

¹⁹“Now have they proved you liars in what you say: so you cannot avert your penalty nor get help.” And whoever among you that does wrong, him shall We cause to taste of a grievous penalty.

²⁰And the apostles whom We sent before you were men who ate food and walked through the streets: We have made some of you as a trial for others: will you have patience? For Allah is one who sees.²

¹⁸Qalu subhanaka ma kana yan bagi lana annat tahiza min dunika min auliya a wa lakim mat tatahum wa aba ahum hat ta nasuz zikir wa kanu qauman bura

¹⁹Faqad kaz zabukum bima taquluna fama tastatiuna sarfaw wala nasra wa may yazlim minkum nuziqu azaban kabira

²⁰Wa ma arsalna qablaka minal mursalina illa in nahum layakulunat taama wa yamsuna fil aswaq wa jaalna badakum libadin fitnah atasbirun wa kana Rabbuka basira

1. Please refer to verse 18. Worthless is a word foreign to the vocabulary of God. God said after creating man and everything, that they were very good. David said in the Psalms that we are wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalm 139:14). Jesus therefore warned that whoever shall say “thou fool” shall be in danger of hell fire. To call a person made in the image of God as worthless is more or less saying that God is worthless. A charge too strong to be made by a mere mortal.

2. Messengers of God do not all have the same background, some are of royal birth, another may be a shepherd, the son of a prophet, a historian, an African, an American, rich or poor. The essential thing is that they recognize the voice of God and not lead the people astray.

²¹And such as fear not the meeting with Us say: “Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord?” Indeed they have an arrogant conceit of themselves and mighty is the insolence of their impiety!

²²The day they see the angels, no joy will there be to the sinners that day: they will say: “There is a barrier forbidden altogether!”

²³And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered about.

²⁴The companions of the garden will be well that day in their abode and have the fairest of places for repose.

²⁵And the day the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and angels shall be sent down descending.

²¹Wa qalal lazina la yarjuna liqa ana lau la unzila alainal mala ikatu au nara rabbana laqadistakbaru fi anfusihim wa ataw utuw wan kabira

²²Yauma yaraunal mala ikata la busira yauma izil lilmujrimina wa yaquluna hijram mahjura

²³Wa qadimna ila ma amilu min amalin fajaalnahu haba am mansura

²⁴Ashabul jan nati yauma izin hairum mus taqar rawwa ahsanu maqila

²⁵Wa yauma tasyaq qaqus samau bil gamami wa nuz zilal mala ikatu tanzila

[Commentary continues below.]

²⁶That day the dominion as of right and truth shall be for the most merciful: it will be a day of dire difficulty for the unbelievers.

²⁷And the day that the wrongdoer will bite at his hands, He will say “Oh! would that I had taken a path with the apostle!

²⁸“Ah! woe is me! would that I had never taken such a one for a friend!

²⁹“He did lead me astray from the message after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!

³⁰And then the apostle will say: “O my Lord! truly my people took this Qur’an for just foolish nonsense.”

³¹And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy among the sinners: but enough is your Lord to guide and to help.

²⁶Almulku yauma izinil haqqu lirrahman wa kana yauman alal kairina asira

²⁷Wa yauma yaad duz zalimu ala yadaihi yaqulu yalaitanit takhaztu ma’ar rasuli sabila

²⁸Ya wailata laitani lam at takhiz fulanan halila

²⁹Laqad adallani anizzikri bada iz ja ani wa kanas Syaitanu lil insani hazula

³⁰Wa qalarrasulu ya rabbi inna qaumit tahazu hazal qurana mahjura

³¹Wa kazalika jaalna likulli nabiyyin aduwwam minal mujrimin wa kafa birab bika hadiyaw wa nasira

[Commentary continues below.]

³²And those who reject faith say: “Why is not the Qur’an revealed to him all at once?” Thus that We may strengthen your heart thereby and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow well arranged stages gradually.³

³³And no question do they bring to you but We reveal to you the truth and the best explanation thereof.

³⁴Those who will be gathered to hell on their faces, they will be in an evil plight and as to path most astray.

³⁵Before this We sent Moses the book and appointed his brother Aaron with him as minister.

³⁶And We commanded: “You both go to the people who have rejected Our signs”: and those We destroyed with utter destruction.

³²Wa qalal lazina kafaru lau la nuz zila alaihil qur anu jumlataw wahidah kazalika linusab bita bihi fu adaka wa rat talnahu tartila

³³Wa la yatunaka bimasalin illa jinaka bil haqqi wa ahsana tafsira

³⁴Allazina yuhsaruna ala wujuhihim ila jahan nama ulaika sarum makanaw wa adallu sabila

³⁵Wa laqad ataina Musa al kitaba wa jaalna maahu akahu Haruna wazira

³⁶Faqulnaz haba ilal qaumil lazina kaz zabu bi ayatina fadam marnahum tadmira

3. The Qur’an can be a number of things but a slow well arranged, systematic material it is not. The order in the arrangement of the Qur’an suggests that whoever it is that is responsible for it does not have a sense of order.

I could pick any book of the Bible and the story will flow. For instance Matthew’s Gospel is complete in itself, it starts with the genealogy and birth of Christ and concludes with the death and resurrection of Christ.

On the other hand, the God of the Bible has a logical and systematic order to the Book attributed to Him. It opens with the genesis of everything. It tells you how the world was created, on what day what was created and the composition of man.

After the fall of man, the Bible continues to chronicle the birth of the Jewish Nation through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It contains the prophecies of a Savior who will come and save all mankind. It contains the account of the birth of said Savior, His Ministerial development, the birth of Christianity, the growth of Christianity and it closes proudly and convincingly with the revelation of the end times.

In all it took over a thousand years and some forty authors to convey the mind of God and His Salvation plan to Mankind. Take Sura 19 for an example.

SECTION I (19:1‑15): This section deals with John the Baptist (Yahya). It tells one briefly about John’s parents and his birth. However, after one has read the entire section, one is still left in the dark as to the actual life of John, his ministry and his death. On the other hand the Bible and the Book of Matthew in particular tells us about the life, ministry and the death of John (Matt. 3:1‑17, 11:2‑10; 14:3‑12). This is the story of John as told by Matthew.

SECTION II (19:16‑40): This section deals with the story of Mary and Jesus. Though it has very little to say about the life, ministry and death of Jesus. It makes claims about Jesus not found in the Bible, such as Him speaking in the cradle in defense of His mother and Mary being confused with Miriam the sister of Aaron, It does not contain any of the teachings of Christ nor any of the miracles of Christ and it only alludes to His death and resurrection. On the other hand, a reading through the four Gospels in the Bible will tell you all you need to know about Jesus the man, the Prophet, the Priest and the soon coming King and Judge of the whole world.

SECTION III (19:41‑50): And no question do they bring to thee but We reveal to thee the truth and the best explanation (thereof). The story of Abraham is supposed to be told here. Yet you do not read about His wives, his children, his nephew Lot or any of the things associated with Abraham historically. The story of Abraham is recorded from Genesis (12) to Genesis 25:15. His call of God, his faith, the temptations he went through and basically anything you need to know about Abraham, you will read about them in this section of the Bible.

SECTION IV (19:51‑65): Five verses in this section are given to Moses and the rest of the section is given to Idris (Enoch). Apart from mentioning the call of Moses, nothing about him can be known here. Compare that to Exodus 2:1‑Deuteronomy 34:4. The birth of Moses is mentioned, the unusual circumstances surrounding his dramatic salvation by the Egyptian Princess. His choice to follow the God of his fathers, the reception of the decalogue, his battles, his victories and failures. Everything we need to know to help us understand his ministry will be found in the above listed section.

SECTION V (19:66‑82): Leaving the story of Moses, this section is about Allah and man. Allah speaks to Muhammad about man’s disbelieve in the resurrection and tells Muhammad that every Muslim believer will pass through the fire of hell. Allah goes on to say that they will save those who guarded against evil but leave the unbelievers in hell. This section here is contradicted in the Qur’an in that the Qur’an says that anyone who commits a misdeed will be thrown into the fire 27:90: “And if any do evil, their faces will be thrown headlong into the Fire.”

Do you receive a reward other than that which ye have earned by your deeds?’ The underlining factor here is this: 1) To err is human. 2) Therefore everybody at least has committed one evil in their lifetime. 3) This being the case then, there will be no exit for anyone who enters into hell. 4) Because they must receive the reward of their deeds. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus calls to mankind and says, come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. This is possible because whoever the Son shall make free is free indeed due to the fact that no man can come to the Father except through Christ (John 8:36, 14:6).

SECTION VI (19:83‑98): This section concludes the chapters which is dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. It concludes with more of Allah’s teaching to Muhammad. He continues to say that the wicked will be punished and there will be none with the power (exalted rank, authority ) to intercede for them. This passage is made clear in Surat‑al‑An’am 6:164 in these words: “...no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another...” In other words, no sinner can help another sinner.

In the end, Allah says that this Qur’an is revealed in Arabic to make it easy for Muhammad to warn his people. The point to note here is that because of sin, no man has the power to intercede for others. Both the Qur’an and the Bible say that Jesus was sinless (Qur’an 19:19, Hebrews 2:14‑18, 4:14‑16). That Jesus had and has an exalted rank (Qur’an 2:253, 3:45,55); Matthew 28:18; Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. That He went to heaven after His resurrection (Qur’an 3:55, Acts 1:11). That from heaven He intercedes for all mankind ( Romans 8:34 )... It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. This is just a cursory treatment of the matter at hand, and yet it shows how unorganized, and not so systematic the contents of the Qur’an are.

³⁷And the people of Noah when they rejected the apostles, We drowned them and We made them as a sign for mankind; and We have prepared for wrongdoers a grievous penalty

³⁸As also `Ad and Thamud and the companions of the Rass and many a generation between them.

³⁹To teach one We set forth parables and examples; and each one We broke to utter annihilation.

⁴⁰And the unbelievers must indeed have passed by the town on which was rained a shower of evil: did they not then see it (with their own eyes)? But they fear not the resurrection.

⁴¹And when they see you, they treat you no otherwise than in mockery: “Is this the one whom Allah has sent as an apostle?”

³⁷Wa qauma Nuhil lam ma kazzabur rusula agraqnahum wa ja’alnahum linnasi ayah wa atadna liz zalimina azaban alima

³⁸Wa Adaw wa Samuda wa ashabar Ras si wa qurunan baina zalika kasira

³⁹Wa kullan darabna lahul amsal wa kullan tab barna tatbira

⁴⁰Wa laqad atau alal qaryatil lati umtirat mataras sau afalam yakunu yaraunaha bal kanu la yarjuna nusura

⁴¹Wa iza ra auka iy yat takhizunaka il la huzuwa ahazal lazi baasal lahu rasula

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴²“He indeed would well nigh have misled us from our gods had it not been that we were constant to them!” Soon will they know when they see the penalty who it is that is most misled in path!

⁴³You see such a one as takes for his god his own passion? Could you be a disposer of affairs for him?

⁴⁴Or do you think that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are worse astray in path.⁴

⁴⁵Have you not turned your vision to your Lord? How He does prolong the shadow! If He willed He could make it stationary! Then do We make the sun its guide:

⁴⁶Then We draw it in towards Ourselves a contraction by easy stages.

⁴²In kada layudil luna an alihatina lau la an sabarna alaiha wa saufa yalamuna hina yaraunal azaba man adal lu sabila

⁴³Ara aita manit kataza ilahahu hawah afa anta takunu alaihi wakila

⁴⁴Am tahsabu an na aksarahum yasmauna au yaqilun in hum il la kal anami bal hum adal lu sabila

⁴⁵Alam tara ila rabbika kaifa mad da zil wa lau sa a lajaalahu sakina sum ma jaalnas samsa alaihi dalila

⁴⁶Summa qabadnahu ilaina qabday yasira

4. Please refer to verse 44. Indeed all mankind, like sheep have gone astray, each in his own path, pursuing desires and things in contravention to God’s will and purpose. The prophet Isaiah said it best in Isaiah 53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

Paul advances this notion in Romans 3:11‑18:

As it is written, "Not even one person is righteous. No one understands. No one searches for God. All have turned away. Together they have become worthless. No one shows kindness, not even one person! Their throats are open graves. With their tongues they practice deception. The venom of poisonous snakes is under their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Ruin and misery mark their ways. They have not learned the path to peace. There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Much religious talk has not changed mankind into the image of God with all His characteristics, the opposite characteristics has  manifested itself in us to our shame and destruction.

⁴⁷And He it is who makes the night as a robe for you; and sleep as repose and makes the day a resurrection.

⁴⁸And He it is who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings going before His mercy and We send down purifying water from the sky.

⁴⁹That with it We may give life to a dead land and slake the thirst of things We have created, cattle and men in great numbers.

⁵⁰And We have distributed it among them in order that they may celebrate Our praises but most men are averse but ingratitude.

⁵¹And had it been Our will We could have sent a warner to every center of population.

⁵²Therefore listen not to the unbelievers but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness with it.

⁴⁷Wa huwal lazi ja’ala lakumul laila libasaw wan nauma subataw wa jaalan nahara nusura

⁴⁸Wa huwal lazi arsalar riyaha busram baina yadai rahmatih wa anzalna minas samai ma an tahura

⁴⁹Linuhyiya bihi baldatam mai taw wa nusqiyahu mimma halaqna an amaw wa anasiy ya kasira

⁵⁰Wa laqad sar rafnahu bainahum liyaz zak karu fa aba aksarun nasi il la kufura

⁵¹Wa lau sina labaasna fi kul li qaryatin nazira

⁵²Fala tutiil kafirina wa jahid hum bihi jihadan kabira

⁵³And it is He who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: one palatable and sweet and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed.

⁵⁴And it is He who has created man from water: then has He established relationships of lineage and marriage: for your Lord has power over all things.

⁵⁵And yet do they worship besides Allah things that can neither profit them nor harm them: and the unbeliever is a helper against his own Lord!

⁵⁶And you We only sent to give glad tidings and admonition.

⁵⁷Say: “No reward do I ask of you for it but this: that each one who will may take a path to his Lord.”

⁵³Wa huwal lazi marajal bahraini haza azbun furatuw wa haza milhun ujaj wa ja’ala bainahuma barzakaw wa hijram mahjura

⁵⁴Wa huwal lazi halaqa minal mai basyaran fajaalahu nasabaw wa sira wa kana rabbuka qadira

⁵⁵Wa yabuduna min dunil lahi ma la yanfauhum wa la yadur ruhum wa kanal kafiru ala Rabbihi zahira

⁵⁶Wa ma arsalnaka illa mubas sirawwa nazira

⁵⁷Qul ma as alukum alaihi min ajrin il la man sa a ay yat takhiza ila rabbihi sabila

⁵⁸And put your trust in Him who lives and dies not; and celebrate His praise; and enough is He to be acquainted with the faults of His servants

⁵⁹He who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between in six days and is firmly established on the throne: Allah most gracious: ask then about Him of any acquainted with such things.

⁶⁰And when it is said to them “Adore Allah the most gracious!” they say “And what is Allah the most gracious? Shall we adore that which you command us?” and it increases their flight from the truth.

⁶¹Blessed is He who made constellations in the skies and placed therein a lamp and a moon giving light.

⁵⁸Wa tawakkal alal hayyil lazi la yamutu wa sabbih bihamdih wa kafa bihi bizunubi ibadihi habira

⁵⁹Nil lazi halaqas samawati wal arda wa ma bainahuma fi sittati ay yamin sum mas tawa alal arsy ar rahmanu fas al bihi habira

⁶⁰Wa iza qila lahumus judu lir rahmani qalu wa mar rahman anasjudu lima tamuruna wa zadahum nufura

⁶¹Tabarakal lazi jaala fis samai burujaw wa jaala fiha sirajaw wa qamaram munira

⁶²And it is He who made the night and the day to follow each other: for such as have the will to celebrate His praises or to show their gratitude.

⁶³And the servants of the most gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant address them they say “Peace!”

⁶⁴And those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing;

⁶⁵And those who say “Our Lord! avert from us the wrath of hell for its wrath is indeed an affliction grievous.

⁶⁶“Evil indeed is it as an abode and as a place to rest in”.

⁶⁷And those who when they spend are not extravagant and not niggardly but hold a just balance between those extremes;

⁶²Wa huwal lazi jaalal laila wannahara hilfatal liman arada ayyaz zakkara au arada sukura

⁶³Wa ibadur rahmanil lazina yamsuna alal ardi haunaw wa iza hatabahumul jahiluna qalu salama

⁶⁴Wal lazina yabituna lirabbihim suj jadaw wa qiyama

⁶⁵Wal lazina yaquluna rabbana srif anna azaba jahan nam inna azabaha kana garama

⁶⁶Innaha sa at mustaqar rawwa muqama

⁶⁷Wal lazina iza anfaqu lam yusrifu wa lam yaqturu wa kana baina zalika qawama

⁶⁸And those who invoke not with Allah any other god nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, not commit fornication, and any that does this meets punishment.

⁶⁹The penalty on the day of judgment will be doubled to him and he will dwell therein in ignominy

⁷⁰Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good and Allah is often forgiving, most merciful

⁷¹And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an acceptable conversion.

⁷²And those who witness no falsehood and if they pass by futility they pass by it with honorable avoidance;

⁶⁸Wal lazina la yaduna ma’al lahi ilahan akhara wala yaqtulunan nafsal lati har ramal lahu il la bil haq qi wa la yaznun wa may yafal zalika yalqa asama

⁶⁹Yudaal lahul azabu yaumal qiyamati wa yahkud fihi muhana

⁷⁰Il la man taba wa amana wa amila amalan salihan fa ulaika yubad dilul lahu say yi atihim hasanat wa kanallahu gafurar rahima

⁷¹Wa man tana wa amila salihan fa in nahu yatubu ilal lahi mataba

⁷²Wal lazina la yashadunaz zura wa iza mar ru bil lagwi mar ru kirama

⁷³And those who when they are admonished with the signs of their Lord droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind.

⁷⁴And those who pray “Our Lord, Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes and give us the grace to lead the righteous.”

⁷⁵Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven because of their patient constancy; therein shall they be met with salutations and peace.

⁷⁶Dwelling therein how beautiful an abode and place of rest!

⁷⁷Say: “My Lord is not uneasy because of you if you call not on Him, but you have indeed rejected Him and soon will come the inevitable!”

⁷³Wal lazina iza zuk kiru bi ayati rabbihim lam yakhir ru alaiha sum maw wa umyana

⁷⁴Wal lazina yaquluna rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa zur riy yatina qur rata ayuniw wajalna lilmut taqina imama

⁷⁵Ulaika yujzaunal gurfata bima sabaru wa yulaq qauna fiha tahiy yataw wa salama

⁷⁶Halidina fiha hasunat mustaqaraw wa muqama

⁷⁷Qul ma yaba ubikum rabbi lau la du a ukum faqad ka zabtum fa saufa yakunu lizama