Stem انۡقَلَبَ - Quranic Morphology

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And among men there is he who serves Allah, standing as it were on the verge. Then if good befall him, he is content therewith; and if there befall him a trial, he returns to his former way. He loses in this world as well as in the Hereafter. That is an evident loss.

اردو ترجمہ مرزا طاہر احمد خلیفة المسیح الرابعؒ

اور لوگوں میں سے وہ بھی ہے جو اللہ کی محض سرسری عبادت کرتا ہے۔ پس اگر اسے کوئی بھلائی پہنچ جائے تو اس سے مطمئن ہو جاتا ہے اور اگر اسے کوئی ابتلا آئے تو وہ منہ پھیر لیتا ہے۔ وہ دنیا بھی گنوا بیٹھا اور آخرت بھی۔ یہ تو بہت کھلا کھلا نقصان ہے۔

French

Et parmi les hommes, il y a celui qui adore Allāh se tenant comme sur la ligne de démarcation de la foi ; alors si le bonheur lui échoit, il en est satisfait ; et s’il lui survient une épreuve, il se détourne d’Allāh. Il perd dans ce monde aussi bien que dans l’au-delà. Cela est une perte évidente.

German

Und unter den Menschen ist manch einer, der Allah (sozusagen) am Rande dient. Wenn ihn Gutes trifft, so ist er damit zufrieden; trifft ihn aber eine Prüfung, dann kehrt er zu seinem (früheren) Weg zurück. Er verliert diese Welt so gut wie die künftige. Das ist ein offenbarer Verlust.

Chinese

有些人不是全心全意地崇拜安拉。如果他们得到[c]一些好处, 便满意于他们 (的崇拜); 倘若他们遭遇考验, 便转回他们 (以前) 的道路。这样他们就丧失今世和后世。这确是明显的损失。

Italian

E tra gli uomini c'è chi serve Allah stando ai margini della fede. Poi, se gliene viene bene, se ne dice contento; ma se gli sopravviene una prova, egli torna a comportarsi come un tempo. Costui perde sia in questo mondo sia nell'Aldilà. Questa è una perdita palese.

Spanish

Mas entre los hombres hay quien adora a Al-lah, en la línea fronteriza de la fe. Después, si le sucede algo bueno, se iente contento con ello; pero si le sobreviene una prueba, se aleja de Al-lah. Y pierde tanto en este mundo como en el Más Allá. Es una pérdida evidente.

اردو تفسیرِ صغیر

اور لوگوں میں سے (بعض) ایسے بھی ہوتے ہیں[1] جو اللہ کی عبادت صرف بددلی سے کرتے ہیں۔ پس اگر ان کو کوئی فائدہ پہنچ جائے تو وہ اس (عبادت) پر خوش ہو جاتے ہیں اور اگر انہیں کوئی تکلیف پہنچ جائے تو اپنے منہ کی سیدھ لوٹ جاتے ہیں‘ وہ دنیا میں بھی گھاٹے میں پڑ جاتے ہیں اور آخرت میں بھی اور یہی کھلا کھلا گھاٹا ہے۔

English - Short Commentary Translation

And among men is he who serves Allah, standing, as it were, on the verge.[1935] Then if [a]good befalls him, he is content therewith; and if there befalls him a trial, he returns to his former way. He loses both this world as well as the Hereafter. That indeed is a manifest loss.

English - Five Volume Translation

And among men there is he who serves Allah, standing as it were, on the verge. Then [b]if good befall him, he is content therewith; and if there befall him a trial, he returns to his former way. He loses in this world as well as in the Hereafter. That is a manifest loss.[2446]

33:20; 70:21-22.

Important Words:

حرف (verge) is infinitive noun from حرف (harafa). They say حرف الشیء عن وجھه i.e. he turned the thing from its proper way or manner or altered it therefrom. حرف means, the extremity, verge, border, margin, brink, side or edge of anything, as for instance the side of a river, the edge of a sword or the ridge of a mountain. علی حرف من امرہ means, such a one is in a vacillating condition, looking to the result of an affair, he turns to it if he sees what he likes, and turns away from it if he sees what does not please him. من یعبد اللّٰه علی حرف means, one who serves Allah standing aloof with respect to religion, in a fluctuating state, like the person who is in the outskirts of the army, so that if he is sure of victory and spoil, he stands firm, otherwise he flees away; or the meaning is, he who serves God in doubt or suspense being unsteady like him who is on the ridge of a mountain; or the meaning is, one who serves God in one mode of circumstances i.e. when in ample circumstances and not when in straitened circumstances (Lane).

Commentary:

The sense of the expression علی حرف (on the verge) is explained in the very next sentence, viz. if good befall him, he is content therewith; and if there befall him a trial, he returns to his former way. Taking the word حرف in the sense of suspense, the expression would signify that people of weak faith are always in a state of doubt and suspense. If by accepting the message of truth they hope to get some material benefit, they remain and act as believers but if belief is attended with trials and tribulations then they turn back on their heels. Taking this word in the sense of edge or brink, the expression would mean that such people have only a superficial knowledge of religion. They do not enter into its spirit and have no insight into it. Such waverers and doubters are always deprived of the very benefits they hope to get by their insincere faith.

اردو ترجمہ مودودی

اور لوگوں میں کوئی ایسا ہے جو کنارے پر رہ کر اللہ کی بندگی کرتا ہے، اگر فائدہ ہوا تو مطمئن ہو گیا اور جو کوئی مصیبت آ گئی تو الٹا پھر گیا اُس کی دنیا بھی گئی اور آخرت بھی یہ ہے صریح خسارہ

English - Sahih

And of the people is he who worships Allah on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.

اردو ترجمہ احمد علی

اور بعض وہ لوگ ہیں کہ الله کی بندگی کنارے پر ہو کر کرتے ہیں پھر اگر اسے کچھ فائدہ پہنچ گیا تو اس عبادت پر قائم ہو گیا اور اگر تکلیف پہنچ گئی تو منہ کے بل پھر گیا دنیا اور آخرت گنوائی یہی وہ صریح خسارا ہے

English - Talal Itani

And among the mankind (is he) who worships Allah on an edge. And if befalls him good, he is content with it, and if befalls him a trial he turns on his face. He has lost the world and the Hereafter. That [it] (is) the loss clear.

Chinese Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

c

70:21, 22.

اردہ تفصیرِ صغیر نوٹس ^*

1

آیت میں مَنْ کا لفظ ہے جس کے معنے جمع کے بھی ہو سکتے ہیں اور مفرد کے بھی۔

English - Arberry

And among men there is such a one as serves God upon the very edge -- if good befalls him he is at rest in it, but if a trial befalls him he turns completely over; he loses this world and the world to come; that is indeed the manifest loss.

English - Maududi

And among people is he who worships Allah on the borderline; if any good befalls him, he is satisfied; but if a trial afflicts him, he utterly turns away. He will incur the loss of this world and the Hereafter. That indeed is a clear loss.

English - Ahmed Ali

There are some men who worship God only from the margin. If there is some profit they are content; but if calamity befalls them they turn about, thus losing both this world and the next. This is indeed a palpable loss.

English - Yusuf Ali

There are among men some who serve Allah, as it were, on the verge: if good befalls them, they are, therewith, well content; but if a trial comes to them, they turn on their faces: they lose both this world and the Hereafter: that is loss for all to see!

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

b

33:20; 70:21-22.

2446

Important Words:

حرف (verge) is infinitive noun from حرف (harafa). They say حرف الشیء عن وجھه i.e. he turned the thing from its proper way or manner or altered it therefrom. حرف means, the extremity, verge, border, margin, brink, side or edge of anything, as for instance the side of a river, the edge of a sword or the ridge of a mountain. علی حرف من امرہ means, such a one is in a vacillating condition, looking to the result of an affair, he turns to it if he sees what he likes, and turns away from it if he sees what does not please him. من یعبد اللّٰه علی حرف means, one who serves Allah standing aloof with respect to religion, in a fluctuating state, like the person who is in the outskirts of the army, so that if he is sure of victory and spoil, he stands firm, otherwise he flees away; or the meaning is, he who serves God in doubt or suspense being unsteady like him who is on the ridge of a mountain; or the meaning is, one who serves God in one mode of circumstances i.e. when in ample circumstances and not when in straitened circumstances (Lane).

Commentary:

The sense of the expression علی حرف (on the verge) is explained in the very next sentence, viz. if good befall him, he is content therewith; and if there befall him a trial, he returns to his former way. Taking the word حرف in the sense of suspense, the expression would signify that people of weak faith are always in a state of doubt and suspense. If by accepting the message of truth they hope to get some material benefit, they remain and act as believers but if belief is attended with trials and tribulations then they turn back on their heels. Taking this word in the sense of edge or brink, the expression would mean that such people have only a superficial knowledge of religion. They do not enter into its spirit and have no insight into it. Such waverers and doubters are always deprived of the very benefits they hope to get by their insincere faith.

English - Short Commentary Notes ^*

Cross Refs:

a

70:21, 22.

1935

The Arabs say, Fulanun ‘Ala Harfin min Amrihi, i.e. such a one is in a vacillating condition, looking to the result of an affair he turns to it if he sees what he likes and turns away from it if he sees what does not please him (Lane). The Quranic expression means, one who serves Allah standing aloof with respect to religion, in a fluctuating state, like the person who is in the outskirts of the army, so that if he is sure of victory and spoil, he stands firm, otherwise he flees away. The sense of the expression 'on the verge' is explained in the very next sentence, viz. "if good befalls him, he is content therewith; and if there befalls him a trial, he returns to his former way." Or, the expression may signify that people of weak faith are always in a state of doubt and suspense. If, by accepting the truth, they hope to get some material benefit they remain and behave as believers, but if belief is attended with trials and tribulations, they turn back on their heels.

English - Pickthall

And among mankind is he who worshippeth Allah upon a narrow marge so that if good befalleth him he is 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.

English - Muhammad Ali ^ra

And among men is he who serves Allah, (standing) on the verge, so that if good befalls him he is satisfied therewith, but if a trial afflicts him he turns back headlong. He loses this world and the Hereafter. That is a manifest loss.

English - Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan ^ra

There are some among men who worship Allah half-heartedly. Then if good befall them they are content therewith; and if they encounter a trial they return to their former way. They lose in this world as well as in the Hereafter. That is a clear loss.

انۡقَلَبَ

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