Chapter 107 - Al-Maa’oon
Chapter Al-Maa’oon (107) is actually a target-oriented reprimand and condemnation directed towards the people on high administrative posts under the kingdom of God established by the holy Messenger. However, you will readily observe from the specimen of traditional translations given below that the narration is intentionally turned towards unknown abstract personalities instead of the responsible officials of the government. This was one of the crooked tactics employed by Umayyad despots to distort the aims and objectives of Quranic injunctions ordaining a benevolent welfare government. Kindly compare both given translations and note carefully the difference between fiction and reality.
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ ﴿١﴾ فَذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ ﴿٢﴾وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ ﴿٣﴾ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٤﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ﴿٥﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاءُونَ ﴿٦﴾ وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ ﴿٧﴾
Transliteration: “Arayita allazi yukazzibu bid-Deen. Fa-dhaalika allazi yadu’ul Yateem. Wa laa yahudhdhu ‘alaa ta’aamil Miskeen. Fa-wayilul lil-Musalleen allazina hum ‘an salaati-him saahoon. Allazina hum yura’oon; wa yamna’oona al-maa’oon.”
A specimen of inherited traditional Translations:
“HAST THOU ever considered [the kind of man] who gives the lie to all moral law? Behold, it is this [kind of man] that thrusts the orphan away, and feels no urge to feed the needy. Woe, then, unto those praying ones whose hearts from their prayer are remote those who want only to be seen and praised, and, withal, deny all assistance [to their fellow-men]!” (by Asad)
The latest Academic & Rational Translation:
107:1-7 (Addressing the holy Messenger) “Have you duly taken note of those who are practically falsifying (yukazziboo) the divine Mode of Conduct (Ad-Deen)? Be it understood once for all that these are the ones who are driving away (yadu’u) the helpless segment of society (al-yateem), and are not initiating (yahudhdhu) welfare schemes for the destitute and the penniless class (Ta’aam-il-Miskeen). Impose punishment (wayilun) on this category of responsible officials (Musalleen) who in fact exercise gross negligence (sahoon) in carrying out their duties (salaati-him); who only are showing off their status or positions (hum yuraa’oon), but actually are obstructing (yamna’oon) the flow of help, assistance, kindness and welfare (al-Maa’oon) to the people.”