Let our beginning be in seeking refuge
with the Ultimate Refuge,
from sources of all deceptions and misguidance
In the Name of Allah Who is the Most Merciful, the Most Lovingly Compassionate
Qul ya ayyuhal kafirun
Truth be told: O those who have failed to see the Light of the Glorious Owner of Light
and thus who cover up the Truth.
la a'abudu ma ta'budun
I bow not in front of any illusions and decaying idols.
alas how you fail to see the Glorious Light!
wa la antum 'abiduna ma 'abud
And how will you recognize the glory of the all Glorious
while you veil yourself from your own light?
wa la ana 'abidun ma 'abadtum
Never will I give my heart to any illusions.
wa la antum 'abiduna ma 'abud
Keeping the illusions in your heart, never will you recognize the Truth.
And yet Truth must prevail over all rivals.
lakum deenukum, waliya deen
While yours is wandering in this flatland of delusions,
I am flying towards my Beloved Lord.
~ a rendition of the 109th chapter of the Qur'an, the Final Revelation to Mankind from its Creator. Here a non-linear rendition approach is taken where the goal is to appreciate the sublime and deeper meanings even when they are communicated in a different language. The language of the Qur'an is agonizingly brief, often they encapsulate so many meanings that one reader may discover and rediscover them over a life time and still the words and meanings from the Lord's revelation is not exhausted. Such is the power of Divinely revealed words.
And if all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), with seven more oceans were to add to its (supply), yet would not the Words of Allah be exhausted: for Allah is Exalted in Power and Wisdom. ~ Quran 31:27
The variety of languages of mankind is a Sign of God, as communicated in the Qur'an itself and thus it encourages one to work with the language of the Qur'an with the intention to go deeper and deeper into its meaning and to get and share a taste of its sublime beauty.
And of His Divine Signs is the creation of the cosmos and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are Signs for those of knowledge. ~ 30:22
Divinely revealed Words can never be translated, they can only be endlessly interpreted, rendered, or attempted to be understood, but never translated. No. Because it is revealed by the Fountain of Inspiration upon a sacred heart, in a sacred time and space in cosmic history that was what it was and remains as it is, and yet the inspiration, rendition, interpretation, drinking from its meaning can never be exhausted until the end of time.
When it comes to transmitting and communicating such an agonizingly brief language to a different one, specially for those ears and hearts who may not be familiar or oriented at all, be it culturally, traditionally, spiritually or religiously to the ethos of the Scripture ~ it is a great challenge. An attempt is made in this and such translations where the inner meanings and beauty are simultaneously communicated. May Allah forgive our limitations and accept our feeble attempt for the sake of our love of the Qur'an itself and the holy heart upon which it descended.
# Further:
* For original Arabic and literal translation visit here: Surah al-Kafirun.
* For word by word meaning and relationship of the words, visit Quran Corpus.
* The Transliterated Tajwidi Qur’an transliterated and translated by Shaykh Nooruddeen Durkee
* Online Interactive Tajwidi Quran
# Spiritual Virtue of Surah Kafirun:
The Prophet, may Divine Love shower his soul, said, ‘Recite surah al Kafirun and then go to sleep after coming to its end, for it is a clearance from the highest sin (associationism with God/ shirk)’ [Abu Dawud 4396 & Hakim 1/565]
Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas and Anas Ibn Malik reported that the messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said ‘It is equivalent to a quarter of the (spiritual blessings of) Qur’an’ [at-Tirmidhi, 2818/A].
Hadrat Khabbab says: "The Holy Prophet said to me: when you lie down in bed to sleep, recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun, and this was the Holy Prophet's own practice also; when he lay down to sleep, he recited this Surah." [Bazzar, Tabarani, Ibn Marduyah].
According to Ibn Abbas, Muhammad said to the people: "Should I tell you the word which will protect you from polytheism/ associationism? It is that you should recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun when you go to bed." [Abu Ya'la, Tabarani].
Abdullah ibn Umar Al-Khattab reported that Allah’s messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, “Qul Huw Allahu Ahad” is equal to a third of the Qur’an and “Qul ya ayyuhal Kafirun” is equal to a fourth of the (spiritual blessings of) Qur’an.” [at-Tabarani, classed as Sahih]
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