The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary

«The meaning, the language, and every word and letter in the Quran, its sound when recited, and its text written upon various physical surfaces are all considered sacred.» — y extiende lo sagrado a todos los estratos del libro a la vez: el sentido, la lengua, cada palabra y cada letra, el sonido al recitarlo y el texto escrito sobre cualquier superficie.

«Considered the Book (al-Kitāb) by all Muslims, it has many names, such as al-Furqān (“the Criterion”) and al-Hudā (“the Guide”), but its most commonly used name is al-Qurʾān, which means “the Recitation.» — Nasr enumera los nombres del libro y traduce el que más se usa: al-Qurʾān, *la Recitación*.

«The Quran is the constant companion of Muslims in the journey of life. Its verses are the first sounds recited into the ear of the newborn child. It is recited during the marriage ceremony, and its verses are usually the last words that a Muslim hears upon the approach of death.» — y sitúa el libro en el ciclo entero de una vida: sus versículos son los primeros sonidos recitados al oído del recién nacido y suelen ser las últimas palabras que un musulmán oye al acercarse la muerte.

«The Quran is an ever present source of blessing or grace (barakah) deeply experienced by Muslims as permeating all of life.» — Nasr nombra lo que del libro se recibe con un término propio, *barakah*, y lo da por experimentado como algo que permea la vida toda.

«This Book, according to Islam, was revealed by Gabriel to the Prophet during the twenty-three years of his prophetic mission on different occasions during night and day, in both Makkah and Madinah, in such a manner that, although the words of the Quran came out of his mouth, its Author is God.» — Nasr enuncia la doctrina de la autoría con la distinción que la sostiene: las palabras salieron de la boca del Profeta y el Autor es Dios.

«The Prophet was the instrument through which the reality of the Quran, which existed with God on a level of reality beyond time, in what Muslims call the Preserved Tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ; 85:22), was revealed to men and women in this world.» — y sitúa la realidad previa del libro en la Tabla Preservada, al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ, con remisión a la aleya 85:22; el Profeta figura como instrumento.

«That is why revelation itself is often described as “descent” (tanzīl), which means that the Quran was a reality before its revelation or descent to the Prophet and therefore not his own words, as claimed by those who have denied the revealed nature of the Quran over the ages.» — de ahí, dice Nasr, que la revelación se describa como *descenso*, tanzīl: el Corán era realidad antes de descender, y por eso no son palabras del Profeta, contra lo que sostienen quienes han negado su carácter revelado.

«And yet something of the reality of the Prophet’s soul is present in the Quran, and that is why, when asked about his character, his wife ʿĀʾishah replied, “His character was the Quran.”» — Nasr matiza la distinción anterior citando la respuesta de ʿĀʾishah sobre el carácter de su marido: algo de la realidad del alma del Profeta sí está presente en el libro.

«The Quran contains above all a doctrine about the nature of reality on all its levels, from Absolute Reality Itself, that is, the One God, to the reality of creation both macrocosmic and microcosmic.» — al enumerar los grandes temas del libro, Nasr pone primero una doctrina sobre la naturaleza de lo real en todos sus niveles, de la Realidad Absoluta a la creación macrocósmica y microcósmica.

«God is One, at once impersonal and personal, transcendent and immanent, majestic and beautiful, beyond all that we can conceive and yet nearer to us than our jugular vein, as the Quran itself asserts so poetically (50:16).» — y dice el modo de esa unidad por pares que no se excluyen: impersonal y personal, trascendente e inmanente, majestuoso y bello, más allá de lo concebible y más cercano que la vena yugular, con la remisión a la aleya 50:16 dentro del propio paréntesis del impreso.

«The Quran also reveals a galaxy of Divine Names and Qualities, which by virtue of being revealed are sacred and provide the means of not only knowing God, but also of returning to Him.» — Nasr sostiene que los Nombres y Cualidades divinos, por ser revelados, son sagrados y son medio no solo de conocer a Dios sino de volver a Él.

«Islamic doctrine based upon the Quran distinguishes between the Divine Essence, which is beyond all names, qualities, attributes, and descriptions;» — y traza la distinción de tres planos con que la doctrina islámica ordena lo divino, empezando por la Esencia, que queda más allá de todo nombre y atributo; el tramo se corta en el punto y coma del impreso, y los otros dos planos son los Nombres y los Actos.

«The testimony of faith in Islam, that is, the first shahādah, lā ilāha illa’Llāh (“There is no god but God”), a phrase that was revealed in the Quran itself (37:35; 47:19), is not only the supreme statement concerning Divine Unity and Transcendence, but also the means of reintegrating all positive qualities back into the One.» — Nasr lee la primera shahādah en dos registros a la vez: enunciado supremo sobre la Unidad y la Trascendencia, y medio de reintegrar toda cualidad positiva en el Uno.

«Metaphysically it means that there is ultimately no reality but the Divine Reality.» — y saca de ahí la formulación metafísica: en última instancia no hay más realidad que la Realidad divina.

«No sacred scripture of which we have knowledge speaks more about the cosmos and the world of nature than does the Quran, where one finds extensive teachings about cosmogenesis, cosmic history, eschatological events marking the end of the cosmic order as it now exists, and the phenomena of nature as revealing Divine Wisdom.» — Nasr enuncia una comparación entre escrituras y la acota a lo que él conoce: ninguna habla más del cosmos y del mundo natural que el Corán, con enseñanzas sobre cosmogénesis, historia cósmica y fin del orden cósmico.

«In fact, the Quran refers to these phenomena as āyāt (“signs,” or symbols), employing the same word that is used for the verses of the Sacred Book.» — y señala que el libro llama a los fenómenos de la naturaleza con la misma palabra que a sus propios versículos, āyāt, *signos*.

«That is why they have so often referred to the cosmos as “the cosmic Quran” (al-qurʾān al-takwīnī), the meaning of whose “verses” can only be understood by means of “the written Quran” (al-qurʾān al-tadwīnī), that is, the book of the Quran, which is Islam’s sacred scripture.» — de ahí, dice Nasr, la fórmula de los sabios musulmanes: un *Corán cósmico*, al-qurʾān al-takwīnī, cuyos versículos solo se entienden por el *Corán escrito*, al-qurʾān al-tadwīnī.

«Of course, as many traditions of the Prophet (aḥādīth, sing. ḥadīth) have indicated, the Quran possesses an outward meaning (ẓāhir) and an inward meaning (bāṭin), in fact several inner meanings, the most inward of which is said, according to tradition, to be known only to God.» — Nasr consigna, apoyado en los ḥadīth, la doctrina de los dos sentidos: uno exterior, ẓāhir, y uno interior, bāṭin, con varios sentidos internos, el más interior de los cuales la tradición reserva a Dios.

«Grasping the multiple levels of meaning of the Quranic text is essential for learning to “read” the cosmic book and for the full understanding of all of its teachings, including the metaphysics, cosmology, science of the human state, eschatology, and spiritual life of which the Quran speaks.» — y hace de la captación de esos niveles la condición para *leer* el libro cósmico y para entender la metafísica, la cosmología, la ciencia del estado humano y la escatología de que el libro habla.

«it is important to emphasize that the Quran is the fundamental source of Islamic Law (al-Sharīʿah) and that, although historically the Prophet has been called, like Moses, a legislator, the ultimate legislator is considered in Islam to be God» — Nasr sitúa el libro como fuente fundamental de la Ley islámica y distingue dos legisladores: al Profeta se le ha llamado legislador como a Moisés, y el legislador último es Dios; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue con el nombre al-Shāriʿ.

«Himself, who is often called al-Shāriʿ, “the Legislator.” A few hundred Quranic verses deal in a concrete manner with law, while others deal with principles upon which revealed laws are based.» — la frase sigue en la plana siguiente nombrando a Dios al-Shāriʿ, *el Legislador*, y reparte el material legal del libro: unos cientos de versículos tratan la ley de modo concreto y otros los principios en que las leyes reveladas se fundan.

«In fact, for Muslims the Islamic Sharīʿah, or Divine Law, is the concrete embodiment of the Divine Will as elaborated in the Quran for the followers of Islam; and from the Islamic point of view the scriptures of all divinely revealed religions, each of which possesses its own sharīʿah (see 5:48), have the same function in those religions.» — y extiende la función a toda revelación: para los musulmanes la sharīʿah es la Voluntad divina hecha concreta, y desde el punto de vista islámico cada religión revelada tiene la suya, con remisión a la aleya 5:48.

«The Quran is also a book of ethics. It provides the criteria for discernment between not only truth and falsehood, beauty and ugliness, but also good and evil.» — Nasr añade el registro ético y dice qué discierne: verdad y falsedad, belleza y fealdad, bien y mal.

«Although it emphasizes that human beings should use their God-given gift of intelligence (al-ʿaql) to discern what is true, beautiful, and good, it also insists that it is necessary to have faith in the revelation that provides the final judgment as to what is true and good and in fact allows human intelligence to be fully operative rather than becoming atrophied by human passions.» — y ordena inteligencia y fe sin oponerlas: al-ʿaql discierne, y la fe en la revelación es lo que permite a esa inteligencia operar plenamente en vez de atrofiarse por las pasiones.

«This sacred history confines itself almost completely to the Abrahamic tradition and the Israelite prophets, although some Arab prophets not found in the Bible are also mentioned.» — sobre la historia sagrada del libro, Nasr señala que se ciñe casi por entero a la tradición abrahámica y a los profetas israelitas, con algunos profetas árabes ausentes de la Biblia.

«For Muslims, the sacred history narrated in the Quran was revealed by God to the Prophet; it is not simply a compilation of reports heard from Jewish or Christian sources.» — y consigna la posición de los musulmanes sobre el origen de esa historia: revelada por Dios al Profeta y no compilación de informes oídos de fuentes judías o cristianas.

«the Biblical accounts have a more historical nature, Quranic sacred history is more ahistorical and is revealed primarily to teach ethical and spiritual lessons. Quranic sacred history is seen more as events within the human soul rather than as just historical events in the world.» — Nasr traza la diferencia entre los dos relatos: el bíblico de naturaleza más histórica y el coránico más ahistórico, revelado sobre todo para enseñar lecciones éticas y espirituales y leído como sucesos dentro del alma.

«All human beings possess within their being, for example, the qualities of Moses and those of Pharaoh, the beauty of Joseph and the conniving of his brothers; this sacred history is a means of teaching Muslims about their own souls as well as about good and evil and the ultimate triumph of good over evil, if one takes recourse in God, seeks His Help, and has confidence in Him throughout the trials of life, as did prophets of old.» — y da la regla de lectura que se sigue de eso: cada ser humano lleva dentro las cualidades de Moisés y las del Faraón, la belleza de José y la intriga de sus hermanos.

«The Quranic conception of the march of time is in a sense cyclical: each cycle is marked by the descent of a message from God through a prophet, the gradual forgetting of that message by the particular people to whom it was sent, and usually the occurrence of a Divinely willed calamity, followed by the coming of a new prophet.» — Nasr describe la marcha del tiempo como cíclica y dice el ciclo: descenso de un mensaje por un profeta, olvido gradual del mensaje, calamidad querida por Dios, y venida de un nuevo profeta.

«But these cycles of prophecy are not endless. Rather, the Quran announces that the Prophet of Islam is the Seal of prophets (33:40) in the chain of prophecy and that after him will come not another prophet, but eschatological events that mark the end of this world and present-day humanity.» — y pone término a la serie: el Profeta del islam es el Sello de los profetas, según la aleya 33:40, y tras él no viene otro profeta sino los sucesos escatológicos.

«The Quran expresses these eschatological realities in a most powerful, concrete, and at the same time highly symbolic language.» — sobre el lenguaje de la escatología, Nasr lo da a la vez poderoso y concreto y altamente simbólico.

«Moreover, Quranic language is at once concrete and sensuous, to be understood by the simplest believers, and symbolic and metaphysical, to satisfy the needs of sages and saints.» — y hace de esa doble lectura un rasgo del lenguaje coránico entero: concreto y sensual para el creyente más simple, simbólico y metafísico para sabios y santos.

«The paradisal delights described in the Quran are not sublimations of earthly delights, as some have claimed; but earthly delights, both those that are permissible to Muslims in this life and those, such as wine, that are not, are presented as earthly reflections of paradisal realities.» — Nasr objeta la lectura que hace de los deleites del Paraíso sublimaciones de los terrenos e invierte la relación: los terrenos son reflejos de realidades paradisíacas.

«The Quran is also a book of knowledge, and for Muslims it contains the roots of all authentic knowledge as traditionally understood, not as seen by some modern scientistic commentators who seek to identify various verses of the Noble Book with this or that recent scientific theory or discovery.» — Nasr llama al libro también libro de conocimiento y acota en la misma frase contra qué: contra los comentaristas cientificistas que identifican versículos con teorías o descubrimientos recientes.

«In traditional Islamic civilization, all the Islamic sciences, from jurisprudence to astronomy, from theology to medicine, were considered to have their root in the Quran; in fact, all Islamic thought and art can be viewed as commentaries on it.» — y da la fórmula de la civilización tradicional: todas las ciencias islámicas, de la jurisprudencia a la astronomía y de la teología a la medicina, tienen su raíz en el libro, y el pensamiento y el arte islámicos pueden verse como comentarios suyos.

«Not only was the Quranic message foundational for the development of the Islamic sciences, but it was and remains the essential reality in the creation of the Islamic arts, whose principles derive from the ḥaqīqah, or inner truth, of the Quran.» — sobre las artes, Nasr deriva sus principios de la ḥaqīqah o verdad interior del libro.

«The fact that Islamic civilization has produced so much outstanding poetry, but practically no sculpture of consequence, and the fact that calligraphy is so central to Muslim life, are directly related to the Quranic message, in both its form and content.» — y liga al mensaje, en su forma y en su contenido, dos hechos de la civilización: mucha poesía y prácticamente ninguna escultura de consideración, con la caligrafía en el centro.

«The message of the Quran concerning religion is universal. Even when it speaks of islām, it refers not only to the religion revealed through the Prophet of Islam, but to submission to God in general.» — Nasr sostiene la universalidad del mensaje y la funda en el propio término: islām nombra también la sumisión a Dios en general, no solo la religión revelada por el Profeta.

«Therefore, in the Quran Abraham and Jesus are also called muslim in the sense of “submitter.”» — y saca la consecuencia sobre dos nombres de la historia sagrada: Abraham y Jesús son llamados muslim en el sentido de *sometido*.

«The Quranic message is based on the universality of revelation, and the Sacred Text states explicitly that there are no people to whom God has not sent a messenger, as in 16:36: We indeed sent a messenger unto every community, “Worship God, and shun false deities!”» — Nasr apoya la universalidad de la revelación en la aleya 16:36, que cita en la traducción del propio volumen: no hay pueblo al que Dios no haya enviado un mensajero.

«Many are aware that the Quran is concerned with religious life as well as matters related to both individual salvation and the social order, but fewer realize that the Quran is also a guide for the inner spiritual life.» — Nasr señala lo que de este libro suele pasar inadvertido: además de la vida religiosa, la salvación individual y el orden social, es guía de la vida espiritual interior.

«it also provides the means of returning to God here and now while still in this world. The Quran is therefore also a sapiential and spiritual guide for the attainment of the truth, a guide for the attainment of beatitude even in this world.» — y dice qué ofrece esa capa interior: un medio de volver a Dios aquí y ahora, con la beatitud alcanzable ya en este mundo; el tramo arranca a media frase del impreso.

«as we see in the Indica of Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī (d. 442/1048), written a thousand years ago. It is for the same reason that over seven centuries ago such Muslim seers and sages as Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240) and Jalāl al-Dīn al-Rūmī (d. 672/1273) wrote about the inner unity of religions, and somewhat later Sufis in India carried out religious dialogue based on mutual understanding with Hindu authorities and translated sacred texts of Hinduism from Sanskrit to Persian» — Nasr atribuye a la universalidad coránica la temprana ciencia musulmana de las religiones y nombra a sus testigos: la Indica de al-Bīrūnī, y siglos después Ibn ʿArabī y Rūmī sobre la unidad interior de las religiones, y los sufíes de la India traduciendo textos sagrados del sánscrito al persa.

«As the central theophany of Islam, a theophany whose every aspect is considered sacred, the Quran is the source of all that is properly speaking Islamic. As the living Word of God, it is the ubiquitous companion of Muslims from the cradle to the grave and provides the spiritual and religious space within which they are born, breathe, live, and die.» — Nasr cierra el repaso de los temas llamando al libro teofanía central del islam y fuente de todo lo propiamente islámico, y describe lo que da: el espacio espiritual y religioso donde los musulmanes nacen, respiran, viven y mueren.

«The Quranic revelation in a sense “shattered” the Arabic language and transformed it into the sacred language that it is for Muslims. It created a work whose language is inimitable and considered miraculous, a book that is believed to be untranslatable.» — sobre la lengua, Nasr dice que la revelación *quebró* el árabe y lo volvió lengua sagrada, con una obra inimitable y un libro tenido por intraducible.

«In this context it is essential to remember that in various religions where the revelation is considered by believers to be the directly revealed Word of God, the language in which it was revealed is a sacred language, as is the case of Hebrew in Judaism or Sanskrit in Hinduism; in religions where the founder himself is considered to be the Word or the Message, the language of the message does not play the same role.» — y traza la regla comparativa que lo explica: donde el creyente tiene la revelación por Palabra directa de Dios, la lengua en que se reveló es lengua sagrada, como el hebreo en el judaísmo o el sánscrito en el hinduismo; donde el fundador mismo es la Palabra, la lengua no cumple ese papel.

«For example, in Christianity Christ himself is considered to be the Word of God or the Logos, and in a sense the New Testament is the word of the Word of God. For two millennia traditional and Orthodox Christians have conducted the Mass in Greek, Latin, Slavonic, and, in the smaller Eastern churches, Aramaic, Coptic, and even Arabic itself. But for Christianity these languages are liturgical and not sacred.» — Nasr aplica la regla al cristianismo: Cristo es la Palabra o el Logos y el Nuevo Testamento es en cierto sentido la palabra de la Palabra, de modo que griego, latín, eslavo, arameo, copto y árabe son lenguas litúrgicas y no sagradas.

«But in Islam the daily prayers, the central rite that could be said to correspond to the celebration of the Eucharist in Christianity, are not valid if not performed in Arabic, whether the worshipper is Arab or non-Arab.» — y pone el contraste en el rito: las oraciones diarias no son válidas si no se hacen en árabe, sea árabe o no el orante.

«One might say that, just as in the Eucharist worshippers become “attached” to the Word, that is, Christ, by eating the bread and drinking the wine, which are transformed through the rite into his flesh and blood, in Islamic rites worshippers “devour” the Word of God» — Nasr propone la analogía entera: como en la Eucaristía el fiel se *adhiere* a la Palabra comiendo el pan y bebiendo el vino, en los ritos islámicos el fiel *devora* la Palabra de Dios; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«through the enunciation of verses in Quranic Arabic. For Muslims, Quranic Arabic is therefore, in the deepest sense, like bread and wine in the Eucharist or the body of Christ in traditional Christianity. Both are embodiments of the Word of God and therefore sacred. For Christians or those from a Christian background who wish to understand the full religious and spiritual significance of Quranic Arabic, it is not enough to compare it to Aramaic, which was the language of Christ, or the Latin of the Vulgate. It must be compared to the role of the body of Christ in the Christian tradition.» — y continúa en la plana siguiente cerrando la comparación: para entender el árabe coránico no basta compararlo con el arameo de Cristo ni con el latín de la Vulgata, hay que compararlo con el cuerpo de Cristo.

«For many philologists, Arabic is considered the closest to what German philologists call Ursemitisch, the original and primordial Semitic language.» — Nasr cita a los filólogos para situar el árabe como la lengua semítica más cercana al Ursemitisch.

«The fact that this language, Arabic, was chosen by God for the Quranic revelation is very much related to the nature of Islam as a reassertion of the primordial religion, where the last and the first revelations are united, where the omega reconfirms the alpha, where the alpha of the prophetic chain manifests itself in the omega point in the vast history of prophecy.» — y liga esa elección a la naturaleza del islam como reafirmación de la religión primordial, donde la última y la primera revelación se unen y el omega reconfirma el alfa.

«The language of the Quran has been “dead” to the changes of this world, but has remained most alive as the embodiment of the ever living Word of God.» — sobre la inmutabilidad de la lengua, Nasr la formula como paradoja: muerta a los cambios de este mundo y vivísima como encarnación de la Palabra siempre viva.

«It is true that in some places, such as Sūrah 26, “The Poets,” the Quran castigates poets and that some of the early detractors of the Prophet accused him of being just a poet in a pejorative sense. The reason for such criticisms is that in pre-Islamic Arabia poets were often paid panegyrists and soothsayers with little concern for the truth or for spiritual realities.» — Nasr consigna la censura coránica a los poetas en la sura 26 y la acusación de los detractores del Profeta, y da la razón que explica una y otra: en la Arabia preislámica el poeta solía ser panegirista pagado y adivino.

«According to many Muslim authorities, the prominence of the linguistic arts in pre-Islamic Arabia was among the reasons that the language of the Quran was chosen by God to be miraculous and that the Quran itself challenges anyone to produce its like (see 2:23; 10:38; 11:13).» — y refiere a las autoridades musulmanas la razón de la elección: la preeminencia de las artes de la lengua en la Arabia preislámica explica que la del libro sea milagrosa y que el libro rete a producir algo como él.

«The eloquence (balāghah) of the Quran is in fact considered to be miraculous (muʿjizah) and beyond the possibility of imitation by any human being.» — la elocuencia del libro, balāghah, la da Nasr por tenida por milagro, muʿjizah, y fuera del alcance de toda imitación humana.

«The Quran speaks of itself as a clear Book (e.g., 12:1; 26:2; 27:1), but this characteristic does not only indicate literal and outward clarity, for there are verses whose clarity becomes known only when levels of meaning beyond the outward are considered. Since God is both the Outward (al-ẓāhir) and the Inward (al-Bāṭin), as the Quran states (57:3), so does His Word have outward and inward levels of meaning.» — Nasr lee la claridad que el libro se atribuye junto con los dos Nombres divinos al-ẓāhir y al-Bāṭin, y de ahí deriva que la Palabra tenga también sentido exterior e interior, con remisión a la aleya 57:3.

«The Quran is like an ocean into which Muslims plunge, but whose depth can never be fully reached. If we remember the original meaning of the Latin verb comprehendere, which is “to encompass,” then it can be said that it is the Quran that encompasses or “comprehends” the reader, while the reader can never fully encompass the Quran.» — Nasr da dos imágenes para la relación entre lector y libro: el océano cuyo fondo nunca se toca, y el sentido latino de comprehendere invertido, con el libro abarcando al lector.

«The traditional esoteric Islamic science known as al-jafr, whose origin is attributed traditionally to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, who became the first Shiite Imam and the fourth Sunni Caliph), deals with the numerical values of the letters of the Arabic alphabet and their symbolic significance.» — Nasr nombra la ciencia esotérica de al-jafr, atribuida por la tradición a ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, y dice de qué trata: los valores numéricos de las letras del alfabeto árabe y su significación simbólica.

«It is similar to the science of gematria, which, based on the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, is significant in Jewish Kabbalah and in those schools of Christian mysticism usually known as Christian Kabbalah.» — y la empareja con la gematría, que sobre el alfabeto hebreo pesa en la cábala judía y en las escuelas de mística cristiana llamadas cábala cristiana.

«In The Study Quran we have not considered commentaries and separate Quranic studies based on al-jafr, but it is important to mention here their existence.» — Nasr declara qué queda fuera de este volumen y no lo calla: los comentarios y estudios basados en al-jafr no se consideraron, y su existencia se menciona.

«For example, according to Islamic metaphysics, all beings reflect certain Divine Names and Qualities, but man (homo or insān), meaning both male and female, is the only being in this world who in his or her full reality as the Universal or Perfect Man (al-insān al-kāmil) is the mirror that reflects all of the Divine Names.» — Nasr enuncia la doctrina del Hombre Universal o Perfecto, al-insān al-kāmil: todos los seres reflejan ciertos Nombres divinos y solo el hombre, varón y mujer, es el espejo que los refleja todos.

«Now, the Name Allāh contains all the Divine Names, and that is why one of the names of the Prophet, as the Universal Man par excellence, was ʿAbd Allāh and not, for example, ʿAbd al-Karīm, ʿabd here meaning the recipient and reflection of any of His Names.» — y explica por eso uno de los nombres del Profeta: ʿAbd Allāh y no ʿAbd al-Karīm, porque el Nombre Allāh contiene todos los Nombres.

«According to the science of al-jafr, the numerical value of Allāh is 66, and so is the numerical value of Ādam wa Ḥawwāʾ, that is, Adam and Eve, who in their androgynous union constitute the state of insān. Thus, the science of al-jafr helps one to grasp immediately and intuit this profound doctrine concerning the human state in relation to God.» — y da el cómputo con que al-jafr apoya la doctrina: 66 vale Allāh y 66 vale Ādam wa Ḥawwāʾ, Adán y Eva, que en su unión andrógina constituyen el estado de insān.

«the alif symbolizes the descent of the Divine Word from the world of Divine Transcendence, and bāʾ its reception in the human world and in human language, which is thereby sanctified. The point under the bāʾ symbolizes the meeting place of the two letters, of the vertical and the horizontal, and therefore constitutes the essence of all the letters of Arabic, hence of the Quran.» — Nasr lee las dos primeras letras como un par vertical y horizontal: el alif por el descenso de la Palabra divina y el bāʾ por su recepción en el mundo humano, con el punto bajo el bāʾ como lugar de encuentro y esencia de todas las letras.

«ʿAlī is reported to have said: “The whole of the Quran is contained in al-Fātiḥah (“The Opening”). The whole of al-Fātiḥah is contained in Bi’smi’Llāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm (“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful”) [this formula in Arabic begins with the letter bāʾ]. The whole of the Bi’smi’Llāh is contained in the letter bāʾ. The whole of the letter bāʾ is contained in the dot (nuqṭah) underneath the bāʾ. And I am that dot.”» — Nasr transmite el dicho atribuido a ʿAlī que esa simbología permite leer: el Corán entero en la Fātiḥah, la Fātiḥah entera en la basmalah, la basmalah entera en el bāʾ, el bāʾ entero en el punto, y el que habla dice ser ese punto; los corchetes son aclaración del impreso.

«ʿAlī was alluding here to his inner state of “supreme identity” or “supreme union,” to the full realization of unity (al-tawḥīd).» — y da la lectura de ese dicho: alusión a un estado interior de identidad suprema, la realización plena de al-tawḥīd.

«Turning to the formal structure of the Quran, it bears repetition that it is constituted of 114 sūrahs, which some translate as “chapters,” starting with al-Fātiḥah, “The Opening,” which consists of seven verses (āyāt), followed by al-Baqarah (“The Cow”), which is the longest sūrah of the Quran.» — sobre la estructura formal, Nasr repite el número de suras y nombra las dos primeras por su lugar: al-Fātiḥah con siete aleyas y al-Baqarah, la más larga.

«It is important to note, for those not familiar with the Quran, that the sūrahs are not ordered chronologically according to when they were revealed. Often parts of a sūrah were revealed, followed by parts or the whole of another sūrah, and then certain verses belonging to the earlier revealed sūrah descended. The order of the sūrahs itself is considered a matter of revelation, as the Prophet himself specified the location of verses in sūrahs and the order of sūrahs in relation to one another as they were revealed to him.» — y advierte que las suras no van en orden cronológico de revelación, y que el orden mismo se tiene por revelado, fijado por el Profeta.

«According to tradition, Zayd ibn Thābit compiled it, and this text was given to the first Caliph, Abū Bakr, after which it was left with the second Caliph, ʿUmar, and upon his death it was placed in the custody of his daughter Ḥafṣah, one of the widows of the Prophet.» — Nasr traza la cadena de la primera compilación según la tradición: Zayd ibn Thābit compila, el texto pasa al califa Abū Bakr, queda con ʿUmar y a su muerte en custodia de su hija Ḥafṣah.

«what ʿUthmān had scribes copy; copies were then sent to the four major cities of the Islamic world of that time, Makkah, Kufa, Basra, and Damascus, and ʿUthmān kept one copy for himself. These five texts then became the basis of the written Quran that we have today.» — Nasr cierra la historia del códice: ʿUthmān manda copiar, se envían ejemplares a Makkah, Kufa, Basra y Damasco y él guarda uno, y esos cinco textos quedan como base del Corán escrito de hoy.

«There was some discussion among the Companions concerning the numbering of some of the verses, and traditionally several schools of iḥṣāʾ, the Quranic science dealing with the enumeration of the verses, have been recognized. With regard to the recitation of the Quran, there are also variants in the declensions and different traditionally transmitted styles of psalmody. Some morphological variations are traditionally seen as something that testifies to the very polyvalence of the Quranic text.» — y consigna las discusiones sobre la numeración de aleyas y las variantes de recitación, con la lectura tradicional que hace de las variaciones morfológicas testimonio de la polivalencia del texto.

«The structure of the Quran is for all practical purposes one and immutable. It has undergone no changes over the ages, and Sunnis, Shiites, and Kharijites all accept the same text as the final revelation of God to humanity.» — Nasr sostiene la unidad e inmutabilidad de la estructura y nombra a los tres grupos que aceptan el mismo texto: sunníes, chiíes y jariyíes.

«Shiites and some Sunnis believe that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib also wrote down the Quran and therefore that there was a second original written copy of it; we know that ʿUthmān also had Zayd ibn Thābit consult with ʿAlī in assembling the definitive text of the Sacred Book.» — y consigna la creencia chií y de algunos sunníes en una segunda copia original escrita por ʿAlī, junto con el dato de que ʿUthmān hizo que Zayd ibn Thābit lo consultara.

«Polemical accounts in some apocryphal sources state that the Quran written down by ʿAlī possessed certain sūrahs that were deleted in the ʿUthmānic text, but this view is not accepted by mainstream Shiism or Sunnism, and the Quran used by Shiites today contains the same sūrahs and āyāt as the Quran found in the Sunni world except for a slight difference in the enumeration of a few verses.» — Nasr consigna también la versión polémica de fuentes apócrifas, que da por suprimidas en el texto ʿuthmānico ciertas suras del de ʿAlī, y dice quién no la acepta: ni el chiismo ni el sunnismo mayoritarios.

«In addition to being divided into sūrahs and āyāt, the Quran was also divided later into thirty parts (ajzāʾ, sing. juzʾ). Each juzʾ is also divided in two, creating sixty aḥzāb (sing. ḥizb), which are themselves divided into halves and quarters to facilitate reading and memorization.» — y describe las divisiones posteriores de uso: treinta ajzāʾ, sesenta aḥzāb y sus mitades y cuartos.

«The text is also divided into sevenths, known as manāzil (sing. manzil), which allow devotees to complete the recitation of the entire text in one week.» — los manāzil, séptimos del texto, los da Nasr por hechos para completar la recitación entera en una semana.

«Besides the recitation of the whole of the Quran, which terminates with a joyous celebration known as “sealing the Quran” (khatm al-Qurʾān), ordinary recitation usually involves reading and meditating on a small section at a time» — Nasr nombra la celebración que cierra la recitación completa, khatm al-Qurʾān, y describe la recitación ordinaria como lectura y meditación de un tramo corto por vez.

«There is practically no language spoken by Muslims in which a translation of the Quran does not exist, and in many cases there are numerous translations.» — sobre la difusión, Nasr sostiene que casi no hay lengua hablada por musulmanes sin traducción del libro.

«Although the Berbers were among the first non-Arab people to embrace Islam fourteen centuries ago, because of special social and cultural circumstances, a Berber translation of the Quran has been made available only recently for the first time. And in China for twelve centuries Chinese Muslims did not want or allow a Chinese translation to be made of the Quran; such a translation appeared for the first time only in the nineteenth century.» — y consigna dos excepciones que acotan esa afirmación: los bereberes, de los primeros pueblos no árabes en abrazar el islam, no tuvieron traducción hasta hace poco, y los musulmanes chinos no quisieron ni permitieron una traducción china durante doce siglos.

«no translation can take the place of the Arabic Quran in the ritual and liturgical life of all Muslims, whatever their mother tongue might be.» — y pone el límite de todas ellas: ninguna traducción ocupa el lugar del Corán árabe en la vida ritual y litúrgica.

«There is an art to the recitation of the Quran that must be mastered, and Quranic psalmody, when performed according to traditional norms, is considered the highest sonoral art in Islam, at the peak of the hierarchy of Islamic arts. It is, along with Quranic calligraphy and sacred architecture, the latter of which creates spaces in which the sound of the Quran reverberates, Islamic sacred art par excellence.» — Nasr coloca la salmodia coránica en la cima de la jerarquía de las artes islámicas y la reúne con la caligrafía y la arquitectura sagrada como arte sacro por excelencia.

«Outside of the daily prayers, the experience of the recitation of the Quran for most Muslims is passive rather than active; that is, most listen to the recitation rather than recite themselves. That is why those who are professional reciters of the Quran, or qurrāʾ (sing. qārīʾ), play such an important role in Islamic society. There is no part of the Islamic world in which qurrāʾ are not present, and most Muslims experience the Quran through their voices.» — y describe la experiencia mayoritaria del libro como pasiva: se escucha más de lo que se recita, y de ahí el papel de los qurrāʾ.

«Those who have memorized the entire Sacred Text hold the title of ḥāfiẓ, or memorizer of the Quran. The poet whom many, including myself, consider to be the greatest poet of the Persian language, that is, Shams al-Dīn Ḥāfiẓ (d. 793/1391), bore this name because he was a ḥāfiẓ of the Quran.» — Nasr nombra el título de quien memoriza el texto entero, ḥāfiẓ, y lo ilustra con el poeta persa Shams al-Dīn Ḥāfiẓ, que de ahí tomó el nombre.

«The ubiquitous presence of ḥuffāẓ is considered one of the miracles of the Quran, because in a mysterious way it facilitates memorization even by those whose mother tongue is not Arabic. In this vein, the Quran says of itself: Indeed We have made the Quran easy to remember (54:17, 22, 32, 40).» — y da la presencia ubicua de los ḥuffāẓ por milagro del libro, apoyándolo en la aleya que el volumen traduce *Indeed We have made the Quran easy to remember*, repetida cuatro veces en la sura 54.

«The two testimonies (shahādatān), one bearing witness to the Oneness of God and the other to the prophethood of the Prophet of Islam, both verses from the Quran, are the first words uttered into the ears of a newborn child and in most cases the last words uttered by a Muslim in the last moments of consciousness before death.» — sobre el papel del libro en la vida, Nasr sitúa los dos testimonios, ambos versículos coránicos, como las primeras palabras dichas al oído del recién nacido y las últimas dichas por un musulmán.

«Every positive act, from starting a meal, to leaving the house for work, to welcoming a guest to one’s house, to starting a letter, a book, or any other task legitimate in the Eyes of God, begins with the formula of consecration (the basmalah), that is, “In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,” with which the Quran itself begins;» — Nasr describe la fórmula de consagración con que todo acto positivo empieza, la basmalah, que es también el comienzo del libro.

«It can be said that the substance of the soul of a Muslim, whether male or female, is like a mosaic made up of the imprint of verses of the Quran upon that human substance.» — y resume la relación con una imagen: la sustancia del alma de un musulmán como mosaico hecho de la impronta de los versículos sobre esa sustancia humana.

«The Quran, complemented by the Prophetic wont (Sunnah), even affects in a subtle manner all aspects of comportment (adab), which includes not only thoughts, speech, and actions, but also bodily postures and physical faculties— how traditional Muslims carry themselves while walking or talking, entering the mosque, sitting in an assembly, or greeting others. The Quran also transforms the inner faculties, especially the memory, and affects even the dreams of believers.» — Nasr extiende el alcance del libro, junto con la Sunnah, al adab entero: pensamientos, habla, actos, posturas del cuerpo, la memoria y hasta los sueños.

«It is the Quran that made calligraphy, architecture, and Quranic psalmody the central sacred arts of Islam, and it is also the teachings of the Quran that prevented the development in Islam of iconic sacred art, which is so central to Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. It is the Quran that led to the development of the aniconic sacred art of Islam.» — Nasr atribuye al libro dos efectos opuestos sobre el arte: hizo centrales la caligrafía, la arquitectura y la salmodia, e impidió el arte sacro icónico que es central en el cristianismo, el hinduismo y el budismo.

«It is said in the Quran that God is its protector, and in turn His Word provides protection for believers. Its message, if heeded, protects Muslim men and women from sin and error, while its physical presence is considered protection from various external dangers.» — sobre la función protectora, Nasr distingue dos planos: el mensaje protege del pecado y del error si se atiende, y la presencia física del libro se tiene por protección de peligros externos.

«That is why many Muslims carry the Quran or some of its verses on their bodies, why they pass under it when embarking upon a journey, and why in days of old even the armor worn by soldiers in battle was inscribed with Quranic verses. That is also why the Quran is not only recited, but also physically placed near the head of a dying person as protection for the journey to the afterlife.» — y enumera los usos que de ahí se siguen: llevarlo encima, pasar bajo él al emprender viaje, las armaduras inscritas con versículos, y colocarlo junto a la cabeza del moribundo.

«Muslims also turn to the Quran for its therapeutic effect upon illnesses of both body and soul. There is a whole traditional science dealing with the therapeutic power of certain Quranic verses, and countless anecdotal accounts in all Islamic societies maintain the miraculous efficacy of these verses.» — Nasr consigna una ciencia tradicional del poder terapéutico de ciertos versículos y los relatos que en todas las sociedades islámicas sostienen su eficacia milagrosa.

«This aspect of the Quran is also the source of such practices in folk medicine as immersing particular verses of the Quran in water and then drinking it.» — y de ahí deriva la práctica de medicina popular de sumergir versículos en agua y beberla.

«The traditional Quranic art called al-istikhārah, which some have translated as “bibliomancy,” though this only captures one dimension of the practice, involves performing voluntary supererogatory prayers and then consulting the Quran for guidance or asking God for other forms of guidance, usually by means of a dream.» — Nasr nombra el arte de al-istikhārah, acota la traducción corriente por *bibliomancia* como captadora de una sola dimensión, y describe el procedimiento: oraciones supererogatorias y consulta del libro, a menudo por medio de un sueño.

«According to a famous dictum, there is no need for istikhārah when there is clear istishārah, that is, indication based on religious injunctions and/or God-given intelligence.» — y fija el límite de la práctica con un dicho célebre: no hay necesidad de istikhārah donde hay istishārah clara, indicación fundada en las prescripciones religiosas o en la inteligencia dada por Dios.

«For believers the Quran is not an inanimate book, but the living» — Nasr cierra la sección enunciando lo que el libro es para el creyente: no libro inanimado sino Palabra viva; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue en *Word of God*.

«Word of God. Its verses, words, and even letters are living beings that speak to believers and also mysteriously “hear” them.» — y sigue en la plana siguiente: versículos, palabras y hasta letras figuran como seres vivos que hablan al creyente y que misteriosamente lo oyen.

«We selected the most authoritative and widely read and accepted traditional commentaries as well as specialized commentaries that offered important information not always available in those commentaries that are more widely read; all of these are listed in the “Commentator Key.”» — Nasr declara el criterio de selección de los comentarios de que el volumen se sirve: los tradicionales más autorizados y leídos, más comentarios especializados con información poco disponible, todos listados en la Commentator Key.

«Our commentary is meant to take readers beyond the literal meaning of the text when necessary, to clarify difficult passages, to reveal the inner meanings of verses when called for, and to provide a reasonable account of the diversity of views and interpretations in matters of law, theology, spirituality, and sacred history put forth by various traditional Islamic authorities.» — y fija lo que el comentario se propone: llevar más allá del sentido literal, aclarar pasajes difíciles, revelar sentidos interiores cuando corresponde y dar cuenta razonable de la diversidad de opiniones en derecho, teología, espiritualidad e historia sagrada.

«Our hope is that this exposition will enable readers to interact on various levels with the Quran and remove the erroneous view, held in some non-Muslim quarters, that because Muslims consider the Quran to be the Word of God, they do not think about it or interact intellectually with it, whereas the Quran itself invites its readers to meditate upon and think about its teachings.» — Nasr objeta la idea, dicha de ciertos ámbitos no musulmanes, de que tener el libro por Palabra de Dios impida pensarlo, y opone a eso que el libro invita a meditar sobre sus enseñanzas.

«Our commentary, while based on the traditional commentaries, is not simply a collage of selections drawn from these books, but a new work. Our text has required making choices about both inclusion and exclusion of earlier texts in addition to providing in some places our own commentary, which is not found, at least in the same way, in the earlier sources.» — y niega que el comentario sea un collage de selecciones: lo da por obra nueva, con decisiones de inclusión y exclusión y con tramos propios que no están en las fuentes anteriores.

«In all instances we have sought to make the source and origin of our commentary transparent and to make clear when it is we who are expressing our voice.» — el volumen declara su regla de transparencia: hacer ver de dónde sale cada tramo del comentario y cuándo la voz es la de los editores.

«Traditional commentators have often given multiple conflicting opinions regarding particular verses. It should therefore be noted that when a particular traditional commentary conveys an interpretation, this does not mean that the commentator subscribed to that particular interpretation, only that this interpretation was mentioned in the commentary on that verse.» — y advierte cómo leer una remisión por sigla: que un comentario tradicional transmita una interpretación no dice que el comentarista la suscribiera, solo que la mencionó al comentar esa aleya.

«Moreover, we have tended to omit from the commentary purely conjectural and fanciful interpretations or legendary and folkloric accounts, particularly if they are not widely attested in the traditional sources or offer little in the way of a meaningful interpretation.» — Nasr dice qué se omitió del comentario: interpretaciones conjeturales y fantasiosas y relatos legendarios o folclóricos poco atestiguados en las fuentes tradicionales.

«Although we have relied heavily upon traditional sources, which are the mainstay of our translation and commentary, we have also consulted reliable sources based on both previous and recent academic scholarship in Quranic studies.» — y consigna que junto a las fuentes tradicionales se consultó bibliografía académica anterior y reciente.

«We have been fully aware that many of these resources suffer, from the Islamic point of view, from the fact that they do not accept the Quran as revelation, they have a truncated view of the Islamic intellectual tradition, or they reject the Islamic worldview as a whole.» — Nasr enumera las objeciones que desde el punto de vista islámico le hace a esa bibliografía: no acepta el libro como revelación, tiene una visión truncada de la tradición intelectual islámica o rechaza la cosmovisión islámica entera.

«it is important to mention for those not familiar with them that technically tafsīr refers to a commentary on a part or the whole text of the Quran organized according to the order of the Quranic verses and written to clarify and bring out its range of meaning and implications.» — el volumen define técnicamente el tafsīr: comentario de parte o del todo del texto, ordenado según el orden de las aleyas, escrito para aclarar y desplegar su rango de sentido.

«In our commentary we have made use primarily of tafsīrs, but also when necessary works from the second category.» — y declara de cuál de las dos categorías se sirve: principalmente tafsīrs, y cuando hace falta obras de la otra.

«The traditional commentators were usually men of great erudition, with profound knowledge not only of the Quran, but also of the different Islamic religious and intellectual disciplines. Their works therefore usually provide a vivid picture of the lively Islamic intellectual scene of their time.» — Nasr caracteriza a los comentaristas tradicionales por su erudición y sostiene que sus obras dan un cuadro vivo de la escena intelectual islámica de su tiempo.

«They often cite opposing opinions and views concerning various theological, ethical, or legal issues, but treat their opponents with confidence in their own position and usually with the courtesy and respect that is characteristic of disputations in the Islamic intellectual tradition as a whole.» — y describe el tono de sus disputas: citan las opiniones contrarias y tratan a sus oponentes con confianza en la propia posición y con la cortesía propia de la disputa islámica.

«One needs only to thumb through the tafsīr of al-Rāzī or of al-Qurṭubī to see the lively intellectual ambience in which they flourished and the courteous tone of their disputations.» — y nombra dos comentarios donde eso se ve: el tafsīr de al-Rāzī, sigla R en la Commentator Key, y el de al-Qurṭubī, sigla Q; el troceo parte el nombre en el cambio de renglón.

«Since this work is meant to be an aid in the study of the Quran, we have included a large number of essays at the suggestion of the publisher to deal separately with various major themes contained in the Quran.» — sobre los ensayos, Nasr dice de quién salió la idea: del editor, para tratar por separado los grandes temas del libro.

«The essays are in a sense a separate book within this book and can be read either as a supplement to our translation and commentary or as an independent work on Quranic studies written by some of the most competent Muslim scholars of today.» — y los da por libro aparte dentro del libro, legible como suplemento de la traducción y del comentario o como obra independiente de estudios coránicos.

«The commentary we have provided has been composed with the aim of creating a work that is accessible to the general English-reading public, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, and that can also be of use to scholars and serious students of the Quran, again Muslim or otherwise.» — el volumen declara su público: el lector general de lengua inglesa, musulmán o no, y también los estudiosos y estudiantes serios del libro.

«No previous knowledge of Arabic or the technical vocabulary of the Quran is necessary in order to understand our commentary, although we have included transliterations of Arabic terms whenever we deemed them valuable for those who have some knowledge of Arabic.» — y fija que no se requiere conocimiento previo de árabe ni del vocabulario técnico, aunque se incluyan transliteraciones.

«We have provided indexes and internal citations and designed the work with red sūrah and verse numberings in the header, the translation, and the commentary in order to facilitate easy navigation and enable readers to reference quickly what they are seeking.» — Nasr describe el diseño de navegación del volumen: índices, citas internas y los números de sura y aleya en rojo en el encabezado, la traducción y el comentario.

«As noted above, for Muslims the Quran is the Word of God; it is sacred scripture, not a work of “literature,” a manual of law, or a text of theology, philosophy, or history, although it is of incomparable literary quality, contains many injunctions about Sacred Law, is replete with verses of metaphysical, theological, and philosophical significance, and contains many accounts of sacred history.» — Nasr enuncia lo que el libro es y lo que no es, sin negar lo segundo: escritura sagrada y no literatura, manual de derecho, teología, filosofía o historia, aunque tenga calidad literaria incomparable y contenga prescripciones legales, metafísica e historia sagrada.

«For traditional Muslims the Quran is not a typical “read” or a manual to be studied. For most of them, the most fruitful way of interacting with the Quran is not to sit down and read the Sacred Text from cover to cover (although there are exceptions, such as completing the whole text during Ramadan). It is, rather, to recite a section with full awareness of it as the Word of God and to meditate upon it as one whose soul is being directly addressed, as the Prophet’s soul was addressed during its revelation.» — y dice cuál es, para el musulmán tradicional, el modo fructífero de tratar con el libro: no leerlo de cabo a rabo sino recitar un tramo con plena conciencia de que es Palabra de Dios y meditarlo como quien tiene el alma directamente interpelada.

«In this context it must be remembered that the Quran itself speaks constantly of the Origin and the Return, of all things coming from God and returning to Him, who Himself has no origin or end. As the Word of God, the Quran also seems to have no beginning and no end.» — Nasr liga la forma del libro a lo que el libro dice: habla sin cesar del Origen y del Retorno, y como Palabra de Dios parece él mismo no tener comienzo ni fin.

«Certain turns of phrase and teachings about the Divine Reality, the human condition, the life of this world, and the Hereafter are often repeated, but they are not mere repetitions. Rather, each iteration of a particular word, phrase, or verse opens the door of a hidden passage to other parts of the Quran. Each coda is always a prelude to an as yet undiscovered truth.» — Nasr niega que las repeticiones del libro sean meras repeticiones: cada iteración de una palabra, una frase o una aleya abre el paso a otras partes del texto, y cada coda es preludio de una verdad no descubierta.

«In contrast to the Bible, which is more like a library than a book with a single voice, the Quran has a single voice, the Voice of God as spoken to a single prophet, and in a sense is itself a commentary upon itself.» — Nasr contrasta los dos libros por su voz: la Biblia como biblioteca de voces y el Corán con una sola, la Voz de Dios hablada a un solo profeta, de modo que el libro es comentario de sí mismo.

«Although each word and even letter of the Quran is like a living being unto itself, on another level it can be said that each part exists in relation to other parts and together they function as a light that illuminates an object in such a way that we can see it from many different angles.» — y da la imagen con que ordena las dos lecturas: cada palabra y cada letra como ser vivo por sí, y a la vez cada parte en relación con las otras, funcionando juntas como una luz que deja ver el objeto desde muchos ángulos.

«The science of al-jafr brings out remarkable aspects of the inner teachings of the Quran, including the meaning of the mysterious separated letters» — Nasr dice qué saca a la luz la ciencia de al-jafr, entre otras cosas el sentido de las misteriosas letras separadas; el verbatim se corta antes del paréntesis porque el troceo parte *al-muqaṭṭaʿah* a fin de renglón y la extracción por programa la fundiría.

«that appear at the beginning of twenty-nine sūrahs, and elucidates many basic doctrines.» — y sitúa esas letras al comienzo de veintinueve suras, con la ciencia elucidando además muchas doctrinas básicas; el tramo arranca a media frase, tras el paréntesis que da la forma árabe.

«In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. * Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, + the Compassionate, the Merciful, J Master of the Day of Judgment. Z Thee we worship and from Thee we seek help. j Guide us upon the straight path, z the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those who incur wrath, nor of those who are astray.» — el Corán, sura 1 al-Fātiḥah, entera en la traducción del volumen: la invocación, la alabanza al Señor de los mundos, el Señorío del Día del Juicio, la adoración y la petición de auxilio, y la petición de guía por el camino recto; los signos sueltos entre frases son los medallones de numeración de aleya, que la capa de texto rinde como ¡ * + J Z j z.

«Al-Fātiḥah is considered by the vast majority of scholars to be among the first sūrahs to have been revealed in Makkah. According to Mujāhid (d. 104/722–23), one of the leading scholars among the second generation of Muslims, this sūrah was revealed in Madinah (W).» — el comentario sitúa la sura 1 entre las primeras reveladas en La Meca y consigna la opinión contraria que al-Wāḥidī, sigla W, recoge de Mujāhid: revelada en Medina.

«Most scholars claim that this is impossible, however, as the Muslims would not have been able to perform their required prayers without it (Q, Ṭ, W).» — y da la razón con que la mayoría de los eruditos objeta esa opinión, según al-Qurṭubī, al-Ṭabarī y al-Wāḥidī: sin esta sura los musulmanes no habrían podido hacer sus oraciones obligatorias.

«The primary meaning of al-Fātiḥah is “The Opening,” which indicates the sūrah’s function as “the opening of the Book” (Fātiḥat al-kitāb) and as the first sūrah to be recited in each cycle (rakʿah) of all the canonical prayers as well as the manner in which it serves as an opening for many functions in everyday Islamic life.» — el comentario reparte el sentido del nombre de la sura 1 en tres funciones: apertura del Libro, primera sura recitada en cada ciclo de toda oración canónica, y apertura de muchos actos de la vida cotidiana.

«The Fātiḥah is often believed to be a synthesis of the Quran’s message and to be its most important sūrah. Hence it has been given the title Umm al-kitāb, “Mother of the Book,” a term also applied to other aspects of the Quran (3:7) and to the celestial archetype of the Quran and in fact all sacred scripture (see 13:39; 43:4).» — y consigna el título de Umm al-kitāb, *Madre del Libro*, aplicado también al arquetipo celestial del Corán y de toda escritura sagrada, con remisión a 3:7, 13:39 y 43:4.

«Other titles are “The Seven Oft-Repeated” (al-Sabʿ al-mathānī, 15:87); “The Cure” (al-Shifāʾ), because it is said to have healing powers for both body and soul; and “The Foundation” (al-Asās), because it serves as a foundation for the whole of the Quran.» — el comentario enumera otros títulos de la sura 1 y la razón de cada uno: al-Sabʿ al-mathānī por 15:87, al-Shifāʾ por sus poderes curativos de cuerpo y alma, y al-Asās por servir de fundamento al libro entero.

«In one, the Prophet told a man that he would teach him the greatest sūrah; when asked what it was, the Prophet responded, “It is Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, the seven oft-repeated, and the Mighty Quran [15:87] that I was given” (IK, W).» — el comentario transmite, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Wāḥidī, el dicho en que el Profeta identifica la mayor sura con la alabanza, los siete oft-repetidos y el Corán poderoso; los corchetes remiten a 15:87.

«A famous ḥadīth qudsī—that is, a non-Quranic saying of God reported by the Prophet—states, “I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have that for which he prays. When the servant says, ‘Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds,’ God says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When the servant says, ‘The Compassionate, the Merciful,’ God says, ‘My servant has magnified Me.’ When the servant says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ God says, ‘My servant has glorified Me. . . . This is My portion and to him belongs what remains’” (Ṭ, Ṭs).» — y transmite, con al-Ṭabarī y al-Ṭabrisī, el ḥadīth qudsī que reparte la oración entre Dios y su siervo versículo a versículo; el propio comentario define el ḥadīth qudsī como dicho no coránico de Dios referido por el Profeta.

«Seen in this light, the Fātiḥah is more than the confessional prayer of Muslims. It is a prayer that encapsulates all the metaphysical and eschatological realities of which human beings must remain conscious; God asks human beings to recite it because it contains in principle the nature of God and the disposition God wishes them to have toward Him.» — el comentario saca de ahí la lectura de la sura 1: más que oración confesional, plegaria que encierra las realidades metafísicas y escatológicas de que el ser humano debe permanecer consciente.

«The Fātiḥah thus has a threefold structure: the first three verses deal with the nature of God, the middle verse deals with the relationship between God and human beings, and the last three verses deal with the various states of human beings.» — y le da una estructura de tres tiempos: las tres primeras aleyas sobre la naturaleza de Dios, la del medio sobre la relación entre Dios y los seres humanos, y las tres últimas sobre los estados humanos.

«In one the Prophet says, “By Him in Whose Hand lies my soul, in neither the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, nor the Quran was the like of it revealed” (IK, Sh).» — el comentario transmite, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Shawkānī, el dicho que pone a la sura 1 por encima de lo revelado en la Torá, los Salmos, el Evangelio y el propio Corán.

«The exalted status of the Fātiḥah has resulted in numerous independent commentaries upon it, some numbering hundreds of pages. Such commentaries, which could be said to constitute a subgenre of Quranic exegesis, often attempt to illustrate the manner in which the whole of the Quran is contained in this sūrah.» — el comentario consigna un subgénero entero de la exégesis coránica: comentarios independientes a la sura 1, algunos de cientos de páginas, que tratan de mostrar cómo el Corán entero cabe en ella.

«This point can be understood to represent the first drop of ink from the Divine Pen (al-qalam; see 68:1c; 96:4c) with which God wrote the archetypes of all things upon the Preserved Tablet (al-lawḥ al-maḥfūẓ; see 85:22c) before their descent into the realm of creation. In this sense, just as the basmalah marks the beginning of the Quran, so too does it mark the beginning of creation.» — el comentario lee el punto bajo el bāʾ del dicho de ʿAlī como la primera gota de tinta del Cálamo divino con que Dios escribió los arquetipos sobre la Tabla Preservada: la basmalah abre el libro como abre la creación.

«1All but one of the 114 sūrahs of the Quran begin with In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, known as the basmalah in Arabic, which also appears in 27:30. There is a debate as to whether the basmalah is a verse of each sūrah or an indication of the beginning of a new sūrah.» — el comentario de 1:1 consigna que la basmalah abre 113 de las 114 suras y deja abierta la disputa sobre si es aleya de cada sura o marca de comienzo; la cifra pegada a *All* es el número de aleya, que el troceo funde con la primera palabra.

«Based upon a saying of Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (d. 148/765), the sixth Shiite Imam, who was also a pivotal intellectual figure in the Sunni tradition, which states that the basmalah is “the greatest verse in the Book of God,” Shiite scholars all maintain that the basmalah is a verse of the Fātiḥah and of every other sūrah that begins with it (Ṭb, Ṭs).» — y consigna la posición chií sobre esa disputa, con Ṭabāṭabāʾī y al-Ṭabrisī: apoyados en un dicho de Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq que llama a la basmalah la mayor aleya del Libro de Dios, los eruditos chiíes la tienen por aleya de la Fātiḥah y de toda sura que con ella empieza.

«The preposition in (bi) could imply a verb at the beginning of the sentence, such as “I begin” or “I seek help” in the Name of God (R, Ṭb), or a noun, such as “The beginning of the discussion is in the Name of God” (R). Alternately, these same phrases could be seen as following the verse, for example, “In the Name of God I begin” (R).» — el comentario despliega, con al-Rāzī y Ṭabāṭabāʾī, las lecturas gramaticales de la preposición bi de la basmalah: verbo elidido, nombre elidido, o el verbo después.

«In the Name of God is also understood to mean, “I began in the Name of God, so you too begin,” as if God were saying, “I began through My Name, was united with My Name, and have commenced in My Name, so begin through My Name, unite with My Name, and commence in My Name” (My).» — y recoge de al-Maybudī, sigla My, la lectura en que Dios habla en primera persona: empecé por Mi Nombre, me uní a Mi Nombre, comenzad vosotros por Mi Nombre.

«God renders Allāh, which according to some is a unique word with no root and according to others derives from the word al-Ilāh, or “the Divine” (Ṭb).» — el comentario consigna las dos etimologías que Ṭabāṭabāʾī recoge para Allāh: palabra única sin raíz, o derivada de al-Ilāh.

«The Quranic usage of Allāh indicates that it was already known to the pre-Islamic Arabs, as in 43:87, which says of the pagan Arabs, Wert thou to ask them, “Who created you?” they would surely say, “God (Allāh)” (cf. 29:61, 63; 31:25; 39:38).» — y sostiene, con la aleya 43:87 en la traducción del volumen, que el nombre Allāh ya era conocido de los árabes preislámicos.

«Allāh is not only the most universal and all-embracing Name, but also the most specific of the Divine Names in that it cannot be used to describe any being other than God, whereas some other Divine Names may (al-Ghazzālī, Divine Names).» — el comentario cita a al-Ghazzālī para el rasgo que distingue al nombre Allāh de los demás Nombres divinos: es el más universal y a la vez el más específico, porque no puede describir a ningún otro ser.

«The ordering of the three Divine Names in the basmalah can be seen as an allusion to the levels of Divinity in relation to the created order: God (Allāh) refers to the Divine Essence, Principle, or Self; the Compassionate (al-Raḥmān) refers to the unity of God’s Attributes; and the Merciful (al-Raḥīm) to the unity of God’s acts (K).» — y lee, con al-Kāshānī, el orden de los tres Nombres de la basmalah como alusión a los niveles de la Divinidad: Allāh por la Esencia, al-Raḥmān por la unidad de los Atributos y al-Raḥīm por la unidad de los actos.

«“Satan was frightened four times: when he was cursed by God; when he was expelled from the Garden; when Muhammad was sent [as a messenger]; and when the Fātiḥah was revealed.”» — el comentario transmite el dicho de los cuatro espantos de Satán, que al-Qurṭubī atribuye a Mujāhid y al-Shawkānī al Profeta: la maldición de Dios, la expulsión del Jardín, el envío de Muhammad y la revelación de la Fātiḥah; el volumen repite el dicho al comentar otra aleya.

«2Praise translates al-ḥamd, which indicates extolling the Praiseworthy (maḥmūd) and giving thanks to Him for all of the favors He has bestowed in this world and for the reward that will be given in the next world.» — el comentario de 1:2 traduce al-ḥamd y lo reparte en dos: ensalzar al Alabado y darle gracias por los favores de este mundo y por la recompensa del otro; la cifra pegada a *Praise* es el número de aleya.

«But whereas thanks (shukr) is given for what one has already received, praise is given for the qualities the One Who is praised possesses prior to having bestowed anything and is thus more universal (Q).» — y distingue, con al-Qurṭubī, alabanza de agradecimiento: el agradecimiento va por lo ya recibido y la alabanza por las cualidades que el Alabado posee antes de conceder nada, lo que la hace más universal.

«It is said that God has praised Himself in this opening address so that human beings can praise God in the speech of God, since God knows that they cannot praise Him fully in their own words (Qu).» — el comentario recoge de al-Qushayrī la razón de que Dios se alabe a sí mismo al abrir: para que los seres humanos lo alaben con el habla de Dios, ya que con la suya no podrían alabarlo del todo.

«Reference is made to God as Lord throughout the Quran and as Lord of the worlds some forty-two times. Lord renders rabb, which refers to a master who is obeyed (sayyid), to one who puts matters in their proper order, and to one who possesses something. In reference to God it thus means that He is the Master without peer, Who arranges the affairs of all His creatures and to Whom all of creation belongs (Ṭ).» — el comentario cuenta cuarenta y dos veces la fórmula Señor de los mundos y despliega, con al-Ṭabarī, los sentidos de rabb: amo obedecido, el que pone las cosas en orden y el que posee.

«Some also relate Lord (rabb) to “cultivation” (tarbiyah), since God is the Caretaker (murabbī) of all things as well as the Trainer and Caretaker of our souls, hearts, and spirits (Qu).» — y añade, con al-Qushayrī, la relación de rabb con tarbiyah, *cultivo*: Dios como murabbī, cuidador de todas las cosas y de nuestras almas, corazones y espíritus.

«It may also refer to the different generations of human beings, to all of the species in creation (Q, Ṭ), or to God’s being the Sovereign over every level of creation from the earth through the seven heavens, as in those verses that refer to God as Lord of the heavens and the earth (13:16; 17:102; 18:14; 19:65; 21:56; 26:24; 37:5; 38:66; 43:82; 44:7; 78:37).» — y ofrece otras lecturas del mismo término, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī: las generaciones humanas, todas las especies de la creación, o la soberanía de Dios sobre cada nivel desde la tierra hasta los siete cielos.

«In this vein, the commentator Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī notes that there is infinite space beyond this world and that God can actualize all possibilities, even worlds and universes of which we have no knowledge. The verse thus refers to God being the Lord of all that can be seen or imagined and of all that cannot be seen or imagined by human beings.» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī una lectura cosmológica: hay espacio infinito más allá de este mundo y Dios puede actualizar toda posibilidad, incluso mundos de que no tenemos noticia, de modo que la aleya lo dice Señor de lo imaginable y de lo inimaginable.

«3This verse repeats the two Divine Names, the Compassionate (al-Raḥmān) and the Merciful (al-Raḥīm), that are recited in the basmalah at the opening of each sūrah, except for Sūrah 9, “Repentance” (al-Tawbah).» — el comentario de 1:3 señala que los dos Nombres de la basmalah se repiten al abrir cada sura salvo la 9.

«Both Names are intensifications of the word raḥmah, meaning “Mercy” or “Loving-Mercy.” Al-Raḥmān, which is also the title of Sūrah 55, is considered to be more emphatic, embracing, and encompassing than al-Raḥīm (IK, Qu, Ṭ).» — y ordena los dos Nombres, con Ibn Kathīr, al-Qushayrī y al-Ṭabarī: intensificaciones de raḥmah, con al-Raḥmān por el más enfático y abarcante.

«It is one of the Divine Names that cannot be applied to anything other than God, either literally or figuratively, since it connotes the Loving-Mercy by which God brings forth existence.» — el comentario liga al-Raḥmān a la existencia misma: no se aplica a nada fuera de Dios ni literal ni figuradamente, porque connota la Misericordia amorosa con que Dios hace surgir el existir.

«Al-Raḥīm indicates the blessing of nourishment (rizq) by which God sustains each particular existent thing. Thus it may apply figuratively to creatures, and the adjective raḥīm is in fact used to describe the Prophet in 9:128.» — y distingue al-Raḥīm por lo que sostiene a cada existente, el rizq, lo que permite aplicarlo figuradamente a criaturas, como en 9:128 al Profeta.

«The relationship between them is thus presented as that of different levels or degrees of light: al-Raḥmān is like the light of the sun that illuminates the whole sky, and al-Raḥīm is like the particular ray of sunlight that touches a creature.» — el comentario da la imagen con que ordena los dos Nombres: al-Raḥmān como la luz del sol que llena el cielo y al-Raḥīm como el rayo particular que toca a una criatura.

«In Islamic metaphysics and cosmology it is stated that it was by God breathing “the Breath of the Compassionate” (Nafas al-Raḥmān) upon the immutable essences (al-aʿyān al-thābitah), which are the archetypes of all things in Divine Knowledge, that the world was brought into being. From this perspective, the very existence of the world is in essence nothing but the breath of Divine Compassion.» — y enuncia la cosmogonía que el volumen llama metafísica y cosmología islámicas, sin sigla: el mundo vino al ser porque Dios sopló el Aliento del Compasivo sobre las esencias inmutables, arquetipos de todas las cosas en el Conocimiento divino.

«Together these two Names refer to two aspects of the Divine Mercy (raḥmah): one essential and universal, the other attributive and particular.» — el comentario reparte la Misericordia divina en dos: una esencial y universal, por la que la creación surge, y otra atributiva y particular, la que Dios concede a quien quiere.

«It is evident that Divine Names of beauty, such as “the Kind” (al-Laṭīf), “the Clement” (al-Ḥalīm), and “the Beautiful” (al-Jamāl), are manifestations of Mercy. But in Divine Names of rigor, such as “the Powerful” (al-Qādir), “the Avenger” (al-Muntaqim), and “the Abaser” (al-Mudhill), the manifestation of Divine Mercy is veiled by the inseparability of God’s Kindness from His Majesty and determinative power (qadar).» — y aplica la distinción a los Nombres de belleza y a los de rigor: en al-Laṭīf, al-Ḥalīm y al-Jamāl la Misericordia se manifiesta, y en al-Qādir, al-Muntaqim y al-Mudhill queda velada por la inseparabilidad de la Bondad divina respecto de la Majestad y del qadar.

«Positioned between v. 2, which alludes to God being the Sovereign over all dimensions of space, both seen and unseen, and v. 4, which alludes to God being the Master of all time, since all things end on the Day of Judgment, this verse indicates that God’s Mercy encompasses and interpenetrates all time and all space, as in 7:156: My Mercy encompasses all things.» — el comentario lee la posición de 1:3 entre la aleya del espacio y la del tiempo: la Misericordia de Dios abarca e interpenetra todo tiempo y todo espacio, con 7:156 en la traducción del volumen.

«4Master renders mālik, which can also mean “owner.” It is also sometimes read malik, meaning “king” or “sovereign,” and both variants can be traced to the Prophet (Q).» — el comentario de 1:4 consigna la doble lectura del término, mālik y malik, y dice con al-Qurṭubī que las dos se remontan al Profeta.

«Malik (“king”) is understood to be more intensive than mālik (“master”), since every king is a master, but not every master is a king (Q, Ṭ, Z), though others maintain that malik is more comprehensive, since it indicates God’s Power of disposal over all things (Q).» — y consigna las dos posiciones sobre cuál de las dos lecturas es más fuerte, sin armonizarlas: con al-Qurṭubī, al-Ṭabarī y al-Zamakhsharī, malik por ser todo rey un amo; y con al-Qurṭubī, malik por indicar el poder de disposición sobre todas las cosas.

«The Day of Judgment is the day on which the account of jinn and human beings comes due. That God is Master of this day alludes to the inevitability of the meeting with God, since all are returning to Him (see, e.g., 2:156, 245, 281; 3:55, 83; 5:48, 105; 6:36, 61–62, 108, 164; 7:29; 21:93).» — el comentario define el Día del Juicio como aquel en que vence la cuenta de los jinn y de los seres humanos, y lee el Señorío de Dios sobre ese día como alusión a lo ineludible del encuentro.

«Judgment renders dīn, which is etymologically related to “obedience” and to “custom,” “way,” or “affair.” It is, however, most often rendered “religion.” Dīn is also closely related to the word “debt” (dayn), found in 2:282: When you contract a debt (dayn) with one another for a term appointed, write it down. While dayn refers to a debt, dīn refers to the repayment of our debt to God, and God is also known as al-Dayyān, meaning “The One Who Repays” (Q).» — y traza, con al-Qurṭubī, la red etimológica de dīn: obediencia, costumbre, vía, religión, y el parentesco con dayn, *deuda*, que hace del Día del dīn el del pago de nuestra deuda con Dios, llamado por eso al-Dayyān.

«Given the importance and finality of this accounting, when asked, “Who is the most intelligent of believers?” the Prophet replied, “The most frequent in recalling death, and the best prepared for what follows it, they are the most intelligent.”» — el comentario liga la finalidad de esa cuenta a un dicho del Profeta sobre quién es el creyente más inteligente: el que más recuerda la muerte y mejor se prepara para lo que sigue.

«From one perspective, in the progression of Divine Names from Allāh to al-Raḥmān, al-Raḥīm, and al-Mālik (or al-Malik) there is a descent from the highest level of the Divine Essence down to those levels that are in direct relation to the created order, al-Raḥmān denoting the general mercy that encompasses all things, and al-Raḥīm denoting the particular mercy that God bestows upon those whom He chooses. Then God’s function as al-Malik or al-Mālik pertains to His management of all affairs in the created order.» — el comentario lee la serie de Nombres de las cuatro primeras aleyas como un descenso: de la Esencia divina a los niveles en relación directa con el orden creado, con al-Malik ocupando el escalón en que hace falta un *otro* para que ese aspecto se manifieste.

«In this sense, the progression of Names in vv. 1–4 reflects the descent of the created order from the Divine Principle. The second half of the Fātiḥah then pertains to the ascent from the created order back to the Divine Principle.» — y traza con eso la arquitectura entera de la sura 1: la primera mitad como descenso del orden creado desde el Principio divino y la segunda como ascenso de vuelta.

«5In v. 5 begins the direct address of God in the second person, a marked change from the praise and description of God in vv. 1–4 (IK, Q). Human beings speak here in the first-person plural, hence not only as individuals, but also as» — el comentario de 1:5 marca el giro de la sura: de la alabanza y descripción de Dios en tercera persona al trato directo en segunda, con los seres humanos hablando en primera del plural; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«vicegerents of God (see 6:165c), supplicating God on behalf of all creation. To speak to God in the first-person plural rather than the singular also implies humility before the Divine (Ṭb), both because one is not focused solely upon oneself and because one acknowledges that ultimately only God has the right to say “I.”» — y da dos razones para ese plural, con Ṭabāṭabāʾī: que quien habla lo hace como vicegerente en nombre de toda la creación, y que implica humildad, porque en último término solo Dios tiene derecho a decir *Yo*.

«The worlds refers to various levels of cosmic existence and the communities of beings within each level. Some say it refers to four communities: human beings, jinn, angels, and satans (Q)» — el comentario lee *los mundos* como niveles de existencia cósmica con sus comunidades y recoge de al-Qurṭubī un primer cómputo de cuatro: seres humanos, jinn, ángeles y satanes.

«while others say it refers only to human beings and jinn, since the Prophet is referred to as a warner unto the worlds (25:1), and only jinn and human beings are in need of a warner (Q).» — y el cómputo contrario, también de al-Qurṭubī, que cuenta solo dos, seres humanos y jinn, con la razón de que el Profeta es advertidor para los mundos según 25:1 y solo jinn y humanos necesitan advertidor.

«We worship renders the verb naʿbudu, which also indicates servitude, obedience, and adoration. The first phrase thus indicates standing before God as a humble adoring servant or as a slave (ʿabd), the state that in reality all created beings are in before God, as in 19:93: There is none in the heavens and on the earth, but that it comes unto the Compassionate as a servant (ʿabd).» — el comentario de 1:5 traduce naʿbudu por servidumbre, obediencia y adoración, y lee la frase como el estado real de todo ser creado ante Dios, con 19:93 en la traducción del volumen.

«Addressing God in the second person rather than the third person indicates a direct I-Thou relationship in which God is worshipped as one who is present before the worshipper and whom the worshipper thus addresses directly (Ṭb), a privilege given in Islam to all human beings, who are not in need of a distinct priestly class to function as intermediaries between human beings and God.» — y saca del trato en segunda persona una relación yo-tú, con Ṭabāṭabāʾī, y de ahí un rasgo que el comentario declara del islam: nadie necesita una clase sacerdotal que medie.

«In this vein, Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq is reported to have said, “Worship is of three kinds: some people worship God out of fear, and that is the worship of slaves; other people worship God seeking reward, and that is the worship of hirelings; and some people worship God out of love, and that is the worship of those who are free, and that is the most excellent worship” (Ṭb).» — el comentario transmite, con Ṭabāṭabāʾī, el dicho de Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq que ordena la adoración en tres grados según su móvil: por miedo la de los esclavos, por recompensa la de los jornaleros, y por amor la de los libres.

«True worship or servitude (ʿibādah) is understood by some to constitute the greatest degree of humility and self-effacement before God (Aj), which is necessary in order to recognize one’s complete reliance upon Him, since God is the Rich, and you are the poor (47:38).» — y recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura de ʿibādah como el grado mayor de humildad y borradura de sí, necesario para reconocer la dependencia entera de Dios.

«The expression of servitude necessarily precedes the statement that one “seeks help” from God, since one does not seek help from a king without first acknowledging the king’s power and sovereignty (Aj).» — el comentario razona, con Ibn ʿAjībah, el orden de las dos cláusulas de 1:5: no se pide ayuda a un rey sin reconocer antes su poder y su soberanía.

«The request for guidance also implies seeking to be led to God Himself and thus a desire for intimacy with Him, nearness to Him (Q), knowledge of Him, and love for Him. In this sense, it is also understood to mean, “Make our hearts incline unto Thee; direct our aspirations unto Thee; and be our guide from Thee, unto Thee, in order that we not be cut off by Thee from that which is Thine” (Bq, Su).» — el comentario de 1:6 lee la petición de guía como deseo de intimidad y cercanía con Dios mismo, y la reformula con al-Biqāʿī y al-Sulamī: guíanos de Ti hacia Ti, para que no quedemos cortados por Ti de lo que es Tuyo.

«The straight path indicates a clear road with no crookedness or deviation (Ṭ). From a religious perspective, it is a middle way that avoids worldliness, on the one hand, and extreme asceticism, on the other. It thus connotes a way of life that combines the outward way of the Law with the inward way of spirituality, or the exoteric with the esoteric, so that one’s outward nature is in servitude, while one’s inner nature is free (Aj).» — y define el camino recto, con al-Ṭabarī y con Ibn ʿAjībah, como vía media entre mundanidad y ascetismo extremo que junta la vía exterior de la Ley con la interior de la espiritualidad: fuera servidumbre, dentro libertad.

«Some see the straight path as a reference to the Quran itself (Ṭ, Ṭū, Ṭs), while others say that it refers to Islam (Bq, Ṭū, Ṭs) or to the Prophet (Q). According to many Shiite commentaries, the straight path refers to the first Shiite Imam, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Qm, Ṭs), or to the Prophet and the Imams (Ṭū, Ṭs). In contrast, several Sunni commentaries say that it refers to the Prophet and his two Companions (Q, Ṭ), meaning the first two Caliphs» — el comentario alinea sin arbitrar las lecturas del camino recto: el Corán, el islam, el Profeta, el primer imán ʿAlī según los comentarios chiíes, el Profeta y los imanes, o el Profeta y sus dos Compañeros según varios comentarios sunníes.

«To be on the straight path, or a straight path as it is usually presented in the Quran, can also be understood as walking with God to God; to God because God guides the believers unto Himself upon a straight path (4:175), and with God because God Himself is upon a straight path, as when the Prophet Hūd says, Truly I trust in God, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature that crawls, but that He holds it by its forelock. Truly my Lord is upon a straight path (11:56).» — y da la fórmula con que el comentario resume la cuestión: caminar con Dios hacia Dios, porque Dios guía hacia Sí por un camino recto y porque Dios mismo está sobre un camino recto, según las palabras del profeta Hūd en 11:56.

«The straight path is also understood as a reference to the traverse that human beings and jinn must cross as the final stage of Judgment before entering Paradise or the Garden. According to the Prophet, this traverse is “finer than a hair and sharper than a sword”; some will pass over it like wind, and some will fly across it» — el comentario añade la lectura escatológica del camino recto como el puente que jinn y seres humanos cruzan al final del Juicio, que el Profeta describe más fino que un cabello y más afilado que una espada; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«7According to some accounts, this verse is in fact two verses, the first of which ends with hast blessed (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 1:7 consigna, con al-Ṭabarī, que según algunos relatos esa aleya son en realidad dos.

«Those who are blessed by God are also said to be those whom God has purified, so that they are able to attain unto Him (Qu), and those whom He has blessed by causing them to be mindful of the observance of the Law and its decrees; the latter experience the realization of spiritual realities, but do not go beyond the limits of knowledge or violate any of the decrees of the Law (Qu).» — y recoge de al-Qushayrī la caracterización de los bendecidos: purificados para poder llegar a Él, atentos a la observancia de la Ley, con realización de las realidades espirituales y sin traspasar los límites del conocimiento ni los decretos.

«According to some, those who incur wrath are the idolaters, and those who are astray are the hypocrites (Q). Others relate the terms to two categories of sin in which disbelief incurs wrath and lesser sin results from being astray (M). Still others relate the terms to those who exhibit various moral shortcomings, such as those who are heedless and those who are profligate (Ni). In this sense, the two terms together can be understood as a reference to all the various degrees of those who are spiritually debased and lost and preoccupied with procuring some share of the fortunes of this world (Qu).» — el comentario alinea cuatro lecturas de las dos últimas categorías de la sura 1 sin armonizarlas: idólatras e hipócritas con al-Qurṭubī, dos grados de pecado con al-Māturīdī, defectos morales con al-Nīsābūrī, y con al-Qushayrī todos los grados de la degradación espiritual.

«The different qualities of the paths followed by the three categories mentioned in this verse are revealed by the different ways in which they are presented. Those whom Thou hast blessed conveys an action performed by God in the past tense, thus giving a sense of finality and certitude in that God’s blessings and favor upon them have already occurred. Those who incur wrath does not name an active agent or say definitively that the outcome has occurred, only that they are subject to wrath.» — el comentario lee la gramática de las tres categorías como dato doctrinal: los bendecidos llevan un acto de Dios en pasado, con finalidad y certeza, y los que incurren en ira no llevan agente ni resultado consumado.

«This indicates that although they have already acted in a manner that may warrant Divine Punishment and Retribution, God’s Wrath has not yet come upon them and the door of repentance remains open, since God guides to Himself whosoever turns in repentance (13:27).» — y saca de esa ausencia de agente que la Ira de Dios aún no ha caído sobre ellos y que la puerta del arrepentimiento sigue abierta, con 13:27.

«The absence of an active agent in this phrase also reflects the general Quranic principle that God does not wrong human beings in the least, but rather human beings wrong themselves (10:44).» — el comentario liga la misma ausencia a un principio coránico general: Dios no agravia en lo más mínimo a los seres humanos, son ellos los que se agravian a sí mismos.

«Thus those who are astray may not have committed actions that merit Divine Retribution, as is made clear when Moses says that he was one of those who are astray (26:20) before the beginning of his mission as one of God’s messengers, and when God (using the third person instead of the first) asks the Prophet Muhammad, Did He not . . . find thee astray and guide? (93:7).» — y acota el sentido de *extraviado* con dos casos del propio libro: Moisés se dice uno de los extraviados antes de su misión, y Dios pregunta al Profeta si no lo halló extraviado y lo guió.

«When the straight path is understood as the vertical path of ascent toward God, those who incur wrath can be understood as a reference to those upon a path of descent away from God, while those who are astray meander horizontally away from the path that leads toward the Transcendent. These three possibilities then correspond to the three dimensions of space and symbolize all the possibilities of the human state.» — el comentario ofrece una lectura espacial de las tres categorías: el camino recto como ascenso vertical, la ira como descenso, el extravío como deriva horizontal, y las tres como las tres dimensiones del espacio y todas las posibilidades del estado humano.

«Based upon a saying attributed to the Prophet, though not considered to be of the highest degree of authenticity, one interpretation given by a number of commentators is that those who incur wrath and those who are astray refer to Jews and Christians, respectively (IK, JJ, Q, Ṭ, Z).» — el comentario consigna la lectura que identifica a las dos últimas categorías con judíos y cristianos, la atribuye a cinco comentarios y acota en la misma frase el grado del dicho en que se apoya, no tenido por el más auténtico.

«According to a ḥadīth, “When the prayer leader says, Not of those who incur wrath, nor of those who are astray, you must say, Āmīn, for if one’s utterance of āmīn coincides with that of the angels, his past sins will be forgiven” (IK, Q).» — el comentario cierra la sura 1 con el ḥadīth del Āmīn, transmitido con Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī: si la pronunciación del fiel coincide con la de los ángeles, sus pecados pasados quedan perdonados.

«“God has set forth a parable: a straight path that is surrounded by two walls on both sides, with several open doors within the walls covered by curtains. A caller on the gate of the path calls out, ‘O people! Stay on the path and do not deviate from it.’ Meanwhile, a caller from above the path is also warning any person who wants to open any of these doors, ‘Woe unto you! Do not open it, for if you open it you will fall through.’» — el comentario transmite, con Ibn Kathīr, la parábola profética del camino recto entre dos muros con puertas veladas y los dos pregoneros que advierten al caminante.

«The straight path is Islam, the two walls are the limits set by God, while the doors refer to what God has prohibited. The caller on the gate of the path is the Book of God, while the caller above the path is God’s admonishment present in the heart of every Muslim” (IK).» — y da la clave de esa parábola dentro del propio dicho: el camino es el islam, los muros los límites puestos por Dios, las puertas lo prohibido, el pregonero de la puerta el Libro de Dios y el de arriba la amonestación presente en el corazón de todo musulmán.

«Most understand āmīn to mean, “O God! Answer us,” which functions as a supplication (IK, Q). Others say that it is one of the Names of God (Q), while others say it means, “Thus shall it be” (Q). This last meaning is closest to the meaning of the Hebrew cognate “Amen.” In this sense, it is a declaration of affirmation and is understood as the seal upon one’s prayers (Q).» — el comentario alinea, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī, los sentidos que se dan a *āmīn*: súplica, uno de los Nombres de Dios, o *así sea*, este último el más cercano al hebreo Amén y leído como sello de la oración.

«Al-Baqarah is from the Madinan period. It is named al-Baqarah, or “The Cow,” because of the cow mentioned in v. 67. It is the longest sūrah of the Quran, comprising one-twelfth of the entire text.» — el comentario sitúa la sura 2 en el período medinés, explica su nombre por la vaca de la aleya 67 y la da por la más larga del libro, una duodécima parte del texto entero.

«In most illuminated manuscripts and printed editions of the Quran, the first seven verses of al-Baqarah appear on an illuminated page opposite another illuminated page containing the seven verses of the Fātiḥah, or “Opening,” the first chapter of the Quran. These two pages together form for most readers the first visual experience of the Quran as a physical book.» — y consigna cómo se presenta esa sura en los ejemplares iluminados: sus siete primeras aleyas en página iluminada frente a las siete de la Fātiḥah, que es para la mayoría la primera experiencia visual del libro como objeto.

«Few subjects discussed in the Quran do not find some mention in al-Baqarah; topics include matters of theology, law, sacred history, metaphysics, cosmology, and the spiritual life.» — el comentario dice del alcance de la sura 2 que casi no hay asunto del libro que no toque: teología, derecho, historia sagrada, metafísica, cosmología y vida espiritual.

«After a section addressing the hypocrisy of the protestations and claims of those who disbelieve in God, the sūrah turns to an account of the creation of Adam and the fall from the Garden, including the status of the angels in relation to human beings and the role of Satan in Adam’s fall.» — y anuncia el núcleo cosmogónico de la sura: la creación de Adán y la caída del Jardín, con el estatuto de los ángeles respecto de los seres humanos y el papel de Satán.

«This history is interwoven with theological questions debated between Jews and Muslims, such as the duration of one’s stay in Hell, the status of the Archangel Gabriel, and other accusations and challenges exchanged between the two communities.» — el comentario consigna que la historia de los Hijos de Israel en esta sura va entretejida con cuestiones teológicas disputadas entre judíos y musulmanes, entre ellas la duración de la estancia en el Infierno y el estatuto del arcángel Gabriel.

«Abraham is discussed as a prophet who predated Judaism and Christianity, who established the Kaʿbah as a temple of worship, and who was a ḥanīf, or primordial monotheist.» — y sitúa a Abraham en la sura 2 como profeta anterior al judaísmo y al cristianismo, fundador de la Kaʿbah como templo y ḥanīf, monoteísta primordial.

«“Everything has a zenith, and the zenith of the Quran is Sūrat al-Baqarah, and it has a verse which is the lord of the verses of the Quran, the Pedestal Verse [v. 255]”;» — el comentario transmite el dicho profético que pone a la sura 2 por cenit del libro y a su aleya 255 por señora de las aleyas; el troceo parte el nombre de la sura a fin de renglón.

«¡ Alif. Lām. Mīm. * This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for the reverent, + who believe in the Unseen and perform the prayer and spend from that which We have provided them, J and who believe in what was sent down unto thee, and what was sent down before thee, and who are certain of the Hereafter. Z It is they who act upon guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper.» — el Corán, 2:1 a 2:5: las letras separadas que abren la sura, el libro sin duda como guía para los reverentes, y los rasgos de esos creyentes, que creen en lo No Visto, hacen la oración, gastan de lo provisto y tienen certeza de la Otra Vida; los signos sueltos son los medallones de numeración.

«! O mankind! Worship your Lord, Who created you, and those who were before you, that haply you may be reverent: " He Who made for you the earth a place of repose and the sky a canopy, and sent water from the sky by which He brought forth fruits for your provision. So do not set up equals unto God, knowingly.» — el Corán, 2:21 y 2:22: la llamada al género humano a adorar al Señor que lo creó, con la tierra hecha lugar de reposo y el cielo cúpula, y la prohibición de poner iguales a Dios a sabiendas; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«( How can you disbelieve in God, seeing that you were dead and He gave you life; then He causes you to die; then He gives you life; then unto Him shall you be returned? ) He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth. Then He turned to Heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens, and He is Knower of all things.» — el Corán, 2:28 y 2:29: la serie de muerte, vida, muerte y retorno con que el libro interpela al incrédulo, y la creación de cuanto hay en la tierra y de los siete cielos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ð And when thy Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a vicegerent upon the earth,” they said, “Wilt Thou place therein one who will work corruption therein, and shed blood, while we hymn Thy praise and call Thee Holy?” He said, “Truly I know what you know not.”» — el Corán, 2:30: el anuncio del vicegerente sobre la tierra, la objeción de los ángeles por la corrupción y la sangre derramada frente a su propio himno de alabanza, y la respuesta de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ñ And He taught Adam the names, all of them. Then He laid them before the angels and said, “Tell me the names of these, if you are truthful.”» — el Corán, 2:31: la enseñanza de todos los nombres a Adán y el examen que Dios pone a los ángeles; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ô And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate unto Adam,” they prostrated, save Iblīs. He refused and waxed arrogant, and was among the disbelievers.» — el Corán, 2:34: la orden de postrarse ante Adán, la postración de los ángeles y la negativa de Iblīs, que se ensoberbeció; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Õ We said, “O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden and eat freely thereof, wheresoever you will. But approach not this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” Ö Then Satan made them stumble therefrom, and expelled them from that wherein they were, and We said, “Get you down, each of you an enemy to the other. On the earth a dwelling place shall be yours, and enjoyment for a while.”» — el Corán, 2:35 y 2:36: la morada en el Jardín con la prohibición del árbol, el traspié causado por Satán y el descenso a la tierra como enemigos unos de otros; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«× Then Adam received words from his Lord, and He relented unto him. Indeed, He is the Relenting, the Merciful. Ø We said, “Get down from it, all of you. If guidance should come to you from Me, then whosoever follows My Guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.» — el Corán, 2:37 y 2:38: las palabras que Adán recibe de su Señor y el perdón, y la promesa de que quien siga la Guía no tendrá temor ni se afligirá; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«@ O Children of Israel! Remember My Blessing which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill My covenant, and I shall fulfill your covenant, and be in awe of Me.» — el Corán, 2:40: el llamado a los Hijos de Israel a recordar la Bendición y a cumplir el pacto, con el habla en primera persona divina tal como el texto la pone; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ó He said, “Adam, tell them their names.” And when he had told them their names He said, “Did I not say to you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you disclose and what you used to conceal?”» — el Corán, 2:33: Adán dice a los ángeles los nombres, y Dios recuerda que conoce lo no visto de los cielos y la tierra y lo que se muestra y lo que se oculta; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«E Seek help in patience and prayer, and this indeed is difficult except for the humble, F who reckon that they shall meet their Lord and that they shall return unto Him.» — el Corán, 2:45 y 2:46: la ayuda buscada en la paciencia y la oración, difícil salvo para los humildes, que cuentan con encontrar a su Señor y volver a Él; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«H And be mindful of a day when no soul will avail another soul in any way, and no intercession shall be accepted from it, nor ransom taken from it; nor shall they be helped.» — el Corán, 2:48: el día en que ningún alma valdrá a otra, sin intercesión aceptada ni rescate tomado; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«S And when We gave unto Moses the Book and the Criterion, that haply you may be guided.» — el Corán, 2:53: el Libro y el Criterio dados a Moisés; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«b Truly those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabeans— whosoever believes in God and the Last Day and works righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord. No fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.» — el Corán, 2:62: la aleya que reparte la recompensa sin mirar la comunidad, nombrando a creyentes, judíos, cristianos y sabeos, y poniendo la condición en creer en Dios y en el Último Día y obrar rectamente; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«s We said, “Strike him with part of it.” Thus does God give life to the dead and show you His signs, that haply you may understand.» — el Corán, 2:73: el muerto devuelto a la vida por el golpe con parte de la vaca sacrificada, dado como signo; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«À And they say, “The Fire will not touch us save for days numbered.” Say, “Have you made a covenant with God? For God shall not fail to keep His Covenant. Or do you say of God that which you know not?”» — el Corán, 2:80: la pretensión de que el Fuego solo tocará días contados, y la respuesta que la remite al pacto de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ã And [remember] when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, “Worship none but God; be virtuous toward parents, kinsfolk, orphans, and the indigent; speak to people in a goodly way; and perform the prayer and give the alms.” Then you turned away, save a few of you, swerving aside.» — el Corán, 2:83: el pacto con los Hijos de Israel y lo que en él se manda: adorar solo a Dios, ser virtuoso con padres, parientes, huérfanos e indigentes, hablar bien a la gente, hacer la oración y dar la limosna; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Do you, then, believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? And what is the recompense of those who do so but disgrace in the life of this world? And on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most severe punishment. And God is not heedless of what you do.» — el Corán, 2:85, parte final: la pregunta por creer en una parte del Libro y descreer de otra, con la desgracia en esta vida y el castigo más severo en el Día de la Resurrección; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«And We gave Jesus son of Mary clear proofs, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it not so that whenever a messenger brought you something your souls did not desire, you waxed arrogant, and some you denied and some you slew?» — y sigue en la plana siguiente: las pruebas claras dadas a Jesús hijo de María y el Espíritu Santo que lo fortalece, con el reproche por los mensajeros negados y matados; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«җ Whosoever is an enemy of Gabriel: he it is who sent it down upon thy heart by God’s Leave, confirming that which was there before, and as a guidance and glad tiding for the believers. Ҙ Whosoever is an enemy of God, His angels and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael: God is indeed the enemy of the disbelievers.» — el Corán, 2:97 y 2:98: quien es enemigo de Gabriel lo es de quien hizo descender la revelación sobre el corazón del Profeta, y la enemistad se extiende a Dios, sus ángeles, sus mensajeros, Gabriel y Miguel; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ă And they followed what the satans recited against the kingdom of Solomon. Solomon did not disbelieve, but the satans disbelieved, teaching people sorcery and that which was sent down to the two angels at Babylon, Hārūt and Mārūt. But they would not teach anyone until they had said, “We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve.” Then they would learn from them that by which they could cause separation between a man and his wife. But they did not harm anyone with it, save by God’s Leave. And they would learn that which harmed them and brought them no benefit, knowing that whosoever purchases it has no share in the Hereafter. Evil is that for which they sold their souls, had they but known.» — el Corán, 2:102: el pasaje de la magia, con los satanes enseñándola, lo descendido sobre los dos ángeles de Babilonia, Hārūt y Mārūt, la advertencia de que son prueba, la separación entre marido y mujer, y el daño solo con permiso de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ć No sign do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but that We bring that which is better than it or like unto it. Dost thou not know that God is Powerful over all things?» — el Corán, 2:106: la aleya de la abrogación, que promete en lugar del signo abrogado u olvidado otro mejor o semejante; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«đ And they said, “None will enter the Garden unless he be a Jew or a Christian.” Those are their hopes. Say, “Bring your proof, if you are truthful.”» — el Corán, 2:111: la pretensión de que solo entra en el Jardín quien sea judío o cristiano, y la demanda de prueba; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ē The Jews say, “The Christians stand on nothing,” and the Christians say, “The Jews stand on nothing,” though they recite the Book. Likewise did those who know not speak words like theirs. God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differed.» — el Corán, 2:113: la disputa recíproca entre judíos y cristianos, cada parte negando fundamento a la otra pese a recitar el Libro, con el juicio remitido al Día de la Resurrección; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ĕ To God belong the East and the West. Wheresoever you turn, there is the Face of God. God is All-Encompassing, Knowing.» — el Corán, 2:115: a Dios pertenecen el Oriente y el Occidente y dondequiera que uno se vuelva está el Rostro de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ė the Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, “Be!” and it is.» — el Corán, 2:117: el Originador de los cielos y la tierra, que al decretar una cosa le dice solamente *Sé* y es; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ĥ And [remember] when his Lord tried Abraham with [certain] words, and he fulfilled them. He said, “I am making you an imam for mankind.” He said, “And of my progeny?” He said, “My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.”» — el Corán, 2:124: Abraham probado con ciertas palabras y hecho imán para la humanidad, con el pacto negado a los injustos de su descendencia; los corchetes son del propio volumen; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ħ And [remember] when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, “Our Lord, accept [it] from us. Truly Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing. Ĩ And, our Lord, make us submit unto Thee, and from our progeny a community submitting unto Thee, and show us our rites, and relent unto us. Truly Thou art the Relenting, the Merciful. ĩ Our Lord, raise up in their midst a messenger from among them, who will recite Thy signs to them, and will teach them the Book and Wisdom, and purify them. Truly Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.”» — el Corán, 2:127 a 2:129: la oración de Abraham e Ismael al levantar los cimientos de la Casa, pidiendo sumisión, una comunidad sometida de su descendencia, los ritos, y un mensajero de entre ellos que recite los signos y enseñe el Libro y la Sabiduría; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ij Or were you witnesses when death came to Jacob, when he said to his children, “What will you worship after I am gone?” They said, “We shall worship thy God and the God of thy fathers, Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac: one God, and unto Him we submit.”» — el Corán, 2:133: la escena de la muerte de Jacob, con los hijos nombrando al Dios de Abraham, Ismael e Isaac como un solo Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ĵ And they say, “Be Jews or Christians and you shall be rightly guided.” Say, “Rather, [ours is] the creed of Abraham, a ḥanīf, and he was not of the idolaters.”» — el Corán, 2:135: frente a la invitación a ser judío o cristiano, la respuesta que reivindica el credo de Abraham, ḥanīf y no idólatra; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ķ Say, “We believe in God, and in that which was sent down unto us, and in that which was sent down unto Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in what Moses and Jesus were given, and in what the prophets were given from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them, and» — el Corán, 2:136: la profesión que enumera lo revelado a Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob y las Tribus, a Moisés y a Jesús, y declara no hacer distinción entre ninguno de ellos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«while being virtuous, shall have his reward with his Lord. No fear shall come upon them; nor shall they grieve.» — el Corán, 2:112, segunda mitad: quien somete su rostro a Dios siendo virtuoso tendrá su recompensa junto a su Señor, sin temor ni aflicción; la aleya arranca al pie de la plana anterior; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«of prayer.” And We made a covenant with Abraham and Ishmael, “Purify My House for those who circumambulate, those who make retreat, and those who bow and prostrate.”» — el Corán, 2:125, segunda mitad: el pacto con Abraham e Ismael de purificar la Casa para los que dan vueltas a su alrededor, los que hacen retiro y los que se inclinan y se postran; la aleya arranca en la plana anterior; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ń Thus did We make you a middle community, that you may be witnesses for mankind and that the Messenger may be a witness for you. And We only appointed the qiblah that you had been following to know those who follow the Messenger from those who turn back on their heels, and it was indeed difficult, save for those whom God guided. But God would not let your belief be in vain. Truly God is Kind and Merciful unto mankind.» — el Corán, 2:143: la comunidad media hecha testigo de la humanidad, con la qiblah anterior dada como discernimiento entre quien sigue al Mensajero y quien vuelve sobre sus talones; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ņ And wert thou to bring every sign to those who were given the Book, they would not follow thy qiblah. Thou art not a follower of their qiblah, nor are they followers of one another’s qiblah. Wert thou to follow their caprices after the knowledge that has come to thee, thou wouldst be one of the wrongdoers.» — el Corán, 2:145: ningún signo haría que los que recibieron el Libro siguieran la qiblah del Profeta, ni él la de ellos, ni unos la de otros; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ň Everyone has a direction toward which he turns. So vie with one another in good deeds. Wheresoever you are, God will bring you all together. Truly God is Powerful over all things.» — el Corán, 2:148: cada quien tiene una dirección hacia la que se vuelve, y el mandato que de ahí sale es rivalizar en buenas obras; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Œ So remember Me, and I shall remember you. Give thanks unto Me, and disbelieve not in Me.» — el Corán, 2:152: la reciprocidad del recuerdo dicha en primera persona divina, recordadme y os recordaré; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ŕ And say not of those who are slain in the way of God, “They are dead.” Nay, they are alive, but you are unaware.» — el Corán, 2:154: la prohibición de llamar muertos a los caídos en el camino de Dios, que están vivos aunque no se advierta; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ŗ those who, when affliction befalls them, say, “Truly we are God’s, and unto Him we return.”» — el Corán, 2:156: la fórmula que el libro pone en boca de los pacientes ante la aflicción, somos de Dios y a Él retornamos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ř Truly Ṣafā and Marwah are among the rituals of God; so whosoever performs the ḥajj to the House, or makes the ʿumrah, there is no blame on him in going to and fro between them. And whosoever volunteers good, truly God is Thankful, Knowing.» — el Corán, 2:158: Ṣafā y Marwah contados entre los ritos de Dios, con el ir y venir entre ellos libre de reproche para quien hace el ḥajj o la ʿumrah; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ţ Your God is one God, there is no god but He, the Compassionate, the Merciful.» — el Corán, 2:163: la declaración de unicidad, vuestro Dios es un Dios único; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ť Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; and the variation of the night and the day; and the ships that run upon the sea with what benefits mankind; and the water God sends down from the sky whereby He revives the earth after its death, scattering all manner of beast therein; and the shifting of the winds; and the clouds subdued between the sky and the earth are surely signs for a people who understand.» — el Corán, 2:164: el catálogo de signos naturales —la creación de los cielos y la tierra, la alternancia de noche y día, las naves, el agua que revive la tierra muerta, las bestias esparcidas, el giro de los vientos y las nubes sometidas— dados por signos para quien entiende; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ť Among mankind there are some who take up equals apart from God, loving them like loving God. But those who believe are more ardent in their love of God.» — el Corán, 2:165, primer tramo: los que toman iguales fuera de Dios y los aman como se ama a Dios, frente a los creyentes, más ardientes en su amor de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ũ O mankind! Eat of what is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Truly he is a manifest enemy unto you.» — el Corán, 2:168: el mandato de comer de lo lícito y bueno de la tierra y de no seguir los pasos de Satán, enemigo manifiesto; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ű When it is said unto them, “Follow what God has sent down,” they say, “Nay, we follow that which we found our fathers doing.” What! Even though their fathers understood nothing, and were not rightly guided?» — el Corán, 2:170: la respuesta de quienes alegan seguir lo que hallaron haciendo a sus padres, y la objeción que el libro le opone; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ų He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been offered to other than God. But whosoever is compelled by necessity—neither coveting nor transgressing—no sin shall be upon him. Truly God is Forgiving, Merciful.» — el Corán, 2:173: la lista de lo prohibido en la comida —carroña, sangre, carne de cerdo y lo ofrecido a otro que Dios— con la excepción de quien se ve forzado por necesidad; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ŷ It is not piety to turn your faces toward the east and west. Rather, piety is he who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets; and who gives wealth, despite loving it, to kinsfolk, orphans, the indigent, the traveler, beggars, and for [the ransom of] slaves; and performs the prayer and gives the alms; and those who fulfill their oaths when they pledge them, and those who are patient in misfortune, hardship, and moments of peril. It is they who are the sincere, and it is they who are the reverent.» — el Corán, 2:177: la definición de piedad que desplaza el rito por el contenido: creer en Dios, el Último Día, los ángeles, el Libro y los profetas, dar de la riqueza pese a amarla, hacer la oración, dar la limosna, cumplir los juramentos y ser paciente en la desgracia; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ź In retribution there is life for you, O possessors of intellect, that haply you may be reverent.» — el Corán, 2:179: la fórmula que sitúa la vida dentro de la ley del talión, dirigida a los poseedores de intelecto; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƃ O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that haply you may be reverent,» — el Corán, 2:183: el ayuno prescrito como lo fue a los anteriores, con la reverencia como su fin; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƅ The month of Ramadan is that wherein the Quran was sent down as guidance to mankind, as clear proofs of guidance, and as the Criterion. Let him among you who is present fast during that [month]. And whosoever is ill or on a journey, it is a number of other days. God desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you. [It is] so that you may complete the number and magnify God for having guided you, that haply you may give thanks.» — el Corán, 2:185: el mes de Ramadán como aquel en que el libro descendió, guía para la humanidad, pruebas claras y el Criterio, con la dispensa al enfermo y al viajero y la declaración de que Dios quiere para el hombre la facilidad; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɔ When My servants ask thee about Me, truly I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, that they may be led aright.» — el Corán, 2:186: la cercanía declarada en primera persona divina, con la respuesta a la llamada del que llama; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ƈ You are permitted, on the nights of the fast, to go unto your wives. They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. God knew that you were betraying yourselves, so He relented unto you and pardoned you. So now lie with them and seek what God has prescribed for you, and eat and drink until the white thread and the black thread of the dawn become clear to you. Then complete the fast until nightfall and do not lie with them while you are in retreat in the mosques. Those are the limits set by God, so approach them not. Thus does God make clear His signs to mankind, that haply they may be reverent.» — el Corán, 2:187: el permiso de las noches del ayuno, con la imagen recíproca de los cónyuges como vestidura el uno del otro, el límite del hilo blanco y el hilo negro del alba, el retiro en las mezquitas y los límites puestos por Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɛ And fight in the way of God against those who fight against you, but do not transgress. Truly God loves not the transgressors.» — el Corán, 2:190: el mandato de combatir a quienes combaten, con el límite dentro de la misma aleya, no transgredir; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɠ And fight them until there is no strife, and religion is for God. But if they desist, then there is no enmity save against the wrongdoers.» — el Corán, 2:193: el combate hasta que no haya sedición y la religión sea para Dios, con el cese si el otro desiste; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɨ The ḥajj is during months well known. Whosoever undertakes the ḥajj therein, let there be neither lewdness, nor iniquity, nor quarreling in the ḥajj. Whatsoever good you do, God knows it. And make provision, for indeed the best provision is reverence. And reverence Me, O possessors of intellect.» — el Corán, 2:197: los meses del ḥajj, la prohibición de lascivia, iniquidad y pendencia durante él, y la provisión mejor, que es la reverencia; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȇ And among mankind is one who sells his soul seeking God’s Good Pleasure, and God is Kind unto His servants.» — el Corán, 2:207: el que vende su alma buscando la Complacencia de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ȑ Do they wait for naught less than that God should come in the shadows of clouds, with the angels, and that the matter should have been decreed? And unto God are all matters returned.» — el Corán, 2:210: la venida de Dios en las sombras de las nubes con los ángeles, dicha como aquello que los incrédulos aguardan; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȓ Mankind was one community; then God sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as warners. And with them He sent down the Book in truth, to judge among mankind concerning that wherein they differed. And only they who were given it differed concerning it, after clear proofs came to them, out of envy among themselves. Then God guided those who believe to the truth of that wherein they differed, by His Leave. And God guides whomsoever He will unto a straight path.» — el Corán, 2:213: la humanidad como una sola comunidad, los profetas enviados después como albriciadores y advertidores con el Libro para juzgar en aquello en que diferían, y la discrepancia surgida por envidia entre los que lo recibieron; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ȗ Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is hateful to you. But it may be that you hate a thing though it be good for you, and it may be that you love a thing though it be evil for you. God knows, and you know not.» — el Corán, 2:216: el combate prescrito aunque sea odioso, con la advertencia de que se puede odiar lo bueno y amar lo malo; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ș They ask thee about wine and gambling. Say, “In them there is great sin and [some] benefits for mankind, but their sin is greater than their benefit.”» — el Corán, 2:219, primer tramo: el vino y el juego, con gran pecado y algunos beneficios, y el pecado mayor que el beneficio; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȡ Marry not idolatresses until they believe. Truly a believing slave woman is better than an idolatress, though she be pleasing to you. And marry none to the idolaters until they believe. Truly a believing slave is better than an idolater, though he should impress you.» — el Corán, 2:221, primer tramo: la prohibición de casar con idólatras, con la esclava creyente puesta por encima de la idólatra y el esclavo creyente por encima del idólatra; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȣ Your women are a tilth to you, so go unto your tilth as you will, but send forth for your souls. And reverence God and know that you shall meet Him, and give glad tidings to the believers.» — el Corán, 2:223: la imagen de la mujer como sembradío del marido, con el mandato de enviar algo por delante para las propias almas; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȥ God will not take you to task for carelessness in your oaths. Rather, He will take you to task for what your hearts have earned, and God is Forgiving, Clement.» — el Corán, 2:225: Dios no pide cuenta por el descuido en los juramentos sino por lo que los corazones han ganado; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«[The women] are owed obligations the like of those they owe, in an honorable way. And men have a degree over them, and God is Mighty, Wise.» — el Corán, 2:228, tramo final: la reciprocidad de obligaciones entre los cónyuges y el grado que se declara de los varones sobre ellas; los corchetes son del propio volumen; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȩ Divorce is twice; then keep [her] honorably, or release [her] virtuously. It is not lawful for you to take aught from what you have given [your wives], except that the two should fear that they would not uphold the limits set by God. So if you fear that they will not uphold the limits set by God, there is no blame upon the two in what she may give in ransom. These are the limits set by God; so transgress not against them. And whosoever transgresses against the limits set by God, it is they who are the wrongdoers.» — el Corán, 2:229: el divorcio dos veces, con la retención honorable o la liberación virtuosa, el rescate cuando se teme no sostener los límites de Dios, y la advertencia de no traspasarlos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȳ And let mothers nurse their children two full years, for such as desire to complete the suckling. It falls on the father to provide for them and clothe them honorably. No soul is tasked beyond its capacity. Let no mother be harmed on account of her child, nor father on account of his child. And the like shall fall upon the heir. If the couple desire to wean, by their mutual consent and consultation, there is no blame upon them. And if you wish to have your children wet-nursed, there is no blame upon you if you pay honorably that which you give. And reverence God, and know that God sees whatsoever you do.» — el Corán, 2:233: los dos años completos de lactancia, la manutención a cargo del padre, la regla de que ningún alma se carga más allá de su capacidad, y el destete de común acuerdo; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ȸ Be mindful of your prayers, and the middlemost prayer, and stand before God in devout obedience.» — el Corán, 2:238: la atención debida a las oraciones y a la oración del medio; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ƀ Hast thou not seen those who left their homes by the thousands fearing death? Whereupon God said to them, “Die,” then revived them. Truly God is Possessed of Bounty for mankind, but most of mankind do not give thanks.» — el Corán, 2:243: los miles que salieron de sus casas por temor a la muerte, a quienes Dios dijo *Morid* y luego revivió; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ʌ Who shall lend unto God a goodly loan, which He will multiply for him many times over? And God withholds and outstretches, and unto Him shall you be returned.» — el Corán, 2:245: el préstamo bueno hecho a Dios, que Él multiplica, con Dios que retiene y extiende; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɉ And their prophet said to them, “Truly the sign of his sovereignty shall be that the ark come to you bearing tranquility from your Lord and a remnant left by the House of Moses and the House of Aaron, borne by the angels. Truly in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.”» — el Corán, 2:248: el signo de la soberanía de Saúl, el arca que trae la tranquilidad y un resto dejado por la Casa de Moisés y la de Aarón, llevada por los ángeles; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɉ And when Saul set out with the hosts he said, “Truly God will try you with a stream. Whosoever drinks from it is not of me, and whosoever tastes not of it is of me—save one who scoops out a handful.” But they drank from it, save a few among them. So when he crossed it, he and those who believed with him, they said, “We have no power today against Goliath and his hosts.” Those who deemed they would meet their Lord said, “How many a small company have overcome a large company by God’s leave! And God is with the patient.”» — el Corán, 2:249: la prueba del arroyo con que Saúl criba a su hueste, y la respuesta de los que contaban con encontrar a su Señor sobre las compañías pequeñas que vencen a las grandes; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«And were it not for God’s repelling people, some by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted. But God is Possessed of Bounty for the worlds.» — el Corán, 2:251, tramo final: sin el repeler de Dios de unos hombres por medio de otros la tierra se habría corrompido; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɓ Those are the messengers. We have favored some above others. Among them are those to whom God spoke, and some He raised up in ranks. And We gave Jesus son of Mary clear proofs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Had God so willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed: among them were those who believed, and among them were those who disbelieved. And had God so willed, they would not have fought one another. But God does as He wills.» — el Corán, 2:253: la jerarquía declarada entre los mensajeros, con aquellos a quienes Dios habló y los elevados en rangos, las pruebas claras y el Espíritu Santo dados a Jesús hijo de María, y la discrepancia posterior; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɕ God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting. Neither slumber overtakes Him nor sleep. Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth. Who is there who may intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows that which is before them and that which is behind them. And they encompass nothing of His Knowledge, save what He wills. His Pedestal embraces the heavens and the earth. Protecting them tires Him not, and He is the Exalted, the Magnificent.» — el Corán, 2:255, la Aleya del Pedestal, que el comentario da por señora de las aleyas: el Viviente y Subsistente a quien no alcanza somnolencia ni sueño, la intercesión solo con Su permiso, el saber que nadie abarca, y el Pedestal que abarca los cielos y la tierra; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɖ There is no coercion in religion. Sound judgment has become clear from error. So whosoever disavows false deities and believes in God has grasped the most unfailing handhold, which never breaks. And God is Hearing, Knowing.» — el Corán, 2:256: no hay coacción en la religión, con el asidero más firme asido por quien reniega de los ídolos y cree en Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɗ God is the Protector of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light. As for those who disbelieve, their protectors are the idols, bringing them out of the light into the darkness. They are the inhabitants of the Fire, abiding therein.» — el Corán, 2:257: Dios como protector que saca de las tinieblas a la luz, frente a los ídolos que sacan de la luz a las tinieblas; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɘ Hast thou not considered him who disputed with Abraham about his Lord because God had given him sovereignty? When Abraham said, “My Lord gives life and causes death,” he said, “I give life and cause death.” Abraham said, “Truly God brings the sun from the east. Bring it, then, from the west.” Thus was he who disbelieved confounded. And God guides not wrongdoing people.» — el Corán, 2:258: la disputa de Abraham con el rey sobre quién da la vida y da la muerte, resuelta con el reto del sol traído desde el poniente; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɠ And when Abraham said, “My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead,” He said, “Dost thou not believe?” He said, “Yea, indeed, but so that my heart may be at peace.” He said, “Take four birds and make them be drawn to thee. Then place a piece of them on every mountain. Then call them: they will come to thee in haste. And know that God is Mighty, Wise.”» — el Corán, 2:260: Abraham pide ver cómo Dios da vida a los muertos, y la prueba de las cuatro aves repartidas sobre los montes; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɡ The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of God is that of a grain that grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. And God multiplies for whomsoever He will, and God is All-Encompassing, Knowing.» — el Corán, 2:261: la parábola del grano que da siete espigas de cien granos cada una, dicha del que gasta en el camino de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɩ He grants wisdom to whomsoever He will. And whosoever is granted wisdom has been granted much good. Yet none remember save the possessors of intellect.» — el Corán, 2:269: la sabiduría concedida a quien Dios quiere, y el mucho bien que con ella se concede; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ɵ Those who devour usury shall not rise except as one rises who is felled by the touch of Satan. That is because they say, “Buying and selling are simply like usury,” though God has permitted buying and selling and forbidden usury. One who, after receiving counsel from his Lord, desists shall have what is past and his affair goes to God. And as for those who go back, they are the inhabitants of the Fire, abiding therein.» — el Corán, 2:275: los que devoran la usura levantándose como quien cae por el toque de Satán, con la distinción entre compraventa permitida y usura prohibida; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ʅ The Messenger believes in what was sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each believes in God, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and obey. Thy forgiveness, our Lord! And unto Thee is the journey’s end.”» — el Corán, 2:285: la fe del Mensajero y de los creyentes en Dios, sus ángeles, sus Libros y sus mensajeros, sin distinción entre ninguno de ellos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ʆ God tasks no soul beyond its capacity. It shall have what it has earned and be subject to what it has perpetrated. “Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or err! Our Lord, lay not upon us a burden like Thou laid upon those before us. Our Lord, impose not upon us that which we have not the strength to bear!» — el Corán, 2:286, primer tramo: ningún alma es cargada más allá de su capacidad, y la oración que pide no ser tomado en cuenta por el olvido ni el error ni cargado con lo que no se puede llevar; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«1Of the 114 sūrahs of the Quran, 29 begin with individual letters of the Arabic alphabet. In this translation these letters are transliterated as recited (e.g., alif is the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet), although in other translations the corresponding Latin letters are used (e.g., A, L, M, which correspond phonetically to alif, lām, mīm). In recitation the names of the letters are used, not their sounds.» — el comentario de 2:1 cuenta veintinueve suras que abren con letras sueltas del alfabeto árabe y declara la convención del volumen: se transliteran como se recitan, por el nombre de la letra y no por su sonido; la cifra pegada a *Of* es el número de aleya.

«The individual letters are one of the most enigmatic features of the Quran and have been a subject of debate and speculation among Muslims since the revelation of the Quran.» — y declara la disputa abierta que esas letras han sido entre los musulmanes desde la revelación.

«It is reported by many Quran commentators that Abū Bakr, the first Caliph, said, “Every book has a mystery (sirr), and the mystery of the Quran is the beginnings of the sūrahs.”» — el comentario transmite el dicho atribuido a Abū Bakr que hace de esas aperturas el misterio, sirr, del libro.

«ʿAlī, the fourth Caliph, is reported to have said, “Every book has a quintessence (ṣafwah), and the quintessence of this Book is the spelled-out letters.”» — y el dicho atribuido a ʿAlī que las hace la quintaesencia, ṣafwah, del Libro.

«Al-Rāzī discusses the metaphor of a great sea, which leads to a river, which leads to streams, which lead to rivulets; if the rivulet was made to carry all the water of the stream or the riverbed the entire contents of the sea, it would be overwhelmed and destroyed. He mentions the verse He sends down water from the sky, so that the riverbeds flow according to their measure (13:17).» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī la metáfora del mar que lleva al río, al arroyo y al regato, con el regato destruido si se le hiciera cargar el agua del arroyo, apoyada en la aleya 13:17.

«ʂ O you who believe! When you contract a debt with one another for a term appointed, write it down. And let a scribe write between you justly, and let not any scribe refuse to write as God taught him. So let him write, and let the debtor dictate, and let him reverence God his Lord, and diminish nothing from it. And if the debtor is feeble-minded or is weak, or is unable to dictate himself, then let his guardian dictate justly.» — el Corán, 2:282, primer tramo, en la aleya más larga del libro: el contrato de deuda puesto por escrito, el escriba que escribe con justicia, el dictado a cargo del deudor y el del tutor cuando el deudor no puede; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«And call to witness two witnesses from among your men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women from among those whom you approve as witnesses, so that if one of the two errs, the other can remind her.» — y el segundo tramo de 2:282: dos testigos varones, o un varón y dos mujeres de las que se aprueben como testigos, para que si una yerra la otra le recuerde; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«He further reports the saying: “The learned have a secret, the vicegerents (khulafāʾ) have a secret, the prophets have a secret, the angels have a secret» — el comentario transmite, con al-Rāzī, el dicho de los secretos escalonados: el de los doctos, el de los vicegerentes, el de los profetas, el de los ángeles y, más allá de todos, el de Dios; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«The part of the Quran that we cannot understand is analogous to those actions whose underlying wisdom we do not know; we perform them with trust and faithfulness, but without the transparency available to us in other aspects of religious practice. We allow them to remain mysteries, and al-Rāzī argues that this can have the positive effect of keeping one’s heart oriented beyond the world and beyond what one already knows.» — el comentario compara lo incomprensible del libro con los ritos del ḥajj cuya sabiduría no se conoce, y recoge de al-Rāzī el efecto que atribuye al misterio conservado: mantener el corazón orientado más allá del mundo y de lo ya sabido.

«In this sūrah, some offer the interpretation that the alif stands for Allāh, lām for Jibrīl (Gabriel), and mīm for Muḥammad, symbolizing the descent of revelation from God through Gabriel to the Prophet.» — el comentario da una lectura de las tres letras que abren la sura 2 como cifra del descenso de la revelación: alif por Allāh, lām por Jibrīl y mīm por Muḥammad.

«Another interpretation states that the alif represents the origin of sound, the lām represents the middle of it, since it is produced in the mouth, and the mīm represents the consummation of sound, since it is produced on the lips.» — y otra que las lee como el ciclo entero del sonido: el alif por su origen, el lām por su medio en la boca y el mīm por su consumación en los labios.

«Still others, like followers of the Islamic science called al-jafr (a kind of esoteric commentary akin to gematria in Hebrew), base interpretations on the numerical symbolism and value of the letters, since each Arabic letter has a corresponding numerical value (e.g., alif is 1, lām is 30, and mīm is 40).» — el comentario remite a al-jafr, que define como comentario esotérico afín a la gematría hebrea, y da los valores numéricos de las tres letras.

«At a deeper level of meaning, the letters, in their multifarious forms, sounds, and loci of pronunciation in the mouth and throat, symbolize God’s Creative Act. In the same way that the letters and sounds make up words that make up the Book, the manifestation and interplay of God’s Names and Qualities make up creation.» — el comentario ofrece la lectura más honda de las letras sueltas: como las letras y los sonidos componen las palabras que componen el Libro, la manifestación y el juego de los Nombres y Cualidades de Dios componen la creación.

«In this vein many Sufis have spoken of creation as “the Breath of the Compassionate” manifesting God’s Names and Qualities.» — y atribuye a los sufíes la fórmula que nombra la creación como el Aliento del Compasivo manifestando los Nombres y Cualidades de Dios.

«Reverent translates muttaqīn, which comes from the central Quranic concept of taqwā, rendered in this translation as reverence. Taqwā comes from the root w-q-y, which evokes the sense of wariness, care, and protection. As it concerns the attitude of human beings toward God, taqwā conveys the sense of fear, mindfulness, and a constant awareness of God’s Presence and Power.» — el comentario despliega taqwā, que el volumen traduce por *reverencia*, desde la raíz w-q-y: cautela, cuidado y protección, y ante Dios temor, atención y conciencia constante de Su Presencia y Su Poder.

«reverence is a central spiritual virtue in the Quran along with such other qualities as trust (tawakkul), hope (rajāʾ), piety (birr), fear (khawf), and contentment (riḍā).» — y la sitúa entre las virtudes espirituales centrales del libro junto con tawakkul, rajāʾ, birr, khawf y riḍā.

«3Unseen (ghayb, lit. “absent”) refers to realities absent from the perception of the ordinary senses, such realities as God, Paradise, Hell, and the Day of Judgment. These include realities that are invisible in principle because they are beyond ordinary sense perception, such as God, as well as those that are part of the Unseen because they cannot be known except by God, such as the time of the Day of Judgment.» — el comentario de 2:3 define lo No Visto, ghayb, por dos vías: realidades invisibles en principio, como Dios, y realidades que solo Dios puede conocer, como la hora del Día del Juicio; la cifra pegada a *Unseen* es el número de aleya.

«The passage can be seen as moving from an inward act whose object is invisible and hidden (faith in the Unseen), to an act that is both visible and invisible (prayer) but whose object is invisible (God), to an outward act whose object is visible (giving from what one has been given), thereby establishing principles for both the inner and the outer life as well as their source and connection. There is thus in this verse a gradation from the inward to the outward.» — y lee la serie de tres actos de 2:3 como una gradación de dentro afuera: fe en lo No Visto, oración, y dar de lo recibido, con el principio de la vida interior y el de la exterior puestos a la vez.

«One understanding of this passage is that v. 3 refers to the believers among the Arabs (presumably specifically Muslim believers who are neither Christian nor Jewish), while v. 4 refers to the believers among the People of the Book who had previously believed in earlier revelations and now believe in the Prophet (Ṭ; see also 98:1–8, where a similar distinction is made). But v. 3 and v. 4 can also be understood more generally as two descriptions of one group; namely, the reverent.» — el comentario alinea dos lecturas de 2:3 y 2:4 sin arbitrar: con al-Ṭabarī, dos grupos distintos, los creyentes de entre los árabes y los creyentes de entre la Gente del Libro; o un solo grupo descrito dos veces, los reverentes.

«5The term rendered they who shall prosper (mufliḥūn) is related to falāḥ, meaning prosperity, thriving, or success, and is etymologically linked to “cultivation.” Though sometimes rendered “salvation,” falāḥ is generally not the concept used to differentiate between the “saved” and “unsaved” or “damned” as typically understood in Christianity.» — el comentario de 2:5 acota la traducción de falāḥ y su diferencia con el vocabulario cristiano: prosperidad, medro o éxito, y no el término con que se distingue al salvado del condenado.

«This can be possibly understood in a predestinarian sense, according to which one’s faith or lack thereof is not a product of one’s human will, but of God’s prior Command. But it can also be understood as spiritual reward or punishment, making the seal a consequence rather than a cause.» — y alinea sin armonizar las dos lecturas del sello puesto por Dios sobre los corazones: una predestinaria, donde la fe no es producto de la voluntad humana, y otra donde el sello es consecuencia y no causa.

«8Those in this verse are the hypocrites (munāfiqūn), referring originally to a group of people in and around Madinah who pretended to be Muslims, but at times collaborated with the disbelievers, or who were lukewarm in their faith to the point of inaction. But it also refers to such people in general wherever and whenever they might live.» — el comentario de 2:8 identifica a los hipócritas con un grupo de Medina que fingía ser musulmán y extiende el término a toda época y lugar.

«Ibn ʿAbbās and others state that corruption upon the earth (or alternately “corruption in the land”) refers to open disobedience against God.» — el comentario de 2:11 y 2:12 recoge de Ibn ʿAbbās la lectura de la corrupción en la tierra como desobediencia abierta contra Dios.

«One interpretation, attributed to the prominent Companion Salmān al-Fārsī, states that the people to whom this passage refers have not yet come (Ṭ), an explanation that the commentators accept (Ṭ, IK) in the sense that this verse does not restrict the descriptions of hypocrisy and iniquity to the Prophet’s contemporaries.» — y consigna, con al-Ṭabarī e Ibn Kathīr, la interpretación atribuida a Salmān al-Fārsī de que la gente aludida aún no ha venido, con lo que la descripción no se ciñe a los contemporáneos del Profeta.

«Some contemporary Muslims interpret the destruction of the natural environment to be one of the central meanings of these verses.» — el comentario consigna la lectura de musulmanes contemporáneos que ven en la destrucción del entorno natural uno de los sentidos centrales de esas aleyas.

«Satans (shayāṭīn) is the plural of shayṭān, which in the singular usually refers to Satan. Here it is usually understood to mean the hypocrites’ leaders, fellow hypocrites, disbelievers, or inner demons.» — el comentario de 2:14 despliega shayāṭīn como plural de shayṭān y da las lecturas del término aquí: los jefes de los hipócritas, sus congéneres, los incrédulos o los demonios interiores.

«At times in the Quran shayāṭīn refers not only to otherworldly creatures, but also to human beings, as in 6:112: Thus have We made for every prophet an enemy—satans from among mankind and jinn.» — y señala que en el libro el término no nombra solo criaturas de otro mundo, con 6:112 sobre los satanes de entre los hombres y los jinn.

«15The issue of whether mockery or ridicule (cf. 9:79) is properly attributable to God is addressed by commentators. Some point out that the disbelievers bring ridicule upon themselves as recompense, not that it originates in God (Q, Ṭ); others say that the disgrace and ignominy with which God afflicts disbelievers and in which He leaves them to continue for a long time is tantamount to mockery (R).» — el comentario de 2:15 consigna la cuestión de si la burla es atribuible a Dios y alinea dos salidas: con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, que los incrédulos la atraen sobre sí como retribución, y con al-Rāzī, que la ignominia en que Dios los deja equivale a burla.

«On a worldly level and in relation to the hypocrites, the light is understood by some to refer to the shahādah, the declaration of faith that provides the hypocrite “light” by which to eat, marry, and find protection, since membership in the Islamic community grants one certain legal and social rights and protections. But this “light” is taken away at death when the hypocrisy is unmasked (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:17 recoge de al-Ṭabarī la lectura de la luz de la parábola como la shahādah, que da al hipócrita la luz con que come, se casa y halla protección, y que le es retirada al morir.

«19Or indicates a continuation from their parable in v. 17. Some commentators (Ṭ) mention a tradition from Ibn ʿAbbās that the Prophet, when asked, said that al-raʿd (thunder) is the name of an angel in the clouds, while others see this as an invalid and gratuitous attribution, since the word raʿd as “thunder” was well known to Arabs (cf. 13:13; Q).» — el comentario de 2:19 consigna, sin arbitrar, una tradición de Ibn ʿAbbās que al-Ṭabarī recoge y que hace del trueno el nombre de un ángel en las nubes, y la objeción de al-Qurṭubī, que la tiene por atribución inválida y gratuita.

«21That haply (laʿalla) occurs frequently in the Quran and is sometimes rendered “that perchance” or “that someone might.” It can be seen to present a theological problem, as it implies anxiety or hope, qualities usually associated only with creatures. Some solve this matter by saying that the hope of God is tantamount to a promise, as nothing could stand in its way (Z), or that the hope is connected to the subject of the statement, not to God.» — el comentario de 2:21 plantea el problema teológico de la fórmula que el volumen traduce *that haply*, que implicaría ansiedad o esperanza en Dios, y recoge las dos salidas: con al-Zamakhsharī, que la esperanza de Dios equivale a promesa, o que la esperanza toca al sujeto del enunciado.

«23Our servant refers to the Prophet. The iʿjāz (“inimitability” or “power to incapacitate [arguments against it]”) of the Quran (a term not used in reference to the Quran in the text itself) stems from its intrinsic beauty, clarity, eloquence, and levels of meaning.» — el comentario de 2:23 define el iʿjāz del libro, su inimitabilidad o poder de incapacitar los argumentos en contra, y lo funda en su belleza intrínseca, su claridad, su elocuencia y sus niveles de sentido.

«7In the Quran the heart (qalb) is the organ associated not only with sentiment, but also with consciousness, knowledge, and faith (48:4). For example, the heart is the locus of the Divine Revelation to the Prophet (2:97); it can be veiled to prevent understanding (6:25; 17:46), covered with rust (83:14), or hardened» — el comentario de 2:7 enumera lo que el libro dice del corazón: órgano no solo del sentimiento sino de la conciencia, el conocimiento y la fe, lugar de la Revelación al Profeta, velable y cubrible de herrumbre; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue en *(2:74)*.

«Such paradisal descriptions depict the joys of the Garden in concrete terms that reflect the ecstatic and rapturous joys experienced on a much lower level in the blessings given to human beings on earth. Far from being nonspiritual, they express in vivid and concrete terms the highest spiritual realities.» — el comentario de 2:25 objeta que las descripciones del Jardín sean no espirituales: las tiene por expresión en términos vívidos y concretos de las realidades espirituales más altas.

«The usual question of how earthly creatures can conceive of heavenly rewards is turned around, and this verse speaks from the point of view of a dweller of Paradise who is remembering the world» — y señala que la aleya invierte la pregunta usual: habla desde el punto de vista de un morador del Paraíso que recuerda el mundo; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The spouses made pure mentioned here are said to be free from injury as well as from menstruation, excreta, and bodily functions considered distasteful and unpleasant, and though reproductive functions are mentioned in the commentaries, sexual purity or virginity is not associated with this verse by the major commentators.» — el comentario acota qué dicen y qué no dicen los grandes comentaristas sobre las esposas purificadas de 2:25: libres de daño y de funciones corporales tenidas por desagradables, sin que la pureza sexual ni la virginidad se asocien a la aleya.

«Lexically khālid (“abiding”) has the sense of something that stays, which as a promise from God is equivalent to an enduring or everlasting presence. However, sometimes khālid is supplemented with phrases such as forever (4:57; 4:122; 4:169; 5:119; 9:100; 72:23; 98:8) and save as thy Lord wills (11:108; cf. 6:128).» — el comentario acota el término khālid con que el libro dice la permanencia en el Jardín y en el Fuego: léxicamente lo que se queda, y como promesa de Dios equivalente a presencia perdurable, aunque a veces vaya acompañado de *forever* y a veces de *save as thy Lord wills*.

«The verse implies that the very same message can both guide and mislead, which is something rather different from simply being ignored. According to this understanding, by being denied the parable (and presumably other Divine teachings) is not neutralized for disbelievers, but places them farther astray. This echoes the previous verses in which God seals the hearts and perception of disbelievers. Being iniquitous (fāsiq) makes the truth for the denier into something other than the truth, which is to say that one’s moral quality decides, at least in part, one’s level of understanding.» — el comentario de 2:26 saca de la parábola del mosquito una tesis sobre el conocimiento: el mismo mensaje puede guiar y extraviar, y la calidad moral de quien lo recibe decide en parte su nivel de comprensión.

«27The Covenant mentioned in this verse is understood as the general obligation of human beings to acknowledge God’s Oneness and worship Him (IK) as understood in the pre-eternal covenant between God and human beings (7:172); or it refers to And they swore by God their most solemn oaths that, were a warner to come unto them, they would be more rightly guided than any of the communities (35:42), which means the Arabs before the coming of the Prophet (R); or it refers to a specific covenant made with the People of the Book.» — el comentario de 2:27 alinea tres lecturas del Pacto, sin arbitrar: la obligación general de reconocer la Unicidad, con Ibn Kathīr y el pacto preeterno de 7:172; el juramento de los árabes anteriores al Profeta, con al-Rāzī; o un pacto específico con la Gente del Libro.

«28The four stages mentioned here are before birth, during earthly life, earthly death, and resurrection.» — el comentario de 2:28 cuenta cuatro estados en la serie de muerte y vida de la aleya: antes del nacimiento, la vida terrena, la muerte terrena y la resurrección.

«Someone like the Sufi mystic Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240) would understand the “lifelessness” of our pre-earthly condition to be a state of nonmanifestation within God’s Knowledge as opposed to nothingness in the ordinary sense of this term. That to which life is first given would thus be that form (ṣūrah) in God’s eternal Knowledge.» — y consigna la lectura que atribuye al místico sufí Ibn ʿArabī: la falta de vida anterior a la tierra como estado de no manifestación dentro del Conocimiento de Dios, y no como nada en el sentido ordinario, con lo primero vivificado siendo esa forma en el Conocimiento eterno.

«30Vicegerent renders khalīfah, a word that can also mean “successor” or “deputy,” hence khalīfat rasūl Allāh, or “successor/steward of God’s Messenger,” shortened to khalīfah (anglicized as “caliph”). In some verses, such as here and 6:165, khalīfah appears to denote a universal human inheritance and responsibility, since all human beings are in their inner reality the khalīfah of God.» — el comentario de 2:30 despliega khalīfah entre *sucesor* y *vicegerente*, y en aleyas como esta lo lee como herencia y responsabilidad universales, porque en su realidad interior todo ser humano es el khalīfah de Dios.

«At another level of interpretation, some commentators say that khalīfah comes from khalafa (“to come after”) and means that human beings come after all creatures and all grades of being are summarized in the human state.» — y añade otra lectura del mismo término: que viene de khalafa, *venir después*, y dice que los seres humanos vienen tras todas las criaturas y que todos los grados del ser quedan compendiados en el estado humano.

«Ibn ʿAbbās is reported to have said that Iblīs was a member of a tribe of angels called al-ḥinn (a word related to jinn), was named al-Ḥārith, and was a custodian of Paradise. All the angels were created from light, except this tribe, which was created from “smokeless fire” (cf. 55:15).» — el comentario transmite el relato atribuido a Ibn ʿAbbās sobre el origen de Iblīs: miembro de una tribu de ángeles llamada al-ḥinn, de nombre al-Ḥārith y custodio del Paraíso, con todos los ángeles creados de luz salvo esa tribu, creada de fuego sin humo.

«The first to inhabit the earth were the jinn, who caused corruption there and spilled blood. Then God sent Iblīs among that host of angels called al-ḥinn. Iblīs and his compatriots killed them and sent them off to the islands of the sea and the edges of the mountains. He was filled with pride for accomplishing something no one else had done.» — y sigue el relato: los jinn fueron los primeros habitantes de la tierra y la corrompieron, Iblīs fue enviado contra ellos con aquella hueste, los mató y los arrojó a las islas del mar y a los bordes de las montañas, y se llenó de orgullo.

«That jinn inhabited the earth before human beings is accepted by many commentators. But al-Rāzī prefers the opinion that God spoke to all the angels, not only those who warred alongside Iblīs.» — el comentario consigna que muchos comentaristas aceptan que los jinn habitaron la tierra antes que los seres humanos, y la preferencia de al-Rāzī por que Dios hablara a todos los ángeles y no solo a los que guerrearon con Iblīs.

«Nevertheless, some specifics of the story, such as that Iblīs was a member of a tribe of angels, can hardly be counted as reliable and are certainly from popular narratives, since an authority such as Ibn ʿAbbās would have known that the Quran in 18:50 identifies Iblīs as a jinn, not an angel.» — y objeta partes del mismo relato que acaba de transmitir: que Iblīs fuera de una tribu de ángeles apenas puede tenerse por fiable y viene de narraciones populares, porque una autoridad como Ibn ʿAbbās habría sabido que la aleya 18:50 lo identifica como jinn y no como ángel.

«However, many commentators explain the angels’ apparently audacious question as an expression of wonder on their part, rather than doubt or concern (R). They marvel at God’s Wisdom, but are not alarmed by it.» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī la lectura de la pregunta de los ángeles como expresión de asombro y no de duda ni de alarma: se maravillan de la Sabiduría de Dios.

«31Some derive Adam from adīm, meaning the surface of the earth, in keeping with the ḥadīth, “Truly God created Adam from a handful taken from the entire earth. The Children of Adam thus correspond to the earth, some being red or black or white, or in between, and [they experience] ease and sorrow, bad and good.”» — el comentario de 2:31 deriva el nombre de Adán de adīm, la superficie de la tierra, apoyado en el ḥadīth del puñado tomado de la tierra entera del que salen los colores y las suertes de sus hijos.

«The names Adam is taught are considered by some, such as Ibn ʿAbbās, to be those that people use in discourse with one another, such as “man,” “sea,” “mountain,” and even “kettle.” To others, such as Mujāhid, they are “the names of everything.”» — y alinea lo que se dice de los nombres enseñados a Adán: para Ibn ʿAbbās los que la gente usa al hablar entre sí, para Mujāhid los nombres de todo.

«For al-Rāzī, this means that Adam indeed was taught all the languages of the earth, and his descendants came to prefer one over the others in the course of time.» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī la consecuencia lingüística: Adán fue enseñado en todas las lenguas de la tierra y sus descendientes fueron prefiriendo una sobre las otras con el tiempo.

«Ibn ʿArabī’s interpretation of this passage begins by pointing out that in relation to the world angels “are like the spiritual and sensory faculties” in human beings. As the faculties of men and women are diverse, so are the angels in their myriad functions arrayed in a hierarchy.» — el comentario expone la interpretación que atribuye a Ibn ʿArabī: los ángeles son al mundo lo que las facultades espirituales y sensoriales al ser humano, y su diversidad se ordena en jerarquía como la de esas facultades.

«Adam was capable of knowing all the Divine Names, unlike the angels who “did not possess the synthesis possessed by Adam, and were not aware of the Divine Names by which it [namely, Adam’s synthetic reality] is set apart such that they could glorify the Real and proclaim Him holy through them. Nor did they know that God possesses Names to whose knowledge they did not attain, therefore not glorifying Him with them nor proclaiming Him holy as did Adam.”» — y da la razón que esa lectura ofrece de la superioridad de Adán: los ángeles no poseían la síntesis que él poseía ni conocían los Nombres divinos por los que esa realidad sintética se distingue; los corchetes son aclaración del propio volumen.

«33For the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, see also 35:38; 49:18; and for Knower of the Unseen more generally, see, e.g., 13:9; 23:92 64:18. What you used to conceal could refer to Iblīs’ pride or to the belief attributed to the angels that “God never creates a thing except that we are more noble than it” (Ṭ). But with this interpretation, the angels would have accepted Adam’s excellence without objection, and what they concealed would have been virtue, not the pride one might gather from their judgment of their own nobility.» — el comentario de 2:33 consigna, con al-Ṭabarī, que lo ocultado por los ángeles podría ser el orgullo de Iblīs o la creencia que se les atribuye de ser más nobles que toda criatura, y objeta la segunda lectura por incoherente con su aceptación de la excelencia de Adán.

«rebelliousness is impossible for angels, though al-Rāzī notes that the Muʿtazilites believed that angels could be disobedient.» — el comentario consigna, con al-Rāzī, que la desobediencia se tiene por imposible en los ángeles, y junto a eso la posición contraria de los muʿtazilíes; la frase arranca al pie de la plana anterior.

«35The story of the fall of Adam and Eve from Paradise appears here and in 7:19–25 and 20:120–23. Relative to Genesis 2–3, the Quranic account gives fewer details.» — el comentario de 2:35 sitúa el relato de la caída en tres lugares del libro y lo compara con Génesis 2-3: el coránico da menos detalles.

«Among the possibilities offered for the type of tree are grain, grapevine, and fig. (The Quran never uses the word “fruit” in this context, but says only that they ate from the shajarah, a word that can include also vegetative growth such as trees, shrubs, and bushes.)» — el comentario enumera lo que se ha propuesto sobre el árbol del Jardín —grano, vid, higuera— y acota que el libro nunca usa ahí la palabra *fruto* sino shajarah, que abarca también arbustos y matas.

«One view (R) has it that the promise of eternal life mentioned in 7:20 and 20:120 would have had no attraction if Adam were already dwelling in the “Garden of Rewards,” which the Quran promises to believers. The command to get . . . down (v. 36) is the same verb used in v. 61 (Go down to a town . . .), where it does not imply a vertical descent, but a change in location.» — el comentario expone la posición que al-Rāzī recoge de que el Jardín de Adán no sería el Jardín de las Recompensas, apoyada en que la promesa de vida eterna no habría tenido atractivo y en que el verbo del descenso se usa también para un cambio de lugar sin descenso vertical.

«The consensus view, though, is that the Garden of Adam and the promised Garden are the very same (R, Q). It is not “a” garden, but “the” Garden (al-jannah), “well known” as the eternal Garden promised to believers.» — y consigna la posición de consenso, con al-Rāzī y al-Qurṭubī, que tiene el Jardín de Adán y el prometido por el mismo, no *un* jardín sino *el* Jardín.

«Surveying these options, al-Rāzī offers this final possibility: “These are all possible, and the textual proofs are weak and contradictory; so one should cease, and refrain from being categorical. And God knows best.”» — el comentario cierra la cuestión con la abstención que al-Rāzī propone: todas las opciones son posibles, las pruebas textuales son débiles y contradictorias, conviene detenerse y no ser categórico.

«Some commentators mention an array of details about Adam, Eve, the Garden, and the fall, many of which find their origin in Jewish and Christian, and perhaps even Arab, oral traditions.» — el comentario consigna el origen que atribuye a los detalles añadidos por algunos comentaristas sobre Adán, Eva, el Jardín y la caída: tradiciones orales judías, cristianas y quizá árabes.

«But some of these details are not attested to very strongly in the Ḥadīth, and some (such as some registered by al-Ṭabarī) do not rise above the level of folklore.» — y acota el valor de esos detalles: poco atestiguados en el Ḥadīth, y algunos, entre ellos los que al-Ṭabarī registra, sin pasar de folclore.

«The Quran itself provides the foundation and details of the story of Adam and Eve, which has a different meaning in Islam than in Judaism or Christianity.» — el comentario declara que el relato de Adán y Eva tiene en el islam un sentido distinto del que tiene en el judaísmo o el cristianismo.

«commanded be joined refers to blood ties, whose importance and maintenance as commanded by God appears elsewhere in the Quran: Reverence . . . family relations (arḥām; 4:1); But family relations have the strongest claim on one another in the Book of God (8:75); Family relations are closer to one another, according to the Book of God (33:6); Were you to turn away, would you perchance work corruption upon the earth and break your family relations? (47:22).» — el comentario de 2:27 recoge la lectura de *lo que Dios mandó unir* como los lazos de sangre, apoyada en cuatro aleyas sobre las relaciones familiares; la frase arranca al pie de la plana anterior.

«It should be noted that this “fall” is not tied to the idea of “original sin,” which Islam does not accept.» — el comentario de 2:36 marca la diferencia doctrinal que separa este relato del cristiano: la caída no va ligada a la idea de pecado original, que el islam no acepta.

«Another account mentions that Adam beseeched God, “Did you not make me vicegerent? Did you not breathe into me of Thy Spirit? Does Thy Compassion not outstrip Thy Wrath?” God’s response of “Yea” to each of these questions and His informing Adam that he was forgiven constitute the words that Adam received.» — el comentario de 2:37 transmite un relato de las palabras que Adán recibió: sus tres preguntas sobre el vicegerente, el soplo del Espíritu divino y la Compasión que aventaja a la Ira, con el *Sí* de Dios a cada una.

«In Arabic the verb for “repent” and “relent” (tāba/yatūbu) is the same; its meaning changes only with the addition of a preposition. Tawbah, the noun derived from the verb, means literally a “turning” or a “return”: we turn or return to God in repentance, and He turns or returns to us.» — y señala que en árabe *arrepentirse* y *volverse clemente* son el mismo verbo, con tawbah significando literalmente un giro o un retorno recíproco: el hombre vuelve a Dios y Dios vuelve al hombre.

«Similar passages in the Bible (Jonah 3:9; Jeremiah 15:6; Genesis 6:6) predicate a kind of “repentance” of God.» — y remite a tres pasajes bíblicos que predican de Dios algo parecido a un arrepentimiento.

«According to an account by the early religious scholar Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110/728), when Adam descended to the earth, God revealed to him, “O Adam, there are four acts containing all things for thee and thy children: one is for Me, one is for thee, one is between thee and Me, and one is between thee and mankind. As for the one which is Mine, thou shalt worship Me and not associate aught with Me. As for that which is thine, thou shalt attain the reward of that which thou doest. As for that between thee and Me, thou must supplicate, and I must respond. As for that between thee and mankind, should thou befriend them with that which thou lovest, they shall befriend thee likewise” (R).» — el comentario de 2:38 y 2:39 transmite, con al-Rāzī, el relato de Ḥasan al-Baṣrī sobre los cuatro actos revelados a Adán al descender: uno para Dios, uno para él, uno entre ambos y uno entre él y los hombres.

«In this sense, prophecy and revelation begin with the earthly history of humanity.» — y saca de ahí el lugar de la profecía en el tiempo: la profecía y la revelación empiezan con la historia terrestre de la humanidad.

«43If this were a command to perform the specific Islamic prayer (ṣalāh) and give the alms (zakāh), as some understand it, it would be tantamount to a command to become Muslim. But passages such as 19:31; 19:55 (where we are told Ishmael commanded his people to pray and give alms); and 20:14 show that the canonical prayer and alms are not exclusive to Islam as understood to mean the religion revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.» — el comentario de 2:43 objeta que el mandato de orar y dar limosna equivalga a un mandato de hacerse musulmán, y lo apoya en aleyas donde Ismael manda lo mismo a los suyos y donde se manda a Moisés.

«Again, bowing is a universal movement of worship and reverence, but it has a specific definition in the Islamic context as a particular movement in the canonical prayer.» — y ordena las dos capas del gesto: la inclinación como movimiento universal de adoración y reverencia, con un sentido específico dentro de la oración canónica.

«ṣabr, like “patience,” means both the endurance of hardship and steadfastness in good.» — el comentario de 2:45 reparte ṣabr en dos: soportar la adversidad y mantenerse firme en el bien.

«Indeed, one can be patient through the commonplace discipline of deferred gratification, whereas prayer always demands, in some measure, a retreat from the world and a diminution of the ego.» — y da la razón de que la oración sea la parte difícil del par: la paciencia cabe en la disciplina corriente de aplazar la gratificación, y la oración exige siempre un retiro del mundo y una disminución del ego.

«46Reckon renders the verb ẓanna, which, paradoxically, can mean “to conjecture” (6:116), “to be certain” (as here), or simply “to think” (48:6) or “to believe.”» — el comentario de 2:46 consigna la polivalencia del verbo ẓanna, que dice a la vez conjeturar, estar cierto, pensar y creer.

«47Cf. 2:122; similar language is found in 6:86: And Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot—each We favored above the worlds. Some commentators understand this preeminence to be something confined to the past, in light of the fact that in 3:110 it is the Prophet Muhammad’s community that is described in the Quran itself as the best community brought forth unto mankind.» — el comentario de 2:47 consigna la lectura que ciñe al pasado la preeminencia concedida a los Hijos de Israel, apoyada en que 3:110 llama a la comunidad del Profeta la mejor sacada para los hombres.

«The concept of intercession (shafāʿah) is related to similar concepts in the Quran such as istighfār, meaning the seeking of forgiveness for oneself or for another, as in 40:7, where angels seek forgiveness for those who believe.» — el comentario de 2:48 empareja la intercesión, shafāʿah, con el istighfār, el buscar perdón para uno mismo o para otro, con los ángeles pidiéndolo por los creyentes en 40:7.

«Earthly intercession and ransom are aspects of human social and legal transactions, but intercession before God in the Hereafter is a theological issue touching on God’s Authority, the danger of idolatry, and the efficacy of prayer.» — y distingue los dos planos de la cuestión: la intercesión y el rescate terrenos como transacciones sociales y legales, y la intercesión ante Dios en la Otra Vida como cuestión teológica que toca la Autoridad divina, el peligro de idolatría y la eficacia de la oración.

«For some mystics, such as Ibn ʿArabī, supplicatory prayer brings into being possibilities that would not have been manifested but for that prayer.» — el comentario consigna la posición que atribuye a místicos como Ibn ʿArabī: la oración de súplica hace advenir posibilidades que sin ella no se habrían manifestado.

«God’s compassionate Love (raḥmah) encompasses all things (7:156), and included in that infinite range of love is the love that responds only when a request is made, as in 2:152: Remember Me, and I shall remember you; this does not nullify the prior love, which is a purely unasked-for gift.» — y ordena dos amores dentro de la raḥmah que abarca todas las cosas: el que responde solo cuando se pide, y el previo, que es don no pedido.

«Ultimately, the “request” for love is itself a manifestation of God’s Love, in that we cannot remember God unless He “remembers” us first.» — el comentario cierra ese razonamiento haciendo de la petición misma manifestación del Amor divino: nadie puede recordar a Dios si Dios no lo recuerda primero.

«If one can object that intercession diminishes God’s Mercy and Wisdom, one can respond that the intercession itself is a Gift of God. All that the angels, prophets, saints, and believers who are granted intercession have to offer is their goodness and faith and nearness to God, all of which come from God’s Wisdom for creatures and their relationship with one another.» — el comentario responde a la objeción de que la intercesión aminore la Misericordia y la Sabiduría de Dios: la intercesión misma es Don de Dios, y lo único que ángeles, profetas, santos y creyentes tienen que ofrecer es su bondad, su fe y su cercanía, que de Dios vienen.

«Seen in this way, passages that deny the efficacy intercession (as in 32:4; 39:44; 74:48) do not contradict those that affirm its possibility (as in 21:28; 34:23; 53:26).» — y con eso concilia las aleyas que niegan la eficacia de la intercesión con las que afirman su posibilidad; el impreso omite la preposición en *the efficacy intercession*.

«The trial (balāʾ) is lexically a testing or finding out, here usually connected to the sufferings, but understood by some to be a niʿmah, or blessing, which appears in 2:47 (Ṭ). In the Quran a good can also be a trial, as in 21:35: We try you with evil and with good; and 7:168: And We tried them with good things and with evil things.» — el comentario despliega balāʾ como prueba y consigna, con al-Ṭabarī, la lectura que la entiende como niʿmah, bendición, apoyándose en que en el libro también un bien puede ser prueba.

«53The Book can be all of, part of, or separate from the Torah. The Criterion (furqān) is either a description of the Book as something that separates truth from falsehood or a reference to a power of discrimination given to Moses and Aaron (21:48).» — el comentario de 2:53 deja abierto qué sea el Libro dado a Moisés respecto de la Torá, y da dos lecturas del Criterio, furqān: descripción del Libro que separa verdad de falsedad, o potencia de discernimiento dada a Moisés y a Aarón.

«49The use of when (idh) links this and subsequent verses to v. 47 in the sense of “remember when,” as idh can mean “remember when” independently of the explicit use of a word such as udhkur (“remember”). Idh can also carry the sense of “Lo!” or “See!” or “Behold!”» — el comentario de 2:49 despliega la partícula idh, que enlaza la serie con la aleya 47 en el sentido de *recuerda cuando* y que también dice *he aquí* o *mira*; la cifra pegada a *The* es el número de aleya.

«Other than describing it as a punishment or suffering (ʿadhāb), the Quran does not give a specific reason for the killing mentioned in this verse.» — y consigna lo que el libro NO dice sobre la matanza de los hijos de Israel: fuera de llamarla castigo o sufrimiento, no da razón específica.

«Manna is not described in the Quran except as coming from Heaven and is always mentioned together with quails, though some commentators say that it came from tamarisk or even ginger or that it was a honeylike substance or a delicate bread that fell from Heaven like snow» — el comentario de 2:57 consigna lo poco que el libro dice del maná, siempre junto a las codornices, y las conjeturas de los comentaristas sobre qué era.

«Interpreted spiritually by Ibn ʿAjībah, the stone is considered to be the heart from which spiritual life flows, and the staff is the spiritual will (himmah), which “strikes” the egotistical soul and produces blessings of wisdom and unveilings.» — el comentario de 2:60 recoge la lectura espiritual de Ibn ʿAjībah del milagro de la roca: la piedra es el corazón de donde mana la vida espiritual y el báculo es la voluntad espiritual, himmah, que golpea al alma egótica y produce bendiciones de sabiduría y desvelamientos.

«62Cf. 5:69. Sabeans renders ṣābiʾ, which some derive from the verb ṣabaʾa insofar as it can be used to mean “to go from one religion to another.” It also means “to rise,” as in the case of stars, or “to come upon,” “to emerge,” or “to arise.” Others read it as coming from ṣabā, meaning “to incline,” as in from one religion to another (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:62 despliega la etimología de ṣābiʾ, que se ha derivado del verbo *pasar de una religión a otra*, y también de *elevarse* y de *inclinarse*.

«According to the commentators the ṣābiʿ could be: (1) people who have no recognizable religion; according to some accounts, there were people who declared, “There is no god but God,” but had no rites or books or prophet, and did not accept the Prophet Muhammad; (2) people who worshipped angels and faced the qiblah, reciting the Psalms; (3) a group of the People of the Book who left their religion; (4) people who think they are following the religion of Noah; or (5) monotheists who believe in the effects of the planets, and hence are unbelievers (R, Q, Ṭ).» — y alinea, con al-Rāzī, al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, cinco identificaciones de los sabeos sin arbitrar entre ellas; el impreso escribe aquí *ṣābiʿ* donde antes escribe *ṣābiʾ*.

«In the early centuries of Islamic history, the people of Ḥarrān in Syria who followed a religion deeply influenced by esoteric elements in earlier Greek and Near Eastern religions called themselves Ṣabeans to enjoy the status given to the ṣābiʾūn in the Quran.» — el comentario consigna que la gente de Ḥarrān, que seguía una religión hondamente influida por elementos esotéricos de religiones griegas y próximo-orientales anteriores, se llamó a sí misma sabea para gozar del estatuto que el libro da a los ṣābiʾūn.

«Members of the present-day Mandaean sect in southern Iraq and Iran are also called ṣābiʾ. They are monotheists and consider John the Baptist to be their prophet; their main ritual is baptism, and many believe that they migrated to their present site from the Jordan Valley.» — y nombra a los mandeos del sur de Iraq y de Irán como llamados también ṣābiʾ: monoteístas que tienen a Juan el Bautista por profeta, con el bautismo por rito principal.

«Christians renders naṣārā (sing. naṣrān or naṣrānī), which most plausibly derives from Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth (al-Nāṣirah), but several other etymologies are also given.» — el comentario deriva el término con que el libro nombra a los cristianos, naṣārā, del pueblo de Jesús, Nazaret.

«Using etymologies in this way, although often interesting, can be misleading, since the origin of a word often has scant connection with its later use» — y objeta el uso de la etimología para decidir de qué cristianos habla el libro: el origen de una palabra suele tener poca conexión con su uso posterior; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Concerning this verse the commentator al-Qushayrī writes, “The differences in paths, with the oneness of the origin, does not hinder the beauty of acceptance. Whosoever affirms [God] the Real in His signs, and believes in the truth and His Qualities of which He informs them—namely, the Truth and His Qualities—then the differences in religious paths [or laws, sharʿ] and the differences in the appellation of names do not impinge on the realization of the good pleasure [of God].”» — el comentario cita a al-Qushayrī sobre 2:62: la diferencia de caminos, siendo uno el origen, no estorba la belleza de la aceptación, y la diferencia de leyes y de nombres no impide la realización de la complacencia divina; los corchetes son del propio volumen.

«The theologian and mystic Abū Ḥamid al-Ghazzālī (d. 505/1111), in his famous work Fayṣal al-tafriqah, argues that the “Christians of Byzantium” and the “Turks” (still outside the Islamic world at that time) would come under God’s Mercy.» — el comentario cita el Fayṣal al-tafriqah de al-Ghazzālī, a quien llama teólogo y místico, para sostener que los cristianos de Bizancio y los turcos de entonces caerían bajo la Misericordia de Dios.

«How could a Turk who had never heard of Muhammad be faulted? Moreover, why should a person who grows up hearing the Prophet Muhammad referred to as “the great liar” investigate his truth claims, since one would not expect the same from a Muslim» — y despliega su razonamiento por preguntas: cómo culpar a un turco que nunca oyó de Muhammad, y por qué habría de investigar sus pretensiones quien creció oyéndolo llamar *el gran mentiroso*; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Such mitigating circumstances, namely, that birthplace, upbringing, and social experience mediate one’s knowledge of religion, provide ample space for God’s Mercy to encompass those who believe in Him and in the Hereafter and act righteously.» — el comentario saca de ahí la consecuencia: lugar de nacimiento, crianza y experiencia social median el conocimiento de una religión, y eso deja amplio espacio a la Misericordia de Dios.

«Some argue that the verse refers to certain Jews, Christians, and Sabeans who adhered to these faiths before the Prophet’s mission, but who then acknowledged him when he came—people such as Salmān al-Fārsī, Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī, and the monks Waraqah ibn Nawfal and Baḥīrah (R); others have understood it to include Zoroastrians as well.» — y consigna la lectura que ciñe la aleya a quienes reconocieron al Profeta al venir, con al-Rāzī, y la que la extiende también a los zoroastrianos.

«Al-Zamakhsharī and some others argue that those who believe refers to the hypocrites, because they affirm belief outwardly, and lump them together with Jews, Christians, and Sabeans to form a first group, which is then juxtaposed with those mentioned in the second part of the verse, the true believers in the Prophet and Islam.» — el comentario consigna la lectura de al-Zamakhsharī que hace de *los que creen* de la aleya los hipócritas.

«However, Christians who affirm the message of Muhammad would no longer be Christian at all, just as those who practice idolatry would no longer be idolaters if they accept Muhammad.» — y objeta la lectura que salva la aleya haciendo de esos grupos creyentes por afirmar al Profeta: un cristiano que afirme el mensaje de Muhammad ya no sería cristiano.

«Al-Qurṭubī mentions an opinion, attributed to Ibn ʿAbbās, that 3:85 (Whosoever seeks a religion other than submission, it shall not be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he shall be among the losers) abrogates this verse. But a widely accepted principle of abrogation is that only legal rulings or commands can be abrogated, not descriptive statements, especially as regards one’s status in the Hereafter.» — el comentario consigna la opinión que al-Qurṭubī atribuye a Ibn ʿAbbās de que 3:85 abroga 2:62, y le opone el principio de abrogación admitido: solo se abrogan preceptos legales, no enunciados descriptivos.

«Moreover, the plain sense of the verse cannot be denied without introducing inconsistencies: in no other instance is a “believer” used as a name for a hypocrite, and in no sense does a Jew or Christian following the religion of Muhammad continue to be called a Jew or Christian.» — y fija la posición del propio comentario sobre 2:62: el sentido llano de la aleya no se puede negar sin introducir inconsistencias.

«No fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve is a description of one’s life after death, the equivalent of what might be called salvation. It describes the reward of those who follow God’s Guidance (v. 38), those who submit with faith (2:112), whoever believes and is righteous (6:48), the friend of God (10:62), and those who say, “Our Lord is God” (46:13).» — el comentario lee la fórmula que cierra 2:62 como descripción de la vida después de la muerte, equivalente de lo que se llamaría salvación, y enumera a quiénes el libro se la promete.

«Since the Quran does not describe the mountain as floating, but only as “rising” above the Israelites, one can understand that it loomed over them in a terrifying and meaningful way, an interpretation that is all the more plausible in light of the descriptions from Exodus 19.» — y propone otra lectura apoyada en que el libro no dice que la montaña flotara sino que se alzó, con Éxodo 19 como apoyo: que se cernía sobre ellos de modo aterrador y significativo.

«Others interpret it to mean that all previous prophets taught that Friday was the most excellent day, that the Day of Judgment would come to pass on a Friday, and that it is celebrated by the angels in Heaven. The Jews preferred Saturday as the day of God’s rest, and because of their disobedience they were punished by God by being prohibited from engaging in their normal activities on that day. The Christians preferred Sunday, noting its excellence as the first day (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:65 recoge, con al-Ṭabarī, la lectura que pone el sábado y el domingo como preferencias de judíos y cristianos frente al viernes enseñado por todos los profetas anteriores.

«Also, many aḥādīth speak of people resurrected in the form of various animals, according to their inner nature.» — y consigna que muchos ḥadīth hablan de gente resucitada en forma de animales conforme a su naturaleza interior.

«There is general agreement among the interpreters that this verse literally means that a mountain, either Sinai or a mountain from Palestine, was uprooted and made to physically move and float over the Israelites, in order to frighten them (Ṭ, R, IK).» — el comentario de 2:63 y 2:64 consigna el acuerdo de los intérpretes sobre el monte levantado: una montaña arrancada y hecha flotar sobre los israelitas para atemorizarlos.

«Assuming this is the correct interpretation, it would not be the only instance of reanimation in the Quran; others include Abraham and the birds (2:260); Jesus and the clay bird (3:49); the unnamed man thought by some to be Ezra, who died and was revived after a hundred years (2:259); and an allusion to this is when dust touched by a messenger (usually thought to be Gabriel) is used to animate the golden calf (20:96).» — el comentario de 2:72 y 2:73 enumera los demás casos de reanimación que el libro trae: Abraham y las aves, Jesús y el pájaro de barro, el hombre revivido a los cien años, y el polvo tocado por un mensajero con que se anima el becerro de oro.

«In a related ḥadīth, a man asked, “O Messenger of God, how does God revive the dead?” “Have you ever passed by a barren valley, and then passed by it again and it was verdant?” “Yes.” “Even so is the Resurrection.” In another version he replied, “Even so does God revive the dead.”» — y transmite el ḥadīth que responde a cómo revive Dios a los muertos con la imagen del valle yermo vuelto verde.

«Sufi commentators have seen in this passage a message that one whose heart has been “slain” by worldliness must sacrifice the egotistical soul in order to give life to the heart through the remembrance of God (Ni, Su, Qu).» — el comentario recoge, con al-Nīsābūrī, al-Sulamī y al-Qushayrī, la lectura sufí del pasaje: quien tiene el corazón muerto por la mundanidad debe sacrificar el alma egótica para dar vida al corazón por el recuerdo de Dios.

«Al-Qushayrī states, “Whoever desires that his heart be given life must sacrifice his soul. So whoever sacrifices his soul with effort gives life to his heart and the lights of vision.”» — y cita a al-Qushayrī en esa misma clave: quien quiera que se dé vida a su corazón ha de sacrificar su alma.

«In Deuteronomy 21:1–9 the Israelites are commanded to sacrifice a cow in the event that a person is found slain and the murderer remains unknown, after which the elders of the town nearest to the victim wash their hands over the cow and disavow any guilt for the crime. But the two accounts are different; one is the narration of an event, and the other, the prescription of a general law, even though there are similarities between them.» — el comentario coteja el pasaje con Deuteronomio 21 y consigna la diferencia sin armonizarla: uno narra un suceso y el otro prescribe una ley general.

«Water is a symbol of life and that by which life is made possible, whether it comes from the sky (22:63) or comes from beneath the ground (39:21) or is figured in our creation (21:30); here the image of the rock from which water comes forth is powerfully contrasted to the lifelessness of the hardened heart.» — el comentario de 2:74 lee el agua como símbolo de la vida y contrapone la roca de la que brota agua a la falta de vida del corazón endurecido.

«Some commentators think that all the types of rock in this verse behave as they do because of the fear of God (Ṭ).» — y consigna, con al-Ṭabarī, la lectura que atribuye al temor de Dios el comportamiento de los tres tipos de piedra de la aleya.

«The living consciousness of God by all creation is also mentioned in 17:44: And there is no thing, save that it hymns His praise, though you do not understand their praise; and 34:10: O you mountains! Echo God’s praises with him, likewise you birds!» — el comentario enuncia la conciencia viva de Dios en toda la creación con dos aleyas: no hay cosa que no cante Su alabanza, y el mandato a las montañas y a las aves de hacer eco a las alabanzas.

«Some aḥādīth mentioned in connection with this verse describe the Prophet as saying, “I know a stone in Makkah that used to greet me before I was made a prophet, and I know it even now.” Regarding Mt. Uḥud, he said, “This is a mountain that loves us, and we love it.”» — y transmite dos dichos en esa clave: la piedra de La Meca que saludaba al Profeta antes de su profecía, y el monte Uḥud que ama y es amado.

«In another related ḥadīth that describes the behavior of apparently insensate objects, the Companions made a pulpit for the Prophet, but when he ascended it, the palm-tree stump beside which he used to deliver his sermons began to cry, at which the Prophet descended, embraced it, and said, “It weeps for the remembrance it used to hear.”» — y el ḥadīth del tocón de palmera que lloró al quedarse sin los sermones, abrazado por el Profeta, que dijo que lloraba por el recuerdo que solía oír.

«It is one of a handful of verses that mention the “distortion” (taḥrīf) of scriptures by the People of the Book (see also 2:59; 3:78; 4:46; 5:13, 41).» — el comentario de 2:75 sitúa la aleya entre el puñado de las que hablan de la distorsión, taḥrīf, de las escrituras por la Gente del Libro.

«Whether the Jews and Christians actually altered their transmitted books or instead skewed their interpretations while retaining a faithful text is a subject of debate in the Islamic intellectual tradition.» — y declara que si judíos y cristianos alteraron sus libros transmitidos o solo torcieron su interpretación conservando el texto es asunto disputado dentro de la tradición intelectual islámica.

«He prefers to think that the prophecies required “careful thinking and contemplation in the heart” and that those texts, over time, took on a normative interpretation that drifted away from the original intent.» — y consigna la posición de al-Rāzī sobre las profecías del Profeta en la Biblia: pedían pensamiento cuidadoso y contemplación en el corazón, y los textos fueron tomando con el tiempo una interpretación normativa que se apartó de la intención original.

«That the Arabs were not entirely illiterate is clear from the Islamic tradition’s proven assertion that the Quran was written down during the lifetime of the Prophet, though the literate could have been a relatively small number in relation to the whole.» — y acota el alcance del término: los árabes no eran del todo iletrados, y lo apoya en que el libro se pusiera por escrito en vida del Profeta.

«79Although woe (wayl) is an ordinary Arabic word used throughout the Quran as a cry of distress, it is also interpreted here by some as a proper name for an infernal valley in Hell based on the following ḥadīth (disputed by some, such as the commentator Ibn Kathīr): “Wayl is a valley in Hell into which the disbeliever will fall for forty autumns before reaching its bottom.”» — el comentario de 2:79 consigna la lectura de *wayl* como nombre propio de un valle infernal, apoyada en un ḥadīth que Ibn Kathīr disputa.

«The question of a limited sojourn in Hell is extremely significant, as the main body of Islamic theology accepts the possibility of believers being removed from Hell (see 4:40c; 78:23c), a position adduced from passages such as 6:128; 11:107; and 78:23, but also from aḥādīth that describe intercession on behalf of the denizens of Hell that would allow them to leave it after a period of time» — el comentario de 2:80 declara la importancia de la cuestión de una estancia limitada en el Infierno y consigna que el cuerpo principal de la teología islámica acepta que los creyentes puedan salir de él; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The distinction between major and minor sin (corresponding roughly, but not exactly, to mortal sin and venial sin in the Christian tradition) is universal in Islam, although historically there have been many different lists of major and minor sins.» — el comentario de 2:81 declara universal en el islam la distinción entre pecado mayor y menor, la empareja con la de pecado mortal y venial del cristianismo y acota que las listas han variado mucho.

«Major and minor sins are not strictly divided: one can repent and be forgiven for major sins, but even a minor sin can become major through obstinacy and repetition» — y niega que la división sea estricta: de los mayores se puede uno arrepentir y ser perdonado, y un pecado menor puede volverse mayor por obstinación y repetición; el tramo se corta ahí.

«When God says He forgives all sins except shirk, idolatry (4:48; 4:116), this means that He forgives gratuitously all sins other than shirk, not that shirk is unforgivable, since God forgives all sins (39:53; R).» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī una lectura de las aleyas del perdón: que Dios perdone gratuitamente todo salvo el shirk no dice que el shirk sea imperdonable, porque Dios perdona todos los pecados.

«The commentators connect these verses to the Jewish claim of limited days of punishment, indicating that God does not punish or withhold punishment on the basis of one’s membership in a particular religious community, but on the basis of individual right or wrong actions.» — y saca del conjunto la tesis que el comentario sostiene: Dios no castiga ni deja de castigar por la pertenencia a una comunidad religiosa sino por los actos de cada quien.

«In Ibn ʿAjībah’s esoteric commentary on this verse, the egotistical soul must be killed in order for the spiritual soul to live. The best time for a soul to inflict the knife of asceticism and poverty upon itself is when it is neither too old, when its habits are ingrained and change becomes more difficult, nor too young (v. 68), when it feels immortal and sees no need to change.» — el comentario de 2:67 a 2:71 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura esotérica de la vaca sacrificada: el alma egótica debe morir para que viva el alma espiritual, y el mejor momento para el cuchillo del ascetismo es cuando el alma ni es tan vieja que tenga los hábitos arraigados ni tan joven que se sienta inmortal.

«It is only when the soul has been purified and made beautiful and severed its inner attachment to the world that it is worthy to be sacrificed to God.» — y cierra esa lectura: solo cuando el alma ha sido purificada, hecha bella y desprendida de su apego interior al mundo es digna de ser sacrificada a Dios.

«78The illiterate (ummiyyūn) are those Jews who could not read and write (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:78 da la primera lectura de ummiyyūn que al-Ṭabarī recoge: los judíos que no sabían leer ni escribir; la cifra pegada a *The* es el número de aleya.

«In an opinion attributed to Ibn ʿAbbās, however, they are a people who accept no prophet or revealed book and who write a book themselves and say that it is from God; they were called ummiyyūn because of their opposition to the Books of God (Ṭ).» — y la segunda, atribuida a Ibn ʿAbbās: una gente que no acepta profeta ni libro revelado y escribe un libro propio diciéndolo de Dios.

«Al-Rāzī makes an argument regarding limited punishment in Hell based on three main points: First, he argues that v. 80 is not necessarily a denial that souls might reside in Hell only temporarily, but may be seen as a rebuke against the claim of such an exceedingly small number of days coupled with the impudent confidence in that figure in the absence of an explicit promise from God.» — el comentario de 2:80 despliega el argumento de al-Rāzī sobre el castigo limitado, cuyo primer punto lee la aleya no como negación de una estancia temporal en el Infierno sino como reproche a la cifra mezquina y a la confianza impúdica en ella.

«Third, there is a difference between saying that God will not remove a believer from Hell and saying that God never promised (or made a Covenant) to remove a believer from Hell, since God can do something without having explicitly promised to do so. The absence of such a promise does not prevent God from in fact removing a person from Hell after a period of time.» — y su tercer punto, que distingue entre decir que Dios no sacará a un creyente del Infierno y decir que Dios nunca prometió sacarlo: la ausencia de la promesa no le impide hacerlo.

«eleventh-century scholar Ibn Ḥazm, the earlier commentators were not as eager to dispute the text of the Bible and preferred to view the “distortion” as an act of faulty and even malicious interpretation.» — el comentario de 2:75 data el desplazamiento de esa disputa nombrando a Ibn Ḥazm como epítome de los comentaristas tardíos que sostuvieron que el texto bíblico fue cambiado, frente a los anteriores, que prefirieron ver la distorsión como interpretación defectuosa y aun maliciosa; la frase arranca en la plana anterior.

«These injunctions apply whether the parent is a believer or not, and the commentators often point to the example of Abraham and his restraint with his disbelieving father (19:42–48).» — el comentario de 2:83 extiende la virtud debida a los padres sea el padre creyente o no, con el ejemplo de la contención de Abraham ante el suyo.

«The ḥadīth often bestows special honor upon mothers, as in the Prophetic saying, “Paradise is at the feet of mothers.”» — y consigna el honor que el ḥadīth da a las madres con el dicho del paraíso a sus pies.

«An orphan (yatīm) was generally considered to be any minor whose father had died, as the father would have been the primary provider and protector of the child, but some considered those whose mothers had died also to be orphans.» — el comentario define al huérfano según el uso: el menor cuyo padre ha muerto, por ser el padre proveedor y protector, aunque algunos contaran también a los de madre muerta.

«These verses also touch on the question of communal versus individual responsibility. One can be passively implicated in the crimes of one’s community, as when children suffer because of their parents’ crimes. But one can also take an active part in a community’s past crimes and be held responsible for them, such that the “sins of the fathers” are justly passed on to later generations.» — el comentario de 2:84 plantea la cuestión de la responsabilidad comunitaria frente a la individual y admite que los pecados de los padres pasen justamente a generaciones posteriores cuando hay participación activa.

«Insofar as individuals are willing to glory in a group identity and accept its accomplishments as an extension of the self, they expose themselves to the crimes associated with that group identity as well.» — y fija la regla que de ahí saca: quien se gloría en una identidad de grupo y toma sus logros como extensión de sí queda expuesto también a los crímenes ligados a esa identidad.

«A culture or civilization can be rescued from its moral darkness by an infusion of virtue from saints or sages and, in earlier times, prophets, but on average a community will retain the qualities of its progenitors rather than discard them.» — el comentario sostiene que una cultura puede ser rescatada de su oscuridad moral por una infusión de virtud de santos, sabios y, en tiempos anteriores, profetas, aunque en promedio una comunidad conserve las cualidades de sus progenitores.

«Here the wider sense of kufr, or “disbelief,” as rejection and denial of certain truths comes to the fore, as the lack of belief and faith in part is not a direct disbelief in God’s existence. Rather, the expulsion and taking of ransom are acts of hypocrisy and immorality, which are not separable from a certain degree of kufr.» — el comentario de 2:85 y 2:86 despliega el sentido ancho de kufr como rechazo y negación de ciertas verdades, distinto de negar la existencia de Dios.

«The succession of messengers refers to those Biblical figures mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel whom the Quran considers to have been prophets sent to the Children of Israel, including David, Solomon, Elias, John, and others (R). They were sent by God to preach the Oneness of God, but in accordance with the religious law of Moses and not to bring a new religion.» — el comentario de 2:87 identifica la sucesión de mensajeros con figuras bíblicas —David, Salomón, Elías, Juan— enviadas a predicar la Unicidad conforme a la ley de Moisés y no a traer una religión nueva.

«The Holy Spirit in the present verse is usually identified as the Archangel Gabriel (IK); others have said it was a name by which Jesus revived the dead or that it refers to the Gospel itself (Ṭ), although this latter opinion goes against the juxtaposition of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit in 5:110.» — y alinea, sin arbitrar, las lecturas del Espíritu Santo de la aleya: con Ibn Kathīr el arcángel Gabriel, y con al-Ṭabarī un nombre con que Jesús revivía a los muertos o el Evangelio mismo, lectura que el comentario objeta por 5:110.

«The word Holy, qudus, is defined by some as “blessing” (barakah) or “purity” (ṭuhr), while others say qudus is synonymous with the Divine Name al-Quddūs (the Holy; see 59:23; 62:1). In this latter sense the Holy Spirit means “the spirit of (God) the Holy” and refers then to the same Spirit that was breathed into Adam in 15:29: I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit.» — el comentario despliega qudus entre bendición, pureza y el Nombre divino al-Quddūs, y en este último sentido lee el Espíritu Santo como el mismo Espíritu insuflado en Adán según 15:29.

«For most Sufis, what this passage says outwardly to the Jews it communicates inwardly to the Muslims: God caused a succession of saints and sages to show right from wrong and guide them to the straight path, but these luminaries are often called liars or are opposed because their accusers are ruled by their passions (K).» — el comentario recoge de al-Kāshānī la lectura sufí del pasaje: lo que dice por fuera a los judíos lo dice por dentro a los musulmanes, con una sucesión de santos y sabios a quienes se llama mentirosos por estar sus acusadores regidos por las pasiones.

«But the question need not be whether God seals hearts; indeed, a sealed heart would not be able to see that it is sealed. A soul that laments its being sealed is not completely sealed, since one cannot be aware of or believe in God unless God allows it.» — el comentario de 2:88 razona sobre el corazón sellado: un corazón sellado no podría ver que lo está, y un alma que lamenta estarlo no lo está del todo.

«Some commentators relate that the Jews previously prayed, “O God send this prophet we find written of in our [book], so that we can punish the idolaters and slay them,” but they then rejected him—that is, Muhammad— because he was not of the Israelites» — el comentario de 2:89 transmite el relato de que los judíos de Medina pedían el envío del profeta anunciado en su libro y lo rechazaron por no ser de los israelitas; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The attitude criticized here is based on the Jews’ reported belief that a prophet should come only from the Children of Israel. According to the commentators, because they were jealous that this dignity should pass to the Arabs, they purchased the false comfort of tribal pride at the price of faith in the Prophet Muhammad (IK, R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:90 explica el reproche de la aleya, con Ibn Kathīr, al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī, por la creencia de que el profeta solo podía venir de los Hijos de Israel: habrían comprado el consuelo falso del orgullo tribal al precio de la fe.

«Here again a sense of rejection and lack of gratitude should be recalled in the multifaceted concept of “disbelief” (kufr), which in this case brings out the sense of kufr as “covering over (the blessings one receives),” which is not unrelated to ghulf, or “enwrapped,” as discussed in 2:88c.» — y liga el sentido de kufr como *cubrir las bendiciones recibidas* con el de ghulf, *envuelto*, del comentario anterior.

«Explaining drink the calf, the commentators understand the drinking to mean that they were made to drink “the love of” the calf (R, Ṭ), meaning that they directed their love to it due to their disbelief (kufr), which here as elsewhere can also mean “denial” and “ingratitude.”» — el comentario de 2:93 entiende el *beber el becerro* de la aleya como que se les hizo beber el amor del becerro, con al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī.

«The reasoning behind this challenge made to the Jews (R, Th) is that death is the only way to the felicity that they here claim is theirs alone in the Hereafter, so that it is therefore a gate through which they should wish to pass with all due haste.» — el comentario de 2:94 y 2:95 razona el reto de desear la muerte, con al-Rāzī y al-Thaʿlabī: si la Morada de la Otra Vida fuera suya en exclusiva, la muerte sería la única puerta a esa felicidad.

«The conditional supplication for life and death mentioned by the Prophet reflects, by contrast, the uncertainty of one’s status in the Hereafter according to Islam. Like the presumption regarding the limited sojourn in Hell in v. 80 and 3:24, this belief in a guaranteed and exclusive entry into Paradise displays an excess of confidence.» — y contrapone a esa pretensión la súplica condicional que el Profeta enseña, que refleja la incertidumbre del propio estado en la Otra Vida según el islam.

«According to some, this challenge could refer to a kind of mubāhalah, a practice where two sides come together to decide the truth of an issue, each declaring a certain position and each invoking something terrible on themselves if they are wrong. In this case, it would mean that death is invoked upon whomever is lying, the Muslims or the Jews (IK, Ṭ).» — el comentario consigna, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Ṭabarī, la lectura del reto como una mubāhalah, la práctica en que dos partes invocan sobre sí algo terrible si mienten.

«Others, such as al-Rāzī, prefer to see “thousand” as an idiomatic way of saying “many” and dismiss the connection of it to the Zoroastrians as a specific group.» — el comentario de 2:96 consigna la lectura que refiere los mil años a los zoroastrianos o persas y la objeción de al-Rāzī, que prefiere tomar *mil* por modo idiomático de decir *muchos*.

«One describes the Prophet being questioned by a group of Jews who ask him questions only a true prophet could answer, among which is a question about who brought Muhammad the message from God. When he answers that it was Gabriel, they say they would have followed him if he had said Michael, who is an agent of mercy in their eyes, but Gabriel is a bringer of war, death, and destruction (IK).» — el comentario de 2:97 transmite, con Ibn Kathīr, el relato de los judíos que habrían seguido al Profeta si el mensajero hubiera sido Miguel, agente de misericordia a sus ojos, y no Gabriel, portador de guerra, muerte y destrucción.

«The book of Enoch, for example, discusses the concept of fallen angels in addition to the distribution of angelic functions and attributes.» — y nombra el libro de Enoc como lugar donde se tratan los ángeles caídos junto con el reparto de funciones y atributos angélicos.

«98The structure of this verse does not mean that Gabriel and Michael are other than angels; for example, 55:68 mentions dates and pomegranates after mentioning fruit. Moreover, angels are sometimes referred to as messengers as well (e.g., 10:21; 11:77).» — el comentario de 2:98 objeta que la enumeración separe a Gabriel y Miguel de los ángeles, con el paralelo de los dátiles y las granadas nombrados tras la fruta en 55:68, y recuerda que los ángeles también se llaman mensajeros.

«A ḥadīth that similarly uses the metaphor of drinking states, “Trials and temptations come upon hearts unrelentingly like a woven mat. Any heart that is made to drink of them has a black spot placed upon it» — el comentario de 2:93 transmite el ḥadīth de los corazones que beben las tentaciones y quedan con una mancha negra; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Michael is the preeminent angel in the Jewish tradition; he is mentioned in the book of Daniel (10:13–21) as Israel’s prince and in later Jewish literature as Israel’s advocate and the teacher of Moses.» — el comentario sitúa a Miguel como el ángel preeminente de la tradición judía, nombrado en el libro de Daniel como príncipe de Israel y en la literatura posterior como su abogado y maestro de Moisés.

«Michael is snow, and Gabriel fire; Michael is called the merciful, while Gabriel is set over “the powers”; and attributes of gentleness are assigned to Michael and those of severity to Gabriel.» — y reparte los atributos que la literatura judía les asigna: Miguel nieve y Gabriel fuego, Miguel el misericordioso y Gabriel puesto sobre las potencias, la dulzura a uno y la severidad al otro.

«For Muslim commentators such as al-Rāzī, at least part of the Jews’ apparent enmity toward Gabriel stemmed from the fact that Muhammad was not of Israel, in which case the invocation of Gabriel’s severity would be an excuse masking their displeasure that an Arab would be chosen as a prophet and the agent of the revelation being Gabriel.» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī una lectura de esa enemistad declarada contra Gabriel: excusa que encubriría el disgusto de que un árabe fuera elegido profeta.

«For Muslims, to fault Gabriel is to fault God, who sent him.» — y fija la posición musulmana en esa disputa sobre los ángeles: culpar a Gabriel es culpar a Dios, que lo envió.

«To the degree that the two angels (sometimes identified as Michael and Gabriel by commentators such as al-Rāzī) taught people how to read and manipulate the hidden dimensions of the cosmos, it would have been for the sake of wisdom, healing, and goodness.» — el comentario de 2:102 lee lo enseñado por los dos ángeles de Babilonia, que al-Rāzī identifica a veces con Miguel y Gabriel, como el modo de leer y manipular las dimensiones ocultas del cosmos, y lo da por hecho en vista de la sabiduría, la curación y el bien.

«Being a double-edged sword, such knowledge would have been a potentially dangerous instrument for causing harm and evil; hence the angels’ warning against making a bargain for such powers.» — y explica por eso la advertencia de los ángeles dentro de la propia aleya: ese saber es espada de doble filo, instrumento potencialmente peligroso para causar daño y mal.

«This sort of bargainer would become well known in the West in the character of Faust, namely, one who sells his soul for unworthy worldly gain» — el comentario empareja al que hace ese trato con el Fausto occidental, el que vende su alma por ganancia mundana indigna; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Spiritually, this verse can be read as describing a turning away from the heart and spirit toward the lower aspects of the ego (Aj), away from the “Solomon of the spirit” to the satans of the soul (K).» — y recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah y de al-Kāshānī la lectura espiritual de la misma aleya: un apartarse del corazón y del espíritu hacia los aspectos bajos del ego, del *Salomón del espíritu* a los satanes del alma.

«In some currents of Islamic esoteric tradition, the sorcery or magic that is mentioned here is considered to be astrology, which in its traditional form originated in Babylon and reached the West via Alexandria and the Islamic world.» — el comentario consigna que en algunas corrientes de la tradición esotérica islámica la magia de esta aleya se entiende como la astrología, nacida en su forma tradicional en Babilonia y llegada a Occidente por Alejandría y el mundo islámico.

«These correspondences— between stars, minerals, plants, animals, human faculties, relationships, and so forth—are seen as the basis for astrology, alchemy, magic, and divination.» — y cierra la serie nombrando lo que esas correspondencias entre estrellas, minerales, plantas, animales, facultades humanas y relaciones fundan: astrología, alquimia, magia y adivinación; el troceo deja el guion de corte dentro de la frase.

«In its mainstream interpretation, naskh refers to the replacement of one legal ruling (ḥukm) by another one that is instituted or revealed later in time, in which case the original text remains in the Quran, but is no longer binding as a matter of law or practice.» — y fija la interpretación corriente: la abrogación sustituye un precepto legal por otro posterior, y el texto original permanece en el libro aunque deje de obligar.

«As widely understood in the Islamic religious sciences, naskh can occur only in matters of commands and prohibitions, not in descriptive passages relating to metaphysics, ethics, history, the nature of God, or the Hereafter; a ruling (ḥukm) is a determination of legal status, not doctrine.» — el comentario acota el alcance de la abrogación: solo puede darse en mandatos y prohibiciones, nunca en pasajes descriptivos de metafísica, ética, historia, naturaleza de Dios o la Otra Vida.

«Naskh would not apply to commandments so universal as to be irrevocable, such as the prohibitions against murder, theft, and adultery and the command to be kind to one’s parents.» — y la excluye también de los mandatos tan universales que son irrevocables, como las prohibiciones del asesinato, el robo y el adulterio.

«A report attributed to the Prophet’s wife ʿĀʾishah, for example, states that there were commands in the Quran relating to suckling that are now neither acted upon nor part of the Quran» — el comentario consigna un tipo de abrogación que alcanza al texto mismo, con el relato atribuido a ʿĀʾishah sobre mandatos del libro relativos a la lactancia que ya no se practican ni están en él; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Scholars such as the famous Islamic thinker and reformer Shāh Walī Allāh of Delhi (d. 1176/1762) placed the number of abrogated verses at 5; the commentator Ibn al-Jawzī named no less than 247; many other lists exist in between, such as Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī’s list of 21 instances.» — el comentario mide la disputa por sus cifras: Shāh Walī Allāh de Delhi contó cinco aleyas abrogadas, Ibn al-Jawzī no menos de 247, y al-Suyūṭī veintiuna.

«A minority of scholars, such as Abū Muslim al-Iṣfahānī (d. 934/1527), have gone so far as to say that abrogation, as a technical concept defined by the mainstream legal tradition, does not actually exist and that the apparently conflicting rulings can be reconciled.» — y consigna la posición minoritaria de Abū Muslim al-Iṣfahānī, que niega que la abrogación exista tal como la define la tradición legal y sostiene que los preceptos en conflicto aparente se concilian.

«Even among the mainstream upholders of naskh, abrogation must be distinguished from (1) specification, where a verse does not contradict but provides specification regarding the general ruling of another verse; (2) the simple accumulation of law, which may or may not amount to an abrogation; and (3) the disappearance of the circumstances or causes behind the ruling, its sabab or ʿillah (“effective legal cause”).» — el comentario distingue la abrogación de tres cosas con que se confunde: la especificación, la simple acumulación de ley y la desaparición de las circunstancias o causas del precepto.

«The Quraysh would challenge the Prophet to bring a Book with the power to create flowing rivers or demand that he turn Ṣafā (a hill outside Makkah) into gold (Ṭ) or give them a tree upon which to hang ritual items (R).» — el comentario de 2:108 enumera los retos que los Quraysh ponían al Profeta, con al-Ṭabarī y al-Rāzī: un libro capaz de hacer correr ríos, convertir en oro el cerro de Ṣafā, o dar un árbol del que colgar objetos rituales.

«The great sin of Satan is often understood to be envy, as shown in 38:76, where Iblīs says of Adam, I am better than him.» — el comentario de 2:109 consigna que el gran pecado de Satán se entiende a menudo como envidia, apoyado en las palabras de Iblīs sobre Adán en 38:76.

«However, as al-Rāzī argues, if this verse is interpreted as a command to perform a certain kind of virtuous behavior, then it is not subject to abrogation, as it is not a legal ruling (ḥukm).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī la objeción a que el mandato de perdonar y tolerar quede abrogado: si se interpreta como mandato de una conducta virtuosa, no es precepto legal y no admite abrogación.

«An expansive view of legal abrogation allows for the many verses dealing with peace and forbearance to be “abrogated” by those authorizing fighting, which leads to dozens of verses being summarily abrogated.» — el comentario mide el efecto de una visión expansiva de la abrogación sobre las aleyas de paz y tolerancia: decenas quedan abrogadas de un golpe por las que autorizan el combate.

«(It is said that the Prophet would often pause in the midst of his recitation in order to pray or supplicate in accord with the content of a verse, for example, glorifying God in a verse about glorification or actually prostrating in a verse mentioning prostration, which is discussed in 96:19c.)» — y consigna la práctica atribuida al Profeta de detener la recitación para orar conforme al contenido de la aleya, glorificando en una de glorificación o postrándose en una de postración.

«111The theme of God restricting His Favor to one group is repeated in v. 113, where Jews and Christians each believe that the other does not stand on firm ground; v. 135, where right guidance means following only their own religions; 5:18, where the Jews and Christians call themselves the beloved children of God; and 62:6, where Jews claim to be God’s friends apart from all others.» — el comentario de 2:111 reúne los lugares donde el libro trata la pretensión de un grupo de tener el Favor de Dios en exclusiva.

«Although some commentators, such as al-Ṭabarī, understand this to mean submitting one’s body and actions, which is how they understand the use of “face,” others, such as Ibn Kathīr, add to this and say that the twin conditions of one’s actions being acceptable to God are sincerity and conformity to the Sharīʿah (Islamic Law).» — el comentario de 2:112 alinea dos lecturas de *someter el rostro*: con al-Ṭabarī, someter el cuerpo y los actos; con Ibn Kathīr, sinceridad y conformidad con la Sharīʿah a la vez.

«This latter view would exclude hypocrites because of their lack of sincerity, but would also rule out Christian monks for their lack of conformity to the Sharīʿah.» — y mide el efecto de la segunda lectura: excluiría a los hipócritas por falta de sinceridad y también a los monjes cristianos por falta de conformidad con la Ley.

«Al-Rāzī, in the same way, leaves out Hindus, who, whatever their intentions, display in his view “repugnant” actions. The condition of physical conformity allows the exclusion of other religions, although the plain sense of the passage and those like it does not necessitate such exclusion as asserted by other authorities.» — y consigna que al-Rāzī deja fuera del mismo modo a los hindúes, junto con la objeción del propio comentario: el sentido llano del pasaje no exige esa exclusión.

«They make these claims even though they recite the Book, which means that in what they espouse they should affirm rather than deny the truths in the other religion; in the case of the Jews, the Torah speaks to the truth of Jesus, and in the case of the Christians, the Gospel affirms Moses and the Torah (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:113 razona, con al-Ṭabarī, por qué la acusación mutua de judíos y cristianos es errada: la Torá habla de la verdad de Jesús y el Evangelio afirma a Moisés y la Torá.

«The commentator al-Kāshānī notes that the Christians are veiled from the outward by their attachment to the inward, while the Jews are veiled from the inward by their attachment to the outward, and that similar problems beset certain schools of thought in Islam (K).» — y recoge de al-Kāshānī la lectura simétrica de ese velo: los cristianos velados de lo exterior por su apego a lo interior, los judíos velados de lo interior por su apego a lo exterior, y lo mismo aquejando a ciertas escuelas dentro del islam.

«The suspension of a final verdict regarding religious differences is a consistent theme in the Quran. God’s Judgment or disclosure of the truth in matters of religious disagreement on the Day of Judgment is also mentioned in 3:55; 5:48; 6:164; 10:93; 16:92; 16:124; 22:69; 32:25; 39:3, 46.» — el comentario declara constante en el libro la suspensión del veredicto final sobre las diferencias religiosas, remitido al Día del Juicio.

«Some Sufis discern another level of meaning, saying that the heart is the “house” of love and knowledge of God (the Kaʿbah is the House of God), and one does wrong in destroying it through false desires (Aj, Qu).» — el comentario de 2:114 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah y al-Qushayrī la lectura sufí de las mezquitas arruinadas: el corazón es la casa del amor y del conocimiento de Dios, y se obra mal al destruirlo con deseos falsos.

«106Naskh, usually translated “abrogation,” has the meaning of conveyance or copying from an original, which could extend to the notion that the entire Quran is a naskh, or “copy” in relation to its origin in the Preserved Tablet (85:22; Th), or something as simple as a written copy of a text. The more relevant sense in this context is “to erase” or “to obliterate,” often described as the action that the sun performs on a shadow, the wind upon dust, or even old age upon youth.» — el comentario de 2:106 despliega naskh entre *copiar de un original* y *borrar*, con las imágenes del sol sobre la sombra, el viento sobre el polvo y la vejez sobre la juventud; la cifra pegada al término es el número de aleya.

«than another, some interpret better than it as an alleviation when it comes to matters of this world and an intensification when it comes to matters of the next world (Q, Ṭ).» — y recoge en la plana siguiente, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, la lectura que ve en ese *mejor* un alivio en lo de este mundo y una intensificación en lo del otro.

«110Here and in 73:20, which is similarly phrased, the good that the believers perform and find with God is connected with prayer and charity. It is understood to mean that the fruits of one’s actions are reaped on the Day of Judgment, a promise in the form of a description (IK).» — el comentario de 2:110 lee, con Ibn Kathīr, la promesa de hallar el bien junto a Dios como promesa en forma de descripción; la cifra pegada a *Here* es el número de aleya.

«Since Islam emphasizes God as the Absolute, it denies all possibility of relativizing Him through a relationship such as fatherhood.» — el comentario dice la razón última de esa negación: al poner a Dios como el Absoluto, el islam niega toda posibilidad de relativizarlo por una relación como la paternidad.

«Although a theologian such as al-Rāzī accepts a purely metaphorical understanding of God as “father”—in the sense that a father is prior, is responsible for or is the human cause of a person’s being—he would utterly reject that this in any way reflects the actual filial relationship between God and any being.» — y consigna que al-Rāzī admite un sentido puramente metafórico de Dios como padre y rechaza de plano que eso refleje relación filial alguna.

«The term most often translated glory be to (subḥāna) also carries the sense of “disassociation,” so that Glory be to Him! can also mean “God is far beyond such a thing!” which is a sense brought out often in connection with this verse (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario despliega subḥāna, que además de *gloria a Ti* lleva el sentido de disociación: Dios está muy por encima de tal cosa.

«For some commentators such as al-Rāzī, the command Be! is meant to convey the ease and power by which God creates, requiring no preparation, practice, or effort.» — el comentario de 2:117 recoge de al-Rāzī el sentido del imperativo creador: la facilidad y el poder con que Dios crea, sin preparación, práctica ni esfuerzo.

«This view rejects the idea of a sequence of (1) a thing’s nonexistence, (2) God’s saying Be! and (3) its existence, since one cannot address nothing, and if something exists, it does not need the Be! in order to exist.» — y con eso rechaza la secuencia de no existencia, orden y existencia, porque no se puede dirigir la palabra a la nada y lo que ya existe no necesita la orden.

«This latter idea is expanded upon by Ibn ʿArabī and many members of his school, who explain that God says Be! to the forms (or “immutable essences,” al-aʿyān al-thābitah) in His Knowledge, meaning His Knowledge of His own Qualities and Attributes. That is to say, God knows what He will create and brings His Will and Power to bear upon that object of knowledge in order to create it by saying Be!» — el comentario expone la doctrina que atribuye a Ibn ʿArabī y a su escuela: Dios dice *Sé* a las formas o esencias inmutables que están en Su Conocimiento, que es Conocimiento de Sus propias Cualidades y Atributos.

«Being within God’s Knowledge, it is not nothing, but neither is it yet created, nor does it possess existence. Ultimately, these views converge on the unity of God’s Knowledge, Will, and Power as His inseparable Attributes and on God’s complete self-sufficiency in relation to what He creates.» — y fija el estatuto de esas esencias: estando en el Conocimiento de Dios no son nada, y tampoco están aún creadas ni poseen existencia.

«Be! (kun) also corresponds to the Biblical fiat lux (“Let there be light,” Genesis 1:3) and serves to emphasize the fact that the existence of everything comes from God and His Will and that human beings do not have the power to bring anything into being out of nothing.» — el comentario empareja el imperativo creador con el fiat lux del Génesis y saca de ahí que el existir de todo viene de Dios y que el ser humano no tiene poder de traer nada a la existencia desde la nada.

«Creed renders millah, a word that also can mean “community,” but that can furthermore be used to refer to the religious law (sharīʿah) or “way” that defines a particular religious community (Q)» — el comentario de 2:120 despliega millah entre *credo*, *comunidad* y la ley o vía que define a una comunidad religiosa; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Some traditional lore attached to this verse includes accounts of a much more ancient origin for the Kaʿbah going back to Adam. In various accounts, Adam, having ceased to hear the voices of the angels due to his sins, prays to God, who informs him that He will send down a House around which people will circumambulate, just as the angels go round the Divine Throne.» — y transmite el relato de un origen mucho más antiguo de la Kaʿbah: Adán, que ha dejado de oír las voces de los ángeles por sus pecados, recibe la promesa de una Casa en torno a la cual se dará vueltas como los ángeles rodean el Trono divino.

«The House is raised up from the earth and then disappears with the flood until Abraham comes and, with his son Ishmael, brings out the foundations once again, rather than building them from nothing.» — y sigue el relato: la Casa es alzada de la tierra y desaparece con el diluvio hasta que Abraham e Ismael sacan de nuevo los cimientos en vez de construirlos desde nada.

«Al-Ṭabarī, for his part, recounts these stories, but states that they are not reliable as actual history, although many other commentators consider them to be true.» — el comentario consigna el desacuerdo sin armonizarlo: al-Ṭabarī cuenta esos relatos y los da por no fiables como historia, mientras otros comentaristas los tienen por verdaderos.

«To relent, here as elsewhere, suggests the reciprocity in the act of tawbah (see the essay “Obstacles Faced in the Translation of the Quran”), in which God “turns” toward human beings in compassion, while they “turn” to Him in repentance» — y recuerda la reciprocidad del tawbah: Dios se vuelve hacia los hombres en compasión mientras ellos se vuelven a Él en arrepentimiento; el tramo se corta ahí.

«133This verse is part of the general Quranic argument that the patriarchs named here cannot be claimed by the People of the Book in an exclusive and narrow way; rather, the Quran asserts that they were followers of the pure religion of Abraham (Ṭ), identified with primordial monotheism and therefore also belonging to Islam.» — el comentario de 2:133 enuncia el argumento general del libro sobre los patriarcas: no pueden ser reclamados en exclusiva por la Gente del Libro, porque seguían la religión pura de Abraham.

«Here the creed of Abraham is identified with Islam itself as well as with the term ḥanīf. In the Quran ḥanīf often describes Abraham (4:125; 6:161; 16:120, 123), and even though it is not specifically linked with any other prophet, its usage is not restricted to him» — el comentario de 2:135 identifica el credo de Abraham con el islam y con el término ḥanīf, que el libro le aplica sobre todo a él sin ceñirlo a él; el tramo se corta ahí.

«It is associated with being virtuous and submissive before God (4:125), straight (6:161), upright (30:30), and devoutly obedient (16:120); it is a quality that corresponds to the unspoiled primordial nature (fiṭrah) of human beings given to them by God (see 30:30c).» — y enumera las cualidades que el libro asocia al ḥanīf: virtuoso y sometido, recto, erguido y devotamente obediente, en correspondencia con la fiṭrah, la naturaleza primordial no estropeada.

«In almost all verses, ḥanīf also describes one who is not an idolater, an unbeliever, or a follower of Judaism or Christianity (as in the present verse); the latter two are seen as particularizations of the universal primordial religion (al-dīn al-ḥanīf), which Islam reestablishes.» — el comentario sitúa al judaísmo y al cristianismo, frente al ḥanīf, como particularizaciones de la religión primordial universal que el islam restablece.

«Etymologically ḥanīf is somewhat enigmatic and has led some to debate its real meaning and origins. It can mean “lame” or “crooked” and also “inclining toward.” Its likely cognates in other Semitic languages give the sense of “hypocrite,” “vile,” and “unclean,” among other infelicitous meanings such as “pagan” or “heathen” in the sense of non-Jew or non-Christian.» — y consigna lo enigmático de su etimología: puede decir *cojo* o *torcido* y también *inclinarse hacia*, y sus cognados semíticos dan *hipócrita*, *vil* e *inmundo*, junto con *pagano* en el sentido de no judío ni cristiano.

«116Commentators do not restrict this verse to Christian theology; it can also refer to the Arab pagan belief that the angels were the daughters of God» — el comentario de 2:116 acota contra quién va la negación de que Dios tome un hijo: no solo contra la teología cristiana sino también contra la creencia árabe pagana de que los ángeles eran hijas de Dios; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The Islamic arguments against God’s having a child stem directly from the fundamental Islamic conception of Divine Oneness, Transcendence, Absoluteness, and Uniqueness (tawḥīd) and are based on the principle that God is unlike anything in creation, God is beyond need of all things, and His Perfection can never be implicated in the limitations inherent in “having a son.”» — y funda el argumento islámico en la concepción de tawḥīd: Dios no se parece a nada de lo creado, está más allá de necesitar nada y Su Perfección no puede quedar implicada en las limitaciones de tener un hijo.

«The practice of seclusion (khalwah), or “spiritual retreat,” in Sufism is also based ultimately upon iʿtikāf.» — el comentario de 2:125 funda la práctica del retiro espiritual del sufismo, khalwah, en el iʿtikāf que el Profeta hacía los diez últimos días de Ramadán.

«Abraham was to purify it, that is, cleanse it from idolatry and doubt (Ṭ), which in Abraham’s case would mean to maintain it in that state, a state to which the Prophet Muhammad would return it later.» — y lee la purificación de la Casa encomendada a Abraham como limpiarla de idolatría y de duda, estado al que el Profeta la devolvería después.

«Imām means most generally “leader,” including a religious or political leader or the person who leads the canonical prayer. In Shiism it also has the particular meaning of one in whom the Muhammadan Light is present and who is designated the spiritual leader of the community by Divine Decree (naṣṣ).» — el comentario de 2:124 despliega imām como *guía* en general y consigna el sentido propio que el chiismo le da: aquel en quien está presente la Luz muhammadiana, designado guía espiritual de la comunidad por decreto divino.

«Others believe they were the rituals and prayers he was to perform, specifically the central rites of the ḥajj, which Muslims consider to have originated with Abraham, including the circumambulation of the Kaʿbah, the running between Ṣafā and Marwah, and the pelting of the pillar representing Satan.» — y alinea las lecturas de las palabras con que Abraham fue probado, entre ellas los ritos centrales del ḥajj, que los musulmanes tienen por originados en él.

«It is not implausible that a term denoting a person who “inclined away” from a group in a negative sense could come to acquire the positive sense of one who was not bound to a specific group’s limitations, distortions, and errors.» — el comentario propone cómo un término que decía *apartarse* de un grupo en sentido negativo pudo tomar el positivo de quien no queda atado a las limitaciones, distorsiones y errores de un grupo.

«127Some commentators relate this verse to 22:26, where God assigns or designates the place of the House. In 3:96 the Quran states, Truly the first house established for mankind was that at Bakkah, an alternate pronunciation of Makkah also referenced in the Bible (Psalm 84:6).» — el comentario de 2:127 consigna que 3:96 llama a la Casa la primera establecida para los hombres, en Bakkah, pronunciación alterna de Makkah que también aparece en el Salmo 84; la cifra pegada a *Some* es el número de aleya.

«128Submit and submitting render muslim, the participle of a transitive verb (lit. “submitter to God” in this context), which is tied to the submission (islām) mentioned in v. 132, both of which are among those verses that testify to the» — el comentario de 2:128 liga el participio muslim a la sumisión, islām, de la aleya 132; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue en *universal meaning of islām*.

«140This denial of retroactive religious identity is also found in 3:65, where the People of the Book are asked, Why do you dispute concerning Abraham, as neither the Torah nor the Gospel was sent down until after him? In 3:67 it is emphatically stated, Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian, but rather was a ḥanīf, a submitter.» — el comentario de 2:140 nombra lo que el libro niega a la Gente del Libro: la identidad religiosa retroactiva, con 3:67 declarando que Abraham no fue judío ni cristiano sino ḥanīf.

«The verse is meant partly to remind one that it is not the place itself (Jerusalem or Makkah) that merits being the direction of prayer or qiblah, but the fact that God has commanded it to be so (R).» — el comentario de 2:142 recoge de al-Rāzī la razón del cambio de qiblah: no es el lugar el que merece ser dirección de la oración sino el mandato de Dios.

«The Prophet prayed toward Jerusalem for a certain number of months after arriving in Madinah after the hijrah (the emigration from Makkah); in the reports the number of months varies between thirteen and twenty, but most mention sixteen or seventeen (IK, Q, Ṭ).» — y consigna, sin armonizar las cifras, cuántos meses oró el Profeta hacia Jerusalén tras la hégira: los relatos van de trece a veinte y la mayoría dice dieciséis o diecisiete.

«It is the first instance of abrogation in the chronological order of revelation and is often cited as a paradigmatic case, though it is an instance of the Quran abrogating the Sunnah (Q)» — el comentario sitúa el cambio de qiblah como el primer caso de abrogación en el orden cronológico de la revelación y, con al-Qurṭubī, como un caso en que el libro abroga la Sunnah; el tramo se corta ahí.

«One early method was to stand as though one were facing a wall of the Kaʿbah that was extended far enough horizontally; in this system the Islamic world was divided into geographic sectors, each praying toward a different wall of the Kaʿbah.» — el comentario describe el primer método para fijar la qiblah fuera de La Meca: pararse como frente a un muro de la Kaʿbah extendido, con el mundo islámico repartido en sectores geográficos.

«Since the corners of Kaʿbah are oriented toward the cardinal directions and its sides face the summer sunrise and Canopus (the southern pole star frequently used for navigation), the direction of prayer was often determined by these celestial markers.» — y consigna la orientación astronómica del edificio: las esquinas hacia los puntos cardinales y los lados hacia la salida del sol de verano y hacia Canopo, marcadores celestes con que se fijaba la dirección.

«Islamic mathematics developed sophisticated methods for determining the direction of the qiblah before modern times, including the use of astronomical instruments such as astrolabes and armillary spheres.» — el comentario consigna que las matemáticas islámicas desarrollaron métodos sofisticados para determinar la qiblah antes de la era moderna, con astrolabios y esferas armilares.

«According to a ḥadīth, the Prophet said that middle means “just,” and a proverb (considered a ḥadīth by some) states, “The best of things is their middlemost.”» — el comentario de 2:143 glosa *comunidad media* con el dicho profético que la iguala a *justa* y con el proverbio de que lo mejor de las cosas es su parte media.

«With regard to faith and practice, to be in the middle means to avoid extremes (R): the virtue of courage lies between recklessness and cowardice, and the virtue of generosity lies between prodigality and miserliness (Aj).» — y da, con Ibn ʿAjībah, el sentido práctico del medio: la valentía entre la temeridad y la cobardía, la generosidad entre la prodigalidad y la avaricia.

«Indeed, Muslims have argued that while Judaism emphasizes the law and Christianity emphasizes love and mercy, Islam creates a balance between the two or between emphasis on the exoteric and the esoteric; Islam also creates a balance between the concerns of this world and the demands of the Hereafter.» — el comentario consigna el argumento con que los musulmanes sitúan su comunidad en medio: el judaísmo acentúa la ley, el cristianismo el amor y la misericordia, y el islam equilibra las dos, y también lo exotérico con lo esotérico.

«According to Islamic theology, although God tests in order to know, He does not wait for the answer. The answer is known already in His eternal Knowledge, but the trial and its outcome still actually take place.» — el comentario resuelve así la dificultad de que Dios pruebe *para saber*: Dios prueba para saber y no espera la respuesta, que ya está en Su Conocimiento eterno, y aun así la prueba y su desenlace ocurren.

«144Though the change in the qiblah was ordained by God, commentators give varying accounts of how Jerusalem came to be the qiblah in the first place and the circumstances under which it was changed. A few have said that the Prophet chose to pray toward Jerusalem of his own accord in order to establish a bond with the local population, many of whom were Jewish or recent converts to Islam; most accounts say that the Prophet was instructed by God to face Jerusalem and then later commanded to change the direction toward Makkah (IK).» — el comentario de 2:144 alinea, con Ibn Kathīr, los relatos sobre cómo Jerusalén llegó a ser qiblah: unos pocos dicen que el Profeta la eligió para estrechar lazos con la población local y los más que fue instruido por Dios.

«Others understand that the hope to change the qiblah stemmed from the Prophet’s love of the House of Abraham and Abraham’s qiblah or from his hope that the Arabs might be more inclined toward Islam if the Kaʿbah were the qiblah (R).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī otras dos razones para el deseo de cambio: el amor del Profeta por la Casa de Abraham y su qiblah, o la esperanza de que los árabes se inclinaran más al islam.

«To say someone follows a different qiblah is tantamount to excluding that person from the religious community in question.» — y saca de ahí la función de frontera del término: decir que alguien sigue otra qiblah equivale a excluirlo de la comunidad religiosa.

«147The command in this verse does not fall specifically upon the Prophet, even though it is addressed to him, but is meant to be an address to his Companions and all those in general who believe in him. This point applies to this and other seemingly superfluous commands to the Prophet, such as And follow that which has been revealed unto thee (10:109), because it is taken as a given that the Prophet would be complying with the command.» — el comentario de 2:147 da la regla con que lee los mandatos aparentemente superfluos dirigidos al Profeta: se dirigen a sus Compañeros y a cuantos creen en él.

«148This verse is understood to mean that all religious communities have a qiblah, or a direction of prayer (Th, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:148 lee la aleya, con al-Thaʿlabī y al-Ṭabarī, como que toda comunidad religiosa tiene una dirección de oración.

«In this verse the fixing of the direction of the qiblah is part of God’s completion of His Blessings for humanity. Similar passages connect these completed blessings with pilgrimage (5:3) and ablution (5:6), so that all of these connect God’s Blessings with ritual practices.» — el comentario de 2:149 y 2:150 liga la fijación de la qiblah a la compleción de las Bendiciones de Dios, y con ella la peregrinación y la ablución: las bendiciones se ligan a prácticas rituales.

«A saying attributed to many early commentators states, “God remembers whosoever remembers Him, and increases whosoever is grateful to Him, and punishes whosoever disbelieves in Him” (IK).» — el comentario de 2:152 transmite, con Ibn Kathīr, el dicho de los primeros comentaristas sobre la reciprocidad del recuerdo, la gratitud y la incredulidad.

«A famous ḥadīth qudsī (a “sacred ḥadīth,” in which God is quoted but which is not part of the Quran) states, “God most high says, ‘I am as my servant deems Me to be. I am with him when He remembers Me. Whosoever remembers Me within himself, I shall remember him in Myself. Whosoever remembers Me in company, I shall remember him in company better than them. Should he approach Me by a hand, I shall approach him by a cubit, and should he approach Me by a cubit, I shall approach him by a fathom. Should he come to Me walking, I shall go to him running.’”» — y transmite el ḥadīth qudsī de la aproximación recíproca: quien se acerca un palmo recibe un codo, quien se acerca un codo recibe una braza, y a quien viene andando Dios va corriendo.

«This verse is one of the Quranic foundations for the spiritual practice of the methodical remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh), which is the central practice of Sufism, alluding to the reciprocity of remembering God and being remembered by Him.» — el comentario declara esta aleya uno de los fundamentos coránicos del dhikr Allāh, el recuerdo metódico de Dios, que llama la práctica central del sufismo.

«Commentators usually categorize patience into three kinds: being resolute in avoiding sins, constant in meritorious actions, and content in the face of affliction (IK, R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:153 reparte la paciencia en tres clases, con Ibn Kathīr, al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī: firmeza en evitar pecados, constancia en las obras meritorias y contento ante la aflicción.

«A ḥadīth states, “Patience comes at the first blow,” meaning that the proof of a patient and steadfast heart is its state “in the heat of the affliction” (Q), not when it is over, in which case anyone can be patient.» — el comentario de 2:155 transmite el dicho de que la paciencia viene en el primer golpe: la prueba de un corazón paciente está en el calor de la aflicción y no cuando ya pasó.

«Although some have defined it as not complaining (see also v. 153), al-Qurṭubī notes that Job tells God, Truly Satan has afflicted me with weariness and punishment, but of Job God says, Truly We found him to be steadfast (38:41–44).» — y consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, la objeción a definir la paciencia como no quejarse: Job dice a Dios que Satán lo afligió, y de Job dice Dios que lo halló firme.

«Jews traditionally face Jerusalem, while Christian churches were historically oriented toward the east and the rising sun» — el comentario de 2:145 consigna las direcciones de oración ajenas: Jerusalén para los judíos y el oriente y el sol naciente para las iglesias cristianas; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Other accounts describe the spirits of the witnesses in the form of white birds eating of the fruits of the Garden or as birds perched on a tree in the Garden, a state in which they will remain until God returns them to their bodies when they are resurrected (Ṭ).» — y consigna, con al-Ṭabarī, las variantes del mismo relato: los espíritus como aves blancas que comen del Jardín o posadas en un árbol hasta que Dios los devuelva a sus cuerpos.

«Ships are significant in being the only human-made items in this verse, but are so intimately connected to the natural world and so fragile in comparison with the sea that the very possibility of seafaring and the precarious nature of it are a reminder of God.» — el comentario de 2:164 nota que las naves son lo único hecho por manos humanas en el catálogo de signos de la aleya, y que su fragilidad frente al mar es lo que hace de ellas recordatorio de Dios.

«Winds as signs of God and blessings are also mentioned in 7:57; 15:22; 25:48; 27:63; 30:46; 45:5; the word rīḥ (“wind”) is related by root to rūḥ (“spirit”).» — y señala el parentesco de raíz entre rīḥ, *viento*, y rūḥ, *espíritu*.

«The English word “love” has a broader range of meaning than the Arabic ḥubb, and several Arabic concepts correspond to “love” depending on its usage.» — el comentario de 2:165 acota la traducción de ḥubb y consigna que varios conceptos árabes corresponden a lo que el inglés llama amor.

«The Quran, the Sunnah, and the mainstream exoteric exegetical tradition do not treat love as a technical or esoteric concept (although the Islamic intellectual, spiritual, and poetical tradition is replete with discussions of the reality and experience of love). Rather, they accept it as a self-evident reality whose basic meaning is known, while acknowledging the difficulty of explaining how love, and indeed any concept ordinarily used for created objects, can correctly be applied to God.» — y sitúa el amor fuera de lo técnico o esotérico en la tradición exegética exotérica: se acepta como realidad evidente, reconociendo la dificultad de aplicar a Dios un concepto usado para objetos creados.

«The asymmetry between God’s Love for human beings and human beings’ love for God is reflected in the Quran’s almost exclusive discussion of that love as originating with God.» — el comentario consigna la asimetría entre el Amor de Dios por los hombres y el amor de los hombres por Dios: el libro habla casi solo del que se origina en Dios.

«For example, when we love someone, we long to meet them, miss them and yearn for them when they are not there, do everything we do for their sake, seek to do what makes them happy, and love what they love (Aj).» — y describe, con Ibn ʿAjībah, el amor a Dios por sus frutos: anhelar el encuentro, echar de menos, hacerlo todo por el amado, buscar lo que lo alegra y amar lo que ama.

«In the Islamic spiritual tradition, love is usually spoken of in light of knowledge, which is to say that one loves God to the degree that one knows Him, and vice versa.» — el comentario liga amor y conocimiento en la tradición espiritual islámica: se ama a Dios en la medida en que se lo conoce, y al revés.

«Al-Rāzī says, for example, that when we see the face of the beloved, we want to see the hair, which in theological terms means that even a slight familiarity with God will arouse a virtuous desire to know Him even more, and this desire is itself a sign of love.» — y da, con al-Rāzī, la imagen de esa reciprocidad: al ver el rostro del amado se quiere ver el cabello, es decir, una familiaridad leve con Dios despierta el deseo de conocerlo más, y ese deseo es ya señal de amor.

«It is typical for commentators to discuss two kinds of love: One is called “desirous love” or ḥubb al-hawā, which is when we love a thing because of what it does for us. The other kind is love for the sake of the beloved, which arises for no other reason than that the beloved’s beauty, goodness, and perfection kindle love within the lover.» — el comentario reparte el amor en dos clases: el amor de deseo, que ama por lo que la cosa hace por uno, y el amor por el amado mismo, que nace de su belleza, su bondad y su perfección.

«Lovers in the higher sense love God for God alone and, because of this love, want to perform those acts that God loves, not because of what they will gain; for them diverting oneself from what the beloved loves is more difficult than working for one’s selfish ends.» — y describe el grado alto: amar a Dios por Dios y querer por eso hacer lo que Dios ama, con el apartarse de lo que el amado ama más difícil que trabajar por los fines propios.

«At the higher level, we love the beauty and goodness of what we know, and God’s Beauty and Goodness are the object of our love to the degree that we come to know them; and in the case of God the perfections and beauties are endless, and so love for Him is potentially limitless.» — el comentario saca de ahí que el amor a Dios es potencialmente ilimitado, porque en Él las perfecciones y bellezas no tienen fin.

«Sufis have written much about the distinction between what they call “metaphorical,” or majāzī, love and “true,” or ḥaqīqī, love; the former refers to such things as romantic love and love for the things of the world, and the latter refers to love of God alone and by extension the love of other beings through the love of God.» — y consigna la distinción sufí entre amor metafórico, majāzī, que es el romántico y el de las cosas del mundo, y amor verdadero, ḥaqīqī, que es el de Dios solo y, por extensión, el de los demás seres a través de Él.

«A ḥadīth describes God saying, “Those who loved each other in My Glory shall have pulpits (minbars) of light, and the prophets and saints will envy them.”» — el comentario transmite el ḥadīth del amor por la Gloria de Dios: quienes así se amaron tendrán púlpitos de luz que profetas y santos envidiarán.

«166Those who were followed refers to the leaders of idolatry, while those who followed refers to their minions and adherents; or the two phrases may refer, respectively, to the satans and the human beings who followed them. This may also refer generally to all those who led and followed in the ways of error in the life of the world (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:166 alinea, con al-Ṭabarī, las lecturas de seguidos y seguidores: los jefes de la idolatría y sus secuaces, o los satanes y los hombres que los siguieron.

«Al-Ṭabarī understands the last part of the verse to mean that their regret and desire for another chance at life will not remove them from the Fire, and for him this is evidence that the disbelievers will be in the Fire everlastingly.» — el comentario de 2:167 consigna la lectura de al-Ṭabarī, para quien la aleya prueba que los incrédulos estarán en el Fuego para siempre.

«A ḥadīth states, “God said, ‘I created My servants as ḥanīfs. Then the satans came to them, and diverted them from their religion, and forbade for them what I had made lawful.’”» — el comentario de 2:168 transmite el ḥadīth qudsī que dice creados a los siervos como ḥanīfs y a los satanes desviándolos de su religión y prohibiéndoles lo que Dios hizo lícito.

«A Companion asked the Prophet how he could become someone whose supplications were accepted. The Prophet said, “Make wholesome what you eat, and your supplications will be accepted by Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad. Let a man put a forbidden morsel in his mouth and [his supplications] will not be accepted for forty days. Any man who raises his meat from ill-gotten gains is most deserving of the Fire.”» — y transmite el dicho que liga la aceptación de la súplica a lo que se come: hacer sano el alimento, con el bocado prohibido cerrando la súplica cuarenta días.

«170Some connect this verse to the previously observed norms of what is lawful and what is forbidden (see vv. 168–69; Ṭ), and it may be seen to be addressed to the idolaters and the People of the Book or to people in general (R). Recourse to mere custom is no excuse, as the Quran emphasizes again and again» — el comentario de 2:170 fija la tesis que el libro repite: el recurso a la mera costumbre no es excusa; el tramo se corta ahí.

«171This verse suggests that calling to disbelievers is like calling to sheep; they hear, but only the sound and not the meaning of the call (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:171 lee, con al-Ṭabarī, la parábola del que llama a lo que solo oye un grito: llamar a los incrédulos es como llamar a las ovejas, que oyen el sonido y no el sentido.

«In such cases of necessity one is therefore permitted to eat what in normal circumstances would be forbidden.» — el comentario de 2:172 y 2:173 fija el alcance de la necesidad: en tal caso está permitido comer lo que en circunstancias normales estaría prohibido.

«According to al-Rāzī, the plain sense of v. 174 and 3:77 is that He will not speak to them at all, but in light of these other Quranic verses it is to be understood, rather, as a description of a punishment, meaning that He will not speak words of peace and welcome.» — el comentario de 2:174 consigna el conflicto entre las aleyas que niegan que Dios hable a los condenados y las que lo muestran hablándoles, y la salida de al-Rāzī: no les hablará palabras de paz y acogida.

«Al-Rāzī points out that the punishment of indignity and humiliation is worse than that of physical punishment, which is a way of implying that the spiritual punishment of distance and separation from God constitutes the worst suffering in Hell.» — y da con eso la jerarquía del castigo: la indignidad y la humillación pesan más que el castigo físico, de modo que el sufrimiento peor del Infierno es la distancia y la separación de Dios.

«Faith in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book (in other passages, Books), and the prophets are the five principal articles of faith upon which all Islamic creedal statements are based. They are also listed as such in the famous ḥadīth of Gabriel, where the Prophet is asked by the archangel to describe what Islam is.» — el comentario de 2:177 enumera los cinco artículos de fe sobre los que se fundan todos los credos islámicos y los liga al ḥadīth de Gabriel.

«The broad legal, social, and cultural context of this verse is the system of tribal feuds and vendettas in the Arabia of the time, which, as the commentators describe, would often escalate to proportions way beyond the original crime.» — el comentario de 2:178 sitúa la ley del talión contra el sistema de venganzas tribales de la Arabia del tiempo, que solía escalar mucho más allá del crimen original.

«The commentators explain this verse as a limitation on such disproportionate use of revenge and as an injunction to carry out remedies strictly in proportion to the crime.» — y lee la aleya como límite a esa desproporción y como mandato de remedios estrictamente proporcionados al crimen.

«Any punishment must be carried out only by the authorities; this verse is interpreted as disallowing vigilantism.» — el comentario consigna que el castigo solo pueden ejecutarlo las autoridades y que la aleya se interpreta como prohibición de tomarse la justicia por la mano.

«the heart all but the beloved and sees all else as a kind of distraction; and among the spiritual wayfarers of Islam this is manifested in a discipline whose method and goal are the constant remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh)» — el comentario de 2:165 liga la disciplina de los caminantes espirituales del islam al modo del amante, que quiere desterrar del corazón todo lo que no sea el amado: el recuerdo constante de Dios; la frase arranca en la plana anterior.

«to the bonds, the love, or the friendships and blood ties they shared in the world, all of which will be severed from them as a means of help in the Hereafter.» — el comentario de 2:166 lee el *recurso* cortado a los condenados como los lazos, el amor y el parentesco del mundo, todos cortados como auxilio en la Otra Vida; la frase arranca en la plana anterior.

«According to a ḥadīth, when they arrived in Madinah they found the Jews fasting on Yom Kippur (the same day as ʿĀshūrāʾ), and the Prophet ordered the Muslims to fast that day, saying that they had more right than Jews to celebrate Moses, though the commentaries are inconsistent about the nature of the Yom Kippur celebration.» — el comentario de 2:184 transmite el ḥadīth del encuentro con el ayuno judío de Yom Kippur al llegar a Medina, con el Profeta mandando ayunar ese día y diciendo que los musulmanes tenían más derecho que los judíos a celebrar a Moisés.

«185Some mention accounts that the Quran first came down to the “earthly heaven” (i.e., the lowest of the “seven heavens”) from the Preserved Tablet (85:22) and remained there and then Gabriel brought it down passage by passage to the Prophet (Q)» — el comentario de 2:185 transmite, con al-Qurṭubī, el relato del doble descenso del libro: primero de la Tabla Preservada al cielo más bajo, y de ahí por Gabriel pasaje a pasaje al Profeta; el tramo se corta ahí.

«In a ḥadīth, the Prophet said, “When Ramadan comes, the gates of the Garden are opened, and the gates of the Fire are locked, and the satans are fettered.”» — y transmite el dicho sobre lo que ocurre al llegar Ramadán: se abren las puertas del Jardín, se cierran las del Fuego y los satanes quedan encadenados.

«Others say it was revealed after a Bedouin came and asked the Prophet, “Is our Lord near, such that I shall whisper to Him, or far, such that I shall shout to Him?” (R).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī la pregunta del beduino que dio ocasión a la aleya: si el Señor está cerca para susurrarle o lejos para gritarle.

«In a related vein, the Prophet, while on a journey, reportedly reprimanded some Companions who were shouting their prayers, saying, “You are calling One who is neither deaf nor absent, but are calling One who is Hearing, Near” (R); al-Qarīb (“the Near”) is a Divine Name.» — el comentario transmite la reprensión del Profeta a los Compañeros que gritaban sus oraciones, y consigna que al-Qarīb, *el Cercano*, es un Nombre divino.

«This verse is one of the most central and often quoted verses of the Quran concerning God’s nearness to us and the reality of reciprocity between the human call to God and His response.» — y declara esta aleya una de las más centrales y citadas del libro sobre la cercanía de Dios y la reciprocidad entre la llamada humana y Su respuesta.

«The sense of “prayer” in this verse is highlighted in M. Lings’ evocative translation of this verse: “I answer the prayer of the pray-er when he prayeth Me,”» — el comentario cita la traducción de M. Lings para el juego de la raíz duʿāʾ en esta aleya; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Nearness to God is a part of what it means to be in Paradise, as in 38:25: Truly nearness unto Us shall be his, and a beautiful return; and at the moment of death it is said to those gathered around the dying person, We are nearer to him than you, though you see not (56:85).» — y hace de la cercanía a Dios parte de lo que significa estar en el Paraíso, con la aleya que la dice también en el momento de la muerte.

«Seek what God has prescribed can mean seek to have children; seek to fulfill what Quran commands you; seek the Night of Power, meaning a night during Ramadan when the Quran was first revealed (see 97:1); seek exemption and latitude when it is offered in matters of ritual; or seek to have sexual relations in a legitimate way (IK).» — el comentario de 2:187 alinea, con Ibn Kathīr, cinco lecturas de *buscad lo que Dios os prescribió*, entre ellas buscar hijos y buscar la Noche del Destino.

«Retreat in the mosques refers to the practice of iʿtikāf, during which a person remains in the mosque for a number of days in a state of prayer and remembrance (dhikr). According to many reports the Prophet would spend the last ten days of Ramadan in the mosque in iʿtikāf; during his final Ramadan he spent twenty.» — y describe el iʿtikāf, la permanencia en la mezquita en oración y recuerdo, que el Profeta hacía los diez últimos días de Ramadán y veinte en el último.

«188In addition to noting the plain sense of this verse, which forbids the enticing or bribing of judges, some commentators point out that in the ultimate sense even a sincere judge’s ruling can never render the forbidden lawful or the lawful forbidden. Although judges’ decisions are to be respected, they are not infallible and do not remove the moral weight of one’s actions, for which one will answer on the Day of Judgment (IK).» — el comentario de 2:188 saca del soborno de jueces una tesis sobre el límite del juicio humano, con Ibn Kathīr: ni la sentencia de un juez sincero vuelve lícito lo prohibido, y las sentencias no son infalibles ni quitan el peso moral del acto.

«189Here new moons (ahillah, sing. hilāl) does not refer to the new moon considered purely astronomically, which refers to when the moon is still invisible (dark moon), but to the first visible crescent of the lunar cycle.» — el comentario de 2:189 distingue la luna nueva astronómica, todavía invisible, del primer creciente visible, que es lo que la aleya nombra.

«The new moon or crescent (hilāl) appears when the moon moves far enough out of conjunction for a thin strip of the illuminated side of the moon to become visible. During the dark moon phase, the sun and moon set together over the western horizon, but at the start of a new lunar month, the sun sets first, leaving the moon just above the horizon for a short time. If the moon is far enough out of line between the earth and the sun, the crescent will become visible before the moon follows the sun below the horizon and disappears. The sighting of this new crescent begins the new lunar month in the Islamic calendar.» — y describe cuándo aparece ese creciente y qué inaugura: el mes lunar nuevo del calendario islámico.

«This verse is interpreted spiritually in many Islamic sources to mean that everything should be approached properly and in conformity with its essential nature.» — el comentario consigna la lectura espiritual de entrar en las casas por sus puertas: todo ha de abordarse como corresponde y conforme a su naturaleza esencial.

«Ibn ʿAjībah, for example, notes in his commentary on this verse that spiritual wayfarers on their journey to God have three houses whose gates they must pass through: the Law (sharīʿah), the Spiritual Path (ṭarīqah), and the Truth (ḥaqīqah), each of which has three gates.» — y recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah las tres casas por cuyas puertas ha de pasar el caminante espiritual: la Ley, la Vía y la Verdad, cada una con tres puertas.

«The three gates of the Law are repentance, obedience, and reverence; those of the Path are sincerity, the purification from faults, and the realization of virtue; and the three gates of the Truth (also translated as the Reality) are concentration, contemplation, and gnosis (spiritual knowledge).» — y enumera esas nueve puertas: arrepentimiento, obediencia y reverencia en la Ley; sinceridad, purificación de las faltas y realización de la virtud en la Vía; concentración, contemplación y gnosis en la Verdad.

«Many commentators use this passage to discuss the usual rules of war, such as the prohibition against killing women, children, monks, hermits, the chronically ill, old men, and peasants (IK, Q).» — el comentario de 2:190 a 2:194 enumera, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī, las prohibiciones corrientes de la guerra: no matar a mujeres, niños, monjes, ermitaños, enfermos crónicos, ancianos ni campesinos.

«For example, Ibn ʿAbbās said, “Do not kill women, children, old men, or those who offer peace and restrain their hand. If you do that, you will have transgressed against them” (Ṭ).» — y cita a Ibn ʿAbbās en ese sentido, incluyendo a quienes ofrecen paz y retienen la mano.

«This passage is among the most direct in describing the limits of warfare. Muslims are commanded to fight those who fight them first, to expel those who first expel them, but in doing so they are subject to limits.» — el comentario declara este pasaje de los más directos del libro sobre los límites de la guerra: combatir a quienes combaten primero y expulsar a quienes expulsan primero, y con límites.

«Al-Rāzī mentions that and religion is for God shows that the purpose of fighting is to end disbelief and idolatry, though it is unclear why this would not be simply an extension of the goal of ending the very real danger posed by the idolaters.» — el comentario consigna la lectura de al-Rāzī, que pone como fin del combate acabar con la incredulidad y la idolatría, y le opone su propia duda: no se ve por qué no sería extensión del fin de acabar con el peligro real.

«In strife is worse than slaying, strife renders fitnah, a word that can also mean “trial,” “temptation,” or “sedition” (see also 3:7; 3:19; 4:91).» — y despliega fitnah, que el volumen traduce por *sedición* y que dice también prueba, tentación y discordia.

«As constituted in its final form, the obligatory fast of Ramadan is considered by all schools of law to be one of the five pillars of Islam. It consists of abstaining completely from food, drink, and sexual relations from dawn until» — el comentario de 2:183 describe el ayuno obligatorio de Ramadán, tenido por todas las escuelas de derecho por uno de los cinco pilares del islam: abstención total de comida, bebida y relaciones sexuales desde el alba; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«asked the Prophet, “Where is our Lord?” or “At what hour should we call upon God?” after the revelation of 40:60: Call upon Me, and I shall respond to you.» — el comentario de 2:186 consigna la ocasión de la aleya de la cercanía: preguntas de los Compañeros sobre dónde está el Señor y a qué hora llamarlo, tras la revelación de 40:60.

«The interpretation that the conversion of the idolaters is the final goal is problematic, not only in light of the plain sense of this verse, but also in view of other passages, such as 9:6: And if any of the idolaters seek asylum with thee, grant him asylum until he hears the Word of» — el comentario objeta la interpretación que pone la conversión de los idólatras como fin del combate, contra el sentido llano de la aleya y contra 9:6, que manda dar asilo al idólatra que lo pida; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Others interpret remember God as you remember your fathers to mean that one should call upon and remember God the way a small child calls upon mother and father, in a state of helplessness, utter dependence, and trust (Q).» — el comentario de 2:200 recoge de al-Qurṭubī una lectura del mandato de recordar a Dios como se recuerda a los padres: llamarlo como el niño pequeño llama a su madre y a su padre, en desamparo, dependencia entera y confianza.

«As you remember your fathers points to the custom of the Arabs, at the conclusion of the ḥajj, of engaging in the magnification and celebration of their ancestors’ past glories, often in a spirit of rivalry (Q).» — y consigna la costumbre árabe contra la que la aleya va: al cerrar el ḥajj, magnificar y celebrar las glorias pasadas de los antepasados, a menudo en espíritu de rivalidad.

«204Although many mention specific incidents that may have been the occasion for vv. 204–7, most prefer to see these verses as universal teachings on the nature of hypocrisy (IK, R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:204 declara la preferencia de la mayoría de los comentaristas por leer el pasaje como enseñanza universal sobre la hipocresía y no por su ocasión.

«Corruption (fasād), literally “rot,” is used here, as in most instances in the Quran, to mean corruption in the broadest sense, including decadence and immorality.» — el comentario de 2:205 despliega fasād, literalmente *podredumbre*, en el sentido más ancho de corrupción, incluida la decadencia y la inmoralidad.

«Such verses about the corruption of the earth are interpreted by some Muslims to also be referring to injustice in society and also to the destruction of the natural environment, as in vv. 11, 30.» — y consigna la lectura de musulmanes que refieren esas aleyas a la injusticia social y a la destrucción del entorno natural.

«This verse is connected with the general precept of “enjoining right and forbidding wrong” (al-amr bi’l-maʿrūf wa’l-nahy ʿan al-munkar), a major ethical theme of the Quran mentioned in 3:104, 110, 114; 7:157; 9:71, 112; 22:41; 31:17.» — el comentario de 2:207 liga el vender el alma buscando la Complacencia de Dios al precepto de ordenar lo reconocido y prohibir lo reprobable, que declara tema ético mayor del libro.

«In its more universal sense one sells his soul means that one gives away one’s selfish desires or one’s life for the sake of God, a virtuous bargain in the ultimate sense.» — y da el sentido universal de esa venta: entregar los deseos egoístas o la vida propia por Dios, trato virtuoso en el sentido último.

«208Many interpret peace (silm) here to mean “submission” (islām; R, Ṭ), but acknowledge that this is not the word’s literal meaning.» — el comentario de 2:208 consigna que muchos leen *paz* como *sumisión* y reconoce a la vez que ese no es el sentido literal de la palabra.

«The verse can also suggest that when people enter into peace, they should do so together and not be factionalized.» — y ofrece otra lectura de la misma aleya: que al entrar en la paz se entre juntos y sin dividirse en facciones.

«The commentators are careful to point out that this verse could not mean that God moves from place to place or could even be located in a place, as this would limit God and introduce change into His Nature.» — el comentario de 2:210 acota la venida de Dios en las nubes: no puede significar que Dios se mueva de un lugar a otro ni esté en un lugar, porque eso lo limitaría e introduciría cambio en Su Naturaleza.

«The Companion Abū Dharr related the following exchange between him and the Prophet: “‘Abū Dharr, look around and find the most exalted man you can see in the mosque.’ I looked, and there was a man sitting wearing fine clothes, and I said, ‘That one.’ Then he said, ‘Look around and find the lowliest man you can see in the mosque.’ So I looked, and there was a weak man wearing tattered clothes, and I said, ‘That one.’ Then the Prophet said, ‘By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, that latter is better in the Sight of God than a world full of that former’s kind.’”» — el comentario de 2:212 transmite el relato de Abū Dharr sobre el hombre de ropas finas y el débil de ropas rotas en la mezquita, y la sentencia del Profeta sobre cuál vale más ante Dios.

«213That mankind was one community refers, for some, to the period between Adam and Noah; al-Ṭabarī states that the exact dates are not significant to the meaning of the verse.» — el comentario de 2:213 sitúa la comunidad única entre Adán y Noé y consigna que al-Ṭabarī tiene las fechas exactas por no significativas para el sentido.

«Some believe that people were unified in disbelief and degradation, which was then corrected by Noah and later Abraham; others describe a state of unity in submission (islām) to God when all human beings followed one religion (Ṭ, Th).» — y alinea, con al-Ṭabarī y al-Thaʿlabī, dos lecturas opuestas de esa unidad primera: unidos en incredulidad y degradación, o unidos en sumisión a Dios siguiendo una sola religión.

«Others understand one community as an allusion to the pretemporal covenant all human beings made with God, described in 7:172 (Q, Th).» — y una tercera, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Thaʿlabī: alusión al pacto pretemporal que toda la humanidad hizo con Dios.

«Most commentators reason that the purpose of sending prophets is to correct error and sin, and they would be superfluous if human beings were united in one true religion (R).» — el comentario razona, con al-Rāzī, por qué el envío de profetas supone la discordia previa: si los hombres estuvieran unidos en una religión verdadera, los profetas serían superfluos.

«Al-Rāzī disapprovingly relates an opinion he attributes to Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ (d. 544 /1149), a prominent Mālikī jurist and theologian, that the first period was one in which human beings acted according to the intellect (both theoretical and practical); that is, they knew that there was a Creator, that one should be good to others, that lying and oppression are bad, that one should be just, and so forth. Pride, envy, and other vices eventually crept in and led to division, which then necessitated the sending of prophets.» — el comentario consigna, con la desaprobación de al-Rāzī, la opinión atribuida a Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ de un primer período en que los hombres obraban por el intelecto, hasta que el orgullo y la envidia trajeron la división.

«Here, as in 3:19 and 98:4, the passage suggests that it is upon receiving truth and guidance that people enter into differences over questions of belief and practice, and that there is something almost inevitable about this occurrence given the tendencies of human nature.» — y saca del pasaje una tesis sobre la discordia religiosa: es al recibir la verdad y la guía cuando se entra en diferencias de creencia y práctica, y hay algo casi inevitable en ello dadas las tendencias de la naturaleza humana.

«Clear proofs (bayyināt) refers not only to revealed books, but also to any reality that demonstrates the Truth of God.» — el comentario ensancha *pruebas claras* más allá de los libros revelados, a toda realidad que demuestre la Verdad de Dios.

«Indeed, the station of prophethood in the Quran does not preclude the prophets’ human vulnerability to fear, sadness, and discouragement.» — el comentario de 2:214 declara que la estación de la profecía en el libro no excluye la vulnerabilidad humana de los profetas al miedo, la tristeza y el desánimo.

«Some scholars of the early generations, such as Saʿīd ibn al-Muṣayyab (d. 94/713), deemed fighting in the way of God to be an everlasting obligation upon Muslims, while others, such as Sufyān al-Thawrī (d. 161/778), said it was a voluntary action (Q).» — el comentario de 2:216 consigna el desacuerdo antiguo sobre el combate, con al-Qurṭubī: Saʿīd ibn al-Muṣayyab lo tuvo por obligación perpetua y Sufyān al-Thawrī por acción voluntaria.

«When challenged as to why he would not participate in fighting during the First Civil War, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (d. 74/693), the son of the second Caliph, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, told his interlocutors, “We did that during the time of the Prophet, when Islam was small, when a man would be tried in his religion, and they would either kill him or torture him. But then Islam became great, and there was no trial (fitnah).”» — y transmite la respuesta de ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar a quienes le reprochaban no combatir en la Primera Guerra Civil: eso se hacía cuando el islam era pequeño y se probaba al hombre en su religión.

«Many classical and contemporary scholars, although not a majority, have declared that the mere changing of one’s religion is no cause for punishment by the community, especially in light of the Quranic passages quoted above. Rather, such a move must amount to a seditious or destabilizing act in a political sense.» — el comentario de 2:217 consigna la posición, minoritaria, de estudiosos clásicos y contemporáneos sobre el cambio de religión: por sí solo no es causa de castigo por la comunidad, salvo que constituya acto sedicioso o desestabilizador.

«It would explain, for example, why some early religious authorities, such as Ibn ʿAbbās and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, as well as Abū Ḥanīfah and Sufyān al-Thawrī, did not allow the execution of women who renounced Islam (Q).» — y apoya esa posición, con al-Qurṭubī, en que autoridades tempranas como Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAlī, Abū Ḥanīfah y Sufyān al-Thawrī no admitieron la ejecución de las mujeres que renunciaban al islam.

«In this vein, the Prophet asked his wife to bring him a mat from the mosque. She said, “I am menstruating.” And he said, “Your menses are not in your hands.”» — el comentario de 2:222 transmite el dicho del Profeta a su esposa menstruante que le decía no poder traerle una estera de la mezquita: sus menstruaciones no están en sus manos.

«Other than ensuring that an item be cleaned if menstrual blood comes in contact with it, Islamic teaching does not deem the touch of a menstruating woman to be unclean or to render anything unclean, although she should not touch the Quran.» — y acota el alcance de la impureza menstrual en la enseñanza islámica: el contacto de una mujer menstruante no se tiene por inmundo ni vuelve inmundo nada.

«Most commentators note that the grammar of the verse in Arabic denotes direction and place and devote their primary attention in commenting on this verse to “in what part of the body” one has intercourse and “coming from what direction”; they are generally emphatic that this verse does not refer to “when” or “how” or at whose behest intercourse takes place (R, Ṭ, Ṭs).» — el comentario de 2:223 acota, con al-Rāzī, al-Ṭabarī y al-Ṭabrisī, qué dice y qué no dice la aleya del sembradío: habla de parte del cuerpo y de dirección, no de cuándo ni de cómo ni a instancias de quién.

«226–27These verses address the practice of a man staying away from his wife but not divorcing her, leaving her without the sexual benefits of marriage and without the freedom to marry another, which in pre-Islamic times could last years (Q, R).» — el comentario de 2:226 y 2:227 sitúa la aleya contra la práctica preislámica de alejarse de la esposa sin divorciarla, dejándola sin los beneficios del matrimonio y sin libertad para casarse de nuevo.

«228In the type of divorce discussed here, called ṭalāq, the husband declares divorce from his wife, after which she observes a period of waiting (ʿiddah) amounting to three courses, during which the couple do not have sexual relations, before the divorce is final.» — el comentario de 2:228 describe el divorcio ṭalāq: el marido lo declara y sigue un plazo de espera de tres ciclos sin relaciones antes de que sea definitivo.

«It is reported that Ibn ʿAbbās said, “I beautify myself for my wife, just as she beautifies herself for me” (Q).» — el comentario transmite, con al-Qurṭubī, el dicho de Ibn ʿAbbās sobre la reciprocidad conyugal: me embellezco para mi mujer como ella se embellece para mí.

«Others mention that the point of marriage is closeness, love, and peace, which should be shared between husband and wife, and al-Rāzī says, “One might even say that [in this] the share of the woman is more abundant.”» — y cita a al-Rāzī sobre el fin del matrimonio, que pone en la cercanía, el amor y la paz compartidos, con la observación de que la parte de la mujer en eso podría decirse más abundante.

«Interpreted spiritually, this verse can mean that the soul (nafs) has rights owed to it and rights that it owes, which in the context of Islamic spiritual psychology means that, although the spirit (rūḥ) dominates over the powers of the soul, it is precisely through the soul that spiritual progress takes place. Thus, one must be gentle with the soul, letting it rest when it needs it, to ensure healthy spiritual progress (Aj).» — el comentario recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura espiritual de las obligaciones recíprocas del matrimonio: el alma tiene derechos debidos y derechos que debe, y aunque el espíritu domine sobre sus potencias es por el alma que ocurre el progreso espiritual, de modo que hay que tratarla con suavidad.

«The wedding of the soul to the spirit is a common motif in Islamic spiritual literature.» — y declara motivo común de la literatura espiritual islámica las bodas del alma con el espíritu.

«Put another way, a man negotiates his way into a marriage through the bridewealth, and a woman can negotiate her way out of a marriage through the khulʿ divorce process.» — el comentario de 2:229 resume la simetría de los dos divorcios: el varón negocia su entrada en el matrimonio por la dote y la mujer puede negociar su salida por el khulʿ.

«In commentaries on this verse, there is a general message that a bad marriage could lead to other evils such as adultery and social instability and that two people who are denied companionship and intimacy may grow resentful, angry, and open to disobedience (R).» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī la razón de fondo de esas reglas: un mal matrimonio puede llevar a otros males, y dos personas privadas de compañía e intimidad se vuelven resentidas, airadas y abiertas a la desobediencia.

«That means that if a man were free to remarry his wife after three divorce declarations, he would then be free to conduct yet another three divorce declarations and repeat the process continuously, thus keeping the wife from the full enjoyment of marriage (through successive waiting periods) while denying her the freedom to marry another.» — el comentario de 2:230 explica el porqué de la prohibición de volver a casarse tras el tercer divorcio: sin ella el marido podría repetir el ciclo indefinidamente y mantener a la mujer sin matrimonio pleno y sin libertad de casarse con otro.

«to make peace between two people, to reverence God, or, in general, to perform some good deed (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:224 fija lo que la aleya condena, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī: los juramentos hechos contra la conducta recta, hasta el de no hacer las paces entre dos personas; la frase arranca en la plana anterior.

«came to the Prophet and complained about her new husband’s repulsive physical appearance, and the Prophet divorced them after negotiating the return of the two orchards her husband had given her (IK, Q, R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:229 transmite el caso dado por primero de divorcio khulʿ: la mujer que se quejó ante el Profeta del aspecto de su marido, divorciados tras negociar la devolución de dos huertos.

«times widows were often required to wait a year, observing such practices as wearing their worst clothes, neither grooming nor bathing, and marking the end of their mourning by leaving their house; the end of the mourning period was marked by flinging a piece of animal dung and rubbing the front of their bodies with an animal, acts of unclear significance (IK).» — el comentario de 2:234 consigna, con Ibn Kathīr, el luto preislámico de las viudas, de un año y con las peores ropas, y declara de significado no claro los gestos con que terminaba.

«The remnant of Moses and Aaron is given several interpretations, among them the staff of Moses (v. 60), the fragments of stone tablets Moses brought from Sinai (7:150), the manna (see v. 57), and the clothing of Moses and Aaron, including Moses’ sandals (see 20:12; Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:248 alinea, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, lo que se ha entendido por el resto dejado por las Casas de Moisés y de Aarón: el báculo, los fragmentos de las tablas, el maná y las ropas, incluidas las sandalias de Moisés.

«249Some have drawn a parallel between this verse and the account of Gideon’s crossing the Jordan River in Judges 7:4–7, though the similarities are typological and not historical.» — el comentario de 2:249 empareja la prueba del arroyo de Saúl con el paso del Jordán de Gedeón y acota el parecido como tipológico y no histórico.

«Some say this refers to the “Substitutes” (abdāl), human beings who are inwardly members of a spiritual hierarchy through which God dispenses grace and protection to the world; they are forty in number, and when one dies, that one is replaced by another person (Q).» — el comentario de 2:250 y 2:251 recoge, con al-Qurṭubī, la doctrina de los Sustitutos, abdāl: seres humanos que son interiormente miembros de una jerarquía espiritual por la que Dios dispensa gracia y protección al mundo, cuarenta en número y reemplazados al morir.

«Others interpret it to mean that the prayerful and the pious are used to repel those who do not pray and are impious, whose sins would otherwise destroy humanity, or that the obedient repel the evil of the disobedient (Ṭ).» — y la lectura alterna que al-Ṭabarī recoge del mismo *repeler*: los orantes y los piadosos usados para repeler a los que no oran ni son piadosos, cuyos pecados destruirían a la humanidad.

«In Islamic belief this ranking in degrees is understood to pertain to the prophets’ missions, not their individual spiritual perfections.» — el comentario de 2:253 concilia la jerarquía declarada entre mensajeros con el mandato de no distinguir entre ellos: la gradación toca a sus misiones y no a sus perfecciones espirituales individuales.

«Thus, all prophets are considered equally to be protected from sin (maʿṣūm), but are given varying levels of earthly power (Solomon had a great earthly kingdom, Jesus did not), different kinds of miraculous signs (Moses’ staff, Solomon’s commanding the wind), and are sent to different segments of humanity (in Islamic belief the Prophet Muhammad was sent to all people, while other prophets were sent only to their own).» — y detalla esa distinción: todos los profetas se tienen por igualmente protegidos del pecado y difieren en poder terrenal, en clase de signos milagrosos y en el alcance de su envío.

«255This verse is known as Āyat al-Kursī, the “Pedestal Verse,” sometimes rendered “Throne Verse,” and is perhaps the most well known single verse of the Quran, taking its name from the Pedestal (kursī) mentioned in it.» — el comentario de 2:255 nombra la aleya por el Pedestal que en ella se menciona y la da por quizá la más conocida del libro.

«The Prophet told his Companions to recite it before going to sleep, identified it as the greatest verse (āyah) of the Quran, and said that it was “a fourth of the Quran.”» — y transmite lo que el Profeta dijo de ella a sus Compañeros: que se recitara antes de dormir, que era la mayor aleya del libro y que era una cuarta parte del Corán.

«The Living (al-Ḥayy) is, doctrinally speaking, one of the most important Divine Names in Islam, considered to be among the “mothers of the Names” (ummahāt al-asmāʾ), and occupies a place in Islamic theology conceptually equivalent to Being.» — el comentario sitúa al-Ḥayy, *el Viviente*, entre las *madres de los Nombres* y le da en la teología islámica un lugar conceptualmente equivalente al del Ser.

«Thus, in describing God’s fundamental perfections, Muslims often say that God’s Power is directed by His Will, which is determined by His Knowledge, all of which depend on His Life.» — y ordena las perfecciones fundamentales de Dios en cadena: el Poder dirigido por la Voluntad, la Voluntad determinada por el Conocimiento, y todo ello dependiente de la Vida.

«The Self-Subsisting translates al-Qayyūm, an intensive form of a root meaning “to stand,” “to sustain,” or “to establish,” which means that God subsists through Himself, but also that all things subsist through Him (IK, Ṭ).» — el comentario despliega al-Qayyūm, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Ṭabarī: Dios subsiste por Sí mismo y todas las cosas subsisten por Él.

«In Islamic belief, the most significant kind of intercession is carried out by the Prophet on the Day of Judgment for the sake of his community, but also for all of the world, a status that Muslims understand to be conferred upon him by virtue of his praiseworthy station (maqām maḥmūd), mentioned in 17:79.» — el comentario sitúa la intercesión mayor en el Profeta el Día del Juicio, por su comunidad y por el mundo entero, conferida por su estación laudable.

«However, many Muslims, for example, the theologian al-Ghazzālī, have said that intercession is also granted to the saints and even ordinary believers in keeping with their spiritual rank. In Shiite doctrine, intercession is also available through the Imams, who play a central role in intercession for the faithful.» — y consigna que para al-Ghazzālī la intercesión se concede también a los santos y aun a creyentes ordinarios según su rango espiritual, y que en la doctrina chií pasa también por los imanes.

«Indeed, anytime one prays for someone else, one is affirming a belief in intercession, because one believes that God responds to that prayer. In this sense, intercession is a special kind of supplicatory prayer.» — el comentario saca de ahí que toda oración por otro afirma ya la creencia en la intercesión, que define como una clase especial de oración de súplica.

«Some interpret the Pedestal (kursī) to be the “place of the feet,” where one places one’s feet while sitting on a throne, hence the common translation of kursī as “Footstool,” but this translation is problematic, especially since commentators often see kursī as another name for the Throne (ʿarsh; Ṭ, R).» — el comentario objeta la traducción corriente de kursī por *escabel*, con al-Ṭabarī y al-Rāzī, que a menudo lo tienen por otro nombre del Trono.

«Indeed, in many Islamic cosmologies the Pedestal is above the cosmos, and the Throne is above the Pedestal, a symbolism that would collapse with the use of “footstool” to translate kursī, since a footstool sits in front of a throne, not underneath it.» — y da la razón cosmológica de esa objeción: en muchas cosmologías islámicas el Pedestal está sobre el cosmos y el Trono sobre el Pedestal, simbolismo que un escabel haría colapsar.

«According to Ibn ʿAbbās the heavens and the earth in comparison to the Pedestal are like a ring cast into the wilderness (IK).» — el comentario transmite de Ibn ʿAbbās la proporción entre el Pedestal y lo creado: los cielos y la tierra ante él son como un anillo arrojado en el desierto.

«Muslims attempt to avoid the two extremes of interpreting such passages as only metaphor or allegory, which allows human beings to read their own desires into the meaning of the Quran, and literalistic anthropomorphism, which assigns to God location in space and feet comparable to our own.» — y fija los dos extremos que la lectura de esos pasajes trata de evitar: la metáfora o alegoría puras, que dejan al lector meter sus deseos en el sentido, y el antropomorfismo literalista.

«In esoteric commentaries on the Quran, both kursī and ʿarsh possessed specific symbolic meanings, and the verse is seen to contain in its inner meaning a whole cosmology.» — el comentario consigna que en los comentarios esotéricos kursī y ʿarsh tienen sentidos simbólicos propios y que la aleya contiene en su sentido interior una cosmología entera.

«Indeed, many argue that the import of this verse is not absolute, since the Prophet, in his campaign and ultimate victory against the idolatrous Arabs, did not give them the option of remaining idolaters or paying the jizyah (IK, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 2:256 consigna, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Ṭabarī, la posición que acota el alcance de *no hay coacción en la religión* apoyándose en la campaña del Profeta contra los árabes idólatras.

«This position would entail, in effect, that among a certain group of religions recognized by Islam (including Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism), there is no coercion in religion.» — y mide lo que esa posición implica: entre un grupo de religiones reconocidas por el islam, que incluye judaísmo, cristianismo y zoroastrismo, no hay coacción en la religión.

«Others argue that this verse was abrogated by those verses that command Muslims to fight (e.g., 9:5), but this interpretation is not chronologically consistent with the three possible occasions of revelation for this verse, which all involve conditions resulting from conflict with the Jews, who were banished by force.» — el comentario objeta que la aleya quede abrogada por las que mandan combatir, por no ser consistente en la cronología con sus tres ocasiones posibles de revelación.

«This shows, as do many other verses in the Quran, that the fighting Muslims carried out was motivated by political circumstances and not the desire to convert.» — y saca de ahí la tesis que sostiene: el combate que los musulmanes llevaron a cabo fue motivado por circunstancias políticas y no por el deseo de convertir.

«More important, coercion in religion negates the idea of responsibility before God (taklīf), in which one is taken to account for one’s actions in both this life and the Hereafter (R). As an ethical or moral pronouncement, this verse is not subject to abrogation at all» — y añade el argumento de fondo, con al-Rāzī: la coacción en la religión anula la idea de responsabilidad ante Dios, y como pronunciamiento ético la aleya no admite abrogación alguna.

«False deities renders ṭāghūt, a word that seems to be related to the verb meaning “to rebel” and that is interpreted variously to refer to Satan, magicians, soothsayers, idols, or any being who rebels and trespasses against God (R)» — el comentario despliega ṭāghūt, que el volumen traduce por *falsas deidades*: emparentado con *rebelarse* y leído como Satán, los magos, los adivinos, los ídolos o todo ser que se rebela contra Dios; el tramo se corta ahí.

«258Commentators sometimes understand the antagonist here to be Nimrod, though this is based on folkloric material; he is not named in any ḥadīth and his place even in the Bible is ambiguous at best.» — el comentario de 2:258 consigna que el antagonista de Abraham se identifica a veces con Nimrod y acota ese nombre como material folclórico, no atestiguado en ningún ḥadīth.

«259Commentators typically identify the man in this verse as Ezra, but others mention Ezekiel and even Khiḍr (see Sūrah 18), which is why the thou is used in the translation. Others say that this verse refers not to a saint or prophet, but to a disbeliever who is shown the reality of Resurrection (R).» — el comentario de 2:259 alinea, con al-Rāzī, las identificaciones del hombre revivido a los cien años: Esdras, Ezequiel, Khiḍr, o un incrédulo a quien se muestra la realidad de la Resurrección.

«or it may have been in connection with the sacrifice of his son or that Abraham wanted confirmation of his special status as prophet. Many interpret it spiritually to mean the revival of dead hearts through the Spirit (R).» — el comentario de 2:260 alinea las ocasiones que se dan a la petición de Abraham sobre los muertos revividos y cierra con la lectura espiritual que al-Rāzī recoge: la reanimación de los corazones muertos por el Espíritu.

«Some suggest that there are degrees of spiritual knowledge, and that Abraham is speaking of going from one depth of understanding to another, not that he is expressing doubt about God’s existence or His Power (R).» — y resuelve, con al-Rāzī, la dificultad de que Abraham pidiera ver: hay grados de conocimiento espiritual y el paso es de una hondura de comprensión a otra, no una duda sobre la existencia ni sobre el Poder de Dios.

«It is reported that this verse pertains to the People of the Veranda (ahl al-ṣuffah), a group of poor and homeless Muslims who stayed in a roofed area connected to the mosque in Madinah and who were known for their piety, devotion, and asceticism (Q, R).» — el comentario de 2:273 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Rāzī, a quiénes se refiere la aleya de los pobres constreñidos: la Gente de la Veranda, musulmanes pobres y sin casa que vivían en un anexo techado de la mezquita de Medina, conocidos por su piedad, su devoción y su ascetismo.

«Many interpret mark to refer to the manifestation of the soul in one’s physical body, especially in the face.» — y lee *su marca* como la manifestación del alma en el cuerpo, sobre todo en el rostro.

«Firāsah, which could be rendered “the skill of spiritual physiognomy,” refers to the ability to perceive qualities of the soul through the form of the body, especially the face. Thus, the mark of the truly poor is the manifestation of their humility and self-effacement, perceptible in their bodies while not being of the body (R).» — y define la firāsah como la destreza de la fisiognomía espiritual: percibir cualidades del alma por la forma del cuerpo, sobre todo el rostro, de modo que la marca del pobre verdadero es su humildad perceptible en el cuerpo sin ser del cuerpo.

«275–81Usury is the usual translation for ribā, and this commentary follows this common rendering. However, it must be noted that these terms are not strictly synonymous. Insofar as “usury” is understood as an unreasonably high rate of interest or simply any interest at all, it can be a misleading translation for ribā. Not all interest is ribā, and moreover not all ribā is interest.» — el comentario de 2:275 a 2:281 acota la traducción de ribā por *usura* y declara que no son sinónimos: no todo interés es ribā y no todo ribā es interés.

«Ribā simply means “increase,” “gain,” or “growth,” and in the Quran and Ḥadīth it refers to two main types of transactions: “growth through deferment” (ribā al-nasīʾah) and “growth through surplus” (ribā al-faḍl). It is one of the most complex and multifaceted aspects of Islamic Law.» — y despliega ribā como *incremento*, *ganancia* o *crecimiento*, con dos clases de transacción: el crecimiento por aplazamiento y el crecimiento por excedente.

«The founder of the Mālikī school of law, Imām Mālik (d. 179/795), writes in his al-Muwaṭṭāʾ: “Ribā in the pre-Islamic times was that a man would be owed a debt by another man for a set term. When the term was due, he would say, ‘Will you pay it off or give me ribā (a-taqḍī aw turbī)?’ If the man paid, he took it. If not, he increased his debt and lengthened the term for him.”» — el comentario cita el al-Muwaṭṭāʾ de Mālik para describir el ribā preislámico: al vencer el plazo, el acreedor preguntaba si el deudor pagaba o le daba incremento, y si no pagaba le aumentaba la deuda y le alargaba el plazo.

«The deferment often led to doubling of the principal in a year and then redoubling when the deferment period expired and another deferment became necessary. This radical compounding is mentioned in 3:130: O you who believe! Devour not usury, doubling and multiplying.» — y mide el efecto de ese aplazamiento: el principal solía duplicarse en un año y volver a duplicarse al expirar el nuevo plazo, lo que 3:130 llama duplicar y multiplicar.

«The rules about ribā, moreover, are always understood in terms of risk, which in Arabic is called gharar, a word semantically linked to “deception” (ghurūr). Unlawful risk is present in a sale if the uncertainty it entails makes the transaction equivalent to gambling.» — el comentario liga las reglas del ribā al riesgo, gharar, emparentado semánticamente con *engaño*: el riesgo es ilícito cuando la incertidumbre vuelve la transacción equivalente a un juego de azar.

«Thus one cannot sell an item one does not actually possess, whose attributes are unknown, or that does not yet exist.» — y saca de ahí la regla: no se puede vender lo que no se posee, ni lo de atributos desconocidos, ni lo que aún no existe.

«Write it down is not understood to mean that writing can replace a living witness; the writing was meant to serve as a means of remembering the terms of the agreement (Q); in Islamic Law the testimony was primarily oral and only secondarily written.» — y fija el lugar de lo escrito en el derecho islámico: el escrito no reemplaza al testigo vivo y sirve para recordar los términos, porque el testimonio es primariamente oral.

«Other verses explicitly equate male and female testimony, such as 24:6–9, where accusations of adultery are given equal consideration whether they are made by the husband or the wife.» — el comentario acota la regla de los dos testigos oponiéndole aleyas que igualan expresamente el testimonio de varón y de mujer, como 24:6-9 sobre la acusación de adulterio.

«It is also true that some commentators, but not all, understood this verse to indicate an essential inferiority in women’s ability to judge objectively and hence the intrinsic unreliability of their testimony. Nothing in the verse demands such a reading, however, and indeed the very structure of the transaction described indicates otherwise.» — y objeta la lectura de algunos comentaristas que hace de esa regla señal de una inferioridad esencial del juicio de las mujeres: nada en la aleya la exige y la estructura misma de la transacción indica lo contrario.

«Considering the social conditions of the time, for women to participate in this way at all would have been itself a major change, and to require two of them in such transactions can be understood as providing a measure of protection for them against bullying or manipulation, rather than as an indictment of their testimony.» — el comentario propone otra lectura de la misma regla: dadas las condiciones sociales del tiempo, participar así era ya un cambio mayor, y exigir dos puede entenderse como protección frente a la intimidación o la manipulación.

«Indeed, jurists such as Abū Bakr ibn ʿArabī, in Aḥkām al-Qur’ān, wondered why a man could not remind one woman if she erred, and he could not arrive at an answer.» — y consigna la pregunta que el qāḍī Abū Bakr ibn al-ʿArabī, sigla IA en la Commentator Key, se hizo en sus Aḥkām al-Qurʾān sin poder responderla: por qué un varón no podría recordar a una sola mujer si yerra.

«Following a more universal reading of this verse, it is reported that, upon hearing this verse, many Companions were distressed and grieved, fearing they could never escape from the reality it described, that God will bring them to account for what is disclosed or hidden. Some worried that it meant that they would be held responsible for fleeting thoughts, and some wept from fear.» — el comentario de 2:284 transmite el efecto que la aleya del saber divino sobre lo oculto tuvo en los Compañeros: se afligieron, temieron ser responsables de pensamientos fugaces y algunos lloraron de miedo.

«A ḥadīth states, “Fear the firāsah of the believer, for he sees by the light of God” (IK).» — el comentario de 2:273 transmite, con Ibn Kathīr, el dicho sobre la firāsah del creyente, que ve por la luz de Dios.

«280–81In the Islamic tradition, loans (as opposed to investments) were ideally charitable in nature, owing to the time factor in giving and taking money (see 2:275–81c) and since other transactions and financial instruments, such as credit sales and leases, were available for non-charitable investments and the raising of funds.» — el comentario de 2:280 y 2:281 declara que en la tradición islámica el préstamo, a diferencia de la inversión, era idealmente de naturaleza caritativa, porque había otros instrumentos para lo no caritativo.

«282This is the longest single verse in the Quran. It is said to have been revealed in connection with agricultural forward sales, but is generally applicable to all agreements, including loans (Ṭ), where payment and delivery do not take place simultaneously (IK, Q).» — el comentario de 2:282 declara esta aleya la más larga del libro y la liga, con al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī, a las ventas agrícolas a plazo y a todo acuerdo en que el pago y la entrega no coinciden.

«Early in the sūrah there is a discussion of the interpretation of the Quran (v. 7), raising questions of its levels of meaning and the spiritual qualities necessary to understand the depths of the text.» — el comentario que abre la sura 3 anuncia su primer asunto: la interpretación del libro, con la cuestión de sus niveles de sentido y de las cualidades espirituales que hacen falta para entender sus honduras.

«Like al-Baqarah, this sūrah addresses the status of the People of the Book, both Jews and Christians, criticizing them strongly, but also distinguishing between the good and the bad among them and affirming their belief in God and the uprightness of some among them (vv. 61–115, 199).» — y describe cómo la sura 3 trata a la Gente del Libro: con crítica fuerte y a la vez distinguiendo a los buenos de los malos y afirmando la fe en Dios y la rectitud de algunos.

«It is said that the first part of this chapter (between thirty to eighty verses according to various opinions) was revealed on the occasion of the visit to Madinah of a delegation of Christians from Najrān, one of whom was said to be honored by the Byzantines for his knowledge of religion (R).» — el comentario sitúa la ocasión de la primera parte de la sura 3, con al-Rāzī, en la visita a Medina de una delegación de cristianos de Najrān.

«Āl ʿImrān follows al-Baqarah, and in some of the aḥādīth describing the various “virtues” of the Quran it is paired with al-Baqarah and the two are called the “radiant ones” (al-zahrāwiyān): “Recite the Quran, and it will intercede on the Day of Resurrection for those who are devoted to it. And recite the two radiant ones, al-Baqarah and Āl ʿImrān, which will come on the Day of Resurrection as if they were two clouds, or like two rays of the sun, or like two flocks of birds that will argue on behalf of their devotees.”» — el comentario consigna el ḥadīth que empareja las suras 2 y 3 como *las dos radiantes*, que vendrán el Día de la Resurrección como dos nubes, dos rayos de sol o dos bandadas de aves que alegarán por sus devotos.

«According to the traditional accounts, it was reported that in the course of the debate with the Prophet they said that Jesus was God, because he revived the dead, healed lepers, and spoke of unseen realities; that he was the son of God, because he had no human father;» — el comentario que abre la sura 3 transmite dos de los tres argumentos que el relato tradicional pone en boca de los cristianos de Najrān: que Jesús era Dios por revivir muertos, curar leprosos y hablar de lo no visto, y que era hijo de Dios por no tener padre humano.

«z He it is Who has sent down the Book upon thee; therein are signs determined; they are the Mother of the Book, and others symbolic. As for those whose hearts are given to swerving, they follow that of it which is symbolic, seeking temptation and seeking its interpretation. And none know its interpretation save God and those firmly rooted in knowledge. They say, “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” And none remember, save those who possess intellect.» — el Corán, 3:7: la distinción entre los signos determinados, que son la Madre del Libro, y los simbólicos, con los corazones torcidos yendo tras lo simbólico, y la interpretación reservada a Dios y a los firmemente arraigados en el conocimiento; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ɗ God bears witness that there is no god but He, as do the angels and the possessors of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no god but He, the Mighty,» — el Corán, 3:18: el testimonio de que no hay dios sino Él, dado por Dios, por los ángeles y por los poseedores del conocimiento, que sostienen la justicia; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƚ Truly the religion in the sight of God is submission. Those who were given the Book differed not until after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves. And whosoever disbelieves in God’s signs, truly God is swift in reckoning.» — el Corán, 3:19: la religión ante Dios es la sumisión, y quienes recibieron el Libro no difirieron sino después de venirles el conocimiento, por envidia entre ellos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ó Truly God chose Adam, Noah, the House of Abraham, and the House of ʿImrān above the worlds, Ô as progeny, one from another. And God is Hearing, Knowing.» — el Corán, 3:33 y 3:34: la elección de Adán, Noé, la Casa de Abraham y la Casa de ʿImrān por encima de los mundos, como descendencia unos de otros; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Õ [Remember] when the wife of ʿImrān said, “My Lord, truly I dedicate to Thee what is in my belly, in consecration. So accept it from me. Truly Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.” Ö And when she bore her, she said, “My Lord, I have borne a female,” and God knows best what she bore, and the male is not like the female, “and I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in Thee, and for her progeny, from Satan the outcast.”» — el Corán, 3:35 y 3:36: la consagración de lo que lleva en el vientre hecha por la mujer de ʿImrān, el nacimiento de una hembra, el nombre de María y el refugio pedido para ella y su descendencia contra Satán el maldito; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«E When the angels said, “O Mary, truly God gives thee glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, high honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought nigh. F He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity, and will be among the righteous.”» — el Corán, 3:45 y 3:46: el anuncio angélico a María de una Palabra de Dios cuyo nombre es el Mesías, Jesús hijo de María, y que hablará en la cuna y en la madurez; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«I And [he will be] a messenger to the Children of Israel, “Truly I have brought you a sign from your Lord. I will create for you out of clay the shape of a bird. Then I will breathe into it, and it will be a bird by God’s Leave. And I will heal the blind and the leper and give life to the dead by God’s Leave. And I will inform you about what you eat and what you store up in your houses. Truly in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.» — el Corán, 3:49: los signos que Jesús anuncia como mensajero a los Hijos de Israel: el pájaro de barro al que insufla y que vuela con permiso de Dios, la curación del ciego y del leproso, la vida dada a los muertos, y el saber de lo que se come y se guarda; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«T And they plotted, and God plotted. And God is the best of plotters, U when He said, “O Jesus, I shall take thee and raise thee unto Me, and purify thee of those who disbelieved, and place those who followed thee above those who disbelieved, until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me is your return, and I shall judge between you concerning that wherein you used to differ.» — el Corán, 3:54 y 3:55: la trama y la contratrama, con Dios como el mejor de los que traman, y la palabra dicha a Jesús: te tomaré y te elevaré hacia Mí; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Y Truly the likeness of Jesus in the sight of God is that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be!” and he was.» — el Corán, 3:59: la semejanza de Jesús ante Dios puesta en la de Adán, creado de polvo y llamado al ser con una sola palabra; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«d Say, “O People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you, that we shall worship none but God, shall not associate aught with Him, and shall not take one another as lords apart from God.” And if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are submitters.”» — el Corán, 3:64, la aleya de la *palabra común*: no adorar sino a Dios, no asociarle nada y no tomarse unos a otros por señores fuera de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«g Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian, but rather was a ḥanīf, a submitter, and he was not one of the idolaters.» — el Corán, 3:67: Abraham ni judío ni cristiano sino ḥanīf y sometido, y no de los idólatras; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«y It is not for any human being, God having given him the Book, judgment, and prophethood, to then say to the people, “Be servants of me instead of God.” Rather, “Be sages, from having taught the Book and from having studied.”» — el Corán, 3:79: lo que no le toca a nadie a quien Dios dio el Libro, el juicio y la profecía, que es pedir ser servido en lugar de Dios, frente a lo que sí: ser sabio por haber enseñado y estudiado el Libro; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Å Whosoever seeks a religion other than submission, it shall not be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he shall be among the losers.» — el Corán, 3:85: quien busque una religión distinta de la sumisión no le será aceptada; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Đ You are the best community brought forth unto mankind, enjoining right, forbidding wrong, and believing in God. And were the People of the Book to believe, that would be better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are iniquitous.» — el Corán, 3:110: la mejor comunidad sacada para los hombres, definida por ordenar lo reconocido, prohibir lo reprobable y creer en Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ē They are not all alike. Among the People of the Book is an upright community who recite God’s signs in the watches of the night, while they prostrate. Ĕ They believe in God and the Last Day, enjoin right and forbid wrong, and hasten unto good deeds. And they are among the righteous.» — el Corán, 3:113 y 3:114: la aleya que niega que la Gente del Libro sea toda igual y nombra entre ellos una comunidad recta que recita los signos de Dios en las vigilias de la noche mientras se postra; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ñ Say, “If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your» — el Corán, 3:31, la aleya del amor recíproco: si amáis a Dios seguidme y Dios os amará; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ă And hold fast to the rope of God, all together, and be not divided. Remember the Blessing of God upon you, when you were enemies and He joined your hearts, such that you became» — el Corán, 3:103: el mandato de asirse todos juntos a la cuerda de Dios y no dividirse, con los corazones enemigos unidos por Su Bendición; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«brothers by His Blessing. You were on the brink of a pit of fire and He delivered you from it. Thus does God make clear unto you His signs, that haply you may be rightly guided.» — y la continuación de 3:103 en la plana siguiente: el borde del hoyo de fuego del que fueron librados; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ũ And deem not those slain in the way of God to be dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, provided for, Ű exulting in what God has given them from His Bounty, and rejoicing in those who have not yet joined them from among those who remain behind—that no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve—» — el Corán, 3:169 y 3:170: los caídos en el camino de Dios no son muertos sino vivos junto a su Señor, provistos, exultantes por lo que Dios les dio de Su Favor; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƅ Every soul shall taste death, and you will indeed be paid your reward in full on the Day of Resurrection. And whosoever is distanced from the Fire and made to enter the Garden has certainly triumphed. And the life of this world is naught but the enjoyment of delusion.» — el Corán, 3:185: toda alma probará la muerte, con la vida de este mundo dicha goce de ilusión; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ƒ who remember God standing, sitting, and lying upon their sides, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, “Our Lord, Thou hast not created this in vain. Glory be to Thee! Shield us from the punishment of the Fire.» — el Corán, 3:191: el recuerdo de Dios en las tres posturas —de pie, sentado y recostado— unido a la reflexión sobre la creación de los cielos y la tierra, que no fue hecha en vano; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƕ So their Lord answered them, “I shall not let the work of any worker among you, male or female, be in vain; each of you is like the other.» — el Corán, 3:195, primer tramo: la respuesta del Señor que no deja en vano la obra de ningún obrero, varón o hembra, siendo cada uno como el otro; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ƙ And truly among the People of the Book are those who believe in God and that which has been sent down unto you, and that which has been sent down unto them, humble before God, not selling God’s signs for a paltry price. It is they who shall have their reward with their Lord. Truly God is swift in reckoning.» — el Corán, 3:199: entre la Gente del Libro hay quienes creen en Dios y en lo que a unos y a otros se hizo descender, humildes ante Dios y sin vender Sus signos por precio vil; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«1Alif, lām, and mīm are the same letters that start the previous sūrah. See 2:1c. They could represent “God knows best” (Allāhu aʿlam); or Allāh, Jibrīl, and Muḥammad; or the alif of oneness (i.e., as the first letter), the lām of kindness (luṭf), and the mīm of sovereignty (mulk; Su).» — el comentario de 3:1 recoge de al-Sulamī una lectura de las tres letras que abren la sura: el alif de la unicidad por ser la primera, el lām de la bondad y el mīm de la soberanía.

«For Muslims, Tawrāt (Torah) usually refers to the five books of Moses (much less commonly, it is thought to denote the entire Tanakh), and Injīl (Gospel) refers to the revelation given to Jesus. But questions remain as to whether the Injīl is the same as the evangelion (Greek, “Gospel”), and whether the Tawrāt is the same as the Pentateuch as we now have it.» — el comentario de 3:3 y 3:4 acota lo que el libro nombra Tawrāt e Injīl y declara abiertas dos preguntas: si el Injīl es el evangelion griego y si la Tawrāt es el Pentateuco tal como hoy se tiene.

«There was most likely no Arabic translation of the Bible at the time of the Quranic revelation; such a translation only appeared at least a century later.» — y consigna que lo más probable es que no hubiera traducción árabe de la Biblia en tiempos de la revelación, y que la primera apareció al menos un siglo después.

«It is unlikely that in the early seventh century the texts in circulation would have been significantly different from the texts approved by Jewish and Christian authorities at the end of the fourth century, when both canons and the central doctrines of Christianity, including the Trinity, were formally established.» — el comentario sostiene que no es probable que los textos en circulación a principios del siglo VII difirieran mucho de los aprobados por las autoridades judías y cristianas a fines del siglo IV.

«Sensitive to this question, al-Rāzī asks himself, “How can this phrase refer to what is past?” and answers, “That lore, owing to how familiar it is, is referred to in that way,” namely, as though it is present to the revelation of the Quran and commonly known if only in a general way.» — y recoge la pregunta que al-Rāzī se hace sobre la fórmula *lo que estaba ante ello* y su respuesta: esa tradición, por familiar, se nombra como presente a la revelación.

«Such distinctions between text and interpretation are necessary, since God holds Himself and the People of the Book to their covenant (2:40; 9:111); mentions a partial (hence not total) forgetting of the original message (5:14); describes Islam as a fulfillment of prophecies in the Bible (7:157); enjoins Jews and Christians to govern themselves according to their scriptures (5:43–47, 68); and advises the Prophet to ask the people of the Reminder, interpreted by most as the People of the Book (16:43; 21:7).» — el comentario apoya la distinción entre texto e interpretación en cinco cosas que el libro hace: sostener el pacto, hablar de un olvido parcial, describir el islam como cumplimiento de profecías bíblicas, mandar a judíos y cristianos gobernarse por sus escrituras, y aconsejar al Profeta preguntar a la gente del Recuerdo.

«For those reasons and because there is little to support a belief that the Bible has changed significantly since the seventh century, it becomes necessary to see the Quranic statements about the Jewish and Christian scriptures in light of the existing Jewish and Christian traditions and not as an alleged variation existent at the time.» — y fija la posición que sostiene: las afirmaciones coránicas sobre las escrituras judía y cristiana hay que verlas a la luz de las tradiciones existentes y no de una variante alegada de entonces.

«6Many see this verse as an implicit argument against divinizing Christ, as Jesus himself was once within the womb (IK, R).» — el comentario de 3:6 recoge, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Rāzī, la lectura de la aleya de la formación en los vientres como argumento implícito contra la divinización de Cristo.

«7This verse is perhaps the most direct discussion in the Quran of the science of Quranic interpretation.» — el comentario de 3:7 declara esta aleya quizá la discusión más directa que el libro hace de la ciencia de su propia interpretación.

«Each part of the Quran conventionally called a “verse” in English means originally “a sign” (āyah), as Arabic has a separate word for “verse” as it applies to poetry. A sign (āyah) can be either within us or outside of ourselves (see 41:53).» — y recuerda que lo que en inglés se llama *versículo* es en el original *signo*, āyah, que puede estar dentro de uno o fuera de uno.

«The verb ḥakama means lexically to “curb,” “repel,” “command,” or “judge” and hence is rendered by “determine.” A solidly made structure or knot is also called muḥkam.» — el comentario despliega la raíz de muḥkam, con que el volumen traduce *determinado*: refrenar, repeler, mandar y juzgar, y también una estructura o un nudo bien hechos.

«One can understand the Quran as wholly muḥkam, based on 11:1, a Book whose signs have been determined (muḥkam, in the verb form uḥkimat), as well as wholly mutashābih, based on 39:23: God has sent down the most beautiful discourse, a Book consimilar (mutashābih); the present verse says that it is partly muḥkam, partly mutashābih (R, Ṭ).» — y alinea tres lecturas que el propio libro sostiene sobre sí: todo él determinado según 11:1, todo él consimilar según 39:23, y en parte uno y en parte otro según esta aleya.

«It can be wholly muḥkam in that it is all truly the Book of God, and wholly mutashābih in that its parts are alike in beauty, in affirming each other (IK, Th), and in having an inner and symbolic meaning.» — y concilia esas tres: enteramente determinado por ser todo él el Libro de Dios, y enteramente consimilar porque sus partes se asemejan en belleza, se afirman unas a otras y tienen sentido interior y simbólico.

«At least some of these possibilities can be further clarified by thinking of the muḥkam as unambiguous or univocal, and the mutashābih as multivalent or equivocal—not in the sense of being unclear or questionable, but of being open to levels of meaning.» — el comentario propone la clave que ordena esas opciones: lo determinado como unívoco y lo simbólico como multívoco o equívoco, no por oscuro o dudoso sino por abierto a niveles de sentido.

«For example, the Hand of God would be symbolic or equivocal for most theologians in The Hand of God is over their hands (48:10), since the Hand of God could not be purely identical to a human hand or any other material hand. Thus “hand” is not strictly determined by the literal understanding of the word.» — y da el ejemplo con que lo muestra: la Mano de Dios de 48:10, que para la mayoría de los teólogos es equívoca porque no puede ser idéntica a una mano humana o material.

«Indeed, the commentators themselves often point out (R, Th) that a common pitfall among theologians and interpreters is to consider a passage to be determined or unequivocal when its plain sense agrees with one’s theological position, but symbolic or equivocal when it disagrees.» — el comentario consigna, con al-Rāzī y al-Thaʿlabī, la trampa corriente entre teólogos e intérpretes: tener por unívoco el pasaje cuyo sentido llano concuerda con la propia posición y por equívoco el que discrepa.

«An umm (“mother”) can also be the leader of a group of travelers, the flag of an army, or the archetype or origin of something, and idiomatically both the singular and plural (ummahāt) can mean the main, principal, or original instances of something (e.g., the principal virtues).» — el comentario despliega umm, *madre*, que dice también jefe de una caravana, bandera de un ejército, arquetipo u origen de algo, y en el uso lo principal u original de una serie.

«The Christians said to the Prophet, “Do you not say that he [Jesus] is the Word of God and a Spirit from Him?” (4:171). The Prophet answered, “Indeed.” They said, “That suffices us!” presumably thinking that they had just won the argument. At that moment, this part of the verse was revealed, the connection being that “Spirit” and “Word” are mutashābih rather than muḥkam.» — el comentario transmite la ocasión que se da a la frase sobre los corazones torcidos: los cristianos creyendo ganada la disputa al oír al Profeta conceder que Jesús es Palabra de Dios y Espíritu de Él, y la aleya revelada entonces, porque *Espíritu* y *Palabra* son simbólicos y no determinados.

«Interpretation renders taʾwīl, generally meaning “explanation,” and is used also in connection with dreams (Sūrah 12 passim; 18:78). Etymologically it has the sense of “bringing back to the origin”» — y despliega taʾwīl, con que el volumen traduce *interpretación*: explicación, usado también para los sueños, y etimológicamente *llevar de vuelta al origen*; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Muslims argued that the Trinity, as described in the Nicene Creed, is nowhere to be found in the Biblical text, but results from a faulty interpretation.» — el comentario de 3:3 y 3:4 consigna el argumento de musulmanes posteriores sobre la Trinidad: que tal como la describe el Credo de Nicea no está en el texto bíblico y resulta de una interpretación defectuosa.

«Another possibility is that the Injīl given to Jesus is conveyed by the existing Gospel, but is not coterminous with it, yet is still recognized and sanctioned by God.» — y ofrece otra salida a la misma cuestión: que el Injīl dado a Jesús se transmita por el Evangelio existente sin coincidir con él y siga reconocido y sancionado por Dios.

«This would make the existing Gospel a different kind of Divine book than the Quran, constituting a work of Divinely inspired or approved authors rather than a message delivered directly through Gabriel. This would agree with the view of Christians themselves that the text is guided and sanctioned by God, but not directly revealed.» — y saca de ahí el estatuto que le daría: libro divino de otra clase que el Corán, obra de autores inspirados o aprobados por Dios y no mensaje entregado por Gabriel, en acuerdo con lo que los propios cristianos sostienen.

«14Made to seem fair (zuyyina) describes a common theme connecting fallen human beings to their ephemeral desires (cf. 2:212; 9:37) and can mean, in other contexts, “to adorn” (15:16).» — el comentario de 3:14 despliega la fórmula que el volumen traduce *hecho parecer bello* como tema recurrente que liga al ser humano caído con sus deseos efímeros.

«Although the objects of desire in this verse are spoken of positively elsewhere in the Quran as things for which one should be grateful in this world, here their seductive side is brought out» — y acota la lista de pasiones de la aleya: esos mismos objetos se dicen en otros lugares del libro cosas por las que agradecer, y aquí se saca a la luz su lado seductor; el tramo se corta ahí.

«God’s Contentment (riḍwān) is at the pinnacle of the paradisal state, since Contentment from God is greater even than the Gardens of Paradise (9:72).» — el comentario de 3:15 sitúa la Complacencia de Dios en la cima del estado paradisíaco, mayor aún que los Jardines.

«The Prophet described an exchange between God and the denizens of the Garden: “Are you content?” “Why should we not be content, as Thou hast given us what no one else among Thy creation has been given?” “Shall I give you what is better than that?” “O Lord, what could be better than that?” “I shall loose My Contentment (riḍwān) upon you, and be not angry with you ever again.”» — y transmite el diálogo que el Profeta refiere entre Dios y los moradores del Jardín, que cierra con la Complacencia soltada sobre ellos y la promesa de no airarse nunca más.

«In Islamic spirituality, the night vigil (tahajjud, qiyām al-layl) is profoundly significant. It is when one is alone for none to see, and the world is quiet, and there is an ease of concentration and inwardness. It is the inverse of one’s usual state during the day, when the egotistical passions are awake, but the spiritual heart is often asleep.» — el comentario de 3:17 declara profundamente significativa la vigilia nocturna en la espiritualidad islámica y da su razón: se está solo, el mundo calla y hay facilidad de concentración, al revés del día, cuando las pasiones están despiertas y el corazón espiritual suele dormir.

«God is the supreme witness in that He was when there was nothing else with Him (as is said in a well-known ḥadīth, “God was and there was nothing other than Him”), and He thus has most right to be called a witness (R).» — el comentario de 3:18 funda en un ḥadīth la supremacía de Dios como testigo: Dios era y no había nada otro que Él.

«19Submission (islām) is both the proper name of the religion revealed through the Prophet Muhammad and a state that describes the adherents of any true religion who conform themselves to God’s Will.» — el comentario de 3:19 declara las dos capas de islām: nombre propio de la religión revelada por el Profeta y estado de quien en cualquier religión verdadera se conforma a la Voluntad de Dios.

«The Quran describes previous prophets as “those who submit”—Abraham and Jacob (2:132); Abraham and Ishmael (2:128); the apostles of Christ (3:52; 5:111)—and hence as followers of islām.» — y apoya la segunda capa en que el libro llama sometidos a profetas anteriores: Abraham y Jacob, Abraham e Ismael, y los apóstoles de Cristo.

«Many Muslims say that this verse shows that the only religion acceptable to God is the one revealed to the Prophet of Islam, but the most universal meaning of it, which been emphasized by many Islamic authorities over the ages, is that islām in this verse refers to submission to God even if it is not in the context of Islam as the specific religion revealed through the Quran.» — el comentario alinea sin arbitrar las dos lecturas de esa aleya: la que hace de ella prueba de que solo la religión revelada al Profeta es aceptable a Dios, y la más universal, sostenida por muchas autoridades islámicas, que lee islām como sumisión a Dios fuera del islam como religión específica.

«One might say that the application of knowledge is a double-edged sword and that with guidance comes the possibility of misguidance: He misleads many by it, and He guides many by it, and He misleads none but the iniquitous (2:26). One can be taught spiritual, psychological, eschatological realities and benefit from those truths, but human intelligence cannot always escape the distortion of the will. Just as each vice is, in a sense, a warped virtue, so too can truth be misrepresented or misinterpreted so as to be misused; when truth is used as a means to achieve false ends, rather than an end in itself, strife and schism ensue.» — y saca del pasaje una tesis sobre el saber: su aplicación es espada de doble filo, y con la guía viene la posibilidad del extravío, porque la inteligencia humana no siempre escapa a la distorsión de la voluntad.

«20To submit one’s face (see also 2:21; 31:22) signifies a reorientation of one’s being. In a sense, the face represents what is most intimate, most direct in reflecting the states of the soul, highest in outward appearance, and the most beautiful part of the human body.» — el comentario de 3:20 lee *someter el rostro* como reorientación del ser entero, con el rostro por lo más íntimo y lo que más directamente refleja los estados del alma.

«In the Quran, one seeks the Face of God (e.g., 2:272; 13:22). Cf. Psalm 27:8, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” And All things perish, save His Face (28:88; cf. 55:26–27).» — y empareja la búsqueda del Rostro de Dios con el Salmo 27, y recuerda la aleya que dice que todo perece salvo Su Rostro.

«Here, it is not just the killing of the prophets that is addressed, but also the killing of those who enjoin justice, who are not prophets themselves, but who stand up for truth.» — el comentario de 3:21 señala que la aleya no habla solo de matar profetas sino también de matar a quienes ordenan la justicia sin ser profetas.

«In this connection, al-Rāzī mentions the ḥadīth, “The best struggle is to speak a true word in the presence of a tyrannical ruler.”» — y cita, con al-Rāzī, el dicho que llama mejor lucha a decir una palabra verdadera ante un gobernante tiránico.

«Al-Qurṭubī notes that Muslims can read and act according to the Torah, except for whatever is known to be abrogated by the Quran or ḥadīth, and that they are obligated to act in accord with the religious laws of previous prophets (an observation he repeats in his treatment of 5:43) unless these laws are abrogated by Islam.» — el comentario de 3:23 recoge de al-Qurṭubī la posición de que los musulmanes pueden leer la Torá y obrar conforme a ella salvo en lo abrogado, y que están obligados a obrar conforme a las leyes religiosas de los profetas anteriores.

«Although tempered by questions of abrogation (naskh; see 2:106) and distortion (taḥrīf; see 2:75), this verse and 5:43 can be seen to suggest, together with the Prophet’s actions, the continuing religious validity and spiritual efficacy of previous scriptures for the followers of those religions.» — y saca del recurso del Profeta a la Torá una tesis acotada: la validez religiosa y la eficacia espiritual continuadas de las escrituras anteriores para los seguidores de esas religiones.

«O God translates Allāhumma, since this construction designates an address to God in the second person, but opinions differ over its etymology. Some consider it a shortening of yā Allāhu ummanā bi-khayr (“O God, bring us good”), but others suggest somewhat less plausibly that the mīm of the suffix takes the place of the traditional vocative particle yā (usually rendered “O”); some scholars speculate that it comes from Aramaic or Akkadian. It is not related to the plural form, as is the case with the Hebrew Elohim.» — el comentario de 3:26 despliega la forma Allāhumma con que la aleya invoca a Dios, alinea las etimologías propuestas y descarta el parentesco con el plural hebreo Elohim.

«For Ibn ʿAjībah, those who are sovereign over their ego are exalted by God in both worlds, and those who take their ego as sovereign are abased in both worlds.» — el comentario de 3:27 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura interior de dar y quitar la soberanía: quien es soberano sobre su ego es exaltado en los dos mundos y quien toma su ego por soberano es abajado en los dos.

«Ibn ʿAjībah speaks to the esoteric tradition that interprets the night as the night of the soul—that is, the soul in a state of spiritual contraction—and the day as the soul’s relief and spiritual expansion, which in the spiritual life are said to inevitably follow upon one another.» — y consigna la tradición esotérica que lee la noche y el día de la aleya como la contracción espiritual del alma y su alivio y expansión, que se suceden inevitablemente.

«But the supremacy of God’s Will does not detract from or contradict His Goodness and Compassion; at the same time God could never be bound by a human conception of merit, as the span of any life includes both this world and the next and human beings do not possess God’s measures.» — el comentario resuelve la tensión entre la supremacía de la Voluntad divina y la justicia: esa supremacía no contradice Su Bondad, y a la vez Dios no puede quedar atado a una concepción humana del mérito.

«Prudence translates tuqāh, which some read as taqiyyah; the latter is more widely known and often translated “dissimulation,” though the word itself is etymologically related to “taking care” and “being wary” and is lexically related to taqwā, or reverence (see 2:2c).» — el comentario de 3:28 despliega tuqāh, que el volumen traduce *prudencia* y que otros leen taqiyyah, emparentado con *tener cuidado* y con taqwā.

«Those who guard against them out of prudence are exempted if they fear death or great harm through persecution at the hands of the community in which they live, in which case they can hide their faith through words but not through actions, which is to say they can deny to others that they are Muslim, but they cannot then violate the major rules of Islam by, for example, murdering, stealing, or committing adultery under the cover of this denial (Q, R, Ṭ).» — y fija el límite de esa prudencia, con al-Qurṭubī, al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī: ante el temor de muerte o daño grave se puede ocultar la fe con palabras pero no con actos.

«The concept of taqiyyah is often associated more strongly with the Shiites, since during the period of the Imams (until about the mid-third/ninth century) taqiyyah was considered an important virtue in Shiite piety, though it was later deemphasized when the Shiites constituted a large number and as the political position of Shiism became less insecure; taqiyyah, however, continued throughout the history of Shiism and is still considered legitimate when circumstances necessitate it.» — el comentario historiza la taqiyyah: virtud importante en la piedad chií durante el período de los imanes, desenfatizada después y aún tenida por legítima cuando las circunstancias lo exigen.

«ʿImrān is the name of Mary’s father (also in v. 35; 66:12), who is not named in the Bible, but is known in extra-Biblical literature as Joachim, which means “He whom Yahweh set up.”» — el comentario de 3:33 y 3:34 consigna que ʿImrān es el nombre del padre de María, no nombrado en la Biblia y conocido en la literatura extrabíblica como Joaquín.

«The commentators who equate the name ʿImrān with the Hebrew Amram (the name of Moses’ father), and thus believe that both the father of Moses and the father of Mary were separately named ʿImrān, do not seem to be aware of the name Joachim.» — y objeta la ecuación que los comentaristas hacen entre ʿImrān y el hebreo Amram, padre de Moisés: parecen no conocer el nombre Joaquín.

«As progeny, one from another is understood in terms of bloodlines, in that the House of ʿImrān is descended from the House of Abraham, which is descended from Noah, who descended from Adam (M). It is also understood as a spiritual filiation, in that these houses and figures are connected through their worship of and obedience to the One God (Ṭ).» — el comentario alinea dos lecturas de la descendencia *unos de otros*: con al-Māturīdī, linaje de sangre desde Adán; con al-Ṭabarī, filiación espiritual por la adoración y la obediencia al Dios único.

«It is reported that Mary’s father, ʿImrān, died before she was born, and her mother, Ḥannah (Anne), promised to dedicate her child to the service of the Temple, to study and learn from the Book and to be free of other responsibilities outside of service and worship (R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:35 transmite, con al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī, que el padre de María murió antes de su nacimiento y que su madre Ḥannah prometió consagrar a su hija al servicio del Templo.

«Some mention that this could be interpreted as connoting the superiority of the female, in that, though she was expecting a male, God chose to give her a female child (Q) who would bear and manifest knowledge of God (R).» — el comentario de 3:36 consigna la lectura que ve en la frase sobre el varón y la hembra una connotación de superioridad femenina: esperando un varón, Dios le dio una hija que llevaría y manifestaría el conocimiento de Dios.

«One way of understanding the male is not like the female is that it establishes that there are real, meaningful differences between the sexes; at the same time, however, God accepted her with a beautiful acceptance (v. 37), suggesting that those differences are irrelevant from the spiritual point of view.» — y ofrece una lectura que sostiene las dos cosas a la vez: que hay diferencias reales entre los sexos y que desde el punto de vista espiritual son irrelevantes, como muestra la bella aceptación de la aleya siguiente.

«That the fruits were out of season would have implied that no human being could have brought them to her. This Divine provision is also a symbol of the fact that both Mary and her mother conceived “out of season,” Mary, because no man had touched her, and her mother, because of her advanced age.» — el comentario lee la provisión fuera de estación hallada junto a María como símbolo de que ella y su madre concibieron también *fuera de estación*.

«A ḥadīth states, “Mary the daughter of ʿImrān, Khadījah bint Khuwaylid [the Prophet’s first wife], Fāṭimah bint Muhammad [the Prophet’s daughter], and Āsiyah the wife of Pharaoh suffice you among the women of the worlds.”» — el comentario de 3:42 transmite el ḥadīth de las cuatro mujeres que bastan entre las mujeres de los mundos: María, Jadiya, Fátima y Āsiyah, la esposa del Faraón.

«In this verse Mary is chosen, purified, and then chosen a second time. Some understand the first election to refer to the first part of her life, when she was given to devotion and service in the Temple and was granted miraculous sustenance (see v. 37), and the second, to her being given the miracle of Jesus’ birth (R).» — y reparte, con al-Rāzī, las dos elecciones de María que la aleya nombra: la primera por su devoción y servicio en el Templo y la segunda por el milagro del nacimiento de Jesús.

«44Unseen (ghayb) can mean what is absent from us through being invisible or hidden, but also what is absent by being in the past, in the future, or in another state of being» — el comentario de 3:44 ensancha ghayb más allá de lo invisible: también lo ausente por estar en el pasado, en el futuro o en otro estado del ser; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The most widely accepted account is that the priests of the Temple desired to be the custodians of Mary after she entered the Temple (see v. 37) and cast lots to decide who would have the privilege (IK, M).» — y da el relato más aceptado del echar suertes por María, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Māturīdī: los sacerdotes del Templo querían su custodia.

«Some interpret Jesus’ description as a Word from Him to mean that Jesus was a means by which God’s Word became manifest in the world, in a manner analogous to the way one refers to the sultan as the “shadow of God on earth” to indicate that he is a means by which God’s Justice is manifest on earth.» — el comentario de 3:45 recoge una lectura de *una Palabra de Él*: Jesús como medio por el que la Palabra de Dios se manifiesta en el mundo, al modo de la fórmula que llama al sultán sombra de Dios en la tierra.

«Since Jesus was created “directly” by the word “Be!” (see v. 47), one might also say that his association with the Word is stronger and more unmediated, in the way one says that a generous person is generosity itself, or pure nobility, and the like (R).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī la lectura más fuerte de la misma fórmula: creado directamente por la palabra *Sé*, la asociación de Jesús con la Palabra es más inmediata, como se dice de un generoso que es la generosidad misma.

«Messiah renders al-Masīḥ, which corresponds closely in meaning to the Hebrew mashiach (Z), “anointed one.” The commentators do not mention the later eschatological associations of this word in the Judeo-Christian tradition.» — el comentario empareja al-Masīḥ con el hebreo mashiach, *ungido*, y consigna que los comentaristas no mencionan las asociaciones escatológicas posteriores del término en la tradición judeocristiana.

«Even in Judaism the word was first used to designate anointed kings or priests and is used in the Bible as a title for the Persian king Cyrus who freed the Jews from captivity in Babylon, the high priest, David, the patriarchs, and Israel as a whole.» — y consigna sus primeros usos en el judaísmo: reyes y sacerdotes ungidos, y como título del rey persa Ciro, del sumo sacerdote, de David, de los patriarcas y de Israel entero.

«Jesus’ giving life to the dead is accepted in both the Quran and the Bible, but the Quran emphasizes the fact that both Jesus’ giving life to the clay bird (not found in the New Testament) and his raising of the dead were miracles that happened by God’s Leave.» — el comentario de 3:49 marca lo que el libro acentúa en los milagros de Jesús: que el pájaro de barro y la resurrección de los muertos ocurrieron con permiso de Dios.

«Apostles translates ḥawāriyyūn, a word that may be derived from the Ethiopic ḥawārya. Submitters renders muslimūn (cf. 5:111) and is one of several places in the Quran in which islām and muslim convey a universal meaning beyond indicating followers of Muhammad specifically» — el comentario de 3:52 deriva del etíope el término con que el libro nombra a los apóstoles de Jesús, y señala que llamarlos *sometidos* es uno de los lugares donde islām y muslim tienen sentido universal; el tramo se corta ahí.

«55Cf. 4:158. Take in I shall take thee translates mutawaffī, which is usually understood to mean that God takes one unto Himself, that is, in death. In the context of this verse, most assert, however, that it does not refer to being taken in death, but rather to being taken from the world (Ṭ)» — el comentario de 3:55 consigna la disputa sobre el verbo con que Dios dice tomar a Jesús: suele entenderse como tomar en la muerte y la mayoría sostiene aquí, con al-Ṭabarī, que es ser tomado del mundo; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Many commentators also mention the belief that Jesus will return before the end of time, fight the Dajjāl (“Antichrist”), and rule according to the Law of Muhammad until the world comes to an end.» — el comentario consigna la creencia en el retorno de Jesús antes del fin del tiempo, su combate contra el Dajjāl y su gobierno conforme a la Ley de Muhammad.

«In a ḥadīth, the Prophet is reported to have said, “No man has greater claim to Jesus than I do, because there was no prophet between us, and he will be my vicegerent over my community. He will descend, and when you see him you will know him.”» — y transmite el dicho del Profeta sobre su parentesco con Jesús: nadie tiene mayor derecho sobre él, porque no hubo profeta entre los dos, y será su vicegerente sobre su comunidad.

«58The Wise Reminder (al-dhikr al-ḥakīm) is another name for the Quran, though some understand this to refer to the Preserved Tablet (85:22) from which all revelation comes down to earth.» — el comentario de 3:58 consigna el Recuerdo Sabio como otro nombre del libro y la lectura que lo refiere a la Tabla Preservada de la que desciende toda revelación.

«59It is reported that these verses were revealed while the Christian delegation from Najrān was in Madinah (see the introduction to this sūrah). These Christians reportedly argued that since Jesus had no human father, he was truly God’s son. This verse constitutes one of the central arguments in the Quran against the divinity of Christ.» — el comentario de 3:59 declara la aleya de la semejanza de Jesús con Adán uno de los argumentos centrales del libro contra la divinidad de Cristo.

«It acknowledges the miraculous nature of his birth, but rejects the implication that this makes him Divine. If God could create Adam, who had neither earthly father nor mother, from dust, he could also create Jesus from the “blood” of Mary (R).» — y da su forma, con al-Rāzī: reconoce lo milagroso del nacimiento y rechaza que de ahí se siga la divinidad, porque quien creó a Adán sin padre ni madre pudo crear a Jesús.

«A possible Christian counterpart to the Quran’s narration about Mary’s life at the Temple, but one that does not appear in the Bible, is found in noncanonical literature such as the Protoevangelium of James, which describes the presentation, or entrance, of Mary into the Temple» — el comentario de 3:37 empareja el relato coránico de la vida de María en el Templo con el Protoevangelio de Santiago, que no está en la Biblia; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«The latter part of this verse, Whenever Zachariah entered . . . without reckoning, is found inscribed, in many mosques throughout the Islamic world, over the semicircular hollow or niche (miḥrāb) in the front inner wall» — y consigna dónde vive esa aleya en la arquitectura islámica: inscrita sobre el miḥrāb de muchas mezquitas del mundo islámico; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Many commentators use this verse as an occasion to speak of the importance of protecting trusts and repaying what one owes. Al-Qurṭubī quotes a long ḥadīth stating that, regarding the weighty matter of returning trusts to their owners, resentment leads to perfidy, and perfidy leads to a lack of compassion, which in turn leads to being cursed and outcast, which ultimately leads to Islam leaving one’s heart.» — el comentario de 3:75 y 3:76 cita a al-Qurṭubī sobre la cadena que arranca del resentimiento al no devolver lo confiado: resentimiento, perfidia, falta de compasión, maldición y destierro, y al final el islam saliendo del corazón.

«It is said that some Muslims came to Ibn ʿAbbās and made a similar claim against some members of a non-Muslim treaty-holding community (ahl al-dhimmah), saying, “There is nothing to stop us when it comes to them.” They were corrected by Ibn ʿAbbās, who told them that it was not permissible to take any wealth from the treaty peoples beyond what they paid in indemnity, or jizyah (Q; for the jizyah, see 9:29).» — y transmite, con al-Qurṭubī, la corrección de Ibn ʿAbbās a los musulmanes que decían no tener límite ante una comunidad protegida por tratado: no es lícito tomarles riqueza más allá de la jizyah.

«To not wish to speak with or look upon a person is an expression of anger or wrath and, when coming from God, is a severe form of punishment, just as God’s looking upon or speaking with a person is a great form of blessing (R).» — el comentario de 3:77 lee, con al-Rāzī, el no hablar ni mirar de Dios como expresión de ira y castigo severo, frente al hablar y mirar, que es gran bendición.

«79It is reported that the Prophet was asked by the Jews whether he wanted to be an object of worship, as Jesus was among the Christians (Ṭ), or that he was asked whether he thought people should prostrate themselves before him (an act associated with worship) rather than greet him normally (Z).» — el comentario de 3:79 consigna las ocasiones que se dan a la aleya: si el Profeta quería ser objeto de adoración como Jesús entre los cristianos, o si la gente debía postrarse ante él.

«Although most commentators draw a connection between this verse and the Islamic rejection of the worship of Jesus, other types of worship directed at human beings are similarly deplored, as in 9:31: They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords apart from God.» — y extiende lo que la aleya deplora más allá de la adoración de Jesús, con 9:31 sobre tomar a rabinos y monjes por señores fuera de Dios.

«The verse may actually be referring to the followers of the prophets, since prophets would never turn away or become iniquitous, though their followers might (Q, R); that is, since belief in the Prophet Muhammad or any true prophet is incumbent upon prophets themselves, it is also incumbent upon their followers (R).» — el comentario de 3:81 y 3:82 recoge, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Rāzī, la lectura que refiere el pacto de los profetas a sus seguidores, porque un profeta no se apartaría ni sería inicuo.

«though al-Rāzī, for example, acknowledges that the covenant pertains to any prophet who fulfills the criteria in the verse.» — y consigna que al-Rāzī admite que ese pacto toca a cualquier profeta que cumpla los criterios de la aleya, aunque los comentaristas suelan referirlo a Muhammad.

«In an apparent paradox, this verse asserts that all beings submit to God, and some do so unwillingly. Some explain this by saying that all beings must in some sense succumb to God’s Will (IK), implying a passive rather than active submission.» — el comentario de 3:83 plantea la paradoja de que todos los seres se sometan a Dios y algunos de mala gana, y recoge de Ibn Kathīr la salida de una sumisión pasiva y no activa.

«Others mention that believers submit in life willingly, while disbelievers submit in death unwillingly (R), but their submission at the moment of death does them no good (Q)» — y la salida de al-Rāzī: los creyentes se someten en vida de buen grado y los incrédulos en la muerte de mala gana, sin que eso les valga; el tramo se corta ahí.

«85It is reported that this verse was revealed in connection with one of the Companions who left Islam along with twelve other people and went to Makkah (Q, M, Th).» — el comentario de 3:85 consigna la ocasión que se da a la aleya, con al-Qurṭubī, al-Māturīdī y al-Thaʿlabī: un Compañero que dejó el islam con otros doce y se fue a La Meca.

«However, the idea that 3:85 abrogates 2:62 is connected to the interpretation expressed by some commentators (R, Ṭ) that this verse denies the “acceptability” of any form of religion other than that brought by the Prophet Muhammad.» — y liga la tesis de que esta aleya abrogue 2:62 a la interpretación, que al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī expresan, de que niega la aceptabilidad de toda religión que no sea la traída por el Profeta.

«This opinion is not without its inconsistencies, however, since it does not take into account the more general and universal use of islām and muslim in the Quran to refer to all true, monotheistic religion» — el comentario objeta esa interpretación por no tener en cuenta el uso más general y universal de islām y muslim en el libro para toda religión monoteísta verdadera; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Ibn Kathīr, for example, understands a religion other than submission here to mean, “A path other than what God has laid down,” which can include the People of the Book, while al-Zamakhsharī says that in this verse islām (submission) means recognizing Divine Unity (tawḥīd) and submitting one’s face to God, attributes not limited to the followers of Muhammad.» — y alinea dos lecturas que dejan abierta la cuestión: Ibn Kathīr entiende *una vía distinta de la que Dios estableció*, que puede incluir a la Gente del Libro, y al-Zamakhsharī entiende por islām reconocer la Unicidad divina y someter el rostro a Dios.

«Moreover, reading this verse in the context of those that precede and follow it and taking into consideration the occasion of revelation mentioned above, one could reasonably conclude that the scope of this verse is limited to those people who, after having accepted Islam, then make a conscious decision to leave it.» — y propone acotar el alcance de la aleya a quienes, habiendo aceptado el islam, deciden conscientemente dejarlo.

«Spiritually speaking, one cannot advance until one gives away one’s ego, which one loves above all things (Aj).» — el comentario de 3:92 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura espiritual de gastar de lo que se ama: no se avanza hasta dar el propio ego, que es lo que uno ama por encima de todo.

«93According to this verse, before the revelation of the Torah, there were no prohibitions to abide by for the descendants of Jacob except those that Jacob, also known as Israel, had imposed on himself and that his children followed him in observing (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:93 lee la aleya, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, como que antes de la Torá no había prohibiciones para los descendientes de Jacob salvo las que él se impuso a sí mismo.

«96Bakkah is another name for Makkah, a different pronunciation of the same name resulting from an exchange of the m and b sounds, a common pronunciation alteration in Arabic (Z).» — el comentario de 3:96 explica Bakkah como otra pronunciación de Makkah, con intercambio de m y b.

«Later scholars have speculated as to whether the valley of Baca mentioned in Psalm 84:6 refers to Makkah, a question that is highly dependent upon various elements in that psalm, including the meaning of Baca, which could be “weeping” or “balsam trees.”» — y consigna la especulación de estudiosos posteriores sobre si el valle de Baca del Salmo 84 es La Meca, cuestión que depende del sentido de Baca, *llanto* o *bálsamos*.

«One interpretation of this verse is that the Kaʿbah was not the first house ever built, but it was the first one established for all human beings—not only some—to come for worship (R).» — el comentario alinea lecturas de *la primera casa*, con al-Rāzī: no la primera casa construida sino la primera establecida para todos los seres humanos.

«Sages renders rabbāniyyūn (cf. 5:44, 63), a word interpreted variously as meaning those who are wise, knowledgeable, or pious (Ṭ)» — el comentario de 3:79 despliega rabbāniyyūn, que el volumen traduce *sabios*, con al-Ṭabarī: los que son sabios, conocedores o piadosos; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«It is possible that message of this verse is found in some form in Genesis 32:32, where it is said that, due to Jacob’s injury» — el comentario de 3:93 empareja la aleya con Génesis 32, donde por la lesión de Jacob los israelitas no comen el músculo del muslo; el impreso omite el artículo en *that message* y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«upon the great numbers of people of “exalted spirits, sacred hearts, luminous inner mysteries, and divine minds” who pray following the direction of prayer (qiblah) established by God to be the Kaʿbah, further remarking that at every moment part of humanity is offering prayers in the direction of Makkah and has been doing so for thousands of years (i.e., both before and after the advent of Islam).» — el comentario de 3:96 recoge la reflexión de al-Rāzī sobre lo que llena de bendición a la Casa: las multitudes de espíritus exaltados, corazones sagrados, misterios interiores luminosos y mentes divinas que oran hacia ella, en todo momento y desde hace miles de años.

«112Similar themes, including abasement, wrath, and indigence, are addressed in 2:61. They are understood by some to refer to the status of the People of the Book during times of war when they are belligerents, whose property could be legitimately seized as spoils and children taken as prisoners, among other things (R). Others say the abasement refers to the jizyah, the indemnity levied on non-Muslims, and dhimmah, the state of living as a non-Muslim treaty people under Muslim rule (Q; see 9:29).» — el comentario de 3:112 alinea las lecturas del abajamiento de la Gente del Libro: con al-Rāzī, su estatuto en tiempo de guerra; con al-Qurṭubī, la jizyah y la dhimmah.

«Some, however, dispute that this abasement refers to the jizyah, because the jizyah does not disappear with the rope from God and rope from mankind, interpreted to mean a covenant with God and a covenant with the believers (Ṭ).» — y objeta, con al-Ṭabarī, esa segunda lectura: la jizyah no desaparece con la *cuerda de Dios y cuerda de los hombres*, leídas como un pacto con Dios y un pacto con los creyentes.

«113Although this verse is usually interpreted as setting up a distinction among different kinds of People of the Book, some understand they are not all alike to refer to Muslims and the People of the Book together, meaning that Muslims are not like the Jews and Christians (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:113 consigna dos lecturas de *no son todos iguales*, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī: distinción entre clases de Gente del Libro, o distinción entre musulmanes y Gente del Libro.

«Some mention an incident in which the Muslims were waiting for the Prophet to lead the night prayer in the mosque and the Prophet said to them, “No people from among any of the religions are remembering God at this hour other than you.”» — y transmite una ocasión que se da a esa aleya: el Profeta diciendo a los que esperaban la oración nocturna que ningún pueblo de ninguna religión recordaba a Dios a esa hora salvo ellos.

«Another version states that this upright community refers specifically to forty people of Najrān, thirty-two people from Abyssinia, and three from Byzantium who followed the religion of Jesus and affirmed the truth of Muhammad.» — y otra que identifica esa comunidad recta con cuarenta personas de Najrān, treinta y dos de Abisinia y tres de Bizancio que seguían la religión de Jesús y afirmaban la verdad de Muhammad.

«118Intimates renders biṭānah, meaning confidants or trusted friends (denoting both the singular and plural); it also literally means the inner lining of a garment, evoking a sense of direct closeness and intimacy. They are those to whom one tells one’s secrets (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:118 despliega biṭānah: confidentes y amigos de confianza, y literalmente el forro interior de una prenda, con el sentido de cercanía directa.

«Others seem to interpret this as a statement on human nature in general, mentioning a ḥadīth that states, “God has sent no prophet, nor appointed any vicegerent, save that he had two groups of intimates. One group enjoins and encourages what is right while the other enjoins and encourages what is evil. He is protected who is protected by God,”» — y recoge la lectura que la toma por enunciado sobre la naturaleza humana, con el ḥadīth de los dos grupos de íntimos que todo profeta y todo vicegerente han tenido, uno que empuja al bien y otro al mal; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Die in your rage! is interpreted to be a call to increase the cause of their rage, namely, the success and flourishing of Islam, rather than a direct call for death (R, Z).» — el comentario de 3:119 lee, con al-Rāzī y al-Zamakhsharī, la frase *morid en vuestra rabia* como llamado a que crezca la causa de esa rabia y no como llamado directo a la muerte.

«Before the battle was joined, the Prophet ordered a group of archers to remain in position atop a hill no matter what transpired during the battle; this is what the commentators understand by assign the believers their positions for the battle. When many of them disobeyed at a crucial point in the battle in order to capture a share of the spoils, the remaining archers were overtaken and the rear and flank of the Madinan forces were exposed.» — y narra el hecho que decidió Uḥud: los arqueros apostados por el Profeta en una colina desobedecieron para tomar parte del botín, y la retaguardia y el flanco quedaron expuestos.

«There is disagreement among the traditional sources over whether angels fought at Uḥud or not. Most commentators hold that the angels fought only at Badr (IK, R)» — el comentario de 3:124 a 3:126 consigna el desacuerdo de las fuentes tradicionales sobre si los ángeles combatieron en Uḥud, con la mayoría sosteniendo que solo en Badr; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Some say the angels assumed visible or invisible form and actually killed disbelievers, and accounts exist in the Ḥadīth and sīrah (biographical literature about the Prophet) that describe certain mysterious deaths (e.g., heads flying off enemies’ bodies as if severed) and mysterious fighters (presumed to be angels) witnessed during the battle of Badr (IK, Q).» — y consigna, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī, los relatos del Ḥadīth y de la sīrah sobre esa intervención: muertes misteriosas, cabezas que volaban como segadas, y combatientes tenidos por ángeles.

«Another interpretation sees the help of the angels as being spiritual, strengthening the believers’ hearts, heightening their senses, increasing their power, and giving them courage by their presence (R).» — y la lectura de al-Rāzī, que hace espiritual esa ayuda: fortalecer los corazones, agudizar los sentidos, aumentar la fuerza y dar valor por su sola presencia.

«133Cf. 57:21. It is said that the Byzantine emperor Heraclius sent an emissary to the Prophet saying, “You call to a garden whose breadth is the heavens and the earth. So where is the fire?” The Prophet replied, “Glory be to God! Where is the night when the day comes?”» — el comentario de 3:133 transmite el intercambio atribuido al emperador Heraclio y al Profeta: si el jardín tiene por anchura los cielos y la tierra, dónde está el fuego, y la respuesta por la noche y el día.

«134A ḥadīth states, “Whosoever curbs his anger even though he is able to release [act on] it will be filled with security and faith by God.” Another ḥadīth states, “He is not forceful who throws down his opponent, but he who controls his soul when he is angry.”» — el comentario de 3:134 transmite dos dichos sobre refrenar la ira: quien la contiene pudiendo soltarla es llenado de seguridad y de fe, y el fuerte no es el que derriba al contrario sino el que domina su alma al airarse.

«The word rendered rage is ghayẓ, which some differentiate from ghaḍab (also often rendered “anger”), in that ghayẓ is the internal aspect of ghaḍab, while ghaḍab is anger manifested in words or physical actions (Q).» — y distingue, con al-Qurṭubī, ghayẓ de ghaḍab: el primero es el aspecto interno de la ira y el segundo la ira manifestada en palabras o en actos.

«Spiritually speaking, this verse is understood to mean that believers do not hoard away things from God, giving both their bodies and their souls (Qu); some Sufis say that if one wants to know the station of a spiritual traveler (faqīr), one should do something to anger the person and see what comes out (Aj).» — el comentario recoge de al-Qushayrī y de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura espiritual de esa aleya, con la prueba que algunos sufíes proponen para conocer la estación de un caminante: hacer algo que lo enoje y ver qué sale.

«There is no great sin once forgiveness is sought, and no small sin that is done perpetually (Aj).» — el comentario de 3:135 y 3:136 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la fórmula sobre el tamaño del pecado: no hay pecado grande donde se pide perdón ni pecado pequeño que se haga perpetuamente.

«137Wonts renders sunan, the plural of sunnah. The Quran refers to the wont of previous peoples (4:26; 8:38; 15:13; 17:77; 18:55; 35:43) and to the wont of God (33:38, 62; 35:43; 40:85; 48:23).» — el comentario de 3:137 despliega sunan, plural de sunnah, y distingue en el libro la costumbre de los pueblos anteriores de la costumbre de Dios.

«how to judge the belief and actions of the People of the Book, informing Muslims that God does not reject the good deeds of the People of the Book when they are truly good and that they (the People of the Book) are not all alike (3:113).» — el comentario de 3:114 y 3:115 fija la lectura que sostiene: el sentido llano va dirigido a musulmanes inseguros de cómo juzgar la fe y los actos de la Gente del Libro, y les dice que Dios no rechaza sus buenas obras cuando son verdaderamente buenas.

«121Although most see this as a reference to the Battle of Uḥud, some say it refers to the Battle of Aḥzāb (often called the Battle of the Trench; IK, R, Ṭ). Uḥud took place in 3/625, approximately one year after the defeat of the Makkans at the Battle of Badr (see 8:5).» — el comentario de 3:121 sitúa la aleya en la batalla de Uḥud, con la lectura alterna de la del Foso, y la data en 3/625, un año después de la derrota de los mecanos en Badr.

«Because the Prophet’s life is both morally and legally normative for Muslims, Sunnah came to signify also that class of actions and behaviors that, though not strictly enjoined as an obligation, are nevertheless recommended in order to follow the Prophet’s» — el comentario de 3:137 explica el segundo sentido de sunnah: por ser la vida del Profeta normativa moral y legalmente, el término pasó a nombrar también los actos recomendados sin ser obligatorios; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«That God gives life and causes death restates a point made in v. 154, namely, that human beings should never forget that God, not human agency, determines life and death. It is also interpreted spiritually to mean that God quickens the hearts of His friends and brings death to the hearts of His enemies (R).» — el comentario de 3:156 recuerda que es Dios y no la agencia humana quien determina vida y muerte, y recoge de al-Rāzī la lectura espiritual de la misma frase: Dios vivifica los corazones de Sus amigos y da muerte a los de Sus enemigos.

«Many view any consultation carried out by the Prophet to be superfluous and good only as a kind of flattery, since he had revelation and needed no one’s advice (Q), but this is rejected by many, and the Prophet did consult his contemporaries, men and women, in many matters.» — el comentario de 3:159 objeta la lectura que hace superflua toda consulta del Profeta por tener él revelación: el Profeta consultó a sus contemporáneos, hombres y mujeres, en muchos asuntos.

«Some see the Prophet’s act of consulting others as a means of establishing consultation as a wont of his community (R).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī la razón que da a esas consultas: instituir la consulta como costumbre de su comunidad.

«Others note that there are all sorts of things to be known in the world and quote the Prophet’s qualification of his own knowledge of the world in the famous ḥadīth, “You all know more about the affairs of this world of yours,” thus giving a more substantive interpretation to the Prophet’s consultation.» — y apoya eso en el dicho con que el Profeta acota su propio saber del mundo: vosotros sabéis más de los asuntos de este mundo vuestro.

«Consult them in affairs also contains guidance for politics in general and the affairs between human beings and throughout the centuries has been important for Islamic political thought and the ideal of political action and especially in the modern period when Muslims have sometimes used the Quranic concept of consultation to interpret the Western notion of democracy.» — el comentario consigna el alcance político del mandato de consultar: importante para el pensamiento político islámico a lo largo de los siglos, y usado en el período moderno para interpretar la noción occidental de democracia.

«The concept of trust (tawakkul) is a cornerstone of Islamic spirituality, and believers are told to trust in God in dozens of verses (e.g., 4:81; 5:23; 8:61; 25:28).» — y declara la confianza, tawakkul, piedra angular de la espiritualidad islámica.

«160This verse is often interpreted to mean that God helped the believers at Badr, but forsook them at Uḥud (R).» — el comentario de 3:160 recoge de al-Rāzī la lectura de la aleya del auxilio y el abandono divinos referida a Badr y a Uḥud.

«More broadly, any kind of mishandling or corruption in the matter of public goods is severely condemned in Islam.» — el comentario de 3:161 generaliza la prohibición del fraude en el botín a toda malversación o corrupción en materia de bienes públicos.

«In connection with this verse some commentators mention a ḥadīth describing a man who was sent by the Prophet to collect the alms (zakāh); when he returned he said, “This is for you, and this was given as a gift to me.” The Prophet severely reprimanded him for this, asking if he waited for his gift at his mother’s and father’s house, meaning that the accepting of the “gift” was an unjust practice that could not have been applied to all people equally.» — y transmite el ḥadīth del recaudador de la limosna que separaba lo recaudado de lo que decía regalo suyo, y la reprensión del Profeta, que le preguntó si habría esperado ese regalo en casa de sus padres.

«This verse can also be seen as a general affirmation of the general principle that reality consists of a hierarchy of levels.» — y hace de esa aleya afirmación general de un principio: que la realidad consiste en una jerarquía de niveles.

«That a human being like them, from among themselves, should be God’s Messenger was a cause of the idolaters’ incredulity and denial of Muhammad’s prophethood» — el comentario de 3:164 consigna la causa de incredulidad de los idólatras ante la profecía de Muhammad: que el Mensajero de Dios fuera un ser humano como ellos y de entre ellos; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The number of believers killed at Uḥud is considered to have been 70; at Badr the believers killed approximately 70 idolaters, but also took 70 prisoners (Ṭ), which is in a sense equivalent to twice as many, because prisoners can be executed; if they had executed the prisoners, that would mean 140 people killed (Q).» — el comentario de 3:165 hace la cuenta con que explica la *aflicción doble*: setenta creyentes muertos en Uḥud frente a unos setenta idólatras muertos y setenta prisioneros en Badr.

«Some say they were closer to disbelief than to belief shows that one should not call anyone who declares the testimony of faith (shahādah) a disbeliever, since even God said only that they were closer to disbelief (kufr) than to belief (īmān), rather than calling them disbelievers outright (R).» — el comentario de 3:167 saca de la fórmula *más cerca de la incredulidad que de la fe*, con al-Rāzī, una regla: no se debe llamar incrédulo a quien declara la shahādah, porque ni Dios los llamó así.

«In a sense this verse, like v. 156, exposes the illogicality of applying a counterfactual argument when it concerns God’s Will. Since it was the Will of God for them to die that day, the hypocrites are in essence claiming to know what God would have done under other circumstances, though they do not realize that this is the logical conclusion of their assertion.» — el comentario de 3:168 objeta el argumento contrafáctico de los hipócritas sobre los caídos: alegar que no habrían muerto de haberse quedado supone saber qué habría hecho Dios en otras circunstancias.

«Al-Rāzī considers and rejects the idea that this means that they will be alive in the future in the Hereafter, preferring the understanding that they are alive at that instant.» — el comentario de 3:169 a 3:171 consigna que al-Rāzī rechaza leer *están vivos* como referido al futuro de la Otra Vida y sostiene que están vivos en ese instante.

«These and similar verses were used extensively in Islamic theology to support the idea that souls are alive between physical death and the Resurrection, against the views of some theologians such as some Ashcarites.» — y consigna el uso teológico de esas aleyas: sostener que las almas están vivas entre la muerte física y la Resurrección, contra la posición de algunos teólogos.

«Many aḥādīth allude to the experience of souls in this intervening period; in them the Prophet speaks to or prays at the graves of people, virtuous souls experience the grave as spacious and light-filled, and vicious souls are beset with torments and a state of narrow confinement.» — y describe lo que los ḥadīth dicen de ese intervalo: el Profeta hablando en las tumbas, las almas virtuosas con la tumba espaciosa y llena de luz y las viciosas con tormentos y estrechez.

«It is said that souls will be questioned in the grave by the angels Nakīr and Munkar regarding their conduct in life.» — y nombra a los ángeles Nakīr y Munkar como los que interrogan al alma en la tumba sobre su conducta en vida.

«In a particularly vivid account, it is reported that after the Battle of Badr the Prophet called out to the slain of the enemy, “Have you found what your Lord promised to be true?” When asked why he was addressing the dead, he told the questioners, “You cannot hear better than they can.”» — el comentario transmite el relato del Profeta llamando a los muertos enemigos de Badr y respondiendo a quienes se extrañaban: vosotros no oís mejor que ellos.

«One can imagine that, after death, time is not the linear time experienced in this life. A person’s temporal journey after death transcends time as experienced by the living, partially or totally, so that the departed can be in Paradise “now” from a certain point of view, even though the Day of Resurrection is still in the future according to the view from this world.» — y propone una lectura del tiempo póstumo que concilia esos relatos: después de la muerte el tiempo no es el lineal de esta vida, de modo que el difunto puede estar en el Paraíso *ahora* aunque el Día de la Resurrección esté aún por venir.

«These verses and aḥādīth speak to those who are still in this world and its spatial and temporal confines and suggest that the soul retains a kind of attachment to the physical body and to the world, even as it exists in another dimension or level of reality.» — el comentario saca de ahí lo que esas aleyas y esos dichos sugieren: que el alma conserva cierto apego al cuerpo físico y al mundo aun existiendo en otra dimensión o nivel de realidad.

«Rather, he called us to a single word, and when we accepted it and tasted the sweetness of faith, we accepted what came after it, word upon word, in a gentle way, until the religion was completed and the law was perfected.”» — el comentario de 3:159 cita, con al-Rāzī, el dicho atribuido a ʿAlī sobre la gradualidad de la revelación: se los llamó a una sola palabra, y probada la dulzura de la fe aceptaron lo que vino después, palabra tras palabra.

«163Ranked in degrees can mean at the most basic level that the two aforementioned groups in v. 162 are at different levels in this world (Ṭ)» — el comentario de 3:163 lee los grados de la aleya, con al-Ṭabarī, primero en este mundo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«In traditional Islamic eschatology, there is a stage after death called the “trial of the grave,” which is sometimes referred to as the barzakh, or “barrier,”» — el comentario de 3:169 a 3:171 nombra la etapa que la escatología islámica tradicional llama prueba de la tumba, referida también como barzakh o barrera; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«190It is said that the Prophet would recite vv. 190–200 of this sūrah every night. When it was first revealed, the Prophet stood to pray, and while he was praying Bilāl came to call him to the congregational prayer, found him weeping, and said, “O Messenger of God, why dost thou weep, though God has forgiven thee whatever sins you have or may commit?” He said, “O Bilāl, shall I not be a grateful servant, since God has revealed the verse Truly in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variation of the night and the day are signs for the possessors of intellect?” He then said, “Woe unto him who recites it and does not reflect upon it” (Q).» — el comentario de 3:190 transmite, con al-Qurṭubī, el llanto del Profeta al revelarse la aleya de los signos en la creación y su sentencia: ay de quien la recite y no reflexione sobre ella.

«It can, moreover, refer to all modes of remembrance, including the recitation of the Quran, and it is one of the scriptural bases of the Sufi practice of remembrance of God (dhikr Allāh) at all times.» — el comentario de 3:191 declara esa aleya uno de los fundamentos escriturarios de la práctica sufí del recuerdo de Dios en todo momento.

«Nevertheless, the positive symbolic nature of the world as an object of contemplation, emphasized in the Quran, and its reflecting the Wisdom of its Creator should not be confused with the seductive, dispersive dimension of life in this world, spoken of in 6:32 as but play and diversion» — y distingue dos miradas sobre el mundo que el libro no confunde: su naturaleza simbólica positiva como objeto de contemplación, y su dimensión seductora y dispersiva, dicha juego y diversión; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The “life” of this world suggests the frailties and passions of the subjective ego, which can turn God’s creation into a diversion and end in itself, but God’s creative Act and the objective nature of the heavens and the earth as reflections of His Qualities and Wisdom are signs pointing to truths beyond themselves.» — y reparte esas dos miradas: la *vida* de este mundo apunta a las flaquezas y pasiones del ego subjetivo, y el Acto creador de Dios y la naturaleza objetiva de los cielos y la tierra son signos que apuntan más allá de sí.

«This verse also indicates that one can meditate upon God through His creation and His Attributes and Qualities reflected in it, but not upon God’s Essence directly, since the Divine Essence can never be the direct object of meditation by limited human consciousness (R).» — el comentario fija, con al-Rāzī, el límite de la meditación: se puede meditar a Dios por Su creación y por Sus Atributos reflejados en ella, nunca la Esencia divina directamente.

«Some say, “Reflection (fikr) is the lamp of the heart. If it vanishes the heart has no illumination” (Aj).» — el comentario recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la fórmula sobre la reflexión: es la lámpara del corazón, y si se apaga el corazón queda sin iluminación.

«In this vein, Ḥasan al-Baṣrī is reported to have said, “If one’s words are not wisdom, they are vain. If one’s silence is not reflection, it is absentmindedness. If one’s thought is not contemplation, it is play” (Aj).» — y cita a Ḥasan al-Baṣrī sobre las tres cosas que sin su contenido propio se vuelven vanas: la palabra sin sabiduría, el silencio sin reflexión y el pensamiento sin contemplación.

«This verse also shows the spiritual or psychic torment of the Hereafter, since disgrace is not a material punishment (R)» — el comentario de 3:192 saca de la palabra *desgracia* la existencia de un tormento espiritual o psíquico en la Otra Vida, que no es castigo material; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Here al-Rāzī comments on the apparent pointlessness of praying to God to do something He would do in any case, such as fulfilling His Promise, noting that such prayers are not calls to action, but rather expressions of humility, deference, and meekness by the believer» — el comentario de 3:194 recoge de al-Rāzī la respuesta a la aparente inutilidad de pedir a Dios lo que hará de todos modos: esas plegarias no son llamados a la acción sino expresiones de humildad, deferencia y mansedumbre; el tramo se corta ahí.

«195Each of you is like the other means that reward for obedience and righteous deeds is not differentiated between men and women or different tribes and groups (R).» — el comentario de 3:195 lee, con al-Rāzī, la fórmula *cada uno como el otro*: la recompensa por la obediencia y las buenas obras no se diferencia entre hombres y mujeres ni entre tribus y grupos.

«199According to some, this verse was revealed in connection with the death of the Negus, the Christian king of Abyssinia who provided asylum for believers from Makkah before the migration from Makkah to Madinah (Q, R)» — el comentario de 3:199 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Rāzī, la ocasión que se da a la aleya sobre los creyentes de la Gente del Libro: la muerte del Negus, el rey cristiano de Abisinia que dio asilo a los creyentes de La Meca; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Part of the objection to the Prophet’s praying for the Negus was that the latter was a Christian, an objection voiced by sincere followers, but also by the hypocrites, who feigned outrage that the Prophet would perform funerary rites for a Christian he had never even met (R, Ṭ).» — y consigna la objeción que se hizo a que el Profeta orara por él: que era cristiano, objeción de seguidores sinceros y también de hipócritas que fingían indignación por los ritos fúnebres a un cristiano.

«Commentators often leave the status of the Negus open-ended, referring to the hesitation regarding prayer for a Christian on the part of the community, but recording neither a positive statement on the part of the Prophet beyond his calling the Negus “your brother,” nor that the Prophet corrected them by informing them that he was in fact a Muslim and not a Christian» — el comentario señala que los comentaristas dejan abierto el estatuto del Negus: ni consignan declaración positiva del Profeta más allá de llamarlo *vuestro hermano*, ni que corrigiera a los suyos diciéndolo musulmán; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The question raised by this verse consists in what it means to remain one of the People of the Book while believing in that which has been sent down to the Prophet Muhammad.» — y formula la pregunta que la aleya deja planteada: qué significa seguir siendo de la Gente del Libro creyendo en lo que se hizo descender sobre el Profeta.

«There may be a third possibility often left unexplored by Muslims until recently: that one can remain a Christian while affirming the veracity of the Prophet Muhammad and of what was revealed to him.» — el comentario propone una tercera posibilidad, que dice poco explorada por los musulmanes hasta hace poco: que se pueda seguir siendo cristiano afirmando la veracidad del Profeta y de lo que se le reveló.

«Some commentators note that this may refer to Christians in general, not only those who would later become Muslims, and would include those who accepted the prophethood of Muhammad, but continued to live according to the “sharīʿah of Jesus,” as discussed in 5:82–83c.» — y consigna que algunos comentaristas leen esas aleyas como referidas a cristianos en general, incluidos los que aceptaron la profecía de Muhammad y siguieron viviendo conforme a la *sharīʿah de Jesús*.

«Referring to the spiritual understanding of ribāṭ, in a ḥadīth the Prophet said, “Performing ablutions under unpleasant conditions, multiplying one’s steps to the mosque, and waiting for the prayer after the prayer, that is ribāṭ.”» — y transmite el dicho que da el sentido espiritual de ribāṭ: hacer las abluciones en condiciones desagradables, multiplicar los pasos a la mezquita y esperar la oración después de la oración.

«In the same way, two types of jihād (striving) are described in a well-known ḥadīth in which the Prophet said to those returning from a battle, “You have returned from the lesser jihād to the greater jihād.” When asked what the greater jihād was, he said, “A servant’s jihād against his passions.”» — el comentario transmite el ḥadīth de los dos jihād, dicho por el Profeta a los que volvían de una batalla: habéis vuelto del jihād menor al mayor, que es el del siervo contra sus pasiones.

«Al-Nisāʾ was revealed in Madinah around the fourth year of the hijrah and after the crucial Battle of Uḥud, which took place outside of Madinah between the Muslims and the still idolatrous Quraysh of Makkah. It takes its name from the fact that much of the sūrah deals with women and their rights along with various conditions of marriage, marital relations, and laws of inheritance.» — el comentario que abre la sura 4 la data en Medina hacia el cuarto año de la hégira y explica su nombre por el mucho lugar que da a las mujeres y sus derechos, al matrimonio y a las leyes de herencia.

«Moreover, there are many verses in this sūrah dealing with those Jews who denied both Christianity and Islam and the Christians who divinized Jesus (vv. 44–55, 153–73). The most sensitive verses from the point of view of relations between Christianity and Islam concern the Islamic view of the end of the earthly life of Jesus and the question of his crucifixion (vv. 157–59).» — y anuncia lo que la sura 4 trae sobre la relación con las otras dos religiones del Libro, con las aleyas sobre el fin de la vida terrena de Jesús y su crucifixión declaradas las más sensibles.

«It seems that the Quran wants to emphasize at the termination of this long sūrah the inseparable relation between Islamic religious beliefs and the social behavior of Muslims based on revealed Law.» — el comentario lee el cierre legislativo de la sura 4 como énfasis en la relación inseparable entre las creencias religiosas islámicas y la conducta social fundada en la Ley revelada.

«+ If you fear that you will not deal fairly with the orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two, three, or four; but if you fear that you will not deal justly, then only one, or those whom your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that you will not commit injustice.» — el Corán, 4:3: la aleya de la poligamia, que arranca del temor de no tratar con equidad a los huérfanos y termina en la condición de no cometer injusticia; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«A ḥadīth states, “One hour of reflection [or meditation, tafakkur] is better than a night’s vigil.”» — el comentario de 3:191 transmite el dicho que pone una hora de reflexión por encima de una vigilia nocturna.

«Though ribāṭ has the general meaning of being steadfast and firm, more specifically the word refers to taking up a border or frontier post (or to the post itself) in defense of the community or in anticipation of an attack; it is called ribāṭ because one “ties” or bridles one’s horse, as referred to in 8:60, horses tethered [for battle] (ribāṭ al-khayl; R).» — el comentario de 3:200 despliega ribāṭ, que el volumen traduce *perseverad*: firmeza, y más concretamente tomar un puesto de frontera en defensa de la comunidad, llamado así porque se ata el caballo.

«soul and from it created its mate, and from the two has spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Reverence God, through Whom you demand your rights of one another, and family relations. Truly God is a Watcher over you.» — el Corán, 4:1, segunda mitad: de un alma única se creó su pareja y de las dos se esparció una multitud de hombres y mujeres, con la reverencia a Dios y a las relaciones familiares; la aleya arranca en la plana anterior; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«z Unto the men a share of what parents and kinsfolk leave, and unto the women a share of what parents and kinsfolk leave, be it little or much—a share ordained.» — el Corán, 4:7: la parte ordenada que toca a los hombres y a las mujeres de lo que dejan padres y parientes, sea poco o mucho; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«X God commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners and, if you judge between men, to do so with justice. Excellent indeed is the instruction God gives you. Truly God is Hearing, Seeing.» — el Corán, 4:58: el mandato de devolver lo confiado a sus dueños y de juzgar con justicia entre los hombres; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Y O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you differ among yourselves concerning any matter, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you believe in God and the Last Day. That is better, and fairer in outcome.» — el Corán, 4:59: la obediencia a Dios, al Mensajero y a los que tienen autoridad, con la disputa remitida a Dios y al Mensajero; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«i Whosoever obeys God and the Messenger, they are with those whom God has blessed, the prophets, the truthful ones, the witnesses, and the righteous. What beautiful companions they are!» — el Corán, 4:69: los cuatro grados de los bendecidos por Dios con quienes está el obediente: los profetas, los veraces, los testigos y los justos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«y Whatever good befalls thee, it is from God, and whatever evil befalls thee, it is from thyself. We sent thee as a messenger unto mankind, and God suffices as a Witness.» — el Corán, 4:79: el bien que te alcanza viene de Dios y el mal que te alcanza de ti mismo; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Â Do they not contemplate the Quran? Had it been from other than God, they would surely have found much discrepancy therein.» — el Corán, 4:82: el argumento que el libro hace de sí mismo, que de no venir de Dios se le hallaría mucha discrepancia; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ғ It is not for a believer to slay a believer, unless it be in error. Whosoever has slain a believer in error, let him set free a believing slave and pay compensation to the victim’s family, unless they remit it in charity.» — el Corán, 4:92, primer tramo: el homicidio de un creyente por error, con la liberación de un esclavo creyente y la compensación a la familia de la víctima; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ę and surely I shall lead them astray, and arouse desires in them. I shall command them and they will slit the ears of cattle; I shall command them and they will alter God’s creation.”» — el Corán, 4:119, primer tramo: el programa que el texto pone en boca de Satán, extraviar, suscitar deseos, hacer hender las orejas del ganado y hacer alterar la creación de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ĥ And who is better in religion than the one who submits his face to God, and is virtuous, and follows the creed of Abraham, as a ḥanīf? And God did take Abraham for a friend.» — el Corán, 4:125: la mejor religión puesta en someter el rostro a Dios, ser virtuoso y seguir el credo de Abraham como ḥanīf, con Abraham tomado por amigo de Dios; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ĩ You will not be able to deal fairly between women, even if it is your ardent desire, but do not turn away from one altogether, so that you leave her as if suspended. If you come to an accord and are reverent, truly God is Forgiving, Merciful.» — el Corán, 4:129: la declaración de que no se podrá tratar con equidad a varias mujeres aunque se desee ardientemente, con el mandato de no dejar a ninguna como en suspenso; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ĵ O you who believe! Be steadfast maintainers of justice, witnesses for God, though it be against yourselves, or your parents and kinsfolk, and whether it be someone rich or poor, for God is nearer unto both. So follow not your caprice, that you may act justly. If you distort or turn away, truly God is Aware of whatsoever you do.» — el Corán, 4:135: el mandato de sostener la justicia y testimoniar por Dios aunque sea contra uno mismo, contra los padres y los parientes, sea rico o pobre aquel de quien se trate; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ő Truly those who disbelieve in God and His messengers, and seek to make a distinction between God and His messengers, and say, “We believe in some and disbelieve in others,” and seek to take a way between — ő it is they who are truly disbelievers, and We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.» — el Corán, 4:150 y 4:151: los que distinguen entre Dios y Sus mensajeros y creen en unos y descreen de otros, declarados verdaderos incrédulos; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ŗ and for their saying, “We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the messenger of God”—though they did not slay him; nor did they crucify him, but it appeared so unto them. Those who differ concerning him are in doubt thereof. They have no knowledge of it, but follow only conjecture; they slew him not for certain.» — el Corán, 4:157, la aleya de la crucifixión: se dice que no lo mataron ni lo crucificaron sino que así les pareció, con los que difieren sobre él en duda y siguiendo solo conjeturas; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«Ř But God raised him up unto Himself, and God is Mighty, Wise.» — el Corán, 4:158: Dios lo elevó hacia Sí; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ţ Verily We have revealed unto thee, as We revealed unto Noah and the prophets after him, and as We revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and unto David We gave the Psalms, Ť and messengers We have recounted unto thee before, and messengers We have not recounted unto thee; and unto Moses God spoke directly,» — el Corán, 4:163 y 4:164: la serie de profetas a quienes se reveló, de Noé a Jesús, Job, Jonás, Aarón y Salomón, con los Salmos dados a David, los mensajeros no relatados, y Moisés a quien Dios habló directamente; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«ű O People of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion, nor utter anything concerning God save the truth. Verily the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of God, and His Word, which He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and say not “Three.” Refrain! It is better for you. God is only one God; Glory be to Him that He should have a child. Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth, and God suffices as a Guardian.» — el Corán, 4:171: el mandato a la Gente del Libro de no exagerar en su religión, con el Mesías declarado mensajero de Dios, Su Palabra depositada en María y un Espíritu de Él, y la prohibición de decir *Tres*; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«less than that for whomsoever He will. Whosoever ascribes partners unto God has surely gone far astray.» — el Corán, 4:48, segunda mitad: Dios perdona lo que sea menos que asociarle copartícipe a quien Él quiere, y quien le asocia copartícipes se ha extraviado lejos; la aleya arranca en la plana anterior; el volumen reimprime la aleya como encabezado de su comentario, y el ancla va en la primera aparición.

«When the verse was first revealed, there was much resistance to it among the Prophet’s followers, who were stunned that women and minor children, who could not fight and were not entitled to shares of booty obtained in battle, should inherit a significant portion from their husbands and fathers (IK, Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:11 consigna la resistencia con que la aleya de la herencia fue recibida entre los seguidores del Profeta: los pasmaba que mujeres y menores, que no combatían ni tenían derecho a botín, heredaran una porción significativa.

«Although women have an unquestionable right to inherit according to the Quranic injunctions here, sons and daughters do not inherit equally. This discrepancy was justified by the fact that men were ideally the sole providers for their families (IK).» — y consigna la razón con que se justificó la desigualdad entre hijos e hijas, con Ibn Kathīr: que los varones eran idealmente los únicos proveedores de sus familias.

«As these portions are established by God, they should not be seen as a gift on the part of the deceased. Rather, upon death, all property returns to God (He is the “Inheritor”; see 15:23); these injunctions can therefore be understood as a Divine redistribution of the wealth of the deceased.» — el comentario lee el reparto hereditario como redistribución divina de la riqueza del difunto y no como don suyo, porque al morir toda propiedad vuelve a Dios, que es el Heredero.

«The specificity of these Quranic injunctions led to a whole science called the “science of inheritance” and played an important role in the development of the science of algebra by Muslim mathematicians.» — y consigna lo que esa especificidad produjo: una ciencia entera de la herencia y un papel importante en el desarrollo del álgebra por los matemáticos musulmanes.

«One should note, however, that v. 176 reestablishes the gender disparity among sibling shares by specifying that a brother inherits twice the share of a sister.» — el comentario de 4:12 consigna que los hermanos del difunto sin heredero directo reparten el tercio por igual sin mirar el sexo, y que 4:176 restablece la disparidad para los hermanos.

«It establishes the need for four eyewitnesses as a special and mandatory condition for a conviction of adultery or fornication.» — el comentario de 4:15 fija la condición especial y obligatoria que la aleya pone para condenar por adulterio o fornicación: cuatro testigos oculares.

«Those who do evil in ignorance seems to suggest those who sin unintentionally, but most commentators broaden it, either claiming that it refers to anyone who sins, even purposefully, while being ignorant of the full repercussions or Divine punishment it entails (Q, R, Ṭ) or asserting that anyone who commits an act of disobedience to God is, effectively, in a state of ignorance (Q, R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:17 y 4:18 ensancha *los que obran mal por ignorancia*, con al-Qurṭubī, al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī: quien peca ignorando el alcance del castigo, o incluso todo el que desobedece a Dios, que por eso mismo está en estado de ignorancia.

«The broadening of the time frame seems justified by a ḥadīth that states, “The door of repentance is open until the sun rises from the West”» — el comentario apoya el plazo amplio del arrepentimiento en el ḥadīth de la puerta abierta hasta que el sol salga por el poniente; el tramo se corta ahí.

«It is not correct to say that God is obligated to accept repentance under these conditions, but rather that He has promised to do so in myriad verses and He is true to His Promise (Q, R). If He can be described as “obligated” to forgive, He is obligated only by Himself (see 6:12, where it says that God has prescribed Mercy for Himself), not in response to human action.» — y acota la obligación divina de aceptar el arrepentimiento, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Rāzī: Dios no está obligado sino por Sí mismo, porque se prescribió a Sí la Misericordia.

«19In pre-Islamic Arabia (particularly in Madinah, according to some), as in other tribal systems, a woman could be inherited by the male relatives of her deceased husband. This meant that she effectively belonged to them: they could either marry her to one of their own or someone else (and keep her dowry) or prohibit her from remarrying at all unless she forfeited any money she received from her husband. In either case, they would keep the dowry and/or inheritance she had received from her deceased husband within the family (JJ, Q, Ṭ), which seems to have been the primary motivation for this practice.» — el comentario de 4:19 describe la práctica preislámica que la aleya prohíbe: la viuda heredada por los parientes varones del marido muerto, que podían casarla, quedarse con su dote o impedirle volver a casarse.

«This verse, in connection with vv. 11–13, clearly establishes that women are subjects and not objects of inheritance —inheritors themselves, rather than part of what is inherited.» — y fija lo que esas aleyas dicen: que las mujeres son sujetos y no objetos de la herencia, herederas ellas mismas y no parte de lo heredado.

«Others consider the solemn covenant a reference to the Prophet’s statement in his sermon at the Farewell Pilgrimage: “Be reverent with regard to women! Truly you take them as a trust from God, and their private parts are made lawful for you by the Word of God” (IK, Q, Ṭ, Ṭs, Z).» — el comentario de 4:21 consigna la lectura del *pacto solemne* del matrimonio como el dicho del Profeta en el sermón de la Peregrinación de Despedida: sed reverentes con las mujeres, las tomáis como depósito de Dios.

«This other way is usually considered to be a reference to the ḥadd punishment of one hundred lashes (and, according to one ḥadīth, also banishment for a year) that would later be established for both male and female fornicators explicitly in 24:2 as well as to the punishment of stoning for married male and female adulterers, which is not Quranic, but based on a reported Prophetic precedent (see 24:2c).» — el comentario de 4:15 lee *otro camino* como la pena posterior de cien azotes para fornicadores y la lapidación para adúlteros casados, que no es coránica sino de precedente profético.

«masculine dual form, it may refer to those guilty of a homosexual act between two men (IK, JJ)—sometimes adding that the previous verse may refer to those guilty of female homosexual acts (Z)—but there is significant doubt about this interpretation.» — el comentario de 4:16 consigna la lectura que, por el dual masculino, refiere la aleya a un acto homosexual entre dos hombres, y declara que hay duda significativa sobre esa interpretación.

«challenged him on this, citing this verse as evidence that the Quran placed no limits on the amount of money a man could offer his bride. ʿUmar conceded the point and retracted the restriction (IK, Z).» — el comentario de 4:20 transmite, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Zamakhsharī, la objeción de una mujer a que ʿUmar limitara la dote, citándole esta aleya, y la retractación del califa.

«Al-Qurṭubī asserts that similar enjoinders to kindness toward others are found in all Divinely revealed books and can, in fact, be known through one’s intelligence even without a scriptural command.» — el comentario de 4:36 recoge de al-Qurṭubī una tesis sobre el alcance del mandato de bondad: se halla en todos los libros divinamente revelados y puede conocerse por la inteligencia aun sin mandato escriturario.

«Such miserliness can be directly linked to disbelief, kufr, since kufr also connotes both “covering over, concealing” and “ingratitude”—hence the reference to the punishment of the disbelievers (or “the ungrateful” or “those who cover over”; kāfirīn) at the end of v. 37 (IK, R).» — el comentario de 4:37 a 4:39 liga la avaricia a kufr por la raíz, que dice a la vez *cubrir, ocultar* e *ingratitud*.

«Some early commentators indicated that these verses were addressed to the Jews of Madinah, who were “miserly” with their scripture and “concealed” some of the knowledge that God had bestowed on them in the Torah (R, Ṭ, Z). This interpretation, though found in many sources, seems to take the verse out of its obvious context as part of an explicit discussion about how to appropriately spend one’s wealth, and thus seems rather unlikely.» — y objeta la lectura de comentaristas tempranos que refiere esas aleyas a la avaricia de los judíos de Medina con su escritura: saca la aleya de su contexto obvio sobre cómo gastar la riqueza.

«Some commentators assert that it is impossible to attribute injustice to God, as to be unjust means to transgress boundaries or the rights of others, and since God is Creator, He has no boundaries. Rather, it is He who establishes these rights and boundaries and so cannot be said to transgress them; according to certain theologians, He is capable of injustice, but proscribes it for Himself (R, Qu; cf. 6:12, 54, where He has prescribed Mercy for Himself).» — el comentario de 4:40 razona, con al-Rāzī y al-Qushayrī, por qué no cabe atribuir injusticia a Dios: ser injusto es traspasar límites o derechos ajenos, y es Él quien los establece.

«According to Ibn Masʿūd, on the Day of Judgment God settles all claims that one person might hold against another by granting the claimant the good deeds of the debtor. After all such debts and claims have been rectified, if individuals still have a mote’s weight of good to their credit, God multiplies it and they enter the Garden. However, if the claims against them far exceed their good deeds, they will perish (Ṭ).» — el comentario transmite de Ibn Masʿūd cómo se saldan las deudas entre las personas el Día del Juicio: con las buenas obras del deudor entregadas al reclamante.

«A tradition attributed to Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (d. 74/693) claims that eventually God will remove from Hellfire all those with a mote’s weight of good to their credit (Q), and many Ashʿarite theologians adduced this verse to argue that God would eventually remove all believers from Hellfire and that the reward for good deeds could not be nullified by the punishment for evil ones.» — y consigna el uso que los teólogos ašʿaríes hicieron de esta aleya: sostener que Dios acabará por sacar del Fuego a todos los creyentes y que la recompensa por el bien no queda anulada por el castigo del mal.

«Conversely, Muʿtazilites used the earlier part of the verse to assert that, since God does no injustice, all injustice originates from human beings, thus supporting their doctrine that human beings, not God, are the authors of their own deeds (R).» — y el uso contrario de los muʿtazilíes: como Dios no comete injusticia, toda injusticia viene del ser humano, lo que sostiene su doctrina de que el hombre es autor de sus propios actos.

«Although Islamic tradition views each prophet as the witness over his own religious community for all generations, the Prophet Muhammad reportedly implored God, “[I am] a witness over them so long as I remain among them, but when Thou takest me to Thyself, it is Thou who art the Watcher over them, and Thou art Witness over all things,”» — el comentario de 4:41 transmite la súplica del Profeta sobre su papel de testigo: lo es mientras permanezca entre los suyos, y al ser tomado por Dios es Él quien vela; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The Prophet was reported to have wept upon the recitation of this verse, contemplating the weight of this responsibility (IK, Q).» — y consigna, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Qurṭubī, el llanto del Profeta al recitarse esa aleya, al contemplar el peso de esa responsabilidad.

«43In Islamic Law, drinking alcohol or ingesting any intoxicating substance is forbidden. However, four verses address the consumption of wine or intoxicating drinks, and only one of them bans wine explicitly.» — el comentario de 4:43 consigna la prohibición del alcohol en el derecho islámico y acota su base coránica: cuatro aleyas tratan la bebida y solo una la prohíbe expresamente.

«The earliest of the four, 16:67, refers to the “strong drink” that people derive from the fruit of the vine as a sign of God’s merciful provision for human beings and contains no indication of wine’s harmful properties. In 2:219 it says that in drinking wine and gambling there is great sin, but [some] benefits. The present verse can be seen as a gloss on this, instructing Muslims to avoid drunkenness at the times of prayer. Finally, 5:90 instructs Muslims to avoid wine and gambling entirely, as they are of Satan’s doing.» — y ordena las cuatro en el tiempo: la primera la da por signo de la provisión misericordiosa de Dios, la segunda pone gran pecado y algunos beneficios, esta manda evitar la embriaguez en la oración y la última manda evitar vino y juego del todo.

«Although only this last verse amounts to an absolute prohibition against the consumption of alcoholic drink, Islamic jurisprudence, basing itself upon Prophetic sayings (aḥādīth) and practice (Sunnah), has consistently viewed this last revealed verse as the authoritative one that abrogates the legal implications of the other three.» — el comentario consigna que la jurisprudencia, apoyada en los dichos y la práctica del Profeta, ha tenido esa última aleya por la autorizada, que abroga las implicaciones legales de las otras tres.

«This part of the verse was reportedly revealed when the Prophet’s wife ʿĀʾishah lost a necklace while journeying with the Prophet and a group of Muslims. The Prophet ordered the group to make camp at the site, so that people could look for the lost necklace. There was no water at the site, and people began to complain that they were unable to wash for prayers. When the time for the dawn prayer came, this verse was revealed allowing ritual purification with clean earth (W).» — y transmite, con al-Wāḥidī, la ocasión de la ablución con tierra: el collar perdido de ʿĀʾishah, el campamento sin agua y la aleya revelada al llegar la hora de la oración del alba.

«This way of performing the ritual ablution came to be known as tayammum, from the verb tayammamū (resort to), employed in this verse, and is most commonly performed using a clean piece of rock.» — el comentario nombra tayammum esa ablución, del verbo que la aleya usa, y dice con qué se hace.

«46Here the phrase are those who has been added in the translation, as it is assumed by most commentators to be elided in the Arabic.» — el comentario de 4:46 declara un añadido de la traducción del volumen, que la mayoría de los comentaristas da por elidido en el árabe.

«Ibn Kathīr reads this as a general condemnation of Jews, although the historical context is primarily the Prophet’s conflict with the Madinan Jews.» — y consigna que Ibn Kathīr lee la aleya como condena general de los judíos, acotando a la vez que el contexto histórico es el conflicto del Profeta con los judíos de Medina.

«Al-Rāzī makes a distinction between the multiplied reward God bestows for virtuous deeds and the great reward He bestows from His Presence at the end of the verse. The former is a reward for the physical acts one accomplishes in life; the latter refers to the “pleasure that is only obtained through direct vision [of God], being immersed in love and true knowledge”» — el comentario de 4:40 recoge de al-Rāzī la distinción entre las dos recompensas de la aleya: la multiplicada, que paga los actos físicos, y la *de Su Presencia*, que es el placer obtenido solo por visión directa e inmersión en el amor y el conocimiento verdadero; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«75This verse indicates that fighting to relieve the oppressed is a legitimate basis for religious warfare (Q» — el comentario de 4:75 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, que combatir para aliviar a los oprimidos es base legítima de guerra religiosa; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Ibn ʿAjībah reads this verse as encouraging all spiritual seekers to strive and fight against the baser human passions that oppress and weaken the true lights and mysteries of the spirit within. Like the oppressed of Makkah, these inner lights remain imprisoned in the carnal soul unless one fights to liberate them from the chains of base desire and spiritual heedlessness.» — el comentario recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura interior de esa aleya: como los oprimidos de La Meca, las luces y los misterios del espíritu quedan presos en el alma carnal mientras no se combata para liberarlos.

«According to al-Rāzī, God does not ordain the means or tactics for fighting, but only the proper intention and aim: the fighting must be for God alone. Fighting for any other reason—such as pride or a desire for spoils —amounts to fighting for false deities (R, Ṭs).» — el comentario de 4:76 recoge de al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabrisī la regla que rige el combate: Dios no ordena los medios ni las tácticas sino la intención y el fin, y combatir por orgullo o por botín equivale a combatir por falsas deidades.

«In the inward, spiritual fight against the base passions of the soul, true believers stand with God against the lower elements of their own souls, whereas disbelievers are allies of their own lower souls against God (ST).» — y recoge de al-Tustarī la lectura interior del mismo verso: en el combate contra las pasiones bajas el creyente está con Dios contra los elementos bajos de su alma y el incrédulo con su alma baja contra Dios.

«Al-Rāzī asserts that the verse makes clear that prayer and alms, which demonstrate the proper attitude toward God and His creation, respectively, must precede striving or fighting in the way of God.» — el comentario de 4:77 recoge de al-Rāzī el orden que la aleya pone: la oración y la limosna, que muestran la actitud debida hacia Dios y hacia Su creación, preceden al esfuerzo o al combate en el camino de Dios.

«Ibn Kathīr notes that the lack of permission to fight the disbelievers in Makkah was both because Makkah was a sanctuary that was supposed to remain free of violence and because the Muslims were yet small in number.» — y consigna la razón que Ibn Kathīr da a la falta de permiso para combatir en La Meca: que era santuario libre de violencia y que los musulmanes eran aún pocos.

«However, the granting of permission to fight after the move to Madinah likely has less to do with the strength of the Muslims at that time, for when fighting was initiated in Madinah, the Muslims were still few and inadequately equipped in comparison to the Makkans. It likely has more to do with their having left the sacred precinct of Makkah and with the growing extent of the injustices that the Muslims had endured at the hands of the Makkans.» — y objeta esa segunda razón: al iniciarse el combate en Medina los musulmanes seguían siendo pocos y mal equipados, así que el permiso tiene más que ver con haber salido del recinto sagrado y con el alcance creciente de las injusticias sufridas.

«Nonetheless, the attribution of such reluctance to the Muslim believers, some of whom were prominent Companions, seemed untenable to many commentators, and they considered this verse to be referring to others.» — el comentario consigna que atribuir esa renuencia a combatir a creyentes musulmanes, algunos de ellos Compañeros prominentes, les pareció insostenible a muchos comentaristas, que refirieron la aleya a otros.

«78Towers (burūj) raised high refers to tall and seemingly impenetrable fortresses, according to most, but some claim that it refers to the “towers” or “constellations” (burūj) in the heavens (cf. 15:16; 25:61; 85:1; Q, R, Ṭ, Z).» — el comentario de 4:78 alinea las lecturas de burūj: para casi todos, fortalezas altas y en apariencia inexpugnables; para algunos, las constelaciones del cielo.

«Al-Zamakhsharī, a Muʿtazilite, argues that blessings and afflictions are not only for the purpose of Divine favor and trial, but also represent a Divine response to obedience and disobedience, respectively; al-Rāzī, however, argues that obedience and disobedience are also from God, supporting the Ashʿarite view, which emphasizes Divine agency in the creation of human moral acts» — el comentario contrapone dos posiciones teológicas sobre la bendición y la aflicción: para al-Zamakhsharī, muʿtazilí, son también respuesta divina a la obediencia y la desobediencia, y para al-Rāzī obediencia y desobediencia son también de Dios, en la línea ašʿarí; el tramo se corta ahí.

«79Note that the verse is addressed to the Prophet Muhammad, but is meant for his community, and indeed for human beings in general.» — el comentario de 4:79 fija el destinatario de la aleya: dirigida al Profeta, es para su comunidad y para los seres humanos en general.

«This verse seems in some ways to contradict v. 78, which asserts that all is from God (v. 78)—the good and the evil. Here, the good one enjoys is from God (cf. 16:53), which He gives as a blessing or a trial from His Wisdom (Z). But the evil one experiences is from thyself (cf. 3:165), in the sense that one has earned it through disobedience and sin (Z, Ṭ)» — y plantea la tensión entre esta aleya y la anterior: si todo viene de Dios, aquí el bien viene de Dios y el mal de uno mismo, en el sentido de haberlo ganado por desobediencia y pecado; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The Muʿtazilite al-Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Jabbār (d. 415/1025) notes the apparent conflict between this verse and the previous one and resolves it by claiming that when the evil refers to sin and disobedience, it is from oneself, but when it refers to adversity and misfortune, it is from God (R).» — el comentario consigna la solución del muʿtazilí al-Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Jabbār a esa tensión: cuando el mal es pecado y desobediencia viene de uno mismo, y cuando es adversidad y desgracia viene de Dios.

«Al-Rāzī argues that even belief is a gift from God, since it is a “good,” and all good is from God; by extension, then, disbelief is from God as well—if God has power over the one, He has power over the other (R).» — y la de al-Rāzī, que lleva la simetría hasta el final: si la fe es un bien y todo bien viene de Dios, la incredulidad viene también de Dios, porque quien tiene poder sobre lo uno lo tiene sobre lo otro.

«Kāshānī reconciles the apparent contradiction in vv. 78–79, by indicating that, although everything comes from God insofar as He is the active cause (al-sabab al-fāʿilī) of all things, human beings are the passive or receptive cause (al-sabab al-qābilī) of evil, through their own receptivity to it.» — y la de al-Kāshānī, que la resuelve por la causalidad: todo viene de Dios en cuanto causa activa, y el ser humano es la causa pasiva o receptiva del mal, por su propia receptividad.

«81This verse concerns either the Madinan hypocrites (JJ) or those Muslims who were reluctant to fight with the Prophet out of fear (Ṭ). Conspire by night translates bayyata, which means to do something (usually secretly) at night.» — el comentario de 4:81 despliega el verbo que el volumen traduce *conspirar de noche*, que dice hacer algo de noche y por lo común en secreto.

«The verb bayyata may also mean simply to give much thought and contemplation to something (R); in this case, it would mean that the hypocrites pondered the benefit or harm to themselves in following the Prophet’s commands before deciding if they should obey them as they had promised to do (Q).» — y ofrece otra lectura del mismo verbo, con al-Rāzī y al-Qurṭubī: pensar mucho una cosa, de modo que los hipócritas sopesaban el provecho o el daño propio antes de decidir si obedecían.

«For Ibn ʿAjībah, fighting in the way of God means striving only to attain God’s Presence; whereas striving in one’s action for any worldly or otherworldly gain removes one from» — el comentario de 4:76 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah una distinción fina sobre el combate en el camino de Dios: es esforzarse solo por alcanzar Su Presencia, y buscar en la acción una ganancia de este mundo o del otro aparta; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«When someone questioned why the Muslims continued to shorten their prayers when traveling, even when they were in no danger, the Prophet said, “It is a charitable gift God has given you; so accept His charity!” (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:101 y 4:102 transmite, con al-Ṭabarī, la respuesta del Profeta a quien preguntaba por qué se seguía acortando la oración en viaje sin peligro: es un don caritativo de Dios, aceptad Su caridad.

«The second, described in detail in v. 102, is the “prayer of fear” (ṣalāt al-khawf), which is performed while armed. The standing and bowing portions of the prayer are performed together by the prayer leader and all the lines of those following him; but during the prostration (sujūd), the front line prostrates along with the prayer leader, while the back line stands guard and prostrates only after the others have stood up. They then alternate positions.» — y describe la *oración del miedo*, que se hace armado: la primera fila se postra con el imán mientras la segunda monta guardia y se postra después, alternando luego las posiciones.

«However, the injunction to remember God in these various circumstances indicates more generally the importance of the spiritual aspiration of remembering God (dhikruʾLlāh) at all times and serves as the scriptural basis for the Sufi teaching about invoking and remembering God at all moments of life, that is, being dāʾim al-dhikr (in constant remembrance).» — el comentario de 4:103 hace de esa aleya el fundamento escriturario de la enseñanza sufí de invocar y recordar a Dios en todo momento, ser dāʾim al-dhikr.

«Certain passages indicate that dhikr, in addition to its ordinary meaning of invocation and remembrance, also refers to a specific or even somewhat ritualized form of invocation connected with prayer (2:239; 7:206; 87:15), congregational worship in sacred places (2:114; 24:36), worship during the ḥajj (2:198–203), and glorifications of God, often said to be uttered morning and evening (3:41; 7:205; 20:33–34; 33:41–42; 43:13).» — y consigna que en ciertos pasajes el dhikr nombra una forma específica y aun ritualizada de invocación, ligada a la oración, al culto congregacional, al ḥajj y a las glorificaciones dichas mañana y tarde.

«Ibn ʿAjībah also gives a spiritual meaning to this latter command, suggesting that when one has completed the physical prayer, one should immerse oneself in the “prayer of the heart” until one becomes secure in the Holy Presence; once secure in that Presence, one should perform the “prayer of witnessing and seeing,” which is the “constant prayer”» — el comentario recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura espiritual del mandato: terminada la oración física, sumergirse en la *oración del corazón* hasta estar seguro en la Presencia santa, y entonces hacer la *oración del atestiguar y el ver*, que es la oración constante; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Other Sufi commentators stress the distinction between the canonical prayer, done at specified times and when one is secure, and the practice of invoking or remembering God—that is, the “presence of the heart”—which should be constant (Qu).» — y consigna, con al-Qushayrī, la distinción que otros comentaristas sufíes acentúan: la oración canónica, de horas fijas, y la invocación o presencia del corazón, que ha de ser constante.

«Some scholars adduce this phrase to demonstrate that the Prophet had been given permission to perform ijtihād—that is, to derive independent rulings from the principles and laws contained in the Quran (IK).» — el comentario de 4:105 a 4:107 consigna, con Ibn Kathīr, el uso de esa aleya para sostener que el Profeta tenía permiso de ijtihād, de derivar preceptos propios de los principios y las leyes del libro.

«The Prophet is instructed to apply the rulings of the Quran without favoritism toward anyone—even on behalf of a (perhaps nominal) fellow Muslim against a member of another religious community (R).» — el comentario saca de ahí, con al-Rāzī, lo que la aleya manda al Profeta: aplicar los preceptos del libro sin favoritismo, aun contra un correligionario nominal y a favor de un miembro de otra comunidad religiosa.

«Because here the Quran admonishes the Prophet to avoid advocating for those who are treacherous and to seek forgiveness, a few have argued that these verses indicate that the Prophet was initially willing to advocate for the lying Ṭuʿmah, which would seem to cast doubt on the commonly accepted theological principle of ʿiṣmah, which holds that all prophets are protected against the commission of any major sin.» — y plantea la dificultad teológica que la aleya abre: si el Profeta estuvo dispuesto a abogar por el mentiroso, quedaría en duda el principio de ʿiṣmah, que tiene a todos los profetas por protegidos de cometer pecado mayor.

«Al-Rāzī responds to this argument by noting that the report of this incident indicates that, although the Prophet was concerned about the situation and willing to get involved, he took no decisive action right away, but waited for the guidance of revelation, which eventually came.» — el comentario recoge la respuesta de al-Rāzī a esa dificultad: el relato muestra que el Profeta no tomó ninguna acción decisiva y esperó la guía de la revelación.

«Here and elsewhere hypocrites and wrongdoers are accused of conspiring or devising schemes by night, that is, in private and away from the gaze of others (see 4:81; 34:33).» — el comentario de 4:108 consigna la acusación recurrente a hipócritas e injustos de tramar de noche, es decir, en privado y fuera de la mirada ajena.

«111The meaning here is that through immoral actions, one ultimately harms or wrongs only oneself, since God is not harmed by such actions and the offense given to other creatures endures only in this life.» — el comentario de 4:111 enuncia el principio de que por los actos inmorales uno se daña al final solo a sí mismo, porque Dios no resulta dañado y la ofensa a otras criaturas dura solo esta vida.

«Throughout the Quran, the wrongdoers are repeatedly referred to as those who wrong themselves, and in several places, including here, the correspondence between moral and immoral acts and their reward and punishment amounts to a kind of moral reflexivity, where actions are ultimately done only to or for oneself» — y nombra esa figura como una reflexividad moral: los actos se hacen al final solo a uno mismo o por uno mismo; el tramo se corta ahí.

«They suggest various distinctions between an offense and a sin: offense refers to an error or a wrong done unintentionally, whereas sin denotes an intentional wrongful act (R, Ṭ); offense denotes a minor infraction and sin a major one (R, Z); or offense is a “victimless” sin that spiritually harms only the one who commits it, while sin is an action that harms another (R).» — el comentario de 4:112 alinea, con al-Rāzī y al-Zamakhsharī, tres distinciones entre *falta* y *pecado*: no intencional frente a intencional, menor frente a mayor, y el que daña solo a quien lo comete frente al que daña a otro.

«was likely a hypocrite (munāfiq; R), had stolen a piece of armor and hid it among the belongings of one of the Jews of Madinah in order to avoid discovery and later accused him of the theft.» — el comentario de 4:105 a 4:107 narra el caso que ocasiona esas aleyas: Ṭuʿmah ibn Ubayriq, musulmán tenido por hipócrita, robó una pieza de armadura, la escondió entre las pertenencias de un judío de Medina para no ser descubierto y luego lo acusó del robo.

«139The concept of protectorship (walāyah) was an important social principle in the tribal culture of pre-Islamic Arabia, denoting a bond of complete loyalty and mutual defense. In the Quran, the concept is powerfully invoked to express religious, rather than tribal, association and alliance as well as power and authority.» — el comentario de 4:139 sitúa la walāyah como principio social de la Arabia preislámica —lazo de lealtad completa y defensa mutua— y consigna que el libro lo invoca para expresar asociación religiosa y no tribal.

«140In the same vein as v. 139, this verse suggests that the sincerity of one’s religious faith or even one’s true religious identity is revealed not only by one’s actions and words, but also by the character of those with whom one chooses to associate. It is not enough simply to avoid “rejecting” or “mocking” the signs of God; one must also refuse to sit passively among those who do, thereby lending silent support and tacit approval to their impious discourse (Z).» — el comentario de 4:140 saca de la prohibición de sentarse con quienes se burlan de los signos de Dios una tesis sobre la compañía: la sinceridad de la fe se revela también por el carácter de aquellos con quienes uno se asocia.

«People’s religious character is manifested in the company they keep, and so, conversely, those who seek the company of the righteous can be assumed to be “like them” and perhaps also to be with them in the Hereafter; see 4:69–70c.» — y saca el reverso de esa tesis: quien busca la compañía de los justos puede tenerse por semejante a ellos y quizá estar con ellos en la Otra Vida.

«An early Shiite interpretation of this verse understood the signs of God that are rejected and mocked to be a reference to the Shiite Imams (Qm); although Shiites may not have always been in a position to challenge those who denigrated the Imams and their followers, they were not to remain in the company of those engaged in such discourse.» — el comentario consigna, con al-Qummī, una interpretación chií temprana que lee esos signos burlados como referencia a los imanes.

«On the basis of this last part of the verse, legal scholars held that a disbeliever (i.e., any non-Muslim) should not possess a Muslim slave—for such enslavement would clearly grant the disbeliever a “way over” the Muslim—and thus it was illegal to sell a Muslim slave to a disbeliever (IK).» — el comentario de 4:141 consigna, con Ibn Kathīr, lo que los juristas derivaron de la frase sobre no dar a los incrédulos un camino sobre los creyentes: que un no musulmán no podía poseer un esclavo musulmán.

«142Cf. 2:9, where the hypocrites seek to deceive others, but deceive only themselves. Here it is God Who deceives them, in that He allows them to be protected by their hypocritical claims of belief in this life (Ṭ, Z). This leads them to assume, incorrectly, that their hypocrisy has gone undetected and that they will not be punished.» — el comentario de 4:142 explica en qué consiste el engaño que Dios hace a los hipócritas, con al-Ṭabarī y al-Zamakhsharī: dejar que sus falsas declaraciones de fe los protejan en esta vida, lo que les hace suponer que no serán castigados.

«They thus assert that on the Day of Resurrection, the hypocrites will be given a light with which they will walk with the Muslims, just as they did in the life of the world, but then it will be suddenly snatched away from them and extinguished, and they will be left in darkness when they reach the “wall” that separates them from the believers (Ṭ, Z).» — y transmite el relato que al-Suddī y otros comentaristas tempranos ligan a esa aleya: el Día de la Resurrección los hipócritas recibirán una luz con que caminarán junto a los musulmanes, y les será arrebatada ante el muro que los separa.

«143According to al-Zamakhsharī, the hypocrites “waver” between “this and that”—that is, between faith and unbelief—under the influence of Satan and their own passions.» — el comentario de 4:143 recoge de al-Zamakhsharī entre qué vacilan los hipócritas: entre fe e incredulidad, bajo el influjo de Satán y de sus propias pasiones.

«The Muʿtazilites generally interpreted such “misguidance” on God’s part as the withdrawal of His “Divine Favor” (luṭf) and Guidance as a punishment for disobedience. Although the Ashʿarites usually accepted this possibility as well, they also held that God may simply choose to mislead certain people (R).» — y alinea las dos posiciones teológicas sobre el extravío que Dios causa: los muʿtazilíes lo leyeron como retiro del Favor divino en castigo de la desobediencia, y los ašʿaríes admitieron además que Dios pueda simplemente elegir extraviar.

«The many passages in this sūrah and elsewhere that criticize the hypocrites led al-Rāzī to assert that hypocrisy was a more evil state even than disbelief, a sentiment that seems to be in the same vein as the Biblical statement in Revelation 3:16: “Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”» — el comentario consigna la tesis de al-Rāzī de que la hipocresía es estado más malo que la incredulidad, y la empareja con el pasaje del Apocalipsis sobre el tibio.

«146Even for hypocrites, the door to Divine Forgiveness remains open for those who repent of their hypocrisy and come sincerely to believe in God, His Messenger, and the Quran.» — el comentario de 4:146 declara abierta la puerta del Perdón divino aun para los hipócritas que se arrepientan y crean sinceramente; el tramo se corta ahí.

«The explicit requirement that the former hypocrites devote their religion entirely to God is necessary, according to al-Ṭabrisī, because hypocrisy is a sin of the heart, and so full repentance from it requires a “repentance of the heart,” for which merely changing one’s outward actions is not enough.» — y recoge de al-Ṭabrisī por qué al hipócrita se le exige entregar su religión entera a Dios: la hipocresía es pecado del corazón y exige arrepentimiento del corazón, sin que baste cambiar los actos externos.

«147In Arabic there is a semantic connection between repentance and forgiveness, both of which can be signified by the verb tāba, which literally means “to return.” Repentance and forgiveness represent a mutual “turning” between two parties toward each other.» — el comentario de 4:147 señala el parentesco semántico de arrepentimiento y perdón en árabe, ambos del verbo que dice *volver*: un volverse mutuo de las dos partes.

«The verse also has a general application, however, for it reflects the principle in Islamic ethics that one should conceal the faults of others or even one’s own, except, of course, when one is called upon to witness to a particular act (see v. 135). Evil should not be spoken of openly, so that the moral dignity of the individual and the wider community may be maintained.» — el comentario de 4:148 enuncia el principio de ética islámica que ve en la aleya: ocultar las faltas ajenas y aun las propias, salvo cuando hay que testimoniar, para mantener la dignidad moral del individuo y de la comunidad.

«Al-Rāzī gives as the occasion for the revelation of this verse, an incident in which Abū Bakr was verbally abused in a gathering with the Prophet present. Abū Bakr remained quiet for a while and then began to refute the man’s claims. As he did this, the Prophet rose to leave. Abū Bakr asked the Prophet why he sat through the man’s abuse of him, but left when Abū Bakr responded. The Prophet responded: “Verily an angel was answering on your behalf, but when you responded to him, the angel left and Satan came in, and I do not remain in a gathering once Satan comes.”» — y transmite, con al-Rāzī, la ocasión que da a esa aleya: el Profeta permaneció mientras injuriaban a Abū Bakr y se levantó cuando este replicó, diciendo que un ángel respondía por él y que al responder se fue el ángel y entró Satán.

«To pardon when one has the “power” to retaliate is the nobler moral option than pardoning when one has no such power (Q), and to pardon from a position of power approximates the Divine Attributes mentioned here.» — el comentario de 4:149 ordena el perdón por la posición desde la que se otorga: perdonar pudiendo tomar represalia es la opción moral más noble y se acerca a los Atributos divinos que la aleya nombra.

«As a result of the forbidden financial practices of which some Jews are here accused, some Islamic legal scholars questioned whether engaging in commerce with the Jews was permissible; however, both the Quran (see 5:5) and the known practices (sunnah) of the Prophet indicate that such commerce is lawful (Q).» — el comentario de 4:161 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, que pese a los reproches financieros de la aleya el libro y la práctica del Profeta dan por lícito comerciar con los judíos.

«If and the believers is understood to be a further description of the righteous among the Jews, it indicates that it is possible for believing and pious Jews to remain Jews, even as they accept both their own scripture and that which has been sent down unto Muhammad, and in fact to receive a great reward in the Hereafter for their belief and good deeds.» — el comentario de 4:162 saca de una lectura de la aleya una consecuencia acotada: que judíos creyentes y piadosos pueden seguir siendo judíos aceptando su propia escritura y lo descendido sobre Muhammad, y recibir gran recompensa.

«The Psalms given to David translates al-Zabūr, which, when used in the singular and in the definite, and certainly when it is connected explicitly with David, is generally assumed to refer to the Psalms (17:55; 21:105), some of which Judeo-Christian tradition considers to be of Davidic authorship.» — el comentario de 4:163 acota al-Zabūr, que el volumen traduce *los Salmos* cuando va en singular, definido y ligado a David.

«164Although the Quran contains mention of twenty-six prophets, Islamic tradition holds that there were many more, in fact, 124,000.» — el comentario de 4:164 cuenta veintiséis profetas nombrados en el libro y consigna que la tradición islámica tiene por muchos más, ciento veinticuatro mil.

«Here, as in 40:78, the Quran explicitly indicates that there are prophets not mentioned in the Quran, whose stories God has not recounted to Muhammad or his followers, thus alluding to the universal reality of revelation and keeping the door open for sacred figures of other religious traditions, such as the Buddha and Confucius, to be considered prophets to their religious communities, as they were later by some Muslim scholars familiar with these other religious traditions.» — y saca de las aleyas que hablan de mensajeros no relatados una puerta abierta: que figuras sagradas de otras tradiciones, como el Buda y Confucio, puedan tenerse por profetas de sus comunidades, como lo hicieron después algunos estudiosos musulmanes.

«This is the basis of Moses’ prophetic title in Islamic tradition, Kalīm Allāh (one who speaks with God). That is also why some Muslims refer to Jews as kalīmīs.» — el comentario funda en esa aleya el título profético de Moisés, Kalīm Allāh, el que habla con Dios, y consigna que por eso algunos musulmanes llaman kalīmīs a los judíos.

«In Exodus 33:11 and Deuteronomy 34:10, this ability to speak directly with God is also said to set Moses apart from other prophets of Israel.» — y empareja ese rasgo con Éxodo 33 y Deuteronomio 34, donde hablar con Dios directamente distingue también a Moisés de los demás profetas de Israel.

«The Quran indicates that God sends guidance and warning to all peoples (13:7; 35:24); and although it recounts many examples of God destroying a people for their wrongdoing (e.g., 7:59–99), it also asserts that He does this only after a prophet has come to them with a warning (26:208; 28:59).» — el comentario de 4:165 consigna la regla que el libro se aplica a sí mismo: Dios envía guía y advertencia a todos los pueblos y destruye a un pueblo solo después de haberle llegado un profeta con advertencia.

«171From the Quranic perspective, if the error of the Jews is in their failure to recognize certain prophets who had been sent to them, the error of the Christians is to exaggerate in their religion by ascribing divine status to their prophet, Jesus (R).» — el comentario de 4:171 traza, con al-Rāzī, la simetría de los dos errores que el libro atribuye a la Gente del Libro: los judíos no reconocen a ciertos profetas enviados a ellos y los cristianos exageran atribuyendo estatuto divino al suyo.

«The understanding of Jesus as a messenger of God is consistent with several Gospel verses that state that Jesus was sent by the Father (see, e.g., John 5:23; 5:30; 5:36–37; 6:39; 6:44; 6:57; 8:16; 8:18; 8:29; 8:42; 10:36; 12:49; 14:24; 17:21; 17:25; 20:21.)» — y señala que entender a Jesús como mensajero de Dios concuerda con los versículos evangélicos que lo dicen enviado por el Padre.

«He is also identified as God’s Word (see also 3:45; 19:34), an idea that has clear resonance with the Gospel tradition, where Jesus is identified as the “Word” of God (see John 1). Christian and Islamic tradition, however, derive different theological conclusions from this appellation.» — el comentario consigna la resonancia entre llamar a Jesús Palabra de Dios y el prólogo del Evangelio de Juan, y a la vez que las dos tradiciones sacan de ese apelativo conclusiones teológicas distintas.

«However, while all created beings are brought into existence through God’s Word, Christ alone is specifically identified as “a Word from God.” Some might argue, therefore, that Jesus, by virtue of being identified as God’s Word, somehow participates (uniquely) in the Divine Creative Command, although this is not the traditional Islamic understanding of Jesus’ identification as a Word from Him (3:45).» — y deja planteada la cuestión sin resolverla: todo ser creado viene al ser por la Palabra de Dios y solo a Cristo se lo llama *una Palabra de Dios*, de donde algunos argüirían una participación única en el Mandato creador, lectura que no es la tradicional islámica.

«In addition to reaffirming the full humanity of Jesus, the present verse commands Christians to say not “Three.” This is understood as a command to abandon the doctrine of God as Trinity. Here they are merely told to refrain from asserting this doctrine, as it is better for them.» — el comentario lee el mandato de no decir *Tres* como mandato de abandonar la doctrina de Dios como Trinidad, y nota que aquí solo se les dice abstenerse porque es mejor para ellos.

«In both the present verse and 5:73, however, the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity as three “persons,” or hypostases, “within” the One God is not explicitly referenced, and the criticism seems directed at those who assert the existence of three distinct “gods,” an idea that Christians themselves reject.» — y acota contra qué va la crítica coránica: ni en esta aleya ni en 5:73 se refiere explícitamente la doctrina ortodoxa de tres personas en un solo Dios, y la crítica parece dirigida a quienes afirman tres dioses distintos, idea que los propios cristianos rechazan.

«Al-Rāzī is aware that Christians do not believe in three separate gods, but rather in three qualities (ṣifāt) in a single Divine Essence, but argues that the claim that the Divine Reality inhered in the human form of Christ belies the idea that the trinitarian concept ultimately posits a single Divine Essence.» — el comentario consigna que al-Rāzī sabe que los cristianos no creen en tres dioses separados sino en tres cualidades en una sola Esencia divina, y su objeción, que pone la inherencia de lo divino en la forma humana de Cristo contra esa unidad declarada.

«He also contrasts the Christian doctrine of aspects, or hypostases, within a single Divine Essence with the Islamic doctrine of God’s Names and Qualities, which, unlike the Christian hypostases, are not understood as aspects of God that can be seen as multiple, distinct entities (R).» — y su contraste con la doctrina islámica de los Nombres y Cualidades de Dios, que a diferencia de las hipóstasis no se entienden como entidades múltiples y distintas.

«Despite these strong criticisms of Christian trinitarian doctrine as well as the implication through juxtaposition in 5:72–73 that Christian beliefs in the divinity of Jesus, and in God as the third of three can be understood as a kind of shirk (ascribing partners unto God), Islamic Law never considered Christians to be “idolaters” (mushrikūn) and accepted Christians’ own assertions of monotheistic belief, maintaining the clear distinction the Quran itself makes between idolaters (mushrikūn) and the People of the Book.» — el comentario consigna lo que el derecho islámico nunca hizo pese a esas críticas: tener a los cristianos por idólatras, aceptando su propia declaración de creencia monoteísta y manteniendo la distinción que el libro hace entre idólatras y Gente del Libro.

«The Najrān delegation, likely under the influence of Abyssinian Monophysite doctrine, may well have held that Jesus’ divinity completely overwhelmed his humanity, and so would have been particularly averse to such a description of Jesus.» — el comentario de 4:172 y 4:173 sitúa a la delegación de Najrān bajo influjo monofisita abisinio y explica por eso su aversión a llamar siervo a Jesús.

«However, it should be noted that orthodox Christian doctrine maintains the full humanity of Christ as a theological necessity, even if it holds that this humanity is inseparable, mysteriously, from his divinity.» — y acota la posición cristiana sin arbitrarla: la doctrina ortodoxa sostiene la humanidad plena de Cristo como necesidad teológica, inseparable misteriosamente de su divinidad.

«According to several reports from the Prophet’s Companion al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib, this was the final verse of the Quran revealed to the Prophet, although other verses, such as 5:3 and particularly 2:281, are more widely attested as the final Quranic verse (JJ, Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:176 consigna el desacuerdo sobre cuál fue la última aleya revelada: según relatos de al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, esta, aunque 5:3 y sobre todo 2:281 están más atestiguadas.

«22The pre-Islamic Arabs reportedly recognized the same prohibitions concerning marriage partners as those stipulated in the Quran, except that they would marry their father’s wives (i.e., their stepmothers) and allowed marriage to two sisters. Vv. 22–23 prohibit these two practices, respectively (IK, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:22 consigna, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Ṭabarī, que los árabes preislámicos reconocían las mismas prohibiciones matrimoniales que el libro salvo dos: casarse con las mujeres del padre y con dos hermanas.

«Relations established through suckling had a legal status similar to blood relations. Thus a woman who nursed a man when he was a child is maḥram to him—meaning that she does not need to cover in front of him and he can never marry her.» — el comentario de 4:23 consigna que los lazos creados por la lactancia tenían estatuto legal semejante al de los de sangre: la nodriza es maḥram para el niño que amamantó.

«Marrying two sisters is forbidden, save for what is past, meaning that such marriages arranged prior to the revelation of this verse could stand (Q). However, the Prophet reportedly ordered men who desired to enter Islam, but had two sister wives, to divorce one (IK).» — el comentario de 4:23 acota la prohibición de casar con dos hermanas: los matrimonios anteriores a la aleya podían mantenerse, y a los que querían entrar en el islam con dos hermanas por esposas el Profeta les mandó divorciarse de una.

«The Arabic term for the bridal payment here is ujūr, meaning literally “wages”; elsewhere ṣaduqāt (v. 4) or farīḍah (lit. “obligation,” 2:236–37) is used. In Islamic legal discourse, the bridal payment is generally referred to as mahr/muhūr, but this term is not Quranic.» — el comentario de 4:24 despliega los términos de la dote: aquí ujūr, literalmente *salarios*, en otros lugares ṣaduqāt o farīḍah, y el mahr del discurso legal, que no es coránico.

«A number of prominent early authorities, including al-Suddī, Ubayy ibn Kaʿb (d. between 19/640 and 35/655), and Ibn ʿAbbās, recited this verse with an additional phrase: And those women whom you enjoy thereby “for a term appointed,” give unto them their bridewealth (IK, Ṭ, Ṭs).» — y consigna la lectura de autoridades tempranas que recitaban esa aleya con una frase añadida, *por un término fijado*, base de la lectura que la refiere al matrimonio temporal.

«For those who read the verse as applying only to permanent marriage, there is no blame on you for what you agree to after the obligation (has been fulfilled) means, as in v. 4, that a variety of other financial arrangements and gifts, when agreed to by husband and wife, are legitimate once the stated bridal payment has been rendered (IK, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:24 da la lectura de quienes ciñen la aleya al matrimonio permanente, con Ibn Kathīr y al-Ṭabarī: otros arreglos y regalos son legítimos una vez pagada la dote convenida.

«God knows best your faith articulates the Islamic principle that the inner reality of faith can be determined only by God. Membership in the Muslim community was therefore based solely on one’s testimony of faith (shahādah) and outward compliance with the required practices of Islam (see 49:14c).» — el comentario de 4:25 enuncia el principio que ve en la frase *Dios conoce mejor vuestra fe*: la realidad interior de la fe solo puede determinarla Dios, y la pertenencia a la comunidad se basaba en el testimonio y en el cumplimiento externo.

«God desires to lighten [your burden] for you—that is, by allowing men of insufficient means to marry slave women—for man was created weak—that is, with a generally weak capacity to resist sexual desire and attraction to women for long (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:26 a 4:28 lee, con al-Ṭabarī, el aligeramiento que la aleya anuncia y la razón que da: el hombre fue creado débil, con poca capacidad de resistir largamente el deseo.

«Ibn ʿAbbās considered vv. 26–28 to be among the eight important verses in this sūrah that demonstrate God’s Mercy toward human beings (the others are vv. 31, 40, 48, 110, 147; R, Z).» — y consigna, con al-Rāzī y al-Zamakhsharī, que Ibn ʿAbbās contaba esas aleyas entre las ocho de la sura que muestran la Misericordia de Dios hacia el ser humano.

«31The Quran here makes a distinction between the grave sins (kabā’ir) and comparatively minor evil deeds (sayyiʾāt), promising that avoidance of the former will entail forgiveness for the latter. This is one of many Quranic examples of God’s merciful judgment of human beings and of His compensation and compassion for their inherent moral flaws.» — el comentario de 4:31 lee la distinción entre pecados graves y malas obras menores como uno de los muchos ejemplos coránicos del juicio misericordioso de Dios y de Su compensación por las fallas morales inherentes al hombre.

«Ibn ʿAbbās maintained that no sin was minor, as long as one persisted in it, and no sin was a grave sin, as long as one repented (Aj, Ṭs, Z).» — y transmite la fórmula de Ibn ʿAbbās sobre el tamaño del pecado: ninguno es menor si se persiste en él y ninguno es grave si uno se arrepiente.

«Although Sufi commentators agree that the truly great sin is shirk (idolatry), they consider shirk to also mean an excessive attachment to worldly things, and even the assertion of the independent existence of one’s own soul in a way that would obscure pure devotion to and utter reliance upon God.» — el comentario de 4:31 consigna la lectura sufí del pecado grave: shirk es también apego excesivo a lo mundano y aun la afirmación de la existencia independiente del alma propia, que oscurece la devoción pura y la dependencia entera de Dios.

«Hence the Sufi saying, sometimes attributed to Rābiʿah al-ʿAdawiyyah (d. 183/801): “Your existence is a sin to which no other sin can be compared!” (K, Qu).» — y cita, con al-Kāshānī y al-Qushayrī, el dicho sufí que a veces se atribuye a Rābiʿah al-ʿAdawiyyah: tu existencia es un pecado con el que ningún otro se compara.

«32God has favored some . . . above others in worldly provision, and this inequality engenders moral challenges—wealth and poverty, for example, challenge human beings to be generous and humble, respectively—and moral trial comes through both good things, such as wealth and children (64:15), and hardship (21:35).» — el comentario de 4:32 lee la desigualdad de la provisión mundana como generadora de desafíos morales: la riqueza y la pobreza prueban la generosidad y la humildad.

«This verse was revealed in regard to the reportedly common practice in Arabia of men adopting others as their sons in order to allot them some of their inheritance (Q, Ṭ, W) or the practice of two men entering into an agreement by which each would inherit from the other and avenge the other if one of them was killed (IK, Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:33 consigna las prácticas árabes que la aleya toca: adoptar a otro como hijo para asignarle herencia, y el pacto entre dos hombres de heredarse y vengarse mutuamente.

«The famous “brothering” (mu’ākhāh), in which the Prophet established relations of “brotherhood” entailing inheritance between pairs of Makkan Emigrants and Madinan Helpers shortly after coming to Madinah, was an early Islamic version of such an alliance, but one with a spiritual and communal purpose.» — y nombra el *ahermanamiento* con que el Profeta emparejó a Emigrantes mecanos y Auxiliares medineses al llegar a Medina, versión temprana de esa alianza con fin espiritual y comunitario.

«For Ibn ʿAjībah, this is “acquired” authority, since men’s more authoritative position in the marital relationship is “acquired,” at least in part, by their fulfillment of the duty to support the women of their family including, but not limited to, their wives.» — y recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah que esa autoridad es *adquirida*, en parte por el cumplimiento del deber de sostener a las mujeres de la familia.

«However, this is reading much into a verse that is located among, and echoes the language of, verses dealing specifically with inheritance and marital support and is more naturally read as a continuation of these discussions specifically.» — el comentario objeta que en la *preferencia* de la aleya se lean distinciones espirituales y mundanas ajenas a lo económico: es leer mucho en una aleya situada entre otras sobre herencia y sostén marital.

«Discord and animosity collectively translates nushūz, which comes from a root meaning “to rise up” or “to be elevated” (cf. 58:11). It thus connotes an attitude of high-handedness, haughtiness, or arrogance.» — el comentario despliega nushūz, que el volumen traduce *discordia y animosidad*, de una raíz que dice *alzarse*, con el sentido de altanería o arrogancia.

«34This verse is the clearest statement of a man’s role and authority in the marital relationship as head of the household in relation to his responsibility to provide for his wife. Other verses suggest mutuality in the relationship between husband and wife (2:187, 233), but this verse indicates a hierarchy from a certain perspective between the two, at least on the social plane (see also 2:228).» — el comentario de 4:34 declara esa aleya el enunciado más claro del papel y la autoridad del varón en el matrimonio, y consigna que otras aleyas sugieren mutualidad mientras esta indica una jerarquía en el plano social.

«However, it should be noted that all other instances of qānit in the Quran denote obedience to and worship of God, not human beings» — el comentario de 4:34 objeta la glosa corriente de qānitāt como obediencia al marido: todas las demás apariciones del término en el libro denotan obediencia y adoración a Dios y no a seres humanos; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Some recent interpretations of strike them seek to avoid the sense of physical hitting entirely by invoking alternate idiomatic meanings of ḍaraba (“to strike”), arguing that the verb can mean simply to leave the wife, given other Quranic usages of ḍaraba, such as ḍaraba fi’l-sabīl (v. 94), which means to set out on a path, or ḍaraba fi’l-arḍ, which means to journey (2:273; 3:156; 4:101; 5:106; 73:20). Such interpretations are not entirely convincing, however, since the wider semantic range of ḍaraba they invoke is activated only by various prepositions and syntaxes not found in the present verse.» — y objeta las interpretaciones recientes que evitan el sentido de golpe físico apelando a otros usos idiomáticos del verbo: ese rango semántico se activa solo con preposiciones y sintaxis que la aleya no trae.

«It should be reiterated, however, that none of the classical commentators or Islamic legal scholars viewed this verse as a license to commit serious physical violence or inflict bodily harm on one’s wife; and given the steps one needed to take before reaching the point of “striking” one’s wife, it may be viewed as a ban on beating one’s wife in anger.» — y fija a la vez el otro límite: ningún comentarista clásico ni jurista vio en la aleya licencia para violencia física seria, y dados los pasos previos puede verse como prohibición de golpear a la esposa con ira.

«The arbiters should be trusted relatives of each spouse, since they are more familiar with the situation and have the interests of their respective family members at heart. The arbiters are charged with determining, if possible, which spouse is at fault and recommending either terms of reconciliation or a mutually agreed-upon divorce.» — el comentario de 4:35 describe a los árbitros que la aleya manda nombrar: parientes de confianza de cada cónyuge, encargados de determinar la falta y recomendar reconciliación o divorcio de común acuerdo.

«A report from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib indicates that the two arbiters should have the power to dissolve the marriage upon their agreement, but that this power must be delegated to the arbiters by the married couple in advance.» — y consigna, con un relato de ʿAlī, el alcance del poder de esos árbitros: pueden disolver el matrimonio de común acuerdo si la pareja les delegó antes esa facultad.

«36This is one of several verses that place virtue toward parents immediately after the command to worship none but God (see also 2:83; 6:151; 17:23; 31:13– 14) and enjoin kindness toward parents generally (46:15; 29:8). The Arabic word here used to denote virtuous behavior is iḥsān, which comes from a root meaning “beautiful”; various derivations from the root denote virtue, moral beauty, and goodness or doing what is beautiful and good. In relation to parents it has the meaning of filial piety.» — el comentario de 4:36 sitúa esa aleya entre las que ponen la virtud hacia los padres inmediatamente después del mandato de no adorar sino a Dios, y despliega iḥsān desde una raíz que dice *bello*.

«The commentators are unanimous in asserting that to strike here refers only to a moderate and noninjurious form of physical force—“without violence” (ghayr mubarriḥ), using language found in a ḥadīth on this same issue (Q)» — el comentario de 4:34 consigna el acuerdo unánime de los comentaristas sobre el golpe que la aleya menciona: solo una forma moderada y no lesiva de fuerza física, *sin violencia*, con la expresión tomada de un ḥadīth sobre este mismo asunto.

«48The sin of shirk, ascribing partners to God in worship or in His role as Creator, is considered to be the only sin God will not forgive (see also v. 116).» — el comentario de 4:48 define el shirk como asociar copartícipes a Dios en la adoración o en Su papel de Creador y lo da por el único pecado que Dios no perdona.

«The sin of shirk could also be broadened to include subtler ways of setting up “equals” with God, such as loving or fearing anything but God. The present verse compelled many to examine their own hearts and excise all such forms of “hidden shirk” (Aj, Qu).» — y consigna, con Ibn ʿAjībah y al-Qushayrī, el ensanchamiento del término a modos más sutiles de poner iguales a Dios, como amar o temer cualquier cosa que no sea Él: el shirk oculto.

«However, this interpretation collapses the categories of shirk and kufr into one, whereas the two are distinct in the Quran and Islamic Law.» — el comentario objeta el silogismo con que al-Rāzī haría shirk la incredulidad de los judíos: colapsa en una sola las categorías de shirk y kufr, que en el libro y en el derecho islámico son distintas.

«Most commentators see this as a reference to spiritual assertions the Jews or the People of the Book are said to make elsewhere in the Quran, particularly their declaration that they are the children and the beloved of God (5:18) and that they have an exclusive claim on Paradise (2:111; Q, Ṭ, Z).» — el comentario de 4:49 y 4:50 remite la pretensión de pureza de la aleya a las afirmaciones que el libro atribuye a la Gente del Libro: decirse hijos y amados de Dios y tener reclamo exclusivo sobre el Paraíso.

«Claims of purity for oneself were particularly odious to the Sufis, who warned that the carnal soul (nafs) was not the locus of purity in the human being, that being pleased with one’s own soul extinguished the lights of certitude (Su) and was the source of disobedience and heedlessness (Aj), and that anyone who was persuaded by others’ high opinions of their purity or by their own high estimation of themselves was veiled in ignorance (Qu).» — y consigna lo que los sufíes dijeron de la pretensión de pureza: el alma carnal no es el lugar de la pureza, complacerse en la propia alma extingue las luces de la certeza y quien se deja persuadir de su pureza queda velado en ignorancia.

«Al-jibt wa’l-ṭāghūt can also be taken to refer to all false objects of worship or false authorities to whom people turn instead of to God, whether idols, other human beings, or Satan (Ṭ), and so has a general application beyond the historical context of its revelation.» — el comentario de 4:51 y 4:52 ensancha al-jibt y al-ṭāghūt a todo falso objeto de adoración o falsa autoridad a la que se acude en lugar de Dios, más allá del contexto histórico de la revelación.

«53This verse poses a rhetorical question whose answer is negative, meaning that they (the Madinan Jews) do not have a share in sovereignty (Q, Ṭ, Z).» — el comentario de 4:53 lee la aleya como pregunta retórica de respuesta negativa.

«Envy is considered a sin against God, as it shows a lack of contentment with what one has been given by Him; it is said to have been the first sin committed in the celestial realm (referring to Satan’s envy of Adam; see 7:11–13) and the first committed on earth (referring to Cain’s envy of Abel; see 5:27–31; Q).» — y sitúa la envidia como pecado contra Dios y como el primero cometido en el reino celestial, en la envidia de Satán a Adán, y el primero en la tierra, en la de Caín a Abel.

«56The image of the skins of those in Hell being consumed (naḍijat, lit. “roasted”) repeatedly and indefinitely, conveys the unending nature of the punishment.» — el comentario de 4:56 lee la imagen de las pieles consumidas y repuestas de los condenados como figura del carácter sin término del castigo.

«This is also among a number of verses that are understood by some commentators as suggesting that the pleasures and torments of the Afterlife as described in the Quran are meant to be taken literally rather than as metaphors for spiritual reward and punishment.» — y consigna que algunos comentaristas ven en esa aleya razón para tomar literalmente y no como metáfora los placeres y tormentos de la Otra Vida.

«58Cf. 2:283; 23:8. Note also that one of the critiques made of some of the People of the Book is that they would be reluctant to return a trust (3:75). This verse begins a section (vv. 58–70) whose theme is the nature of authority.» — el comentario de 4:58 abre con esa aleya una sección cuyo tema declara que es la naturaleza de la autoridad.

«According to one report, this verse was revealed at the time of the conquest of Makkah. When the Prophet entered Makkah, he asked ʿUthmān ibn Ṭalḥah for the key to the Kaʿbah, which was in his possession. ʿUthmān initially refused, but it was eventually taken from him. The Prophet’s uncle ʿAbbās sought to become the new keeper of the Kaʿbah key, as he was already in charge of providing water for pilgrims to the shrine. But when this verse was revealed, the key was returned to its original keeper, who, upon learning of the revelation, proclaimed his belief in the prophecy of Muhammad (IK, Q, Ṭ, W).» — y transmite la ocasión que se le da: la llave de la Kaʿbah tomada a su guardián en la conquista de La Meca y devuelta a él al revelarse la aleya, tras lo cual proclamó su fe.

«The command to judge . . . with justice should also be understood to have a general application, insofar as all human beings can be said to be both in charge of and responsible for something and so can be said to have authority over some matter (even if it is simply their own family or body), which they should execute justly (Q).» — el comentario extiende el mandato de juzgar con justicia a todos: todo ser humano está a cargo de algo y es responsable de algo, y ha de ejercerlo con justicia.

«The primacy of Hearing over Seeing may be linked to the primacy of sound in the creation of the world (God “speaks” the world into being through the command “Be!”; see, e.g., 2:117) and in the transmission of Divine Revelation as spoken word in Islam.» — y lee el orden de los Nombres divinos Oyente y Veedor como ligado a la primacía del sonido en la creación del mundo y en la transmisión de la revelación como palabra hablada.

«Other traditions, however, forbid Muslims from obeying a leader who commands an act of disobedience toward God. Thus many argue that the command to obey those in authority among you applies only to just rulers who command obedience to God (Z).» — el comentario de 4:59 acota el mandato de obedecer a los que tienen autoridad, con al-Zamakhsharī: hay tradiciones que prohíben obedecer a un jefe que mande un acto de desobediencia a Dios, de modo que muchos ciñen el mandato a los gobernantes justos.

«They should have said, Listen and Regard us (using a different term, unẓurnā; see 2:104). For their insolence and denial, God cursed them, so that they believe not, save a few. This may also be translated “they believe not, save a little” (Q); cf. 2:88. Elsewhere the Quran pronounces a curse on any who conceal Divine Revelation or torment the Prophet (2:159; 33:57), two charges leveled here against the Madinan Jews.» — el comentario de 4:46 consigna las dos acusaciones que la aleya hace a los judíos de Medina —ocultar la Revelación y atormentar al Profeta— y el término que habrían debido usar.

«Some say blot out faces means that their facial features, notably their eyes, will be removed, so they will be blinded (Q); turn them backwards means that their eyes will be placed behind their heads, rendering them incapable of seeing what is before them, so that they have to walk backwards (Ṭ). Others say it is metaphorical, meaning they will be blinded to the path to truth and so turned back toward error (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:47 alinea las lecturas de la amenaza de borrar los rostros y volverlos hacia atrás: literal, con los ojos quitados o puestos detrás de la cabeza, o metafórica, cegados al camino de la verdad.

«and the Prophet reportedly said, “I have not seen any oppressor who more resembles the oppressed than the envier” (Q).» — el comentario de 4:54 cita, con al-Qurṭubī, el dicho sobre la envidia: ningún opresor se parece tanto al oprimido como el envidioso.

«From this verse the Prophet understands that he has been instructed to fight in the way of God, regardless of how many join with him or hold back, for it is God Who will grant him victory, not his army (Z).» — el comentario de 4:84 lee, con al-Zamakhsharī, lo que el Profeta entiende de la aleya: combatir sin mirar cuántos se le unen o se retraen, porque quien da la victoria es Dios y no el ejército.

«The Prophet reportedly declared, “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, I shall go forth, even if alone!” (JJ).» — el comentario de 4:84 transmite la declaración del Profeta ante la reticencia de los medineses a ir al segundo Badr: saldré aunque vaya solo.

«85Whosoever intercedes for a good cause by aiding individual Muslims, protecting their rights, defending them, or supplicating God on their behalf (Z) will receive a share of the good that is brought about.» — el comentario de 4:85 despliega en qué consiste interceder por una buena causa: auxiliar a musulmanes, proteger sus derechos, defenderlos o suplicar a Dios por ellos.

«Peace (al-Salām) is also one of the Divine Names (59:23), and thus God’s Name is effectively invoked at both the beginning of the initial greeting (al-salāmu ʿalaykum) and the end of its appropriate response (wa-ʿalaykum al-salām; R).» — el comentario de 4:86 nota que al-Salām es uno de los Nombres divinos, de modo que el Nombre de Dios queda invocado al abrir el saludo y al cerrar su respuesta.

«A ḥadīth says, “Peace is among the Names of God that He has made manifest on earth; so spread it among yourselves” (ST).» — y transmite, con al-Tustarī, el dicho que llama a la paz uno de los Nombres de Dios manifestados en la tierra, con el mandato de difundirla entre la gente.

«87This is one of many assertions of God’s Oneness (cf. 2:163, 255; 3:2, 6, 18, 62; 6:102, 106; 7:158; 9:31; 16:2; 20:8, 14, 98; 23:116; 27:26; 28:70, 88; 35:3; 39:6; 40:3, 62, 65; 44:8; 59:22–23; 64:13; 73:9).» — el comentario de 4:87 sitúa esa aleya entre las muchas afirmaciones de la Unicidad de Dios que el libro trae.

«The Quran forbids Muslims from fighting those who do not fight or harm them and urges them to agree to peace when their opponents seek peace (2:190; 4:94; 8:61; 60:8; 49:9).» — el comentario de 4:88 a 4:90 fija lo que el libro prohíbe y lo que manda: no combatir a quienes no combaten ni dañan, y aceptar la paz cuando el contrario la busca.

«Ibn ʿAjībah typologically compares the “hypocrites” in vv. 89–91 with certain aspects of the soul. The aspect of the soul that commands to evil (cf. 12:53) is analogous to those described in v. 89, who are not only hypocritical with regard to their own faith, but who also have the evil intention of turning believing Muslims from their faith; whereas those described in the present verse are analogous to the wavering aspect of the soul that is always torn between obedience and disobedience. When this aspect of one’s soul urges toward disobedience, it must be fought without restraint.» — el comentario de 4:91 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la comparación tipológica entre los hipócritas de esas aleyas y los aspectos del alma: el que manda al mal y el vacilante, siempre dividido entre obediencia y desobediencia.

«God’s Bounty and His Mercy may refer to His sending the Prophet and the Quran, through which the believers are rightly guided and have not followed Satan (R, Z).» — el comentario de 4:83 alinea, con al-Rāzī y al-Zamakhsharī, las lecturas de la Gracia y la Misericordia de Dios en esa aleya: el envío del Profeta y del libro, por los que los creyentes van bien guiados y no siguen a Satán.

«Several aḥādīth indicate how seriously God takes the killing of Muslims; one states, “The killing of a believer is graver with God than the perishing of the world itself” (Q).» — el comentario de 4:92 transmite, con al-Qurṭubī, el dicho que pone la muerte de un creyente por encima de la perdición del mundo entero.

«This form of expiation is particularly meaningful here: in response to the loss of one life, another is given a new life through freedom (Z).» — y lee, con al-Zamakhsharī, el sentido de la expiación que la aleya manda: por la vida perdida, otra recibe vida nueva por la libertad.

«93There is some debate about what it means to kill another willfully and about the kind of assault or injury that would indicate that killing was the ultimate intent.» — el comentario de 4:93 consigna la disputa sobre qué significa matar deliberadamente y qué clase de agresión permite suponer esa intención.

«In addition to warning of the harsh consequences Muslims face for rashly killing someone who may be a fellow believer, this verse also implicitly reminds Muslims that when they fight, they do so only for the sake of religion, self-defense, or the defense of the helpless (cf. 4:75), not for booty» — y saca de la aleya un recordatorio sobre el porqué del combate: se combate por la religión, la defensa propia o la defensa de los desvalidos, no por botín; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Al-Rāzī speculates that the confirmation here of a great reward for those who strive in God’s way was meant to counter any doubt or hesitation Muslims might feel after the severe warnings of caution about whom one could fight or kill in the preceding verses.» — el comentario de 4:95 recoge la conjetura de al-Rāzī sobre por qué la aleya reitera una gran recompensa a los que se esfuerzan: para contrarrestar la duda que las severas advertencias anteriores podían dejar.

«There is some debate as to whether the added clause means that the disadvantaged are, unlike capable nonstrivers, actually equal in merit to the mujāhidūn who strive in the way of God or simply that they are exempt from the obligation to do so.» — y consigna la disputa sobre la cláusula de los impedidos: si los iguala en mérito a los que se esfuerzan o solo los exime de la obligación.

«Al-Rāzī argues that it likely means that they are equal, since the ultimate purpose of all religious duties is “to illuminate the heart with the knowledge of God,” and so to the extent that disadvantaged ones, who are exempt from jihād, can nonetheless achieve this to the same degree as the mujāhidūn, they are equal.» — el comentario recoge de al-Rāzī el argumento de la igualdad: el fin último de todo deber religioso es iluminar el corazón con el conocimiento de Dios, y en la medida en que el impedido lo alcanza igual, es igual.

«96Degrees here seems to be an elaboration upon the degree or the great reward by which God favors the mujāhidūn over others in v. 95. These degrees may represent the level one attains in Paradise, the degrees of forgiveness or mercy received from God (R), or even the degrees of closeness to God one obtains by striving to please Him (Aj).» — el comentario de 4:96 alinea las lecturas de los grados conferidos: el nivel alcanzado en el Paraíso, los grados de perdón o de misericordia, o, con Ibn ʿAjībah, los grados de cercanía a Dios.

«97The souls of those who were wronging themselves is widely considered to refer to those Makkans, such as ʿAlī ibn Umayyah and Abu’l-Qays ibn al-Walīd (IK), who claimed to accept Islam (some say hypocritically), but failed to migrate to Madinah (R, Ṭ, W).» — el comentario de 4:97 identifica a los que se agraviaban a sí mismos con mecanos que decían aceptar el islam y no emigraron a Medina.

«The early commentator al-Suddī (d. 127/744) claims that once this verse was revealed, all those who had embraced Islam but not migrated to Madinah were considered disbelievers (kuffār) until they migrated (Ṭ)» — y consigna el veredicto que al-Suddī atribuye a esa aleya, que el propio comentario da por más duro que 8:72: que los que abrazaron el islam sin emigrar quedaban por incrédulos; el tramo se corta ahí.

«According to al-Zamakhsharī, the Divine reward mentioned in this verse applies to anyone who dies while traveling away from home for any religious purpose, including seeking knowledge, making the ḥajj, participating in jihād, escaping religious persecution, cultivating asceticism, or seeking lawful provision.» — el comentario de 4:100 recoge de al-Zamakhsharī la extensión de esa recompensa: alcanza a quien muere viajando lejos de casa por cualquier fin religioso, sea buscar conocimiento, hacer el ḥajj, esforzarse, huir de la persecución, cultivar el ascetismo o buscar sustento lícito.

«For leading Twelver Shiite commentators, the “way of the believers” refers to the way prescribed by the teachings of their Imams (Ṭs, Ṭū), since they considered these teachings to be Divinely guaranteed and complementary to the teachings of the Prophet.» — el comentario consigna la lectura chií duodecimana de *la vía de los creyentes*: la prescrita por las enseñanzas de los imanes, tenidas por garantizadas divinamente y complementarias de las del Profeta.

«Al-Qurṭubī claims that each idol worshipped in pre-Islamic Arabia had its own “satan” that accompanied it, and this satan would speak by inspiring words in the idol’s custodian or priestess, who would then relate them to the people.» — el comentario transmite de al-Qurṭubī que cada ídolo de la Arabia preislámica tenía su propio satán, que hablaba inspirando palabras al custodio o a la sacerdotisa del ídolo; el troceo parte *pre-Islamic* a fin de renglón.

«The practice of slitting the ears of cattle was part of a pagan ritual of the Makkans. They would slit the ears of female camels who had given birth five times, with the fifth offspring being male, to indicate that they should no longer» — y describe el rito pagano que la aleya nombra: hender las orejas de las camellas que habían parido cinco veces, con el quinto macho, para señalar que ya no se usarían; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Another opinion understands alter God’s creation as meaning to alter His original religion, given that God’s creation and the “upright religion” are identified with each other in 30:30: Set thy face to religion as a ḥanīf, in the primordial nature from God upon which He originated mankind—there is no altering the creation of God; that is the upright religion.» — el comentario ofrece otra lectura de *alterar la creación de Dios*: alterar Su religión original, dado que 30:30 identifica la creación de Dios con la religión recta y con la fiṭrah.

«122For the often repeated description of Paradise as a Garden with rivers running below, see 2:25 and commentary.» — el comentario de 4:122 remite a su propia glosa de 2:25 para la descripción repetida del Paraíso como Jardín con ríos que corren abajo.

«Al-Ṭabarī considers the latter interpretation more likely, since desires here translates amānī, which is etymologically related to the term used for the false desires Satan arouses in people to lead them astray in vv. 119–20, and so should be associated with those who are actually astray (such as the Makkan idolaters), rather than with the believing Muslims.» — el comentario de 4:123 y 4:124 recoge el argumento de al-Ṭabarī sobre a quién se dirige la aleya de los deseos, apoyado en el parentesco del término con los falsos deseos que Satán suscita.

«This reportedly troubled some of the Prophet’s Companions, who feared punishment for their missteps despite their belief in Islam and found it hard to reconcile this verse with other verses that assert that minor sins may be forgiven or “removed” by good deeds (see, e.g., 4:31; 11:114). The Prophet assured them that, for believers, the hardships they suffer in life—from major calamities to suffering the prick of a thorn—will serve as expiation for their sins or, from a different perspective, that punishment for such sins was meted out through the adversities in this life, both great and small (R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:123 consigna la inquietud de algunos Compañeros ante la aleya y la respuesta del Profeta: las penalidades de esta vida, de la calamidad grande a la punzada de una espina, sirven de expiación a los creyentes.

«Vv. 124–25 can be understood as bringing together the three levels of religious commitment mentioned in the famous ḥadīth of Gabriel: outward submission through righteous acts (islām), correct and sincere faith (īmān), and virtue (iḥsān) achieved through a constant awareness of God.» — el comentario de 4:125 reúne en esas dos aleyas los tres niveles del ḥadīth de Gabriel: la sumisión externa por los actos, la fe correcta y sincera, y la virtud alcanzada por la conciencia constante de Dios.

«Khalīl indicates a friendship so close that one loves and hates whatever one’s friend loves and hates and thus chooses allies and enemies in accordance with the allies and enemies of one’s friend (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:125 despliega khalīl, con que la aleya llama a Abraham amigo de Dios: amistad tan estrecha que se ama y se odia lo que el amigo ama y odia.

«Sufi authors and commentators understand khalīl as referring to a fullness of love (maḥabbah) and say that Abraham was called Khalīl Allāh because love of God permeated (takhallala, from the same root as khalīl) every aspect of his being (Aj; Ibn ʿArabī, Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam, faṣṣ 5).» — y recoge la lectura sufí del mismo término, con Ibn ʿAjībah y con los Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam de Ibn ʿArabī: Abraham fue llamado Khalīl Allāh porque el amor de Dios permeó cada aspecto de su ser.

«126Encompasses here translates kāna muḥīṭ (see 4:108c). The active participle, Muḥīṭ, is one of the Divine Names and on its own is often translated All-Encompassing (85:20).» — el comentario de 4:126 despliega el Nombre divino Muḥīṭ, el que todo lo abarca.

«ʿĀʾishah contended that the present verse was issued as a clarification of v. 3 (Ṭ, Q; see also 4:3c) and was meant to prevent male guardians from either marrying orphan girls without giving them their full bridal gifts or refusing to marry them to themselves or others, so as later to assume the girls’ inheritance, should the guardian outlive them.» — el comentario de 4:127 recoge de ʿĀʾishah que esa aleya aclara 4:3 y contra qué va: tutores que casaban con huérfanas sin darles su dote o que se negaban a casarlas para quedarse con su herencia.

«In Islamic Law, divorce is permitted but discouraged and considered reprehensible (makrūh); a well-known ḥadīth says that divorce is the most odious of all lawful things unto God.» — el comentario de 4:128 consigna el estatuto del divorcio en el derecho islámico —permitido, desalentado y tenido por reprobable— con el dicho que lo llama la más odiosa de las cosas lícitas ante Dios.

«You will not be able to deal fairly between women acknowledges that affection and attraction are involuntary feelings that a husband cannot always apportion “equally” between his wives.» — el comentario de 4:129 lee la declaración de que no se podrá tratar con equidad a varias mujeres como reconocimiento de que el afecto y la atracción son sentimientos involuntarios que no se reparten por igual.

«For al-Rāzī, this verse is evidence for the moral inerrancy (ʿiṣmah) of the Prophet, since if he were errant, it would not always be a punishable sin to oppose him.» — el comentario de 4:115 recoge de al-Rāzī el argumento que hace de esa aleya prueba de la ʿiṣmah del Profeta: si fuera falible, oponérsele no sería siempre pecado punible.

«130Although the Quran recommends or requires several remedies to avoid divorce (see vv. 35, 128), if divorce is the outcome, this verse asserts that God continues to care for both spouses and will enrich them out of His Abundance by providing the possibility of new spouses better suited and more pleasing or beneficial to them (R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:130 lee, con al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī, la promesa de enriquecer a los dos separados: Dios sigue cuidando de ambos y les da la posibilidad de cónyuges mejor avenidos.

«Those who were given the Book before you refers to Jews and Christians who, like Muslims, are similarly enjoined to be reverent toward God. According to al-Rāzī, this indicates that the command to reverence God is a Divine Law (sharīʿah) common to all religious communities.» — el comentario de 4:131 a 4:133 recoge de al-Rāzī una tesis sobre lo común a las religiones: el mandato de reverenciar a Dios es una Ley divina compartida por todas las comunidades religiosas.

«According to one report, when this verse was revealed, indicating that God could bring others in their stead, the Prophet put his hand on the back of Salmān al-Fārsī (Salmān the Persian), saying, “It is this people [that is meant], that is, the Persians” (Q, Z).» — el comentario de 4:133 transmite, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Zamakhsharī, el gesto del Profeta al revelarse la aleya del reemplazo: puso la mano en la espalda de Salmān el Persa y dijo que se trataba de ese pueblo.

«135Establishing and upholding justice in society is a key concern of the Quran. God establishes justice by setting the Balance within creation itself (15:19; 55:7; 57:25), by commanding justice among human beings through revelation (7:29; 16:90; 42:17; 57:25), and by weighing deeds in a set balance on the Day of Judgment (21:47).» — el comentario de 4:135 declara la instauración de la justicia asunto central del libro y enumera los tres modos en que Dios la instituye: la Balanza puesta en la creación, el mandato por la revelación y el pesaje de los actos el Día del Juicio.

«Other commentators confirm that the real meaning of this verse is that one’s testimony should never be for the sake of oneself or for another, but only for the sake of God (Bḍ, Z) and in justice; that is, truthful witnessing is a claim that God has over the human being. The Sufi Rūzbihān al-Baqlī says in his commentary, “The spirit of Oneness (tawḥīd) will not find root in a person’s heart, so long as God has a claim upon him that he has not fulfilled.”» — y cita a Rūzbihān al-Baqlī sobre el testimonio veraz como derecho que Dios tiene sobre el hombre: el espíritu de la Unicidad no arraiga en el corazón mientras Dios tenga sobre él un derecho no cumplido.

«In a similar vein, believers are warned elsewhere not to be swayed in judgment by either hatred for a people (5:8) or pity for the accused (24:2). True justice is served by simply bearing witness to what one knows objectively and directly, not by passing along hearsay.» — el comentario de 4:135 advierte contra dejarse mover en el juicio por el odio a un pueblo o por la lástima al acusado, y pone la justicia verdadera en testimoniar lo que se sabe objetiva y directamente.

«136This is one of two verses in the Quran (the other is 2:177) that articulates a list of required Muslim beliefs that closely matches the list contained in the ḥadīth of Gabriel, where faith, or īmān, comprises belief in God, His angels, His messengers, His books, the Last Day, and the Divine Decree.» — el comentario de 4:136 sitúa esa aleya como una de las dos que enumeran las creencias requeridas, en línea con el ḥadīth de Gabriel.

«It is important to note that other verses clearly mention that there are Jews and Christians who believe in the Prophet and the Quran while remaining Jews and Christians (see 3:199 and commentary), thus indicating that such Jews and Christians should be considered believers by the standards of the present verse.» — el comentario de 4:136 consigna que otras aleyas nombran judíos y cristianos que creen en el Profeta y en el libro sin dejar de ser judíos y cristianos, lo que los haría creyentes según el criterio de esta aleya.

«137Following upon the articulation of required beliefs in the previous verse, this verse warns those who waver in their belief. By acknowledging the possibility of returning to belief after having apostatized, the verse indicates the possibility of communal (legal) acceptance of a former believer who leaves the community of faith, but then repents and seeks to reenter it.» — el comentario de 4:137 lee la aleya de los que creen y descreen varias veces como reconocimiento de la posibilidad de readmitir en la comunidad a quien la dejó y se arrepiente.

«117–19Females here likely refers to the three female deities worshipped by the pagan Makkans, al-Lāt, al-ʿUzzah, and Manāt, who are mentioned by name in 53:19–20 and whom the pagan Makkans believed to be the “daughters” of Allāh (Z).» — el comentario de 4:117 a 4:119 identifica las *hembras* de la aleya con las tres deidades femeninas de los mecanos paganos, al-Lāt, al-ʿUzzah y Manāt, tenidas por hijas de Allāh; la cifra pegada a *Females* es el número de aleya.

«However, the verse also suggests that each time one falls away from belief, the possibility for a full return is diminished, as it leads to an “increase” in disbelief.» — el comentario de 4:137 consigna el otro lado de esa lectura: cada caída de la fe disminuye la posibilidad de un retorno pleno, porque lleva a un aumento de la incredulidad.

«The verse mocks the idea of seeking strength or might (ʿizzah) through such alliances of protection, when might belongs to God altogether. See 63:8, where might (ʿizzah) belongs to God, the Messenger, and the believers; and 29:41: The parable of those who take protectors apart from God is that of the spider that makes a house. Truly the frailest of houses is the spider’s house, if they but knew.» — y consigna la burla que la aleya hace de buscar fuerza por esas alianzas cuando la fuerza es de Dios, emparejada con la parábola de la casa de la araña.

«For al-Ṭabarī, this verse serves as a warning not to sit with people engaged in vain or immoral discourse of any kind.» — el comentario de 4:140 recoge de al-Ṭabarī la extensión de la advertencia: no sentarse con quienes se ocupan de discurso vano o inmoral de cualquier clase.

«Should a slave embrace Islam while under the ownership of a disbeliever, the disbeliever is required to sell or free the slave; if the non-Muslim owner fails to do so before his death, the Muslim slave becomes his heir (Q).» — el comentario de 4:141 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, lo que los juristas derivaron para el esclavo que abrazaba el islam bajo dueño no musulmán: el dueño debía venderlo o liberarlo, y si no lo hacía antes de morir, el esclavo quedaba por heredero suyo.

«The audible reciprocity in the Arabic conveys a tone of mutual relenting and reconciliation after the dire warnings to the hypocrites in vv. 137–45.» — el comentario de 4:147 nota la reciprocidad audible del árabe entre el agradecer del arrepentido y el Atributo divino Agradecido, que da tono de clemencia y reconciliación mutuas tras las advertencias a los hipócritas.

«150–51In v. 136 and 2:285, faith is defined, in part, by a belief in God and all of His prophets and revealed books. The comprehensive nature of belief according to Islam means that to be selective in the prophets and books one recognizes or to believe in God, but not in all His prophets and revelations is, to enter the realm of disbelief.» — el comentario de 4:150 y 4:151 enuncia el carácter comprensivo de la fe según el islam: ser selectivo con los profetas y libros que se reconocen, o creer en Dios y no en todos Sus profetas, es entrar en el terreno de la incredulidad.

«Many commentators consider this to be a reference to the Jews and Christians who rejected the prophecy of Muhammad. As such, it marks a shift from the lengthy discussion of the hypocrites in vv. 137–47 to one about the People of the Book, which is the focus of the rest of the sūrah.» — y marca con esas aleyas el giro de la sura 4: de la larga discusión sobre los hipócritas al tratamiento de la Gente del Libro, que ocupa el resto.

«152The threat of punishment for disbelievers who seek to make a distinction between belief in God and His prophets is followed here by a corresponding promise of reward for those who believe without making such distinctions. The reminder that God is Forgiving, Merciful is understood by some to be an indication that all believers will ultimately be forgiven their misdeeds in the next life; even if they may be punished for them for a time, their punishment will not be eternal (R, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 4:152 recoge, con al-Rāzī y al-Ṭabarī, la lectura del recordatorio final de esa aleya: todos los creyentes serán al final perdonados y su castigo, si lo hay, no será eterno.

«153The People of the Book here refers specifically to the Jews and, according to some reports, to certain Madinan Jewish leaders (Th, Z).» — el comentario de 4:153 identifica a la Gente del Libro de esa aleya con los judíos y, según algunos relatos, con ciertos jefes judíos de Medina.

«The believers are repeatedly warned not to seek the protection of those outside their religious community, including Jews and Christians (3:28; 4:89, 144; 5:51, 57), or even their own family members, if they are not believers (9:23).» — el comentario de 4:139 consigna la advertencia repetida contra buscar protección fuera de la comunidad religiosa, incluidos judíos y cristianos y aun los propios parientes si no son creyentes.

«Their prayer is done idly, that is, without sincerity or the proper intention of drawing near to God (Ṭ) or else reluctantly and without hope of reward or fear of punishment from God (R, Z), but only to be seen of men and so gain social advantage by it.» — el comentario de 4:142 despliega en qué consiste que los hipócritas oren *ociosamente*: sin sinceridad ni intención de acercarse a Dios, o de mala gana, y solo para ser vistos.

«The cases of Abraham and Moses indicate that the human desire to see the Divine is not in itself blameworthy; rather, it depends on the intention with which the request is made.» — el comentario de 4:153 saca de los casos de Abraham y de Moisés una tesis sobre el deseo de ver lo divino: no es en sí reprensible, y depende de la intención con que se pide.

«Uncircumcised translates ghulf, which can also mean “enwrapped” (Ṭ), and as this term appears only in the context of a claim by Israelites or Jews who are unfaithful to their covenant, it also carries an additional spiritual resonance.» — el comentario de 4:155 despliega ghulf, que el volumen traduce *incircunciso* y que dice también *envuelto*, y le da resonancia espiritual.

«As Israelites or Jews, they were “circumcised” bodily and outwardly, as a mark of their membership in the covenant community. Their claim, then, that their “hearts” are uncircumcised suggests that their acceptance of the covenant, like their circumcision, was only outward and had not penetrated into their hearts.» — y lee la frase como confesión involuntaria: circuncidados en el cuerpo y en lo externo como marca de pertenencia al pacto, decir incircunciso el corazón sugiere que la aceptación del pacto no penetró en él.

«156The tremendous calumny against Mary refers to the implied accusation of indecency against her when she, as an unmarried woman (in the Islamic tradition), brought forth her son Jesus (Z)» — el comentario de 4:156 identifica la tremenda calumnia contra María con la acusación implícita de indecencia al traer a su hijo siendo soltera; el tramo se corta ahí.

«Al-Qushayrī identifies Mary as a “friend [of God]” or “saint” (waliyyah, fem. of walī) and indicates that two kinds of people will be chastised for their attitude toward such saintly persons: those who exaggerate concerning their station, such as, in Mary’s case, those who considered her to be Divine (see 5:116); and those who denounce them—for example, those who accused Mary of indecency rather than recognizing the miracle of her son’s birth (Qu).» — y recoge de al-Qushayrī que María es *amiga de Dios*, y los dos modos de errar ante los santos: exagerar su estación, como quienes la tuvieron por divina, y denunciarlos, como quienes la acusaron de indecencia.

«157Although the Quran addresses and criticizes the Christian belief in the Trinity (v. 171; 5:73) and the divinity of Jesus (5:17, 72, 116; 9:31), this is the only passage that addresses the belief in Christ’s crucifixion and death.» — el comentario de 4:157 declara esa aleya el único pasaje del libro que toca la creencia en la crucifixión y la muerte de Cristo.

«It is important to note that here the critique is not aimed directly at the belief in Christ’s crucifixion and death, but rather at the Jews’ claim to have killed him.» — y acota contra qué va la crítica: no directamente contra la creencia en la crucifixión y la muerte de Cristo sino contra la pretensión judía de haberlo matado.

«According to some commentators, when the Jewish authorities came to arrest Jesus, he was among a group of his followers. They did not know who among them was Jesus, because a Divine ruse had made them all appear the same, and one of Jesus’ followers was thus taken and killed in his place (IK, Ṭ, Z).» — el comentario transmite, con Ibn Kathīr, al-Ṭabarī y al-Zamakhsharī, el relato con que se explica que *así les pareció*: una estratagema divina hizo iguales a todos los presentes y otro fue tomado y muerto en su lugar.

«Because most accounts indicate that it appeared not only to the Jews, but also to all or most Christians, that Jesus had been killed, al-Ṭabarī argues that no blame or accusations of dishonesty can be leveled at Christians who believe in Jesus’ death and crucifixion.» — el comentario recoge de al-Ṭabarī una consecuencia de esos relatos: no cabe reproche ni acusación de deshonestidad contra los cristianos que creen en la muerte y la crucifixión de Jesús.

«A notable exception to this is al-Rāzī, who finds the idea that God would perpetrate such a deception in the physical realm, particularly as it relates to individual identity, unacceptable. If we cannot rely on our senses to identify individuals, then the proper application of Islamic Law, which is dependent upon physical witnessing and upon the certainty of people’s identities in matters of marriage and so forth, would be called into doubt.» — y consigna la objeción de al-Rāzī a esos relatos: le parece inaceptable que Dios perpetre tal engaño en el orden físico, porque si no cabe fiarse de los sentidos para identificar personas, la aplicación de la Ley quedaría en duda.

«The Quran is clear elsewhere, however, that Jesus is not Divine (5:116). Logically, then, he must share in human mortality. Islamic tradition holds Jesus will return near the end times to fight the Antichrist (al-Dajjāl) and will thereafter eventually die and be resurrected with the rest of humanity.» — el comentario de 4:158 consigna la posición islámica sobre el fin de Jesús: no es divino y por lógica comparte la mortalidad humana, y la tradición sostiene que volverá cerca del fin, combatirá al Anticristo y morirá y resucitará con el resto de la humanidad.

«In the present verse sunan (wonts) could also be rendered “cultures,” if culture is understood in the general sense of received norms of practice and knowledge.» — el comentario de 3:137 propone traducir sunan por *culturas*, entendida la cultura como normas recibidas de práctica y de conocimiento.

«The end (ʿāqibah) refers not only what comes last, but also denotes the result, upshot, or consequence of an act and its effect upon the being of the actor.» — y despliega ʿāqibah, el *fin* de la aleya: no solo lo que viene al último sino el resultado o consecuencia de un acto y su efecto sobre el ser del que actúa.

«Assay refers to refining or removal of impurities. It is understood to be a process of trials to test patience (Ṭ).» — y despliega el verbo que el volumen traduce *acrisolar*: refinar o quitar impurezas, entendido, con al-Ṭabarī, como proceso de pruebas de la paciencia.

«One Companion was reported to have said, “O people, if Muhammad has died, then the Lord of Muhammad will not die. How shall you live your lives after the Messenger of God? Fight as he fought, and die as he died!”» — el comentario de 3:144 transmite lo que un Compañero dijo al correr el rumor de la muerte del Profeta en Uḥud: si Muhammad ha muerto, el Señor de Muhammad no morirá.

«In his famous words to the Muslim community after the Prophet’s death, Abū Bakr reminded the people of this verse, and ʿUmar is reported to have responded, “It is as though I had never recited those words before that day.”» — y transmite lo que ʿUmar dijo al oír a Abū Bakr recordar esa aleya tras la muerte del Profeta: es como si nunca hubiera recitado esas palabras hasta ese día.

«A long ḥadīth describes a warrior, a philanthropist, and a scholar who expect Paradise for their actions while having only worldly intentions: the warrior for his fighting and dying, the philanthropist for giving charity, and the scholar for teaching others. Their true intentions of gaining only worldly renown and glory are exposed by God on the Day of Judgment, and they are rewarded with the Fire instead of Paradise.» — el comentario de 3:145 transmite el ḥadīth del guerrero, el filántropo y el sabio que esperan el Paraíso por sus actos teniendo solo intención mundana, y son recompensados con el Fuego.

«Devoted men translates ribbiyyūn, which is interpreted by some as a form of rabbāniyyūn, rendered in this translation as sages (Z; see v. 79). Others suggest that it refers generally to large groups (Ṭ); some give ten thousand as the specific number for ribbī and interpret ribbiyyūn to mean large numbers of learned people (ʿulamāʾ; Ṭ) or patient people (Q).» — el comentario de 3:146 despliega ribbiyyūn, que el volumen traduce *hombres devotos*: forma de rabbāniyyūn para unos, grandes grupos para otros, con la cifra de diez mil dada para el singular.

«151Although this verse can be understood more generally, it is reported that, on the way back to Makkah after the Battle of Uḥud, the idolaters lamented that they did not eradicate the Muslim community, though they had inflicted severe casualties upon them. When the Makkans had mustered the intention to return to Madinah, God cast terror into them until they lost heart and continued on toward Makkah (Q, Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:151 transmite, con al-Qurṭubī y al-Ṭabarī, la ocasión de la aleya del terror arrojado en los corazones: los mecanos, ya de vuelta, se arrepentían de no haber aniquilado a la comunidad, y al decidir volver perdieron el ánimo.

«The Companion Ibn Masʿūd reportedly said that, prior to the revelation of this verse, he had not known or believed that any among the Prophet’s Companions could be characterized as those who desire this world (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:152 transmite lo que Ibn Masʿūd dijo de esa aleya: antes de ella no sabía ni creía que ninguno de los Compañeros del Profeta pudiera contarse entre los que desean este mundo.

«Sorrow upon sorrow is understood by some to mean “sorrow because of sorrow”; that is, they were made to feel sorrow for having made the Prophet sorrowful (R).» — el comentario de 3:153 alinea las lecturas de *aflicción sobre aflicción*, con al-Rāzī: aflicción por la aflicción causada al Profeta, o aflicción tras aflicción.

«It is also interpreted to mean that God caused them sorrow, so that they would not become attached to the world and be neither saddened at losing it nor pleased at gaining it (R).» — y recoge de al-Rāzī una lectura de esa aflicción como pedagogía: se les causó para que no se apegaran al mundo y no se entristecieran al perderlo ni se alegraran al ganarlo.

«According to Ibn Masʿūd, to sleep during a battle shows one’s trust and faith in God and one’s detachment from the world, but sleep during prayer shows one’s distance from God (R).» — el comentario de 3:154 transmite de Ibn Masʿūd la lectura del sueño en la batalla: dormir en el combate muestra confianza y fe en Dios y desapego del mundo, y dormir en la oración muestra distancia de Dios.

«Al-Rāzī also offers a discussion about providence in commenting upon this verse, asserting that we should not claim to derive what God wills or does from our egocentric evaluation of pleasure and suffering, because we do not possess all the measures by which we might judge whether such and such a thing is bad or good, including success or failure on the battlefield.» — y recoge de al-Rāzī una advertencia sobre la providencia: no se puede derivar lo que Dios quiere o hace de la evaluación egocéntrica del placer y el sufrimiento, porque no poseemos todas las medidas del juicio.

«140–41That people refers to the believers’ enemies who, at the battle of Badr the year before, had suffered injuries and losses at the hands of the believers (IK, R), even as the believers now suffered wounds at their enemies’ hands at the Battle of Uḥud.» — el comentario de 3:140 y 3:141 identifica *aquel pueblo* con los enemigos de los creyentes, heridos el año anterior en Badr como ahora los creyentes en Uḥud.

«In commenting on this verse, al-Rāzī says, “Know that love of this world cannot coexist with happiness in the Hereafter, and to the degree that one of them increases the other diminishes. That is because happiness in the world only is achieved by the heart’s occupation with worldliness, and happiness in the Hereafter can only be achieved by emptying the heart of all that is other than God and filling it with the love of God.» — el comentario de 3:142 cita a al-Rāzī sobre el amor del mundo y el de la Otra Vida: no coexisten, y en la medida en que uno crece el otro mengua, porque la felicidad del mundo se logra ocupando el corazón en lo mundano y la de la Otra Vida vaciándolo de todo lo que no es Dios.

«Love is that which does not diminish with difficulty and does not increase through fulfillment. If love survives the onset of suffering, it is shown to be true love.”» — y cierra la cita con la regla que al-Rāzī da del amor verdadero: no mengua con la dificultad ni crece con el cumplimiento, y si sobrevive a la llegada del sufrimiento se muestra verdadero.

«147Some interpret our sins to mean small sins and our prodigality to mean great sins (Q). Prodigality renders isrāf, which means both waste and excess, the going» — el comentario de 3:147 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, la distinción entre los pecados pequeños y la prodigalidad como pecados grandes, e isrāf como desperdicio y exceso; el tramo se corta ahí.

«172The day after the Battle of Uḥud, the Prophet called those who had participated in the battle the previous day to set out with him to pursue the Makkans, who were still on the road between Makkah and Madinah and might have returned for another attack. Most of the Muslims, including the Prophet, were already wounded. They stopped several miles outside Madinah, at a place called Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad.» — el comentario de 3:172 narra la salida del día siguiente a Uḥud: el Profeta llamó a los que habían combatido, casi todos heridos, a perseguir a los mecanos, y se detuvieron en Ḥamrāʾ al-Asad.

«This verse is interpreted allegorically to mean that those of a spiritual nature should not be discouraged when worldly people unite to repudiate them, and that in fact the repudiation of worldly people will be only further proof of the truth of their spiritual attainment (Aj).» — el comentario de 3:173 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura alegórica de la aleya: los de naturaleza espiritual no han de desanimarse cuando los mundanos se unen para repudiarlos, porque ese repudio es prueba más de la verdad de su logro.

«178The respite We grant them refers to the disbelievers being given more life to live, instead of dying or being killed.» — el comentario de 3:178 lee el respiro concedido a los incrédulos como más vida en lugar de morir.

«That God should respond to disbelief by giving people the opportunity to increase in their disbelief raises theological questions about whether human beings are always free to believe, but God’s response can be better understood if one interprets the state of kufr (which is a state of being without guidance, meaning, or hope) as suffering itself, which also entails further suffering by leading one to commit further evil actions (see also 2:7c).» — y propone entender el kufr mismo como sufrimiento —estado sin guía, sin sentido y sin esperanza— que acarrea más sufrimiento al llevar a más actos malos.

«Another interpretation reads the particle in this sentence as representing causation, not intent, so that it would be translated, “We grant them a respite which only results in their increasing in sin.” Al-Rāzī rejects this interpretation as a contradiction of the verse’s plain sense.» — el comentario consigna una lectura que cambia intención por causación en esa aleya y la objeción de al-Rāzī, que la tiene por contraria al sentido llano.

«Spiritually, this verse can be understood as a description of the purification of the soul, a removal of the bad from the good, encouraging spiritual travelers to continue on the path but without expecting, as their final goal, to gain any kind of secret knowledge by it; rather, they should be seeking after God alone (Aj).» — el comentario de 3:179 recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la lectura espiritual de separar lo malo de lo bueno: purificación del alma, con el caminante avanzando sin esperar como meta un saber secreto y buscando solo a Dios.

«181–82It is said that some Jews, upon hearing the verse Who shall lend God a goodly loan? (2:245; 57:11), taunted the Muslims by saying that this means that they are rich and God is poor, not because they actually believed it, but in order to stir up disquiet in the hearts of the weak among the believers (Q)» — el comentario de 3:181 y 3:182 consigna, con al-Qurṭubī, la ocasión de esa aleya: la burla sobre que Dios sea pobre y ellos ricos, dicha no por creerlo sino para inquietar a los débiles entre los creyentes; el tramo se corta ahí.

«In this vein, some quote a ḥadīth of the Prophet: “When a sin is committed on earth, whosoever is present but deplores it is like one who was absent from it. Whosoever is absent from it but approves it is like one who was present.”» — y transmite el dicho sobre la complicidad en el pecado: quien está presente y lo deplora es como quien estuvo ausente, y quien está ausente y lo aprueba es como quien estuvo presente.

«Many commentators note that since a miraculously burned offering was not exhibited even by all the prophets of Israel, and since the practice of Jewish animal sacrifice had stopped after the destruction of the Second Temple, the challenge thus amounted to an empty and cynical ploy (R).» — el comentario de 3:183 consigna, con al-Rāzī, por qué el reto de la ofrenda consumida por fuego era ardid vacío y cínico: ni todos los profetas de Israel la exhibieron y el sacrificio animal judío había cesado tras la destrucción del Segundo Templo.

«As a spiritual allegory, this verse is seen as describing the soul’s stubbornness in refusing to follow the spiritual way and coming up with excuses to fool itself (Aj).» — y recoge de Ibn ʿAjībah la alegoría espiritual del mismo pasaje: la terquedad del alma que se niega a seguir la vía y se inventa excusas para engañarse.

«Al-Qushayrī says of this verse that the cup of death has been placed in the hand of every living being, and one can either drink it well and find bliss or drink it with a grimace and a wail.» — el comentario de 3:185 cita a al-Qushayrī sobre la aleya de que toda alma probará la muerte: la copa está puesta en la mano de todo viviente, y se la bebe bien y se halla la dicha, o con mueca y lamento.

«Al-Rāzī and al-Qurṭubī reject the argument that this verse is abrogated by the verses allowing fighting, since patience and leniency in the face of ridicule and insults was a wont of the Prophet and his Companions throughout their lives, even during the days of war (Q, R).» — el comentario de 3:186 consigna que al-Rāzī y al-Qurṭubī rechazan que la aleya de la paciencia ante la injuria quede abrogada por las que permiten combatir, porque la paciencia y la indulgencia ante la burla fueron costumbre del Profeta y de sus Compañeros aun en días de guerra.

«It should be noted that a central doctrine of Islamic eschatology is the affirmation of bodily resurrection, that in the Hereafter human beings will be embodied, not disembodied spirits, although these will be bodies of another kind,» — el comentario de 3:169 a 3:171 declara doctrina central de la escatología islámica la resurrección corporal: en la Otra Vida los seres humanos estarán encarnados y no serán espíritus sin cuerpo, aunque de otra clase; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«following him, slowly consuming him or wrapping itself around him, and the serpent will say to him, “I am your wealth; I am your treasure.”» — el comentario de 3:180 transmite la imagen atribuida al Profeta para el avaro el Día del Juicio: su tesoro aparece como serpiente que lo sigue y le dice ser su riqueza.

«Many believe that under Islam the Kaʿbah and the ḥaram no longer serve this function, that one can no longer hide there from prosecution, and that any crimes committed there are equally liable to penalty (Ṭ), although the penalty is not carried out there.» — el comentario de 3:97 consigna lo que muchos sostienen sobre el asilo en la Kaʿbah bajo el islam: ya no sirve para esconderse de la persecución, aunque la pena no se ejecute allí.

«98–99The Prophet is commanded to challenge the People of the Book regarding their rejection of him (Ṭ).» — el comentario de 3:98 y 3:99 lee esas aleyas, con al-Ṭabarī, como mandato al Profeta de interpelar a la Gente del Libro por su rechazo.

«The description of the Prophet’s physical and spiritual presence is a major aspect of the Islamic tradition, regarding which there is an entire genre of literature.» — el comentario de 3:101 consigna que la descripción de la presencia física y espiritual del Profeta es un aspecto mayor de la tradición islámica, con un género entero de literatura.

«It is reported that the command in the present verse was considered too heavy a burden, one that could never be fulfilled, and caused great anxiety among the Companions; some speculated that it was therefore abrogated by 64:16: So reverence God as much as you are able (M, R, Ṭ).» — y consigna la angustia que ese mandato causó entre los Compañeros por parecer carga imposible, y la conjetura de que quedara abrogado por la aleya que manda reverenciar a Dios cuanto se pueda.

«104The concepts of enjoining right and forbidding wrong appear again in vv. 110, 114; 7:157; 9:71, 112; 22:41; 31:17. In Islamic history, these ideas have been invoked in discussions regarding the legitimacy of political rebellion, the right to privacy, the speaking of difficult truths to those in power, and the balance between personal and communal responsibility.» — el comentario de 3:104 consigna los usos que en la historia islámica se dieron a ordenar lo reconocido y prohibir lo reprobable: la legitimidad de la rebelión política, el derecho a la privacidad, decir verdades difíciles al poder y el equilibrio entre responsabilidad personal y comunitaria.

«A ḥadīth often quoted in reference to this subject states, “Whosoever among you sees a wrong being done, let him change it with his hand, and if he is unable then with his tongue, and if he is unable then with his heart and that is the feeblest of belief.”» — y transmite el dicho de los tres grados de esa obligación: cambiar el mal con la mano, si no con la lengua y si no con el corazón, que es el grado más débil de la fe.

«Others say that one can interpret the right as what is considered good and beautiful in one’s consciousness, and the wrong as what is considered bad and ugly (M), meaning that right and wrong are determined not only through religious teaching, but also by one’s innate moral consciousness.» — el comentario recoge, con al-Māturīdī, una lectura de lo reconocido y lo reprobable por la conciencia: lo tenido por bueno y bello y lo tenido por malo y feo, de modo que no los fija solo la enseñanza religiosa sino también la conciencia moral innata.

«The Prophet said, in answering a question about piety (birr), “Consult your heart. Piety is that by which the soul and heart find peace.”» — y transmite la respuesta del Profeta a una pregunta sobre la piedad: consulta tu corazón, la piedad es aquello con lo que el alma y el corazón hallan paz.

«Faces blackening is an Arabic idiom describing a state of distress, shame, or grief, as in 43:17, when a man’s face blackens upon hearing news of an infant girl. A similar meaning is invoked in 10:26, where it is said that neither darkness nor abasement will come over the faces of the virtuous. Blackened faces are also mentioned in 39:60. Conversely, when faces whiten denotes joy and relief and spiritually refers to the light of faith.» — el comentario de 3:106 y 3:107 despliega el ennegrecerse de los rostros como modismo árabe de aflicción, vergüenza o duelo, y el blanquearse como alegría y alivio, referido espiritualmente a la luz de la fe.

«One perspective, typified in Ashʿarite theology, states that God does no wrong because wrong (ẓulm) is definable as trespassing upon what belongs to another, and since everything belongs to God, nothing He does could amount to a wrong.» — el comentario de 3:108 y 3:109 alinea dos posiciones teológicas sobre el agravio: la ašʿarí, que define el agravio como traspasar lo que es de otro y tiene todo por de Dios.

«Another prominent perspective, typified by the Muʿtazilite school of theology, states that God is always just, and what is just or unjust are objective features of the world recognizable by human beings.» — y la muʿtazilí, para la que Dios es siempre justo y lo justo y lo injusto son rasgos objetivos del mundo reconocibles por el ser humano.

«One of the Jews of Madinah happened upon a gathering of Muslims belonging to the previously warring tribes of Aws and Khazraj. He began to instigate trouble between them by reminding them of their wars and the insults they used to hurl at one another and succeeded in heating up the gathering to the point that the Muslims almost came to blows.» — el comentario de 3:100 transmite el incidente de Medina en que un judío reavivó las guerras pasadas entre los Aws y los Khazraj hasta que los musulmanes casi llegaron a las manos.