Surah al-A`raf 7:124

Opposite sides or disobedience?

Surah al-A`raf (7:124)

Pickthall Yusufali Shakir Sher Ali Rashad Khalifa

Surely I shall have your hands and feet cut off upon alternate sides. Then I shall crucify you every one. "Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross." I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then will I crucify you all together. `Most surely will I cut off your hands and your feet on account of your disobedience. Then will I surely crucify you all together.' "I will cut your hands and feet on alternate sides, then I will crucify you all."

Pickthall	Yusufali	Shakir	Sher Ali	Rashad Khalifa
Surely I shall have your hands and feet cut off upon alternate sides. Then I shall crucify you every one.	"Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross."	I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, then will I crucify you all together.	`Most surely will I cut off your hands and your feet on account of your disobedience. Then will I surely crucify you all together.'	"I will cut your hands and feet on alternate sides, then I will crucify you all."

Where does Maulvi Sher Ali get his strange translation from? Does this not qualify to be called a different version?

However, the most interesting part of this verse is not that one Muslim scholar disagrees on the translation of a certain phrase, but the historical problem of ascribing crucifixion to the Pharaoh at Moses' time.

Sher Ali is not entirely consistent, though, even in his own translation:

Surah ash-Shu`ara' (26:49)

Pickthall Yusufali Shakir Sher Ali Rashad Khalifa

(Pharaoh) said: Ye put your faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he doubtless is your chief who taught you magic! But verily ye shall come to know. Verily I will cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and verily I will crucify you every one. Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! but soon shall ye know! Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross!" Said he: You believe in him before I give you permission; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you the magic, so you shall know: certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and certainly I will crucify you all. Pharaoh said, `You have believed in him before I gave you leave? He is surely your chief who has taught you sorcery. But you shall know the consequences thereof. I will most surely cut off your hands and your feet on account of your disobedience and I will most surely crucify you all.' He said, "Did you believe with him before I give you permission? He must be your teacher, who taught you magic. You will surely find out. I will sever your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you all."

Pickthall	Yusufali	Shakir	Sher Ali	Rashad Khalifa
(Pharaoh) said: Ye put your faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he doubtless is your chief who taught you magic! But verily ye shall come to know. Verily I will cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and verily I will crucify you every one.	Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! but soon shall ye know! Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross!"	Said he: You believe in him before I give you permission; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you the magic, so you shall know: certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and certainly I will crucify you all.	Pharaoh said, `You have believed in him before I gave you leave? He is surely your chief who has taught you sorcery. But you shall know the consequences thereof. I will most surely cut off your hands and your feet on account of your disobedience and I will most surely crucify you all.'	He said, "Did you believe with him before I give you permission? He must be your teacher, who taught you magic. You will surely find out. I will sever your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you all."

But in the third passage Sher Ali agrees with the other translators and writes:

Surah Ta Ha (20:71)

Pickthall Yusufali Shakir Sher Ali Rashad Khalifa

(Pharaoh) said: Ye put faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he is your chief who taught you magic. Now surely I shall cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and I shall crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and ye shall know for certain which of us hath sterner and more lasting punishment. (Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!" (Firon) said: You believe in him before I give you leave; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, therefore I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will certainly crucify you on the trunks of the palm trees, and certainly you will come to know which of us is the more severe and the more abiding in chastising. Pharaoh said, `Do you believe in him before I give you leave? He must be your chief who has taught you magic. I will, therefore, surely cut off your hands and your feet on alternate sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees; and you shall know which of us can impose severer and more abiding punishment.' He said, "Did you believe in him without my permission? He must be your chief; the one who taught you magic. I will surely sever your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you on the palm trunks. You will find out which of us can inflict the worst retribution, and who outlasts whom."

Pickthall	Yusufali	Shakir	Sher Ali	Rashad Khalifa
(Pharaoh) said: Ye put faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he is your chief who taught you magic. Now surely I shall cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and I shall crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and ye shall know for certain which of us hath sterner and more lasting punishment.	(Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!"	(Firon) said: You believe in him before I give you leave; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, therefore I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will certainly crucify you on the trunks of the palm trees, and certainly you will come to know which of us is the more severe and the more abiding in chastising.	Pharaoh said, `Do you believe in him before I give you leave? He must be your chief who has taught you magic. I will, therefore, surely cut off your hands and your feet on alternate sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees; and you shall know which of us can impose severer and more abiding punishment.'	He said, "Did you believe in him without my permission? He must be your chief; the one who taught you magic. I will surely sever your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you on the palm trunks. You will find out which of us can inflict the worst retribution, and who outlasts whom."

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