فَإيثَارَAnd favoringهَذَاthisالنَّقْدَcriticismعَلَىoverهَذِهِthisالنَّسِيئَةَdebtمِنofأَعْظَمِthe greatestالْغَبْنِdeceptionوَأَقْبَحِand the ugliestالْجَهْلِ.ignorance.
And favoring this criticism over this debt is one of the greatest deceptions and the ugliest forms of ignorance.
وَإِذَاAnd ifكَانَwasهَذَاthisنِسْبَةٌratioالدُّنْيَاof the worldly lifeبِمَجْمُوعِهَاin totalإِلَىtoالْآخِرَةِ،the Hereafter,
And if this is the ratio of the worldly life in total to the Hereafter,
فَمَاthen whatمَقْدَارُis the amountعُمُرِof the lifeالْإِنْسَانِof a personبِالنِّسْبَةِin relationإِلَىtoالْآخِرَةِ؟the Hereafter?
then what is the amount of a person's life in relation to the Hereafter?
فَأَيُّماSo which isأَوْلَىmore deservingبِالْعَاقِلِfor the rational personإِيثَارَto favorالْعَاجِلِthe immediateفِيinهَذِهِthisالْمُدَّةِshort periodالْيَسِيرَةِof timeوَحِرْمَانِand deprivationالْخَيْرِof goodالدَّائِمِthat is everlastingفِيin theالْآخِرَةِ،Hereafter,أَمْorتَركَto leaveشَيْءٍsomethingحَقِيرٍinsignificantصَغِيرٍsmallمُنْقَطِعٍcut offعَنْfromقُرْبِnearلِيَأْخُذَto takeمَاwhatلَاnotقِيمَةًvaluableلَهُto itوَلَاand notخَطَرًاof importanceلَهُto itوَلَاand noنِهَايَةًendلَعَدَدِهِ،to its quantity,وَلَاand noغَايَةًobjectiveلِأَمَدِهِ.to its duration.
So which is more deserving for the rational person: to favor the immediate in this short period of time and be deprived of the everlasting good in the Hereafter, or to leave something insignificant and small that is cut off from near to take what has no value to it, has no importance to it, has no end to its quantity, and has no objective to its duration?
وَأَمَّاAnd as forقَوْلُthe sayingالآخَرِ:of another:«لَا"Do notأَتْرُكْleaveمُتَيَقِّنًاwhat is certainلِمَشْكُوكٍfor something doubtfulفِيهِ»in it,
And as for the saying of another: "Do not leave what is certain for something doubtful in it,".
فَيُقَالُIt is said to him:إِمَّاEitherأَنْthatتَكُونَyou areعَلَىonشَكٍّdoubtمِنofوَعْدِthe promiseاللَّهِof Godوَعِيدِهِand His warningوَصِدْقِand the truthرُسُلِهِ،of His messengers,أَوْorتَكُونَyou areعَلَىin a state ofيَقِينٍcertaintyمِنofذَلِكَ.that.
It is said to him: Either you are in doubt about the promise of God and His warning and the truth of His messengers, or you are in a state of certainty of that.
فَإِنIfكُنتَyou areعَلَىin the state ofيَقِينٍ،certainty,فَمَاthen whatتَرَكَتَdid you leaveإِلَّاexcept forذَرَّةًa speckعَاجِلَةًof immediateمُنْقَطِعَةٍcut offفَانِيَةًand perishingعَنْfromقُرْبٍ،near,لِأَمْرٍfor a matterمُتَيَقِّنٍthat is certainلَا شَكَّthere is no doubtفِيهِin itوَلَاand noانْقِطَاعٍdiscontinuityلَهُ.to it.
If you are in a state of certainty, then what you left is only a speck of immediate and perishing matter that is cut off from near, for a matter that is certain, with no doubt in it and no discontinuity to it.
وَإِنAnd ifكُنتَyou areعَلَىin the state ofشَكٍّ،doubt,فَرَاجِعْthen reviewآيَاتِthe versesالرَّبِّof the Lordتَعَالَىthe Most Highالدَّالَّةَthat indicateعَلَىonوُجُودِهِHis existenceوَقُدْرَتِهِand His powerوَمَشِيئَتِهِand His willوَوَحْدَانِيَّتِهِand His onenessوَصِدْقِand the truthرُسُلِهِof His messengersفِيَمَاin whatأَخْبَرُواthey informedبِهِabout Him.
And if you are in doubt, then review the verses of the Lord the Most High that indicate His existence, His power, His will, His oneness, and the truth of His messengers in what they informed about Him.