booke

the theory of limits 199Said (Pharaoh): “You believe in Him before I give you permission?Surely he [Moses] is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! But soonshall you know! “Be sure I will cut off [sic] 18 [la-uqaããi#ann a ] your handsand your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on thecross!” ( Al-Shu#ar§" 26:49)The conjunction ‘and’ used to connect the threat of a cut to theirhands and death on the cross, indicates that the Pharaoh envisagedboth punishments, in succession, for the wicked sorcerers. But a crucifixionafter an amputation of both hands and feet is practicallyimpossible to execute. Hence, the threat ‘to cut your hands’(la-uqaããi#ann a aidiyakum), preceding the threat of crucifixion, cannotpossibly be interpreted as a threat of amputation. This is differentfrom verse 33 of Sårat al-M§"ida in which not ‘and’ but the conjunction‘or’ is used which, because of possible alternative punishments,allows the verb q-t-# to be understood as ‘to cut off their hands’:The punishment of those who wage war against God and His Apostle,and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution,or crucifixion, or the cutting off [au nuqaããa# a ] of hands and feetfrom opposite sides, or exile from the land… ( Al-M§"ida 5:33)Other verses suggest even more different renderings of q-t-#, such as‘to cut across’:Nor could they spend anything (for the cause)—small or great—norcut across [ yaqãa#ån a ] a valley, but the deed is inscribed to their credit…( Al-Tawba 9:121)Or ‘to sunder’:Those who break God’s covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder[ yaqãa#ån a ] what God has ordered to be joined, and do mischief onearth… ( Al-Baqara 2:27)Or ‘to wipe out’:Of the wrong-doers the last remnant was cut off [quãi# a ]. Praise be toGod, the cherisher of the worlds. ( Al-An#§m 6:45)Or ‘to break ties’:18All translators without exception (i.e., including AhA) render la-uqaããi#ann a as‘to cut off’ and do not seem to see a problem in the (technically) impossible sequenceof punishment from amputation to crucifixion.