38 Preface ما كانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِن حَرَجٍ فيما فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ۖ سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذينَ خَلَوا مِن قَبلُ ۚ وَكانَ أَمرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقدورًاYusuf AliThere can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what God has indicated to him1 as a duty. It was the practice (approved) of God amongst those of old that have passed away.2 And the command of God is a decree determined.3See third n. to verse 33:37 above.The next clause is parenthetical. Those words then connect on with verse 39. Among the people of the Book there was no taboo about adopted sons, as there was in Pagan Arabia.God’s ordering of the world is always full of wisdom. Even our unhappiness and misery may actually have a great meaning for ourselves or others or both. If our first Plan seems to fail, we must not murmur and repine, but retrieve the position by adopting a course which appears to be the best position in the light of our duties as indicated by God. For God’s Plan is framed on universal principles that cannot be altered by human action.