الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ
ALL PRAISE is due to God, to whom all that is in the heavens and all that is one on earth belongs; and to Him will be due all praise in the life of the come. For He alone is truly wise, all-aware: (1)
يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ الرَّحِيمُ الْغَفُورُ
He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. And He alone is a dispenser of grace, truly-forgiving. (2)
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَأْتِينَا السَّاعَةُ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا أَصْغَرُ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ
And yet, they who are bent on denying the truth assert, "Never will the Last Hour come upon us!" Say: "Nay, by my Sustainer! By Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception: it will most certainly come upon you!" Not an atom's weight [of whatever there is] in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge; and neither is there anything smaller than that, or larger, but is recorded in [His] clear decree, (3)
لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ
to the end that He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds: [for] it is they whom forgiveness of sins awaits, and a most excellent sustenance – (4)
وَالَّذِينَ سَعَوْا فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِنْ رِجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ
whereas for those who strive against Our messages, seeking to defeat their purpose, there is grievous suffering in store as an outcome of [their] vileness. (5)
وَيَرَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ هُوَ الْحَقَّ وَيَهْدِي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ
NOW THEY who are endowed with [innate] knowledge are well aware that whatever has been bestowed upon thee from on high by thy Sustainer is indeed the truth, and that it guides onto the way that leads to the Almighty, the One to whom all praise is due! (6)
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِي خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
As against this, they who are bent on denying the truth say [unto all who are of like mind]: "Shall we point out to you a man who will tell you that [after your death,] when you will have been scattered in countless fragments, you shall – lo and behold! – be [restored to life] in a new act of creation? (7)
أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَمْ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ بَلِ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ فِي الْعَذَابِ وَالضَّلَالِ الْبَعِيدِ
Does he [knowingly] attribute his own lying inventions to God – or is he a madman?" Nay, [there is no madness in this Prophet –] but they who will not believe in the life to come are [bound to lose themselves] in suffering and in a profound aberration. (8)
أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنْ نَشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُنِيبٍ
Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? – [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them? In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance]. (9)
- Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them?6 - [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them,7 or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them?8 In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance].9
- 6 Lit., "... not aware of what of the sky and the earth is between their hands, and what is behind them": an idiomatic phrase explained in surah 2, note 247. In the present context - as well as in 2:255 - the above phrase stresses the insignificance of the knowledge attained to by man, or accessible to him; hence, so the argument goes, how can anyone be so presumptuous as to deny the reality of resurrection and life after death, seeing that it is a phenomenon beyond man's experience, while, on the other hand, everything within the universe points to God's unlimited creative power".
- 7 I.e., in an earthquake.
- 8 This allusion to unpredictable geological and cosmic occurrences - earthquakes, the fall of meteors and meteorites, cosmic rays, and so forth - reinforces the statement about "how little of the sky and the earth ties open before them, and how much is hidden from them", and contrasts man's insignificance with God's omniscience and almightiness.
- 9 See last sentence of 24:31 and the corresponding note 41.
- See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth?3796 If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow3797 them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them.3798 Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).
- 3796 The men who walk in spiritual darkness and laugh at a Hereafter have but to observe the Power of Allah in the nature around them. He Who created the heavens and the earth and sustains them can surely make a new Creation! And the cosmic Laws which are so just and inevitable should surely give them an idea of the inexorable Justice that must redress all balance.
- 3797 Cf. 16:45, and n. 2071. Who are these puny creatures?sceptics that question the might and majesty of Allah?
- 3798 Cf. 26:187. this was actually a challenge hurled at Shu'ayb and a shower of ashes and cinders came from above and overwhelmed the challengers!
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See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
Do they not then consider what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We please We will make them disappear in the land or bring down upon them a portion from the heaven; most surely there is a sign in this for every servant turning (to Allah).
— M. Habib Shakir -
See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every faithful believer that [believes in the Oneness of Allah], and turns to Allah (in all affairs with humility and in repentance).
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
Behold they not that which is before them and that which is behind them of the heaven and the earth If We will, We shall sink the earth with them or cause a fragment of the heaven to fall on them. Verily therein is a sign Unto every repentant bondman.
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
Have they not seen what is before them and behind them in heaven and earth? If We willed, We would make the earth swallow them up, or We would let lumps from heaven fall down on them. Surely, there is a sign in this for every penitent worshiper.
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
But have they not considered what lies before them and what lies behind them of the heaven and earth? If We will, We would make the earth to swallow them, or drop down fragments of the heaven on them; in that is surely a Sign for every penitent servant.
— Ayub Khan -
Do they not see how they are encompassed by that which is before them and that which is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We please, We could cause the earth to sink with them, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. In that verily is a Sign for every repentant servant of God.
— Sher Ali -
Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? – [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them?
In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance].
— Muhammad Asad -
Have they not regarded what lies before them and what lies behind them of heaven and earth? Did We will, We would make the earth to swallow them, or We would drop down on them lumps from heaven. Surely in that is a sign to every penitent servant.
— Arthur Arberry -
Do they not see how the heavens and the earth encompass them from the front and the rear? We could, if We so wished, cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments of the sky fall upon them.{{12}} Verily there is a Sign in this for every servant (of Allah) who penitently turns to Him.{{13}}
— Abu'l Ala Maududi