Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Say thou: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say thou: “God.” Say thou: “Have you then taken, besides Him, allies which have not power to do themselves benefit or harm?” Say thou: “Is the blind equal to the seeing? Or is darkness equal to the light?” If they have ascribed to God partners that created the like of His creation, then the creation appears the same to them. Say thou: “God is creator of all things, and He is the One, the Vanquishing.”

قُلْ مَنْ رَبُّ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضِۜ قُلِ اللّٰهُۜ قُلْ اَفَاتَّخَذْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِه۪ٓ اَوْلِيَٓاءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِاَنْفُسِهِمْ نَفْعاً وَلَا ضَراًّۜ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْاَعْمٰى وَالْبَص۪يرُۙ اَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُۚ اَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَٓاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِه۪ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْۜ قُلِ اللّٰهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ
Qul man rabbu assamawatiwal-ardi quli Allahu qul afattakhathtummin doonihi awliyaa la yamlikoona li-anfusihimnafAAan wala darran qul hal yastawee al-aAAmawalbaseeru am hal tastawee aththulumatuwannooru am jaAAaloo lillahi shurakaakhalaqoo kakhalqihi fatashabaha alkhalqu AAalayhim quliAllahu khaliqu kulli shay-in wahuwa alwahidualqahhar
#wordmeaningroot
1qulSayقول
2manWho
3rabbu(is) the Lordربب
4l-samāwāti(of) the heavensسمو
5wal-arḍiand the earthارض
6quliSayقول
7l-lahuAllah
8qulSayقول
9afa-ittakhadhtumHave you then takenاخذ
10minfrom
11dūnihibesides Himدون
12awliyāaprotectorsولي
13not
14yamlikūnathey have powerملك
15li-anfusihimfor themselvesنفس
16nafʿan(to) benefitنفع
17walāand not
18ḍarran(to) harmضرر
19qulSayقول
20halIs
21yastawīequalسوي
22l-aʿmāthe blindعمي
23wal-baṣīruand the seeingبصر
24amOr
25halis
26tastawīequalسوي
27l-ẓulumātuthe darkness[es]ظلم
28wal-nūruand the lightنور
29amOr
30jaʿalūthey attributeجعل
31lillahito Allah
32shurakāapartnersشرك
33khalaqūwho createdخلق
34kakhalqihilike His creationخلق
35fatashābahaso that seemed alikeشبه
36l-khalquthe creationخلق
37ʿalayhimto them
38quliSayقول
39l-lahuAllah
40khāliqu(is) the Creatorخلق
41kulliof allكلل
42shayinthingsشيا
43wahuwaand He
44l-wāḥidu(is) the Oneوحد
45l-qahāruthe Irresistibleقهر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Say: ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘Allah. ’ Say: ‘So why have you taken protectors apart from Him who possess no power to help or harm themselves?’ Say: ‘Are the blind and seeing equal? Or are darkness and light the same? Or have they assigned partners to Allah who create as He creates, so that all creating seems the same to them?’ Say: ‘Allah is the Creator of everything. He is the One, the All-Conquering.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Say: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and Earth, " Say: "God. " Say: "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not posses for themselves any benefit or harm" Say: "Is the blind and the seer the same, or does the darkness and the light equate Or have they made partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them" Say: "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Ask them, "Who is the Lord of the Highs and the Lows?" Say, "Allah!" (23:84-90), (29:21-23). Then ask, "Why then, do you take as protectors besides Him those who have neither benefit, nor harm even for themselves?" (When you acknowledge Him as the God of the heavens, what stops you from acknowledging Him as God of the earth, and thus, as the Law-giving Authority? (6:3), (21:21-22), (43:84)). Say, "Is the blind of reason equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light?" (11:24), (35:19). Have their 'partners' of Allah created something like He has created, so that this act of creation appears to them to be similar? Say, "Allah is the Creator of all things. He is the One, Dominating."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Say thou: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say thou: “God.” Say thou: “Have you then taken, besides Him, allies which have not power to do themselves benefit or harm?” Say thou: “Is the blind equal to the seeing? Or is darkness equal to the light?” If they have ascribed to God partners that created the like of His creation, then the creation appears the same to them. Say thou: “God is creator of all things, and He is the One, the Vanquishing.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Say: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "God." Say: "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not possess for themselves any benefit or harm?" Say: "Is the blind and the seer the same? Or do the darkness and the light equate? Or have they set up partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them?" Say: "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and earth," Say, "God." Say, "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not possess for themselves any benefit or harm?" Say, "Is the blind and the seer the same? Or, does the darkness and the light equate?" Or have they made partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them? Say, "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, "GOD." Say, "Why then do you set up besides Him masters who do not possess any power to benefit or harm even themselves?" Say, "Is the blind the same as the seer? Is darkness the same as the light?" Have they found idols besides GOD who created creations similar to His creations, to the point of not distinguishing the two creations? Say, "GOD is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" (They will) say: "God. " Say: "Then why do you take protectors besides Him who have no power over their own gain or loss?" Say: "Can a blind man and one who can see be equal? Or, darkness and light be the same? Or, have those they have appointed equal of God created, as He has created, so that the (two) creations look alike to them?" Say: "God is the creator of everything. He is One, the omnipotent."

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    Say, "Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?" Say, " Allah. " Say, "Have you then taken besides Him allies not possessing for themselves any benefit or any harm?" Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness equivalent to light? Or have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the creation seemed similar to them?" Say, " Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Prevailing."

  • Muhammad Asad

    Say: "Who is the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: " God. " Say: " then, do you take for your protectors, instead of Him, such as have it not within their power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from, themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? -or can the depths of darkness and the light be deemed equal?" Or do they believe that there are, side by side with God, other divine powers that have created the like of what He creates, so that this act of creation appears to them to be similar ? Say: "God is the Creator of all things; and He is the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Say (O Muhammad): Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: Allah. Say: Take ye then (others) beside Him for protectors, which, even for themselves, have neither benefit nor hurt? Say: Is the blind man equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light? Or assign they unto Allah partners who created the like of His creation so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them? Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Almighty.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allah."* Tell them: "Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals?* Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?"* If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?* Say: "Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible."*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Ask them O Muhammad: "Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth!" and say to them: "It is Allah". and ask them: "Have you taken besides Him other deities who have no control over what befalls You of good or harm!". Ask them: "Do you compare the one without the sense of sight or who lacks spiritual perception with the other who perceives objects by sight or perceives mentally and apprehends by thought ! " "Does darkness or want of spiritual or intellectual sight compare with light or spiritual enlightenment?". Or did those whom they incorporate with Allah call into existence or form out of nothingness any creature, animate or inanimate, identical with any of those created by Allah, to the extent that they cannot tell the difference! Say to them: "It is Allah Who is the Creator of the whole and of all in all; He is the One and only Ilah, the Supreme controlling and influencing power inherent in the whole and in all in all."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Ask: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" say: “God. ” Then say: “Knowing this fact, why do you then adopt less than God as your lord? Do you not see that these adopted lords of yours have no power whatsoever to do something?” Say: “Is a blind man (physically speaking) equal to the one who can see?” Say: “Is darkness the same as the light?” Have your adopted gods created the things so similar to the creation of the Lord that it has become so difficult for you to judge who is God and who is not God? Say: “God is the Creator of everything; He is One and He is Almighty.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allâh." Say: "Have you then taken (for worship) Auliyâ’ (protectors) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allâh partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them?" Say: "Allâh is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allah." Say: "Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Are the blind equal with those who see? Or the depths of darkness equal with light?" Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, “Allah!” Ask ˹them˺, “Why ˹then˺ have you taken besides Him lords who cannot even benefit or protect themselves?” Say, “Can the blind and the sighted be equal? Or can darkness and light be equal?” Or have they associated with Allah partners who ˹supposedly˺ produced a creation like His, leaving them confused between the two creations? Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme.”

  • Taqi Usmani

    Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, “Allah.” Say, “Have you, then, taken as protectors those besides Him who possess no power to cause benefit or harm even to themselves?” Say, “Is it that a blind person and a sighted one are equal, or that all sorts of the darkness and the light are alike?” Or, have they ascribed such partners with Allah who (according to their belief) have created (some of the creation) as He has created, and thus the creation seemed to them alike? Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the All-Dominant.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    Say , ‘Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Why do you take protectors other than Him, who can neither benefit nor harm even themselves?’ Say, ‘Are the blind equal to those who can see? And are the depths of darkness equal to the light?’ Have the partners they assign to God created anything like His creation so that their creation is indistinguishable from His? Say, ‘God is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the All Compelling.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'Who is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth?' Say: 'God. ' Say: 'Then have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power to profit or hurt themselves?' Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing man equal, or are the shadows and the light equal? Or have they ascribed to God associates who created as He created, so that creation is all alike to them?' Say: 'God is the Creator of everything, and He is the One, the Omnipotent.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Say, 'Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth?' say, 'God;' say, 'Do ye take beside God patrons who cannot control profit or harm for themselves?' say, 'Shall the blind and the seeing be held equal? or shall the darkness and the light be held equal? or have they made associates with God who can create as He creates, so that the creation seem familiar to them?' say, 'God is the creator of everything, and He is the one, the dominant. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And unto Allah do prostrate whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the evening.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Say, "Who is The Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, " Allah. " Say, "Then have you taken to yourselves, apart from Him, constant patrons (who) do not possess for themselves neither profit nor harm?" Say, "Are the blind (man) and the beholding (one) equal? Or even are the darknesses and the light equal?" Or have they made up for Allah associates who created the like of His creation, so that creation appeared similar to them? Say, " Allah is The Creator of everything and He is The One, The Superb Vanquisher."

  • George Sale

    Say, who is the Lord of heaven and earth? Answer, God. Say, have ye therefore taken unto yourselves protectors beside Him, who are unable either to help, or to defend themselves from hurt? Say, shall the blind and the seeing be esteemed equal? Or shall darkness and light be accounted the same? Or have they attributed companions unto God who have created as He hath created, so that their creation bear any resemblance unto His? Say, God the creator of all things; he is the one, the victorious God.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "It is Allah. "... Say: "Then do you take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as (those who) have no power, for good or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind and the one who sees equal? Or the depths of darkness and Light equal?” Or do they assign to Allah 'partners' who have created like His Creation, so that the creation seemed similar to them? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: And He is The One (Al-Wah'id), the Supreme and Irresistible (Al-Qahhar)."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Ask (them), `Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?' (They will not be able to answer it, therefore) say, `It is Allâh. ' Say (again), `Have you, even then, taken, apart from Him (such other) helpers as have no power to receive good or avoid harm even for themselves?.' Say, `Is the blind person as good as the person who can see? Or are the different kinds of darkness the same as the light? Or have they ascribed to Allâh associate partners who have created the things as He has created, with the result that the two creations look similar to them?' Say, `Allâh (alone) is the Creator of all things and He is the One, the Most Supreme.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Say, ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘Allah!’ Say, ‘Have you then taken others besides Him for guardians, who have no control over their own benefit or harm?’ Say, ‘Are the blind one and the seer equal? Or are the darkness and the light equal?’ Have they set up for Allah partners who have created like His creation, so that the creations seemed confusable to them? Say, ‘Allah is the creator of all things, and He is the One, the All-paramount. ’