Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Say thou: “God best knows how long they tarried.” To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth: how He sees it and how He hears! They have no ally besides Him; and He ascribes not a partnership in His judgment to anyone.

قُلِ اللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُواۚ لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضِۜ اَبْصِرْ بِه۪ وَاَسْمِـعْۜ مَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِه۪ مِنْ وَلِيٍّۘ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ ف۪ي حُكْمِه۪ٓ اَحَداً
Quli Allahu aAAlamu bimalabithoo lahu ghaybu assamawati wal-ardiabsir bihi waasmiAA ma lahum min doonihi minwaliyyin wala yushriku fee hukmihi ahada
#wordmeaningroot
1quliSayقول
2l-lahuAllah
3aʿlamuknows bestعلم
4bimāabout what (period)
5labithūthey remainedلبث
6lahuFor Him
7ghaybu(is the) unseenغيب
8l-samāwāti(of) the heavensسمو
9wal-arḍiand the earthارض
10abṣirHow clearly He seesبصر
11bihi[of it]
12wa-asmiʿAnd how clearly He hearsسمع
13Not
14lahumfor them
15minbesides Him
16dūnihibesides Himدون
17minany
18waliyyinprotectorولي
19walāand not
20yush'rikuHe sharesشرك
21[in]
22ḥuk'mihiHis Commandsحكم
23aḥadan(with) anyoneاحد
  • Aisha Bewley

    Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they stayed. The Unseen of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Say: "God is fully aware how long they remained, to Him is the unseen of heavens and Earth, He sees and hears. They do not have besides Him any ally, nor does He share in His judgment with anyone."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Say, "Allah knows best how long they remained there. " His alone is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see and hear! They have no guardian apart from Him and He allots no one a share in His Rule!

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Say thou: “God best knows how long they tarried.” To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth: how He sees it and how He hears! They have no ally besides Him; and He ascribes not a partnership in His judgment to anyone.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Say: "God is fully aware how long they remained, to Him is the unseen of the heavens and the earth, He sees and hears. They do not have besides Him any ally, and He does not share in His judgment with anyone."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Say, "God is fully aware how long they remained, to Him is the unseen of heavens and earth, He sees and hears. They do not have besides Him any ally, nor does He share in His judgment with anyone."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Say, "GOD is the best knower of how long they stayed there." He knows all secrets in the heavens and the earth. By His grace you can see; by His grace you can hear. There is none beside Him as Lord and Master, and He never permits any partners to share in His kingship.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    You say: "God only knows how long they stayed. He alone knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. How distinctly He sees and hears! They have no other guardian but Him, and He does not share His authority with any one."

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

    Say, " Allah is most knowing of how long they remained. He has the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."

  • Muhammad Asad

    Say: "God knows best how long they remained . His is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth: how well does He see and hear! No guardian have they apart from Him, since He allots to no one a share in His rule!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Say: Allah is Best Aware how long they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth. How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and He maketh none to share in His government.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Say: "Allah knows best how long they remained in it, for only He knows all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth. How well He sees; how well He hears! The creatures have no other guardian than Him; He allows none to share His authority."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Say to them O Muhammad: "Allah alone knows how long they stayed in the cave. Knowledge of the mysteries of the heavens and the earth is a divine prerogative attributed only to Allah. How infinite is His vision arid how unlimited is His audition. Besides Him. People have no tutelary guardian. His Authority, Sovereignty and Command are absolute and independent and no one does He permit to go shares with Him in any measure or degree.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Say: "Only God knows exactly how many years they were in the cave. He knows every secret of the unseen, the heavens and the earth. He has the perfect sight and hearing capability. As a matter of fact, there is no guardian for the disbelievers besides Him as He does not let anyone to intervene in His passing the judgment.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Say: "Allâh knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Walî (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector) other than Him, and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed: with Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and the earth: how clearly He sees, how finely He hears (everything)! They have no protector other than Him; nor does He share His Command with any person whatsoever.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him ˹alone˺ is ˹the knowledge of˺ the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He hears and sees! They have no guardian besides Him, and He shares His command with none."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Say, "Allah knows best how long they stayed. To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth - how well He sees and how well He hears! They have no supporter other than Him and He lets no one share His authority."

  • Abdul Haleem

    Say , ‘God knows best how long they stayed.’ His is the knowledge of all that is hidden in the heavens and earth- How well He sees! How well He hears!- and they have no one to protect them other than Him; He does not allow anyone to share His rule.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'God knows very well how long they tarried. To Him belongs the Unseen in the heavens and in the earth. How well He sees! How well He hears! They have no protector, apart from Him, and He associates in His government no one.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Say, 'God knows best of their tarrying. His are the unseen things of the heavens and the earth - He can see! and hear!' They have no patron beside Him, nor does He let any one share in His judgment.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    So they stayed in their cave three hundred years and (some add) nine more.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Say, " Allah knows best how long they lingered. To Him (belongs) the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He beholds, and how well He hears!" In no way do they have any patron apart from Him, and He does not associate in His judgment anyone.

  • George Sale

    Say, God best knoweth how long they continued there: Unto Him are the secrets of heaven and earth known; do thou make him to see and to hear. The inhabitants thereof have no protector besides Him; neither doth He suffer any one to have a share in the establishment or knowledge of his decree.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    (O Prophet!) say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed: With Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and of the earth: How clearly He sees, how finely He hears! They have no protector other than Him; And He does not share His command and His rule with anyone (whomsoever). "

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Say, `Allâh knows best how long they stayed. To Him belong the hidden realities in the heavens and the earth. How clear He sees and how well He hears! They have no helper beside Him. He lets none associate with Him and share His judgment.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Say, ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see! How well does He hear! They have no guardian besides Him, and none shares with Him in His judgement.’