Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

That you might settle yourselves upon their backs; then remember the favour of your Lord when you have settled yourselves thereon, and say: “Glory be to Him who made this subject for us when we were not equal to it!

لِتَسْتَوُ۫ا عَلٰى ظُهُورِه۪ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ اِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذ۪ي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِن۪ينَۙ
Litastawoo AAala thuhoorihithumma tathkuroo niAAmata rabbikum itha istawaytumAAalayhi wataqooloo subhana allathee sakhkhara lanahatha wama kunna lahu muqrineen
#wordmeaningroot
1litastawūThat you may sit firmlyسوي
2ʿalāon
3ẓuhūrihitheir backsظهر
4thummathen
5tadhkurūrememberذكر
6niʿ'mata(the) favorنعم
7rabbikum(of) your Lordربب
8idhāwhen
9is'tawaytumyou sit firmlyسوي
10ʿalayhion them
11wataqūlūand sayقول
12sub'ḥānaGlory be (to)سبح
13alladhīthe One Who
14sakhara(has) subjectedسخر
15lanāto us
16hādhāthis
17wamāand not
18kunnāwe wereكون
19lahuof it
20muq'rinīnacapableقرن
  • Aisha Bewley

    so that you might sit firmly on their backs and remember your Lord’s blessing while you are seated on them, saying, ‘Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us. We could never have done it by ourselves.

  • Progressive Muslims

    So that you may settle on their backs; and then when you have settled on them you may recall your Lord's blessing, by saying: "Glory be to the One who commits this for us, and we could not have done so by ourselves. "

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    So that you might have control of the means of transport, and that upon gaining control of them you might remember your Lord's Blessings, and say, "Glorified is He Who has made all this of service to us. (Against His Laws) we would not have been able to attain this control. ('Alayehi': The singular form here refers to 'transport' including the ships, the quadrupeds, and all else).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    That you might settle yourselves upon their backs; then remember the favour of your Lord when you have settled yourselves thereon, and say: “Glory be to Him who made this subject for us when we were not equal to it!

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    So that you may settle on their backs; then recall the blessing of your Lord once you have settled on them, and say: "Glory to the One who has committed this for us, and we could not have done so by ourselves."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    So that you may settle on their backs; and then when you have settled on them you may recall your Lord's blessing, by saying: "Glory be to the One who commits this for us, and we could not have done so by ourselves."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    As you rest on top of them, you shall appreciate such a blessing from your Lord, and say, "Glory be to the One who subdued this for us. We could not have controlled them by ourselves.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    So that when you sit astride of them and think of the bounties of your Lord, you may say: "All glory to Him who subjugated these for us. We were incapable of doing so.

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

    That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. "Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have subdued it.

  • Muhammad Asad

    in order that you might gain mastery over them, and that, whenever you have mastered them, you might remember your Sustainer’s blessings and say: "Limitless in His glory is He who has made this subservient to our use - since we would not have been able to attain to it.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    That ye may mount upon their backs, and may remember your Lord's favour when ye mount thereon, and may say: Glorified be He Who hath subdued these unto us, and we were not capable (of subduing them);

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    so that when you are mounted upon them you may remember the bounty of your Lord, and say: "Glory be to Him Who has subjected this to Us whereas we did not have the strength to subdue it.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    That you may sit and rest comfortably upon their backs and render solemn acknowledgement of Divine favours when making a land travel or a voyage by sea and exercise the mind in devotional thought and put your thoughts into words, thus: " Glory to Him Who has subjected these animate and inanimate creatures to us; it would have been otherwise impossible to render them submissive and to make them minister to our comfort"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    As you use your vehicles, you should express your gratitude by saying: "Glory to the Lord Who subjected them to us; otherwise, we could not have controlled them ourselves. "

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    In order that ye may sit firm and square on their backs, and when so seated, ye may celebrate the (kind) favour of your Lord, and say, "Glory to Him Who has subjected these to our (use), for we could never have accomplished this (by ourselves),

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    so that you may sit firmly on their backs, and remember your Lord’s blessings once you are settled on them, saying, "Glory be to the One Who has subjected these for us, for we could have never done so ˹on our own˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    so that you may mount upon their back, then recall the favour of your Lord after having mounted upon it and say, "Pure is the One who has subjugated this for us, and We were not able to have control over it,

  • Abdul Haleem

    so that you may remember your Lord’s grace when you are seated on them and say, ‘Glory be to Him who has given us control over this; we could not have done it by ourselves.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    that you may be seated on their backs and then remember your Lord's blessing when you are seated on them, and say, 'Glory be to Him, who has subjected this to us, and we ourselves were not equal to it;

  • E. Henry Palmer

    that ye may settle yourselves on their backs; then remember the favour of your Lord when ye settled thereon, and say, 'Celebrated be the praises of Him who hath subjected this to us! We could not have got this ourselves;

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    That you may firmly sit on their backs, then remember the favour of your Lord when you are firmly seated thereon, and say, "Glory be to Him Who made this subservient to us, for we could not do it by ourselves.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    That you may level yourselves (i. e., sit) on their backs. Thereafter you remember the favor of your Lord when you have leveled yourselves on them, and say, All Extolment be to Him Who has subjected this to us, and in no way could we be ascribing comrades to Him.

  • George Sale

    that ye may sit firmly on the backs thereof, and may remember the favour of your Lord, when ye sit thereon, and may say, praise be unto Him, Who hath subjected these unto our service! For we could not have mastered them by our own power:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    In order that you may sit firm and square on their backs; And when are seated, you may think (and feel) the kindness of your Lord, and say, "Glory to Him Who has subjected this to our (use), and we could never have done this (for ourselves),

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    So that you may sit firmly on their backs (and) then you may remember the favour of your Lord when you are firmly seated (and settled) on them and say, `Glory be to Him Who has made these things subservient to us, while we (if left to) ourselves were not capable of (the task of) subduing them.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    that you may sit on their backs, then remember the blessing of your Lord when you are settled on them, and say, ‘Immaculate is He who has disposed this for us, and we were no match for it.