Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

That is because thy Lord would not destroy the cities in injustice, while their people were unaware.

ذٰلِكَ اَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ الْقُرٰى بِظُلْمٍ وَاَهْلُهَا غَافِلُونَ
Thalika an lam yakun rabbuka muhlikaalqura bithulmin waahluha ghafiloon
#wordmeaningroot
1dhālikaThat (is because)
2an[that]
3lamnot
4yakunisكون
5rabbukayour Lordربب
6muh'likaone who destroysهلك
7l-qurāthe citiesقري
8biẓul'minfor (their) wrongdoingظلم
9wa-ahluhāwhile their peopleاهل
10ghāfilūna(are) unawareغفل
  • Aisha Bewley

    That was because their Lord would never have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were unaware.

  • Progressive Muslims

    That is because your Lord was not to destroy any town because of its wickedness while its people were unaware.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And so it is that your Lord never destroys communities arbitrarily while their people are unaware of their wrongdoings.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    That is because thy Lord would not destroy the cities in injustice, while their people were unaware.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    That is because your Lord was not to destroy any town because of its wickedness while its people were unaware.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    That is because your Lord was not to destroy any town because of its wickedness while its people were unaware.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    This is to show that your Lord never annihilates any community unjustly, while its people are unaware.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    And this (so that it may be clear) that your Lord does not destroy towns and cities arbitrarily while the citizens remain unaware.

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

    That is because your Lord would not destroy the cities for wrongdoing while their people were unaware.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And so it is that thy Sustainer would never destroy a community for its wrongdoing so long as its people are still unaware :

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    This is because thy Lord destroyeth not the townships arbitrarily while their people are unconscious (of the wrong they do).

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    (They will be made to bear this witness to show that) it is not the way of your Lord to destroy cities unjustly while their people were unaware of the Truth.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Among the set of Allah's correlated principles is His merciful dealing with the guilty who lacked knowledge of what is wrong and what is right, nor has he been guided or warned. Therefore, never would Allah, your Creator, do away with the cities when their inhabitants were unconscious of the wrong they were accustomed to do.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    This is said so that you know that your Lord does not destroy the nations of the wrongdoers without proper warnings.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    This is because your Lord would not destroy the (populations of) towns for their wrong-doing (i.e. associating others in worship along with Allâh) while their people were unaware (so the Messengers were sent).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (The messengers were sent) thus, for thy Lord would not destroy for their wrong-doing men's habitations whilst their occupants were unwarned.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    This ˹sending of the messengers˺ is because your Lord would never destroy a society for their wrongdoing while its people are unaware ˹of the truth˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    That (Allah sends messengers) is because your Lord is not to destroy any towns on account of any wrongdoing, while their people are unaware.

  • Abdul Haleem

    your Lord would not destroy towns for their wrongdoing if they had not been warned.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    That is because thy Lord would never destroy the cities unjustly, while their inhabitants were heedless.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    That is because thy Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while their people are careless;

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    That is because your Lord would never destroy a township arbitrarily, while their people are unaware (of what is wrong).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    That is so, for your Lord would not cause towns to perish unjustly, (Literally: with injustice) (while) their population are heedless.

  • George Sale

    This hath been the method of God's dealing with his creatures, because thy Lord would not destroy the cities in their iniquity, while their inhabitants were careless.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    (The messengers were sent), because your Lord would not destroy the townships of men for their wrong-doing while the people (of the townships) were not warned.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    This (sending of the Messengers) is because your Lord destroys no township unjustly whilst their inhabitants are unwarned.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    This is because your Lord would never destroy the towns unjustly while their people were unaware.