Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And how many a city have We destroyed! Our might came upon it by night, or while they slept at noonday,

وَكَمْ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ اَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَٓاءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتاً اَوْ هُمْ قَٓائِلُونَ
Wakam min qaryatin ahlaknahafajaaha ba/suna bayatan aw hum qa-iloon
#wordmeaningroot
1wakamAnd how many
2minof
3qaryatina cityقري
4ahlaknāhāWe destroyed itهلك
5fajāahāand came to itجيا
6basunāOur punishmentباس
7bayātan(at) nightبيت
8awor
9hum(while) they
10qāilūnawere sleeping at noonقيل
  • Aisha Bewley

    How many cities We have destroyed! Our violent force came down on them during the night, or while they were asleep during the day.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And how many a town have We destroyed; for Our punishment came to them while sleeping, or while resting.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (You will find ample documentation in history that when communities ignored Our Permanent Value System they met with destruction. ) How many a community Our Law of Requital has annihilated! Our Requital visited them by night, or while they slept at noon.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And how many a city have We destroyed! Our might came upon it by night, or while they slept at noonday,

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And how many a town have We destroyed; for Our punishment came to them while sleeping, or while resting.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    How many a town have We destroyed; for Our punishment came to them while sleeping, or while resting.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Many a community we annihilated; they incurred our retribution while they were asleep, or wide awake.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Many a habitation have We laid low before: Our retribution came upon them in the night or in the midst of siesta at noon.

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

    And how many cities have We destroyed, and Our punishment came to them at night or while they were sleeping at noon.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And how many a community have We destroyed, with Our punishment coming upon it by night, or while they were resting at noontide!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    How many a township have We destroyed! As a raid by night, or while they slept at noon, Our terror came unto them.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    How many a township We have destroyed! Our scourge fell upon them at night, or when they were taking midday rest.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    How many towns did We reduce into a useless form in requital of their wickedness which grew more and more daily. Great was Our indignation against them that it spoke thunder on some at night while asleep* and on others during their siesta**.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If you only knew how many towns of the disbelievers I destroyed in account of their wrong doings. My punishment came to them at night or in the afternoon while they had a siesta.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And a great number of towns (their population) We destroyed (for their crimes). Our torment came upon them (suddenly) by night or while they were taking their midday nap.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)? Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or while they slept for their afternoon rest.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹Imagine˺ how many societies We have destroyed! Our torment took them by surprise ˹while sleeping˺ at night or midday.

  • Taqi Usmani

    How many a town We have destroyed! Our punishment came upon them at night or when they were having a nap at midday.

  • Abdul Haleem

    How many towns We have destroyed! Our punishment came to them by night or while they slept in the afternoon:

  • Arthur John Arberry

    How many a city We have destroyed! Our might came upon it at night, or while they took their ease in the noontide,

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Yet how many a town have we destroyed, and our violence came upon it by night, or while they slept at noon; and their cry, when our violence came upon them,

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Yet how many a town have We destroyed, and Our wrath came upon it by night, or while they slept at noon;

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And how many a town We have caused to perish, so Our violence came to it at night (in their homes), or while halting (at midday).

  • George Sale

    How many cities have We destroyed; which our vengeance overtook by night, or while they were reposing themselves at noon-day!

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And how many towns have We destroyed (for the sins of their people)? Our punishment took them all of a sudden by night or during their sleep for their afternoon rest.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    So many a (rebellious) township have We caused to be ruined; so Our punishment visited them by night or while they were taking their midday rest;

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    How many a town We have destroyed! Our punishment came to it at night, or while they were taking a midday nap.