Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when it is said to them: “Submit to the Almighty,” they say: “And what is the Almighty? Are we to submit to what thou commandest us?” And it increases them in aversion.

وَاِذَا ق۪يلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوا لِلرَّحْمٰنِ قَالُوا وَمَا الرَّحْمٰنُۗ اَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُوراً۟
Wa-itha qeela lahumu osjudoo lirrahmaniqaloo wama arrahmanu anasjudulima ta/muruna wazadahum nufoora
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhāAnd when
2qīlait is saidقول
3lahumuto them
4us'judūProstrateسجد
5lilrraḥmānito the Most Graciousرحم
6qālūThey sayقول
7wamāAnd what
8l-raḥmānu(is) the Most Graciousرحم
9anasjuduShould we prostrateسجد
10limāto what
11tamurunāyou order usامر
12wazādahumAnd it increases themزيد
13nufūran(in) aversionنفر
  • Aisha Bewley

    When they are told to prostrate to the All-Merciful, they say, ‘And what is the All-Merciful? Are we to prostrate to something you command us to?’ And it merely makes them run away all the more.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if they are told: "Prostrate to the Almighty. " They Say: "And what is the Almighty Shall we prostrate to what you order us" And it increases their aversion.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Yet when it is said to them, "Adore the Beneficent!" They say, "What is the Beneficent? Are we to adore just what you say?" And it merely increases them in disgust.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when it is said to them: “Submit to the Almighty,” they say: “And what is the Almighty? Are we to submit to what thou commandest us?” And it increases them in aversion.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Andif they are told: "Prostrate to the Almighty." They say: "And what is the Almighty? Shall we prostrate to what you order us?" And it increases their aversion.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If they are told: "Prostrate to the Gracious." They say, "What is the Gracious? Shall we prostrate to what you order us?" It increases their aversion.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    When they are told, "Fall prostrate before the Most Gracious," they say, "What is the Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate before what you advocate?" Thus, it only augments their aversion.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When you say to them: "Bow before Ar-Rahman, " they say: "What is Ar-Rahman? Should we adore whoever you ask us to?" And their aversion increases further.

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

    And when it is said to them, "Prostrate to the Most Merciful," they say, "And what is the Most Merciful? Should we prostrate to that which you order us?" And it increases them in aversion.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Yet when they what is the Most Gracious? Are we to prostrate ourselves before whatever thou biddest us ?” - and so but increases their aversion,

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And when it is said unto them: Prostrate to the Beneficent! they say: And what is the Beneficent? Are we to prostrate to whatever thou (Muhammad) biddest us? And it increaseth aversion in them.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    When they are told: "Prostrate yourselves before the Merciful One," they say: "What is the Merciful One? Shall we prostrate ourselves before whomsoever you command us to prostrate?" This even further increases their aversion.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And when they -the infidels- are asked to prostrate their reason to divine revelation and to Him AL-Rahman, they insolently and defiantly ask: "Who is AL- Rahman! Shall we prostrate in reverence and submission to an object of worship just because you enjoin us to do so". Their statement accords with their actions They withdraw further and their mental attitude is an incitement to their aversion.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When they are told, "Fall prostrate before the Most Gracious (the same way that all prophets used to worship Him: Matthew 26-I King 18:Numbers 20:6 &Joshua 5:& 7:Genesis 17:3,)" they jokingly say, “What is the Most Gracious? Shall we fall down in prostration because you say so?” Thus, this invitation simply increases their rebellion.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to the Most Gracious (Allâh)! they say: "And what is the Most Gracious? Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) command us?" And it increases in them only aversion.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When it is said to them, "Prostrate to (Allah) Most Gracious!", they say, "And what is (Allah) Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate to that which thou commandest us?" And it increases their flight (from the Truth).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    When it is said to them, "Prostrate to the Most Compassionate," they ask ˹in disgust˺, “What is ‘the Most Compassionate’? Will we prostrate to whatever you order us to?” And it only drives them farther away.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And when it is said to them, "Prostrate yourselves to the RaHmān (the All-Merciful, Allah)," they say “What is RaHmān? Shall we prostrate ourselves to the one to whom you direct us?” And it increases nothing in them except aversion.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Yet when they are told, ‘Bow down before the Lord of Mercy,’ they say, ‘What is the Lord of Mercy? Should we bow down before anything you command?’ and they turn even further away.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    But when they are told, 'Bow yourselves to the All-merciful,' they say, 'And what is the All-merciful? Shall we bow ourselves to what thou biddest us?' And it increases them in aversion.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when it is said, ' Adore ye the Merciful!' they say, 'What is the Merciful? shall we adore what thou dost order us?' and it only increases their aversion.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    He who created the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, in six days, and then mounted the Throne; the Beneficent! Ask any one who is aware concerning Him.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And when it is said to them, "Prostrate yourselves to The All-Merciful, " they have said, "And what is The All-Merciful? Shall we prostrate ourselves to what you command us?" And it has increased them in repulsion. * A prostraion is to be peformed after reading this Éayah

  • George Sale

    When it is said unto the unbelievers, adore the Merciful; they reply, and who is the Merciful? Shall we adore that which thou commandest us? And this precept causeth them to fly the faster from the faith.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And when it is said to them, "You adore (Allah) the Most Gracious (Ar-Rahmán)!" They say, "And what is (Allah), the Most Gracious? Shall we adore that which you order us?" And it increases their flight (from the truth).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And when it is said to them, `Prostrate (to show submission) to the Most Gracious (God). ' They say, `What (thing) is this the Most Gracious (God)? Shall we prostrate to whatever you bid us to show submission?' So this (bidding of the Prophet to submit to the Lord) increased them in aversion (to the truth).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    When they are told: ‘Prostrate yourselves before the All-beneficent, ’ they say, ‘What is ‘‘the All-beneficent’’? Shall we prostrate ourselves before whatever you bid us?’ And it increases their aversion.