Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Have they not seen the birds above them with wings outstretched and closing? None holds them but the Almighty. He sees all things.

اَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا اِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَٓافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَۜ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ اِلَّا الرَّحْمٰنُۜ اِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَص۪يرٌ
Awa lam yaraw ila attayrifawqahum saffatin wayaqbidna mayumsikuhunna illa arrahmanu innahubikulli shay-in baseer
#wordmeaningroot
1awalamDo not
2yarawthey seeراي
3ilā[to]
4l-ṭayrithe birdsطير
5fawqahumabove themفوق
6ṣāffātinspreading (their wings)صفف
7wayaqbiḍ'naand foldingقبض
8Not
9yum'sikuhunnaholds themمسك
10illāexcept
11l-raḥmānuthe Most Graciousرحم
12innahuIndeed, He
13bikulli(is) of everyكلل
14shayinthingشيا
15baṣīrunAll-Seerبصر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Have they not looked at the birds above them, with wings outspread and folded back? Nothing holds them up but the All-Merciful. He sees all things.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Have they not looked to the birds lined-up together above them, and they launch The Almighty is the One who holds them in the air. He is Seer of all things.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Have they, then, never seen the birds above them spreading their wings and drawing them in? Nothing upholds them but the Beneficent - for, verily, He is ever Seer of all things.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Have they not seen the birds above them with wings outstretched and closing? None holds them but the Almighty. He sees all things.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Have they not looked to the birds lined-up together above them, and they contract? It is the Almighty who holds them. He is Seer of all things.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Have they not looked to the birds above them, flaping their wings? The Gracious is the One who holds them in the air. He is Seer of all things.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Have they not seen the birds above them lined up in columns and spreading their wings? The Most Gracious is the One who holds them in the air. He is Seer of all things.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Do they not see the birds above them flying wings spread out or folded? Nothing holds them aloft but God. All things are within His purview.

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

    Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and folded in? None holds them except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Have they, then, never beheld the birds above them, spreading their wings and drawing them in? None but the Most Gracious upholds them: for, verily, He keeps all things in His sight.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Have they not seen the birds above them spreading out their wings and closing them? Naught upholdeth them save the Beneficent. Lo! He is Seer of all things.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Have they not seen birds above them spreading and closing their wings, with none holding them except the Merciful One? He oversees everything.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Do they not see the birds above them soaring with extended wings, and at times darting with them folded in? No one can maintain them at that level in the atmosphere but AL-Rahman who made the terrestial air subservient to them. He is indeed Bassirun (Omnipresent), He. sees all that you do and all in all.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do the disbelievers not see the birds above them who spread their wings and close the? Non but your Merciful Lord is upholding them in the sky. Know that God watches over everything.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Do they not see the birds above them, spreading out their wings and folding them in? None upholds them except the Most Gracious (Allâh). Verily, He is the All-Seer of everything.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Do they not observe the birds above them, spreading their wings and folding them in? None can uphold them except (Allah) Most Gracious: truly it is He that watches over all things.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Have they not seen the birds above them, spreading and folding their wings? None holds them up except the Most Compassionate. Indeed, He is All-Seeing of everything.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Have they not looked to the birds above them spreading their wings, and (at times) they fold (them) in? No one holds them up except the RaHmān (the All-Merciful Allah). Surely He is watchful of every thing.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Do they not see the birds above them spreading and closing their wings? It is only the Lord of Mercy who holds them up: He watches over everything.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Have they not regarded the birds above them spreading their wings, and closing them? Naught holds them but the All-merciful. Surely He sees everything.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Or have they not looked at the birds above them expanding their wings or closing them? - none holds them in except the Merciful One; for He on everything doth look.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Have they not seen the birds above them expanding (their wings) and contracting (them)? What is it that withholds them save the Beneficent? Lo! He is Seer of all things.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And have they not regarded the birds above them outstretching (Or: in ranks) (their wings), and contracting (Or: spreading "or" folding their wings) (them)? In no way can anyone hold them except The All-Merciful; surely He is Ever-Beholding everything.

  • George Sale

    Do they not behold the birds above them, extending and drawing back their wings? None sustaineth them, except the Merciful; for He regardeth all things.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Do they not watch the birds above them, spreading their wings and folding them in? None can uphold them except (Allah) Most Gracious (Rahmán). Truly, it is He who is All Seeing (Baseer) all things.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Have they not seen above them the birds with spread out wings (in flight) which they also draw in (to swoop down on the prey). None but the Most Gracious (God) holds them (there). Verily, He has knowledge of each and everything.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Have they not regarded the birds above them spreading and closing their wings? No one sustains them except the All-beneficent. Indeed He sees best all things.