Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And God strikes a similitude: — a city secure, at peace, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side; but it denied the favours of God, then God let it taste the cloak of hunger and fear because of what they wrought.

وَضَرَبَ اللّٰهُ مَثَلاً قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ اٰمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْت۪يهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَداً مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِاَنْعُمِ اللّٰهِ فَاَذَاقَهَا اللّٰهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
Wadaraba Allahu mathalanqaryatan kanat aminatan mutma-innatanya/teeha rizquha raghadan min kulli makaninfakafarat bi-anAAumi Allahi faathaqaha Allahulibasa aljooAAi walkhawfi bima kanooyasnaAAoon
#wordmeaningroot
1waḍarabaAnd Allah sets forthضرب
2l-lahuAnd Allah sets forth
3mathalana similitudeمثل
4qaryatan(of) a townقري
5kānat(that) wasكون
6āminatansecureامن
7muṭ'ma-innatanand contentطمن
8yatīhācoming to itاتي
9riz'quhāits provisionرزق
10raghadan(in) abundanceرغد
11minfrom
12kullieveryكلل
13makāninplaceكون
14fakafaratbut it deniedكفر
15bi-anʿumi(the) Favors of Allahنعم
16l-lahi(the) Favors of Allah
17fa-adhāqahāso Allah made it tasteذوق
18l-lahuso Allah made it taste
19libāsa(the) garbلبس
20l-jūʿi(of) the hungerجوع
21wal-khawfiand the fearخوف
22bimāfor what
23kānūthey used (to)كون
24yaṣnaʿūnadoصنع
  • Aisha Bewley

    Allah makes an example of a city which was safe and at peace, its provision coming to it plentifully from every side. Then it showed ingratitude for Allah’s blessings so Allah made it wear the robes of hunger and fear for what it did.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And God cites the example of a town which was peaceful and content, its provisions were coming to it bountifully from all places, but then it rebelled against God's blessings and God made it taste hunger and fear for what they used to do.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Allah gives you an example. Think of a township that used to be secure and prosperous, with provision coming to it in plenty from all directions. But, they practically denied Allah's blessings by not sharing them with the needy. So Allah's Law made it experience the garb of hunger and fear for their wrong system. (6:44).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And God strikes a similitude: — a city secure, at peace, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side; but it denied the favours of God, then God let it taste the cloak of hunger and fear because of what they wrought.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And God puts forth the example of a town which was peaceful and content, its provisions were coming to it bountifully from all places, but then it rebelled against the blessings of God, and God made it taste hunger and fear for what they used to do.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    God cites the example of a town which was peaceful and content, its provisions were coming to it bountifully from all places, but then it rebelled against God's blessings and God made it taste hunger and fear for what they used to do.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    GOD cites the example of a community that used to be secure and prosperous, with provisions coming to it from everywhere. But then, it turned unappreciative of GOD's blessings. Consequently, GOD caused them to taste the hardships of starvation and insecurity. Such is the requital for what they did.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    God presents the example of a town which enjoyed peace and security, its provisions coming from everywhere in abundance, but it denied the favours of God; so God acquainted it with intimate hunger and fear (as punishment) for what they had done.

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

    And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.

  • Muhammad Asad

    AND GOD propounds a parable: a town which was secure and at ease, with its sustenance coming to it abundantly from all quarters, and which thereupon blasphemously refused to show gratitude for God's blessings: and therefore God caused it to taste the all-embracing misery of hunger and fear in result of all that its people had so persistently wrought.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Allah coineth a similitude: a township that dwelt secure and well content, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side, but it disbelieved in Allah's favours, so Allah made it experience the garb of dearth and fear because of what they used to do.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Allah sets forth the parable of (the people of) a town who were secure and content and whose sustenance came in abundance from every quarter. But then the people of the town showed ingratitude towards Allah for His bounties, so Allah afflicted them with hunger and fear in punishment for their evil deeds.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Allah represents the fate of those who rebelled against His law by means of a parable of the town in which His grace abounded in security and peace of mind and in rich supplies of provisions from every direction. But instead of content living ever in thankful hearts, its heart beat rebellious to its own resolves and was rendered ungrateful to Allah and disobedient to His laws. By consequence He incensed it by humiliation and vested it with hunger and fear devolving upon it in requital of what its peoples' souls had impelled them to do.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Imagine a community (such as yours) that used to be safe and peaceful and its people would be showered by blessings right and left. When they took it for granted and showed ingratitude towards the Lord’s blessings, God made them taste the hardships, starvation and fear in account of their wrongdoings.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And Allâh puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and well-content: its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its people) denied the Favours of Allâh (with ungratefulness). So Allâh made it taste extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) which they (its people) used to do.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Allah sets forth a Parable: a city enjoying security and quiet, abundantly supplied with sustenance from every place: Yet was it ungrateful for the favours of Allah: so Allah made it taste of hunger and terror (in extremes) (closing in on it) like a garment (from every side), because of the (evil) which (its people) wrought.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And Allah sets forth the example of a society which was safe and at ease, receiving its provision in abundance from all directions. But its people met Allah’s favours with ingratitude, so Allah made them taste the clutches of hunger and fear for their misdeeds.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Allah gives an example: There was a town, secure and content with its sustenance coming in plenty from every place. Then, it turned ungrateful to the bounties of Allah; so, Allah made it to taste hunger and terror (that covered it) like a garment, as recompense of what its people used to do.

  • Abdul Haleem

    God presents the example of a town that was secure and at ease, with provisions coming to it abundantly from all places. Then it became ungrateful for God’s blessings, so God afflicted it with the garment of famine and fear, for what its people had done.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    God has struck a similitude: a city that was secure, at rest, its provision coming to it easefully from every place, then it was unthankful for the blessings of God; so God let it taste the garment of hunger and of fear, for the things that they were working.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    God has struck out a parable: a city which was safe and quiet, its provision came to it in plenty from every place, and then it denied God's favours, and God made it feel the clothing of hunger and fear, for that which they had wrought.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Allah coins a similitude (parable): a city which was safe and content, its provision came to it in plenty from every place, and then it denied (was ungrateful for) Allah's favours, and Allah made it feel the garb of dearth and fear, because of that which the used to do.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And Allah has struck a similitude: a town that was secure (and) well composed, its provision coming up to it opulently from every place, then it disbelieved (i. e., they were unthankful) in the amenities of Allah; so Allah made it taste the garment of hunger and fear for the things they were working out (i.e., doing).

  • George Sale

    God propoundeth as a parable a city which was secure and quiet, unto which her provisions came in abundance from every side; but she ungratefully denied the favours of God: Wherefore God caused her to taste the extreme famine, and fear, because of that which they had done.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And Allah brings forward a story: A city having (the comfort of) security and peace, well supplied with livelihood from every place: Yet it was still thankless for the gifts of Allah: So Allah made it taste hunger and fear (choking it) like a coat (from every side), because of what (its people) earned.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And Allâh sets-forth an excellent description of a township (-Makkah). It enjoyed a state of security and peace. It received its provision in plenty from every quarter. But (it so happened) that it began to show ingratitude for the bounties of Allâh. So Allâh made (the citizens of) it taste a pall of hunger and fear (which covered it like a garment -the conditions of famine and war prevailed there) because of what its citizens had wrought.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Allah draws a parable: A town secure and peaceful. Its provision came abundantly from every place. But it was ungrateful toward Allah’s blessings. So Allah made it taste hunger and fear because of what they used to do.