Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

They are only names you have named, you and your fathers, for which God sent down no authority. They follow only assumption, and what their souls desire; but there has come to them guidance from their Lord.

اِنْ هِيَ اِلَّٓا اَسْمَٓاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَٓا اَنْتُمْ وَاٰبَٓاؤُ۬كُمْ مَٓا اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍۜ اِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ اِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْاَنْفُسُۚ وَلَقَدْ جَٓاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدٰىۜ
In hiya illa asmaonsammaytumooha antum waabaokum maanzala Allahu biha min sultanin inyattabiAAoona illa aththanna wamatahwa al-anfusu walaqad jaahum min rabbihimu alhuda
#wordmeaningroot
1inNot
2hiyathey
3illā(are) except
4asmāonnamesسمو
5sammaytumūhāyou have named themسمو
6antumyou
7waābāukumand your forefathersابو
8not
9anzalahas Allah sent downنزل
10l-lahuhas Allah sent down
11bihāfor it
12minany
13sul'ṭāninauthorityسلط
14inNot
15yattabiʿūnathey followتبع
16illāexcept
17l-ẓanaassumptionظنن
18wamāand what
19tahwādesireهوي
20l-anfusuthe(ir) soulsنفس
21walaqadAnd certainly
22jāahumhas come to themجيا
23minfrom
24rabbihimutheir Lordربب
25l-hudāthe guidanceهدي
  • Aisha Bewley

    They are nothing but names which you yourselves have given, you and your forefathers. Allah has sent down no authority for them. They are following nothing but conjecture and what their own selves desire. And that when guidance has reached them from their Lord!

  • Progressive Muslims

    These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. God never authorized such. They only follow conjecture, and personal desire, while the guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They are but names that you have named, you and your fathers, for which Allah has revealed no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and their own fancies. But now the Guidance from their Lord has come to them. (7:71-72).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    They are only names you have named, you and your fathers, for which God sent down no authority. They follow only assumption, and what their souls desire; but there has come to them guidance from their Lord.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. God never authorized such. They only follow conjecture, and personal desire, while the guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    These are but names/attributes that you made up, you and your forefathers. God never authorized such. They only follow conjecture, and wishful thinking, while the guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. GOD never authorized such a blasphemy. They follow conjecture, and personal desire, when the true guidance has come to them herein from their Lord.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    These are only names which you and your fathers have invented. No authority was sent down by God for them. They only follow conjecture and wish-fulfilment, even though guidance had come to them already from their Lord.

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

    They are not but names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.

  • Muhammad Asad

    These are nothing but empty names which you have invented - you and your forefathers - for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high. They follow nothing but surmise and their own wishful thinking - although right guidance has now indeed come unto them from their Sustainer.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which Allah hath revealed no warrant. They follow but a guess and that which (they) themselves desire. And now the guidance from their Lord hath come unto them.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    These are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have invented, for which Allah has sent down no authority.* They are merely following their conjectures and their carnal desires* although guidance has come to them from their Lord.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    These are nothing but names you and your forefathers have designated and destined to the purpose of worship; names never authorized by Allah nor sanctioned. by Him They only follow the false suppositions and the incitement arising from the state of their minds and feeling albeit they have received from Allah the spirit of truth guiding them into all truth.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    These concepts that you and your forefathers have invented are simply none senses. God has never sanctioned it. The fact of the matter is that these people simply follow their lusts in spite of the fact that the Lord’s guidance is offered to them.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They are but names which you have named - you and your fathers - for which Allâh has sent down no authority. They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the Guidance from their Lord!

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    These are nothing but names which ye have devised,- ye and your fathers,- for which Allah has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire!- Even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    These ˹idols˺ are mere names that you and your forefathers have made up—a practice Allah has never authorized. They follow nothing but ˹inherited˺ assumptions and whatever ˹their˺ souls desire, although ˹true˺ guidance has already come to them from their Lord.

  • Taqi Usmani

    These are nothing but names you and your fathers have invented; Allah has sent down no authority attached to them. They are following nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire, while guidance from their Lord has surely reached them.

  • Abdul Haleem

    these are nothing but names you have invented yourselves, you and your forefathers. God has sent no authority for them. These people merely follow guesswork and the whims of their souls, even though guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They are naught but names yourselves have named, and your fathers; God has sent down no authority touching them. They follow only surmise, and what the souls desire; and yet guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers! God has sent down no authority for them! They do but follow suspicion and what their souls lust after!- And yet there has come to them guidance from their Lord.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    They are naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent for them any authority. They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which their souls incline to, even though true guidance has come to them from their Lord.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Decidedly they are nothing except names you have named, you and your fathers. In no way has Allah sent down concerning them any all-binding authority. Decidedly they closely follow nothing except surmise and what (prejudices) the selves yearn to; and indeed the guidance has already come to them from their Lord.

  • George Sale

    They are no other than empty names, which ye and your fathers have named goddesses. God hath not revealed concerning them any thing to authorize their worship. They follow no other than a vain opinion, and what their souls desire: Yet hath the true direction come unto them from their Lord.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    These are nothing (at all) except names that you have made up— You and your fathers— For which Allah has not sent down any authority (whatever). They follow nothing but their own guesswork and what their own souls wish! Even though, already there has come to them guidance from their Lord!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (The fact is that) these are mere names (bearing no significance) which you have coined, you and your forefathers, for which Allâh has revealed no authority (for their being worshipped as gods and goddesses). These (idol-worshippers) follow nothing but mere conjectures and the fancies of (their own) minds. (They do this) even though true guidance has already come to them from their Lord.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    These are but names which you have coined —you and your fathers— for which Allah has not sent down any authority. They follow nothing but conjectures and the desires of the soul, while there has already come to them the guidance from their Lord.