Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Is then He who stands over every soul for what it earns? But they have made for God partners. Say thou: “Name them: — if you would inform Him of what He knows not in the earth; or if it is a show of speaking.” The truth is: their scheme has been made fair to those who ignore warning, and they have been turned away from the path; and whom God sends astray, for him there is no guide;

اَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَٓائِمٌ عَلٰى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْۚ وَجَعَلُوا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَٓاءَۜ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْۜ اَمْ تُنَبِّؤُ۫نَهُ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي الْاَرْضِ اَمْ بِظَاهِرٍ مِنَ الْقَوْلِۜ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذ۪ينَ كَفَرُوا مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّوا عَنِ السَّب۪يلِۜ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ
Afaman huwa qa-imun AAalakulli nafsin bima kasabat wajaAAaloo lillahi shurakaaqul sammoohum am tunabbi-oonahu bima la yaAAlamufee al-ardi am bithahirin minaalqawli bal zuyyina lillatheena kafaroo makruhum wasuddooAAani assabeeli waman yudlili Allahu famalahu min had
#wordmeaningroot
1afamanIs then He Who
2huwa(He)
3qāimun(is) a Maintainerقوم
4ʿalāof
5kullieveryكلل
6nafsinsoulنفس
7bimāfor what
8kasabatit has earnedكسب
9wajaʿalūYet they ascribeجعل
10lillahito Allah
11shurakāapartnersشرك
12qulSayقول
13sammūhumName themسمو
14amOr
15tunabbiūnahu(do) you inform Himنبا
16bimāof what
17not
18yaʿlamuHe knowsعلم
19in
20l-arḍithe earthارض
21amor
22biẓāhirinof the apparentظهر
23minaof
24l-qawlithe wordsقول
25balNay
26zuyyina(is) made fair-seemingزين
27lilladhīnato those who
28kafarūdisbelieveكفر
29makruhumtheir plottingمكر
30waṣuddūand they are hinderedصدد
31ʿanifrom
32l-sabīlithe Pathسبل
33wamanAnd whoever
34yuḍ'lili(by) Allahضلل
35l-lahuAllah lets go astray
36famāthen not
37lahufor him
38minany
39hādinguideهدي
  • Aisha Bewley

    What then of Him who is standing over every self seeing everything it does? Yet still they associate others with Allah! Say: ‘Name them! Or would you inform Him of something in the earth He does not know, or are they words which are simply guesswork on your part?’ However, the plotting of those who are kafir seems good to them and they bar the way. Anyone misguided by Allah has no guide.

  • Progressive Muslims

    The One who is standing over every soul for what it has earned; yet they make partners with God. Say: "Name them, or are you informing Him of what He does not know on Earth or is it just a show of words" But to the rejecters, their scheming is made to appear clever, and they are turned away from the path. And whoever God misguides will have no guide.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Is there anyone equal to the One Who watches minutely over every being and knows all that it does? Yet, they set up idols to rival Allah. Say, "Name them! Are you educating Him about something on earth that He doesn't know? Or, do you merely utter empty words?" Nay, what they contrive, seems fair to the rejecters of the Truth, for they have been hindered (by their own fault) from the Way. Whoever goes astray for violating the Divine Laws of Guidance, for him there is no guide. (4:88).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Is then He who stands over every soul for what it earns? But they have made for God partners. Say thou: “Name them: — if you would inform Him of what He knows not in the earth; or if it is a show of speaking.” The truth is: their scheme has been made fair to those who ignore warning, and they have been turned away from the path; and whom God sends astray, for him there is no guide;

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    It is He who is standing upon every soul for what it has earned; yet they set up partners with God. Say: "Name them?" Or are you informing Him of what He does not know on the earth or is it just a show of words? Indeed, to the rejecters, their scheming is made to appear pleasing, and they are repelled from the path. And whoever God misguides will have no guide.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Who is the One standing over every person for what it has earned? Yet they make partners with God. Say, "Name them? Or are you informing Him of what He does not know on earth? Or is it just a show of words?" But to the ingrates, their scheming is made to appear clever, and they are turned away from the path. Whoever God misguides will have no guide.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Is there any equal to the One who controls every single soul? Yet, they set up idols to rival GOD. Say, "Name them. Are you informing Him of something on earth that He does not know? Or, are you fabricating empty statements?" Indeed, the schemes of those who disbelieve have been adorned in their eyes. They are thus diverted from the right path. Whomever GOD sends astray can never find a guiding teacher.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Who is it who stands (watch) over every soul for what it does? Yet they ascribe compeers to God. Say: "Then name them. Or are you announcing to God what He does not know on the earth? Or is it only empty talk? In fact, the unbelievers' plots are made to look attractive to them, so that they are held back from the right path. Whosoever God allows to go astray has none to show him the way.

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

    Then is He who is a maintainer of every soul, what it has earned, ? But to Allah they have attributed partners. Say, "Name them. Or do you inform Him of that which He knows not upon the earth or of what is apparent of speech?" Rather, their plan has been made attractive to those who disbelieve, and they have been averted from the way. And whomever Allah leaves astray - there will be for him no guide.

  • Muhammad Asad

    IS, THEN, HE who has every living being in His almighty care, according to what it deserves -? And yet, they ascribe to other beings a share in God's divinity! Say: "Give them any name : but do you inform Him of anything on earth that He does not know-or but play with words?, Nay, goodly seems their false imagery to those who are bent on denying the truth, and so they are turned away from the path: and he whom God lets go astray can never find any guide.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Is He Who is aware of the deserts of every soul (as he who is aware of nothing)? Yet they ascribe unto Allah partners. Say: Name them. Is it that ye would inform Him of something which He knoweth not in the earth? Or is it but a way of speaking? Nay but their contrivance is made seeming fair for those who disbelieve and they are kept from the right road. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Is it, then, in regard to Him Who watches over the deeds of every person* that they are acting blasphemously by setting up His associates? Tell them: "Name those associates (if Allah Himself has made them His associates)! Or are you informing Allah of something the existence of which He does not even know?" Or do people arbitrarily utter empty words?* Indeed, their foul contriving* has been made to seem fair to the unbelievers and they have been barred from finding the Right Way.* Whomsoever Allah lets go astray will have none to guide him.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Does he who stands guard over every soul, and His sentinel angels record every deed that is done or in the making or suggested secretly to the mind and to whose knowledge everything comes instantaneously, compare with a false object of worship or a helpless creature or dumb idols whom they called holy gods! Yet they still incorporate with Allah other deities. Say to them: "Name them; or do you inform Allah of objects on earth He has no knowledge of! the fact is that the infidels' intrigues and cunning allured them to brighter worlds and led them, under the vexations of their minds, to a path other than that of righteousness. And he whom Allah misguides shall find no one to guide him thereto.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    They set up equals to the Lord, while He is the Only One Who is in control of every single soul. Ask them to name their adopted lords; then say: "Are you informing the Lord of something on earth that He does not know about? Is it not true that these gods of your are simply fabricated by you and that what you are saying are simply phrases void of meaning?" Their passionate defense of their religion has made the falsehood so appealing in their eyes that they are diverted from the right path. The fact of the matter is, no one can guide the one that God sends to the wrong path.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Is then He (Allâh) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides) of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? Yet, they ascribe partners to Allâh. Say: "Name them! Is it that you will inform Him of something He knows not in the earth or is it (just) a show of false words." Nay! To those who disbelieved, their plotting is made fairseeming, and they have been hindered from the Right Path; and whom Allâh sends astray, for him there is no guide.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Is then He who standeth over every soul (and knoweth) all that it doth, (like any others)? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say: "But name them! is it that ye will inform Him of something he knoweth not on earth, or is it (just) a show of words?" Nay! to those who believe not, their pretence seems pleasing, but they are kept back (thereby) from the path. And those whom Allah leaves to stray, no one can guide.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Is ˹there any equal to˺ the Vigilant One Who knows what every soul commits? Yet the pagans have associated others with Allah ˹in worship˺. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "Name them! Or do you ˹mean to˺ inform Him of something He does not know on the earth? Or are these ˹gods˺ just empty words?" In fact, the disbelievers’ falsehood has been made so appealing to them that they have been turned away from the Path. And whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Is then He, who is watchful over everyone and over whatever he does, (equal to their false deities?) Still they have made partners with Allah. Say, "Give their names. Is it that you are informing Him of something on earth He does not know, or of just empty words?" But, their ill- designs have been made alluring for the disbelievers, and they have been barred from the Path. And for the one whom Allah deprives of guidance, there is no one to guide.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Is He who stands over every soul marking its action ? Yet they ascribe partners to God. Say, ‘Name them,’ or, ‘Can you tell Him about something on the earth He does not know to exist, or is this just a display of words?’ But the things they devise are made alluring to the disbelievers and they are barred from the path: no one can guide those God leaves to stray.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    What, He who stands over every soul for what it has earned? -- And yet they ascribe to God associates. Say: 'Name them! Or will you tell Him what He knows not in the earth? Or in apparent words?' Nay; but decked out fair to the unbelievers is their devising, and they are barred from the way; and whomsoever God leads astray, no guide has he.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Shall He who is standing over every soul (to note) what it has earned -? And they join partners with God! Say, 'Name them; can ye inform Him of what He does not know in the earth? or is it for name's sake only (that ye call upon them)? 'Nay, then, stratagem is made seemly to those who misbelieve, and they turn folks from the path of God! But whomsoever God doth lead astray, no guide has he. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Is He who stands over every soul, aware of what it has earned (like others)? And yet they join partners with Allah! Say, "Name (describe) them; can you inform Him of what He does not know in the earth? Or is it for their name's sake only (that you call upon them) (Is it merely a way of speaking)? Nay, but their stratagem is made seemly to those who disbelieve, and they turn folks from the path of Allah! But whomsoever Allah does lead astray, no guide has he. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    So, is He Who is Ever Upright over every self for what it has earned (as any other)? And they have made up for Allah associates. Say, "Name them! Or even will you (really) inform Him of what He does not know in the earth? Or even in outward speech? No indeed, but adorned (i.e., made attractive) for the ones who have disbelieved is their scheming, (and) they are barred from the way; and whomever Allah leads into error, then in no way has he any guide."

  • George Sale

    Who is it therefore that standeth over every soul, to observe that which it committeth? They attribute companions unto God. Say, name them: Will ye declare unto Him that which He knoweth not in the earth? Or will ye name them in outward speech only? But the deceitful procedure of the infidels was prepared for them; and they are turned aside from the right path: For he whom God shall cause to err, shall have no director.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Then, is He Who stands over every soul (and knows) all that it does, (same as others)? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah. Say: "But name them! Is it that you will tell Him of something He does not know on earth, or is it (just) a show of words?" And moreover! To those who do not believe, their action seems pleasing, but they are kept away (with it) from the Path (of righteousness). And those whom Allah leaves to wander, no one can guide.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    How shall He Who stands (watchful) over each and every soul as to what it accomplishes (let them go unpunished inspite of His knowledge)? And yet they ascribe to Allâh several partners. Say, `(Would) you name their attributes; and would you inform Him of something important which is on the earth but unknown to Him, or are these merely empty (and false) words?' Nay, the fact of the matter is that their designing and their activities are made fair-seeming to the disbelievers (by satan), and they have been barred from the (right) path. And he whom Allâh forsakes has no guide.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Is He who sustains every soul in spite of what it earns ? And yet they ascribe partners to Allah! Say, ‘Name them!’ Will you inform Him of something He does not know about on the earth, or of mere words? Rather their scheming is presented as decorous to the faithless, and they have been barred from the way; and whomever Allah leads astray, has no guide.