Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the final outcome of those who were before them? They were stronger than them in power, and they tilled the earth and inhabited it more than they have inhabited it; and their messengers came to them with clear signs; and God wronged them not, but they wronged their souls.

اَوَلَمْ يَس۪يرُوا فِي الْاَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذ۪ينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْۜ كَانُٓوا اَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَاَثَارُوا الْاَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَٓا اَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَٓاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِۜ فَمَا كَانَ اللّٰهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلٰكِنْ كَانُٓوا اَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَۜ
Awa lam yaseeroo fee al-ardi fayanthurookayfa kana AAaqibatu allatheena min qablihimkanoo ashadda minhum quwwatan waatharoo al-ardawaAAamarooha akthara mimma AAamarooha wajaat-humrusuluhum bilbayyinati fama kana Allahuliyathlimahum walakin kanoo anfusahumyathlimoon
#wordmeaningroot
1awalamHave not
2yasīrūthey traveledسير
3in
4l-arḍithe earthارض
5fayanẓurūand observedنظر
6kayfahowكيف
7kānawasكون
8ʿāqibatu(the) endعقب
9alladhīna(of) those
10minbefore them
11qablihimbefore themقبل
12kānūThey wereكون
13ashaddamightierشدد
14min'humthan them
15quwwatan(in) strengthقوي
16wa-athārūand they dugثور
17l-arḍathe earthارض
18waʿamarūhāand built (on) itعمر
19aktharamoreكثر
20mimmāthan what
21ʿamarūhāthey have built (on) itعمر
22wajāathumAnd came (to) themجيا
23rusuluhumtheir Messengersرسل
24bil-bayinātiwith clear proofsبين
25famāSo not
26kānawasكون
27l-lahuAllah
28liyaẓlimahumto wrong themظلم
29walākinbut
30kānūthey wereكون
31anfusahumthemselvesنفس
32yaẓlimūna(doing) wrongظلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    Have they not travelled in the earth and seen the final fate of those before them? They had greater strength than them and cultivated the land and inhabited it in far greater numbers than they do. Their Messengers also came to them with the Clear Signs. Allah would never have wronged them; but they wronged themselves.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Did they not roam the Earth and see how it ended for those before them They were more powerful than them, and they cultivated the land and they built in it far more than these have built, and their messengers came to them with the proofs. God was not to wrong them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (Reflecting on your own existence, the Universe, and on history can show you the Truth. ) Have they not, then, traveled in the land and seen what happened in the end to those who lived before them? They were more powerful than these are, and they left a stronger impact on the earth, and built it up better than these are doing. And to them came their Messengers with all evidence of the Truth. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but it was they who used to wrong their own "Self". (35:44), (40:21)

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the final outcome of those who were before them? They were stronger than them in power, and they tilled the earth and inhabited it more than they have inhabited it; and their messengers came to them with clear signs; and God wronged them not, but they wronged their souls.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Did they not roam the earth and see how it ended for those before them? They were more powerful than them, and they cultivated the land and they built in it far more than these have built, and their messengers came to them with the proofs. God was not to wrong them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Did they not roam the earth and see how it ended for those before them? They were more powerful than them, and they cultivated the land and they built in it far more than these have built, and their messengers came to them with the proofs. God was not to wrong them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Have they not roamed the earth and noted the consequences for those who preceded them? They used to be more powerful, more prosperous, and more productive on earth. Their messengers went to them with clear signs. Consequently, GOD was not the One who wronged them; they are the ones who wronged their own souls.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Have they not travelled on the earth and seen how the others before them had met their end? They were far more powerful than them, furrowed the earth and colonised it far more than they; and their apostles came to them with visible signs. It was surely not for God to wrong them, they wronged themselves.

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

    Have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in power, and they plowed the earth and built it up more than they have built it up, and their messengers came to them with clear evidences. And Allah would not ever have wronged them, but they were wronging themselves.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Have they, then, never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those who lived before their time? Greater were they in power than they are; and they left a stronger impact on the earth, and built it up even better than these ; and to them came their apostles with all evidence of the truth: and so, it was not God who wronged them, but it was they who had wronged themselves.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they dug the earth and built upon it more than these have built. Messengers of their own came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Surely Allah wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Have they not travelled through the earth that they may observe what was the end of their predecessors* who were far mightier and tilled the land* and built upon it more than these have ever built?* And Allah's Messengers came to them with Clear Signs.* It was not Allah Who wronged them, but it is they who wronged themselves.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Have they -the Meccans- not journeyed through the land and looked with their minds' eyes to see what was the end of those who preceded them, who wore far mightier and their diligence never wearied! They broke up the earth and turned over the soil and populated and peopled the land far more than these people have done! Their Messengers presented them with convincing divine signs and revelations -but they closed their, minds' eyes and counselled deaf-. Therefore it was not Allah Who would wrong them but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do the people not travel and see what happened to the disbelievers before them? They used to be more powerful, more prosperous and more advanced. It was not God who was unjust to them. God sent them Prophets with undeniable miracles It was they who were unjust to their own soul

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Do they not travel in the land, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength, and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans) have done: and there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs. Surely, Allâh wronged them not, but they used to wrong themselves.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction): It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the end of those ˹destroyed˺ before them? They were far superior in might; they cultivated the land and developed it more than these ˹Meccans˺ ever have. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. Allah would have never wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Have they not traveled on earth to see how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than these in power, and they had tilled the land and had made it more populous than these have made it, and their messengers had come to them with clear proofs. So Allah was not such as could do injustice to them, but they used to do injustice to themselves.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Have they not travelled through the land and seen how their predecessors met their end? They were mightier than them: they cultivated the earth more and built more upon it. Their own mes-sengers also came to them with clear signs: God did not wrong them; they wronged themselves.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    What, have they not journeyed in the land and beheld how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than themselves in might, and they ploughed up the earth and cultivated it more than they themselves have cultivated it; and their Messengers came to them with the clear signs; and God would never wrong them, but themselves they wronged.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Have they not journeyed on in the land and seen how was the end of those before them who were stronger than they, and who turned up the ground and cultivated it more than they do cultivate it? and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs; for God would never wrong them: it was themselves they wronged!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with Truth, and for an appointed term (or destined end)? But truly most of the people are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And have they not traveled in the earth, (and) so looked into how was the end of those even before them? They were more pervasive in power than themselves, and plowed (Literally: stirred up) the earth, and cultivated it more (i. e., populated it and were more eminent) than they themselves have cultivated it; and their Messengers came to them with the supreme evidence (s); so indeed in no way did Allah do (any) injustice to them, but to themselves they used to do injustice.

  • George Sale

    Do they not pass through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? They excelled the Meccans in strength, and broke up the earth, and inhabited it in greater affluence and prosperity than they inhabit the same: And their apostles came unto them with evident miracles; and God was not disposed to treat them unjustly, but they injured their own souls by their obstinate infidelity;

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Do they not travel in (and about) the earth; And see what was the end of those before them? They were superior (and) stronger than these (men): And they tilled the soil and populated it with more (men) than these (men): To them (the earlier people) came their messengers with Clear (Signs), (whom they rejected, to their own destruction): And it was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves (their own souls).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Have they not travelled through the land and seen how (evil) was the end of those who were before them? They (- their predecessors) were superior to them in prowess and strength. They tilled the land (built structures and dug up minerals from it), and populated it more and better than these have populated it. And their Messengers (of God) had come to them with manifest signs (but they denied them and were destroyed). It was indeed far from Allâh to have done injustice to them but they themselves wronged their own souls.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Have they not traveled in the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? They were more powerful than them, and they plowed the earth and developed it more than they have developed it. Their apostles brought them manifest proofs. So it was not Allah who wronged them, but it was they who used to wrong themselves.