Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Or if they have a stairway on which they can listen in: — then let their listener come with a clear authority.

اَمْ لَهُمْ سُلَّمٌ يَسْتَمِعُونَ ف۪يهِۚ فَلْيَأْتِ مُسْتَمِعُهُمْ بِسُلْطَانٍ مُب۪ينٍۜ
Am lahum sullamun yastamiAAoona feehifalya/ti mustamiAAuhum bisultanin mubeen
#wordmeaningroot
1amOr
2lahumfor them
3sullamun(is) a stairwayسلم
4yastamiʿūnathey listenسمع
5fīhitherewith
6falyatiThen let bringاتي
7mus'tamiʿuhumtheir listenerسمع
8bisul'ṭāninan authorityسلط
9mubīninclearبين
  • Aisha Bewley

    Or do they have a ladder on which they listen? Then let their listener bring clear evidence.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Or do they have a stairway that enables them to listen Then let their listeners show their proof.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Or do they have a stairway of knowledge to ascend to the Glorious Heights of Divine Revelation and listen directly to and come at par with it? Let, then, whoever has received a direct Revelation bring his proof.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Or if they have a stairway on which they can listen in: — then let their listener come with a clear authority.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Or do they have a stairway that enables them to listen? Then let their listeners show their proof.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Or do they have a stairway that enables them to listen? Then let their Hearers show their proof.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Do they climb a ladder that enables them to listen? Let their listeners show their proof.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Or do they have a ladder (climbing which) they can hear (the secrets of heaven)? Let one who has heard then bring a clear proof.

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

    Or have they a stairway upon which they listen? Then let their listener produce a clear authority.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Or have they a ladder by which they could listen ? Let, then, any of them who have listened produce a manifest proof !

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Or have they any stairway (unto heaven) by means of which they overhear (decrees). Then let their listener produce some warrant manifest!

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Or do they have a ladder whereon they can climb and attempt to listen (to what is transpiring in the Higher Realm)? Then, let any of them who has listened to it produce a clear proof of it.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Or do they have a ladder for ascent to the heaven's realm to gather information upon the listen. If so, then let their attentive hearer furnish the action of evidence in convincing the mind.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Have they any ladder to climb up to heaven and listen directly to their Lord . If so, what have they heard? Do they have any proof?

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Or have they a stairway (to heaven), by means of which they listen (to the talks of the angels)? Then let their listener produce some manifest proof.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Or have they a ladder, by which they can (climb up to heaven and) listen (to its secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs produce a manifest proof.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Or do they have a stairway, by which they eavesdrop ˹on the heavens˺? Then let those who do so bring a compelling proof.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Or have they a stairway (to the heavens) by means of which they listen (to the divine decrees)? If so, their listener must bring a clear proof.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Do they have a ladder to climb, in order to eavesdrop ? Let their eavesdropper produce clear proof.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Or have they a ladder whereon they listen? Then let any of them that has listened bring a clear authority.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Or have they a ladder whereon they can listen?- then let their listener bring obvious authority.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Or have they a ladder (unto heaven) the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Or even do they have a ladder wherein they listen? Then let their listener come up with an evident, all- binding authority.

  • George Sale

    Have they a ladder, whereby they may ascend to heaven, and hear the discourses of the angels? Let one, therefore, who hath heard them, produce an evident proof thereof.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Or do they have a ladder, by which they can (climb up to the heaven and) listen (to the secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs come up with a clear proof.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Have they the means through which they can overhear (the Lord)? If so, let their listener bring forth a clear authoritative proof (just as the Prophet of God does).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Do they have a ladder whereby they eavesdrop? If so let their eavesdropper produce a manifest authority.