Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And had We made it a recitation in a foreign tongue, they would have said: “Oh, that its proofs were but set out and detailed — a foreign tongue and an Arab!” Say thou: “It is for those who heed warning a guidance and a healing”; but those who do not believe: in their ears is deafness, and it is for them blindness; those: they are called from a far place.

وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْاٰناً اَعْجَمِياًّ لَقَالُوا لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ اٰيَاتُهُۜ ءَاَۭۘعْجَمِيٌّ وَعَرَبِيٌّۜ قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَٓاءٌۜ وَالَّذ۪ينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ف۪ٓي اٰذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًىۜ اُو۬لٰٓئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِنْ مَكَانٍ بَع۪يدٍ۟
Walaw jaAAalnahu qur-ananaAAjamiyyan laqaloo lawla fussilat ayatuhuaaAAjamiyyun waAAarabiyyun qul huwa lillatheena amanoohudan washifaon wallatheena layu/minoona fee athanihim waqrun wahuwa AAalayhim AAaman ola-ikayunadawna min makanin baAAeed
#wordmeaningroot
1walawAnd if
2jaʿalnāhuWe (had) made itجعل
3qur'ānana Quranقرا
4aʿjamiyyan(in) a foreign (language)عجم
5laqālūthey (would have) saidقول
6lawlāWhy not
7fuṣṣilatare explained in detailفصل
8āyātuhuits versesايي
9āʿ'jamiyyun(Is it) a foreign (language)عجم
10waʿarabiyyunand an Arabعرب
11qulSayقول
12huwaIt (is)
13lilladhīnafor those who
14āmanūbelieveامن
15hudana guidanceهدي
16washifāonand a healingشفي
17wa-alladhīnaAnd those who
18(do) not
19yu'minūnabelieveامن
20in
21ādhānihimtheir earsاذن
22waqrun(is) deafnessوقر
23wahuwaand it
24ʿalayhim(is) for them
25ʿamanblindnessعمي
26ulāikaThose
27yunādawnaare being calledندو
28minfrom
29makānina placeكون
30baʿīdinfarبعد
  • Aisha Bewley

    If We had made it a Qur’an in a foreign tongue they would have said, ‘Why have its Signs not been made plain? What! A foreign language for an Arab?’ Say: ‘It is guidance and healing for people who have iman. Those who do not have iman have heaviness in their ears and for them it is blindness. Such people are being called from a very distant place.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And had We made it a non-Arabic Quran, they would have said: "If only its verses were made clear!" Non-Arabic and Arabic, Say: "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and they are blind to it. These will be called from a place far away."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Now if We had made it a Qur'an in a non-Arabic tongue they would surely have said, "Why is it that its verses have not been made clear? Why - a foreign tongue and an Arab?" Say, "For those who accept it, this is a Guidance and medicine for a wholesome life. But as for those who will not believe (Arabs or non-Arabs), in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them. They are like people who are called to from afar. (26:200)

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And had We made it a recitation in a foreign tongue, they would have said: “Oh, that its proofs were but set out and detailed — a foreign tongue and an Arab!” Say thou: “It is for those who heed warning a guidance and a healing”; but those who do not believe: in their ears is deafness, and it is for them blindness; those: they are called from a far place.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And had We made it a non-Arabic revelation, they would have said: "If only its verses were made clear!" Non-Arabic and Arabic, say: "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, there is deafness in their ears, and they are blind to it. These will be called from a place far away."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Had We made it a non-Arabic compilation, they would have said, "If only its signs were made clear!" Non-Arabic and Arabic, say, "For those who acknowledge, it is a guide and healing. As for those who reject, there is deafness in their ears, and they are blind to it. These will be called from a place far away."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If we made it a non-Arabic Quran they would have said, "Why did it come down in that language?" Whether it is Arabic or non-Arabic, say, "For those who believe, it is a guide and healing. As for those who disbelieve, they will be deaf and blind to it, as if they are being addressed from faraway."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    If We had made it a discourse in an obscure tongue, they would have said: "Why were its revelations not expounded distinctly? A foreign tongue and an Arab (audience)?" Say: "For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; but for those who do not believe it is a deafness in the ears, and a blindness. They are those one calls to from far away.

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

    And if We had made it a non-Arabic Qur'an, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail ? Is it a foreign and an Arab ?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure. " And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Now if We had willed this to be a discourse in a non-Arabic tongue, they would surely have said, "Why is it that its messages have not been spelled out clearly? Why - a non-Arabic tongue, and an Arab?" Say: “Unto all who have attained to faith, this is a guidance and a source of health; but as for those who will not believe - in their ears is deafness, and so it remains obscure to them: they are being called from too far away.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And if We had appointed it a Lecture in a foreign tongue they would assuredly have said: If only its verses were expounded (so that we might understand)? What! A foreign tongue and an Arab? - Say unto them (O Muhammad): For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. Such are called to from afar.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Had We revealed this as a non-Arabic Qur'an they would have said: "Why were its verses not clearly expounded? How strange, a non-Arabic scripture and an Arab audience!" Tell them: “It is a guidance and a healing to the believers. But to those who do not believe, it serves as a plug in their ears and a covering over their eyes. It is as if they are being called from a place far away.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Had We made it a Quran in a literary form that is ambiguous, un understandable and foreign to their thoughts, they would have said: "If only its revelations and precepts were expounded so that We could apprehend the intended tense!" How is it that We render it in a literary form foreign to people's thoughts when it is addressed to an Arab! Say to them:. " It -the Quran- is the spirit of truth guiding those whose hearts have been touched with the divine hand into all truth. Its inherent heavenly power exerts a remedying effect on their minds to counteract doubt and redress uncertainties; whereas to those who deny it, and their heart's ears are deaf, it exerts a blinding effect on their intellectual and spiritual perception. These are they who seem to be called upon from afar as the earth's distant ends; they are also distant from Allah's blessed abode.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If Qur’an was revealed in another language, the argumentative people would have said: "Why is it revealed in such and such language?" Arabic or non-Arabic, let them know that: “It is a guide and healing for those who believe. As to the disbelievers, they have a plug in their ears to hear it and a cover over their eyes to see it. It sounds to them a call to far away from them to listen.”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And if We had sent this as a Qur’ân in a foreign language (other than Arabic), they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur’ân) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in the language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! (a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger an Arab?" Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Had We revealed it as a non-Arabic Quran, they would have certainly argued, "If only its verses were made clear ˹in our language˺. What! A non-Arabic revelation for an Arab audience!" Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “It is a guide and a healing to the believers. As for those who disbelieve, there is deafness in their ears and blindness to it ˹in their hearts˺. It is as if they are being called from a faraway place.” 

  • Taqi Usmani

    Had We made it a non-Arabic Qur’ān, they would have said, "Why are its verses not clearly explained? Is it a non-Arabic (book) and an Arab (messenger)?" Say, “For those who believe, it is guidance and cure. As for those who do not believe, there is deafness in their ears, and for them it is blindness. Such people are being called from a distant place.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    If We had made it a foreign Quran, they would have said, ‘If only its verses were clear! What? Foreign speech to an Arab?’ Say, ‘It is guidance and healing for those who have faith, but the ears of the disbelievers are heavy, they are blind to it, it is as if they are being called from a distant place.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    If We had made it a barbarous Koran, they would have said, 'Why are its signs not distinguished? What, barbarous and Arabic?' Say: 'To the believers it is a guidance, and a healing; but those who believe not, in their ears is a heaviness, and to them it is a blindness; those -- they are called from a far place. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And had we made it a foreign Qur'an, they would have said, 'Unless its signs be detailed... . What! foreign and Arabic?' Say, 'It is, for those who believe, a guidance and a healing. But those who believe not, in their ears is dullness, and it is blindness to them; these are called to from a far-off place.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And if We had made it a Lecture (Quran) in a foreign tongue, they would certainly have said, "Why have not its verses been explained clearly? What! A foreign (tongue) and an Arab (messenger)!" Say, "It is to those who believe, a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears and it is blindness (obscurity) to them; these shall be called to from afar.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And if We had made it a foreign (i. e., in a language other than Arabic) Qur'an, they would indeed have said, "Had its ayat (Verses, signs) been expounded? A foreign (tongue) and an Arab (Messenger)?" Say, " To the ones who have believed it is a guidance and a cure; and the ones who do not believe, in their ears is an obstruction, and for them it is a blindness; those are called out from a place far (away)."

  • George Sale

    If We had revealed the Koran in a foreign language, they had surely said, unless the signs thereof be distinctly explained, we will not receive the same: Is the book written in a foreign tongue, and the person unto whom it is directed, an Arabian? Answer, it is, unto those who believe, a sure guide, and a remedy for doubt and uncertainty: But unto those who believe not, it is a thickness of hearing in their ears, and it is a darkness which covereth them; these are as they who are called unto from a distant place.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    If We had sent this as a Quran (in a language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in details? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is a guide and a healing (cure) for those who believe; And for those who do not believe, there is no hearing in their ears, and there is a blindness in their (eyes): They are (like those) being called from a far distant place!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Had We made it a Qur'ân in indistinct and inexpressive language, these (faultfinders) would have surely said, `Why has not (the subject matter of) its verses been made clear in exposition?' What! can indistinct and inexpressive language and an eloquently clear language (be one and the same thing). Say, `It is a wonderful guidance and healing to those who believe.' But (as to those) who do not believe there is deafness in their ears and this (Qur'ân) is obscure to them (with regard to its factual truth). And they are (as if to say) being called to from a place afar.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Had We made it a non-Arabic Qur’ān, they would have surely said, ‘Why have not its signs been articulated?’ ‘What! A non-Arabian and an Arabian !?’ Say, ‘For those who have faith, it is a guidance and healing; but as for those who are faithless, there is a deafness in their ears and it is lost to their sight. ’ They are called from a distant place.