Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Say thou: “Whoso is in error — no matter the extent the Almighty extends for him — when they have seen what they are promised, whether it be the punishment or the Hour, then will they know who is worse in position and weaker in force.”

قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ فِي الضَّلَالَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ الرَّحْمٰنُ مَداًّۚ حَتّٰٓى اِذَا رَاَوْا مَا يُوعَدُونَ اِمَّا الْعَذَابَ وَاِمَّا السَّاعَةَۜ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَكَاناً وَاَضْعَفُ جُنْداً
Qul man kana fee addalalatifalyamdud lahu arrahmanu maddan hattaitha raaw ma yooAAadoona imma alAAathabawa-imma assaAAata fasayaAAlamoona man huwasharrun makanan waadAAafu junda
#wordmeaningroot
1qulSayقول
2manWhoever
3kānaisكون
4in
5l-ḍalālati[the] errorضلل
6falyamdudthen surely will extendمدد
7lahufor him
8l-raḥmānuthe Most Graciousرحم
9maddanan extensionمدد
10ḥattāuntil
11idhāwhen
12ra-awthey seeراي
13what
14yūʿadūnathey were promisedوعد
15immāeither
16l-ʿadhābathe punishmentعذب
17wa-immāor
18l-sāʿatathe Hourسوع
19fasayaʿlamūnathen they will knowعلم
20manwho
21huwa[he]
22sharrun(is) worstشرر
23makānan(in) positionكون
24wa-aḍʿafuand weakerضعف
25jundan(in) forcesجند
  • Aisha Bewley

    Say: ‘As for those who are astray, let the All-Merciful prolong their term until they see what they were promised, whether it be the punishment or the Hour. Then they will know who is in the worse position and has the weaker troops.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Say: "Whoever is in misguidance, then the Almighty will lead them on. " Until they see what they have been promised, either the retribution or the Hour. Then they will know who is in a worst place and weaker in power.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Say, "The Beneficent gives respite to those who go astray. During this period of respite they either mend their ways or move on to see the promise of retribution in this life or the Hour of Doom. Then they know who is worse off and weaker in forces."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Say thou: “Whoso is in error — no matter the extent the Almighty extends for him — when they have seen what they are promised, whether it be the punishment or the Hour, then will they know who is worse in position and weaker in force.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Say: "Whoever is in misguidance, then the Almighty will lead them on." Until they see what they have been promised, either the retribution or the Hour. Then they will know who is in a worse place and weaker in power.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Say, "Whoever is in misguidance, then the Gracious will lead them on." Until they see what they have been promised, either the retribution or the moment. Then they will know who is in a worst place and weaker in power.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Say, "Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them - either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Say: "Ar-Rahman extends the life of those who are astray until they come to realise what had been promised them was either (physical) affliction or (the terror) of Resurrection. Then will they know who is worse in position, and who is weak in supporters.

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

    Say, "Whoever is in error - let the Most Merciful extend for him an extension until, when they see that which they were promised - either punishment or the Hour - they will come to know who is worst in position and weaker in soldiers. "

  • Muhammad Asad

    Say: "As for him who lives in error, may the Most Gracious lengthen the span of his life! of which they were forewarned-whether it be suffering or the Last Hour -: for then they will understand which was worse in station and weaker in resources!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Say: As for him who is in error, the Beneficent will verily prolong his span of life until, when they behold that which they were promised, whether it be punishment (in the world), or the Hour (of doom), they will know who is worse in position and who is weaker as an army.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Say: "The Most Compassionate Lord grants respite to those who stray into error, until they behold what they had been threatened with, either God's chastisement (in the world) or the Hour (of Resurrection)" - then they fully know whose station is worse, and who is weaker in hosts!

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Say to them -The infidels- O Muhammad "Those who are satisfied with their state of loss in the maze of error shall experience more of it. Allah shall give them enough rope to allow them free scope of action to commit themselves until the encounter with the promised punishment either at the hands of the Muslims here below or in Day hi Judgement Hereafter. There and then, shall they realize who are in the most grievous and dreaded state and have the lesser and weaker forces!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Say to them: "Those who choose the darkness, the Most Gracious will let them continue their appointed life span. Then they will see what is already promised for them (either the punishment or the Resurrection.) It is only then when they will realize who is the least prosperous and the least powerful."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) whoever is in error, the Most Gracious (Allâh) will extend (the rope) to him, until, when they see that which they were promised, either the torment or the Hour, they will come to know who is worst in position, and who is weaker in forces.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Say: "If any men go astray, (Allah) Most Gracious extends (the rope) to them, until, when they see the warning of Allah (being fulfilled) - either in punishment or in (the approach of) the Hour,- they will at length realise who is worst in position, and (who) weakest in forces!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "Whoever is ˹entrenched˺ in misguidance, the Most Compassionate will allow them plenty of time, until—behold!—they face what they are threatened with: either the torment or the Hour. Only then will they realize who is worse in position and inferior in manpower."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Say, "Whoever stays straying, let his term be extended by the All-Merciful (Allah) still longer, until when they will see what they are being warned of: either the punishment or the Hour (of Doom), then they will know who was worse in his place and weaker in his forces.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Say , ‘The Lord of Mercy lengthens of the misguided, until, when they are confronted with what they have been warned about- either the punishment or the Hour - they realize who is worse situated and who has the weakest forces.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'Whosoever is in error, let the All-merciful prolong his term for him! Till, when they see that they were threatened, whether the chastisement, or the Hour, then they shall surely know who is worse in place, and who is weaker in hosts. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Say, 'Whosoever is in error, let the Merciful extend to him length of days!- until they see what they are threatened with, whether it be the torment or whether it be the Hour, then they shall know who is worse placed and weakest in forces!'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And how many generations before them have We destroyed who were better off in property and outward appearance?

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Say, "Whoever has been in errancy, then indeed The All-Merciful will grant him an extension of days (Literally: extend for him an extension "of days") until, when they see what they were promised, whether the torment or the Hour, then they will soon know who is in an eviler place and weaker in hosts. "

  • George Sale

    Say, whosoever is in error, the Merciful will grant him a long and prosperous life; until they see that with which they are threatened, whether it be the punishment of this life, or that of the last hour; and hereafter they shall know who is in the worse condition, and the weaker in forces.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Say: "If any men go towards wrong, (Allah) Most Gracious (Ar-Rahmán) extends (the rope) to them, until, when they see the warning of Allah (being completed)— either as punishment or as (the coming of) the (final) Hour— At the end, they will see who is worse in position, and (who is) weaker in forces!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Say, `The Most Gracious (God) gives those, who are steeped in error, long respite. ' But when such people see that with which they are threatened, be it some (worldly) punishment or the Hour (of complete and final destruction), they shall realize who is worse placed and weaker in forces.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Say, ‘Whoever abides in error, the All-beneficent shall prolong his respite until they sight what they have been promised: either punishment, or the Hour. ’ Then they will know whose position is worse, and whose host is weaker.