Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Do they then not see what is before them, and what following them of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause to fall upon them pieces of the sky. In that is a proof for every repentant servant.

اَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا اِلٰى مَا بَيْنَ اَيْد۪يهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ مِنَ السَّمَٓاءِ وَالْاَرْضِۜ اِنْ نَشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الْاَرْضَ اَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفاً مِنَ السَّمَٓاءِۜ اِنَّ ف۪ي ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيَةً لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُن۪يبٍ۟
Afalam yaraw ila ma baynaaydeehim wama khalfahum mina assama-i wal-ardiin nasha/ nakhsif bihimu al-arda aw nusqitAAalayhim kisafan mina assama-i inna fee thalikalaayatan likulli AAabdin muneeb
#wordmeaningroot
1afalamThen, do not
2yarawthey seeراي
3ilātowards
4what
5bayna(is) before themبين
6aydīhim(is) before themيدي
7wamāand what
8khalfahum(is) behind themخلف
9minaof
10l-samāithe heavenسمو
11wal-arḍiand the earthارض
12inIf
13nashaWe willشيا
14nakhsifWe (could) cause to swallow themخسف
15bihimuWe (could) cause to swallow them
16l-arḍathe earthارض
17awor
18nus'qiṭcause to fallسقط
19ʿalayhimupon them
20kisafanfragmentsكسف
21minafrom
22l-samāithe skyسمو
23innaIndeed
24in
25dhālikathat
26laāyatansurely, is a Signايي
27likullifor everyكلل
28ʿabdinslaveعبد
29munībinwho turns (to Allah)نوب
  • Aisha Bewley

    Have they not looked at the sky and the earth in front of them and behind them? If We willed We would cause the earth to swallow them up or make great lumps fall down on them from the sky. There is certainly a Sign in that for every remorseful slave.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Have they not seen to all that is before them and behind them, in the heaven and the Earth If We wished, We could cause the Earth to swallow them, or cause pieces of the sky to fall on them. In this is a sign for every obedient servant.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Have they not observed the heaven and the earth however little lies open before them, and however much is hidden from them? If We so Willed, We could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses from the sky fall down upon them. Therein, behold, is a Sign for every servant who turns to his Lord.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Do they then not see what is before them, and what following them of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause to fall upon them pieces of the sky. In that is a proof for every repentant servant.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Have they not seen all that is before them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause pieces of the heaven to fall on them. In this is a sign for every obedient servant.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Have they not seen all that is before them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause pieces of the sky to fall on them. In this is a sign for every obedient servant.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Have they not seen all the things in front of them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If we willed, we could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses to fall on them from the sky. This should be a sufficient proof for every obedient servant.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? We could cleave the earth and sink them, if We pleased, or drop a fragment of the sky upon them. There is surely a sign in this for every penitent creature.

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

    Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back .

  • Muhammad Asad

    Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them? In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant who is wont to turn unto Him .

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Do they not see how the heavens and the earth encompass them from the front and the rear? We could, if We so wished, cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments of the sky fall upon them.* Verily there is a Sign in this for every servant (of Allah) who penitently turns to Him.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth and contemplate their existence, maintenance and conservation. If We willed We could eclipse them in one swallow by a yawning earthly chasm We create beneath them or cause a piece of heaven to fall upon them in the form of discs of cumuli; either incident is by itself a great inducement for lifting to Allah the inward sight by the votary devoted to religious observances and to repentance with a breast filled with reverential awe.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do the disbelievers not look around and realize that if the Lord decides, He can sink them underground or send a meteor from the sky to destroy them. Only those servants of God who turn to him understand the magnitude of His Grace {and are grateful for that.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every slave who turns to Allâh in repentance (i.e. the one who believes in the Oneness of Allâh and performs deeds of His obedience and always begs His Pardon).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Have they not then seen all that surrounds them of the heavens and the earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Have they not, then, looked to the sky and the earth that lies before them and behind them? If We so will, We would make the earth swallow them up, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely, in this there is a sign for a servant (of Allah) who turns to Him.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Do they not think about what is in front of them and behind them in the heavens and earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments from the heavens fall down upon them. There truly is a sign in this for every servant who turns back to God in repentance.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Have they not regarded what lies before them and what lies behind them of heaven and earth? Did We will, We would make the earth to swallow them, or We would drop down on them lumps from heaven. Surely in that is a sign to every penitent servant.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Have they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? if we pleased we would cleave the earth open with them, or we would make to fall upon them a portion of the heaven; verily, in that is a sign to every repentant servant.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    "He has forged a lie against Allah or there is madness in him. "Nay! Those who do not believe in the Hereafter are in torment and in great error.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    So, have they not regarded whatever is before them (Literally: between their hands) and whatever is behind them of the heaven and the earth? In case We (so) decide, We would make the earth to cave in with them, or We would let fall down on them lumps from the heaven. Surely in that is indeed a sign to every penitent bondman.

  • George Sale

    Have they not therefore considered what is before them, and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We please, We will cause the earth to open and swallow them up, or will cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them: Verily herein is a sign unto every servant, who turneth unto God.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Do they not see what is before them and (what is) behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them up, or make a piece of the heaven fall upon them. Surely, in this is a Sign for the (loyal) servant who turns to Allah (in repentance).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Do they not see (how they are surrounded on all sides by) the heaven and the earth that lie before and behind them? If We (so) please, We can make them low (and abased) in the land (and thus show some signs of the earth), or let some portion of the clouds fall down upon them (showing some heavenly signs). Behold! there is a sign in this for every penitent servant (of God).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Have they not regarded that which is before them and that which is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We like, We can make the earth swallow them, or let fall on them a fragment from the sky. There is indeed a sign in that for every penitent servant.