Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And had We willed, We would have blinded their eyes; then would they compete for the path, but how would they see?

وَلَوْ نَشَٓاءُ لَطَمَسْنَا عَلٰٓى اَعْيُنِهِمْ فَاسْتَبَقُوا الصِّرَاطَ فَاَنّٰى يُبْصِرُونَ
Walaw nashao latamasnaAAala aAAyunihim fastabaqoo assiratafaanna yubsiroon
#wordmeaningroot
1walawAnd if
2nashāuWe willedشيا
3laṭamasnāWe (would have) surely obliteratedطمس
4ʿalā[over]
5aʿyunihimtheir eyesعين
6fa-is'tabaqūthen they (would) raceسبق
7l-ṣirāṭa(to find) the pathصرط
8fa-annāthen howاني
9yub'ṣirūna(could) they seeبصر
  • Aisha Bewley

    If We wished, We could put out their eyes. Then, though they might race for the path, how would they see?

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if We wished, We can blind their eyes, and they would race towards the path, but how would they see.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Had We so Willed, We could have made them devoid of Vision that would make them unaccountable for whichever way they went. (Without free will like the Animal Kingdom).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And had We willed, We would have blinded their eyes; then would they compete for the path, but how would they see?

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if We wished, We can blind their eyes, and they would race towards the path, but how would they see?

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If We wished, We can blind their eyes, and they would race towards the path, but how would they see?

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If we will, we can veil their eyes and, consequently, when they seek the path, they will not see.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    We could take away their sight if We pleased; then they would run around to find the way: But how then would they see?

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

    And if We willed, We could have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to the path, and how could they see?

  • Muhammad Asad

    NOW HAD IT BEEN Our will , We could surely have deprived them of their sight, so that they would stray forever from the way: for how could they have had insight ?

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And had We willed, We verily could have quenched their eyesight so that they should struggle for the way. Then how could they have seen?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    If We so willed, We would have put out their eyes, then they would rush to see the Way, but how would they be able to see?

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And had it been Our will We would have eclipsed their eye sight and their minds' eyes, then they would have competed with each other for finding their way, but how could they have been able to see it!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    I may decide to put a veil on their eyes so that they do not see where they are being herded.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And if it had been Our Will, We would surely have wiped out (blinded) their eyes, so that they would struggle for the Path, how then would they see?

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    If it had been our Will, We could surely have blotted out their eyes; then should they have run about groping for the Path, but how could they have seen?

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Had We willed, We could have easily blinded their eyes, so they would struggle to find their way. How then could they see?

  • Taqi Usmani

    If We so will, We would wipe out their eyes (right here in this world), and they would be racing towards the way, but how would they see?

  • Abdul Haleem

    If it had been Our will, We could have taken away their sight. They would have struggled to find the way, but how could they have seen it?

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Did We will, We would have obliterated their eyes, then they would race to the path, but how would they see?

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And if we please we could put out their eyes, and they would race along the road; and then how could they see?

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And if We please We would certainly put out their eyes, then they would run about groping for the way, but how should they see?

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And if We had (so) decided, We would indeed have obliterated their eyes. Then they would race with each other to the Path, yet however would they behold (it)?

  • George Sale

    If We pleased We could put out their eyes, and they might run with emulation in the way they use to take; and how should they see their error?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    If it was Our Will, We could surely have wiped out (blinded) their eyes; So that they would have run about searching for the Path, but (then again) how could they have seen?

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    If We had (so) willed, We could certainly have deprived these (disbelievers) of their eyesight so that they would have gone ahead on their path (unseeing). But, how should they find (the path) now (in this state of their blindness).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Had We wished We would have blotted out their eyes: then, were they to advance towards the path, how would have they seen?