Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And they serve, besides God, what neither harms them nor benefits them; and they say: “These are our intercessors with God.” Say thou: “Would you inform God of what He knows not in the heavens or in the earth?” Glory be to Him! And exalted is He above that to which they ascribe a partnership!

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هٰٓؤُ۬لَٓاءِ شُفَعَٓاؤُ۬نَا عِنْدَ اللّٰهِۜ قُلْ اَتُنَبِّؤُ۫نَ اللّٰهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمٰوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْاَرْضِۜ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالٰى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
WayaAAbudoona min dooni Allahi mala yadurruhum wala yanfaAAuhum wayaqooloonahaola-i shufaAAaona AAinda Allahiqul atunabbi-oona Allaha bima la yaAAlamufee assamawati wala fee al-ardisubhanahu wataAAala AAamma yushrikoon
#wordmeaningroot
1wayaʿbudūnaAnd they worshipعبد
2minfrom
3dūniother thanدون
4l-lahiAllah
5that (which)
6(does) not
7yaḍurruhumharm themضرر
8walāand not
9yanfaʿuhumbenefit themنفع
10wayaqūlūnaand they sayقول
11hāulāiThese
12shufaʿāunā(are) our intercessorsشفع
13ʿindawithعند
14l-lahiAllah
15qulSayقول
16atunabbiūnaDo you informنبا
17l-lahaAllah
18bimāof what
19not
20yaʿlamuhe knowsعلم
21in
22l-samāwātithe heavensسمو
23walāand not
24in
25l-arḍithe earthارض
26sub'ḥānahuGlorified is Heسبح
27wataʿālāand Exaltedعلو
28ʿammāabove what
29yush'rikūnathey associate (with Him)شرك
  • Aisha Bewley

    They worship, instead of Allah, what can neither harm them nor help them, saying, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah. ’ Say: ‘Would you inform Allah of something about which He does not know either in the heavens or on the earth?’ May He be glorified and exalted above what they associate with Him!

  • Progressive Muslims

    And they serve besides God what does not harm them or benefit them, and they Say: "These are our intercessors with God. " Say: "Are you informing God of what He does not know in the heavens or in the Earth" Be He glorified and high from what they set up.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They worship and obey besides Allah, deities that can neither harm nor benefit them. They say, "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say, "Are you informing Allah of what He knows not in the heavens and the earth? Glory to Him! (39:3). He is High, Exalted above all that they associate with Him."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And they serve, besides God, what neither harms them nor benefits them; and they say: “These are our intercessors with God.” Say thou: “Would you inform God of what He knows not in the heavens or in the earth?” Glory be to Him! And exalted is He above that to which they ascribe a partnership!

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And they serve besides God what does not harm them or benefit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with God." Say: "Are you informing God of what He does not know in the heavens or the earth?" Be He glorified and exalted above what they set up.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They serve besides God what does not harm them or benefit them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with God." Say, "Are you informing God of what He does not know in the heavens or in the earth?" Be He glorified and high from what they set up.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They worship beside GOD idols that possess no power to harm them or benefit them, and they say, "These are our intercessors at GOD!" Say, "Are you informing GOD of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth?" Be He glorified. He is the Most High; far above needing partners.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They worship those besides God who cannot do them harm or bring them gain, and say: "These are our intercessors with God. " Say: "Do you want to inform God of things in the heavens and the earth He does not know?" Glorious is He, and too exalted for what they associate with Him!

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

    And they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah " Say, "Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?" Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him

  • Muhammad Asad

    and they worship, side by side with God, things or beings that can neither harm nor benefit them, saying , "These are our intercessors with God!" Say: "Do you inform God of anything in the heavens or on earth that He does not know? Limitless is He in His glory, and sublimely exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They worship beside Allah that which neither hurteth them nor profiteth them, and they say: These are our intercessors with Allah. Say: Would ye inform Allah of (something) that He knoweth not in the heavens or in the earth? Praised be He and High Exalted above all that ye associate (with Him)!

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They worship, beside Allah, those who can neither harm nor profit them, saying; 'These are our intercessors with Allah.' Tell them (O Muhammad): 'Do you inform Allah of something regarding whose existence in the heavens or on the earth He has no knowledge?* Holy is He and He is exalted far above what they associate with Him in His divinity'.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    They worship besides Allah what shall never hurt them nor profit them, and they claim that such objects of worship shall serve as their intercessors pleading on their behalf with Allah! Say to them O Muhammad: Do you inform Allah of what He does not know in the heavens and the earth!" Glory be to Him- and extolled are His glorious attributes; He is infinitely far beyond those whom or which they incorporate with Him.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Those people, instead of worshipping God alone, worship the idols who can neither harm nor benefit them. They say: "These are intermediary between the Lord and us and will ask God to forgive us." Reply: “Do you want to say that you are aware of the creatures that God Himself is not aware of neither in the heavens nor on earth?” Glory to the Lord; He is far above needing partners.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And they worship besides Allâh things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allâh." Say: "Do you inform Allâh of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth?" Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners (with Him)!

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They serve, besides Allah, things that hurt them not nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say: "Do ye indeed inform Allah of something He knows not, in the heavens or on earth?- Glory to Him! and far is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    They worship besides Allah others who can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, "These are our intercessors with Allah." Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Are you informing Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth? Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate ˹with Him˺!”

  • Taqi Usmani

    Beside Allah, they worship those who can neither harm nor benefit them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah." Say, “Are you informing Allah of what He does not know as existing in the heavens or on the earth?” Pure is He, and far higher than what they associate with Him.

  • Abdul Haleem

    They worship alongside God things that can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, ‘These are our intercessors with God.’ Say, ‘Do you think you can tell God about something He knows not to exist in the heavens or earth? Glory be to Him! He is far above the partner-gods they associate with Him!

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They serve, apart from God, what hurts them not neither profits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God. ' Say: 'Will you tell God what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?' Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they associate!

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They worship beside God what can neither harm them nor profit them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God!' Say, 'Will ye inform God of aught in the heavens or the earth, that He knows not of?' Celebrated be His praise! and exalted be He, above what they associate with Him!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Who does greater wrong than he who forges a lie concerning Allah, or denies His revelations? Verily, the guilty are never successful.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And they worship, apart from Allah, what neither harms them nor profits them; and they say, "These are our intercessors in the Providence of Allah. " Say, "Do you really inform Allah of what He does not know (either) in the heavens or in the earth?" All Extolment be to Him! And Supremely Exalted be He above whatever they associate!.

  • George Sale

    They worship besides God, that which can neither hurt them nor profit them, and they say, these are our intercessors with God. Answer, will ye tell God that which He knoweth not, neither in heaven nor in earth? Praise be unto Him! And far be that from Him, which they associate with Him!

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Besides Allah, they worship things that do not hurt them, nor help them, and they say: "These are our intercessors (helpers) with Allah. " Say: "Do you really tell Allah something that He does not know, in the heavens or on earth? Glory to Him! And High is He above the partners they ascribe (to Him)!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (some) people worship, apart from Allâh, things that can neither harm them (of their own accord) nor can help them. They say, `These are our intercessors with Allâh.' Say, `Do you (presume to) inform Allâh of the things of whose existence in the heavens or in the earth He does not know?' Glory be to Him! High be He, exalted above (all the things) they associate (with Him).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They worship besides Allah that which neither causes them any harm, nor brings them any benefit, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah. ’ Say, ‘Will you inform Allah about something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’ Immaculate is He and exalted above any partners that they ascribe !