Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

If they say: “He invented it,” say thou: “Bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call whom you can besides God, if you be truthful.”

اَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرٰيهُۜ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِثْلِه۪ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِق۪ينَ
Am yaqooloona iftarahu qul fa/toobisooratin mithlihi wadAAoo mani istataAAtum mindooni Allahi in kuntum sadiqeen
#wordmeaningroot
1amOr
2yaqūlūna(do) they sayقول
3if'tarāhuHe has invented itفري
4qulSayقول
5fatūThen bringاتي
6bisūratina Surahسور
7mith'lihilike itمثل
8wa-id'ʿūand callدعو
9maniwhoever
10is'taṭaʿtumyou canطوع
11minbesides Allah
12dūnibesides Allahدون
13l-lahibesides Allah
14inif
15kuntumyou areكون
16ṣādiqīnatruthfulصدق
  • Aisha Bewley

    Do they say, ‘He has invented it’? Say: ‘Then produce a sura like it and call on anyone you can besides Allah if you are telling the truth. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Or do they say he invented it Say: "Then bring a chapter like it, and call upon whoever you can besides God if you are truthful!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Or, do they say, "He has invented it?" Tell them, "Bring one Surah like this and call for help everyone you can besides Allah, if you are truthful. " (2:23), (11:13). (One chapter like this in beauty, eloquence and wisdom. And "besides Allah" would mean, without copying phrases and sentences from the Qur'an).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    If they say: “He invented it,” say thou: “Bring a sūrah the like thereof; and call whom you can besides God, if you be truthful.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Or do they say: "He has invented it!" Say: "Then bring a chapter like it, and call on whom you can besides God if you are truthful."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Or do they say he invented it? Say, "Then bring a chapter like it, and call upon whoever you can besides God if you are truthful!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If they say, "He fabricated it," say, "Then produce one sura like these, and invite whomever you wish, other than GOD, if you are truthful."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Do they say (of the Prophet) that: "He has composed it?" Say to them: "Bring a Surah like this, and call anyone apart from God you can (to help you), if what you say is true. "

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

    Or do they say , "He invented it?" Say, "Then bring forth a surah like it and call upon whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful. "

  • Muhammad Asad

    And yet, they assert, " has invented it!" Say : "Produce, then, a surah of similar merit; and call to your aid whomever you can, other than God, if what you say is true!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Or say they: He hath invented it? Say: Then bring a surah like unto it, and call (for help) on all ye can besides Allah, if ye are truthful.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Do they say that the Messenger has himself composed the Qur'an? Say: 'In that case bring forth just one surah like it and call on all whom you can, except Allah, to help you if you are truthful.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Or do they say: "He Muhammad has forged it" Say to them: "If you do believe I did, then produce one Surah the like thereof, and call on all those besides Allah whom you can possibly engage to venture upon this undertaking if indeed you are declaring the truth!"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    To those who say: "Qur’an is authored by man" say: “write a chapter similar to its chapters and ask for anybody’s help, if you really believe in what you say. ”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Or do they say: "He (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) has forged it?" Say: "Bring then a Sûrah (chapter) like unto it, and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allâh, if you are truthful!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Or do they say, "He forged it"? say: "Bring then a Sura like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can besides Allah, if it be ye speak the truth!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Or do they claim, "He made it up!"? Tell them ˹O Prophet˺, “Produce one sûrah like it then, and seek help from whoever you can—other than Allah—if what you say is true!”

  • Taqi Usmani

    Or, do they say that he has made it up? Say, "Then, bring a Sūrah like this, and call whomsoever you can beside Allah, if you are true."

  • Abdul Haleem

    Or do they say, ‘He has devised it’? Say, ‘Then produce a sura like it, and call on anyone you can beside God if you are telling the truth.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Or do they say, 'Why, he has forged it'? Say: 'Then produce a sura like it, and call on whom you can, apart from God, if you speak truly. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Do they say, 'He hath devised it?' say then, 'Bring a surah like it,- and call, if ye can, on other than God, if ye do tell the truth!'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    This Quran could not have been devised by any beside (or in opposition to) Allah; but it is a confirmation (or verification) of that which came before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book (Scriptures, or that which was decreed for mankind) - there is no doubt therein - from the Lord of the Worlds.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Or (even) do they say, "He has fabricated it"? Say, "Then come up with a s?rah like it and call on whom you can call apart from Allah, in case you are sincere.

  • George Sale

    Will they say, Mohammed hath forged it? Answer, bring therefore a chapter like unto it; and call whom ye may to your assistance, besides God, if ye speak truth.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Or do they (the disbelievers) say, "He made it up?" Say: "Bring then a Sura of its like, and call (for your help) anyone you can, besides Allah, if it is that you speak the truth!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And yet they say, `He has forged it. ' Then produce a (single) chapter like it, calling upon whomsoever you can (for your help), apart from Allâh, if you are truthful (in your this assertion).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Do they say, ‘He has fabricated it?’ Say, ‘Then bring a sūrah like it, and invoke whomever you can, besides Allah, should you be truthful. ’