Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And We sent before thee only men to whom We revealed from among the people of the cities. (So have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the final outcome of those who were before them? And the abode of the Hereafter is best for those who are in prudent fear; will you then not use reason!)

وَمَٓا اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ اِلَّا رِجَالاً نُوح۪ٓي اِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْقُرٰىۜ اَفَلَمْ يَس۪يرُوا فِي الْاَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذ۪ينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْۜ وَلَدَارُ الْاٰخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذ۪ينَ اتَّقَوْاۜ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Wama arsalna min qablika illarijalan noohee ilayhim min ahli alquraafalam yaseeroo fee al-ardi fayanthurookayfa kana AAaqibatu allatheena min qablihimwaladaru al-akhirati khayrun lillatheenaittaqaw afala taAAqiloon
#wordmeaningroot
1wamāAnd not
2arsalnāWe sentرسل
3minbefore you
4qablikabefore youقبل
5illābut
6rijālanmenرجل
7nūḥīWe revealedوحي
8ilayhimto them
9minfrom (among)
10ahli(the) peopleاهل
11l-qurā(of) the townshipsقري
12afalamSo have not
13yasīrūthey traveledسير
14in
15l-arḍithe earthارض
16fayanẓurūand seenنظر
17kayfahowكيف
18kānawasكون
19ʿāqibatu(the) endعقب
20alladhīna(of) those who
21min(were) before them
22qablihim(were) before themقبل
23waladāruAnd surely the homeدور
24l-ākhirati(of) the Hereafterاخر
25khayrun(is) bestخير
26lilladhīnafor those who
27ittaqawfear Allahوقي
28afalāThen will not
29taʿqilūnayou use reasonعقل
  • Aisha Bewley

    We sent none before you but men inspired with revelation from among the people of the cities. Have they not travelled in the land and seen the final fate of those before them? The abode of the Next World is better for those who have taqwa. So will you not use your intellect?

  • Progressive Muslims

    And We have not sent before you except men, to whom We gave inspiration, from the people of the towns. Would they not roam the Earth and see how was the punishment of those before them And the abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware. Do you not comprehend

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And even before your time, We never sent (as Our Messengers) but men to whom We revealed Our Messages. We always chose them from among the people of their own communities. Have they then never journeyed about the earth and seen what happened in the end to those who lived before them? And, don't they know that those who walk aright, the life to come is better for them. Will they not then, use reason?

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And We sent before thee only men to whom We revealed from among the people of the cities. (So have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the final outcome of those who were before them? And the abode of the Hereafter is best for those who are in prudent fear; will you then not use reason!)

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And We have not sent before you except men, to whom We gave inspiration, from the people of the towns. Will they not roam the earth and see how was the punishment of those before them? And the abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware. Do you not comprehend?

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    We have not sent before you except men, to whom We gave inspiration, from the people of the towns. Would they not roam the earth and see what the punishment of those before them was? The abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware. Do you not reason?

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    We did not send before you except men whom we inspired, chosen from the people of various communities. Did they not roam the earth and see the consequences for those before them? The abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who lead a righteous life. Would you then understand?

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    All the apostles We had sent before you were men of those regions, to whom We sent Our revelations. Have they not travelled on the earth and seen what befell the people before them? Surely the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who fear straying from the right path. Do you not understand?

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

    And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed from among the people of cities. So have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? And the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah; then will you not reason?

  • Muhammad Asad

    And before thy time, We never sent any but men, whom We inspired, from among the people of the communities . Have, then, they never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those who lived before them?-and to those who are conscious of God the life in the hereafter is indeed better ? Will they not, then, use their reason?

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    We sent not before thee (any messengers) save men whom We inspired from among the folk of the townships - Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? And verily the abode of the Hereafter, for those who ward off (evil), is best. Have ye then no sense? -

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    The Messengers whom We raised before you, (O Muhammad), and to whom We sent down revelations, were only human beings, and were from among those living in earthly habitations. Have these people not travelled in the earth that they may observe the end of their predecessors? Certainly the abode of the Hereafter is much better for those (who accepted the call of the Messengers and) acted in a God-fearing manner. Will you still not act with good sense?*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    We never sent Messengers before you O Muhammad whom We inspired, but were men chosen from among the town dwellers whose deeds were natural to man. Have these people not journeyed through the land and looked with their minds' eyes to see what was the end of those who preceded them! Indeed the abode in Paradise is infinitely better for those who had entertained the profound reverence dutiful to Allah in life below; can you people not reflect!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    All the Prophets that I sent before you, were also human beings (chosen from their own communities) to relay My revelations. Do these people ever travel to see what happened to people who passed away before them? Know that the life after death is much better for those who lead a righteous life. Do you get it?

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And We sent not before you (as Messengers) any but men unto whom We revealed, from among the people of the townships. Have they not travelled in the land and seen what was the end of those who were before them? And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who fear Allâh and obey Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds). Do you not then understand?

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Nor did We send before thee (as messengers) any but men, whom we did inspire,- (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the hereafter is best, for those who do right. Will ye not then understand?

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    We only sent before you ˹O Prophet˺ men inspired by Us from among the people of each society. Have the deniers not travelled through the land to see what was the end of those ˹destroyed˺ before them? And surely the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter is far better for those mindful ˹of Allah˺. Will you not then understand?

  • Taqi Usmani

    We did not send before you (messengers) other than men from the people of the towns whom We inspired with revelation. Have they not traveled in the land where they could have seen how was the fate of those before them? And surely the abode of the Hereafter is much better for those who fear Allah. Would you, then, still not understand?

  • Abdul Haleem

    All the messengers We sent before you were men to whom We made revelations, men chosen from the people of their towns. Have the not travelled through the land and seen the end of those who went before them? For those who are mindful of God, the Home in the Hereafter is better. Do you not use your reason?

  • Arthur John Arberry

    We sent not forth any before thee, but men We revealed to of the people living in the cities. Have they not journeyed in the land? Have they not beheld how was the end of those before them?. Surely the abode of the world to come is better for those that are godfearing. What, do you not understand?

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Nor did we ever send before thee any save men whom we inspired, of the people of the cities. Have they not journeyed on in the earth, and beheld how was the end of those before them? But the abode of the future is surely better for those who believe;- what! have they then no sense?

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Say, "This is my Way; I call now unto Allah with sure knowledge (or clear proof), I and those who follow me - Glory be to Allah - for I am not of the idolaters. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And in no way did We send (any Messengers) even before you, except men whom We revealed to of the population of the towns. Have they then not traveled in the earth (and) so have looked into how was the end of (the ones) who were (there) even before them? And indeed the Residence of the Hereafter is most charitable (i.e., better) for the ones who are pious. Do you then not consider?

  • George Sale

    We sent not any apostles before thee, except men, unto whom We revealed our will, and whom We chose out of those who dwelt in cities. Will they not go through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who have preceded them. But the dwelling of the next life shall surely be better for those who fear God. Will they not therefore understand?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And before you, We did not send any except men (as messengers, men) whom We inspired— Living in human homes (and groups). Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best, for those who do right. Then, will you not understand?

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And We sent none (as Messengers) before you but they were men from among the people of the townships to whom We revealed (Our will). Have they not then journeyed in the land and seen how was the end of their predecessors? Indeed, the abode of the Hereafter holds out better promises for those who guard against evil and keep their duty. Will you not then refrain (from disbelief and unrighteous deeds)?

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    We did not send before you except as men to whom We revealed from among the people of the towns. Have they not traveled over the land so that they may observe how was the fate of those who were before them? And the abode of the Hereafter is surely better for those who are Godwary. Do you not apply reason?