Chapter 21
Surah Al Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
21.1
surah 21 - verse 1
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Nigh unto men has drawn their reckoning, while they in heedlessness are yet turning away; |
| Maududi | The time of people's reckoning has drawn near, and yet they turn aside in heedlessness. |
| Pickthall | Their reckoning draweth nigh for mankind, while they turn away in heedlessness. |
| Sahih | [The time of] their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away. |
| Yusuf Ali | Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away. |
21.2
surah 21 - verse 2
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | no Remembrance from their Lord comes to them lately renewed, but they listen to it yet playing, |
| Maududi | Whenever any fresh admonition comes to them from their Lord they barely heed it and remain immersed in play, |
| Pickthall | Never cometh there unto them a new reminder from their Lord but they listen to it while they play, |
| Sahih | No mention comes to them anew from their Lord except that they listen to it while they are at play |
| Yusuf Ali | Never comes (aught) to them of a renewed Message from their Lord, but they listen to it as in jest,- |
21.3
surah 21 - verse 3
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | diverted their hearts. The evildoers whisper one to another, 'Is this aught but a mortal like to yourselves? What, will you take to sorcery with your eyes open?' |
| Maududi | their hearts being set on other concerns. The wrong-doers whisper to one another: "This person is no more than a mortal like yourselves. Will you, then, be enchanted by sorcery while you see?" |
| Pickthall | With hearts preoccupied. And they confer in secret. The wrong-doers say: Is this other than a mortal like you? Will ye then succumb to magic when ye see (it)? |
| Sahih | With their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, [saying], "Is this [Prophet] except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you are aware [of it]?" |
| Yusuf Ali | Their hearts toying as with trifles. The wrong-doers conceal their private counsels, (saying), "Is this (one) more than a man like yourselves? Will ye go to witchcraft with your eyes open?" |
21.4
surah 21 - verse 4
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | He says: 'My Lord knows what is said in the heavens and the earth, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.' |
| Maududi | He said: "My Lord knows well all that is spoken in the heavens and the earth. He is All-Hearing, All- Knowing." |
| Pickthall | He saith: My Lord knoweth what is spoken in the heaven and the earth. He is the Hearer, the Knower. |
| Sahih | The Prophet said, "My Lord knows whatever is said throughout the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing." |
| Yusuf Ali | Say: "My Lord knoweth (every) word (spoken) in the heavens and on earth: He is the One that heareth and knoweth (all things)." |
21.5
surah 21 - verse 5
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Nay, but they say: 'A hotchpotch of nightmares! Nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet! Now therefore let him bring us a sign, even as the ancient ones were sent as Messengers.' |
| Maududi | They say: "Nay, these are confused dreams; nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign, even as the Messengers of the past were sent with signs." |
| Pickthall | Nay, say they, (these are but) muddled dreams; nay, he hath but invented it; nay, he is but a poet. Let him bring us a portent even as those of old (who were Allah's messengers) were sent (with portents). |
| Sahih | But they say, "[The revelation is but] a mixture of false dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign just as the previous [messengers] were sent [with miracles]." |
| Yusuf Ali | "Nay," they say, "(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!" |
21.6
surah 21 - verse 6
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Not one city that We destroyed before them believed; what then, will they not believe? |
| Maududi | Not one township that We destroyed before them believed. Would they, then, believe? |
| Pickthall | Not a township believed of those which We destroyed before them (though We sent them portents): would they then believe? |
| Sahih | Not a [single] city which We destroyed believed before them, so will they believe? |
| Yusuf Ali | (As to those) before them, not one of the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe? |
21.7
surah 21 - verse 7
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | And We sent none before thee, but men to whom We made revelation -- question the People of the Remembrance, if you do not know -- |
| Maududi | (O Muhammad), even before you We never sent any other than human beings as Messengers, and to them We sent revelation. Ask the People of the Book if you do not know. |
| Pickthall | And We sent not (as Our messengers) before thee other than men, whom We inspired. Ask the followers of the Reminder if ye know not? |
| Sahih | And We sent not before you, [O Muhammad], except men to whom We revealed [the message], so ask the people of the message if you do not know. |
| Yusuf Ali | Before thee, also, the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: If ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message. |
21.8
surah 21 - verse 8
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | nor did We fashion them as bodies that ate not food, neither were they immortal; |
| Maududi | We did not endow the Messengers with bodies that would need no food; nor were they immortals. |
| Pickthall | We gave them not bodies that would not eat food, nor were they immortals. |
| Sahih | And We did not make the prophets forms not eating food, nor were they immortal [on earth]. |
| Yusuf Ali | Nor did We give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they exempt from death. |
21.9
surah 21 - verse 9
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | then We made true the promise We gave them and We delivered them, and whomsoever We would; and We destroyed the prodigal. |
| Maududi | Then We fulfilled the promise We had made to them: We rescued them and those whom We wished, and We destroyed those who exceeded all bounds. |
| Pickthall | Then we fulfilled the promise unto them. So we delivered them and whom We would, and We destroyed the prodigals. |
| Sahih | Then We fulfilled for them the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed and destroyed the transgressors. |
| Yusuf Ali | In the end We fulfilled to them Our Promise, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We destroyed those who transgressed beyond bounds. |
21.10
surah 21 - verse 10
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Now We have sent down to you a Book wherein is your Remembrance; will you not understand? |
| Maududi | We have bestowed upon you a Book that mentions you. Do you not understand? |
| Pickthall | Now We have revealed unto you a Scripture wherein is your Reminder. Have ye then no sense? |
| Sahih | We have certainly sent down to you a Book in which is your mention. Then will you not reason? |
| Yusuf Ali | We have revealed for you (O men!) a book in which is a Message for you: will ye not then understand? |
21.11
surah 21 - verse 11
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | How many a city that was evildoing We have shattered, and set up after it another people! |
| Maududi | How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people. |
| Pickthall | How many a community that dealt unjustly have We shattered, and raised up after them another folk! |
| Sahih | And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people. |
| Yusuf Ali | How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples? |
21.12
surah 21 - verse 12
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Then, when they perceived Our might, behold, they ran headlong out of it. |
| Maududi | Then, when they perceived Our chastisement they took to their heels and fled. |
| Pickthall | And, when they felt Our might, behold them fleeing from it! |
| Sahih | And when its inhabitants perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it. |
| Yusuf Ali | Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it. |
21.13
surah 21 - verse 13
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.' |
| Maududi | (They were told): "Flee not, but return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You are likely to be questioned." |
| Pickthall | (But it was said unto them): Flee not, but return to that (existence) which emasculated you and to your dwellings, that ye may be questioned. |
| Sahih | [Some angels said], "Do not flee but return to where you were given luxury and to your homes - perhaps you will be questioned." |
| Yusuf Ali | Flee not, but return to the good things of this life which were given you, and to your homes in order that ye may be called to account. |
21.14
surah 21 - verse 14
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | They said, 'Alas for us! We have been evildoers.' |
| Maududi | They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers." |
| Pickthall | They cried: Alas for us! we were wrong-doers. |
| Sahih | They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers." |
| Yusuf Ali | They said: "Ah! woe to us! We were indeed wrong-doers!" |
21.15
surah 21 - verse 15
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | So they ceased not to cry, until We made them stubble, silent and still. |
| Maududi | They did not cease to cry this until We reduced them to stubble, still and silent. |
| Pickthall | And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct. |
| Sahih | And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire]. |
| Yusuf Ali | And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched. |
21.16
surah 21 - verse 16
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | We created not the heaven and the earth, and whatsoever between them is, as playing; |
| Maududi | We did not create in sport the heavens and the earth and all that lies between the two. |
| Pickthall | We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play. |
| Sahih | And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play. |
| Yusuf Ali | Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between! |
21.17
surah 21 - verse 17
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught. |
| Maududi | Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so. |
| Pickthall | If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did. |
| Sahih | Had We intended to take a diversion, We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so. |
| Yusuf Ali | If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)! |
21.18
surah 21 - verse 18
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | Nay, but We hurl the truth against falsehood and it prevails over it, and behold, falsehood vanishes away. Then woe to you for that you describe! |
| Maududi | Nay, We hurl the Truth at falsehood so that the Truth crushes falsehood, and lo! it vanishes. Woe to you for what you utter! |
| Pickthall | Nay, but We hurl the true against the false, and it doth break its head and lo! it vanisheth. And yours will be woe for that which ye ascribe (unto Him). |
| Sahih | Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs. And for you is destruction from that which you describe. |
| Yusuf Ali | Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us). |
21.19
surah 21 - verse 19
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those who are with Him wax not too proud to do Him service neither grow weary, |
| Maududi | To Him belongs whosoever dwells in the heavens and on earth. Those (angels) that are with Him neither disdain to serve Him out of pride, nor do they weary of it. |
| Pickthall | Unto Him belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who dwell in His presence are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary; |
| Sahih | To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, nor do they tire. |
| Yusuf Ali | To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service): |
21.20
surah 21 - verse 20
| translator's name | verse |
| Arberry | glorifying Him by night and in the daytime and never failing. |
| Maududi | They glorify Him night and day, without flagging. |
| Pickthall | They glorify (Him) night and day; they flag not. |
| Sahih | They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken. |
| Yusuf Ali | They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit. |