Chapter 21

21.21

surah 21 - verse 21

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Or have they taken gods out of the earth who raise the dead?
Maududi	Have they taken earthly gods who are such that they raise up the dead to life?
Pickthall	Or have they chosen gods from the earth who raise the dead?
Sahih	Or have men taken for themselves gods from the earth who resurrect [the dead]?
Yusuf Ali	Or have they taken (for worship) gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)?

21.22

surah 21 - verse 22

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they would surely go to ruin; so glory be to God, the Lord of the Throne, above that they describe!
Maududi	Had there been any gods in the heavens and the earth apart from Allah, the order of both the heavens and the earth would have gone to ruins. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the Throne, Who is far above their false descriptions of Him.
Pickthall	If there were therein gods beside Allah, then verily both (the heavens and the earth) had been disordered. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne, from all that they ascribe (unto Him).
Sahih	Had there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
Yusuf Ali	If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!

21.23

surah 21 - verse 23

translator's name	verse
Arberry	He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall he questioned.
Maududi	None shall question Him about what He does, but they shall be questioned.
Pickthall	He will not be questioned as to that which He doeth, but they will be questioned.
Sahih	He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
Yusuf Ali	He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).

21.24

surah 21 - verse 24

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Or have they taken gods apart from Him? Say: 'Bring your proof! This is the Remembrance of him who is with me, and the Remembrance of those before me. Nay, but the most part of them know not the truth, so therefore they are turning away.
Maududi	Have they taken gods other than Him? Say, (O Muhammad): "Bring forth your proof! Here is the Book with admonition for those of my time and there are also scriptures with admonition for people before me." But most people do not know the Truth, and have, therefore, turned away from it.
Pickthall	Or have they chosen other gods beside Him? say: Bring your proof (of their godhead). This is the Reminder of those with me and those before me, but most of them know not the Truth and so they are averse.
Sahih	Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, [O Muhammad], "Produce your proof. This [Qur'an] is the message for those with me and the message of those before me." But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.
Yusuf Ali	Or have they taken for worship (other) gods besides him? Say, "Bring your convincing proof: this is the Message of those with me and the Message of those before me." But most of them know not the Truth, and so turn away.

21.25

surah 21 - verse 25

translator's name	verse
Arberry	And We sent never a Messenger before thee except that We revealed to him, saying, 'There is no god but I; so serve Me.'
Maududi	Never did We send any Messenger before you to whom We did not reveal: "There is no god but Me. So serve Me alone."
Pickthall	And We sent no messenger before thee but We inspired him, (saying): There is no Allah save Me (Allah), so worship Me.
Sahih	And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
Yusuf Ali	Not a messenger did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me.

21.26

surah 21 - verse 26

translator's name	verse
Arberry	They say:' 'The All-merciful has taken to Him a son.' Glory be to Him! Nay, but they are honoured servants
Maududi	They say: "The Most Compassionate Lord has taken to Himself a son." Glory be to Him! Those whom they so designate are only His honoured servants.
Pickthall	And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He Glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honoured slaves;
Sahih	And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants.
Yusuf Ali	And they say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten offspring." Glory to Him! they are (but) servants raised to honour.

21.27

surah 21 - verse 27

translator's name	verse
Arberry	that outstrip Him not in speech, and perform as He commands.
Maududi	They do not outstrip Him in speech and only act as He commands.
Pickthall	They speak not until He hath spoken, and they act by His command.
Sahih	They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command.
Yusuf Ali	They speak not before He speaks, and they act (in all things) by His Command.

21.28

surah 21 - verse 28

translator's name	verse
Arberry	He knows what is before them and behind them, and they intercede not save for him with whom He is well-pleased, and they tremble in awe of Him.
Maududi	He knows whatever is before them and whatsoever is remote from them and they do not intercede except for him, intercession on whose behalf pleases Him, and they stand constantly in awe of Him.
Pickthall	He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.
Sahih	He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.
Yusuf Ali	He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory).

21.29

surah 21 - verse 29

translator's name	verse
Arberry	If any of them says, 'I am a god apart from Him', such a one We recompense with Gehenna; even so We recompense the evildoers.
Maududi	And if anyone of them were to claim: "Indeed I am a god apart from Him," We shall recompense both with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrong-doers.
Pickthall	And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a god beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We Repay wrong-doers.
Sahih	And whoever of them should say, "Indeed, I am a god besides Him"- that one We would recompense with Hell. Thus do We recompense the wrongdoers.
Yusuf Ali	If any of them should say, "I am a god besides Him", such a one We should reward with Hell: thus do We reward those who do wrong.

21.30

surah 21 - verse 30

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Have not the unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and the earth were a mass all sewn up, and then We unstitched them and of water fashioned every living thing? Will they not believe?
Maududi	Did the unbelievers (who do not accept the teaching of the Prophet) not realize that the heavens and the earth were one solid mass, then We tore them apart, and We made every living being out of water? Will they, then, not believe (that We created all this)?
Pickthall	Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and we made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?
Sahih	Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
Yusuf Ali	Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?

21.31

surah 21 - verse 31

translator's name	verse
Arberry	And We set in the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with them, and We set in it ravines to serve as ways, that haply so they may be guided;
Maududi	And We placed firm mountains on earth lest it should sway with them, and We made wide paths in them that they may find their way;
Pickthall	And We have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them, and We have placed therein ravines as roads that haply they may find their way.
Sahih	And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains, lest it should shift with them, and We made therein [mountain] passes [as] roads that they might be guided.
Yusuf Ali	And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance.

21.32

surah 21 - verse 32

translator's name	verse
Arberry	and We set up the heaven as a roof well-protected; yet still from Our signs they are turning away.
Maududi	and We made the sky a secure canopy; and yet they turn away from these Signs.
Pickthall	And we have made the sky a roof withheld (from them). Yet they turn away from its portents.
Sahih	And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.
Yusuf Ali	And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)!

21.33

surah 21 - verse 33

translator's name	verse
Arberry	It is He who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon, each swimming in a sky.
Maududi	It is He Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Each of them is floating in its orbit.
Pickthall	And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.
Sahih	And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming.
Yusuf Ali	It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.

21.34

surah 21 - verse 34

translator's name	verse
Arberry	We have not assigned to any mortal before thee to live forever; therefore, if thou diest, will they live forever?
Maududi	(O Muhammad), We did not grant everlasting life to any human being even before you. If you were to die, will they live for ever?
Pickthall	We appointed immortality for no mortal before thee. What! if thou diest, can they be immortal!
Sahih	And We did not grant to any man before you eternity [on earth]; so if you die - would they be eternal?
Yusuf Ali	We granted not to any man before thee permanent life (here): if then thou shouldst die, would they live permanently?

21.35

surah 21 - verse 35

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Every soul shall taste of death; and We try you with evil and good for a testing, then unto Us you shall be returned.
Maududi	Every living being shall taste death and We shall subject you to ill and good by way of trial, and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back.
Pickthall	Every soul must taste of death, and We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And unto Us ye will be returned.
Sahih	Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned.
Yusuf Ali	Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. to Us must ye return.

21.36

surah 21 - verse 36

translator's name	verse
Arberry	When the unbelievers behold thee, they take thee only for mockery: 'Ha, is this the one who makes mention of your gods?' Yet they in the Remembrance of the All-merciful are unbelievers.
Maududi	When the unbelievers see you they make you an object of fun, saying: "Is he the one who mentions your gods?" They say so, and yet they reject with disdain the very mention of the Most Compassionate Lord.
Pickthall	And when those who disbelieve behold thee, they but choose thee out for mockery, (saying): Is this he who maketh mention of your gods? And they would deny all mention of the Beneficent.
Sahih	And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muhammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who insults your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
Yusuf Ali	When the Unbelievers see thee, they treat thee not except with ridicule. "Is this," (they say), "the one who talks of your gods?" and they blaspheme at the mention of (Allah) Most Gracious!

21.37

surah 21 - verse 37

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Man was created of haste. Assuredly I shall show you My signs; so demand not that I make haste.
Maududi	Man is hasty by nature. I shall certainly show you My Signs. Do not ask Me to be hasty.
Pickthall	Man is made of haste. I shall show you My portents, but ask Me not to hasten.
Sahih	Man was created of haste. I will show you My signs, so do not impatiently urge Me.
Yusuf Ali	Man is a creature of haste: soon (enough) will I show you My Signs; then ye will not ask Me to hasten them!

21.38

surah 21 - verse 38

translator's name	verse
Arberry	They say, 'And when shall the promise come to pass, if you speak truly?'
Maududi	They say: "(Tell us) when will the threat of punishment come to pass if you are truthful?"
Pickthall	And they say: When will this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?
Sahih	And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?"
Yusuf Ali	They say: "When will this promise come to pass, if ye are telling the truth?"

21.39

surah 21 - verse 39

translator's name	verse
Arberry	If the unbelievers but knew when that they shall not ward off the Fire from their faces nor from their backs, neither shall they be helped!
Maududi	If only the unbelievers knew of the Hour when they shall not be able to keep off the Fire from their faces, nor from their backs; nor shall they be helped.
Pickthall	If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not be able to drive off the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be helped!
Sahih	If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not avert the Fire from their faces or from their backs and they will not be aided...
Yusuf Ali	If only the Unbelievers knew (the time) when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor yet from their backs, and (when) no help can reach them!

21.40

surah 21 - verse 40

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Nay, but it shall come upon them suddenly, dumbfounding them, and they shall not be able to repel it, nor shall they be respited.
Maududi	That will suddenly come upon them and stupefy them. They shall not be able to ward it off, nor shall they be granted any respite.
Pickthall	Nay, but it will come upon them unawares so that it will stupefy them, and they will be unable to repel it, neither will they be reprieved.
Sahih	Rather, it will come to them unexpectedly and bewilder them, and they will not be able to repel it, nor will they be reprieved.
Yusuf Ali	Nay, it may come to them all of a sudden and confound them: no power will they have then to avert it, nor will they (then) get respite.