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Word Analysis & Comparison
13. Surah • 16. Verse
Word Analysis
مَن
man
Who
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah
مِّن
min
from
لَا
lā
not
وَلَا
walā
and not
هَلْ
hal
Is
أَمْ
am
Or
هَلْ
hal
is
أَمْ
am
Or
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ
ʿalayhim
to them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and He
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, "GOD." Say, "Why then do you set up besides Him masters who do not possess any power to benefit or harm even themselves?" Say, "Is the blind the same as the seer? Is darkness the same as the light?" Have they found idols besides GOD who created creations similar to His creations, to the point of not distinguishing the two creations? Say, "GOD is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
Say: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "God." Say: "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not possess for themselves any benefit or harm?" Say: "Is the blind and the seer the same? Or do the darkness and the light equate? Or have they set up partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them?" Say: "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and earth," Say, "God." Say, "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not possess for themselves any benefit or harm?" Say, "Is the blind and the seer the same? Or, does the darkness and the light equate?" Or have they made partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them? Say, "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allah."[1] Tell them: "Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals?[2] Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?"[3] If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?[4] Say: "Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible."[5]
1
It will be worthwhile to note that though the question, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" was put to the disbelievers, Allah told the Prophet (peace be upon him) to answer it himself and say, “Allah”. This was because the disbelievers hesitated to answer it one way or the other. They could not say that it was not Allah for they themselves believed that Allah was the Creator of everything. On the other hand, they could not acknowledge this fact in so many words in answer to such question. For, they would then have to acknowledge the doctrine of Tauhid. Then no basis could have been left in favor of shirk. As they realized their weak position, they would not give any answer to such questions. That is why Allah asks His Messenger (peace be upon him) to put such questions to the disbelievers: “Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Who is the Lord of the Universe? Who sustains you with provisions of life?” When they do not give any answer to such questions, Allah asks His Messenger (peace be upon him) to say “Allah” in answer. He then proceeds on with this argument: When Allah does all these things, how do the deities you worship come in?
2
The blind man is the person who cannot see any of the countless signs of the Oneness of Allah, though these lie spread over before him in the universe. On the other hand, the seeing man is the person who can see in every particle of the universe and in every leaf of grass and tree signs pointing to their Creator. Thus the question that has been posed means: O disbelievers, if you are blind to the signs, why should the one who can see the signs should behave like a blind man and stumble along like you?
3
Here "light" means the light of the knowledge of the truth which the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers possessed. In contrast to this, there was the “darkness” of ignorance in which the disbelievers were wandering about. The question that has been posed means to ask this: Why should those, who have received the light, extinguish it and wander about in the darkness like you? Well, if you do not know the worth of the light, you may choose to wander in the darkness. But how can you expect the one who has received the light and who appreciates the difference between the light and the darkness, and who is seeing the right way as if in broad daylight, to leave the light and wander about in the darkness?
4
The question is intended to impress on the disbelievers that there is absolutely no reason why they should practice shirk. When they themselves admit that their gods did not create even an iota in the universe and that they do not have even the smallest and most insignificant share in the creation, there remains no ground for them to cherish any doubts about it. Why should, then, their false gods and deities share the rights and powers of the Real Creator?
5
The Arabic word Qahhar literally means "The one who rules over all by virtue of His own power, and keeps all under His complete control."
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
Say (O Muhammad): Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: Allah. Say: Take ye then (others) beside Him for protectors, which, even for themselves, have neither benefit nor hurt? Say: Is the blind man equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light? Or assign they unto Allah partners who created the like of His creation so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them? Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Almighty.
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
Say [Prophet], ‘Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘God.’ Say, ‘Why do you take protectors other than Him, who can neither benefit nor harm even themselves?’ Say, ‘Are the blind equal to those who can see? And are the depths of darkness equal to the light?’ Have the partners they assign to God created anything like His creation so that their creation is indistinguishable from His? Say, ‘God is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the All Compelling.’
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
Say, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, “Allah.” Say, “Have you, then, taken as protectors those besides Him who possess no power to cause benefit or harm even to themselves?” Say, “Is it that a blind person and a sighted one are equal, or that all sorts of the darkness and the light are alike?” Or, have they ascribed such partners with Allah who (according to their belief) have created (some of the creation) as He has created, and thus the creation seemed to them alike? Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the All-Dominant.”
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allah." Say: "Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Are the blind equal with those who see? Or the depths of darkness equal with light?" Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible."
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allâh." Say: "Have you then taken (for worship) Auliyâ’ (protectors) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allâh partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them?" Say: "Allâh is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible."
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, “Allah!” Ask ˹them˺, “Why ˹then˺ have you taken besides Him lords who cannot even benefit or protect themselves?” Say, “Can the blind and the sighted be equal? Or can darkness and light be equal?”[1] Or have they associated with Allah partners who ˹supposedly˺ produced a creation like His, leaving them confused between the two creations? Say, “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme.”
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
Say: ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘Allah. ’ Say: ‘So why have you taken protectors apart from Him who possess no power to help or harm themselves?’ Say: ‘Are the blind and seeing equal? Or are darkness and light the same? Or have they assigned partners to Allah who create as He creates, so that all creating seems the same to them?’ Say: ‘Allah is the Creator of everything. He is the One, the All-Conquering.’
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
Ask: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" [When you see their hesitance in answering, ] say: “God. ” Then say: “Knowing this fact, why do you then adopt less than God as your lord? Do you not see that these adopted lords of yours have no power whatsoever to do something?” Say: “Is a blind man (physically speaking) equal to the one who can see?” Say: “Is darkness the same as the light?” Have your adopted gods created the things so similar to the creation of the Lord that [has made it difficult for you to distinguish God from your idols as easily as you distinguish darkness from the light or blind from the man who sees, and that] it has become so difficult for you to judge who is God and who is not God? Say: “God is the Creator of everything; He is One and He is Almighty.
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
And unto Allah do prostrate whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the evening.
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
Say: 'Who is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth?' Say: 'God. ' Say: 'Then have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power to profit or hurt themselves?' Say: 'Are the blind and the seeing man equal, or are the shadows and the light equal? Or have they ascribed to God associates who created as He created, so that creation is all alike to them?' Say: 'God is the Creator of everything, and He is the One, the Omnipotent.'
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
Say, who is the Lord of heaven and earth? Answer, God. Say, have ye therefore taken unto yourselves protectors beside Him, who are unable either to help, or to defend themselves from hurt? Say, shall the blind and the seeing be esteemed equal? Or shall darkness and light be accounted the same? Or have they attributed companions unto God who have created as He hath created, so that their creation bear any resemblance unto His? Say, God the creator of all things; he is the one, the victorious God.
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
Say, 'Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth?' say, 'God;' say, 'Do ye take beside God patrons who cannot control profit or harm for themselves?' say, 'Shall the blind and the seeing be held equal? or shall the darkness and the light be held equal? or have they made associates with God who can create as He creates, so that the creation seem familiar to them?' say, 'God is the creator of everything, and He is the one, the dominant. '
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
Say, "Who is The Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say, " Allah. " Say, "Then have you taken to yourselves, apart from Him, constant patrons (who) do not possess for themselves neither profit nor harm?" Say, "Are the blind (man) and the beholding (one) equal? Or even are the darknesses and the light equal?" Or have they made up for Allah associates who created the like of His creation, so that creation appeared similar to them? Say, " Allah is The Creator of everything and He is The One, The Superb Vanquisher."
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
Ask (them), `Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?' (They will not be able to answer it, therefore) say, `It is Allâh. ' Say (again), `Have you, even then, taken, apart from Him (such other) helpers as have no power to receive good or avoid harm even for themselves?.' Say, `Is the blind person as good as the person who can see? Or are the different kinds of darkness the same as the light? Or have they ascribed to Allâh associate partners who have created the things as He has created, with the result that the two creations look similar to them?' Say, `Allâh (alone) is the Creator of all things and He is the One, the Most Supreme.'
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
Say, ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘Allah!’ Say, ‘Have you then taken others besides Him for guardians, who have no control over their own benefit or harm?’ Say, ‘Are the blind one and the seer equal? Or are the darkness and the light equal?’ Have they set up for Allah partners who have created like His creation, so that the creations seemed confusable to them? Say, ‘Allah is the creator of all things, and He is the One, the All-paramount. ’
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" (They will) say: "God. " Say: "Then why do you take protectors besides Him who have no power over their own gain or loss?" Say: "Can a blind man and one who can see be equal? Or, darkness and light be the same? Or, have those they have appointed equal of God created, as He has created, so that the (two) creations look alike to them?" Say: "God is the creator of everything. He is One, the omnipotent."
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
Say: "Who is the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "[It is] God. " Say: "[Why, ] then, do you take for your protectors, instead of Him, such as have it not within their power to bring benefit to, or avert harm from, themselves?" Say: "Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equal? -or can the depths of darkness and the light be deemed equal?" Or do they [really] believe that there are, side by side with God, other divine powers that have created the like of what He creates, so that this act of creation appears to them to be similar [to His]? Say: "God is the Creator of all things; and He is the One who holds absolute sway over all that exists."
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
Ask them O Muhammad: "Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth!" and say to them: "It is Allah". and ask them: "Have you taken besides Him other deities who have no control over what befalls You of good or harm!". Ask them: "Do you compare the one without the sense of sight or who lacks spiritual perception with the other who perceives objects by sight or perceives mentally and apprehends by thought ! " "Does darkness or want of spiritual or intellectual sight compare with light or spiritual enlightenment?". Or did those whom they incorporate with Allah call into existence or form out of nothingness any creature, animate or inanimate, identical with any of those created by Allah, to the extent that they cannot tell the difference! Say to them: "It is Allah Who is the Creator of the whole and of all in all; He is the One and only Ilah, the Supreme controlling and influencing power inherent in the whole and in all in all."
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
Say: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and Earth, " Say: "God. " Say: "Have you taken besides Him allies who do not posses for themselves any benefit or harm" Say: "Is the blind and the seer the same, or does the darkness and the light equate Or have they made partners with God who have created like His creation, so the creations all seemed the same to them" Say: "God has created all things, and He is the One, the Supreme."
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
Ask them, "Who is the Lord of the Highs and the Lows?" Say, "Allah!" (23:84-90), (29:21-23). Then ask, "Why then, do you take as protectors besides Him those who have neither benefit, nor harm even for themselves?" (When you acknowledge Him as the God of the heavens, what stops you from acknowledging Him as God of the earth, and thus, as the Law-giving Authority? (6:3), (21:21-22), (43:84)). Say, "Is the blind of reason equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light?" (11:24), (35:19). Have their 'partners' of Allah created something like He has created, so that this act of creation appears to them to be similar? Say, "Allah is the Creator of all things. He is the One, Dominating."
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "It is Allah. "... Say: "Then do you take (for worship) protectors other than Him, such as (those who) have no power, for good or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind and the one who sees equal? Or the depths of darkness and Light equal?” Or do they assign to Allah 'partners' who have created like His Creation, so that the creation seemed similar to them? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: And He is The One (Al-Wah'id), the Supreme and Irresistible (Al-Qahhar)."
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
Say, "Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?" Say, " Allah. " Say, "Have you then taken besides Him allies not possessing [even] for themselves any benefit or any harm?" Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Or is darkness equivalent to light? Or have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the creation [of each] seemed similar to them?" Say, " Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Prevailing."
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
Say thou: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say thou: “God.” Say thou: “Have you then taken, besides Him, allies which have not power to do themselves benefit or harm?” Say thou: “Is the blind equal to the seeing? Or is darkness equal to the light?” If they have ascribed to God partners that created the like of His creation, then the creation appears the same to them. Say thou: “God is creator of all things, and He is the One, the Vanquishing.”