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Word Analysis & Comparison
14. Surah • 21. Verse
Word Analysis
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
before Allah
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed we
لَكُمْ
lakum
your
فَهَلْ
fahal
so can
أَنتُم
antum
you (be)
عَنَّا
ʿannā
us
مِنْ
min
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
مِن
min
anything
لَوْ
law
If
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah had guided us
عَلَيْنَآ
ʿalaynā
for us
أَمْ
am
or
مَا
mā
not
لَنَا
lanā
(is) for us
مِن
min
any
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
When they all stand before GOD , the followers will say to the leaders, "We used to follow you. Can you spare us even a little bit of GOD's retribution?" They will say, "Had GOD guided us, we would have guided you. Now it is too late, whether we grieve or resort to patience, there is no exit for us."
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
Andthey appeared before God, all of them. And the weak ones said to those who were arrogant: "We were following you, so will you avail us anything from the retribution of God?" They said: "If God had guided us, then we would have guided you. It makes no difference if we cry out or are patient, for we have no refuge."
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
They all appeared before God. The weak ones said to those who were arrogant: "We were following you, so will you avail us anything from God's retribution?" They said, "If God had guided us, then we would have guided you. It makes no difference if we rage or endure, for we have no refuge."
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
Then all of them will appear exposed before Allah,[1] and the weak ones will say to the haughty ones: "We merely followed you. Will you, then, protect us from Allah's chastisement?" They will say: "Had Allah shown us the Way to our salvation, we would surely have also guided you. Now it is all the same whether we cry or suffer patiently, we have no escape."[2]
1
The word baruz means to emerge and also implies to become known. That is why it has been translated into "shall appear before Allah", for it implies both these meanings. As a matter of fact, all the people are fully exposed all the time before Allah but they do not realize it. They will, however, realize it on the Day of Judgment when they shall be presented before the Greatest of all Judges that they were fully exposed before Him all along. So much so that every deed they did and each and everything they thought and desired is known to Him.
2
This is to serve as a warning to all those people who follow others blindly or obey and submit to tyrants because they say: We are weak. They are warned, as if to say: You should note it well that those leaders, saints, officers and rulers whom you arc following blindly today, will not be able to protect you at all from the chastisement of Allah. Therefore, you should consider it well today where such people, whom you are following or obeying, are themselves going and where they are leading you.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
They will all be marshalled before Allah together: then will the weak say to those who were arrogant, "For us, we but followed you; can ye then avail us to all against the wrath of Allah?" They will reply, "If we had received the Guidance of Allah, we should have given it to you: to us it makes no difference (now) whether we rage, or bear (these torments) with patience: for ourselves there is no way of escape."
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
They all come forth unto their Lord. Then those who were despised say unto those who were scornful: We were unto you a following, can ye then avert from us aught of Allah's doom? They say: Had Allah guided us, we should have guided you. Whether we rage or patiently endure is (now) all one for us; we have no place of refuge.
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
All of them shall appear before Allah. Then, the weak shall say to the arrogant, "We were your followers. So, can you relieve us a little from Allah’s punishment?" They will say, “Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we deplore or endure, we have no way out.”
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
When they all appear before Him, the weak will say to the powerseekers, ‘We were your followers. Can you protect us from any of God’s punishment?’ They will reply, ‘If God had guided us, we would have guided you. It makes no difference now whether we rage or endure with patience: there is no escape.’
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
They will all appear before Allah, and the lowly ˹followers˺ will appeal to the arrogant ˹leaders˺, "We were your ˹dedicated˺ followers, so will you ˹then˺ protect us from Allah’s torment in any way?" They will reply, “Had Allah guided us, we would have guided you. ˹Now˺ it is all the same for us whether we suffer patiently or impatiently, there is no escape for us.”
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
And they all shall appear before Allâh (on the Day of Resurrection); then the weak will say to those who were arrogant (chiefs): "Verily, we were following you; can you avail us anything against Allâh’s Torment?" They will say: "Had Allâh guided us, we would have guided you. It makes no difference to us (now) whether we rage, or bear (these torments) with patience; there is no place of refuge for us."
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
They will all parade before Allah and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, ‘We followed you, so can you help us at all against the punishment of Allah?’ They will say, ‘If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It makes no difference whether we cannot stand it or bear it patiently. We have no way of escape.’
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
When the disbelievers stand before God, they will ask their leaders: "We used to follow you. Can you help us now to receive a little bit lighter sentence from God?" Their leader will say: “If we had deserved the Lord’s guidance in our worldly life, we would have guided you (so that you receive a lighter sentence, or none, today.) Now it is too late. Whether we face our destiny with patience or grief, there is no escape for us.
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
They all come out to God; and the weak say to those who were big with pride, 'We were followers of yours, can ye now avail us aught against God's torment?' They say, 'If God had guided us we would have guided you. It is the same to us if we are agonized or if we are penitent, we have no escape.
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
They sally forth unto God, all together; then say the weak to those who waxed proud, 'We were your followers; will you avail us against the chastisement of God anything?' They say, 'If God had guided us, we would have guided you. Alike it is for us whether we cannot endure, or whether we are patient; we have no asylum.'
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
(Beware of the Day when) the people shall appear before Allâh in a body so that the weak shall say to those who considered themselves great, `We were your followers definitely. Can you not help (to save) us (today) in any manner against the punishment of Allâh?' They will reply, `Had Allâh guided us (to a way of deliverance) we would have surely guided you. It makes no difference for us (now) whether we show impatience or remain patient. There is no way of escape for us (this day).'
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
Together they will be presented before Allah. Then those who were weak will say to those who were arrogant, ‘Indeed we were your followers. So will you avail us against Allah’s punishment in any wise?’ They will say, ‘Had Allah guided us, surely we would have guided you. It is the same to us whether we are restless or patient: there is no escape for us.’
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
And they go forth to Allah altogether. Then say the weak to the ones who waxed proud, "Surely we were to you a following; will you then avail us against the torment of Allah anything?" They say, "If Allah had guided us, indeed we would have guided you. Equal it is for us whether we (endure) impatiently, or whether we endure patiently; in no way can we have any evasion."
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
They will all come forth unto their Lord; and the despised (or weak) say to those who were scornful (or inflated with pride), "We were but followers of your s, can you now avail us aught against Allah's torment?" They say, "If Allah had guided us we would have guided you. It is now the same for us whether we rage or whether we are penitent, we have no escape."
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
And they shall all come forth into the presence of God at the last day: And the weak among them shall say unto those who behaved themselves arrogantly, verily we were your followers on earth; will ye not therefore avert from us some part of the divine vengeance? They shall answer, if God had directed us aright, we had certainly directed you. It is equal unto us whether we bear our torments impatiently, or whether we endure them with patience: For we have no way to escape.
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
When they will all appear before God together, the weak will say to those who were arrogant: "We were your followers, so can you now save us a little from God's punishment?" They will say: "If we had been guided by God we would surely have shown you the way. To lament or endure is all the same to us now. No getting away is there for us."
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
And all [mankind] will appear before God [on the Day of Judgment]; and then the weak will say unto those who had gloried in their arrogance: "Behold, We were but your followers: can you, then, relieve us of something of God's chastisement?" [And the others] will answer: "If God would but show us the way [to salvation], we would indeed guide you [towards it]. It is [now] all one, as far as we are concerned, whether we grieve impatiently or endure [our lot] with patience: there is no escape for us!"
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
And when the whole have emerged from the graves and assembled before Allah at Judgment, the weak who lacked strength of purpose and will shall say to those who were extravagant in their accounts of themselves: "We were your followers; are you now going to carry on our behalf a share of Allah's torment laid upon the damned!" The proud would answer "Had Allah guided us to His path of righteousness, We would have guided you thereto; now it is all the same whether we be impatient or patient, never will we be able to possess our souls nor can we escape".
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
They all will be gathered before Allah together: Then the weak say to those who were proud, "For us, we only followed you; then, can you be of any use to us against the Punishment of Allah?" They will reply, "If we had received the Guidance of Allah, we should have given it to you: It makes no difference to us (now) whether we are angry, or bear (the pain) with patience: For ourselves there is no way of escape. "
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
And they appeared before God, all of them. And the weak ones said to those who were arrogant: "We were following you, so will you avail us anything from God's retribution" They said: "If God had guided us, then we would have guided you. It makes no difference if we cry out or are patient, for we have no refuge."
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
All mankind will appear before Allah. Then the ones who had disabled their minds with blind following will say to their 'self-glorified' leaders, "We used to follow you. Can you divert some of the requital from us?" The leaders will respond, "If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. Ah, it is too late! Now it makes no difference whether we panic in grief or try to bear it in patience, there is no escape for us." (It is noteworthy here that Satan had brought the same argument that his Lord sent him astray (7:16)).
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
And they will come out [for judgement] before Allah all together, and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, "Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah ?" They will say, "If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape."
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
And they will emerge before God all together; and the weak will say to those who had waxed proud: “We were your followers; can you avail us something against the punishment of God?” They will say: “Had God guided us, we would have guided you; it is the same for us whether we be distressed or patient: we have no place of refuge.”